Dodging Strengths

It’s pretty common to undervalue the aspects of your band that have brought you success and given you even a shroud of unique identity in this saturated market.

Because since you have those strengths you figure everyone else must have them too, and if everyone has them, they can’t be worth much.

Or you figure because this set of strengths hasn’t sky rocketed you to fame that they must be the wrong set of strengths and you need a new set, someone else’s set.

Or you figure that if you truly adopt this set of strengths as a core of your identity as an artist, that it will limit you from participating in opportunities outside of that identity.


Don’t be afraid of what you’re good at.

(and I know how that sounds…but hey, maybe it’ll push you into the light)

Once you understand the strengths of your identity, keep doing them over and over and over. No matter the consequences. 

That’s what you need and that’s what we need from you.

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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

The Lead Singer

The lead singer…

harnesses the expression of the band 

possesses a turn key for the audience’s freedom

is always being watched

needs the band to believe in him/her in order to maximize impact

battles to find the right place for ego, expectation and attention

needs affirmation even though they don’t act like they need it

always wishes the crowd was just a little bit louder

has the power to be the crown of a good night

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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

Single Decisions

Most bands and artists spend a lot of time making musical decisions in the studio in regards of what they believe will work at radio, what they believe will work as a single.

And yet, spend very little time considering who will be promoting and pushing that single at radio or streaming or online. 

Most artists go with the first company who shows an inkling of interest, or the first recommendation from a friend, or the labels promo/radio staff. Does the label staff even know who you are, and do they like you? 

If you’re going to make decisions in the studio with regards to having a radio hit, streaming hit, video hit, etc…it’s important to consider ALL the aspects involved with making it so.

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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

The Size Of The Fish

It’s ok for the fish to keep getting bigger in your fishing story. 

Why? Because the point isn’t really the size of the fish or the facts of the story, it’s to communicate the feeling and excitement of the story.  The story is being told for entertainment!

So if the fish needs to be two feet instead of 12 inches in order to pass along the original excitement now in the retelling, so be it. 

Is it more important that the audience know the actual, literal details of what happened, or that they experience what you experienced as the story was actually unfolding?

Because you’re telling a fish story to an audience and not a story about what you saw at the scene of a crime to the police…the fish can be as big as it needs to be in the moment.

If you will learn to communicate a FEELING as opposed to simply the FACTS, you will have a more compelling career here in the entertainment business.

p.s. I used to be a real stickler about not letting the fish get any bigger, whether it was my fish or your fish.  But it turns out the fish being THIS BIG is actually a lot more fun.  And that’s what fishing is all about.

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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

The Watched Pot...

…never boils. 

False, it definitely boils. I’ve watched it. 

I took the time, I squandered the time just watching it get there. 

But a watched pot steals your time because watching the pot, checking the pot, waiting for the pot has no bearing on the pot boiling or the time it takes to boil.

So although it’s not quite as catchy, the saying might be something like this…

The watched pot is a thief…stealing time, focus and energy…and also, the pot doesn’t care that you’re watching it.

Go do something else.

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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

The Fake Hustle

Getting home from some shows on the road. 

Taking four or five days to chill after working so hard. 

Taking another four or five days to gear up for some more work. 

Taking the next two weeks setting up meetings and going out at night to let everyone know about the work you’re going to do.  

Two days of recovery from the meetings.  

Three more days of getting your ducks in a row so life is optimum up once you begin the work.

Two days of actual self-stated procrastination.

One day of listening to some motivating podcasts.

It’s time for a couple more shows and the trailer needs to be reloaded…


I play out a version of this. You play out a version of this.

And it’s easy to experience the feeling of busy-ness throughout this entire process.  Associating busy-ness with importance, importance with status, status with fulfillment.

It’s time to ditch the fake hustle, and replace it with the real thing.

p.s. I don’t know exactly what that looks like for you. Maybe this will be helpful.


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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com