Observable Oneness

Observable oneness…unity. 

That is what gives a band its public soul.  And something that solo artists often miss out on.

Sure, ‘unique’ is compelling but unity is a more powerful binding magnet.

It doesn’t matter if your band walks into a meeting or a stadium, a restaurant or a radio station…the degree to which people are drawn to your band is the underlying, ever subtle, ever present, never-spoken about observable oneness.

Unity is so deep within our brains that we sense it, feel it and experience it without even knowing it.

It’s the reason that one band got up there and “completely changed the vibe in the room”.  Even though the room, sound system and audience was exactly the same for the previous two acts.

When your band walks into a room there is a powerful vibe that walks in with you.  Whether you think it’s there or not, it’s there.  We feel it. We respond to it.

Observable oneness.

The funny thing is you only have to worry about growing the oneness…the ‘observable’ part will take care of itself.

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

Know Your Audience?

When you walk into a room and your group of friends is there you can use all the shorthand and inside jokes and communication to experience connectedness very quickly.

When you walk into a room of people you don’t know, you’re still YOU, but you don’t have history with these people so there’s no shorthand.  You have to start somewhere that is a different starting place than when you’re with your pals.

It’s the same thing when you walk on stage.

If you don’t like having to get to know a new audience, don’t play for people who don’t know you.

If you play for people who don’t know you, why would you expect them to behave like an audience that does know you?

If you’re playing for a primarily new audience, what’s your musical/show version of “Hi, how are you, my name is”…as opposed to your musical/show version of “Good to see you again”.

It would be weird if someone came up to you who you didn’t know at all and said “Good to see you again”.  

We’ve all heard time and time again ‘know your audience’…

…that is, unless you don’t know them…yet.

Over time as we mature, we learn how to get to know people (audiences) more genuinely, faster and with more care.

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

Don’t Be Too Stupid

“Don’t be too stupid to enjoy that you’re at number one”…I’m not totally sure but I think I wrote this down as a quote I heard or read from Paul McGuinness to U2 when Joshua Tree came out.

But it applies as a good reminder to whoever the number one artist is right now and tomorrow and the next day.

And if you’re not at number one yet, you might practice enjoyment right now so that when you get to number one you won’t be too stupid.

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

Stuck Sucks

It’s possible to get stuck in the mud, stuck in a snowstorm, stuck in traffic.  Those things can have power over you…and realizing you’re stuck is simply realizing the thing you’re stuck in is more powerful.

And because they’re more powerful, they takeaway your choice…making you “stuck”.

The word stuck hands over control to the other thing.

And sometimes that’s true.

But most of the time I don’t think we’re stuck.  I think we’re stalling.

I’m stuck on my couch watching ESPN.

No, I’m just stalling.

Etc, etc, etc.

We want to use the word stuck because if we’re truly stuck and something truly has power over us then we never have to take the responsibility for not moving?!

But if we dare admit to ourselves and the people around us that we’re stalling…the word stalling admits a different reality.

A reality that says: I’m afraid, I’m embarrassed about not knowing, this is too unfamiliar, if I take another step into the unknown I might die or get laughed at.

Aa ha.

Stalling brings you closer to owning your predicament, and reminds you who is in control.

Stuck sucks…whether true OR false.

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

I Meet Lots Of Artists Who...

I meet lots of artists who want to get bigger, but never mention doing anything to get to get better.

I meet lots of artists who want an agent to do things for them, but never mention what they’re going to do for the agent.

I meet lots of artists who are releasing music and expecting big things, but never mention where those expectations came from or what they’re based on.

I meet a lot of artists who are hoping, but never mention doing. 

I meet a lot of artists who are going to see what happens, but never mention ensuring that it happens.
 
I meet a lot of artists who want to be famous, but never mention what for.

There’s nothing wrong with the first part of each of these sentences, but the second part of each sentence is the life blood.

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

The Chiseler

In the time it takes to build an amazingly beautiful sandcastle on the beach you can chisel about half an inch into the rock.  

So while the sandcastler is celebrating the master piece, the chiseler has nothing to celebrate and must keep working.

And then the rain comes.

The sandcastler has lost everything and the chiseler has lost nothing and doesn’t even notice the rain and is getting even closer to the celebration.  

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