Writing vs. Hiding

Writing for the album is a great place to be until it’s merely a safe hiding place to be.

See, when you’re writing for the album you don’t need to have a smash single (and the confidence that goes along with it). Because in theory you’re on your way to having one, so you get a pass.

You don’t need to have confidence in your songs…you get a pass because you’re in flux.

And since all the social media posts elude to “we’re still writing”, your fans give you a pass.

If you’re still writing for your album, that’s great, keep writing…we want you to release great songs too.

But when “we’re writing for your album” becomes “we’re hiding from our album”, you need a different path.

And I’ll argue that the different path you need involves releasing some music, and as a result your creative mind will ‘move on’ to bigger and better things.

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

New Act Catch 22

The thing about being a young new artist is that you have to do everything. All the jobs are yours.  You’re the manager, label, PR, agent, social media director…

If you stop doing any of those things in order to keep your focus on the songs and music, no one will step in and do those other things that need to be done.

But it’s a catch 22…

Because the only way to get someone to step in and do those things is to get really good at the music and the songs.  The music and songs are what attract the rest of the team.

So do you have to find some kind of balance? Sure.

But remember…no one else can write the songs like you do.

Someone else can book the shows better than you.

Someone else can release an album with a better strategy than you.

If you get really good at the thing that only you can offer, people will come around to offer the thing that only they can offer.

Keep focusing on making the songs great.

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

The Bigger The Act...

The hard work of developing a better live show is not for everyone. 

Because it’s vulnerable, invasive, unusual and no one will bat an eye if, instead, you don’t do anything.

My experience the last few years has been this: the bigger the act the more likely they are to spend time, energy and resources on making their live show even just a little bit better.

Smaller acts think they don’t need help.

You tell me who the smarter group is.

Which group do you want to be a part of? 

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

Airport Fury

I was stuck.

At an airport outside of the U.S.

I was there for my connecting flight, at the gate, checked in, boarding pass in hand, passport in hand, legs cramping from the first intense workout of 2018.

And people were still boarding the plane.

But they gave away my seat to someone on stand by. And I could see the stand by people from where I (and others) were letting the gate attendant have it.

One of the many excuses given by the airline was “not very many people can run that fast so we didn’t think you would make it so we gave away your seat”.

Oh yes, fury ensued.

All composure went out the window. Everything I write on this blog about putting myself (or yourself) in the other persons shoes: forgotten.  Everything about the other person having something they want and figuring out a way to give them that in the process of getting what I want: not a chance.

I wanted mine. I was right. And they were 100% in the wrong.

And yet once again…being right and justified does not at all equate with getting what you want.

Being right doesn’t change someones mind.

I (and the people I was with) were hurling truths and facts at the attendants and were utterly flabbergasted that they didn’t convert to our way of seeing things. 

We COULDN’T BELIEVE their lack of understanding!!!!

Could they not hear the truth we were speaking? The solutions we were offering? Did we need to yell even louder?

It took me a while to come down off of this one, but when I did…


I was reminded for me to win others have to win.

I was reminded you can’t always get what you want (which was to be home yesterday instead of today).

I was reminded that the change and transformation I seek and write about in this blog is a long process. 

A process that can be and needs to be practiced with musicians, with record labels, with grocery store clerks, crazy neighbors, coaches …and yes, even those powerful and yet powerless airline gate attendants. 

p.s. And eventually, I made it home.


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

People Who Can Figure It Out

People who can figure it out are worth something. 

Taking it a step further (because I think most people CAN figure it out)…

People who are willing to speak up and say “I will do it. I’ll take care of it. I (can and) will figure it out” are worth something.

Not just something…a whole lot.

It’s so easy to want it all written down for us…forgetting that the simple fact that it’s not written down and we’re willing to jump in anyway is the very thing that brings the value to ourselves and our projects.

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

4K TV

It’s hard to advertise the wonders of a 4K TVs when almost every single one of us are watching the commercial on not-4K TVs.

The only people who can truly appreciate the quality of what the commercial is selling are the ones who already have the 4k TV!!!

Just like it would have been hard to sell the depth and clarity of CD’s over a radio ad way back when.

Some things you have to experience in order to buy in.

It takes longer, but once I heard a CD how could I ever go back.

And in a few years we’ll all have 4k TV’s. Because we will have seen them somewhere and finally understood.

It takes longer but the innovation is significant.  So much so that you actually have to experience it to get it.

I hope we’re all building something worth experiencing. Innovating in a way that warrants experiencing.

It might take longer and you might not be able to completely articulate it through the traditional methods of advertising…but if you’re building something that good, it’ll find its way.

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