I Hope You Like It??

Uttered the moment before your next song…

“I hope you like it”

Of course you do! Why would you or anyone ever hope anything else?

Your audience is smart…they know that you hope they like the song you’re about to play.

It’s a waste of a line.

Remove it from your repertoire.

Whatever comes to mind to replace it (even if it’s to say nothing at all) will be better than speaking like an amateur.

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

Faking It On The Record

Artists trumpet the recorded material as opposed to the live show because you can manipulate, fix, perfect, pitch correct the record. You can keep working on the record till you get it right.

On the record…you can fake it. And a lot of artists do. (And I’m not only talking about auto tune and timing…I’m talking about faking charisma, confidence, sass, emotion, connection, care, conviction)

But you can’t fake it live. On stage you have to do it all in real time. It’s not about getting it right but getting a reaction.

Can you get a reaction?

We know the we’re gonna hear all about how great the record is but…

Are you willing to trumpet your own live show as something that you gotta see? Is it THAT good?

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

While Waiting In Line At Kroger

I included this in last nights Sunday Night Email (a weekly email I do mainly for writers and publishers, let me know if you want to get it)…and it was just too good not to pass along here as well…

The 40-something guy in front of me in the self check out at Kroger was antsy…and walked very briskly, nearly running, up to the next available station…only to buy his single package of off brand Oreos, paying with loose change.

That’s it.

We’ll never know any more than that.

So there you go. My gift to you. Write that song, or movie, or Netflix series. Take me out to coffee when it’s done.

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

Father McKenzie

I’m a big Beatles fan.

So I’ll say while this most recent Paul McCartney video interview doesn’t reveal many new nuggets of Beatles lore, it’s still great.

Here’s something from the interview worth remembering…

In the song Eleanor Rigby there’s another character named Father McKenzie. Most Beatles fans know that originally it was Father McCartney. But Paul didn’t want want to use McCartney.

So they got the phone book out, found McCartney and then kept scrolling the Mc section until they found the next one that worked with the syllables.

Let me repeat: They scrolled through a phone book.

Breathe easy.

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

The 101st Step

Let’s say you love staying at home.

So much so that you’ve only ever ventured out 100 steps from your house.

Then one day you’re feeling extroverted, risky and daring…so you go 101 steps from your house…a place you’ve never gone before.

You took that next step, a step into the unknown, a step into uncharted territory.

It turns out the place you’ve never gone before looks a lot like the place that you’ve been. In fact, you can’t even really notice a difference…even though you KNOW there is, there has to be. You’ve always gone 100 steps, but now you’ve gone 101 steps.

It doesn’t look different. It doesn’t feel different. There’s not a different excitement to it.

But it IS different. You stepped the next step, which is further than you’ve ever gone before.

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

So, What Do You Sound Like?

So, What do you sound like?

Artists give some vague, non-specific (yet use lots of words) definition as though people will be so inthralled and mystified by their lack of borders as to run and listen to the band immediately.

Remember, What do you sound like? is an invitation for entertainment. You don’t have to even try to answer the actual question. (And in fact, it’s a pretty lazy question on the part of the interviewer)

BUT, if you’re going to answer it straight up…just tell us you’re an americana artist, or a rock band, or a country act. Don’t add all the extra words…uh,  yeah, we play metal riffs mixed with early punk but the drums are programmed to give it a modern twist.

When you get asked that question, answer it quickly, concisely, and move on. Spend more words on better questions.

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