Wheel Of Fame

As soon as the story (on social media, interviews, podcasts…and in your own head) turns into ‘We’re getting more and more famous’ you’re in the wheel.

You will always have to be getting more famous. More fame (not merely fame itself) is what you’ve decided it’s all about.

If there isn’t at least one more person at the next gig, one more view, one more like, then there isn’t really anything worth talking about.

And for a lot of artists, if you really listen close, this is the only story they tell. Because they jumped in the wheel a long time ago without realizing it.

It’s time to change the story, or at least add to it.

I hope you’re getting super famous. But I hope that’s not all you’re doing.

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

I Don’t Know What I’m Doing

Chad: “I don’t really know what I’m doing.”

Charlie: “Well what are you doing?”

Chad “I’m….”

And Chad always has a response for that question.

See, it’s rare that you don’t know what it is you’re doing. You always know what you’re doing.

As it turns out ‘I don’t know what I’m doing’ usually means one of two things…

1. I know what I’m doing, I just don’t know what comes next.

2. I know what I’m doing, I just I don’t know if what I’m doing is going to get me the result I hope for.

ok there’s one more…

3. I don’t want to be held responsible for the outcome of what I’m doing, and no one can blame an under informed, under educated person. So I’ll act like I’m that person.

In regards to #1…You’ll know more when you get done with what you’re doing, which will inform what to do next.

In regards to #2…This is the set of hurdles you’ve chosen. No one knows if it’s going to work.

In regards to #3…If this is who you want to be you’ll always have a place in the middle.

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

A Head Full Of Dreams Doc

I went to an actual movie theater tonight.

Coldplay’s new documentary A Head Full Of Dreams. It’ll be streaming on Prime Now on Friday and you must watch.

Especially people in bands. Solo artists: It’s going to make you wish you were in a band. Fair warning.

I could make every post from now until the end of the year about this doc, but alas I’ll probably keep it to only this one post and highlight two things.

1. Bands are awesome. They have a different soul. That weird, magical, elusive, rare chemistry. To be a part of it and to be around it is inspiring.

2. You’ll remember that during the Viva La Vida phase Coldplay wore those multi-colored military jackets. Kind of a modern day rehash of the Sgt. Pepper jackets.

What you’ll see in this doc is that the jackets didn’t begin when it was time to promote the record and do interviews and videos and the PR run around.

The jackets started while they were recording the album!

It wasn’t an idea invented for PR, it was an idea invented to inspire in the studio…(and then it turned out to be a great marketing aesthetic too).

I’m amazed at the creative intentionality when no one else was watching.


Stream it this weekend and do something with the energy burst that follows.

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

Portrait Mode

If there’s anything that portrait mode on newer iPhones (and the like) has shown us is that the blurry part informs our eyes where we should be focusing in order to understand what the photograph is all about.

It’s not that the blurry part isn’t important.

(In fact, it’s very important…it turns out making a large part of the photo really blurry is actually what we pay MORE for.)

The blurry parts tell us to stop looking over there and instead look here. Because here is where the purpose of the photo is.


It’s ok to have a blurry part (stuff that you aren’t at all focused on)…as long as the blur is highlighting your crystal clear part.

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

On Time Trust

A simple and effective way to build trust is to be on time.

Being on time doesn’t build a lot of trust at one time, but a little each time.

And little by little is how you go from building trust to being trusted.

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

A Bad Time To Hope

Walking on stage is a bad time to be hoping that you have a great show.

It’s really fun walking on stage knowing you have a great show.

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