Speaking Up

We have lots of practice thinking of what we should have said.

We don’t have a lot of practice speaking up in the moment.

And because we don’t have experience, we aren’t good at it, and because we aren’t good at it we resist doing it and just keep doing what we’re good at (which is to speak in hind sight).

The big underlying scary reason for not speaking up is that you’re probably going to have to be bad at speaking up before you’re good at it. And being bad at it could very well be painful for you and the people around you.

But you don’t get better at speaking up by working really hard at knowing what you should have said and then telling yourself you’ll do it next time.

You get better at speaking up by speaking up.


***Speaking up is not synonymous with confrontation.

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

Young Band Turns Down Booking Agent

The new young band starts booking shows.

They’re a new young band so they book the small clubs.

As the small clubs start getting full a booking agent comes along and wants to take over the booking for the band.

The band asks the booking agent what kind of rooms are going to get booked…answer: small clubs.

The band turns down the agent because why give up 20% of revenue when the band can already book the same small clubs as the agent was going to book.


I’ve been here before too. It seems so logical to keep all the money possible since you know how to do the work.

What the band doesn’t realize is that its purpose is to be a band, not a booking agent.

As soon as an agent is willing to do at least the same level of booking work the band should say yes and get back to its own work. The 20% is a bargain.


Just because you can already do it doesn’t mean you should keep doing it.

You didn’t get in a band to be a booking agent.

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

People Want Good Nights

People want to have more good nights.

When the night goes well, that means the day ended well and how it ends is the most important defining element when we look back on it.

This morning was rough but going out with my friends later that night was great = good day

The party started lame but then really got good = good party


So to be a part of giving people a good night (ie. Most live shows happen at night) is truly an honor. People need the night to go well to redeem a lousy day. Or they need the night to go well to be the fireworks on an already great day.

Either way, people long for a good end to the day.

If you can master that business, the line to get in the building will be endless.

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

Changing What You Want

When it isn’t going the way you want it to, it might be worth changing what you want.

If the skater kids keep not showing up to your shows like you want them to, it might be better to start wanting the preppy college kids who do in fact come out to your shows to keep coming out to your shows.

Or as Sheryl Crow put it…

“It’s not having what you want…It’s wanting what you’ve got”

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

Confidence increases...

Confidence increases courage

Courage increases leadership

Leadership increases servant-hood

Servant-hood increases confidence

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

A Producer In Omaha

The up and coming producer in Omaha easily (and relatively cheaply) has the same studio setup as the up and coming producer in Nashville.

So why are there more better producers in Nashville?

Because there’s more of them in Nashville. So they all talk to each other.

And being around like minded people speeds up the journey down the road. Iron sharpening iron. Drip drip drip, a little bit better. Did you try that plug in? Did you get the software update? Did you hear the new drum sample?

It turns out the type of people who you surround yourself with still make a significant difference.

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