Best Of The Old

First Monday of the month, new Hum Love playlist on Spotify and Apple

When sounds and elements from past decades come back around into pop music again, the great thing is that it’s only the best sounds and elements of those eras that make a come back.

Killer synth sounds from the 80s, washing string arrangements from the 70s, stacked vocal arrangements from the 50s.

As popular music progresses we recycle the best stuff and combine it with the latest production and styles.

You’ll hear this concept throughout the playlist this month. The best of the old elements combined with the new.

 »» As always, for all past months’ playlists visit the archive: Spotify Apple

 

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Merch That Moves

I’ve always been v-neck over crew neck. And for a while there it was the deeper the v the better.

So years ago when ordering merchandise to sell, it was tempting to want to sell merch that I thought was cool. That I liked. That I would wear. That I would be proud of standing next to after shows.

But it turns out the point of having merchandise is to sell the merchandise. And the market for very deep v necks is not as big as I’d hoped.

Having merch that moves is a lot better than having cool merch.

Hopefully they can overlap. Hopefully your taste will start influencing your audiences’ taste (it probably will).

»» I’ve made and sold lots of t-shirts over the years. Best sellers? Crew necks in white, gray or black, with a simple design.

»» But if you’re selling a v-neck or scoop neck, I’m your guy.

 

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Making A Day Of It

Once it gets to the point where you have to make a day of it, it’s way easier focus and take action.

The yard work, errands, emails, re-doing the website, finishing the song.

The more it gets put off the more it builds up.

And then you make a day of it and become highly aware that if you’re not doing that one specific thing then you’re not doing what you should be doing.

But if it always takes making a day of it in order to get it done, it’s going to be tough to get much done.

 

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Ten More Like This

When I got out of college and was really diving into a music career for the first time, I recorded a song I’d written and I emailed it to a guy I really respected in the music business. 

His reply was, ‘This is fantastic, do ten more like this and you’ll be all set’.

Ten more like this? Are you serious? I’m an artist, I want to go many directions. I follow the muse. I need freedom. I need to explore. Don’t put me in a box. 

I didn’t know any better. 

As fans of music when we find an artist with a song we like we hope that their other stuff sounds a lot like the stuff we like. Reputation is a powerful thing. And reputation is built (in part) by respecting the idea of familiarity and consistency.

Use the palette that’s creating magic. When you find your colors, keep painting with them.

 

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Having Fun

It’s not always going to be fun.

It’s what makes you a professional rather than a hobbyist.

Because you’re in it for more than just fun. If you’re going to have a set of problems, these are the problems you’ve chosen. It’s going to be hard. It isn’t always going to be fun. But the work that you’ve chosen will continue to be there. Ready for you to take another step forward.

If a hobby stops being fun, you should get a new hobby.

If your work isn’t fun for an hour or a day or a season, no need to worry. Keep going.

 

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple