That Good

If you find an artist and they blow you away you are going to follow them. It’s too magical to ignore. Whether you see them in a club or opening up for a big act or hear them on a playlist or in your friends car…if an artist is that good you can’t help but want more.

And if you’re the artist…

This is where your focus must be…to be THAT good. All the other time spent chasing deals and favors and the political shenanigans in the business is a waste if you can’t deliver.

Great songs and a great performance. Build that. You don’t have to wait for anyone.

Thanks to Eric for the reminder.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Openers and Headliners

It’s hard to get an opening slot on the big tour.

And when you do you’re reminded that opening (even on a big tour) is really hard work. And it’s really hard to define success.

It’s also really hard to get top billing on a big tour.

But when you do, when you build it, when you earn it…those are your shows, those are your people. ‘Easy’ probably isn’t the right word, but yeah, it’s a lot easier.

It’s difficult to get the opening slot and it’s difficult to get the headlining slot.

But there’s a reason some acts never move from opening to headlining…they’d rather open.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

The New Thing

How long can you be the new thing?

When a band forms there’s a new buzz about it, ‘did you hear this drummer and that singer and that guitar player started a band?’…and that conversation circulates through the friends and acquaintances and even starts looping in some new people.

It’s a good feeling. People are talking about you. Why? It’s not because you’re necessarily good, no one’s heard you yet…they’re talking because you’re new.

And then for a while you still get to be a new band because of all the firsts. Your first shows, first song, first album, first tour, first pub deal, first manager…The main message through all of this is about being a new band. There’s a palpable energy for everyone involved when you get to employ New. It’s thrilling.

But then at some point instead of being new you’re kind of new. Then kind of new slips into they’ve been doing it for a little while. Then they’ve been around for a while.

And once you’ve been around for a while and are still making it happen, one main thing is true…

You must have built something other than Newness to trade on.

It’s easy to garner a little attention or steal the spotlight for a short while in the name of being new. It’s a lot harder (and more fulfilling) to be around for a while.

»» But yes when you have that New buzz, go for it, take full advantage.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Repeatable Attitude

We all want to believe that our knowledge is building toward the sure thing. That all our toils with uncertainty will give way to certainty, a repeatable process. Or at least a predictable one where we can control the outcomes.

The truth is as we build our knowledge and understanding we are actually building toward adaptability to the present reality. Not a repeatable process but a repeatable attitude.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Two Thousand

This is blog post two thousand. Wowie wow wow. One post one day at a time and they add up. Add up to what?

Going from zero posts to one thousand posts reoriented the way I see the day-to-day.

Going from one thousand posts to two thousand posts has shed light on the responsibility and opportunity I can take to utilize my viewpoint for the benefit of others.

Each night I open up my laptop on my charcoal couch or the black and brown chair next to the couch and it’s time to put something new together. 

Sometimes it’s an idea I had from the day. Sometimes I use an idea I’ve written down from a previous day (the Note titled ‘Blogs’ on my phone probably has a thousand unused ideas). Sometimes I put my feet on the coffee table. Sometimes there’s an episode of Seinfeld cued up. Sometimes I’m eating a snack. Sometimes I don’t feel like writing.

And sometimes a lot of other things. 

Lots of of other distractions.

That’s another thing writing this much as shown…it’s always possible to make the jump from not being creative to being creative. And it can be quicker than originally thought. Creativity doesn’t have to be such a big mystery…which has added to the mystery and the fulfillment.

I love the writing. I love the process. I love the hard parts. I love the connection.

And I’m glad to have you along for the ride…it’s better this way.

Here’s to many more.

Onward and upward.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

The Volume

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

I would be interested to know if there’s a measurable relationship between the volume at which you listen to a new song and how often (or how much) you’d say you like the song.

And if you’re an artist you know how often you’ve sent demos to friends with the caveat ‘listen on headphones or speakers’.

So let’s go with it…If you’re hoping to like a song, turn it up.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple