Reattachment Period

When an artist writes a couple hundred songs it’s a good idea for the artist not to get too attached to the one they’re writing today…because by tomorrow they’ll need all their creative bandwidth for the next one.

From the two hundred, five or ten songs get chosen to fully produce. And then the album comes out…and the artist has to play these songs live…songs they aren’t emotionally attached to because, from the outset, emotional attachment wasn’t a priority.

After the dust settles on all the writing and producing and album releasing…The artist needs a reattachment period with the songs. What is the essence of each song that makes them worth playing?

The artist must find their way back into the songs. To increase their emotional attachment to the songs so they can connect with the audience through the songs.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Sticking Point

We don’t know what’s going to stick.

It could be this post, this song, this video, this picture, this speech.

It could be the next.

The trick is to stop expecting each one to stick, but rather making each one good enough to stick.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Almost Stories

Stories that tell what you almost did aren’t good stories. Because almost doing the thing isn’t very close to having actually done it. They’re worlds apart.

We like the stories where you did the thing.

Almost cliff jumping vs. cliff jumping

Almost speaking up vs. speaking up

Almost going on a world tour vs. going on a world tour

The ‘almost’ isn’t anywhere near the real thing.

Do you want stories or almost stories?

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Being Known For Something

Whether it’s Mick Jaggers chick wing strut, David Lee Roth’s splits, Lady Gaga’s weird outfit or Post Malone’s face tattoos…

Before they were known for these things, they were still doing them…and no one really cared or paid attention.

Then after a while they become known for it…and everyone cheers and takes pictures.

The hardest part of becoming known for something is sticking with it even when nobody cares.

»» Interesting side bar…if you stick with it and don’t become known for it will you still be glad you’re sticking with it?

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

After You're Good Enough

You’ve got to put in the hours and get good at your craft.

But if you want to make a career out of it there comes a time where you need to make a switch…from only focusing getting better to focusing making other people aware of how good you are…so your phone will ring. So that you will get work. So that you will get paid. So that you can build a career.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

A Lesson From Music Docs

Every musician I know loves watching pretty any music documentary. Not only the ones about the big artists, but the documentaries about the small artists and the mid-size artists and all of the rest of them too.

Why?

Because documentaries aren’t centered around achievements. If they were we’d only watch The Beatles and Beyonce. Music docs are centered around stories. And we love stories. And all the music docs tell a story.

Too often this idea gets lost on social media.

Artists are content to tell of their achievements and accolades rather than acknowledging and breathing life into the story they’re telling…or could be telling.

If all you’re telling about is your achievements, you’ll always need more of them in order to have something ‘worth’ telling.

On the other hand if you’re telling a story…you don’t have to wait for achievements…you simply get to write the story.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple