In Terms Of What We've Heard

How do you compare yourself in terms of what we’ve heard?

Talking about what you’re similar to helps to lessen our risk for trying out your bandwagon.

But a couple notes…

-When the artist is asked ‘what does the new album sound like’ and then proceeds to reference a bunch of bands no one has ever heard of, there’s a mismatch of message and audience. The audience needs references it’s heard of…or the artist needs a different audience.

-The artist might rattle off bands and albums they’re big fans of rather than considering whether or not those are actually good references. If I had a dime for every time an artist said their new stuff sounds like the Beatles, and then I go and listen and the only similarity is that there’s acoustic guitar on the track…

References we’ve heard of make it easier to take a chance on you…but if you’re not honest about the references you’ll lose us all together.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Determination

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

Determination over confidence…

We’re not sure we can control the outcome but we’re going to find out what it is.

This is why releasing music deserves a celebration. Determination is hard to maintain when confidence isn’t riding along with it. And that gap is a big part of what it means to be a working artist.

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Two Things About Show Business

Show business is not going to come knocking on your door and tell you it’s your lucky day…regardless of how much you hope for it.

And

If today wasn’t great, it’s silly to say, ‘show business was mean to me today’…regardless of how much you feel like it was.

Show business isn’t for or against you. It’s simply there to participate in.

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Mailroom Jobs

The good thing about working in the mailroom is that you hear about the CEO or VP of the company who started out by working in that same mailroom. So there’s a path to get from here to there.

For musicians, comedians and most other freelancers…there is no mailroom job available. You start out as president. And there’s no clear path. And as president you’re going to have to get your own mail.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

The Big Board

Number of followers doesn’t equate to how good you are.

Number of followers doesn’t let you know how much of a difference you’ve made.

Number of followers doesn’t get rid of loneliness.

The Big Board of the internet is good at highlighting and measuring certain metrics and getting us emotionally worked up enough to spend hours and years focusing on those metrics…because everyone else is.

What would you have to give up if you decided not to play? What would you lose if you decided to measure something else?

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The Nicer One

If you’re gonna use it everyday, get the nicer one.

Sometimes there’s a price difference with no discernible difference in quality or function or story. In that case, close your eyes and pick one and move on.

But other times you know that the price gap is indicative of one being better than the other.

So if you buy the cheaper one and it doesn’t perform will you be glad you saved the money?

If it’s something you use on a regular basis, the answer will be a resounding No.

And yes, sometimes the high quality expensive one is just too expensive.

Other times it’s not that much more expensive and you’re getting in your way by trying to save a few bucks.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple