Pro Talk

Thank Jimi it's Friday!

Whew! What a week...I've got a gig tonight, I signed a lease for a new studio space, I resigned my current teaching position in order to move on to a new location (see the previous blog for details), and the autumn is a beautiful color.

But I said this was a non-self centered blog! So here's the lesson presented to me this week...

The musical universe is....Very, very small. Word, reputations, and gossip travels at twice the speed of light in this universe. (If you doubt me, two words should take care of it...Van Halen.)

Wanna give yourself an edge in the field? Want to be truly competitive, and the guy or gal that every band leader or sideman wants to work with?

Don't gossip. And don't badmouth.

If you fail to see the beauty of someone else's music...or even if they totally bomb...You really don't have to point that out! They know it, and if they don't, someone else will tell them, guaranteed. The world is full of cynics, why add to the mix? If someone really needs to know if a person is competent, you can tell them if they're not there yet without being petty. If The Blood 'n Guts band is looking for a new drummer, and they're asking you about Billy...And Billy ain't that great, PLUS he said your playing is awful...Don't grind an ax, just say "Well, Billy is still working some things out, and for me personally, I wouldn't hire him, but you should talk to him to figure that out."

Making a habit of not saying anything unnecessary is a super duper thing to do. It builds great respect, especially in an industry where people skills are still at the "Cro Magnum" mark.

And you know what? We've all bombed, and we know what it feels like. A "no gossip" policy is priceless. Do it. Today. You'll be glad you did.