Bear with me for this perspective… or rant.
I’ve learned a thing or two over the past few decades of building and performing in bands. But the truth is, most of my success, or maybe the better word is survival, has come from understanding business and creating unstoppable momentum, not necessarily music. I’ve learned that a mindset can determine success or will quietly kill all potential.
For years, I lived in the classic entrepreneur fantasy. Fast cars, big house, millionaire by 30. The problem was I spent more time imagining it than doing anything to make it real. I suppose I was stuck in the “Big Things Coming” phase, that’s the phase where you make statements with “hopes” they come true (hope is not a strategy).
I had huge plans, even a blueprint to “reinvent the music industry,” but none of it mattered because I wasn’t taking a single step towards the dream. I just got comfortable being a dreamer. I wasn’t clearing hurdles; I was inventing them as excuses, and it became comfortable to be able to talk more than do.
What finally changed was simple: I got tired and stepped out of my comfort zone one day and moved forward expecting nothing but experience, especially the mistakes. That moment I gave myself permission to just see what happens and the weight lifted. No more fear of failing, being judged, or not being smart enough.
It ended up being one of the best lessons of my life. I screwed up constantly and laughed about it, because every screwup felt like solving a piece of a puzzle instead of proof I wasn’t cut out for any of this. I won’t bore you but a few businesses and plenty of scars later, here’s one of the lessons that stuck:
Comfort leads to complacency, and complacency kills growth. Bigger doesn’t make you better. Better makes you bigger.
So how does this tie into playing in a band or making music?
The tie is attitude, mindset, and the decline of attendance across the nation for live music. Of course, there are many many factors in play but I’m laser focused on a cycle I see many bands go through (unknowingly at times).
I’m particularly tired and concerned of watching bands get comfortable and settle for “good enough.” I’m tired of hearing musicians talk about their dreams but never chase them because comfort got in the way. I’m tired of bands thinking “bigger” means doing more, when really it just means getting better at what they already do. And I’m tired of the bands who don’t put in the work and make live music look like it has no value and then complain about not getting paid enough.
Dreams: Every band starts in a garage imagining Madison Square Garden. When I was 13, I practiced stage moves in front of a mirror like I was already headlining. LOL. Today, those dreams live in group chats full of opinions about what the band “should” do next and talking about future gig opportunities. Those dreams are what keep many folks going, until they start to get comfortable.
The dream isn’t the problem. Dream big.
The problem is the cycle.
Bands form. They get pretty good. They chase the dream for a while. They get good enough to land club gigs, and when things feel like they’re moving, they stop getting better. They settle into the same room, the same crowd, the same 30 friends who show up every time. Frankly, they become the best at the lowest tier.
And then the new wears off, a year goes by, and they’re no longer even the best at that tier. They believe that what they established a year before will be “good enough”. Meanwhile, People have stopped caring and coming out. Venues have taken notice and people and venues have migrated to the other bands who have taken the spotlight.
From there sparks a debate among the band members. They get anxious and start to think they should do harder songs, or make a tribute, or do what the other band is doing. They look at every else instead of admitting that they got comfortable. Then…the excuses start to roll in:
“If we had a bigger PA…”
“The scene is dying… ”
“The pay isn’t worth it…”
“Other bands got lucky…”
“So‑and‑so is keeping us from being successful…”
You ask, why does this matter?
If you’re not growing, your dying!
Why not just mind your own business?
Because it is our business. Comfort doesn’t just stall one band, it drags down the entire scene.
And as the story unfolds, the cycle continues as excessive comfort leads to complacency. Complacency then leads to the “good enough” attitude. And that attitude leads to musicians throwing together unrehearsed bands just to make a quick hundred bucks. It leads to missed notes, missed lyrics, iPads everywhere, and shows that have little entertainment value.
And that leads to:
- Lower rates for bands
- Lower attendance
- Lower profits for venues
- Lower standards
- Lower everything
And let’s not forget, the young folks coming into the scene are seeing that as the standard. They are being told that it’s ok to just be good enough… but that’s the advice that will kill their dreams.
So yes, this comfort and good enough stuff impacts all of us.
If you’re a band that refuses to put in the work because it’s easier to wing it, do everyone a favor and stay home. Let the people who take this seriously have the opportunity to rebuild what live music is supposed to be… entertainment people actually want to show up for.
I get that there are some crazy talented musicians who can get together and make some serious entertainment, this really isn’t about them.. it’s about the ones who clearly don’t care and are calling out chords in the middle of the song or have gotten so comfortable that they look bored on stage. LOL.
I don’t know, maybe I’m too harsh.. you tell me. I just don’t like the idea that some of these bands might be shaping how audiences see musicians across the country… and that sucks.
Anyway, I digress. The point of this rant is simple: don’t get comfortable. Don’t settle. Chase the dream one step at a time. Pick songs you can absolutely crush, be intentional, get better — and bigger will follow. Let’s rebuild the nation’s music scene with pure badassery. Rock on.