Originally posted on Facebook HERE
My last day in Anaheim. Heading home later. The NAMM Show brings people involved in the music industry from all over the world together every year for a three day convention. It’s crazy huge. No way you could see it all in three days, there’s like 1500 booths and 60,000 people or something like that (what I remember from last year’s numbers). Great for networking. And it can be really, really humbling, too. So many crazy good players everywhere. So, depending on your level of skill… it can be somewhat intimidating, right? Do I wanna pick that bass up and play it after that guy? Yeesch… maybe I should just sell all my gear and give up! Ha!… it’s a never ending battle, internally, for many musicians – myself included. Some days you think you’re pretty good, and other days you’re not sure why you ever started playing in the first place. This is my second NAMM show, and it’s really fun meeting people who see my DAVEONBASS name tag and stop me in the aisle to engage in conversation. We either traded or bought or sold gear at one time, or they’ve been following me on YouTube, Facebook or Instagram, etc… I love that part of it. Putting faces to the people I’ve only know online – sometimes for years. And as I watch all the talent in the booths at NAMM – and let me tell you, there is no shortage of crazy good players here… I do realize one thing – I’m good at what I’m good at. I’ll never be that guy. What that person does is what he or she is good at. So, really – I just need to find my thing – whatever that is, and exploit it. Because we all have our own unique voices in whatever we do. I’ve been told that the way we run our financial services business is unique in the industry by many people. But I just follow what I think is right. I follow what my heart says. I let God guide me and never discount my intuition. I have passion. I have a love for everything I do, and for all the people in my life. And when you put love and passion into the things you do, people can feel it. When I was watching Vincen Garcia play at the show – he’s incredible. To me, one of the two best bass players in the world right now (along with Charles Berthoud). But his energy? Off the charts. Full of passion. No question he loves what he does. I never will have the ability to play like him, but when I play? I hit it with everything I have. People who see me live say I play angry, and I do. It’s a huge release for me. I’m an emotional person. But hidden within that angry persona is passion. And love. And if you play with passion and love, you will draw a crowd of fans – even if you’re not the greatest musician of all time. But, really – isn’t that a decent metaphor for life? Live with passion. And love. And find that thing that is uniquely you… and do it. Because nobody else can do what you do. I’m good with that. I have some ideas about how to use it to my advantage musically going forward. And in the meantime, I choose to do my best to help other people have the best journey through their lives whenever possible as well. We’re all in it together.
