Just Say… Something!

Most people are familiar with “Just Do It” as Nike’s tagline.  Many years ago there was “Just Say No To Drugs,” which was a national campaign to keep kids ‘on the right track.’  These phrases roll off your tongue with great familiarity.  But how about everyday phrases, such as, “Yes, I’ll do it,” or “No, I’m not available,” or “I’m checking but will get back to you”?

In the music business it’s important to communicate one of those three short but necessary statements (or words to that affect) so as to be timely in responding to opportunities.  In the Rush song “Freewill” there’s a lyric that says, “If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.”  But don’t confuse that with flat out not getting back to someone.  Silence is not an answer when someone is waiting to hear if you’re going to take the gig you’re being offered.

Do yourselves a favor, musicians, just say something!

To paint a more detailed picture here, consider what kind of statement your lack of a statement is making.

When, say, a booking agent, a club, or an event planner is waiting to hear back from you and all they hear is crickets – and I don’t mean the band that accompanied Buddy Holly – they start to wonder.  That confusion then leads to stress, of which they likely already have plenty by the mere nature of what they do every day for a living.

Next would likely be that they start thinking that you don’t care or that your answer is probably ‘No,’ otherwise they would’ve heard from you.

Most importantly, seeds are also being planted in that person’s mind that, ‘this person isn’t reliable or professional.’  If you think you see where this is going – “I know, I know… And so next time they won’t book me” – you’re on your way, but not all the way there.

Bad news travels fast.  They also will tell their colleagues, “No, don’t deal with (him/her/them).  Let me save you the trouble of waiting around for an answer.  (He’s/she’s/they’re) not reliable.”

On top of all that, if someone is trying to regularly book on your behalf, now you’re putting their reputation in jeopardy.

It’s understandable that things come up.  And certainly in a band situation it’s a matter of checking the schedule/availability of multiple people.  Quite simply, just speak up and let these things be known.  Communicate with the person offering you an opportunity to play.  Let them know where things stand and when you’ll get back to them.  And then keep your word and do exactly that.  They will see that you were sensitive to their workload and that you were timely and professional.  Even if you have to pass that time, they will come away having had a good experience with you if you handled it right and were communicating instead of hibernating.