Do Musicians Deserve to be Paid?
Perhaps you’ve experienced one of these nights. Turnout may not be quite what you were hoping for but you play your full 9 to 1 set to a small and mildly enthusiastic crowd. It’s now 2AM and the manager on duty says “You guys sound great… Look, I know we booked you for X-$$$ but it’s been really slow and…”.
It’s fun to play music. You get to do what you love. The staff at the club are slaving away for a miniscule hourly wage plus some measly tips. Meanwhile you get to drink on the job (if you can call it a job), your meal is paid for, and you arrive long after and leave long before they do. Do you really deserve to get PAID for this?
C’mon maaaaannn, money destroys what’s real, it kills the soul of the music. Who even wants to hear someone who plays for the dollar? Music should be played for LOVE, not money.
(enter: The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again”)
No Way Dude! When he was only 17, Billy “Kid Lightnin’” Jones won the title of Most Adorable Hotshot Guitarist at the Riverville Blues Competition. He’s been on the radio like fifteen times. He plays a ’59 Strat through a Marshall that was designed by Jimi Hendrix’s cousin. He’s gettin’ paid a stack or he don’t play at all!
In all seriousness, some of my most memorable and rewarding musical experiences were free. As a full time musician, I don’t mind playing for free. Working for free is another matter entirely.
So what is it that musicians do that is worthy of other people’s hard earned money?
Views: 16
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Gator Blue on -
You do both. Generally speaking, if a club or place wants you there, they should pay something, just on principal. However, sometimes you have to earn the spot with a free gig or free set. I remember Lucinda Williams sitting on the drag in front of UT in Austin playing for tips for at least 1 year--she was honing her performance, her songwriting, her guitar work. I remember the first time I heard a 15 year old SRV when he walked into the One Knite bar in Austin and asked if he could get up on stage and play on a Tuesday night. I remember when I first moved to Albuquerque, playing some free gigs to establish that I could deliver. And last, but surely not least, if you can open for a major star or act that you respect or admire, play for the experience.
If a club owner agrees to pay you XXX, he should pay you whether he has a big crowd and makes a bundle off the drinks or has a small crowd and breaks even. But, you should be reasonable---if he tipped you for a big night and he asks for a little slack on a slow night, you might consider it. If you find yourself playing to empty rooms a lot, you need to ask---am I getting stale? am I marketing myself via emails, internet, etc?
If you're new to performing---play all you can 'cause you'll learn something at every gig.
Anyway, that's my 2 cents.
-
Permalink Reply by Chad Nordhoff on -
If a club owner tries to short you on a deal, you should definitely stand up for yourself. But, before you even consider playing music for the money, understand that you are diving into a pool of sharks. You will be bitten. Don't get devoured. I've taken less than promised. More often I've taken more so I simply don't complain. Money comes and goes. If there is too much month left at the end of the money, take a good hard look at where it went. Was it really the cheapskate manager's fault?
For any musician that believes they can entertain and would like to start getting some cash for their effort; Sometimes money falls like rain. At first you may be stuck in the mud. Next time you'll know to bring a bucket. In time you'll stop waiting for rain and begin learning how to create it in your own unique way. With the blues in particular, that's a skill that no economic recession can take away. The Delta Blues had it's heyday during the great depression.
-
Permalink Reply by Glenn Gillis on -
Well, I know it does exist, in my 30 year career it did happen to me at least once but have a heard time it still happens.
-
Permalink Reply by Matt Marshall on -
I could not agree more, especially if the club owner has tipped on a big night. That, at least IMHO, means he's an alright guy. Too many of those club owners in too many places seem to think that because you're playing in their place, you somehow owe them.
-
Permalink Reply by Vincent Hayes on -
Hell yes they deserve to be paid! At least MOST of us do. It's a pedigree thing. At first, when you are just getting your feet wet and honing your thing, learning the ropes, etc, you take less or nothing sometimes, knowing that you are still learning. Its a sort of apprenticeship stage of the game. I began playing on street corners for tips, and doing $25 gigs at coffee shops or corner bars. I hit jam sessions all over the country and learned all I could from the older cats on the scene. Once I had been on the scene for a while and started to get gigs that paid, I went through another stage of "proving my worth" and developing my reputation as a professional, so I wasn't getting paid a lot, but I WAS getting paid, and I made sure of it. Now, after 20 years of playing shows 1000's of shows, I have solidified that reputation, along with my band, The Vincent Hayes Project, as one of the top acts in our state. Now, finally, we are getting international airplay with our new disc, and I spend 30-40 hours behind the scenes promoting, schmoozing, booking, and maintaining contacts I have developed over the years. Do I LOVE it? You're damn right I do! I became a professional musician because I fell in love with music and especially the Blues, so deep that I couldn't imagine doing anything else with my time. Does this mean I shouldn't get get paid, because I love it so much? Hell NO! I bet that if you ask most doctors, mechanics, plumbers, contractors, architects, bar owners, etc, if they love their jobs that many would say yes they do-but does that mean any of them shouldn't get paid? (Laughing my ass off right now) I bet if you asked this question of any of them you would get the same answer.
The fact is that musicians have been getting the shaft in the money dept as long as people have wanted to be entertained. Yes I do what I do for love, but I make it very clear to promoters and club owners what I expect to be paid, and if there is any trouble I won't leave until I get it, per our contract. Yes, sometimes I am forced to take less in situations where I may need to get a bill paid, but I know the conditions up front and make that choice BEFORE the gig-but I will also let the person who is hiring me know that this isn't my regular rate and next time I expect to be paid more. My band does do occasional fundraiser and charity gigs for organizations or benefit shows though, and I enjoy giving back to the people who actually NEED my services. But MOST bar owners and promoters are crooks who want to squeeze the bejeezus out of the musicians for every penny they can get.
That "You Should Play For Free because You Love It" crap has been used on me before, and I won't stand for it. It seems this line of (or lack of) reasoning usually comes from those clubs or booking companies who have more than enough money to go around too. festivals are great for this one too. For instance, a few weeks ago I got a call from a friend's band who was playing a local outdoor festival which draws an average of 5-6,000 people at $10 per head. There were three bands on the bill total. The headliner, (my friend's band) got $800 for a 4 pc band, the first band got $50 (for the entire band), and we were offered something in the middle of this figure for a 5 pc, for which we had to drive an hour each way, and get there 4 hours before our performance time for sound check. Our performance was only to last 90 minutes, but all total, we would spend about 8 hours of our time that day for a 90 minute show, and we were promised that despite the low pay that we would sell a "ton of CD's". So, as a favor to my friend (who had nothing to do with our pay), I accepted. When the contract came though, there were two things that disturbed me. 1) If the event was cancelled due to rain, then we wouldn't get ANY money, and 2) The booking company wanted 20% of our merchandise sales, as long as WE supplied someone to sell it for us. If THEY supplied a person at the merch table, then they got 30%. This was unacceptable, so after 6 phone calls to 4 different people I got them to waive the merch fee. How am I to make anything if I gave them 20% of MY money? They didn't help make our disc, and WE had to supply someone to sell it at the show so they could take 20%? Had I agreed to this, then at $15 per disc, and approx sales of about 100 CD's, that's $300 we would have had to PAY THEM, which wasn't much more than we were getting for the whole band! They would have made out like bandits because in essence they would have got a FREE performance from us. But that should have just been dandy with us since we love to play so much right? (sic)
Another example: there is a club in my town that I play at often that only pays me 40% of what I get at most other clubs because they reason that "the musicians should play for the love of it, not for the money." This club is also one of 6 bar/restaurants owned by the same person in a 5 block radius-all of which are the most successful establishments in town-always packed with people buying their expensive drinks and meals, and bottles of wine for $100 a piece. But I take the gigs for only one reason-they love me there and I can work 6-8 gigs per month, filling in the holes in my schedule AFTER I book with everyone else. The rest of my clubs pay me at least twice as much per show (which still isn't what I'm worth), and many are only a few miles away, and don't do half the business per night as the other guy's restaurants.
Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolfe, BB King, and so many of the greats, were and are known for being shrewd business people, and if you didn't pay some of those early bluesmen you would have found yourself staring down the barrel of their pistol. Was it because they didn't love the music? You can answer this for yourself, but the point is that they NEEDED to get paid. They knew they were making their clubs and labels a ton of money, and many modern performers, even the "day jobbers" are still doing that today. In fact, "day jobbers" are the ONLY ones who can afford to take less or work for free, and that is a particular sore spot with us "working cats". The problem is that a good majority of these day jobber bands DO play "for the love of it" only, and most are not as good as the pros because of that very fact. They don't need to work their asses off, honing their chops, their shows, their stage presence, their promotional skills-because they're kids or bills don't depend on it. Now, I've got no problem with day jobbers as musicians-my problem is that most of them are the ones who DO work cheap or for free, and undercut the rest of us pros, lowering the pay scale at the clubs who use that against the rest of us. The clubs then reason, "Well if I can get Joe Blow Weasel & The Dynamites (6 pc band) for $250 then why should I pay your band $900 (3 pc band)?" But give the club owner a truthful answer, "Well because Joe Blow & Co play covers of Mustang Sally and Red House all night, and Joe Blow is a little out of tune, where we are an original band with a sparkling reputation and can put out twice the sound with 3 people as Joe Blow does with 6 people"...and the club owner just looks at you puzzled or hangs up the phone with a "sorry, I can't afford you". the problem isn't that Joe Blow and his band likes to play gigs once a month to relieve the stress of his 9-5 job, its that he doesn't care of he gets paid much at all, so he takes whatever is offered, and after a few Joe Blows coming through the door, the club owner thinks that's what bands at ANY level deserve to be paid, so he begins to adopt the ole' "Well you should play for the love of it" tagline for all of his musicians, and either A) he starts losing money on the music nights because he can only now get a bunch of day jobber cover bands, or B) he continues to pay the few remaining pros "day jobber" wages and the pros go hungry another month. THAT is why musicians are broke.
One last point-
My good friend Steve Salter has a non-profit business called Killer Blues, which is devoted to raising money to purchase headstones for deceased blues artists who lie in unmarked graves. he DOES do this out of LOVE, but he only has to do this because these very legendary musicians who gave us thousands of hours of their blood and sweat and music weren't paid...by someone...somewhere, and that person probably said the same thing, "You should just play out of love for it boy", as he made thousands of dollars of that musician's "love". Some of the musicians Steve has purchased headstones for include Luther Tucker, Washboard Sam, Big Maceo and Walter Vinson. He began his mission after finding out that neither Otis Spann nor Hound Dog Taylor had headstones on their graves. Can you believe this? After writing numerous letters to blues rags and people in the business he was able to raise enough awareness with the right people and both Hound Dog Taylor and Otis Spann now have headstones as well.
http://www.killerblues.net
Now, next time you are in Chicago, stop by the cemetary and go tell Hound Dog and ole' Otis you are sorry for thinking that way and you will begin to change your ways and start raising the bar for the rest of us broke ass musicians who need a raise!
-Vincent Hayes
The Vincent Hayes Project
www.vincenthayes.com
I invite you to read my new blog about the music business here: http://bluesismybusiness.blogspot.com/
-
Permalink Reply by Chad Nordhoff on
-
Right on Vincent. WELL SAID and very inspired!
(for the record, my original post doesn't necessarily reflect my personal views, it's just necessary to tweek people sometimes)
When folks such as yourself understand WHAT musicians are paid for, and are able to look someone in the eye and articulate those points, that's what raises the bar. Many bands get together, write 10 half-assed original songs, and show up with their hands out as if their work is done. This creates a perception that original music isn't viable in the market. Worse yet, bands get together and learn the most worn out standards and go through the motions of being a big star.
With my 2 babies at home (2yrs and 2 mos) I haven't been able to hit the pavement as much as I'd like in the last couple years. I make my living on Beale Street in Memphis. Since I don't play "Mustang Sally", "Red House", "Pride and Joy", etc. I really have to OWN whatever it is that I am playing. I play plenty of covers first and foremost because I like them. My original songs have to mean something to the audience so that they understand why I won't play all the standards and why I won't jump through hoops. If they don't get it, the requests turn to demands and then to dares. That's a bad spot to be in. Bring something to the table or stay home.
As for the 20% of sales. Two words. _____ ______ I'll let you fill in the blanks. Merch belong to US.
-
Permalink Reply by Robert Stanley on -
A good musician that serves his audience increases the enjoyment and possibly the quality of their lives for, at least, those few moments and possibly for the rest of their lives. THAT musician deserves to be paid.
-
Permalink Reply by Chris Dair on -
Do plumbers, electricians, surgeons, train drivers, chimney sweeps, shoemakers, milkmen, farmers, potters, newsmen, DJs, guitar makers, painters, sculptors, carpet layers, decorators, taxi drivers, teachers, policemen, firemen, nurses, child carers, opticians, shopkeepers, cashiers, accountants, bankers, customs officers, soldiers, window cleaners, road makers, construction crews, tunnelers, bag makers, coopers, brewers, hoopers, sailors, boatbuilders, toymakers, GPs, glaziers, dentists, hairdressers, couturiers, fruit growers, wine makers, car manufacturers, we pay for water, clean air, do I need to go on? Why are you asking the question? Everybody loves music of some kind or another, why should it be the only thing that's free? (Vivien Dair)
-
Permalink Reply by Chad Nordhoff on
-
No, it's not necessary to go on. The question was asked for many reasons. If you cared to read the original post, any of the replies that followed, or many other discussions that are taking place here on LBW, you may have seen that "Do Musicians Deserve to be Paid?" was only the title and not the actual question. Reading the post may also shine some light on the reason I asked the question.
-
Permalink Reply by Chad Nordhoff on
-
The sports comparison is great. I didn't even think of that one though really it's probably the closest 'job' to compare to musician. How many people love sports? How many people have ever played a game of football? How many make it to the NFL? Statistically speaking, out of all the people that ever play football, NO ONE will make it to the Super Bowl. Like music, most football is played for fun.
One notable difference is that the money making opportunities in football are finite. Players join a team. Teams join a league. Leagues need organizers, fields, fans, etc to actually produce cash. Fred at Fred's Bar isn't going to pay 3 random people to play football from 9 to 1.
15 years ago I was in a car wreck which severed part of my vocal chords. My voice was lost completely. I currently make my living by singing. Financially speaking, I've been holding down the fort while my wife has been on maternity leave with our second child. So I have experienced the healing power of music in a very literal way. Fred probably doesn't care about that. He just wants a crowd to come and spend money.
In this, as well as other discussions, people have mentioned the special, at times life changing experience that music can give. Most of the time however, that doesn't apply. Usually the band is playing "Mustang Sally" again. They might be sloppy, drunk, unfocused, and out of tune. Yet they still draw a crowd and get paid week after week. Would we allow our auto mechanic to act this way? Do we care if he spends $100,000 on tools? No. He's got to fix the car, then he'll get paid.
Many working bands put the cart vefore the horse. I don't play in a band if we have to rehearse much. Everyone must be ready to play on stage NOW. Once we find weaknesses, then we rehearse. Many bands invest in bigger sound and brighter lights. In this sluggish economy that only shines light on an empty bar. When I play my guitar in a dark corner it feels like there is at least a small event going on in the corner. it's less empty.
I ask these questions here on LiveBluesWorld so that I can learn.
What I've learned in the last year: rather than convincing 1 person that I'm worth $500, I'll convince 100 people that I'm worth $5. Should I fall short of my goal, everyone is still ahead at the end of the night. No loss. It's a win/win every time.
-
Permalink Reply by Chris Dair on
-
Just want to make sure everyone knows that this post was written by Vivien Dair, but I know my husband agrees entirely with the principle that one should be paid for providing a service that is required, whatever it is.
Chris and I play and perform because we love music, we love making it. But we need to live somewhere, and have food on the table, and clothe the kids.
I remember one occasion when we were asked to perform for a charity event. We took all our gear, let the other acts use it - all for nothing because we were doing it for charity. Then we found out that everybody else charged full whack, and were paid.
We don't move now unless we're paid (unless it's for charity, we do still hold that belief) - we're quite happy to play all day and all night for ourselves!
Sorry if I missed the point again :)) Vivien Dair
-
Permalink Reply by Chad Nordhoff on
-
Vivien, I'm in the same boat to some degree. I'll play music all day for free... at home. If a club won't pay, there's not much reason to pack up and go. I believe there are other forms of compensation beside just money. Exposure IS important but only if it does YOU some good. If not, it's just an excuse to get you to work for free.
That charity event sounds crazy. I would have assumed that bands donate their time. Maybe we shouldn't assume that any more.
© 2012 Created by Eric.
