[Dixielandjazz] Whores and Big Bands

[LARRY'S Signs and Large Format Printing]

There may be a basis for this.  We share some similarities besides we sell
what we are best at.  Both professions decry the wannabees and amateur
talent that insists on giving it away for free or at very low prices.  The
only difference between the two is that as the group of musicians gets
larger the price goes down.  Not so with whores.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <TCASHWIGG at aol.com>
To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Saturday, December 04, 2004 2:12 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Whores and Big Bands


> In a message dated 12/4/04 9:31:49 AM Pacific Standard Time,
> barbonestreet at earthlink.net writes:
>
> >
> > Tom Wiggins wrote: (snip out of context)
> >
> > >We are all considered WHORES in this business and often forced to be
just
> > >that,
> >
> > Hey, wait a minute, stop disrespecting whores. They work for a living,
> > supply a much needed service and charge a proper amount of money for it.
>
>
> Not at all intended to be disrespectful to the OLDEST Profession in the
> World, if it were not for them music probably would have died a long time
ago,
> given how many of those fine ladies supported and fed struggling musicians
over
> the years, and many still do.  :))
>
> >
> > Not all bands are so inclined.
> >
> >
> There is a balancing act as to how an emerging band can manage to play.
> Simply stated, play anywhere you can, for any price you want, AS LONG AS
IT
> DOES NOT UNDERCUT THE MARKET FOR SIMILAR MUSIC.
>
> Case in point:
>
> A few years ago a local OKOM band here wanted to play in a very famous
> "Modern Jazz Night Club". So the Band leader took the gig, once a month, 3
> months, 7 piece band, 3 hours for $400. (The club's maximum total rate
> because of small size) In order to hire 7 musicians, he subsidized the gig
> by putting in his own money to pay the going rate, even managing to bring
in
> high profile out of town players. It cost him a bundle, but he was happy.
>
> I have to agree with this as well, it falls under the legitimate area of
> promotion, marketing and audience development, however the bandleader
would in my
> opinion be far more successful taking the same band out and performing at
a
> Wine and Art Festival or similar activity in the market that will have a
built
> in large audience.   They can play to hundreds or even thousands of
people, get
> much broader publicity and exposure and if they are good they will no
doubt
> book paid gigs from doing so, and if they are smart they are keeping
financial
> books on their band and the FREE performance they just provided to the
> (usually) nonprofit organization sponsoring the event is a legitimate
advertising and
> promotion deduction expense on their tax returns as donated services at
the
> normal pay rate or fee of the band.   Now sell 50 to 200 CDs at retail and
book
> a few weddings, and other gigs and ask yourself Who played for Free here?
>
> We bandleaders have all had sidemen who insist on getting paid for every
> situation and establish their minimum price,  There of course is nothing
wrong
> with this, however there are many other ways of compensation for musicians
> available than the simple cash payment.  Most sidemen do not put any
effort into
> marketing, or promoting the band, usually do not invest in the CD
manufacturing
> or recording costs but are quick to hold out heir hand and expect a piece
of
> the profits if there are any when the bandleader starts to reap the
rewards of
> his hard work to go get the good gigs, make and sell CDs and promote each
and
> every sideman and his name on the CD and on all the publicity materials,
etc.,
> etc.
>
> Even departing sidemen almost always list on their resume that they used
to
> play with that band or bandleader and whore his name and hard earned
reputation
> to attempt to further their own cause.  These are the same kind of sidemen
> who like to pass out their own cards at the bandleaders gigs and book the
repeat
> gigs for themselves usually calling everyone else in the band except the
> leader for the new gig.  It is another bad Ethics problem that most of us
have
> faced far too many times.
>
> So many musicians have for years been trying to stay underground and get
paid
> every gig in cash if possible to try and avoid IRS reporting of their mad
> money from gigs.
>
> This folks is stupid, you should claim every penny of your income because
if
> you do it correctly the write offs for expenses usually far outweigh the
> income and reduce your taxable income from other sources.
>
> So does the production of a CD and the manufacturing costs, advertising
and
> promotion etc.  You can actually let the government pay for your promotion
and
> marketing of your band while you grow it into a financially successful
> operation.  But you have to work at it and do it correctly.
>
> To do it the way most musicians do it is simple out and out TAX evasion
which
> can get you into Big trouble, Tax avoidance is perfectly legal and the
smart
> bandleaders have learned to be legitimate and deal with these issues.
>
> Anybody out there in the USA market that wish to learn more about how to
do
> this can contact me off list about it.  I am not cheap but I can be had
(TAX
> WHORE Extraordinaire) Since I am not an expert or even a novice in tax
laws or
> procedures outside the USA I can't help you other guys much.  Here in the
USA
> you can often make more money by not making any money and pay less or no
income
> taxes because you will not OWE any.
>
> I can show you how to make more and keep more if not all of it
legitimately.
>
>
> Cheers,
>
> Tom Wiggins
>
>
>
>
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