[Dixielandjazz] All that glitters..............

[TCASHWIGG at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/2/05 11:47:05 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
pembroke.dock02 at ntlworld.com writes:

> Pat Ladd wrote...... I would like to tell you that in my local paper last
> week under the WHAT`S ON    feature there were no less than 50 gigs within
> 10 miles in SEVEN DAYS.
> 
> And I'll bet that most of the bands doing them were charging well below an
> acceptable rate and thus debasing the music's value. This has happened in
> many areas of the UK to the extent that many professional bands cannot now
> afford to play clubs and pubs. The money on offer just doesn't pay for fuel
> and where necessary for overnight accommodation.
> The situation may look brilliant on the surface but beneath that it is sick.
> Brian Harvey
> 
> 
> 

AH YES, Brian me Lad ye doth speaketh the plain truth as it be Lad.

'Tis indeed a Pity too, 'Tis also why my group of Lads have been changing air 
planes in London for ten years without setting foot outside the air terminal, 
the pittance in performance fees offered by the British promoters does not 
even cover the Train or bus fare for us to get to them much less food and 
lodging costs which certainly are not cheap in England by any means.

Even with all of this I still get hate mail from British promoters from time 
to time when I do not notify them that we are coming across the pond to play 
in Europe.  They seem to think we are snubbing them because we do not solicit 
their business which generally offers about 10% of what the rest of Europe 
pays, and they bloody well want to get booking commissions and taxes from that as 
well.

It's cheaper for me to mail them Free CDs, :))

Cheers,

Tom Wiggins
Saint Gabriel's Celestial Brass Band