[Dixielandjazz] The secret Union.

[tcashwigg at aol.com]

Your pretty much correct on that explanation Larry:

I know that band and a lot of their Franchised versions across the 
country:

They are all named
"Pretty Good"  or "Close enough for Jazz"
and they play many versions of that wonderful song " It goes something 
like this"    :))

They are afraid nobody will pay more for good music ?????

Well, we used to pay $.25 cents a loaf for Bread not too long ago and 
we are now paying $about $2.50 to $3.00 a loaf.

I bought a few brand new cars back in the 1960,s for less than 
$3,000.00 each.   Now you can barely buy the tires for that.

Last year I had to buy a transmission for my station wagon, it cost 
$3,000.00   two front axels replaced last month $1,500.00.
Buy a new Equipment van or  SUV large enough to get the band to a gig  
$30,000.00 average,   Don't even think about a big Motor home to allow 
you to tour and save on hotel and meal expenses and air fares.   I just 
priced one out and it would be about $3,000.00 a week just to rent it. 
+ Gasoline at $2.60 a gallon and insurance.     Now you know why 
touring Big Bands are not coming back folks.   Not when Jazz Societies 
want to charge $5.00 admission for members and only $8-10.00 for 
non-members to hear half a dozen bands for ten hours a day.

We bought Gasoline for $.38 cents a gallon in the 1950's too  and now 
we sit in line to pay $2.70 a gallon for it in California.

We used to get a bill from the doctor when we needed to go for $25.00   
now we pay $500.00 a month for insurance to pay him if we need to go 
there plus a co-payment of $10.00 to 25.00 a visit.

We used to be able to get our auto fixed by a competent mechanic for 
$10.00 an hour.   now he gets $85.00 to $125.00 an hour or more.  + 40% 
markup on parts and extra charge to have them delivered to his shop.

The unfortunate thing is that folks who have taken over hiring bands 
refuse to realize that Musicians are people too with families to raise, 
and rent and mortgages to pay, insurance to pay for, prescriptions to 
buy.   Bands who fall into that old trap will never be financially 
successful or even be able to make a living as professional musicians 
if they want to.   These same folks who often organize festivals and 
events to PRESERVE the Music  have no problem paying whatever the Hotel 
raises their rates to for it's rooms and or the fees for the use of the 
Ballrooms, with the Hotel or social hall, getting all the profits from 
the food and beverage sales either.    The Last line in the budget is 
almost always  "Musicians Fees and expenses"   Gotta cut there sorry 
guys but you will get good exposure for playing for us and helping us 
Preserve the music.

They continue to lower the standards of professionalism of professional 
musicians causing them to move on to develop their skills in other 
fields of music where they can still get respect as Professionals and 
make a decent living.   Nobody likes being treated or though of as a 
Second or third class citizen, yet Musicians are treated that way and 
often have to live that way, and it is the fault of the musicians 
themselves and the secret unions, and the incompetence and or 
reluctance of the AF of M to do anything about it many years ago.   No 
wonder they are basically powerless today except for fining their own 
members for trying to work anywhere they can but give them no backup 
when they run into unscrupulous club owners and promoters.

'Tis indeed a sad state of affairs when nobody wishes to change it and 
move the musicians life back up the ladder of respect, unfortunately 
too many of them really don't deserve any respect so they are content 
to take whatever they can.

I would rather be an Emergency Plumber on call than do that.    Never 
have never will.

Cheers,

Tom Wiggins
Saint Gabriel's Celestial Brass Band

-----Original Message-----
From: LARRY'S Signs and Large Format Printing <sign.guy at charter.net>
To: 1-DIXIELAND JAZZ POST <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Sun, 17 Jul 2005 14:22:26 -0500
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] The secret Union.

   To my listmates and Musicians in St. Louis

As most of you know I have picked on several of the big bands here in 
St. Louis
because they are typically run by rich guys who don't care how much 
they pay and
seem to be content with not always the best musicians in town.  I have 
talked to
many of the musicians in these bands as well as the leaders about the 
low pay.

Typically the pay is $50 or less and out of town might pay $75.  Some 
of the
guys drive considerable distances to play these gigs and have other 
expenses
such as getting their Tux cleaned and sometimes parking fees.

The bands are good enough to command higher pay for the members.  Then 
why don't
they?  All the big bands are pretty much lock stepped with each other 
in price.
The leaders say that they will not be able to sell the bands for more 
and that
their gigs would go away if they raised their prices.  I know that's 
not true
but why do the members of the bands support the low prices.

It finally dawned on me that it's sort of a reverse union that 
conspires to low
pay.  Why?  It's because if they paid more then the better players 
would start
wanting the jobs and create competition whereas they might lose their 
chairs.
They would then have no place to go. This is a means to keep us out or 
force us
play on their terms.

It's sort of a trade off.  The hobby musician is very protective of his 
chair
and this enforces loyalty to the group which is good for the band 
leader.  The
musician learns the book and has musical credibility within the group 
but may
have next to none with other bands.  So the groups often play fairly 
well and
have reached a level that makes everyone in the group happy and 
certainly could
command higher prices if they wanted to do it.

The explanation is so elegant and simple.  I can't believe that no one 
came up
with it.

These guys have never said it and no one would admit to it nor did they 
all get
together and plan it.  I think that's how the group dynamic works in  
hobby
bands.  The trouble is that they drag down the pay for everyone else.

It's time to drop out of that union even though the dues are cheap.

Larry Walton
St, Louis
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