[Dixielandjazz] Re: Pizzas, How Much Dough? Part 2

[Robert S. Ringwald]

People would get out of the bars & be hungry.  They would turn on their car 
radio, hear the show & end up going to Shakeys to eat before going home.

Shortly after the huge success of Shakeys, other places opened trying to 
copy Shakeys in one way or another.  Some of the places were, "Me & Ed's," 
"The Red Garter," "Your Father's Mustache," "The Strawhat," "The Warehouse," 
Etc.

Another place that did the pizza & beer thing was "Capones Chicago Tea Room 
and Pizza joint."  Capones was supposed to be a 1920 speak Easy.  To get in, 
you had to walk into a telephone booth & push the back wall.  The owner 
walked around dressed like Al Capone.  The racing results were coming in 
over the bar, etc.

  I worked there for 16 1/2 years.  I worked 3 nights a week alone & two 
nights a week with a Dixieland style band.  I got paid very well.  In 1964, 
I was making $50 a night plus a 2 week paid vacation.  That was damn good 
money in those days.  Our Listmate Bill Gunter worked there with me for a 
short time.

I moved to Los Angeles in 1979 & went to work 5 nights a week at a Shakeys 
in Glendale.  The company owned like 16 or 18 Shakeys in the area & had one 
guy who hired all of the music.

I worked there for 3 1/2 years.

About that time, some of the owners found out that instead of paying 
musicians, they could use the space where the bands played for coin 
operating game machines.  So instead of paying musicians, they would make 
money on the machines.  By this time, Shakey had sold out the business & a 
large corporation had boughten the entire chain.  As large corporations do, 
they started "fixing" things which of course meant, get rid of the 
musicians.  Gradually the places used less & less live music.  Of course, a 
lot of the places went broke, leaving the corporations wondering "What 
happened? DAh."

Now, very few pizza places use music.  Once in a while a band can get a few 
hours on a slow night to play but the money is not good.  We just use it as 
a home base and kind of a rehearsal.  you get a lot of gigs when you are 
working.  People hear you & then want to hire you for their own private 
party.  Thus, it is good to have a steady gig.

Of course, if you can get one in a place that will pay you more, all the 
better but these are usually not Pizza places.

Most of the pizza places now are nothing but fast food restaurants.

Best,

--Bob Ringwald K6YBV
The Fulton Street Jazz Band
The Boondockers (Jazz and Comedy)

Friendship is like peeing your pants, everyone can see it,
but only you can feel the true warmth.