[Dixielandjazz] Playing For Free and Other Sorrows

Wed Aug 8 11:04:42 PDT 2007

Tom Said ---but had to earn it all the hard way and often while trying to 
compete
with free bands giving it all away.

I think this is the crux of the matter.  No one ever said the music business 
was easy.   I don't depend entirely on gigs to make a living but my entire 
life has revolved around music and the production of music.   The kind of 
work I go after is probably the most difficult in that it is never regular 
and involves a lot of single engagements.  But no matter what kind of music 
you do it doesn't come easily.

I regard a lot of the practices of the hobby bands to be cheating.

I have to do all the paperwork and pay taxes which everyone knows is just 
winked at by almost all hobby bands and quite a few semi pro's out there. 
Before you all line up on me saying you pay yours I am asked by several 
people each year to not send them a 1099 and I have been around long enough 
to know what goes on.  Maybe you do and maybe you don't but this is another 
advantage the hobby musician has.  Taking quick cash is between 15% and 50% 
better than doing things legally.

I never had an axe to grind with anyone until a heir of Mel Bay put me down 
for hustling jobs and the commercial crap I played.  This guy lived in a 
house that I could only just drive by and would never in his whole life have 
to worry about a buck had the gall to put me down because I was making an 
honest living playing music.  I have to tell you it changed my whole 
perspective about people and the business.

I guess I have a resentment of the bank president or guy who is making big 
bucks doing whatever who wants to dabble in my profession.  Worse still, 
gets a kick out of beating pros out of a gig.  That wouldn't be so bad if we 
could meet on a level playing field but that almost never is the case.

The real truth is that the average customer will go with one of two things: 
first a cheaper group of the same size or if two groups cost about the same 
will go with the larger group.  As I mentioned before the paperwork and 
taxes that go with being a professional makes the playing field unlevel.

For the initial job I have found over and over again that quality has almost 
nothing to do with it.  Only a small number of music buyers aren't worried 
about price.  I think it's great if you can tap into that small group that 
are willing to pay for quality.  I think that's what Steve and Tom have done 
and I know that they have spent countless hours on the phones and spent a 
lot of money doing it.

There are other advantages that the hobby band leader has over me such as I 
have to advertise and spend money for music, equipment, stands, 
transportation and sometimes clothing.  I also have to set up and tear down 
the band and move the equipment.  Several of the hobby groups here pay a guy 
to do that.  One of them pays a guy to rehearse them and they have a board 
of directors to take care of everything else that comes up so no one person 
is doing much besides playing.

While some call themselves "charitable" bands and make a big deal out of it 
to the public, spend most of their money on producing ego CD's, paying for 
the setup guys and the annual Christmas party and vacation gigs.  They also 
won't disclose their books either and keep their "Charitable contributions" 
a secret.  While no one gets paid there are a lot of perks which doesn't 
seem quite honest to me.

I have no problem with community bands for the most part and are the perfect 
place for musicians of different abilities to produce something nice for the 
community.  They are a good place to scout out talent, make contacts and to 
keep the chops up.  I also don't have a problem with young bands who are 
learning their trade because everyone has to learn.  Nor do I have a problem 
with the basement band who charges a fair price for their service.

Some of the community jazz bands scout out jobs and compete with me.  I'm 
not too thrilled with that.  I would prefer that they didn't go into 
commercial venues such as hotels and Senior communities.  Who in their right 
mind would pay a duo $300 when they can get an 18 piece band for $200.  This 
is the very real case with Senior venues.  There is at least one band of 
that size that will take any contribution ( they like $200) and book a job 
every week during the summer.  Their jobs are usually Senior venues but will 
play one or two park concerts each year also along with at least one church 
picnic.  The Shriner band does the same thing and there may be more.

Why am I still playing and out there making money?  The simple answer is 
that I work harder at it and hope to give better service and higher quality. 
I would like a more level playing field though.
Larry
St. Louis

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <TCASHWIGG at aol.com>
To: "Larry Walton" <larrys.bands at charter.net>
Cc: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2007 1:23 AM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Playing For Free and Other Sorrows

> Ladies and Gentlemen:
>
> Success in this business does indeed come in several categories and 
> degrees,
> what guys like Steve Barbone and I are simply trying to point out to  the
> general list is another way to move up the ladder as you do get  better. 
> The
> constant resistence to what we have freely offered to  all is very 
> frustrating.
>
> Even when other bandleaders have come on the list and thanked us for 
> showing
> them some things tahat drastically increased their performance fees and
> quality of the gigs they are getting now.
>
> And guys like Larry in St. Louis who hustles and works it like a business
> and freely shares his ideas and sucesses with everyone, as does Elazar in 
> Israel
> who had to start it all on the street against far worse odds than any of 
> you
> has  shown that doing things our way does pay off over time even under the
> often dire  circumstances that he has to deal with in an often hostile 
> culture.
>
> All we are trying to tellyou is that if you continue to play for free, the
> only gigs you will be asked to do are free ones because eery time you play 
> on
> you are promoting your fee and your perceived worth.
>
> There is a better way and us loud mouthed arrogant bastards have been 
> trying
> to show you for years.  SO you don't have to believe it but don't  come 
> back
> here and attack the good messengers who tried o help you.  That's  what is
> called Biting the Hand that is trying to Feed You. :))
>
> Cheers,
>
> Tom Wiggins  who was not born with any silver sppon in his mouth or  ass
> either, but had to earn it all the hard way and often while trying to 
> compete
> with free bands giving it all away.
>
>
>
> ************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL 
> at
> http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour
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