[Dixielandjazz] The Business Side To The Music Business

[tcashwigg at aol.com]

well Mike:

I go to every Dixieland gig I can find and slip around and glad hand 
all the players and schmooze a lot with everyone, and when I hear 
somebody from the audience say something like these guys are really 
good, or I really like the band, I like to slip up to them ant tell 
them that I am really the leader of the band, but taking a day/night 
off but I do all the bookings, so here is my card call me when you want 
to book us.  :))

Sometimes if it's really a good band, I'll get one of their business 
cards and have them printed up again with my name and phone number on 
them for bookings, and then go write the real bandleaders name on the 
bathroom wall with a felt tip pen ( you know For A Good Time call ????? 
)   Works every time he shuts off his phone in about a week and I get 
all the calls from then on to book the band, simply show up with my own 
guys and take the money and run :))

If I get really desperate I will hire one of the best players in that 
band so it looks like the same band, but when the client complains I 
just tell them that the other guys wanted a whole lot of money so we 
had to fire them to be able to work for cheap wages.

It's always a good thing to ask the client how much they paid the last 
band they hired and then bid $100.00 less to be sure to get the gig, 
and for God's sake man don't ever quote more than $40.00 a man and 10% 
more for the leader that would be Dixieland suicide.  And Always tell 
them that you are in to Preserving the music and the money is not 
important.


Hope this helps you learn the booking ropes,
If it's Dixieland music your trying to book gigs for it helps to carry 
around a Banjo too, but for God's sake don't play the damned thing or 
they might never hire you.   Better to carry a Washboard these days 
they get more respect, and don't even show them a Trombone or they 
won't even talk to you much less hire you.  :))

And last but not least, Don't quit your day gig at Burger King either, 
call in sick once in a while if you need to but for God's don't EVER 
let your music gig interfere with your Day gig.   Do that and you'll 
never flip another burger in that town as long as you live.


Cheers,

Johnny Slick and the gig gitters


-----Original Message-----
From: mike at railroadstjazzwest.com
To: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
Sent: Wed, 24 Jan 2007 6:51 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] The Business Side To The Music Business

   I'd like to know how some of your guys book your own gigs and
how you gained the knowledge to do so successfully. I'd like to
hear a little more about the business side of the business and
how it influences the musical side. We talk a lot about this in
my music business courses, but I'd like to hear first hand from
the voice of experience that you don't get from a textbook.

Mike








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