[Dixielandjazz] PRO - gripe

[Robert S. Ringwald]

Larry, a side man approaching a client on a gig, or even handing out 
business cards to anyone on another leader's gig is a no no around here.  If 
any musician ever did it to me, it would be the last time he ever worked for 
me and everyone in town would know about it.

I know, when I lived in Los Angeles and an agent or contractor hired you, 
that was one of the stipulations, "No business cards to be handed out." 
Sometimes the agent or contractor would give you his card to hand out.

Here, if someone asks one of the sidemen for a card, he comes to the leader 
and gets one from him.

>From now on, I suggest that before the gig, you hand each musician in your 
band a couple of your business cards and tell them point blank, if anyone 
asks, give them your card.  Tell them, under no circumstances do you give 
them your own card, or solicite any gigs.  If you have sideman agreements, 
I'd put that statement in it.

Best,

--Bob Ringwald


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis" <larrys.bands at charter.net>
To: "Bob Ringwald" <robert at ringwald.com>
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 10:19 AM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] PRO - gripe


> New year's eve one of my side men was overheard, by me, telling another 
> that he had booked a gig that night  from my client.
>
> I don't consider any client to be 100% exclusive territory but I think 
> it's incredibly poor form for a sideman to approach a client on a job to 
> book gigs.  It's one thing if the client calls the side man through his 
> general advertising or as a referral but it's another to solicit right on 
> the job.
>
> Most band leaders would have flat out fired the guy on the spot.  I have 
> made it a practice to never burn bridges but I'll tell you it's going to 
> be a tough one for me to recommend him to others or hire him for my gigs .
>
> It's difficult to hire anyone around here who isn't an independent booker 
> or band leader in some capacity and the client base is not that large so 
> some stepping on of toes is unavoidable.
>
> I'm thinking about adding some sort of clause in my subcontractor's 
> agreement discouraging the practice.  Does anyone do that?
>
> I broke my own rule in this regard and that is when the client approaches 
> the band or band members I try to put myself physically between them or in 
> a position that the client will talk to me.  That way I discourage the 
> handing out of business cards and the kind of chit chat that leads to 
> gigs.  Actually it sort of slipped by and I didn't notice.  I need to be 
> more observant next time.
>
> While the cat's away the mice will play.
> Larry
> StL
>
> P.S.
> I decided to make a change for the new year in the subject line prefacing 
> it with PRO that way those who want to talk and read about some facet of 
> OKOM that doesn't pertain to the production of music, booking or running a 
> band can just delete it out of hand.  That way I hope I don't bore those 
> readers out there who are hobby musicians or just listeners.
>
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