[Dixielandjazz] Club Manager Quote - Was musicians quotes

[Stephen G Barbone]

This said to a young Artie Shaw on one of his first gigs after forming  
his first band. He was talking to a ballroom manager about how the  
Shaw band was so wonderful musically,  producing interesting, original  
music and why that would be good for the venue etc.,  . . .

Said the manager:

"You listen to me, Shaw. My problem is to get the dough to pay you and  
your goddam band and the rest of the expenses I got to pay to run this  
joint. Your problem is to get people in here. And if you want to take  
your pants down on that goddam bandstand every night and take a crap  
up there, and if people will pay to come in here to see you do it,  
I'll pay you to take a crap up there every night. That's how much I  
give a good goddam about what kind of music you're playing. You hear  
me?"

I guess that's "Music Business 101", if you want commercial success.  
The band stands of the world are littered with the corpses of great  
bands that did not realize this. While lesser bands/musicians who put  
some showmanship into the act made fortunes. <grin>

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband