[Dixielandjazz] Gigs

[Paul Edgerton]

Holy crap, Steve, how come you're not running for president?

<vbg>

Sent from my iPad

On Jan 21, 2012, at 8:08 PM, Stephen G Barbone
<barbonestreet at earthlink.net> wrote:

>> "Robert Ringwald" <rsr at ringwald.com> wrote:
>>
>> Steve, I explained what I did for a living, which explained why I'd rather take a 13 day Jazz cruise completely paid for, including my wife's passage, rather than playing a few gigs in old people's homes.
>
> Dear Bob:
>
> Our band doesn't only play "a few gigs in old peoples homes." Far from it. But then, what's wrong with old people's homes? Isn't a cruise ship with 3 or 4 hundred old OKOM fans in residence simply a floating old people's home?
>
> There is the fundamental difference between us. I believe that if you perform music, you should be PAID for it. Free room and board, no matter how grand, is not enough. I think bands that play cruises FREE give the music away. I think bands that tour overseas without pay give the music away. Heck, I've even heard that some bands tour overseas and pay part of their travel costs to do so. In my opinion, that is wrong and it helps lower the pay scales for band music.
>
> Right now I am negotiating a contract for a band trip to Russia. Some simple rules apply. Once we step outside our homes, to a gig away from home for one or more days,  ALL transportation and living expenses must to be paid. Including drinks, tips, and a miscellaneous per diem for incidentals. Plus even though one could call this a paid vacation to a NEW place, (none of us have been to Russia) we insist on being paid fairly which means the sidemen will take home net, net, 5 figures per man, for 5  days there. Whether or not we perform each day. More if we do two performances per day. If that doesn't happen in the final contract, I'll refuse the tour and turn it over to one of those bands that wants to play so badly, they'll pay to play.
>
>> I'd rather be on the cruise and you'd rather stay home and play gigs.  Everyone to their own thing.  I was not trying to change your mind, I was simply explaining why I'd rather take the Jazz cruise.
>
> Fair enough, as far as it goes. No need to explain that to me, I didn't ask. But then since you brought it up, I've been there done that. Starting several years before WW2 with a cruise to Bermuda on the Vulcania, an Italian Liner. (My dad ran their NYC offices) Followed by 2 more before WW 2 and then quite a few after it ended. Those were TRUE freebies. As soon as the family stepped out our front door, everything was paid for.  Including alcohol drinks, full transportation costs from home to the dock, including parking etc,. Including those obligatory ship crew tips. Not so on today's band cruises, I think.
>
> My wife and I like to vacation on our own, at a place of our choosing to see and do new things, meet new people. Going on the same old cruise with the same old people, each year is not something we would enjoy.
>
> And I certainly would prefer to play those 2 prohibition Parties at Samantha's Gentlemen's Club in Harrisburg PA this weekend, than be on a cruise, or playing in some old people's homes, for a number of reasons <grin >
>
>> I made my living playing music.  Now at the age of 71, it is time that I do what I want to do.
>
> Amen, even if what you want to do is continue to play music. <grin>  I spent most of my life, 78 years so far, doing what I wanted to do. Music was/is only a part of my life. There are many other activities that I enjoy. And it has been an enjoyable ride, musically and otherwise, with only an occasional bump. My theory is that one should always happily do what one wants to do, or risk becoming sour, and burned out before one's time. Life is too short not to smell the roses.
>
> Cheers,
> Steve Barbone
> www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> To unsubscribe or change your e-mail preferences for the Dixieland Jazz Mailing list, or to find the online archives, please visit:
>
> http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz
>
>
>
> Dixielandjazz mailing list
> Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com