Equal Pay Split, What Are Your Thoughts?

[LJBassX]

Most bands I've been in have split pay equally. There was once a rare exception where a freaking 50% was given to "band fund"..... I played in this band for a summer and quit. They are now touring LA, have a recording contract, and I hate my life for it.
Currently, I'm in a trio. It's a rare situation because the drummer sings leads and plays, the guitarist sings leads and plays, and I sing leads and play.... oh ya, and the guitar player is my husband! So hubby and I travel to gigs together. He owned the PA before acquiring built in bassist/singer wife, but now I get the pleasure of assisting in the loading and un loading. I do 95% percent of the set-up myself because hub's rig takes much long to set up than mine (guitar players and their million pedals, I'll never understand it) and it helps him with headaches. He does most of the booking, but sometimes people find a woman less threatening/more charming, whatever, so I take care of those. We split equal with our drummer because.... he's in this all alone.... and he has a paralyzingly neurotic Italian guy and a stubborn Irish chick to deal with all night. Also, there's something to be said with who gets the most "say" in a band. If leader/PA schlupper gets to call most the shots, that should pretty much cancel out additonal pay for them as the rest are putting up with their diva dreams...
P.S. I live in NH where most of our gigs as a trio are $400. Drummer and I take $130, guitarist takes extra $10 for doing the vast majority of the booking and who really cares cause it's 10 bux.

[Kael]

I had to explain once a long time ago that I was not kosher with a singer taking a cut for the PA when I was never mic'd/DI'd. He then tried to plug in to my DI and just leave me muted. That didn't fly. I quit working with that guy.

Someone does the leg work to book the gig, they get compensated just like a booking agent would. No compensation should be given to two separate parties for booking a gig.

[lbbc]

I am the leader of the band, arrange music selecetions, own and transport the PA and book the gigs......and I take an even cut!

My take is....why cause problems for an extra $25, or so?! I want to keep my band together and get heard and seen.

[gus1894]

Originally Posted by mellowinman

I don't play to make money, but I like to make money when I play. I don't need to be friends with my bandmates. I don't need to have "fun."

So why do I do it?

I do it for the music. I like to execute a song well, and if you are playing in my band, and we are executing together, and making a good sound, and working as a team, that is a relationship I value far more than someone simply being my "friend."

What about that?

The musical relationship? I play for the satisfaction of performing to the best of my ability, and I prefer to play with people who have that same motivation. I want the song to KILL. I want to watch it back on video and say, "yeah, we NAILED that one," and I want the audience to feel they were entertained.

That is a driving need, and it is the ONLY reason I perform. I get paid because I go to a lot of trouble to put that show up there, and my time should be worth SOMETHING, even if it isn't much.

Just sounds like a different set of definitions for fun and friendship to me.

I always want to kill it, to put on the best performance I can. I'd just rather watch that video afterwards with the friends I made it with.

[JumboJack]

Originally Posted by bluewine

Start a new thread dealing with this new topic and I'll be happy to answer all your questions.

Your questions are not relative to this particular thread.

Blue

Done...

[JohnMCA72]

Originally Posted by bluewine

Sounds like your already in the band. Did you discuss money before you joined?

Blue

There's a big key, & a discussion that (in my experience, at least) very few people have going in. I don't know why, but a lot of people seem to have trouble bringing up money issues at a time that something could actually be done about them, & later problems avoided.

[lfmn16]

Originally Posted by JumboJack

Done...

You are much more restrained than I am. The comment directed at you takes brass balls considering the source.

[JumboJack]

Originally Posted by lfmn16

You are much more restrained than I am. The comment directed at you takes brass balls considering the source.

I'm a lover, not a fighter.

[nortonrider]

Originally Posted by bluewine

Your questions are not relative to this particular thread.

Blue

Seems pretty relevant to me.
but then again, what do I know.....
I'm not a gigging bass player in Blues band.

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by nortonrider

Seems pretty relevant to me.
but then again, what do I know.....
I'm not a gigging bass player in Blues band.

Well, he started a new thread where in my opinion his questions are relevant and I addressed them.

Blue

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by nortonrider

I'm not a gigging bass player in Blues band.

I wish I knew who is gigging in bands.


Blue

[JumboJack]

Originally Posted by bluewine

I wish I knew who is gigging in bands.


Blue

Why? So you can spew your pompous, pointless judgment on them?

Blue.. Did you forget the dozens of threads you where posting a while ago asking all kinds of newbie-ish questions about auditioning, getting gigs, keeping gigs, quitting gigs??? Have you forgotten? Forgotten about the "First gig in 30 years" thread???

Now you are and opinionated expert in all things rock and roll.

Do you really have to wonder why you get so much grief here?????

[mellowinman]

Originally Posted by JumboJack

Why? So you can spew your pompous, pointless judgment on them?

Blue.. Did you forget the dozens of threads you where posting a while ago asking all kinds of newbie-ish questions about auditioning, getting gigs, keeping gigs, quitting gigs??? Have you forgotten? Forgotten about the "First gig in 30 years" thread???

Now you are and opinionated expert in all things rock and roll.

Do you really have to wonder why you get so much grief here?????

I have always wondered why he gets so much grief here.

It seems like some of you go out of your way to do it.

[JumboJack]

Originally Posted by mellowinman

I have always wondered why he gets so much grief here.

Well now you know....

[ChrisB2]

Originally Posted by Edward G.

I might see this at a wedding, where the father of the bride doles out tips to the musicians and photographers, etc.

The day I see this at a local club around these parts, I will know it's my last day on earth.

My cover band gets bonuses at small-time bars. Not often, but not rarely either.

Location: Midwest, USA

[ChrisB2]

In the cover band I'm in, we always split the money evenly. $350 - $600 per show, usually around $400 for bar dates, sometimes as high as $1500-1800 for casinos, weddings, festivals.

One member owns the PA but we all help setup/teardown. I have mentioned before that I we'd be willing to boost him a little but I joined the band in process and that's how they did it before, and how we do it now.

All the cover bands I've been in were the same, except one with a female singer who sang on about 2/3 of the songs, lead on half, did not help load, and did not arrive early or stay late. She got a smaller cut which I thought was fair, but it was up to the BL to handle her.

Any way you choose to do it or think is right for you, is okay by me.

[RDT]

This has always been my take.

Booking agent gets their take 1st...10-20%
PA paid out 2nd.
Musicians split the balance.

But, here's a few things to think about.

What if the booking agent is a band member? I have always felt this is a bad idea to start with. As a musician, I would rather deal with music, than the publicity. Besides, it prevents double bookings, different $ amounts, etc. So, same rule applies...booking agent gets their cut 1st.

What if the PA is owned by a band member? I say, pay the PA what it would cost to hire out sound. However, if the PA owner is getting full hired sound pay...The only thing I'm loading in/out is MY gear.

What about the band member who plays multiple instruments? I've went back and forth on this one many times over the years. In a previous band, 1 member played: Lead guitar, pedal steel, fiddle, mandolin, pulled some of the lead vocals and harmonies. All I did was sit back...play bass and look pretty! Hmmm, in one hand he is a "more contributing member." But on the other hand, his primary instrument was guitar. 2 songs required fiddle, 2 songs "sounded better" with pedal steel, but sounded just fine without, too, and 1 song required mandolin. What to do, what to do: pay that guy more or replace the 5 songs!?!?

What if 1 member is only a vocalist? And the lead vox are shared with other members (i.e., 1/3 of songs sang by vocalist, 1/3 sang by bassist/vocaist, 1/3 sang by guitarist/vocaist). I say, they get paid just like the other musicians. Their "voice" is their instrument.

I, too, have never been a fan of "Band funds." If everyone takes care of their own, them there is no need for a "Band fund." Banners, flyers, web site fees are, IMO, the responsibility of the publicist...that's what they get paid for...it's in their job description up front. I look at it this way: Someone is going to say, "Yeah, but a banner is going to benefit all of us." True, but my $70 bass strings benefit us all, too. So does the drummers sticks, etc. So does that mean we're gonna split them, too? Besides, that banner is going to benefit the publicist too, as does the flyers, web site, etc.

"Band PA's" NEVER end well. Period!

EDIT: My current band did, however, split the fee(s) for our demo CD and to have a pro-videographer come in and shoot video and edit 5 songs from one of our live shows...NOT at a bar, however. We decided all members should split these fees, because even after the band dissolved (which they all do eventually), we would still have pro audio and pro video of ourselves performing...if nothing else, to show our grandkids when they say "Grandpa, was you really a rock star?!?!" lol

[ChrisB2]

Originally Posted by mellowinman

I have always wondered why he gets so much grief here.

It seems like some of you go out of your way to do it.

You just noticed this???

The cast and crew rotate in and out, but there is always a nice contingent of blue bashers in BM....

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by JumboJack

Why? So you can spew your pompous, pointless judgment on them?

Blue.. Did you forget the dozens of threads you where posting a while ago asking all kinds of newbie-ish questions about auditioning, getting gigs, keeping gigs, quitting gigs??? Have you forgotten? Forgotten about the "First gig in 30 years" thread???

Now you are and opinionated expert in all things rock and roll.

Do you really have to wonder why you get so much grief here?????

I don't even notice grief at all.

Yeah, I'm opinionated, I've been around a long time doing this and I'm proud of the age and period of time ( the 60s) I came into playing.

Do I have the same opinions I had when I started posting on TB, no. I'm always evolving.

The only thing I don't understand is why you care so much and why I have such an impact on you.

Jumbo, there just my opinions, lots if people don't agree with me and that's fine.


Blue

[SBassman]

I'm for equal cuts, but only if every member truly is doing a comparable amount of work and has a comparable amount of financial investment in the band.

So,
- If one person owns the PA and brings it every time, I think that person should get more.
- If a person dogs the set up and tear down, that person should get less.
- If a person does most or all the booking work, that person should get more.

I played in a band for several years - 3 guys on instruments, and a female - diva - singer. She never booked gigs. She never came for set up. Her typical arrival was - 5 minutes after the show was supposed to start. And she always disappeared like Batman when the show ended. I always thought she should make less than everyone else. She was always given a full cut. I wasn't the BL. If I was, she would have received a 75% share.