The "I'm only in it for the money" club

[Hobobob]

Troll thread is working.

[nortonrider]

Originally Posted by Roy Vogt

Er, because it's what I do for a living?

Roy, would you still be playing if you never made a dime doing it?

[DJ Bebop]

Do I like to get paid playing music? Yes!!!
Did I learn to play music to get paid? No!!!
If I never play out to get paid, would I still play? Yes!!!

That's all I got

[BWileyTally]

I'm in it for the money! Can I get a club number? Seriously, why not get paid for doing something you love. Do you think professional athlete's would still sacrifice their bodies for free and entertainment purposes? Sure they have "goals", championships etc...., but it's getting paid that keeps them on their path. Even circus acts get paid, why shouldn't we if we want to? I didn't put out hundreds to thousands of dollars of gear and start a band to play for free....

But that's just me.

B

[nortonrider]

Some of you guys are really tripping me out.
Here, let me try again.

Music is one of those silly activities that can be considered both an Art and a Trade.
People pursue their Art for a variety of reasons while people perform their Trade for one reason - Compensation (Money).

You people that keep saying stuff like "I won't load my gear in the truck for less than $100.", make it sound like playing the bass is your Trade, just a way of making money. Like the act of making music is secondary.

My question would better be asked as "would you still be making music for the sake of your Art, if you wern't getting paid to do it?


Of course everyone would like to get paid doing what they love, If they can make it happen then More Power to them!
I think that pretty much goes without saying.

[JimmyM]

I didn't start playing because of money, and I wouldn't quit because of money. I would, however, be very selective about the time I spend doing it and who I would move my gear for. I play a few different instruments including all the rhythm section instruments (I suck at keyboards but I know enough to program one to sound like I rock), and I can enjoy making music all on my own and I don't have to leave my home office to do it.

[BWileyTally]

I would like music to be my "trade", therefore I must get paid for it to be so. But that's just me. I practice for free.

Yes I would still play without making money. The only difference is that it would always be with friends jamming, and not out and about as "entertainment" at a venue.

But again, that's just me....

B

[Rockford]

I play music of my choice at home and with friends at their homes for fun and clubs and parties for work. Both overlap some but the money sets up the right relationships and keeps me from feeling used. It takes at least 8 hours to load up, travel, set up, play a 3-4 hour time periods, tear down, load up and travel home. Frankly I wouldn't drive to most of the locations if there was a $100 bucks on the table and all I had to do was pick it up, turn around and go home. Maybe it's a little wacko but I will do all this to play a gig for the same $100. For most of us here it can't be all about the money. The money keeps it honest.

[bassybill]

"Do you play for the love of it, or for the money?" False dichotomy. It's easy to do both.

"Would you still do it if you weren't paid?" That would depend on the gig, obviously.

[lfmn16]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Jeff Berlin, Victor Wooten, Marcus Miller, Dave LaRue, Steve Bailey, Hadrien Feraud, Jeff Berlin, Oteil Burbridge, Darryl Jones, and a whole host of others in their league as players get pretty well paid. So I can't say I agree with that.

I guess it depends on whether the OP was asking the top 1% in our field, or the rest of us. When you hire the best of the best (the people in your list) you hire them for what they are know for. When you hire Joe Lunchbucket, you hire them to support the band and not be noticed. If you don't believe me, next time you sub, play your best Victor and Marcus licks liberally and see if you get asked back.

[Febs]

Originally Posted by nortonrider

My question would better be asked as "would you still be making music for the sake of your Art, if you wern't getting paid to do it?

Although it is not my primary source of income, music is nevertheless a significant source of income for me. If I were not making that income through music, I would need to make it elsewhere, so I would not be able to devote as much time to making music, and I would therefore be forced to play music less. That does not mean that I play music only for the money. It means that the money is necessary if I am to be able to participate in that enjoyable activity at the level I do.

Also, although my primary source of income is my day job, many of the people that I work with make their living playing music. It is important to me not to devalue the market for my colleagues by giving away a valuable service for free. Again, that does not mean that I play music only for the money, or that I don't play for enjoyment. I do play for enjoyment. But the fact that I enjoy providing a service does not mean that the service has no value.

[guy n. cognito]

Originally Posted by nortonrider

My question would better be asked as "would you still be making music for the sake of your Art, if you wern't getting paid to do it?

No, I would not be performing publicly if I wasn't getting paid to do so. Yes, I might be noodling at home.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by lfmn16

I guess it depends on whether the OP was asking the top 1% in our field, or the rest of us. When you hire the best of the best (the people in your list) you hire them for what they are know for. When you hire Joe Lunchbucket, you hire them to support the band and not be noticed. If you don't believe me, next time you sub, play your best Victor and Marcus licks liberally and see if you get asked back.

Well you have to have taste no matter what kind of music you play! But I've been asked to play some pretty difficult stuff in Joe Lunchbucket bands I've been in, and my having the facility to cover it PLUS having taste is a major factor in why I'm never without a gig for very long. Of course nobody wants to hear Marcus licks in an AC/DC song! But maybe the next song on the list is "Cult Of Personality" or "For Whom The Bell Tolls" or something else where the bass has to rip pretty good. Who's going to get the gig...the guy who can disappear, or the guy who can rip + disappear when you need him to?

There's a reason why Darryl Jones is in the Stones, you know.

[QweziRider]

Originally Posted by nortonrider

My question would better be asked as "would you still be making music for the sake of your Art, if you wern't getting paid to do it?

If I had to make that music to benefit someone else (i.e., a bar making money because my music attracted more customers, or a concert venue selling tickets to hear my band, etc.), then no. I would not still make music for that purpose.

For my own enjoyment and for those around me, sure, I would not stop.

[jmattbassplaya]

Originally Posted by nortonrider

Some of you guys are really tripping me out.
Here, let me try again.

Music is one of those silly activities that can be considered both an Art and a Trade.
People pursue their Art for a variety of reasons while people perform their Trade for one reason - Compensation (Money).

You people that keep saying stuff like "I won't load my gear in the truck for less than $100.", make it sound like playing the bass is your Trade, just a way of making money. Like the act of making music is secondary.

My question would better be asked as "would you still be making music for the sake of your Art, if you wern't getting paid to do it?


Of course everyone would like to get paid doing what they love, If they can make it happen then More Power to them!
I think that pretty much goes without saying.

Here's a question - what does it matter?

The problem I have with these threads is that there are always a handful of people who show up and seem to backhandedly berate those who make money playing music. I'm not sure if these people are just jealous or if they somehow think they're more noble, but it's very frustrating for a lot of us who make the majority of our income from music.

Here's the thing. I love music. Words can't even describe my passion for it. The fact that I'm skilled enough to get paid (and paid what seems to be quite well compared to most people on this forum) for it is just amazing. I make enough to support myself and my lifestyle, and for that I am unbelievably grateful because, in my eyes, I never have to work a day in my life.

That said, if I weren't being paid as well as I am now I would have to get a day job to cover my expenses. That means I'd have less time to rehearse and to gig. Music would have to take a back seat, and my ability to create art would be severely limited to whenever my work schedule would allow it.

The irony of it all is that it's only other musicians who make this money thing out to be a big deal. I was at a NYE party last night and I ran into a lot of people who I haven't seen since high school. I talked to a lot of them about what kind of jobs they're working now because we're (mostly) all out of college, and I got a lot of the typical middle management/retail jobs from person to person. When they asked me what I did and found out I was making my living playing music they all were astonished. To a lot of them, I was the most successful one out of all of us there because I am able to make money doing something that I love, whereas most of them can't even stand their jobs.

[nortonrider]

Originally Posted by jmattbassplaya

Here's a question - what does it matter?

It was just a question.......
It doesn't matter - just like most everything on this forum.

[mellowinman]

I am all about the artistic integrity. I play for the love of music, man. I am ideologically pure. I am a true artist, and not a mere tradesman. I play for my soul. No way am I a sell-out! When I play music, it's to make the flowers bloom, and peace to take over the entire Earth.

Actually, the only reason I can say all that is because I have never been particularly successful.

[Edward G.]

I don't play ONLY for money, but I'd RATHER play for money. It's really pretty nice.

[Roy Vogt]

Originally Posted by nortonrider

Roy, would you still be playing if you never made a dime doing it?

Heck, I'd play if it was illegal!

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Well you have to have taste no matter what kind of music you play! But I've been asked to play some pretty difficult stuff in Joe Lunchbucket bands I've been in, and my having the facility to cover it PLUS having taste is a major factor in why I'm never without a gig for very long. Of course nobody wants to hear Marcus licks in an AC/DC song! But maybe the next song on the list is "Cult Of Personality" or "For Whom The Bell Tolls" or something else where the bass has to rip pretty good. Who's going to get the gig...the guy who can disappear, or the guy who can rip + disappear when you need him to?

There's a reason why Darryl Jones is in the Stones, you know.

I'm a Darryl Jones fan, however is he in the Stones or does he just play for them.

For example if the Stones are on the cover of The Rolling Stones Mag, will Darryl be in the picture?