one for all all for one????

t bake · #1 03-22-2010, 08:14 PM

Just wondering at what point should a band member start thinking more like a busnessman?? Im a current member of two bands and one side deal, with all I supply pa, mikes, cables stands lighting trailer truck and fuel aprox 120mi a week giging. All pay and tips are split even average 125.00 per man per night. A few clubs 200.00 to 400.00 in tips not uncommon(most large tips handed directly to front vocalist) When i worked for a band and supplyed nothing but my rig and got paid my price I would kick my tip $$ to the guy/bandmember/friend ect.. paying for the gear (stupid or good faith??) Do ya think I may be out of line thinking a extra 25.00 a gig would be sweet ??? thanks for your input. God Bless Gig On!!!

**jmattbassplaya** · #2 03-22-2010, 08:49 PM

Not at all. If you weren`t providing it you`d be renting it anyways. Personally, if you`re the one transporting all the gear, I think everyone should be splitting the transportation costs evenly.

Drop-the-One · #3 03-23-2010, 01:11 AM

yea man! Wear and tear!

At least MINIMUM... find the cost of the driving the equipment to and from the gig and split cost evenly.

Do you do all the PA/Lighting set-up too?

**bassybill** · #4 03-23-2010, 02:03 AM

Each person in our band takes on a different role - some write charts, some tote gear, one guy looks after bookings, another is treasurer and so on. So the money gets evenly split.

But from your description it sounds like you are putting a whole lot more in than your band mates in terms of investment in gear, not to mention time and effort. You should be getting more cash for sure - if it's a 4 piece band getting $500 for a night, $100 a head plus $200 for you would not be in any way unreasonable based on what you say here.

JimmyM · #5 03-23-2010, 03:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t bake

Just wondering at what point should a band member start thinking more like a busnessman?? Im a current member of two bands and one side deal, with all I supply pa, mikes, cables stands lighting trailer truck and fuel aprox 120mi a week giging. All pay and tips are split even average 125.00 per man per night. A few clubs 200.00 to 400.00 in tips not uncommon(most large tips handed directly to front vocalist) When i worked for a band and supplyed nothing but my rig and got paid my price I would kick my tip $$ to the guy/bandmember/friend ect.. paying for the gear (stupid or good faith??) Do ya think I may be out of line thinking a extra 25.00 a gig would be sweet ??? thanks for your input. God Bless Gig On!!!

i personally think you should make at least triple if that's what you're doing, double if you want to be a nice guy. no way i'd do all that for an equal cut, or even $25 more. if they balk, quit, or at leas tell them you're not going to bring pa anymore. honestly, you're getting ripped off if all they offer is an equal cut.

tycobb73 · #6 03-23-2010, 06:06 AM

Who does the webpage? who books gigs? Who prints up and hands out business cards? Who finds replacement members? Who writes setlists? Who hosts practices?

hrodbert696 · #7 03-23-2010, 06:25 AM

If there's money being made on a regular basis, you are a business and need to think in business terms. The band needs to sit down for a business meeting and write up everything everyone is doing timewise and spending moneywise on the band, how much is coming in, and how that's going to be divvied up fairly. You might think of setting up a band bank account to create a common fund to pay for gas, publicity, etc. Gig money goes into the fund and expenses get paid first and then everyone gets their cut once the bills are taken care of.

troy mcclure · #8 03-23-2010, 07:25 AM

I agree everyone has a different role. You mention fuel? Doesn't every memeber of the band have to drive to the gig? I understand you need to be compensated for wear and tear on your PA, but isn't it possible you got the gig based on the fact you had a PA? I also own a PA and feel it makes me more marletable when it is time for me to look for a new gig.

You have to look at the division of labor. Does the guy that books the shows ask for a % for booking?

You need to ask the guys in the band what they think is fair. They name the price the PA is worth every week. If you like the price you say ok if not just say no thanks.

I think you would would make more as a soundman than as a player, though.

t bake · #9 03-23-2010, 09:14 AM

Hay thanks for the feed back wife handles web busness and a lot of the booking.She and I do 80 % of set up (she loves the light weight led lighting) Thinking it is time for a little change love my band mates like bros but man good gear is exspensive And I do all the maintance from repairing light stands to replaceing pots. thank ya all God Bless Gig On

**bassybill** · #10 03-23-2010, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t bake

Hay thanks for the feed back wife handles web busness and a lot of the booking.She and I do 80 % of set up (she loves the light weight led lighting) Thinking it is time for a little change love my band mates like bros but man good gear is exspensive And I do all the maintance from repairing light stands to replaceing pots. thank ya all God Bless Gig On

There's your answer - include both you and your wife in the cash divvy up, you and she as a couple take two cuts (or possibly three, as Jimmy said), every one else gets one. It sounds like you and your wife combined are contributing at least twice as much to the band's activity as any other member, so fair's fair.

I would have ZERO problem with any of that if I was in the band, and if your band mates are stand up guys (it sounds like they are), they can only see that as reasonable. As a matter of fact, I'd be really pleased to have a hassle free gig where I can turn up and get paid a few £££ to play whilst all the other stuff is taken care of. You're a saint, bro!

**bassybill** · #11 03-23-2010, 11:52 AM

Just as a comparison - when I started gigging well over 30 years ago, I was in a 7 piece band. The bandleader (who was also our drummer) took care of all the bookings, it was his PA, he arranged the charts and so on. He was charging about £110 a gig at the time, which was decent money back then. Six of us would get £10 each - again, decent money, my very first day job paid about £25 for a 45 hour week at the time - and he'd keep £50. That seemed entirely appropriate to everyone in the band based on the work and commitment we were all putting in (i.e. about 1/5th of what he did).

Geddyfleaharris · #12 03-23-2010, 02:27 PM

It is one thing to split band duties (booking, website etc) and not ask for an extra bit. That is everybody contributing time. IMO supplying a PA and lights is a whole different thing. That is expensive gear that needs to be paid for and maintained. Having a PA might get you into a band but it also saves the band from having to rent.

You should definatly be getting a larger cut. If you ask for 3x the other guys pay I am sure they would choke but 2x is certainly not excessive. Especially not if your wife is helping.

Stumbo · #13 03-23-2010, 03:02 PM

At the minimum, at least 1 extra share is due to you.

You can also call around and find out how much it would be to rent a lighting/pa system with a roadie and then charge something like that to the band instead of getting an extra share.

Additionally, something like 10% should go to whomever booked the gig.

Be ready for blow back from every member in each band. Some will want to bring their own PA, not charge for it, instead of using yours. Or buy their own lighting, maintain the website, etc, etc.

Worst case scenario, be ready to walk when the band votes not to pay you anything extra or offers and extra $20 bucks or something like that.

Best to work out the details before you join a band. That way, if they don't want to pay extra, you just show up with your bass/amp and your wife can just enjoy the show. In addition, you and your wife will have lots of extra time to do other fun stuff instead of working for the band.

Let us know how it goes.

duff beer · #14 03-23-2010, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassybill

Each person in our band takes on a different role - some write charts, some tote gear, one guy looks after bookings, another is treasurer and so on. So the money gets evenly split.

But from your description it sounds like you are putting a whole lot more in than your band mates in terms of investment in gear, not to mention time and effort. You should be getting more cash for sure - if it's a 4 piece band getting $500 for a night, $100 a head plus $200 for you would not be in any way unreasonable based on what you say here.

Exactly. If I was in a band where someone supplied the entire PA, I would be more than happy to give them an extra share. Trust me, it's money well spent.

MEKer · #15 03-23-2010, 05:20 PM

OP asks at what point to start thinking as a businessman.
Answer: Immediately.
If the others don't know this, then they are too immature to be ready for squat.

t bake · #16 03-24-2010, 12:53 PM

Hay thanks a bunch yall , great help God Bless Gig On!!!!

baalroo · #17 03-24-2010, 02:23 PM

I think it's time to start thinking more like a businessman when your role starts feeling more like a job than a fun hobby. If you're enjoying yourself, like really truly having a great time, you probably won't care about that extra $25. OTOH, if at every gig you spend the time thinking "grrr arrrgh....what a rip off....why I oughta..." then it's time to discuss a new payment arrangement.

Chuck King · #18 03-30-2010, 11:19 AM

Don't take a share for bringing the PA. It's a fixed cost. I'd say, tell them that you're not going to provide a free PA anymore, but to get quotes for renting an equivalent PA and that you'll bring yours for, say, 25% less than what renting from a commercial place would cost. That's still a good deal for them, and a more reasonable payment for you. If you agree to do it for a share, you may well end up giving them, say, $100 worth of service for $20, which is less of a chump move than doing it for $0, but still a chump move.

If they think outside the box and come up with some cheaper way to get what they need, hey, great, and you don't have to schlep and set up the PA. Of course, if you want that extra money, you have to be prepared to be out-competed for it. But personally, having provided the PA for numerous band gigs over my playing life, I would be more than happy to forego the money in exchange for not having to deal with the PA!

sleepytime · #19 03-30-2010, 04:28 PM

You certainly deserve an extra cut, as does the person that books the gigs. Get price quotes for PA rental, and if they don't want to pony up, tell them you are not providing and transporting the PA anymore, end of story. There will probably be a lot of whining, hand-wringing, and demands to "c'mon, be cool, man"...tell them they've had it good getting a free ride and they're welcome, but those days are over and what is it, yes or no? (Can you tell I have little patience for whining moochers?) If you team up with whoever does booking, so much the better, it's good to have allies. But the ball is definitely in your court. Their choices are to start paying you, or start paying somebody else.

Phalex · #20 03-30-2010, 07:11 PM

My drummer is a sales and marketing executive. He typically books the entire next year over the course of a couple of weeks in November and then he's done.

The guitar player owns the PA.

I have a strong back and a weak mind. Plus the mixer and snake are mine.

The singer owns a microphone and typically shows up 5 minutes before show time.

For the pleasure of carrying his weight, each band memeber recieves the princely sum of $5.00 each.