Question for Aussie players but anyone can answer :)

Depth_Charge · #1 07-17-2007, 06:33 AM

I'm curious to find out how your band gets paid? And how in turn do you get paid, if you aren't the band owner collecting the full amount from the venue?

I played in paying cover bands pre-2000, before the new tax laws came into effect. So I used to show up to a gig with my band, play music for about 2 hours, leave with some cash in my hand and not care about the rest. Easy as

It's not like that no more!! A member who does "the booking" told us when he gets paid by the venue, he gives them an ABN number to pay. He now wants us to all have an ABN as well.

I'm in the middle of exploring my options, but I am seeking TB's collective experiences all the same

Voltaren · #2 07-17-2007, 08:15 AM

we play a few venues and only one asks for an abn number, a club that has bloody pokies in it. We organised one abn for the whole band. We make no claims on it.

we have signed the hobby clause at our main pub and this I believe this still ok, hey I could be wrong. It all depends on the earnings the band makes. Other places and private gigs are cash only.

It is probably fair that you do not use your mates abn no. It could make things a little awkward for him. Like we did, it may pay to organise one for the whole band.

Hope this of some help.

Joseph Draxx · #3 07-18-2007, 01:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Depth_Charge

I'm curious to find out how your band gets paid? And how in turn do you get paid, if you aren't the band owner collecting the full amount from the venue?

I played in paying cover bands pre-2000, before the new tax laws came into effect. So I used to show up to a gig with my band, play music for about 2 hours, leave with some cash in my hand and not care about the rest. Easy as

It's not like that no more!! A member who does "the booking" told us when he gets paid by the venue, he gives them an ABN number to pay. He now wants us to all have an ABN as well.

I'm in the middle of exploring my options, but I am seeking TB's collective experiences all the same

We used to always get paid cash in hand (playing at punk/alternative venues) as a cut of the door takings.

Behind the scenes normally a promoter would put on the show, I am guessing he had an ABN so the club payed him and he jsut gave us the cash.
This is up to and including this January when we called it a day.

phippsyg · #4 07-18-2007, 02:15 AM

Generally the originals bands I play in we invoice and are paid later (often door takings). Some of the cover bands I play in I take my invoice book with me and I gat paid on the night.

cutthroatmolloy · #5 07-18-2007, 04:33 AM

band owner sounds like an odd concept to me. i dont think id like to play in a band with a band owner.

anyway... normally the promoter gives us cash, sometimes were asked for a reciept. we have an ABN as a band, but havent used it yet.

we're an originals band, so i dont know how different things are for cover bands.

slaerts · #6 07-18-2007, 04:56 AM

We established an abn number for the whole band and never really used it. As an originals band playng in Sydney and newcastle we usually got cash as a organised cash fee or as door takings. I have never heard of getting a abn for each member of the band sounds like a whole lot of paperwork to me. My band days finished about 2004 though, so things may have changed and we never made any money worth the tax office taking any notice of (we barely covered gas money to or from gigs).

phippsyg · #7 07-18-2007, 06:40 AM

I thought the ABN thing was pretty standard, thats why whenever I do a fill in gig I take my invoice book with me. One band I played in made us put down on our tax form that we played as a hobby. Can't really remember how that all worked. Think the days of cash in hand are starting to fade which is a bummer.

Slain · #8 07-18-2007, 07:13 AM

Hmm.. my band hasn't payed all that many gigs, but the money we get usually goes to the person that organised the show (usually a member of another band on the set) then we can get it from him. Never had to use ABN though.

Voltaren · #9 07-18-2007, 07:23 AM

"One band I played in made us put down on our tax form that we played as a hobby. Can't really remember how that all worked."

You are allowed to earn so much money with a hobby, as long as it is not long term and not set up to make money as per your full time job. This is definitely the case with a lot of covers bands. I believe there is a limit on the amount.

I am not sure of the details and contacting the taxation department or checking there internet site might be the go.

bass349 · #10 07-18-2007, 11:15 AM

ok. playing in a fairly active covers/corporate band over here in perth here's how it works for us..

When we started, the venue would (usually through one of our agents) send out a booking confirmation. The main guy in our band would invoice the venue/agent for the total (say, $900) for the gig, using his abn. we (the band) would then each invoice the main guy in our band for $150 (six of us in the band). basically we were sub-contract our services to him - so at tax time his profit and loss statement would balance out to him only earning $150 for that gig - not the $900 he invoiced the venue for. follow?

recently we've become equal share partners and the band has become a "company". this basically means that he (the main guy) can't get screwed tax return time - i *think* we were earning too much money as a band at it was putting his gross earnings too high. to be honest not too clued up as to how this is gonna work tax time... but i guess we'll figure it out as we go along!

But either way it's a good idea to get yourself an ABN - and it looks like from what you've described that the guy booking the gigs and invoicing the venue will get screwed over if you don't. you'll also probably have to backdate a hell of a lot of invoices - been there!! ABN's are free and only take about 20 mins to setup on the website. I pretty much need to invoice for every subbing gig i do, and the two music academys i teach at require it as well. Also.. this will make you a "profesional" musician which means you can claim every piece of musical equipment you buy, everything that could do with your "business" (computors, office supplies, whatever..), as well as things like cd's and performances! do it!

hope that helps.

andy

Depth_Charge · #11 07-19-2007, 05:09 AM

Thanks guys that is really helpful.

joelyb · #12 07-22-2007, 08:25 AM

bass 349 got it pretty much right. i play covers and planty of freelance work and the majority of the gigs i do i invoice either a managemant company, manager or the person who's band it is i am playing for. sub contracting bass services... the tax deductions are great, cds etc and also gear.