Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
BIG BAND MEETING this Monday
- Thread starter Metalbasspro
- Start date
Most of what I sought to address are not current problems but I can see they might be or can be. We all did agree we are all responsible for our own vehicle repairs but not costs of recovery basically. Why? Well, for me I am the one taking most of the risk since it was me who bought a van for band use. If I am going to be solely responsible for recovery costs while on road trips I would naturally be hesitant to take every gig that they want to do. SO aint that fair?
I think we are all responsible for our own gear to the extent that it does not hold forward motion up.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Are you using it for anything other than getting gear around? Did the band agree that you would get a "band" van, and they would help pay for it? If not, then in my mind, it is YOUR van. Perhaps there should be an agreement whereby you get an extra cut from gigs, but unless that was agreed to before you bought it, that's on you.
Agree with this. How often is the van gonna break down? I wouldn't be too happy about being expected to pay for a tow on a vehicle that is a POS or isn't being maintained properly for regular use. IMO, it would be reasonable to let your bandmates buy all the gas for the trips if you are provideing the van.
Well, I would hope that you *know* that you are all responsible for your own gear! Band Rule No. 1.
Are you guys making enough money to justify cost recovery on a "band van"? When I use my own car for work, I get compensated at the rate of $0.55 per km ($0.88/mile). If you're compensated less than that, or the compensation is unclear or dependant on other factors, you are more than likely personally taking a hit on the cost of operating said vehicle - purchase, fuel, depreciation, insurance, etc. Having the "band van" being an arbiter of whether you take a gig or not seems like a huge pain each and every time you need to make that decision. If I was in your band, I wouldn't agree to doing things that way. I would only want to "invest" in things that get us more gigs, not things that result in fewer gigs.
Set up a clear policy with clear expectations. e.g., if a certain rate per mile travelled in the band van > certain percentage of the receipts for the night, then the band van stays home.
We just did set up clear expectations. What I want to avoid is a situation where we break down and all of a sudden no one wants to put funds into a hat to resolve the issue and I do it all on my credit card. I am solvent in that I can take care of my band responsibilities but not so well off I can take care of every break down related to activity that I am not the only one engaged in.
NO I only use it for band stuff because it's too expensive to drive around. I am not sure some are understanding this. Repairs on on me. Towing because we break down on band business should be on everyone. Because while two of of the guys don't have a car and rely on that van for gear transport I could choose to take my touring scooter to a gig.
Does it make sense now?
If I ask them if they want to go in on a policy for that what do you figure the response wold be? I mean we have one member taking a personal loan for food and won't be able to pay it back for about 5 months.
It's $80/yr. I have it for myself. It covers any vehicle I happen to be riding in, whether it's mine or not.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Only if they agreed to it before you spent the money. I think that is part of the issue people (certainly me) see. You have band members who are taking advantage of your generosity. No one wants to see you get hosed.
Just buy the AAA yourself. It's $80/year. You invested in the van, another $80 is going to break you all of a sudden?
You're so worried about it breaking down, which is irrational unless it is a total POS. You've already made the leap to purchase the van, what is $80/year for a little peace of mind? Your band members can't afford food, but you expect them to chip in for towing?
You know I am just like the other guys in the band, I too have my limits. I bought a 1200 dollar van then over the last year and a half had to spend just over 4 grand in repairs with things it needed to be road ready. I maintain the insurance for the van at bare bones then upped it for the giging season. Just before the bend show that we had to cancel I use just over an entire pay check to have the exhaust system fixed so the pipes did not clog and strand us.
I live in a mobile home work a service job and the main guitar player is saving for a house as he has a better job. When I ferry gear to local shows I don't even ask for any gas money. I am very comfortable with my level of POS in this.
As for what I expect of them when they can't afford it is this, choose very wisely the shows that we accept. That is all.
Last edited:
That's why I bought it up at the meeting. Not only do towing fees come from band funs for the van but any personal vehicles we have to bring along and since I cannot yet afford a tow hitch to rent a trailer it means the van and one auto for passengers.
Most of it: sure.
$50 for a 30 minute drive. $100 for an hour drive. Three hours... that's skipping across two counties to a third... not for less than $150.
is he a dentist? How much does he make per day at his job? I don't care, but you should.
most people don't know how to make a kick pedal function right, including most drummers. Check your extended rolodex for a machinist or a mechanical engineer/mech eng student/professor. Loctite and torque.
a simple inventory spreadsheet would work fine, but it is nice to have multiple coffers.
YES.
I feel bad for you in that you are trying so hard to make a go of it but the most important thing right now, and for some time, is to gig and make money. Split the funds and gig and make more money, etc. Your mates are all in unfortunate financial shape and the work schedule(s) are causing problems or excuses. You are not ready to have or even consider "Band Funds" or make "Band Rules" by a long shot.
It sounds like a situation in which you are swimming up stream and the rest are back on shore waiting for you to pull them along. Take care of yourself first and decide if you want to support the other players. This gets into some deep lose/lose situations that may end up in anger for everyone.
It's great that you can afford a van and have invested so much to help with the hauling. In my opinion regardless of what was implied, ultimately you are on the hook for the upkeep via the ownership. Your mates are in no financial position to help you, and that leaves you high and dry if they bail on a breakdown during the gig.
When your van or gear takes a serious financial hit, what will be the next step? More investment and still not much income, especially income that will be portioned out to the band as well as at some time on the future getting a "band fund" payback helping you recoup you major auto loss? How will you ever break even? You may as well ask them to go and see if Enterprise will just give them a van at no cost, fill the thing with gas and hold no one liable. That is what you are doing.
It all seems very unstable at this time to think about anything other than being a damn good band and gigging as much as possible.
Travel logistics for all might have to be a part of choosing the right guys to gig with, or your mates relying more on themselves and their wits.
Seriously, best of luck my friend, I heart-fully wish you well.
It sounds like a situation in which you are swimming up stream and the rest are back on shore waiting for you to pull them along. Take care of yourself first and decide if you want to support the other players. This gets into some deep lose/lose situations that may end up in anger for everyone.
It's great that you can afford a van and have invested so much to help with the hauling. In my opinion regardless of what was implied, ultimately you are on the hook for the upkeep via the ownership. Your mates are in no financial position to help you, and that leaves you high and dry if they bail on a breakdown during the gig.
When your van or gear takes a serious financial hit, what will be the next step? More investment and still not much income, especially income that will be portioned out to the band as well as at some time on the future getting a "band fund" payback helping you recoup you major auto loss? How will you ever break even? You may as well ask them to go and see if Enterprise will just give them a van at no cost, fill the thing with gas and hold no one liable. That is what you are doing.
It all seems very unstable at this time to think about anything other than being a damn good band and gigging as much as possible.
Travel logistics for all might have to be a part of choosing the right guys to gig with, or your mates relying more on themselves and their wits.
Seriously, best of luck my friend, I heart-fully wish you well.
With all due respect, this sounds like the band is a luxury most of the members can't afford. For most, having transportation and a functional live rig is the bare minimum a person needs to even consider joining a band. If they can't make those ends meet, then they should maybe put off being in a band until they are in a better situation.
I think your policies are generally good ones, but it just sucks that you even have to put stuff that obvious on paper for them.
I think your policies are generally good ones, but it just sucks that you even have to put stuff that obvious on paper for them.
And it's not as if putting it to paper will make any real difference.
I feel bad for you in that you are trying so hard to make a go of it but the most important thing right now, and for some time, is to gig and make money. Split the funds and gig and make more money, etc. Your mates are all in unfortunate financial shape and the work schedule(s) are causing problems or excuses. You are not ready to have or even consider "Band Funds" or make "Band Rules" by a long shot.
It sounds like a situation in which you are swimming up stream and the rest are back on shore waiting for you to pull them along. Take care of yourself first and decide if you want to support the other players. This gets into some deep lose/lose situations that may end up in anger for everyone.
It's great that you can afford a van and have invested so much to help with the hauling. In my opinion regardless of what was implied, ultimately you are on the hook for the upkeep via the ownership. Your mates are in no financial position to help you, and that leaves you high and dry if they bail on a breakdown during the gig.
When your van or gear takes a serious financial hit, what will be the next step? More investment and still not much income, especially income that will be portioned out to the band as well as at some time on the future getting a "band fund" payback helping you recoup you major auto loss? How will you ever break even? You may as well ask them to go and see if Enterprise will just give them a van at no cost, fill the thing with gas and hold no one liable. That is what you are doing.
It all seems very unstable at this time to think about anything other than being a damn good band and gigging as much as possible.
Travel logistics for all might have to be a part of choosing the right guys to gig with, or your mates relying more on themselves and their wits.
Seriously, best of luck my friend, I heart-fully wish you well.
Well put @Deak . My sentiments exactly at this point.
