Gas prices grounding band

[southshoreconor]

it's hard to believe that we all call ourselves musicians but so many people are so completely different from each other.

i didn't read the whole article, not enough to catch the name of the band in question at least, but they're probably a punk/indie/DIY band, who's willing to drop everything (bills, rent, food, relationships) to go out and have their music reach people's ears. it takes a lot of guts to do that. and if this is the case for this band, then its really too bad that they had to cancel their tour.

then there's the "white collar" types who are perfectly happy playing a "steady gig" a few nights a week at the same club. having that security is a nice feeling. that's admirable too because they probably have a lot more to offer society than some sweaty kid in the back of a cargo van, earning $5 a day for his expenses (bills, rent, food).

you need to be able to look at it from both perspectives. dismissing this as "not a tour" because of their minimal profits? that's a slap in the face to people who in a lot of ways, work harder and sacrifice more than any of you. how dare you take that away from someone, simply because they don't make as much money as you do.

 

[fdeck]

it's hard to believe that we all call ourselves musicians but so many people are so completely different from each other.

i didn't read the whole article, not enough to catch the name of the band in question at least, but they're probably a punk/indie/DIY band, who's willing to drop everything (bills, rent, food, relationships) to go out and have their music reach people's ears. it takes a lot of guts to do that. and if this is the case for this band, then its really too bad that they had to cancel their tour.

then there's the "white collar" types who are perfectly happy playing a "steady gig" a few nights a week at the same club. having that security is a nice feeling. that's admirable too because they probably have a lot more to offer society than some sweaty kid in the back of a cargo van, earning $5 a day for his expenses (bills, rent, food).

you need to be able to look at it from both perspectives. dismissing this as "not a tour" because of their minimal profits? that's a slap in the face to people who in a lot of ways, work harder and sacrifice more than any of you. how dare you take that away from someone, simply because they don't make as much money as you do.

Point well taken.

 

[Alan Vorse]

I realized years ago that a music career was not profitable for most musicians ... It makes a great hobby but I can make more money as an architect.

What other business do you invest in thousands of dollars of equipment and spend years learning your trade and then you get to the bar early and set up. Then you play for hours and tear down. Finally you get home a 4am with $150 or $200 in your pocket. That is not a fast track to prosperity.

Yeah, I guess people should just not try at all!

 

[WarriorJoe7]

People should ask for more money however it is all supply and demand. There are probably more bands today then there ever was before. Let's say that the amount of bands has atleast quadrupled since the 70s (just a guess) and that the number of venues has not quite doubled. That is probably not the right numbers but the idea I am sure is right.

Plus the fact that musicians have to compete with DJs, Karaoke, and fully customizable playback lists on MP3 players. None of that was available back in the 70s and 80s. If you're a bar owner you have alot of options so why would you pay more unless you are truly a music patron.

Back in the middle ages/ rennaissance there were true patrons for art and music and that is why it flourished. In the Industrial age the patrons were replaced by record companies looking to make themseleves rich off of talent, and only making the talent rich if they feel they can make more from it down the road. Now that the record business is not even worth it for a band to get signed, and the patrons are gone for the most part, there is not much money to go around for common musicians. Sure there are a few musician jobs to go around that pay the bills (symphony, giving lessons, teaching, doing movie work, a few hundred top 40 bands, and maybe half a dozen to a dozen unsigned bands in each average sized city mostly playing weddings and casinos.) These are not common jobs for common musicians. Unless you have image, MARKETABLE talent, MARKETING SKILL, serious training or a combination of those then pretty much you can expect to make the same amount of money as someone who flips burgers (or worse yet actually lose money.)

The bar owners have less customers because of gas. They actually can't afford to raise drink prices too much or they will scare off the customers also. The gas is putting the crunch on customers, bar owners, and musicians alike. It's just that musicians are at the bottom on the totem pole. Customers decide if the bar owners make money and how much, and bar owners decide if the musicians make money and how much. Well customers and bar owners are both being stingy and they both have options for other cheaper things (like not going out, and having karaoke respectively.)