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I just got fired because I wouldn't Play for Free

#181
Guiseppe said:
Amen, brother. I was asked to play a gig in a couple weeks w/ a couple I'd jammed w/ on occasion a while back. They asked if I'd play ("but we can't pay you anything"...this when I know they're getting paid $350 for the show). Between my time, schlepping gear, gas/wear'n'tear on my vehicle...I won't do it.
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don't blame you... they're getting paid, you should have a share as well...

In the immortal words of 10 CC...

"Art for art's sake...
Money for God's sake..."


it's all very well playing for "Art's sake"... but people have mouthes to feed...
 
#182
My wife works for hospice. One of her clients died and his wife can't get his ashes until she pays the $4,000 bill, which is not expensive. So we're doing a benfit for her. Gordon Foods is donating the food, the hall is free, and local businesses are donating stuff to raffle. And my band is playing FOR FREE, an hour away from home in MI where it is a good possiblity the roads will be hazzardess. Heck, I'll loose money as I'll need to rent a trailer.

Maybe some of you cold hearted people should think about that for a while. Whiat if it was your family member?
 
#183
tycobb73 said:
My wife works for hospice. One of her clients died and his wife can't get his ashes until she pays the $4,000 bill, which is not expensive. So we're doing a benfit for her. Gordon Foods is donating the food, the hall is free, and local businesses are donating stuff to raffle. And my band is playing FOR FREE, an hour away from home in MI where it is a good possiblity the roads will be hazzardess. Heck, I'll loose money as I'll need to rent a trailer.

Maybe some of you cold hearted people should think about that for a while. Whiat if it was your family member?
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There is a difference between being expected to play for free on a regular basis and doing the occasional charity event.

How willing would you be to do the event if you weren't connected to this person in one way or another? How willing would you be to rent a trailer, drive hazardous roads, and lose money if you didn't know this person at all?

Maybe you should climb down off that horse before you fall and hurt yourself.
 
#184
The entire band was recently "fired" in one act that I used to work with for similar reasons. That act started as a solo artist with hired backup musicians. The solo artist wanted to transition to an actual band instead of the solo career bit. Act had promise. We had finally stabilized a good lineup, and the musicians were really beginning to put their own spin on the material. We gave a tenative nod to the notion.

Problem was the artist kept their recording career seperate and booked tours/live shows that didn't pay enough to promote that solo recording career. Think "exposure" for the purpose of attracting industry attention. Naturally the band found this unacceptable. We broached the subject (tactfully) and the artist pulled a curtain call on the entire band. No big deal for us. We all started as hired guns with this artist and have other projects that are frankly more lucrative. I can't understand why anyone would presume that pro musicians would be willing to work for free to promote their career.

PS: Regarding "original" vs. cover material. I don't see the difference frankly. If I didn't write it, it is a cover to me. If I am playing a song that someone else wrote, then it really doesn't matter to me whether the person who did write it is some unknown local or has a couple Grammys under their belt. I expect to get paid a similar amount in either instance.
 
#185
To The Golden Boy:

As it was said before, even jukeboxes get paid. Cover bands draw in people, people spend money at the establishment, the cover band should be compensated for the draw they create as should the artists who originally created the songs that allow the band to create the draw. That is why there are also organizations out there that compensate the original artists for the songs played by cover bands, DJs and even jukeboxes.
 
#187
tycobb73 said:
My wife works for hospice. One of her clients died and his wife can't get his ashes until she pays the $4,000 bill, which is not expensive. So we're doing a benfit for her. Gordon Foods is donating the food, the hall is free, and local businesses are donating stuff to raffle. And my band is playing FOR FREE, an hour away from home in MI where it is a good possiblity the roads will be hazzardess. Heck, I'll loose money as I'll need to rent a trailer.

Maybe some of you cold hearted people should think about that for a while. Whiat if it was your family member?
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This is a very different situation from playing for free in a club. I don't believe in playing for free as a rule but I do believe in charity. I do not think the two concepts are mutually exclusive. I would not get up to come to work at my day job if my employer suddenly decided that I work for free. On the other hand, I do give financial support to charities. Two different things all together.
 
#188
tycobb73 said:
The hall didn't know my wife before she called. Neither did Gordon Foods or the local businesses.
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That doesn't answer my question. The hall, the businesses, and Gordon Foods all did it because it's good business to hook up with charitable events from time to time. But if you think they get involved with every event that comes their way, I'd be willing to bet that you would be very wrong.

But again, I wasn't asking about them. I was asking about you. You came in here judging all of us, and I would like to know how willing you would have been to shell out your own money, drive treacherous roads, rent a trailer, and play for free if you or your wife didn't even know this person. Be honest.

It's easy to take the high road and judge others when the people that need help are close to us. It's a lot more difficult when they are three or four times removed from your most outer circle of friends.
 
#189
The first question I ask when asked to play a benefit for free is whether everyone else involved is offering their services for free? As often as not the caterer is being paid, the sound company (if there is one) is being paid etc. I played one charity gig where I found out afterwards that the guy who erected the stage was paid $400 and I didn't get a penny.

It's because certain bands are prepared to play for free that the assumption is made that playing music is worth less than erecting a couple of wooden platforms.

Another thing I've seen happening on the local scene is that the bands that are prepared to play for nothing or very little are often not very good. The bar owner thinks he's getting a deal but the audience gets second rate music and next time thinks twice before going to the same bar. I think part of the reason the local scene has dried up (and I know gas prices and DUIs are part of the reason) is because some of the bands playing are just not that good. Who wants to hear Mustang Sally played badly one more time?

If you want to play for free go to a jam (and don't get me started about them :hmm:).
 
#190
Jimi Cleek said:
I am posting this mostly because I find it humorous and was wanting to hear a few opinions about it.

First, let me say this is a cover band.

Second, I have been less than enthused with about 1/2 of the song selections, and I have been keeping my ear to the ground for a new band anyway.

Third, When I was asked to join I let them know in no uncertain terms that I did not want to be in a practice band and that working was my first priority.

Here is the email I got from them Yesterday.

Jimi,

We discussed it as a group and we have decided that we want to go with another bass player. We appreciate the areas where you have helped. However there are some fundamental differences. As a band we want the freedom to be able to play anytime we want without pay being the top priority. We sincerely hope that we can remain friends and possibly help each other down the road.
We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors and hope to see you at a show sometime.

Regards,

The Band

It's really to bad as we just added a really good keyboard player and he was keeping the guitars in line and things were tightening up nicely. Although in the long run I think they just helped me out because I am not good a quiting until things become totally intolerable.

Curious to read your thoughts now.

Thanks,
Jimi
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Good on you!!
 
#191
You know, i was in the opposite side once. My band wanted to play for money so bad... and i had no problem on a free gig once in a while, or twice :D

In anycase, if you dont fit the rest of the band's aspirations, It's ok to split up from them. I think in a group, everyone seeks a personal objective and ALSO a group objetive. Both have to be COMPATIBLE or else, we end up in problems of somekind.

Concluding...
In Jimi's case, he wanted money, band want free gigs. Those are clearly not compatible. They could, but someone's gotta give. Either you make free work sometime, or they keep from playing those free gig the band gets sometimes.
We all been in the same incompatibility of objetives sometime in life, with wife, mates, family, work, or whoever.
 
#193
You should be proud. Over here musicians are treated like bums. Why not? We are noted for being fools who will play for free. Even illegal immigrants make more than some of us do. Elsewhere in the world being a musician ranks with being a doctor or lawyer. WE have let this happen to us in this country. Wake up. Now it probably costs $20 to get to that "free" gig. Those who will give away their talent are hurting the rest of us, make no mistake about it. Hobby? Save that for church gigs or something. BTW I have gotten paid good money for those too.
 
#195
jimc said:
The first question I ask when asked to play a benefit for free is whether everyone else involved is offering their services for free? As often as not the caterer is being paid, the sound company (if there is one) is being paid etc. I played one charity gig where I found out afterwards that the guy who erected the stage was paid $400 and I didn't get a penny.
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Caterers? After we set our stuff up, I may be stuck cooking too. No caterers here. Thats where Gordon Foods comes in, $50 worth of noodles and sauce for us to cook.

Sound? My drummer has the PA, hence the need to rent a trailer. We run our own sound. Although there's talk maybe we'll only run vox through the PA and everything else just through our amps.
 
#196
tycobb73 said:
Caterers? After we set our stuff up, I may be stuck cooking too. No caterers here. Thats where Gordon Foods comes in, $50 worth of noodles and sauce for us to cook.

Sound? My drummer has the PA, hence the need to rent a trailer. We run our own sound. Although there's talk maybe we'll only run vox through the PA and everything else just through our amps.
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Well good for you, that's very commendable.

My experience has been with a lot of benefits/charity gigs that money is being spent and, unless you are personally involved with the cause, why shouldn't some be spent on the very real service that you are providing?

I just find it ironic that people at some charity events are prepared to spend money on sound/staging/lights etc. none of which would be necessary if the band weren't playing (for free).
 
#197
Kephah said:
Question to the OP- Wouldn't it be better to be playing in front of people than to be posting about getting "fired"?

I understand the concept that you want and possibly need to get paid for playing-but as long as you're not passing up a date with a paying gig-playing for free can NEVER hurt you.

Case in point- my current band was formed because a very t
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I already play enough, so why go out and play for free?
I enjoy nights off now and then.

Andy
 
#198
Good for them. I'm sure club owners will eat that up, then again is this a group that strictly plays charities/benefits only? Theres are groups that do that, you know............Lions club, Knights of Columbus etc. It's good to have a majority of paying gigs, however, I will play at least 3 benefits/charities a year. Hey, or they just might be looking for tax writeoffs:D I love to play just like the next guy, but I like getting compensated too.
.............Now moving right along, time for some new prospects, eh?;)
 
#199
The fact that these guys sent you an email instead of 'firing' you in person says alot about them. Second, you don't strike me as the type of person who deems 'pay' as top priority. Of course it's okay for a cover band to do a freebie here and there for exposure, auditions, etc but not more than one in a blue moon.

Have these guys played any gigs at this point? Have they turned down gigs because of your reluctance to play for free? They're unprofessional and will probably not last as a group anyway. I wouldn't worry about it.
 

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