^^This. I've played for free a number of times, mostly for charities or causes. I've also cheerfully gotten paid whenever that was possible.
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^^This. I've played for free a number of times, mostly for charities or causes. I've also cheerfully gotten paid whenever that was possible.
Please please please try to sneak a recording device into this meeting for our subsequent entertainment. I'm not sure if it's nerve, courage, or complete stupidity that drives people to behave this way, but whatever it is they certainly have a lot of it.
Good luck with this one, bro.
Seriously.
Mr.Ace
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Ahhh...a post that makes me glad I'm old! Nobody even tries to pull that kind of horse$**t on me anymore.
My band plays for free, but this is an internal agreement. We are all university professors and play for fun. When we get a gig, it's usually in the context of some academic event (conferences, science fairs, etc), or a personal event (birthdays, common friends' parties, etc). We know there is no money made from these events and there's usually very little money for organization, so we decided not to charge. If it's a bigger event, we only ask the organizers to hire a better PA than ours but don't charge a thing ourselves.
We haven't been asked to play in a non-academic event, yet, but we have discussed it and agree that we should charge something if the opportunity arises - even if it's only something representative.
I have a simple rule I follow. I'll do pro bono work for worthy causes I believe in. Or as a favor to help out a friend, neighbor, or relative.
But I don't ever do volunteer work for somebody's business.
What's amazing (to me) is the number of SMBs that often do try to get you to work for them for free.
But I don't ever do volunteer work for somebody's business.
What's amazing (to me) is the number of SMBs that often do try to get you to work for them for free.
We charge a minimum of 150 an hr for a private party and that's the friends and family discount
We don't mind playing some free gigs but mainly benefits to help people in the area cover travel expenses for cancer treatment and stuff like that. One annual benefit we like to be a part of is for an organization here called Cape Beard that raises money for autistic children. They are a great bunch of guys, most of which are guys who are currently or formerly in bands and the shows are a good time.
That said I wouldn't be in a band that agreed to never play for money. Not that I'm in it for money but I very much enjoy writing and recording and we more recently started making music videos. That stuff isn't free. It's more of a situation of my not wanting to come out of pocket so much and or take money away from my kids to pay for those things. Even if I gigged 7 days a week there's not enough good paying gigs to make what I make at my job. I expect us to be well paid when we deserve to be. If we're playing and it ends up being a poor turnout I'm perfectly happy if i make enough to cover gas.
I play purely for the fun of it, and for the love of playing music. I've been playing bass since 1972, and it's been 100% classic rock cover bands the entire time. That's where my interest is, and I love it! I respect those who won't play unless they get paid. That's cool. I, however, am in a different camp. Since I have a well-established civil engineering career, playing music has always just been a *fun* hobby for me, so I have no interest in receiving money for playing music. No interest at all. None. Zero. Zip. Nada.
For me, I just get a big kick out of belting out all of the bass notes (note for note) to things like 70's era Yes music, 80's Rush, Beatles, Led Zep, Journey, Boston, etc. Too much fun!
Horses for courses, different strokes, YMMV, and all of that sort of stuff!
For me, I just get a big kick out of belting out all of the bass notes (note for note) to things like 70's era Yes music, 80's Rush, Beatles, Led Zep, Journey, Boston, etc. Too much fun!
Horses for courses, different strokes, YMMV, and all of that sort of stuff!
and this is why it's a good idea to ask about things like split for future gig pay - not just to discover the split, but also to make sure the band is all on the same page. btw, the only band i've ever heard of that formed to play for free formed to play for charity events. i've never heard of a band that planned to play only for free just because... i mean, what do they do if a venue offers them pay, say no?
who knows. maybe the OP never did hear about it, but you nailed something i feel strongly about: it's not cool to quit just before a gig without playing that gig.
who knows. maybe the OP never did hear about it, but you nailed something i feel strongly about: it's not cool to quit just before a gig without playing that gig.
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Ric5
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From my point of view many bands that get paid are almost playing for free ...
Whether you get 1099'd or not shouldn't change your income or how much tax you pay on it.
At the same time, my first gut reaction is that the bandleader shouldn't be taking out a mortgage, if this is his level of financial literacy.
Admittedly, I don't ask how much a gig pays when I accept it, but most bandleaders know they can only get away with lowballing a bassist once, and there aren't that many of us.
The 1099 just tells you what income has been reported to the IRS, but it's the same income either way. Granted, I'm not an accountant, so this is just my layman's understanding.
Right. All income reported to the IRS needs to be included in you tax return and is subject to tax.
