I think, as a gentlemen, you all should give them full share..whether they help with loading or not. I mean come on.
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pay cut for backup singers
- Thread starter duff beer
- Start date
It's not hard to understand that at all. It's just that the majority of money splitting threads in BM all come from groups that supposedly "don't need the money." If it's such an issue that it's worth a thread then why not just do something more noble and donate the money earned to a local high school's music program. A few $600 gigs and donations can help buy new uniforms, repair gear, pay for lesser privileged kids' fare on band trips, help pay for new music pieces (they cost money), help pay to get marching choreography done for the season, etc... Could be a nice tax write-off for you guys since none of you need the coin, and it'll definitely help a music program in this day in age where the arts classes are the first thing to receive budget cuts from most school boards.
I'd say that if they're there from start to finish...loading the gear, setting up, doing the show, breaking down, and dropping the gear off...they should get as much as everyone else. If show up at the start of the show, sing, and leave, then I'd say they get less than everyone else.
Yeah, I agree, we really ought to take this sentiment out of the equation.
I don't "need" my weekend gig money to survive, but that doesn't mean it has no value whatsoever. If nothing else, it is symbolic of us providing an evening's worth of entertainment and getting compensated. Call it what you will, gas money, beer money, string money, it doesn't matter.
If I add up all the hours I put into a typical Friday Saturday gig, including home practice, rehearsal, travel time, gasoline, schlepping gear, etc., I am working cheap no matter how you slice it. It's just a glorified hobby that happens to involve the huge responsibility of providing quality entertainment for a room full of people and their host.
So since the pay amounts to symbolic pocket change for the vast majority of us, everyone who contributes roughly equally to the overall success of the performance deserves equal compensation.
I would be inclined to give them an even share considering they are just as much a part of the performance as everyone else. I would LOVE to have a couple of back up singers in our band.
Just pick a number that everyone is happy with and call it good. After all, like you said - no one needs the money, its just for fun and its more fun with them - in a case like this, personally I think the pie should be split equally so there are no hard feelings down the road, and if what you say is true, no one should really care.
Load in/load out/set up/tear down: They haven't gigged with us yet, their first gig is in a few weeks.
Do they just sing and look pretty: Right now, yes, but that's worth something when the rest of the band is 5 middle aged guys...
bluewine: No, we're not going to pay them $300 each. That makes no sense at all. We're trying to be fair, not give away money just because we don't need it to put food on the table.
I think you should give them full cuts for a couple reasons:
1) Having a couple good-looking women on stage is a huge selling point for a band. I would not be surprised if their presence translates directly into more money for the band as a whole. And if they realize this and are getting less than the other members, it will breed festering resentment (regardless of what they say now about their value) and eventually it will blow up. Another way of saying this: their current feeling that they're not worth a whole cut is based on a misunderstanding on their part about their value. Once that misunderstanding is clarified, they will resent it if they are being underpaid. And, many conflict-averse people would not come back and ask for more money; they will just stew in the injustice until something breaks.
2) If the rest of your band is made up of five middle-aged guys, I'm pretty confident that one or two of them are equally expendable. If you're not going to pay the second guitarist or whatever less, then you shouldn't pay the singers less.
If youre the guy walking around in the streets handing out 100 dollar bills to strangers than you don't the $100.
I'm earn a good salary outside of music but I want that $100.00 dollars. I don't know if I need it or not, I certainly find ways to spend it.
My point, I think most weekend warriors earn good money at their non- music career.
When I hear that, "we don't or I don't need the money stuff", it sounds like they think theyre the only TB member with a non-music career.
I think the , "We don't do this for a living" is more appropriate.
Blue
The unofficial state bird of KY is the turkey vulture. If you've ever seen four or five of these birds fighting over a carcass in the road then you get an idea of the visuals these type of threads give me.
Oh well. Since we have decided that money is the thing we are going to use to keep score in society then there will always be some who need to make more than the rest to feel validated.
Full cut for participating, and bonus for looking better than the rest of you toads (spoken as a fellow toad!) 
Yeah, I say give them a full even cut.
I have one of those in a band I play in, and she does a lot. She helps with gear, handles all the facebook B.S., brings lots of people to the gigs, and she looks great.
In fact, a couple months ago I worked out some keyboard parts for her, let her use one of my small synths, and after some practice, she is doin keys on some of the songs she doesn't sing on! If they are enthusiastic about it, and are doing stuff for the band, then they should be full members of the band.
I have one of those in a band I play in, and she does a lot. She helps with gear, handles all the facebook B.S., brings lots of people to the gigs, and she looks great.
In fact, a couple months ago I worked out some keyboard parts for her, let her use one of my small synths, and after some practice, she is doin keys on some of the songs she doesn't sing on! If they are enthusiastic about it, and are doing stuff for the band, then they should be full members of the band.
I'm going to suggest to the band that they get an equal cut. They both sing great and have great attitudes. The band is just 5 middle aged guys playing the same old rock songs everyone has heard a million times before.
Being a little sexist (but also a realist), the value of having 2 attractive gals on stage will do more to make us sound and look good than any one band member. Our band is musically no better than most other bands, but having 5 people that can sing gives us options that most other bands don't have.
Being a little sexist (but also a realist), the value of having 2 attractive gals on stage will do more to make us sound and look good than any one band member. Our band is musically no better than most other bands, but having 5 people that can sing gives us options that most other bands don't have.
Oh boy! Soapbox time!
At the over-zealous insistance of the bandleader, the band I was in (emphasis on WAS in) just added a back-up singer who also sings lead on a few songs. She doesn't help with load-in or load-out much, doesn't supply any of the gear (including her microphone, which is supplied by the band leader), and isn't super-hot so as to attract a crowd of guys fawning over her. Sweet kid, but doesn't add a whole lot. The band leader insisted that she get added and get a full cut. Band was already 5-piece and playing for peanuts. And I live about 100 miles from the area to which they're local.
All I can say is that he shoulda added a chick singer that plays bass.
dcr
At the over-zealous insistance of the bandleader, the band I was in (emphasis on WAS in) just added a back-up singer who also sings lead on a few songs. She doesn't help with load-in or load-out much, doesn't supply any of the gear (including her microphone, which is supplied by the band leader), and isn't super-hot so as to attract a crowd of guys fawning over her. Sweet kid, but doesn't add a whole lot. The band leader insisted that she get added and get a full cut. Band was already 5-piece and playing for peanuts. And I live about 100 miles from the area to which they're local.
All I can say is that he shoulda added a chick singer that plays bass.
dcr
This whole onus about carrying gear gets a little ridiculous. Big deal, I knew what I was getting into when I chose bass. I carry my instruments and let others worry about theirs and if it's just a microphone then so be it. When it comes to female singers I'd rather have them working the club owners/employees/patrons/fans during setup and teardown than hoofing 100 lb. speaker cabs.
I would consider equal cuts, and here is why:
A $600 booking divided 7 ways comes out to $85 and change.
A $600 booking divided 6 ways is $100 apiece for 5 and $50 for the other two.
$14 difference on a $600 gig. You said "no one needs the money".
A $600 booking divided 7 ways comes out to $85 and change.
A $600 booking divided 6 ways is $100 apiece for 5 and $50 for the other two.
$14 difference on a $600 gig. You said "no one needs the money".
Depends. My life has been to places where every last penny has counted. When people reach that point and their is no net you fight tooth and nail for that last cent. The simple idea of another member getting paid more becomes offensive to your very fundamental nature.
I've also reached points where a $100 wasn't a big deal.
If you have only been in the first situation, then the second can seem downright alien. Some of the people on here can not comprehend just a $100, IT IS A $100 FRIGGIN DOLLARS!! Others are like, meh, I can profit $1500 in a weekend building a deck (just read that in another thread, credit to whoever posted). I've lived in places where making $1500 profit building a deck would be fine, places where you would be stupid to pay that, and places where that is grossly undercharging. A dollar isn't worth the same to you, me and quite a few others on here. That is why some members fight over every last dollar, it is offensive to their very survival. Then others stare on in wonder at how someone could fight so hard over something "just for fun."
Sometimes when you transition from one situation the old habits and feelings die hard. They sneak up unexpectedly and can cause strife and bands to fall apart. This is why you must watch carefully, tread carefully and when money is involved go out of your way to make sure everyone *feels* things are fair, even if they are unwilling to admit it.
Now I'm teetering somewhere in the middle. Interesting times ahead.
