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Refused Payment...?
- Thread starter NightOwl71
- Start date
In this situation, you are acting as a subcontractor. Technically speaking, you should be signing a lien waiver each time your BL pays you. If he doesn't pay you, you can place a mechanic's lien on him. Sounds like you need a written statement of what you will be paid for your services.
Contrition and remuneration can fix a lot of issues.
Sounds like he knows he screwed up.
Not to kick a man when he's down, but if he was tipsy and thought his playing wasn't up to par, maybe he shouldn't be drinking while playing....at the very least--don't be tipsy when dealing with the club about money!
Ahh, yes - there's nothing like contrition and remuneration. Sounds like a good band name, too.
. Rock & Roll 
!
Excellent.
Believe it or not, a similar thing almost happened to my band once as well. We played a cover gig, the guitarist had a bad night, and he wanted to refuse pay. I told him just because he had a bad night didn't mean the rest of us had one. In fact, I thought that was one of our better cover gigs (especially since we were using a sub that night who we had never rehearsed with before), so I had no problem taking the money that we worked for. I told him if he ever thinks he didn't play well enough that we'll simply dock him his pay and the rest of us will split his cut, because under no circumstances will he ever deny me or the rest of our band ours.
- Nov 9, 2009
- 360
- 100
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Reunion Blues, 64 Audio, Mesa Engineering, Ernie Ball.
That is some straight-up passive-aggresive BS from the BL. He was mad at you guys about a few technical issues and unilaterally decided to punish you. Sounds like he isn't very experienced, and has serious control-freak issues. I would consider quitting, but would definitely have stern words with the BL, and I would demand he pay you your share. It's simply not his place to fork over your share of the money.
Besides that, he's training the bar owner a bad new trick that he may spring on you guys later, or on another unsuspecting band. Really your BL has his head planted way up his own butt.
Ok I got a bit emotional on the 1st page, glad your BL realized his serious error and made things right for you guys.
Besides that, he's training the bar owner a bad new trick that he may spring on you guys later, or on another unsuspecting band. Really your BL has his head planted way up his own butt.
Ok I got a bit emotional on the 1st page, glad your BL realized his serious error and made things right for you guys.
BL needs to lay off the sauce if it's affecting his judgment to that extent.
If he's an alky that's his issue but when it starts affecting your bottom line it becomes your issue too.
If he's an alky that's his issue but when it starts affecting your bottom line it becomes your issue too.
I think too many folks only see or think about the stage time. "It's only an hour set!" Yeah but how many hours did you spend in individual practice, band rehearsal, tearing down your rigs to load them up, transporting to the gig, setting up the gear again, followed by tearing it down again, or setting up baby sitters if you hav munchkins at home, you get the idea. It takes far more time and effort to do a 2 hour gig than just the 2 hours.
If the show was less than stellar, well it happens do what you can to minimize the chances of it happening again, although it still will happen. A decision like that needs to be handled by the band prior to the gigs, and set up like a "company policy". Now if the BL is responsible for paying the bands wages then he can say "I wont take your money 'cuz we sucked" but he still should pay you for your time. It will just have to be out of his pocket and not the bar owners.
This was simply bad business on the Band Leaders part.
If the show was less than stellar, well it happens do what you can to minimize the chances of it happening again, although it still will happen. A decision like that needs to be handled by the band prior to the gigs, and set up like a "company policy". Now if the BL is responsible for paying the bands wages then he can say "I wont take your money 'cuz we sucked" but he still should pay you for your time. It will just have to be out of his pocket and not the bar owners.
This was simply bad business on the Band Leaders part.
Well, so after all the torch and pitchfork waving about quitting, nazi dictator bandleaders, etc. etc....things turn out fairly normal.
Something similar happened with a band who asked my minor son to play gigs with them. I have to attend because he's under age .... last show we did with them, 12hrs total investment.... when my son went to collect payment he was told "we decided to reinvest tonight's earnings into equipment" we were never asked, never told, basically worked for free without warning... we quit on the spot and I'm trying to collect the $500 legally now. What made this guy think this was ok?
I haven't been in many bands but from my experience everybody gets a cut and if we wanted to get PA equipment The Band LLC gets a cut or two or who ever has the PA gets a second cut. No matter what the deal is, it gets decided ahead of time.
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Band funds for shared equipment are NEVER a good idea. Whoever came up with this decision really doesn't know what they're doing. So many problems. First, who gets what when someone who invested decides to leave the band? How do you split that equipment investment up fairly? Answer is, you don't. And what about the person who comes in to take that person's place? They're getting the benefit of that equipment purchase without the investment the others made. Also not fair.
Pretty much the minute I hear the words "band fund" I head for the exits. I hope you get your son's pay; this is a poor decision that should never be made unilaterally.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Time for a band meeting. That should have been a band decision. I'm betting you had exceptional nights with a packed house, but got paid your usual amount.
Band funds should only exist to pay for things that promote the band, never for durable goods.
I DO NOT Play for FREE! I expect to be paid. If it were me..........I'd quit! Homey don't play that!
Professional musicians make mistakes. They’re less noticeable, at least to the audience. Some musicians (including your leader) get hung up on their mistakes.
You don’t hire pros because they are perfect. You hire pros because, at their worst, they’re still decent. My guess is your band was decent. Your bandleader needs to get over his imposter syndrome and never pull the same stunt again. You had an agreement with him about this gig - he owes you your cut. His lack of cahones with the bar owner is his problem - he should bear the burden of backing out of a promise.
You don’t hire pros because they are perfect. You hire pros because, at their worst, they’re still decent. My guess is your band was decent. Your bandleader needs to get over his imposter syndrome and never pull the same stunt again. You had an agreement with him about this gig - he owes you your cut. His lack of cahones with the bar owner is his problem - he should bear the burden of backing out of a promise.
In my previous band, the incredibly untalented guitarist provided the PA, and got an additional cut for it. His brother usually ran sound, and he too got a cut. All fine with that, even though we as a band did most of the hauling and setting up.
Last gig we did was booked by the singer. As usual, the guitar was very loud in the mix. Our guitarist had a habit of cranking his amp AND his monitor (both of which were less than 1 meter removed from him that night) cos he wore earplugs to protect his hearing, but needed to turn up the amp to hear himself ...
My suggestion to NOT wear earplugs ... Wait for it ... Fell on deaf ears
Anyway, the guitars were SO loud that night both on stage and in the audience, and as the night progressed both the guitarist and his brother kept cranking the volume. I couldn't hear one bass note. The drummer couldn't hear himself. The singer held on for dear life ...
After the show, the singer was so embarrassed that he told us he had given back his cut. I told him I understood his decision, but I had worked for my cut and I intended to keep it (which I did).
A week later the drummer pulled the plug on the band. The irony is that a few months prior, the guitarist had wanted to quit and all of us (for some reason) talked him out of it .... I still regret that decision!!
Last gig we did was booked by the singer. As usual, the guitar was very loud in the mix. Our guitarist had a habit of cranking his amp AND his monitor (both of which were less than 1 meter removed from him that night) cos he wore earplugs to protect his hearing, but needed to turn up the amp to hear himself ...
My suggestion to NOT wear earplugs ... Wait for it ... Fell on deaf ears
Anyway, the guitars were SO loud that night both on stage and in the audience, and as the night progressed both the guitarist and his brother kept cranking the volume. I couldn't hear one bass note. The drummer couldn't hear himself. The singer held on for dear life ...
After the show, the singer was so embarrassed that he told us he had given back his cut. I told him I understood his decision, but I had worked for my cut and I intended to keep it (which I did).
A week later the drummer pulled the plug on the band. The irony is that a few months prior, the guitarist had wanted to quit and all of us (for some reason) talked him out of it .... I still regret that decision!!
My suggestion to NOT wear earplugs ... Wait for it ... Fell on deaf ears
I know the thread is old, but I come back for the one liners! Bwawaahaha!
