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Should the guy pulling the trailer get gas money?

troy mcclure

troy mcclure

Mar 5, 2007
3,299
931
Central Florida
#1
I know many bands do thing many different ways, but the band I am in, I am kind of the leader by default. I own the PA (except the monitors), the lights and I bought a trailer as 2 other guys in the band owned trucks but we needed an enclosed mode of transport. We do not have a single gig more than 50 miles from anyone's home.

Before owning the trailer, I fit the electronics from the PA in my hatch back and the speakers went with Driver 1.
He had to pick it up each gig and drop it back off at my garage as he had no place to store it. It was a complete PITA especially if we played 3 places in a weekend.So I decided to buy a trailer, saves us a headache and driver 1 the hassle of coming and picking up and dropping off gear. Driver 1 has no place to keep the trailer so we were dropping it at our next gig and locking the hitch.

Driver 2 has a place to keep the trailer so we decide he should take it with him.

After 3 gigs Driver 2 says "You know it is costing me more in gas to tow this thing." I reply "well for 6 months driver 1 and I toted in our vehicles, which I am sure had an added cost and driver 1 towed it for a few months without complaining."

I am talking about a small trailer 5x10. I don't charge the band for using the PA or trailer. Driver 1 or I book all the gigs and we don't charge for that. I kinda think Driver 2 should just be happy I have invested heavily in the band and not complain. I told the band the alternative is me selling everything and the band paying a sound guy every week and no one was thrilled with the idea.

Am I wrong in my thinking?
 
#4
I would tell him that he can have extra gas money for taking the trailer. Then you'll take money for providing the PA. Then whoever books the gig will take a cut for booking the gig. Then you'll start putting a dollar value on every service provided to the band by any member (i.e. cost of CDs to hand out, paper for the song lists, etc.) and start reimbursing them for that service.

Unless he's a complete moron, he'll get your point. If not, start doing it. :D
 
#5
troy mcclure said:
I know many bands do thing many different ways, but the band I am in, I am kind of the leader by default. I own the PA (except the monitors), the lights and I bought a trailer as 2 other guys in the band owned trucks but we needed an enclosed mode of transport. We do not have a single gig more than 50 miles from anyone's home.

Before owning the trailer, I fit the electronics from the PA in my hatch back and the speakers went with Driver 1.
He had to pick it up each gig and drop it back off at my garage as he had no place to store it. It was a complete PITA especially if we played 3 places in a weekend.So I decided to buy a trailer, saves us a headache and driver 1 the hassle of coming and picking up and dropping off gear. Driver 1 has no place to keep the trailer so we were dropping it at our next gig and locking the hitch.

Driver 2 has a place to keep the trailer so we decide he should take it with him.

After 3 gigs Driver 2 says "You know it is costing me more in gas to tow this thing." I reply "well for 6 months driver 1 and I toted in our vehicles, which I am sure had an added cost and driver 1 towed it for a few months without complaining."

I am talking about a small trailer 5x10. I don't charge the band for using the PA or trailer. Driver 1 or I book all the gigs and we don't charge for that. I kinda think Driver 2 should just be happy I have invested heavily in the band and not complain. I told the band the alternative is me selling everything and the band paying a sound guy every week and no one was thrilled with the idea.

Am I wrong in my thinking?
Click to expand...


Not at all. You should be taking something for your trouble off the top.
It's the same deal as if you were giving 2 others a ride to the Gig. They should give you something for gas......
If you're the Leader, thats the way it goes.
 
#6
I can see where you're coming from. It'd be nice to sit everyone and iron this out though. Perhaps go via a pro-rated system if everyone agrees? If he wants a cut from pulling the trailer, by all means start paying him after a certain number of times, because he's supposed to 'pay' you and Driver 1 back for the equipment hauling you did.

But once he starts getting paid for hauling the trailer, you start charging for the PA and the booking of gigs too. That should straighten things out, if he's so adamant on counting down to the last penny.
 
#7
No your not wrong. What I see that is wrong in your situation is that the p.a. is not getting a cut of the gig money to start with. It does not have to be much but it should be something. This could then have been divided based on who owned it/who delivered it to the venue.

It sound like everyone has had to deal with it now and knows what a pain and extra expence it can be. Time for a new rule on p.a. gear and who gets additional compensation for owning/transporting it. I'd say 10% is a good starting point.

Good luck!
 
#8
We have a 5-man band and our BL owns the P.A., the lights, the trailer that hauls it all, the SUV that pulls the trailer (and rides the band), and he also does all the bookings.

What we do is, the BL gets paid for the gig, takes however much off the top it took for gas, and then splits the remainder out 6 ways (2 cuts for him and 1 for each of the rest of us). That extra 16.6% he gets of the net covers his ownership/maintenance costs of the production gear and vehicle, and the booking... which is pretty much a steal considering the typical booking agent would take 20% off the top alone.

All but one of us have been in many bands before this one, and we all agree that this is by far the most equitable arrangement we've ever worked under, and nobody ever comes away from a gig feeling they got shorted on anything.

May not work for everyone but it works fine for us.
 
#9
Have him fill his tank before leaving for the gig and fill it back up when he returns and that'll be the cost of the gas. The wear and tear on the vehicle is something additional but he'd have to drive to the gig anyway. Towing a trailer, no matter if it's small, does reduce mpg due to the extra wind resistance, etc.
 
#12
Yes, he should get gas money and you both should have gotten it before. It would be fair they pay for you for P.A. rentals as well (obviously at a dirt cheap rate).

If the furthest you drive is 50 miles you could each give him $1, maybe 2 and he will more than offset the difference. Than tell each band member they owe you $5 for P.A rental and your up. Then expect the can of worms to get opened because now the drummer will want rental space to store the trailer and so on and so forth...
 
#13
You are not wrong, however... here is my recent story...

[I just joined this band and just quit after first gig; over lack of payment. We did not have to provide pa or use his trailer.]

So after second rehearsal..[several gigs booked well in advance]..I asked business questions: Who owns PA?... Equal Shares? ....Extra cut for bookings?

I was told by lead vocalist:
Plenty of gigs booked; weekends only. No extra cut for bookings; at least $100 per member/ cash at end of each gig..ocassional exception where band is paid in check.

OK..Sounds great. Then he added....

But I do charge $50 whenever we use my trailer; my truck is diesel and costs more.

We all agreed. I was dreaming of my $100-$200 easy money per week, so his $50 extra was no issue. I talked with another pro band who thought $50 regardless of mileage seemed a little high, and it also constitued a share and a half.


Before last Saturdays performance, singer told my wife of HIS ambitions: Next purcahse: BAND would buy lighting package @ $400 minimum. Next: BAND would purchase a pull behind camper for some out-of-state shows..Pleanty of ambition, but when would I ever take home any money? My commute to rehearsals was @ $10 per trip. Would I ever take home a dime?

I quit after Saturday's gig. We weren't paid after the gig AS PROMISED; will be paid at next reheaersal. H phoned Sunday to explain the whole dramatic epic tale...Then went on the explain that we weren't getting paid at next rehearsal..AS PROMISED..Then promised pay after gig this Saturday..STRIKE 3.....I'M OUT.

BUT NO..you aren't wrong for asking for some extra for pulling your box.
 
#14
zon6c-f said:
You are not wrong, however... here is my recent story...

[I just joined this band and just quit after first gig; over lack of payment. We did not have to provide pa or use his trailer.]

So after second rehearsal..[several gigs booked well in advance]..I asked business questions: Who owns PA?... Equal Shares? ....Extra cut for bookings?

I was told by lead vocalist:
Plenty of gigs booked; weekends only. No extra cut for bookings; at least $100 per member/ cash at end of each gig..ocassional exception where band is paid in check.

OK..Sounds great. Then he added....

But I do charge $50 whenever we use my trailer; my truck is diesel and costs more.

We all agreed. I was dreaming of my $100-$200 easy money per week, so his $50 extra was no issue. I talked with another pro band who thought $50 regardless of mileage seemed a little high, and it also constitued a share and a half.


Before last Saturdays performance, singer told my wife of HIS ambitions: Next purcahse: BAND would buy lighting package @ $400 minimum. Next: BAND would purchase a pull behind camper for some out-of-state shows..Pleanty of ambition, but when would I ever take home any money? My commute to rehearsals was @ $10 per trip. Would I ever take home a dime?

I quit after Saturday's gig. We weren't paid after the gig AS PROMISED; will be paid at next reheaersal. H phoned Sunday to explain the whole dramatic epic tale...Then went on the explain that we weren't getting paid at next rehearsal..AS PROMISED..Then promised pay after gig this Saturday..STRIKE 3.....I'M OUT.
Click to expand...

Good on you for bailing as soon as you did. That clown is clearly your typical lead singer / BS artist who may hold himself out to be a "band leader" but in fact is nothing of the sort. He's a user, a flake and a con artist and the sooner you got yourself out of that situation, the better.
 
#15
No you're not wrong. These things can be negotiated however the concerned parties wish.

However...

You paid for most of the PA. You paid for the trailer. Driver 2 is being a twit.

I don't think your response lacked tact, either. You gave his silly comment a blunt but accurate and honest response. Sometimes that's what it takes to communicate with a twit.

Yes, he should just be happy. Which begs the question; is he happy now?
 
#16
troy mcclure said:
I know many bands do thing many different ways, but the band I am in, I am kind of the leader by default. I own the PA (except the monitors), the lights and I bought a trailer as 2 other guys in the band owned trucks but we needed an enclosed mode of transport. We do not have a single gig more than 50 miles from anyone's home.

Before owning the trailer, I fit the electronics from the PA in my hatch back and the speakers went with Driver 1.
He had to pick it up each gig and drop it back off at my garage as he had no place to store it. It was a complete PITA especially if we played 3 places in a weekend.So I decided to buy a trailer, saves us a headache and driver 1 the hassle of coming and picking up and dropping off gear. Driver 1 has no place to keep the trailer so we were dropping it at our next gig and locking the hitch.

Driver 2 has a place to keep the trailer so we decide he should take it with him.

After 3 gigs Driver 2 says "You know it is costing me more in gas to tow this thing." I reply "well for 6 months driver 1 and I toted in our vehicles, which I am sure had an added cost and driver 1 towed it for a few months without complaining."

I am talking about a small trailer 5x10. I don't charge the band for using the PA or trailer. Driver 1 or I book all the gigs and we don't charge for that. I kinda think Driver 2 should just be happy I have invested heavily in the band and not complain. I told the band the alternative is me selling everything and the band paying a sound guy every week and no one was thrilled with the idea.

Am I wrong in my thinking?
Click to expand...

No. Tell him you'd be thrilled to rent the trailer and PA to the band, then calc out what his share would be, and deduct that from his gas cost, or vice-versa.
 
#17
Sounds like you guys need a set of written guidelines.

Maybe rotate through who pulls it...

I gladly give the guy who owns the pa the first 15%... I then don't have to beat mine up, haul it... stress about it... be later coming home... fix it... upgrade it etc.

It's within the possiblity that you two should be doing some type of split of the first 15%... or that he just doesn't understand a trailer full of gear is not free.
 
#19
DiabolusInMusic said:
Yes, he should get gas money and you both should have gotten it before. It would be fair they pay for you for P.A. rentals as well (obviously at a dirt cheap rate).

If the furthest you drive is 50 miles you could each give him $1, maybe 2 and he will more than offset the difference. Than tell each band member they owe you $5 for P.A rental and your up. Then expect the can of worms to get opened because now the drummer will want rental space to store the trailer and so on and so forth...
Click to expand...

FIFTY miles for ONE buck? What are you, a super-cheapskate??
 

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