Playing what you like

Was really on the verge of eating nothing but peanut butter sandwiches while trying to make it with original material in the Boston music scene back in the 70's But The Cars took the spot as the next band from bean town to make it so ............

Went on to playing covers in an endless tour of bars that was very profitable at the time.
Don't think that very many people can do that now being that most places are a pay to play - at least one can play what the like in that scenario.
 
moresound said:
Was really on the verge of eating nothing but peanut butter sandwiches while trying to make it with original material in the Boston music scene back in the 70's But The Cars took the spot as the next band from bean town to make it so ............

Went on to playing covers in an endless tour of bars that was very profitable at the time.
Don't think that very many people can do that now being that most places are a pay to play - at least one can play what the like in that scenario.
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Pay to play is the worst. I have never, won't ever, will never pay to play anywhere. Ever. But other pissant little bands gladly will, so it's here to stay. I'm okay with making gas money or a free bar tab. I'll never reach into my own pocket to play a gig though. That's fucking asinine.
 
I've never even seen pay to play places although with the number of folks talking about it there must be some around.

But that's just insane to me. And it's the guys that are willing to do that or just play for beer money that have held down wages for players all these years.
We get the same (if not less) pay that we got 40 years ago.
 
Greg_L said:
Pay to play is the worst. I have never, won't ever, will never pay to play anywhere. Ever. But other pissant little bands gladly will, so it's here to stay. I'm okay with making gas money or a free bar tab. I'll never reach into my own pocket to play a gig though. That's fucking asinine.
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So true there, Greg.
And the bands that do the pay to play will only perpetuate the evil. Making it harder on all of the rest of the music scene trying to carve out a living while following their dreams playing music.
 
Lt. Bob said:
I've never even seen pay to play places although with the number of folks talking about it there must be some around.

But that's just insane to me. And it's the guys that are willing to do that or just play for beer money that have held down wages for players all these years.
We get the same (if not less) pay that we got 40 years ago.
Click to expand...

It's not places that are pay to play, it's the people that put on the gigs. We go right to the club owner and book ourselves. No problem. But there are a ton of shitty little "production companies" scouring the earth for crappy garage bands that are willing to pay to get a "big gig". The way it works is the little band has to buy a certain number of tickets up front at a certain price. The idea being that the band can sell them for any price they want to recoup their money. The number of tickets required to buy is always way too many and there's no way any little band is selling them all or making any money back unless they can somehow get people to pay Paul McCartney prices for their crappy little band. The promoter got his money, and the band paid to play a poorly organized 20 minute "showcase" set with 10 other naive bands on the bill. No one makes money but the promoter and the club. Total joke.
 
Lt. Bob said:
I've never even seen pay to play places although with the number of folks talking about it there must be some around.

But that's just insane to me. And it's the guys that are willing to do that or just play for beer money that have held down wages for players all these years.
We get the same (if not less) pay that we got 40 years ago.
Click to expand...

Oh it's ramped, Steve. The culprits are the very young musicians who couldn't get gigs any other way. The majority are underage kids! I don't see how hey can get into the bars to perform in the first place. ..... Well I was underage in my first gigs but that was a different time and place.
 
moresound said:
So true there, Greg.
And the bands that do the pay to play will only perpetuate the evil. Making it harder on all of the rest of the music scene trying to carve out a living while following their dreams playing music.
Click to expand...

There's just no money to be made. There's too many bands and too many bands will pay to play or play for free. It screws everything up. 20 years ago in my psychobilly days we had places literally begging for us to play. We could have played every night if we wanted to. It was so easy. We were a unique band and the scene wasn't over-saturated with garage bands. Now it's way different. There are so many bands, and so many bad bands, that the club owners have all the power.
 
Greg_L said:
It's not places that are pay to play, it's the people that put on the gigs. We go right to the club owner and book ourselves. No problem. But there are a ton of shitty little "production companies" scouring the earth for crappy garage bands that are willing to pay to get a "big gig". The way it works is the little band has to buy a certain number of tickets up front at a certain price. The idea being that the band can sell them for any price they want to recoup their money. The number of tickets required to buy is always way too many and there's no way any little band is selling them all or making any money back unless they can somehow get people to pay Paul McCartney prices for their crappy little band. The promoter got his money, and the band paid to play a poorly organized 20 minute "showcase" set with 10 other naive bands on the bill. No one makes money but the promoter and the club. Total joke.
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Truly sad. There should be a law.
 
Greg_L said:
There's just no money to be made. There's too many bands and too many bands will pay to play or play for free. It screws everything up. 20 years ago in my psychobilly days we had places literally begging for us to play. We could have played every night if we wanted to. It was so easy. We were a unique band and the scene wasn't over-saturated with garage bands. Now it's way different. There are so many bands, and so many bad bands, that the club owners have all the power.
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It's the paying costumer/audience that should be demand a change!
 
moresound said:
Truly sad. There should be a law.
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I've never had any illusions of making money by playing original music, so it isn't that big a deal to me. I can see why Lt Boob would be upset as playing is his bread and butter. But for me I just do it for fun, and honestly, gigging isn't that much fun anymore. I'm feeling the urge to make a change pretty soon. The 17 yr old punk rock guitarist that still lives inside of me is waking up again.
 
Greg_L said:
I dunno, your town is pretty full of clubs as it is.

If I were to open a club, it would be a classy all nude girls establishment.....with bands.
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I live a little north of town and there is a good market for a decent music venue up here.

Now, classy all nude girls establishments we have a'plenty.
 
Greg_L said:
I've never had any illusions of making money by playing original music, so it isn't that big a deal to me. I can see why Lt Boob would be upset as playing is his bread and butter. But for me I just do it for fun, and honestly, gigging isn't that much fun anymore. I'm feeling the urge to make a change pretty soon. The 17 yr old punk rock guitarist that still lives inside of me is waking up again.
Click to expand...



How long ago did you eat him? :laughings:
 
Greg_L said:
It's not places that are pay to play, it's the people that put on the gigs. We go right to the club owner and book ourselves. No problem. But there are a ton of shitty little "production companies" scouring the earth for crappy garage bands that are willing to pay to get a "big gig". The way it works is the little band has to buy a certain number of tickets up front at a certain price. The idea being that the band can sell them for any price they want to recoup their money. The number of tickets required to buy is always way too many and there's no way any little band is selling them all or making any money back unless they can somehow get people to pay Paul McCartney prices for their crappy little band. The promoter got his money, and the band paid to play a poorly organized 20 minute "showcase" set with 10 other naive bands on the bill. No one makes money but the promoter and the club. Total joke.
Click to expand...
ahhhhh ............. well that sucks. They have a music festival here in Deland that wanted me to do that .... pay an entrance fee and then I'd get 'paid' with tickets.
I had no idea what the hell it was ...... I just laughed and told them they had to be kidding!
I really was clueless that this is common.
:eek:
 
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