I agree with your reply.
But I should've mentioned that I don't really listen to any new bands.
But yeah, I understand about the mp3 thing... I only have a 28.8 modem
though, I can't really download much... infact, the only mp3s I have are
some by the Jam, Skrewdriver (the old stuff on chiswick records mind
you), Stiff Little Fingers, and some hard to find R&B 45s
You know what really sucks though?
When you book a band like say - The Slackers, the club gets a shitload
of money (say, over twice the guarantee), and they don't even treat the
person who set it all up to a few free drinks or free admission or,
ANYTHING AT ALL.
That's when you start to think... "why have I taken this path"
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>
> In a message dated 4/11/00 9:44:33 PM EST, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
>
> << but then you could always argue thatyou play music because you want
> to, not because you want to make money...
> i book bands because I like the music and I want people to hear it...
> I don't profit from it at ALL. in fact, sometimes I lose money >>
>
> Ahhh, see now we're getting down to the real issue-the one that keeps me
> awake at night. The question: just what the hell am I doing with my life.
> You're right, I got into music because it was a calling and something I
> really enjoy-but it's also my job. I pay taxes on it, and though I do have a
> part time day job, I spend 40 to 50 hours a week doing music. As I get a
> little bit older (but I still know how to party,ummm, dude) I am spending an
> awful lot of time thinking about the way I've lived my life so far. Surely
> there's something righteous about dedicating yourself to a faith that's based
> in making other people happy, but are certain lifestyle sacrifices one makes
> and one ends up wondering if perhaps one has made a fool of oneself.
>
> I have been playing in clubs since I was 14 years old (bass player syndrome:
> you'll have a gig before you're even any good) and I mean for real. When I
> was 16, when everyone else was doing whatever 16 year olds do-playing video
> games or going on dates-I was playing R&B covers 4 nights a week with guys
> who were in their in their 30s. At the time it was a blast, of course, and a
> fantastic musical training for a bass player (simply put: most 16 year old
> bass players don't play "Expressway To You Heart" over 500 times), whenever I
> hear people talking about being young "Remember the Prom?", "We used to go to
> football games", etc. all I think of is the smell of stale smoke and being
> afraid of coked up bikers. Ah, nostalgia.
>
> Since then I have spent my entire young adult life in some fucking van on the
> way to some show. It would be OK if it was just the playing. I'm not looking
> for any sympathy, I'm just saying what it is. You drive 5 hours the show
> (somewhere in Upstate NY usually), you get there when they told you to but
> the soundman doesn't show up for another hour 1/2 and you have to sit there
> with all your gear while some bartender gives you the hairy eye. Then you
> soundcheck and then sit around and wait 3 or 4 hours to play with nothing to
> do but drink-and 9 times out of 10 you are paying full price for those
> drinks. Then you play your 45 minute set-except that they always cut off your
> last song- and load out and drive home. Generally speaking you will be paid
> exactly $20 less than you spent on gas-just enough to make you feel like a
> loser as you're pulling into your rehearsal space to unload and go to work.
> So yeah, it's fun, but when I'm loading my bass cabinet up the stairs at 5 or
> 6 in the morning and I know that I'm going to go to work and then do the
> whole thing over again that night, and I know that the bartender got paid
> last night, the soundman got paid last night and the big dope checking IDs
> got paid last night and that they were all in bed 4 hours ago, I feel stupid.
> I feel like I've made some really foolish choices in life.
>
> In this cycle of silliness (with it's inherent question always tugging on my
> sleeve: "How long? How long can you keep doing this?"), the one saving grace,
> the one thing that actually makes you feel like you're accomplishing
> something is when you sell a few CDs at a show. When some kid drags his buddy
> over and says "I bought your CD at your last show and now he wants a copy"
> you actually feel like you are in the right spot in your life. What could be
> better than the thought of some kid listening to your music while doing his
> laundry, or driving to work or making out with his girlfriend? And the truth
> is: his $10 is going right into the gas tank to get you home that night
> because all the band members blew their personal cash buying drinks.
>
> So, I've always been OK with this equation. But now the kid goes home,
> converts the CD to a WAV file and gives the MP3 to every fucking one of his
> friends! And so you say"Ahh, but then those kids will love your songs too and
> they'll all come to your next show"-but no they won't because it's only one
> of the 600 MP3 files that he sent them. It's not like they had to get on the
> cross-town bus and schlep all the way to the one cool store in town to buy
> the CD they read about in Magnet. In that scenario they have an emotional
> investment in the music. With an MP3 that some kid in your science class sent
> you, it's just another piece of junk mail and you might open it or you might
> just delete it. Everybody always says "MP3s-exposure, right?" You ever try
> paying your rent with fucking exposure? I told my landlord "Hey, man, it's
> good exposure for you to have me living here" He still wants his money. You
> think that those jerks who started Napster aren't getting paid? Everybody
> gets paid, except the musicians. All I'm saying is, try going to you dayjob
> for a couple of days just for the exposure and see how it feels.
>
> I went home for Christmas and I saw my 17 year old cousin, Adam. Adam is a
> cool kid, but he's lived a pretty easy life. My uncle is kind've loaded
> (though I defy anyone in my family to tell you what he actually does. Wears a
> tie is the closest I can come to guessing), and Adam has spent an awful lot
> of time on the couch playing Playstation. So, Adam says to me "Hey, I
> ordered your CD from the website and I think it's really cool". Oh, thanks
> Adam, that's great. "So, I made an MP3 out of it and E-mailed it to everyone
> at my prep school. " Thank you.
>
> My girlfriend say that you're all not allowed to bring up topics that get me
> worked up. I have to lie down now.
> Corin
> _________________________________________________________
> Enlighten your in-box. http://www.topica.com/t/15
_________________________________________________________
Enlighten your in-box. http://www.topica.com/t/15
