Nothing new under the sun..

I've worked with so many bands, I can't remember them all. Each had its' little quirks when it comes to "The Split".

My rule has always been that if there is an "even split", I'm fine. If it's a "less than even" split, that I need to know about it. I'm *usually* amicable. I've played for "the door" more times than I care to think..

In one case, I was being charged for "use of the PA. Turns out the guy had to rent it from the guy that he illegally sold it to while his ex wife was trying to repo it. My answer? I unplugged from it, and never played for the guy again after I got shorted 10$/nite.

In Elko, playing for a guy that's now doing year # 16 of a 40 year prison term, at the Stockman's Casino, there was another interesting deal. After the first night, the Manager was so impressed that he gave the band a "Bonus" of 500$. This, as per the "leader". I was impressed. Well, after the second night, I noticed that our old buddy was losing big at the crap tables. At the first week's "payout", I noticed that we were 500$ "light". When I asked about it, we were told in the attendant "band meeting" that the 500$ was actually a "draw". After we were told "not to talk to the Casio Manager", of course I did, and found out that our "bonus" melted away at the crap table. The Upside of the whole adventure is that while making out tax info, the "Leader" was using several different SS#s, and somehow, I don't remember getting paid *anything" for the whole year..... Oh well.

Anyhow, the latest little "Deal" concerns a club I've worked at for 22 years with a 20 different bands.

Work has been down to the point of no other 7 nite clubs, and it's not looking good otherwise either.

One band I've been working with there for the last year has been giving us an "even Split", according to them. That amounts to $375 for 5 nites, or 75$/nite. That's been sufficient. What the hell.

This week, one of our nites was billed as a "Battle of The Bands". We started the same time, and when the "Enemy Band" was a No Show, we played thru the nite just like always.

Alright. At the end of the night, I asked for my check so I could get the hell out and go do 3 hrs sleep b4 my day job.

I noticed a little commotion at the "pay desk".

Seems that the club paid them for 4 nights.

It was relayed to me that "we" got "shorted".

Also that part of "The Loss" was mine.

I relayed that I didn't think so. I asked what the specific contract said. Well, after a lot of fumbling, It was reported that it "might have only mentioned 4 nights". "And So...?" I went on. "Well, we'll just have to give you your share of 4 nites." What ^ever^" I said. I got a check for 333$ for the "four nites". My math tells me that if that's so, I've been getting clipped for about 10$ a nite the whole year. (I've caught a couple sh*tbirds in this "instant math" screwup before. It's always embarrassing for them, and I don't do any more of their gigs.)

My take on it is that if there were terms other than the regular pay rate, and it was in the contract that was signed that the "Band Battle" night was to be played "Pro Bono", that unless I was given the information before hand, that I am due the wages. Period. Chances are I would't have, but the way I look at it, if "The Band(Leader(s))" are really interested in "Showcasing", and believe in their "product", then they, like the clubs we play in must look at it as an investment. I don't. It's not *my* band.

Don't get me wrong. I play many gigs where say, $100, is my wage, reguardless of the "gross".That's fine with me. It all can adjust. Before The Fact.

Previously I was a little miffed that my "guaranteed" take of $200 on one of their jobs, was cut down because of a PA speaker biting the dust. There was a settlement, and a repair of the old speaker, which never generated any renumeration on my part. To me, that was "strike one".

Maybe I'm getting a little "pissy" in my old age, but the getting clipped $10/nite for a year or so, and having to take a nites' loss without being asked about it in advance, is about a wrap..

God, I must have a dozen real good stories. I certainly know the end of this one, I just thought somebody might have something to compare it to. It's always a "sideman's dilemma". A guy ( or gal) has got to set down their own little "rules", I guess..

Sure glad I've never quit my "Day Job"...

------------------
EJL63FLH
'78 Pro III Sho-Bud
'63FLH 90"Stroker
'80 Gold Wing
"You can Smart Yourself Dumb.
Why Can't you Dumb yourself Smart?"-Me
"There are only so many ways to fry cat food."- Buster
"At my age, sometimes I run out of Adrenaline, but I've still got plenty of Gall.." -Me-

[This message was edited by Eric West on 04 October 2002 at 12:21 PM.]

In all seriousness..I have heard some pretty interesting suggestions from even the folks I gig with, such as, "we have decided that everyone will give the bandleader $5 for gas
every gig because he drags around the sound system." NOT..this one is still on the table but silent right now.. I wonder how they think the rest of us get to gigs ?

I will say this though, they "EVEN" split the cash each gig, and I am certain of that .

I think the answer to your question is that the books are being cooked but you're not supposed to be able to figure it out.

I played in a band up north where we did a Friday gig every week for about 3 years. We all got paid like $50( this was like 1970 ).
Well, I thought we all got paid $50..I was wrong. The band wanted a raise after all these years and we were denied because we already made what they felt was more than any other band that plays there. Turns out the bandleader was making $100 a gig, he wasn't willing to take less so we lost the gig over a money arguement which was totally unnecessary.

You gotta go out and get a "NEW MATH " book cause it's a jungle out there !

Well, for a year, I worked with Bob Machado. a Terminal Scorpio, Singer of Razzy Baily Songs, The Mariachi Monster that Would Not Die..

The "Coke Fiends" are one thing. When they cant afford that old Nazi-recipe unleaded gas processed bathtub meth, they get a little creepy...

Bob was always a total amazement to me. Never saw a guy get swatted down so many times, only to get up and re-de-louse his leather pants, and hit the circuit yet again..

We got an "in" to a the local club of which I speak via a fellow hispanic lieutenant to a local sleazeball agent..

Well, suffice it to say, I started watching his PA equipment go up his nose.

I had an old Uhaul trlr I parked over at his house, and would haul the stuff to the gig.

One night it was kinda light. When he got in, he said "Eric, I need you to help US out here and drop by downtown on the way to the job". Well, we went down to the local H&B Loan. He needed 50$ to get the PA out. Also, the mixer, the amp, and an Ensoniq Keyboard. Well, dipsh1t forgot his pawn ticket. It took an hour to get it all begged out of them. I objected the most that I had to get that damned Ensoniq out of hock so I could be beat to crap with it by Portland's lousiest keyboard player, ( You out here Lou?)

BTW, I never took a dime for hauling the stuff.

The $50 was the beginning of "Our Account".

Anyhow. Time passed..

New Years Eve. The end of a long nerve racking year.

After we'd been fired from "The Club" because the Keyboard player appealed to the VP of the Corporation when we canned him for wearing his propellor hat, and playing like sh1t, there were really no bookings left. We were already playing thru the PA tweeters, and No Bass amp.

I told him: "Bob, now that we got this NY money, and no bookings, it's time "we" settled "Our Account". Well, he blew up. Called me every name in the book and threatened to beat me up. That didn't work. Then, he allowed as how I was lucky that he didn't charge me "space rent" for the Trailer.

I took the money,and Snatched the trailer. Heard he sold the house his mom bought him, went back to Bakersfield, mom threw him and his stripper wife out after they put the $20,000 house money up their noses.

I saw him totally by surprise one day sitting on one of my neighbors' porch, waiting for his girlfriend to come out after being held "hostage" by "druggies".. ( they wouldn't loan him any Meth, I guess,,,) Loaned him a 5 gal can for gas for his dead car, followed him and got it back, and never saw him again.

I'm sure he's leading another Band somewhere..

More power to him. I hate people that "give up".

That's one of the "mild ones"..

Then there was the time we threatened to beat One Eyed Billy, the Drummer to death if he didn't quit bad-mouthing the band..

Oh, also, the "Agent". Bob (at *somebody's*) suggestion, quit paying the Vig to the Agent. Also got a couple other bands to follow suit. Wrote a letter to the Corp stating how the Agent's Rep was drunk at the gig, and representing "The Band" in an unprofessional manner. One night, *one of us* went so far as to complain to "Tom", the Redneck Bouncer, that "some mexican dude" was hassling us for money, when he'd come in for the "vig"...

To speak for him, he split it with us all, even facing a possible suit from the agent.

After the Whole Thing expired, I was talking to "The Agent's Rep. I allowed as how we all told Bob to Pay them, but that he never did..

They've never grafted another band here in that place.

They went to Nashville.....

Bob's probably there too.

Want More?

------------------
EJL63FLH
'78 Pro III Sho-Bud
'63FLH 90"Stroker
'80 Gold Wing
"You can Smart Yourself Dumb.
Why Can't you Dumb yourself Smart?"-Me
"There are only so many ways to fry cat food."- Buster
"At my age, sometimes I run out of Adrenaline, but I've still got plenty of Gall.." -Me-

[This message was edited by Eric West on 04 October 2002 at 12:19 PM.]

Will we not see you any more appearing with
"you know who"?

That's to bad. However, they were so loud last night, they brought blood to our ears.

Fame and success does take its toll on some "band leaders".

Other than that, the split should be even.

I'm not convinced it was a "stunning victory"... even with the "Enemy Band" not showing up.

I get a kick out of "Super Love" and I thought "Cadillac Tears" came off pretty well. Other than that, we've been doing a pretty worn out setlist.

Sorry for the overall loudness factor. I think I held back a bit with youse and the missus' being right in front. There's no doubt the Bi-amped Nashville and the Session 500 could have buried the whole shootin' match otherwise..

The upshot and update is that a check for the balance is "in the mail". ( What's that funny taste in my mouth?...)

I'm to surmise that either they coughed up out of pocket, or the Corp. did. Still wondering about the "idiot math".

That kind of stuff happens.

I don't accept anything but the wages I've agreed apon. I always make sure there IS such an agreement going in. Then, there is no body responsible for my wages BUT the Bandleader. I always ask them to make sure they've got a checkbook before the last nite. I've come to be used to holding checks for a few days. No problem. Sure glad I don't have to depend on the 3-400$ a week I get for it. I remember the days when I did. Now it's just chrome money for the old Panhead.

It's always worked out. Got a little dicey a couple times...

A Band Leader has an "upside". As well, it has a "downside" too.

Such are the life and times.

I'm putting in a full blank proxy as to whether I show with them at the "Final Battle". That, I'll do for free. When I do, they'll damn sure know how I feel about playing at moneymaking non-charity functions for free. I won't have to say a word...

For years, all of us got together there for the Telethons for MDA, Jerry Lewis and Shriners etc. No Problemo. They're the only charities I've found that are worth it. These "Showcases" Always suck. The only one I've made money at are "Fair Board" auditions.

Thanks for your countenance and attendance.

Mean Old Eric West.

I can't remember when I've turned down a repeat gig with anybody but the guy that clipped me for the "Repo-ed PA" comeback charge. Strike one and two with him was when we played a 6 week Canada Tour in '88, and I found out that while we made $400 CN a week, that He made 1600CN while claiming an "even spilt". We spent most of the time in Canuck Hell, getting fairly ripped off the stage cause we didn't do any Steve Earl songs, and the only "Rock it Up" songs we did were "Whole Lotta Shakin'" and "Peppermint Twist" where I played the "piano and Sax parts".

I tend to play with the most sordid of the sordid. I know that someday they will know what I think of them. One in particular, I quit for a while mostly because I didn't want to contribute to his drinking himself to death. That changed one nite after a couple insults, and I play with him any chance I get now that he's on my sh1t list..

Yup. Child molesters, Fatalistic Drunks, Drug Addicts, Thieves, Crooks, Homos, ( not that there's anything wrong with it) et al. You name it.

I've outlived a bunch of 'em in my short 23 or 4 year "mini career".

In this town of Honky Tonk Lepers, I just seem to have more fingers left than most of 'em..

Maybe quitting drinking 22 years ago has something to do with it.....

Hmmm...

Funny you should mention The Union.

Last time I checked, the scale here for a 5 piece was $37.50. Mabe it's up to $42.75 by now.

As an aside, I would think that if a band got together, and made the leader an "offer he couldn't refuse" that he (or she) could call the Hall, and get a fresh bunch of guys ( or gals) that *would work cheap*

Local 99 here mostly has represented pit bands for the Icecapades,Civic Orchestras and such.

The Pres of Local 99 used to ask me where he could get a gig playing bass in the 80s. His VP, Kip used to come around to jobs where we were making triple scale and make "veiled comments" that we ought to "Unionize". I told him to leave his Health Insurance plan brochures on my amp and I'd give him a call. Besides reminding him that our wages were triple the scale.

Hey. I'm *Wide Open* to anybody in the band making more than I. We paid a lousy drummer 10$/nite more to save us on a week at a Red Lion last year. Happily. ( well kind of).

I just need to know "Going In". Even if its a set percentage of the door. Lately, we took a one niter once a month in Salem. First it was $150 @ each, then $100, then $60. Turns out the "sold tickets" weren't being counted as "the door". We toyed with the idea of nailing the door person's hand to the bar to "true up" the account, but she was about 80, the club owner's mom, and to tell you the truth, I don't think the principle would have survived the incident.. (The owner is "connected".)

Believe me, I haven't heard *every* BS line as to how and why our pay got clipped, but I've heard over 1,267 of the "best ones".

Also, I've always been used to the "tip jar" going to the "band fund" unless they willingly split it. Also, being a non-drinker, I always let my "shots" go to the band member that amuses me the most when they get hammered. I don't usually give them to the drummer.

(This week, I gave out at least a dozen double shots of Jack at more than 3$ each)

The only exception is money that is put directly on my Rig. That's *mine*. Just like the "phone #s"

I also don't "put in" on "Band Pictures", Advertising, Demo Tapes, other than showing up and playing for free if it's not an ordeal.

I've played for $500 for two sets, I've played for $13.00 in a mayonaise jar.

The thing is "The Understanding". At least for me it is.

I could care less how much anybody else makes.

I'm *NOT* a Democrat

------------------
EJL63FLH
'78 Pro III Sho-Bud
'63FLH 90"Stroker
'80 Gold Wing
"You can Smart Yourself Dumb.
Why Can't you Dumb yourself Smart?"-Me
"There are only so many ways to fry cat food."- Buster
"At my age, sometimes I run out of Adrenaline, but I've still got plenty of Gall.." -Me-

[This message was edited by Eric West on 04 October 2002 at 07:38 PM.]

Glad you got that worked out.

When my wife and I put our own band together and we ( I ) was the leader, we had musicians calling us all the time looking for work. We always gave equal split..except for the beginning, sometimes when we were seeking clubs for the first time
we gave the club a break on the first gig and took little or no pay and paid the band members . They didn't know that though..Sometimes you've got to gamble on yourself..Fortunatley we were always hired back at our going rate.

years later , our drummer friend who giged with us for many many years found out about that and he told us had he known he would have worked for less or zero along with us
at those gigs. I naturally asked him for the money back ! ( just kidding )

I do recall a musician at one point argued that my wife and I both got paid at the same gig, he thought that was not fair. We both drew equal pay. I told him I had the solution, he could sing 90 % of the tunes and work the club tables during the sets and then Bonnie wouldn't have to come hang out from like 8:00 to 2:30 Am for about $75. She would stay home. Well he was not a good singer and he didn't have the personality to work the tables , so he left the band. he was a fine guitar player though. He called me several times later on for work, I guess he figured out that one share of equal split is worth way more than no share.

I guess I should just add that we ( my wife and I ) owned all the sound system stuff, several mics, and we upgraded often. This is just more proof positive that if you really want to make money as a musician, sell all your stuff !

After the gig, the guy claimed he didn't want to bring the cash, so it was tough s***. 19 of us surrounded him, and pointed out politely that he needed to figure out how to get some cash. He'd left his ATM card at home (of course) and all he had was his brother's credit card.

Well, one of our guys had a merchant account, so we took the full fee plus an additional 5% for our trouble off the card!

One advantage to a BIG band!

I do remember those nights curled up in a van because the Hotel/bar owner would'nt include a room with the two nite gig, and it wasn't because we were getting paid alot either where we could afford a room. 1 van 1 person that's okay but when 3 of us had to pile in for the nite it got a little to close for comfort

They would offer a room of course at a discounted rate. We ended getting a room for the 2nd night and all 5 of us sleeping in it. Then the owners misunderstood what the booking person said and we (the band) got paid $200 less for the weekend than what we expected.

Pretty tame in comparison to Eric's stories but I guess it happens to most of us in some fashion or another. At least the band is fair about splitting the "loot".
Eric I would like to hear some of your nightmare hotel or sleeping situations, I am sure you have some.

The last time I was in the union, 20 years ago or so, it seemed that the rule was that the "leader" got a 1½ share, which seems fair to me. I'm hardly ever the leader, but in a co-op band, I'd have no objections if guy who got the gig got the extra half-share, at least for the first week if it's a long gig. Somebody with the drive to get gigs deserves a reward; I'd rather just play.

In one case. a Local Railroad Owner and his wife asked if they could add me and pay my wages. The band was OK with it, as we'd played together before, and it went well. Once again at a gig at a big club in Bend, I did the same thing for a couple of dancing couples. Worked out to a C note a nite, and it didn't miff anybody.

Once in a while the bandleader of a local deal pays me his wages to sit in for the night on a Fri and/or Sat. That's always nice, and again I've played with all the guys before in this and other bands.

In cases where I am looking to "join" a band, I make sure I talk to all the band members, and kind of joke that I want to know how "the vote" went..

Never have I taken a job from another Steel player, though I've bumped a pianist or female vocalist or two.. Hey, it's a rough world..

Then there was the "fiddle player from hell"..

A guy showed up at one of out animal gigs with the "good ole fat boy" band I've spent some time with. Kinda lo key, throw together thing. Anyhow, the bandleader really wanted him to sit in and play "Dixie as he died" with us. That was nice. We all clapped.

As the night went on, he kept playing with us. even without repeating, there are a lot of different ways to play a pentatonic scale: 5x4x3x2x1. That's a hundred and twenty basic riffs. I think he covered all of them before midnite.

Well, time passed.. The next gig: Up he shows.

Tim, the bandleader said that the club owner had agreed to pay him $50 because he liked the fiddle. Well, that was fine. 10 more hours of pentatonica. Then the problem was that the club owner had meant $50 for *both* nites*. Well, men that we were, we all coughed up 10$ and covered Scotty. Made sure that we all thanked the hell out of him, and that was that...

Almost...

Then, he shows up at the next gig, and Tim, relayed as how Scotty would be playing with us "for free".

Now, we're not talking Buddy Spicher, or the Justice Brothers. Solid steady echoplexic pentanoodling without a real beginning, or end.

I was noticing that the rest of "the band" was getting a little drunker and not talking as much at breaks as was the norm.

It was the drummer that I finally broke "the ice" with. I allowed as how, that *free or not* I'd had about a buttfull of fiddle playing. We approached Tim about it, and in his affable way, he sid that it was kind of a problem because he was agreeing to play "for free". Added to that, he really liked the way he played Dixie on the Dwight Song...

Well, after the next break I let him know that it was either "him" or "me". So did the others.

Somehow Tim dropped *the bomb* on poor old scotty after the last set. He really went nuts on us, saying how "what, I'm not good enough to play with you guys?" I told him "In a word, No".

So it went. Dunno where he ever ended up.

Then there was Lance the Harmoniac.... I'm sure you've seen him. He's the guy with a suitcase of harmonicas, a utility belt that holds twelve of them, and one of those little bullet mikes with the volume knob and a 1/4" plug that will fit *right into* a Steel Amp. Don't think he's EVER been paid..

Sometimes I feel older than my 49 years....

[This message was edited by Eric West on 17 October 2002 at 07:36 PM.]

Jeez, I suppose that for a "Real Industry" Player, it would either be a blurr, or all in class accommodations. Oh guys might get together in one of the rooms, wire an emmons with a looooong chord, and see what noise it made when it hit the ground.

Maybe a time on "the bus" when somebody we all know claimed to the chagrin of somebody else that we all know that he was going to ____ a _____, because "Hell, what would happen if I was 80 years old, and ____ed a ___by accident, and found out that it was the *best thing* ever? I'd have wasted my whole darn life!"

I suppose most of my 80s stuff in the Lower Willamette Valley was weekend stuff where I wouldn't have gas money to get home til the payout on Saturday Nite.

I stayed in the tall cellar of Dolly and Ron's a lot. Used to be a root cellar. Once my wife stayed there, and Ronnie offered to "put a couple tennis shoes in the dryer" in case we wanted to "get romantic" so's the kids wouldn't notice..

Also slept under a tarp at the Astoria Moose with my dog. I'd just played with Chuck Williams on a "blind date gig", and I watched the guy toss down more straight bourbon than I'd ever seen anybody do in 5 hours.. I stayed down at the beach with my dog til showtime on sat..

There had to be a hundred of those.

Lot's of times it was when I didn't have a place really to live, and almost always not enough money for gas back.

Funny, people that help you out in those times stay etched in your mind. One in Particular, Oren McCartney that owned the Blue Boar in Maupin, would pay me 50$ a nite to come over and play either with him and a drummer, or if it was OK, with whatever three piece he had. Either stayed in the stock room, my car, or a cabin if he had one. Those were skinny times.

Once down at the Coast, the owner of The Dory had us spend the night in his house. The Kitchen help was getting paid in food, and when we woke up in the house, everything was all packed. paperwork an everything. We did end up getting paid, but I think it was their last live band..

The Fair Circuit. Mostly just sleeping in a bleacher somewhere or in a laid back car seat. Open Air Dressing Rooms.

Nevada..

One of my rules is that I don't come "out of pocket" to pay for a room. Never have.

At The Stockman's in Elko ( Hellko) I made a "buckaroo camp" backstage, cooked on a hotplate in the dressing room, and slept under a drum riser leaned up against the wall for the whole two weeks. It was 10-20 below out, and I rarely emerged. Ended up that the rest of the Band got in a big fight over at "their rooms", the underage lead singer's mom called the agent, and said that we were paying her daughter less than she thought she was getting, and that "The Band" was "smoking pot". Well, Mr. Palmer(i), the agent, relayed as how "The Band" might never make it out of there in one piece. I was excepted from their little deal, because of the Casino Mgr speaking up for me. It was where I had my "Indian Story".

Remind me to tell that one some time. It changed my life.

I remember in Tonopah, my favorite Nevada Gig, we used to go out target shooting in the desert, and the little day maid was kind of concerned with all the shell casings laying all over the place. Frankie, the Mgr said she got a kick out of it..

OK. My wife's on the Phone, and I can't post this right away so you get the "Ammarillo By Morning" story.

It was '88, in June or July. We were booked at The Station House in Tonopah up on the hill.

I had worked the night before in Portland. We packed up, and drove straight thru to Tonopah. 22 hr drive. We showed up there an hour late.

Now mind you, I've never been proud of any "drug use", and I quit smoking pot more than 13 yrs ago, and drinking over 22 years ago. But when we were "out on the road" my buddy and I would keep a couple cross tops for those loonnng drives, (like this one) and would always nurse a little weed in a film cannister.

Well, We were set up, and playing thru the first set. The footlights were really adding to my mental breakdown, and the 22 hr drive had not done my technique any good.

I noticed down on the floor, a guy in a Red Shirt and Cowboy hat with a big badge on his belt. Meaner than hell he looked, with real thick glasses. At Parade Rest. Staring Right At ME. Started gettin' spooky..

About that time, I remembered that we were in NEVADA. Where they'd put you in the slammer for two years for a single seed. At the same time I remembered the evil film cannister that I had set on the corner of the TV in the room. Oh Boy..

Well, then another guy with a badge came over to him and they were both* staring at me. I freaked. My whole life passed in front of my eyes, and I allowed as how, with armpit circles soaking clear down to my beltline, that it was the last time I'd be playing Steel for a while. I played my ass off. ( Such as it was.) At Break, I shrugged off thoughts of making a dash for the elevator, trying to grab the cannister, and flush it. I decided that I wouldn't make it.

I walked right down in front *like a man* and looked at the real mean looking one, and said "So How Are You Fellas tonite?". About that time, the guy with the thick glasses said "Hey, could you flay (he had a speech impediment) Abbarillo by borning? I Weealy wike the steel guitar". They were just Casino Staff....

I could have kissed him..

Winnemucca?

We were warned not to walk from The Star to the Motel after dark because of the cops.. It was good advice.

Sometimes people wonder on these 50-100 mile jobs why I just head home after the gig when "we've got rooms", and drive out again the next day.

I don't

------------------
EJL63FLH
'78 Pro III Sho-Bud
'63FLH 90"Stroker
'80 Gold Wing
"You can Smart Yourself Dumb.
Why Can't you Dumb yourself Smart?"-Me
"There are only so many ways to fry cat food."- Buster
"At my age, sometimes I run out of Adrenaline, but I've still got plenty of Gall.." -Me-

[This message was edited by Eric West on 17 October 2002 at 09:04 PM.]

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James R.Hall
MSA S10 & MSA D12

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CJC