Do you play to earn a living?

Do you play to enhance the living you already earn?

Or do you play because you have a talent at entertaining?

Seriously, if you have a day job and you gig because you just don't make enough to make ends meet, then maybe (*maybe*) you need to look at the way you live!

I rarely see the guys who actually have music careers and do it for a living.... they never complain about how many gigs they have or the money they make... all they do is hustle to get the next gig.

If you play gigs or teach or do something musical to make the mortgage payment, then you have every right in the world to complain about the gig money or lack thereof....

The rest of us should just be thankful we can actually play gigs and that there are places where we can play and use our talent.

If you are going to be bitter about how it ain't like it was in the 70's or 80's, how bitter are you going to be when there is no one interested in hearing you play at ALL?

I dig it Jim, I play for the fun, and if I get paid, that's great too.

is there a lesson in this thread that i missed?

i am getting the feeling that stunt thinks i should start paying my mortgage or something.

or be more thankful.

I don't pay my mortgage

I play it

like a f*cking drum

100,,i'm not really bitter,,just downtrodden to see where the business ended up. y'know,,it gets harder as u get older. i ain't a youngin' anymore. and to play for what i was making 6 or 7 yrs ago,,just does'nt sit right. i know the sentiment of some of the veterans would be just like mine.

i find that musicians have WAY more credibility on this site, i play so i can tell non-musicians like barbie to re think her position and learn an instrument or pipe down.

Yup, you're right, Rawg.

But what do I know.

I know I know, my opinion's worth jack.

It's when I DON'T get paid for a gig that poses the problems.
Eh Marc?

Other than that, I'm very happy that my talent has allowed to me to make a career out of music. The fun part is how it can always be better.

This is the worst and most insulting f*cking thread I have ever been on in my entire life bar none

omg,,here we go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I heard stunt tried to bang my wife and I am absolutely f*cking livid

Ever have bangers?

They're this dinner sausage I believe from England and they suck- at least the bastardized version I had at some sh*thole in Worcester sucked

And I didn't say they BANGED

just that he was trying to

and I also didn't say I was livid AT stunt- just that I was livid

really I'm just livid because I had a lot of chinese food at lunch-

the sodium gets me going pretty good

F-U-N and to earn a bit of money to enhance my fun.

Ah, is that Catherine Bell?

She would be fun indeed.

Is it for money or talent? I'd have to say for both. It's what I do. It's what I've always done.
I'm just frustrated. Frustrated that my next door neighbor can make a fantastic living throwing a baseball for a living doing what he loves to do. Yet, I've always played a mean bass guitar and nobody really gives a shit. I'm no "weekend warrior" either. Is it any more or less important than throwing a ball around? The support network that exists for something like sports does not exist for music.

A big and important reason that people thrive and flourish in music is that they are given the opportunity and support to create. Do you think that The Beatles would have gone as far as they did without the endorsement and support of EMI Studios and the creative input of George Martin? (as an example)

I've been through the original/artist phase where all I did for years was record and play hi-profile gigs in NYC, Boston, colleges and live radio broadcasts, not really making a dime. In essence, "paying to play". As hard as I worked at it, I probably didn't put in as much as I should have. Or maybe it was all a matter of timing and that I was never heard or "picked-up" by the right person or group that understood or fit-in best with my style.

After tiring of that, I decided to pick-up where I'd left off in the 70s', having fun playing covers and making few bucks. There were times when we were doing exceptionally well. It rarely-if ever lasts though.
Let's just put it this way: I was doing well-enough with with it that I was earning a living doing it and working a shitty day job at the same time. I can still tear it up good, but it doesn't matter. It's really not important in the scheme of things.
I'm lucky that I can still even hear at all, never mind anyone else "hearing" me.
Although, that's not what really bothers me. There are things that I'd rather not even get into on this forum.....in public. If you'd like I could provide an illustration or two but I'd rather not.

Yeah...but you got a bigger cut!

juice,,i was a roadie too ,,for 3 yrs. glad i did it for all that i learned!

I wish I got a bigger cut swanee. We just reached that platuea to make a little extra to start putting back into equipment operating expences when.... we'll you remember what happened. Typical band divorce.

I worked for a concert promoter for a few years. Worked like an Egyptian slave. Never worked harder in my life.

I play in a band for the chicks.

Since I met Mat Fedters in the bathroom at Princeton Station. I'm afraid to be in clubs any more.

also

Kenny did you notice they had to redo the bathroom?

Last time I try to post a serious conversation.

It's a moving target for some of us... not only that, at any point it can have multiple answers.

I "have" played for MANY reasons. I've been in crappy bands and really good bands. Got paid a LOT of money and worked for free. Had a LOT of fun and been miserable in some bands.

I play because I can. I gig because it's extra income and fun. Fun is not enough (for me). If BIG 80's took a pay-cut and made 1/2 what we make now... I'd respectfully bow-out.

I do not feel that everyone nor anyone should think like me, but I value my time. Even if I ENJOY doing it, my time and talents are worth money. I have been jaded from years of being a freelancer. It took me a while to realize that just because I enjoyed something and it came easy to me, doesn't mean it should be given-away frivolously. I used to practically "give" my time away. Now, I have no problem charging $125/hr for high-level design.

With music, it's similar. I love to play and I love to see people enjoy my/our performance... but there better be a check at the end of the night. (obviously the occasional "benefit" excluded)

I am not a "true musician" like a lot of you -- those that are writers, those that just "have music in them", those that will play until their last breath... to me, it's a fun way to spend some time, but I do not "need" music in my life like a lot of people... more specifically, I do not need to "GIG".

I do it because it's fun and pays well.

i think there are more 'professional' musicians out there than 'professional' athletes.

maybe? i wonder, if you extend that out to semi pro players, and weekend warriors, what the numbers really are.

100,,,,,these guys are all commenting on my depressing thread of 2 hrs ago. that got the ball rolling. what u said,,,i have to agree with! i understand what u are saying.
ken,,u never cease to amuse. i've learned my lesson. my job on this website is to complain about the old days. i have some other benefactors who support me. i know my role.
when everyone takes over,,,,,,u gotta admit,,it is hilarious. y'know,,i don't feel so bad about my wasted life right now. hell,,i'm not even stoned but i feel like i am.
these website comedians are just sitting there waiting for me to spill my guts! i do it everytime. i know my role. and after they get done with me,,i don't feel so bad about my haircut! so i pretend i am the one with the education. and they pretend they are on snl. freakin hilarious.

every belushi needs an akroyd ski!

I hate these f*cking threads

ski I'm with you-

bust out the whipits and valium

lets play some greatful dead

Well Demo, I tried........

There's a lot of truth to that Arte.

Yes, countless people are blown away with crippling sports-related injuries well before they're even out of high school. Then there are the vast numbers that never get beyond college, minor league, triple A or farm teams.
I guess it's just the successful ones that stand out and get all the attention.
Tom Glavine was a rare exception. The LA Kings were at his doorstep to sign him for hockey along with the Braves for baseball—right out of high school!

It's gonna be a long weekend SKI!!

milhouse......butt trumpet!!! Love it!!

Love the new Avatar Chippa! It's like the mountain goat from Easter Island. Sort of like a combination of a goat and a yeti.

I play because I love it. My money goes back into the band for gear or swag, so it's definately not an income boost for me.

I wish it was.....But I do it because I love the attention!!
......maybe I shouldn't say that..especially here :)

I've been gigging since June 1972. I keep doing it because it's all I ever really wanted to do. At first I wanted to be famous. Then I wanted to be free. I hated working a corporate job, having to get up early and prostitute my time for someone else's benefit.

Now I keep doing it because I just can't imagine stopping. Like I said, it's all I've every really wanted to do. And now, I do it for the applause. There's not much money in it and I'll never get even well-known, much less famous, but I love the feeling I get when the audience likes us. It's a drug and I'm hooked.

I hear ya Wayno!!

SKI sums it as well.......

i noticed i get a lot of hands when i sing(to the back of my head). but i've learned to accept it. i realize i am something special. i was put on this earth to play 60 and 70's covers. i am not like your common plebian. i am a wonderful person with killa looks. i play in a band. i'm different than you. can't u see this??? there,,i've finally said how i really feel about myself. i'm cleansed! plus,,at 54,,i can still get into my jeans. there,,take that,,,all u non believers!

ya,,riff,,but it's kinda hard to lock in every nite. sometimes u hit a home run,,sometimes u pop up. great when it does happen but in the end,,,,,,,,SHOW ME THE MONEY!

Ski, I still get into my jeans. They're just bigger than they used to be. ;-)

I'm with Riff. My main motivation is to play good music with good musicians who are good people as well. When any of those three things aren't there, it typically doesn't last for me.

And when the band's "on" that's what makes it fun. It's rare when the audience doesn't appreciate that, so like he said, they come along for the ride when the waves are good.

I thought you were going to say the fried food

i'm in bands so i can skim a few bucks off the other guys in the band pay and tell them that the owner shorted us.

solo gigs are not lucrative like that.

Well, I do like to see the young girls. I may be too old to play the game, but I still enjoy seeing beautiful women. I love seeing a beautiful woman singing, or dancing, or just moving. That's what it's all about, after all.

Ski, you can have your bad nights. When I get the opportunity to play I play. Swanee and Wayne's honesty is commendable. That too comes with the territory!

Do what you love.... Period! If you love it, you'll be good at it, and you'll make money!

I'm not playing out at the the moment, but when I do it will not be for the money.

I play for money and fun. Whether my hopes of making it big happen or not, I damn well am going to try and continue to do so. I would love to make big bucks doing music for a living rather than being the corporate chick I have been doing for years. Hell Yeah....I'm honest.