That's...remarkable...500 gigs...

Given our proximity to each other, we really should hook up some time soon...



------------------
Bill in Dayton

DonM,
I live in N.E Indiana...are we close??
Lee

Don lives near Shreveport, LA, which is the other end of the world from Indiana.

Gary

Hammer I hear you on the turn over of ADs, more it's common here where I live as well. Unfortunately 2 ADs who were fans of my performances recently left and as you say time to start over.



Mikey many thanks I appreciate the offer! Looks like my Bose has been repaired and is being shipped back to me. Since my office is just a short drive from the repair center I should have it back in plenty of time for this coming Thursday evenings gig.


[This message has been edited by Stephenm52 (edited 12-13-2008).]

Not really. I live in northern Louisiana. A little far for a casual drive!
DonM

In more ways than distance !!! ...

t.

Another problem is with the 'contracts' agents work out with certain venues ... I was on the cusp of at least one monthly gig a month at a very nice local CC ...worked 2 gigs ... lots of compliments, members were really happy with the addition of live music at members functions, the manager loved it, etc., etc. ...
The agent who has a 'contract' gets wind of it, and I'm out of a gig, and one of his guys has it ..
t.

Thanks Stephen for posting this interesting story. It sure makes me glad I don't perform... although, the songwriting biz is certainly not a bed of roses. Lots of competition and few places to "peddle" one's wares without knowing people in high places and having tremendous talent.

Hey Don M., I'm hoping to pick that brain of yours some more at the Shreveport Jam. There are so many things I don't know about arrangers that would probably make songwriting and recording even easier. I never use registration memory, can you show me some straightforward approaches? Right now, I just re-play and re-cut a song until I'm satisfied... including vocals, from scratch. Dave Rice
http://www.showcaseyourmusic.com/DaveRice

I guess what I've seen in the last 10 years is the reduction of the respect that top musicians get around here. Part of that is because the liquer laws changed, making a restaurant liscense available at very little cost. All of a sudden, instead of 6 or 7 major venues, every local place was a candidate as a music venue. Music became part of the mix, and not the primary draw. These are local spots, where it's part televised sports, part food, sometimes darts and then music. Add to that a supply of several hundred "pickers and grinners" all willing to work the 25 available jobs for little or nothing. Price is a more important "decider" that talent. Then, there's all the horn players playing over tracks. Most could never work with a band because of timing problems, but simply spend the night working for nothing and playing "catch-up" with their tracks. Many advertise themselves as offering "live jazz", which is an insult.

House jobs have all but disappeared. Many places change entertainment nightly, but don't bother to advertise, so they're not taking advantage of the individual "draw" factor.

Finally, instead of letting talent prevail, many musicians use politics....begging for work and using reduced pricing only to secure
jobs and generally, reduce the status of those serious about the art of making music.

My only salvation is longevity...I was here long before things went "south" and get the choice "society" and restaurant jobs. It's certainly not all talent, but things like billing clients, instead of trying to get paid at 1:00 PM on a busy Saturday night, always showing up and delivering what's needed and handling all business issues professionally.

It's a different day, for sure. House jobs pay about the same as they paid in the 70's.

And the "bottom feeders" have negatively impacted everything.


R.

Dave, speaking of Songwriting - what do you think of TAXI?