blue

[quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1453855206' post='2963581'] This could be retitled 'what new income streams are there for professional musicians'? Its not just bass players who are affected. Grass roots venues are closing in the UK at an unprecedented rate, what's the situation in the US Blue? [/quote] Good point it's probably the same in the States. However we probably have a lot more venues and will take longer for them to close. Blue

[quote name='Number6' timestamp='1453854230' post='2963572'] I am lucky enough to have many other interests. Bass playing is enjoyable. Gigging can be enjoyable and learning new things about music via bass is enjoyable but they aren't essential to me. [/quote] You broached an interesting side of this with the term essential. For me and the guys I grew up with gigging was essential. I get the feeling it's not for the new generations of musicians. Blue

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1453854056' post='2963569'] This ... [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/275930-january-composition-challenge-get-writing/"]Monthly Basschat Composition Challenge ...[/url] ([url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/277622-january-composition-challenge-voting/"]This month's voting is here ...[/url])[/quote] Great option for some, so it's a good suggestion. Wouldn't be for me, I don't compose. Blue

[quote name='4stringslow' timestamp='1453853764' post='2963568'] You also missed out the "have a wide range of interests because life's too short to spend it entirely on playing bass". It's a big wide world out there.[/quote] Not for some of us 4 Sting. Rock & Roll ,playing bass and gigging is it for me.I have zero interest in anything else. I've always been this way. Blue

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1453853743' post='2963567'] If I had to stop gigging I'd probably stop playing bass and buy a piano and play that at home.[/quote] If I had to stop gigging, my only option would be drugs. I would be so depressed. Blue

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1453853564' post='2963565'] You missed out the "Get involved in musical projects that don't involve gigging" option. [/quote] What projects Rhysp? If there is no stage or audience, I would have zero interest. A good option for some all the same. Blue

When I'm gigging at a club and see the utter disinterest in live rock music from the under 30 crowd,I wonder where the gigging drive is for all the bass players under 30. For my generation, we wanted to gig as much as possible. We didn't care if we had to play standing in an inch of piss,at the time it was still considered a cool scene. Is there a viaible cool scene any more anywhere? Blue

[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1453853031' post='2963561'] If there were no opportunities to gig I'd sell up. However, although things ain't what they (never?) were, I don't think 'end of gigging' is with us just yet. [/quote] Agreed, but I sense over all the enthusiasm for gigging musicians once had is also down. Blue

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1452436046' post='2949884'] [/quote] Nice pics. Blue

I have been involved in many of the threads about gigging. Based on the comments and responses; 1. Many bass players don't gig. 2. Gigging is not as popular as it once was. 3. Many feel it's not worth it. 4. Good gigging opportunities are drying up, especially in the UK. 5. Playing bass has become a solo at home hobby for many. 6. Bass players are no longer will to put in the effort to gig. So what's the future guys, should we all just stay home and noodle? This thread is not posted to initiate a " troll fest" just an exchange of opinion and thought. Blue

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1453575431' post='2960749'] Maybe, but Bonzodog intimated that the pubs he does play pay around £250 (about $380) but he plays 1.5 hours all in , you play for 3hrs, at an hourly rate the pub pays more than some of your bars . bonzodog gets $190/hour for his pub fee , for yours you get $133/hour for your bar fee I guess the bar owners are happy about that [/quote] I don't think your figures are accurate. Blue

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1453549018' post='2960419'] just seen this http://www.independent.co.uk/student/istudents/small-music-venues-in-the-uk-are-under-threat-and-we-need-to-do-something-drastic-about-it-a6825456.html surely the real reason they're closing down is lack of people going to them, the youngsters today would rather be doing other stuff than watching new bands in small venues. Most of the audience these days seems to be middle age, which could explain why classic rock covers bands are on at all the local pubs and old bands and artists living on past glories are the most lucrative tours. Somebody once said Rock and Roll will never die, I'm not so sure [/quote] It won't die, but it will never be as popular as it was back in The 60s & 70s. For young people, it's not cool to go see bands anymore. Blue

[quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1453546398' post='2960400'] I have a price list in my head. I don't do mates rates, and when any other member of the band suggests it - they get hit with the naughty stick. I charged my own cousin full price for a do in December. If you bend the rules once? You never stop.[/quote] Andy, I like where your heads at. It's business. We always Bill out private parties at a higher rate. That goes for friends as well. We're not in the business of discounting our services. Blue

[quote name='bonzodog' timestamp='1453564573' post='2960629'] Like I said though in other posts I'm not in it for the money anymore.[/quote] The pub owners will be happy to hear that. Blue

[quote name='Raymondo' timestamp='1453542834' post='2960377'] In the USA it's common for people to get a car on finance when young and just keep renewing it,much like we have mortgages for houses.....that's why you see a lot of young "kids" driving newish cars. I am guessing Blue means that he owns his car outright.[/quote] Correct Blue

[quote name='LayDownThaFunk' timestamp='1453481512' post='2959940'] Lol, Blue can wind people up better than me. I come to my rehearsals via rocket belt. [/quote] I really like Bass Chat and I know I can come off as d**k sometimes, but I like a good debate and i have lost to some of these guys. Laydownthefunk, remember this, I make a lot of questionable statements here on bass chat. And regardless what my position is on an issue, at the end of the day it's always about commitment and passion for music. Blue

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1453446589' post='2959519'] How much does the nice lady earn? [/quote] Not much, but none of us do at the end of the day. She is a very involved spouse of a band member. She's very professional and were lucky to add this level of professionalism to our band. Blue

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1453493666' post='2960098'] +1 that's another thing... sometimes they will make sure you have food and drinks. They see it as your being invited to the party and that you'll enjoy it. But I can usually do without the food and I'll be driving so... no drinking for me. Some party! But they just may be completely unaware of how it is for you. [/quote] Me, I don't drink ( not for the last 45 years ) and I'm really not into eating food at gigs. I'm am "the help" and not there to party. Blue

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1453481737' post='2959946'] Not all 'free' (or 'low cost'...) bands are rubbish. Just sayin' (... and I've seen my share of rubbish 'pro' bands in my day, too. Not the majority, but they're out there, or they occasionally were when I was attending gigs...) [/quote] Agreed Blue

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1453491674' post='2960074'] Blue I have to ask a question , you are banging on about doing these bar gigs as a business , paying for your living , you claim to be doing around 75 bar gigs a year, paying $400- $500 a time and the occasional festival . If we average that at $450 That strikes me that your share is $112.50 a gig at 75 gigs makes $8,400 , if we include another $1,000 for the odd festival or 3 , gives earnings of $9,400 that is of course before expenses , travelling costs , fuel , strings etc I may be well wide of the mark, but you seem to have freely offered up the info I have picked this up from and it thus seems to gives you an approximate income when worked out in sterling of £6,580 . Tell me I have missed something here , because it just doesn't seem right that you can live on this as your only source of income, sorry if I have misconstrued anything in my thoughts [/quote] I think all the info you have on me is correct.Cool that you actually read my threads, thanks. I am not sure what the fest and fair income actually comes out to. However I know I had at least 2 $600.00 weekends last summer. The only thing you missed is I do collect a small pension, so when I say "this is how I make my living" is a little shady. I use it and will continue to say "this is how I make a living to make a point" The other thing is my mortgage is paid, kids have graduated from university, I don't use credit cards or carry a car note. I live pretty simple, not many expenses. As a mater of fact I just got a quote that will save me $250.00 a year on car and condo insurance. Blue

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1453495578' post='2960131'] I kind of agree. Our fee is usually a reflection of a balance between hassle/fun. The more towards fun a gig is, the less we are willing to charge. As a result we do play a few free gigs and we never play *just* for the money... but do charge as a compensation for our inconvenience at the very least. A birthday gig like the OP's could be fun and we could do it for £200 easily. But some of those parties are not that much fun. At least not to everybody in the band. And do you always know in advance what kind of gig it's going to be? Best to charge first, and you can always say when it comes to collect the money "you know what? we had so much fun, let's call make a discount". That way you look even better. There's no way you can play for a small fee and at the end of the night say "you know what? we're bored, tired and hungry... we decided we need to be paid extra" [/quote] My band does a few private parties every year. We have a separate and higher fee for doing private parties. Most good private events already have a budget for the band and it's always way more than what bars pay. Blue

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1453476745' post='2959852'] I can see your point but I think that the issue is that in a very competitive live music scene, some very amateurish bands play for free or next to nothing and undercut much better bands that expect to be paid the going rate. All of this is against a background of pubs struggling to keep afloat and fewer opportunities for new bands. As a result, punters get a poor experience and don't come again, possibly being put off the idea of watching live music and landlords stop putting bands on and go around telling other landlords that live music is a waste of time. However, pubs that do their homework and book the right bands for the going rate still seem to be reasonable busy. But the market is being undermined by rubbish bands and naive landlords...! [/quote] I side with Pete. Blue

[quote name='roceci' timestamp='1453318526' post='2958441'] Never knew you were a bar band guy Blue Spot on tho with everything there, particularly having one person talk $$ & the fact that it's a business.[/quote] Speaking of money. The other thing that's nice with my band is no on stage talent handles collecting the fee. We have a really nice lady that does most of the marketing stuff, makes sure we back playing after and not taking extended breaks, sells merch. etc.. She pays everyone in cash within a few minutes of load out like clock work. I'm not sure all bar bands are run like this. I know some musicians that are actually uncomfortable or even afraid to ask for the fee at the end of the night. Blue

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1453378857' post='2958878'] An aside benefit is that I don't have any worries about money or accountants, having nothing worth counting. Crazy..? Surely, but content to be so.[/quote] I'm not sure I'll ever understand the whole playing for free thing. However, I have cloudy memories of not caring much about the money, back in the late 60s and early 70s. I was a teenager living with my parents with no bills. Blue

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1453404544' post='2959287'] "Bragging"? It's not bragging Blue. The US has a completely different culture. In the UK we have an extrrmely socialist biased system that allows people to make music for free while being fully supported by the government. They don't have to go out and 'work'. We don't even have to pay for our healthcare. Those of us that do work also 'in the main' work a 35-40 hour week. There are exceptions but we don't work anywhere near the hours I know my American friends work. [/quote] Cool, Good to know, I thought there was some sort of cultural difference. Yeah ,over here if you can't afford healthcare insurance, if you get sick, you just die. Sucks Blue