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I did a gig, played great but was paid less than expected. So despite the good crowd, good set and great feeling, the last feeling was disappointment
After that, I let music be my hobby only and I got a lot happier. I also got some stick for not asking for much money from other bands, as apparently lessened the going rate for bands.
Cannot win sometimes!
Yes what I do wouldn't work for most people. The only reason it works for me is I've done the whole big earning thing and my outlook on life has changed since then. I enjoy making a little money go a long way these days. It's actually amazing how much money you can save when you have time to shop around and cook fresh food etc, when you have time to cycle rather than take a car, when you have time to build your own solutions to problems and maintain your own car \ house \ electrical items.
I also see my way of life as NOT having to do things I don't want to. For example when the suns out I can sit in my pool with a cold beer listening to music and having a gander on here while a lot of other people are beavering away in factories \ offices \ stuck on the M25 etc.
I've just come back from a gig now, next gig is on Wednesday ..... it's not such a bad life
they all have this in common:
- they are extremely good players
- they play for artists that had already made it in their own right either as solo artists or in established bands
- they had some sort of 'fairy god mother' that gave them the leg up
it was a combination of working hard and often, and a stroke of good fortune
I would think the other way would be a good function band and teaching but even then could maybe be a bit hit and miss...i read about a lot of guys trying and and constantly struggling ..okay they do it because they love music ..how long before hate it because of all the heartache its causing financially...
Im maybe sounding a bit negative here but in my opinion you are better using it has a second income ...i think things have changed a lot unless you are a top class player and even then its not garanteed work
I know one local lad (now appraoching middle age) that is a full time pro, has a number of albums out there and more in the offing, but he tours in a Vdub van with his two dogs and does mainly solo gigs around the country and occasionally on the continent. Even so he sometimes has to work a few shifts as a psychiatric nurse to cover the bills.
Others are involved in retail ot aspects of the business that don't involve playing like agents or organising mini tours for others. Lessons and selling T shirts/CDs all help but you need to be adaptive and create a mini business you can wander in and out of.
In the end having a job as a session/corporate/covers band ain't so bad if you don't like factories or offices.
The guy I had a few lessons off worked mostly in Christian rock bands, as far as I ever worked out he had no religious faith but some of these were properly big gigs and more so in Europe than here.
The other one runs his own jazz night and acts as a sideman for all sorts of just about on the radar people. Last spotted playing for Musical Youth, it's pretty much 0% rocknroll credibility but again these are reasonably well paid gigs. He is a guitarist first but worked a lot on his bass playing and, IIRC, got a lot more paying gigs through that. I think for Musical Youth and other people he also acts as the Musical Director.
I think if anyone did want to go full time muso-ing then they would definitely need a second income to start with. I was only in 2 bands and only doing around 50 gigs year when I started running 2020 studios and then I met so many good people which led to so many opportunities ...... without running that studio I doubt it would have happened. You can be the best player ever but if no one knows that your not gonna get the calls, the gigs or the money
In terms of skill, ability etc I'm not that good at all. I do have a reputation though of being able to figure things out very quickly and reasonably accurately and that's what most people are looking for in my line of work. Most of my friends in the same line of work are the same. They aren't the type of people who will impress you with their Gunthie Govan licks but they are are solid players who don't need endless rehearsals before they gig with others