General Music Chat

Not to be a jerk/arrogant/elitest or anything, but they do have that right by law. Just ask any lawyer that's involved with music in any shape or form. I played in cover bands as a kid, but anyone with any REAL GOD-GIVEN talent that can write their OWN songs and go out and perform them, makes a whole lot less money than the cover bands do. Why? Because people already know what they're going to hear when they see a cover band (because of someone else's work). Original bands have to build their own fan base and when they hit the road without any info through the grape-lines so to speak, they're all on their own. As an all original neo-classical/technical/speed metalhead musician, I back this tactic 110% and so do the lawyers...Anyone can copy, but only a select few can create...

I totally agree with you 110%. The fees that they have to shell out are nothing in comparison to the difference of what they pay cover bands to original bands. In my area there are sponsored metal bands from Yaeger, ect. that play the same venues as cover bands. They are so much more talented all the way around than the cover bands are, but they make half the pay. Stuff like that is really hard to swallow when even the audience admits to that fact. I've also seen really good bands around here recently break up over the fact that cover bands make more cash. I for one am not about to turn around and run for the cash, but rather I'll continue to pursue my goals and smile when I know that I just put on a show that SMOKED the "supposed" competition...

$1700 a year can cut pretty deep into the pockets of any bar owner struggling to pay liability insurance, increased employee benefits, increased energy cost, etc, etc, etc. They aren't in business to support enthusiastic songwriters. The "compensation" received by people like Paul McCartney, Dylan, Ozzy, or Michael Jackson (and they are the type of people that cover bands cover) are minuscule in comparison to the damage done to a new business contemplating offering live entertainment. In all due respect, some of you guys , although you bring up many good points, sound like you're not living in the real world. The venue owner is usually not your enemy (although I have known a few that were pricks). Odds are that you initially offered your services to him. ASCAP has strong armed many business out of the entertainment business with their legal but over the top tactics in regard to small venue owners, and that's a fact .

ASCAP provides a valuable service to the music broadcast industry, and in that capacity has done a good job over the years. That old music scene has been radically changed in the new "Internet" world, and songs composed today by you, me , or anybody else (irregardless of how good it is) simply do not have the same market value as in the old "top 40 record" days.
The "upside" to all this, however, is that today you have a much better chance of marketing your songs yourself. But its nice to have places to perform and promote them live! Many of us are content to be able to go out and make a few honest bucks playing, and are long past deluding ourselves thinking we are gonna come up with "THE NEXT BIG HIT"

So ,,, give your local bar owner some slack and a hug.
Howlin'

P.S. ... ASCAP probably kicked me out of the club many years ago for non payment of dues.

Howlin': I agree with you on several of your points, but to say that some of us aren't living in the "real world" is absolutely ridiculous. We all live in the same world, yet we are all from different areas/genres/ages/ect. I happen to be in "Country" territory, but I'm a metalhead that can and HAS held his own all over this country. Generalizations don't work here. When I see a band like "Scalera" (All original Yaeger band & totally metal) play the same venue as "Geek Army" (Cover band & totally gay) and see "Geek Army" get paid twice as much for sucking, then I have an issue with that...The best part is that the owner admitted to making 3 times the money when "Scalera" played there...