I came across these posts in a craigslist flame war in progress, something to chew on:
Reality Check (Doesn't Matter)
Some interesting stuff here although why one musician would trash another because of the choices they make about what they play doesn't add much to anything.
Back in the days of the Faba up through the days of Bronco Billy's it was typical for a band to make $1500 to $2500 a weekend in the clubs in this area. Thurs through Sat, or Sun was typical. On those occasions that you got booked in places like the Roostertail the money was really good Back in the 70's you could make more playing music over long weekends then you could working in auto factories. Maybe I'm just missing seeing where it's at it, but I believe those days are gone. The entire club circuit scene as it once was is over. Has been for a long time. I can remember playing nothing but Ramada's and Holiday Inn's for years at a time. Those were good days. There still are good gigs to be had, but it's not like it once was. It's all changed for a lot of reasons that are a lot deeper then just DJ's.
My kids today go for playing Blondies, Harpo's, I-Rock, etc. in Detroit for gas money and a little more if they are lucky. They like it and they're having fun so more power to them.
Questioning a band making $162,000 a year? That's not a lot money. It's nothing if you play for a living. That's 40k a year for a four piece group. After expense, taxes, insurance, booking or management fees and each member would be lucky to take home 15 to 20k a year. And this is just playing locally. A steady working, traveling group of four needs to make 400 to 500k a year to make 40 to 50k each after everything else. That's the low end of middle class america. 10% is a standard number.
Wow, 3 days later and you guys are still arguing about the $175/night blues band and covers vs. originals. First of all, there are bands here right in the glass city that get $1,500 - $5,000 PER NIGHT to play covers. That's a standard 4 hours show, and the pay is that high because the gigs are corporate event parties and weddings - that that's the kind of pay you can get if you entertain and have a wide selection of music. Of course these guys don't wanna come right out and say who they are - they are gettin' the gigs and don't need to put their name out there to act like they're better than anyone else. You still don't believe it google some Toledo bands like the ones with either a 56 or the name East in their name. Covers pay if you're known for a good show - you think that band Velvet whatever is gonna crack their instrument cases for less than $600 a night? Lots of bands do, but most of the good ones don't. You can still get good money to play covers at certain older staple venues (and a few new ones) in and around the area, and for outdoor festivals and fairs - and once the casinos come to town, they're will be a few new places as well. The people that book live music as entertainment for places that draw a crowd want mainstream music that people know. That's why cover bands exists and (the better ones) can get paid well.
the whole damn conversation lately (Toledo)
This whole originals vs. covers discussion is a joke. Where do you think music comes from? When you learn music, you learn to play the music of other people - and that's what forms what kinds of musician you are - the music that influenced you.
There are different types of musicians. What about the guy who's lead trumpet in the symphony - is he a hack? What about the lead tenor in La Boheme - a pu**y because he sings other peoples music? Is Stevie Ray Vaughan an idiot because he couldn't read music, or is Wes Montgomery a hack because he does? There's a big difference between somebody who writes his own songs and lyrics and is trying to "make it" vs. somebody who just wants to play "Cat Scratch Fever" and some Skynyrd for his friends and family at the local watering hole.
Just because you're young and righteous doesn't mean your "orignals" make you any more of a musician (or a person), than someone who strictly plays for fun. What it means is that you don't understand the history of how good musicians became good in the first place. In most cases it's "playing someone else's music".
When Jimi Hendrix was "Jimmy James" for 6-7 years prior to 1966 he toured relentlessly in clubs with many people and did studio work. That massively shaped who he was, that's where he learned to play guitar with his teeth (he saw someone else do it). The blues, R&B, and pop he learned to play fused into what he became. One of his most famous songs a cover of a Bob Dylan tune: All Along the Watchtower. He also loved to cover Wild Thing, Sunshine of My Love, and Sgt. Pepper, among others.
Iggy Pop - massively influenced by the doors pushed stage performance because of what he saw Morrison do. The most famous song he ever wrote - COVERED by David Bowie: China girl.
Bob Seger, great songwriter and arranger. His greatest influences were Wilson Pickett, James Brown, Spencer Davis, Van Morrison early R&B - and it all came out in his style of music and writing. One of his most famous covers: Come to Poppa.
Weezer - directly influenced by Nirvana, Nirvana, the Pixies, and Cheap Trick - in one of their off years did nothing but perform covers for fun in clubs as a cover band.
Lady Gaga - a combination of Queen, David Bowie, and Cyndi Lauper.
I mean, come on people - I could go on and on. EVERYBODY has influences, and if you play an instrument - you play other people's music. You don't even get marginally good at an instrument until you've mastered somebody else's music. You might go on to create your own music, you might just be comfortable playing favorites you like. Either way - if you are really good, and entertaining - you can make some money. There's good money in covers if you can market yourself. And if you choose to be an "artist" - well, you might make it, you might not - but at least you're doing what you love.
But sitting there and making fun of other people that don't have the same pursuit, and acting like you're better than them because "you're original" - well, that just makes you a jaded jackass
