Members KillerV Posted September 25, 2008 Members Share Posted September 25, 2008 I got a weird call for producing a song yesterday and I'm not sure if I should take it. It is for a political party (here in South Africa, where I live) to use as part of an election campaign. I hope it's OK to post about it in this forum because I would like to know what other people's thoughts are about this. My studio is situated in an area where you take any work you can get. The people wanting me to produce the song is offering a fairly large amount of money for it, though. I haven't heard the song yet. The problem is that I don't necessarily want to be associated with this party, or really believe in what they stand for. They don't have a great reputation and I don't know if I would want people to know I that worked with them. Working with them "anonymously" isn't really an option either. What should I do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted September 25, 2008 Members Share Posted September 25, 2008 I can't tell you what to do. I can, though, tell you what I'd do. A couple of years ago a friend called me with a gig for a political party fundraiser. It was a decent paying gig ($150 apiece for two hours) but the thought of raising money for a party that stood for pretty much everything I don't was too much for me. I know there are other ways to look at it, but I just couldn't put my principles on hold for 150 bucks. I declined. No one would (or should) think less of you for taking this job if it means putting food on your table or paying the bills. You coukld look at it as just being professional in a job. After all doctors don't refuse to treat people with whom they disagree, do they? It's a tough decision but ultimately only one you can make. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GY Posted September 25, 2008 Members Share Posted September 25, 2008 We've all had to be prostitutes at one time. Just don't be a cheap *hore. Take the money and enjoy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Richard King Posted September 25, 2008 Members Share Posted September 25, 2008 While I don't do gigs (not a musician), I have been in slightly similar situations. I am rebuilding a house here that was damaged in the hurricanes in 2004. I am using about 2400 square feet of travertine floor tile throughout the house. I am a proponent for NOT buying anything from China unless I absolutely have to. I could have picked up some nice travertine tile at Home Depot for $3.49 per square foot. When I asked where it was sourced from the HD clone replied that it was from China. I ended up buying some very similar tile from another dealer that cost $3.95 per square foot (from Turkey) to avoid the Chinese product. If it is something that you firmly believe in not supporting, don't do the gig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted September 25, 2008 Moderators Share Posted September 25, 2008 I don't have a problem if my plumbing contractor buddy takes the plumbing gig for the construction of a new building for New Hitler Youth. It's not a contradiction if my very religious friend who is a car mechanic tunes up the local gangster's Lincoln. I don't think it's hypocritical if my hippy San Fran sister caters a NRA Dinner. Contracting isn't condoning. If your actions somehow help an organization that will hurt someone else and they couldn't have unless you helped, well that's a different story. But business is business. Look at it this way... It's a way of having the bad guys bankroll the good guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ernest Buckley Posted September 25, 2008 Members Share Posted September 25, 2008 It's a way of having the bad guys bankroll the good guys. I`m of the school that there are no bad guys, no good guys... it all depends on what side your on. So, with that said, if the gig pays well and its artistically fulfilling, what do you care? This gives you the opportunity to meet the enemy. You may realize hes not that different from you. With that said, I would not record just anything. Several years ago my friend who was into this hardcore rap wanted to bring his crew into my studio to record a "mix tape". He was describing it to me over the phone, telling me 14 members of his group would be present. They would be recording, videotaping and photographing the entire event... I just decided not to do it. Though I knew a handful of his group, I just knew this sort of crowd could create an "atmosphere" I wanted no part of. It had nothing to do with their lyrics which I disagreed with, it was the atmosphere I imagined they would create that I turned away from. I got out of it by quoting him 3x what I normally charge him. We still talk, he knows how I feel and why I did what I did but looking back, I should have just been honest with him. On the other hand, I also did a job several years ago to master a song my client wrote for a now prominent Senator who was running for Prez. I didn`t agree with this persons political "career" but it didn`t stop me from doing the best job I could for my client. Whats your gut telling you right now as you read this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted September 25, 2008 Members Share Posted September 25, 2008 Whats your gut telling you right now as you read this? That's it. Do it if it feels right, don't do it if it doesn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted September 26, 2008 Members Share Posted September 26, 2008 Also think a couple years into the future. If you think you'll regret doing it, don't. Better yet, call up the opposition party whose principles you do admire, and tell them you've been offered a gig to do music for the other party. Say you don't want to do it, but you need to but food on the table, and does the party you do admire need your services? You never know...you might be able to have your cake and eat it too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted September 26, 2008 Members Share Posted September 26, 2008 BTW, just the fact that you're asking this question is actually pretty cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jon Gnash Posted September 26, 2008 Members Share Posted September 26, 2008 What should I do? Well - speaking from personal experience, here's some products you will not see at NAMM: . In other words deliberately ask for too much money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted September 26, 2008 Members Share Posted September 26, 2008 In other words deliberately ask for too much money. That's what I do on both music gigs and carpentry bids when I don't really want to do them.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mdog114 Posted September 27, 2008 Members Share Posted September 27, 2008 Are you in business, or do you just do this for fun? The answer should be pretty clear if you're in business, if you do this for fun, let your emotions dictate your decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members veracohr Posted September 27, 2008 Members Share Posted September 27, 2008 Words of wisdom by Kevin Smith: (In the middle of a conversation on the destruction of the second Death Star in Return of the Jedi) BLUE-COLLAR MAN Excuse me. I don't mean to interrupt, but what were you talking about? RANDAL The ending of Return of the Jedi. DANTE My friend is trying to convince me that any contractors working on the uncompleted Death Star were innocent victims when the space station was destroyed by the rebels. BLUE-COLLAR MAN Well, I'm a contractor myself. I'm a roofer... (digs into pocket and produces business card) Dunn and Reddy Home Improvements. And speaking as a roofer, I can say that a roofer's personal politics come heavily into play when choosing jobs. RANDAL Like when? BLUE-COLLAR MAN Three months ago I was offered a job up in the hills. A beautiful house with tons of property. It was a simple reshingling job, but I was told that if it was finished within a day, my price would be doubled. Then I realized whose house it was. DANTE Whose house was it? BLUE-COLLAR MAN Dominick Bambino's. RANDAL "Babyface" Bambino? The gangster? 51. BLUE-COLLAR MAN The same. The money was right, but the risk was too big. I knew who he was, and based on that, I passed the job on to a friend of mine. DANTE Based on personal politics. BLUE-COLLAR MAN Right. And that week, the Foresci family put a hit on Babyface's house. My friend was shot and killed. He wasn't even finished shingling. RANDAL No way! BLUE-COLLAR MAN (paying for coffee) I'm alive because I knew there were risks involved taking on that particular client. My friend wasn't so lucky. (pauses to reflect) You know, any contractor willing to work on that Death Star knew the risks. If they were killed, it was their own fault. A roofer listens to this... (taps his heart) not his wallet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members js1 Posted September 27, 2008 Members Share Posted September 27, 2008 Depends on how strongly I felt about the values of that political party. If they clash with my core principles, I probably wouldn't take it. The service is in the aid of helping the party sway voters to their cause. The better I do my job, the more (potentially) they succeed. You're not providing catering for one of their lunches, you're helping create a piece of persuasion. That's different. js Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hard Truth Posted September 27, 2008 Members Share Posted September 27, 2008 I wouldn't do it................ unless I was desperate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The dman Posted September 28, 2008 Members Share Posted September 28, 2008 If it was something I felt strongly against I wouldn't do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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