Members Opus Antics Posted July 16, 2014 Members Share Posted July 16, 2014 Totally on the sidelines now ,,, I quit both bands. Feels a little weird after 5 years on hitting it hard , but after three weeks out of bands , I am good with it. Lots of changes are going down in my music scene. I am not sure what my plans are for the future. The market for live music is on its butt and its a well known fact that you turn the tables 5 times a night at a non music venue and only three at one with a band. things are running really tight to the wire down here. Time for a break. I honestly don't know if I will jump back into music or just hang it up. Wow that's a big change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted July 17, 2014 Author Members Share Posted July 17, 2014 wow Tim...Go down to FL. I have friends killing it 25 gigs a month on the Space Coast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FitchFY Posted July 17, 2014 Members Share Posted July 17, 2014 Locked down a guitarist for my new 90s-00s party band -- we had our first rehearsal on Sunday and it went very, very well. Pretty much stage-worthy aside from having to develop endings. 4 piece harmonies amidst five guys, all seasoned players with great chops, presence, musicality, and showmanship. Hopefully we'll be off and running this fall with some warm-up gigs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pinkfloydcramer61 Posted July 17, 2014 Members Share Posted July 17, 2014 My country band is now apparently defunct, thanks to multiple levels of dysfunctionality. We lost our monthly slot at our main club to other younger, hungrier bands who have their sh*t together. We started out 2 years ago as an almost house band- 3 weekends a month (the owner had had a bad run of cancellations and other band trouble so decided to go "house"). The 3 weekends eventually got cut back to 2, then 1, now none. Other local venues don't want us back either. All for the best, being that I'm sick of new country (other than some of the girlie material). So back to being a hired gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TIMKEYS Posted July 17, 2014 Members Share Posted July 17, 2014 wow Tim...Go down to FL. I have friends killing it 25 gigs a month on the Space Coast. Na no need for that. I have a very nice bought and paid for home on the water down here and am retired, so its way more logical just to hang out on the side lines and chill and enjoy having a lot of free time and see where things go. Its funny you said the space coast. The deal just went through for space x to build a launch pad on boca chica beach just a few miles from the house,,,,, so its lookin like I am going to be living on the new space coast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted July 17, 2014 Members Share Posted July 17, 2014 Totally on the sidelines now ,,, I quit both bands. Feels a little weird after 5 years on hitting it hard , but after three weeks out of bands , I am good with it. Lots of changes are going down in my music scene. I am not sure what my plans are for the future. The market for live music is on its butt and its a well known fact that you turn the tables 5 times a night at a non music venue and only three at one with a band. things are running really tight to the wire down here. Time for a break. I honestly don't know if I will jump back into music or just hang it up. Yeah, it's all about that personal cost/benefit analysis. How much effort to you have to put in to make it worth your while. I wonder sometimes what I'll do once this band decides to hang it up. I doubt I'd have the desire to start up another band to run at this level again. I'd be open to work in someone else's similar-level band, but there really isn't much else going on near me like this. So would I bother with something much lower-level just in order to keep playing out? I'll have to cross that bridge if and when I get to it, I suppose. But I tend to be more of "don't bother at all if I can't do it at the level I want to do it at" type of person. In the meantime, I'll just try to keep this flying as long as I can/want to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MartinC Posted July 17, 2014 Members Share Posted July 17, 2014 Yeah,I'm pretty much done too. Did one gig this year and didn't enjoy it at all. Just got a call to do a corporate 20 minutes from my house and quoted the agent, but if it doesn't happen, I'm good. I'm on the waiting list for a hand made flamenco guitar from one of the top makers in the world-it's a three year wait. I'll likely never take it out of the house, but who knows. I just agreed to play electric at a friend's daughter's wedding, but refused the money he offered. The money I'm being paid/offered for gigs today is the same as in 2002. Pretty much $500.00 a man. I can't get excited about playing the same music for the same money as I got more than a decade ago. Part of that is my fault, the music part, but I'm working on new music and if I can get it under my hands, I might get a spark of ambition. Otherwise, riding waves is more fun than gigging anyhow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted July 17, 2014 Members Share Posted July 17, 2014 The money I'm being paid/offered for gigs today is the same as in 2002. Pretty much $500.00 a man. I can't get excited about playing the same music for the same money as I got more than a decade ago.w. Well, that's pretty much the story everywhere, not just with music. Stagnant wages for at least a decade now. Considering the state of the music biz, making what you could in 2002 probably puts you in the "winner" category. Like you, I don't need the gigging money and I've been lucky in that I've prospered in this economy with my day job and investments and the like. I feel fortunate in that way so I can pick and choose the kind of gigs I want to do. Life's too short to not have fun doing what you're doing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MartinC Posted July 17, 2014 Members Share Posted July 17, 2014 For sure, I felt very fortunate to make that per gig in 2002., and I needed it then with a kid about to go to college. Luckily, my day gig also really took off in the last decade despite the general economy. I focused on government work, cause they got the money.....our money. Also, they don't mind spending it. It does get hard to bitch about paying taxes though....I'm a lot more liberal now :-)It's never been easy to make money playing, but I think it's never been as hard as it is now. Everything's gone up except the pay. I think we are both at the age where we know it ain't gonna last forever, so we got to enjoy it now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted July 17, 2014 Members Share Posted July 17, 2014 For sure, I felt very fortunate to make that per gig in 2002., and I needed it then with a kid about to go to college. Luckily, my day gig also really took off in the last decade despite the general economy. I focused on government work, cause they got the money.....our money. Also, they don't mind spending it. It does get hard to bitch about paying taxes though....I'm a lot more liberal now :-) It's never been easy to make money playing, but I think it's never been as hard as it is now. Everything's gone up except the pay. I think we are both at the age where we know it ain't gonna last forever, so we got to enjoy it now. Yep. Funny, but I prospered the last decade off the government as well. I made a killing appraising foreclosures for Fannie Mae. Without that account, I'd probably have been out of business already. The foreclosure crisis has passed and I've moved back into more traditional work for banks and such. Which are the biggest crooks? I couldn't tell ya. I just worry about my own butt and take the work where I can get it. As long as the checks don't bounce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted July 18, 2014 Author Members Share Posted July 18, 2014 Wow crazy that all you guys are all winding it down and I'm gearing up for a MAJOR push into building my own Entertainment business..Variety Bands, tracks solo/Dou/trio, DJ's, Tribute bands etc....Also since my partner and I do video work we're going to offer wedding video services and we're filming a couple up here to add to the reel before we leave.... Yes sir gents...We are moving on and moving out of Nashville To FL by the end of the year and we're really excited!!! LOADS AND LOADS of solo acoustic work around there to get me going but we're hitting the ground with our Tracks duo ready to gig with website, video, Etc and the foundation for our corporate/wedding variety band. Just have to get some more lights, and a few pieces and build from there. Have a couple nice PA systems already and will gear as we go. My wife is gong to transfer to a Jason's deli down there and my partner is moving plus another friend who lives here is coming as well. Fun times!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted July 18, 2014 Members Share Posted July 18, 2014 Wow crazy that all you guys are all winding it down and I'm gearing up for a MAJOR push into building my own Entertainment business. Well, keep in mind that you're a good bit younger than most of the folks here talking about winding it down! I turn 53 next month and I'm pretty sure TimKeys has a good 10 years on me. I think Martin is somewhere inbetween the two of us. Can't speak to the ages of most of the others here. And personally I'm not looking to wind stuff down as much as just acknowledging that I'm probably not going to have the energy/desire to wind up another band at this level again once this one runs its course (which might very well be several more years). It's a lot of work! But best of luck to you with all that! That's a big step to take. I might very well have considered doing the same thing while still in my 30s when I was still hungry and energetic. By the time I was in my 40s I had already found other things to do with my life than just music full-time. But I know Nashville has been a bit of a struggle for you, so hopefully FL is the place! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pinkfloydcramer61 Posted July 18, 2014 Members Share Posted July 18, 2014 The 80s were the last time that Pop Music was all one big thing. The fracturing of pop music into dozens of narrower genres started in the late 80s and has continued ever since./QUOTE] And that's why, to me, the (early) 80's were the glory days of radio: George Benson and Al Jarreau, power pop, New Wave, Alabama, EZ listening like Barry Manilow and Neil Diamond, even roots rock and blues (Fab T-Birds, SRV) all on the playlist. Was pretty nice before the hair bands took over and everyone looked, sounded, screamed and scowled alike. Good luck with the Beatles tribute! I know you've probably seen this but it still blows my mind: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TIMKEYS Posted July 18, 2014 Members Share Posted July 18, 2014 I think this stuff is the glory days of radio for rock music, Those were the days when a local band had a much better chance of making and the AM radio DJs were the hit makers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted July 18, 2014 Author Members Share Posted July 18, 2014 Well, keep in mind that you're a good bit younger than most of the folks here talking about winding it down! I turn 53 next month and I'm pretty sure TimKeys has a good 10 years on me. I think Martin is somewhere inbetween the two of us. Can't speak to the ages of most of the others here. And personally I'm not looking to wind stuff down as much as just acknowledging that I'm probably not going to have the energy/desire to wind up another band at this level again once this one runs its course (which might very well be several more years). It's a lot of work! But best of luck to you with all that! That's a big step to take. I might very well have considered doing the same thing while still in my 30s when I was still hungry and energetic. By the time I was in my 40s I had already found other things to do with my life than just music full-time. But I know Nashville has been a bit of a struggle for you, so hopefully FL is the place! Yea this town is rough but moreover what it's putting out i'm totally not into so it's a no brainer to leave. I've made some money this year finally but it's not even as much as I will make gigging locally back in FL and I've gone into debt here over $40K so.... Also, keep in mind I'm a full time Music/video guy, and never had a day job so it is a bit different than most of you but I totally get it. I'm 43 but even I don't plan on playing in most of my bands and in 10 years I may play in one and do some solo work on my own, or just DJ. Who knows but it's not going to be much. I'll hire other younger players for that and work in other areas of the business. Thanks for the well wishes man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TIMKEYS Posted July 18, 2014 Members Share Posted July 18, 2014 Yea this town is rough but moreover what it's putting out i'm totally not into so it's a no brainer to leave. I've made some money this year finally but it's not even as much as I will make gigging locally back in FL and I've gone into debt here over $40K so.... Also, keep in mind I'm a full time Music/video guy, and never had a day job so it is a bit different than most of you but I totally get it. I'm 43 but even I don't plan on playing in most of my bands and in 10 years I may play in one and do some solo work on my own, or just DJ. Who knows but it's not going to be much. I'll hire other younger players for that and work in other areas of the business. Thanks for the well wishes man. You can make a good living doing solo shows at bay and beach side watering holes if you are a top solos act. Nashville didn't pan out for you so I can blame you for leaving. The big uphill battle in local yokel music scenes is that without cover charges you are capped at what they can pay. You also have the issue that if they serve food , turning the tables over is the way to max revenue for a bar. Live music is counter productive to that. The numbers on that are ,,, live music ,, turn them 3 times,,,, no entertainment ,, you turn them 5 times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MartinC Posted July 18, 2014 Members Share Posted July 18, 2014 I agree with Tim. I think you'll kill it in Florida sventvkg! Great weather for people to go out at night, lots of money there, and places that actually pay musicians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pinkfloydcramer61 Posted July 18, 2014 Members Share Posted July 18, 2014 A singer/drummer former bandmate of mine also recently gave up on Nashville and relocated to Memphis to make a splash there. But what influenced that decision, I think, was Memphis being close to his home town in NE ARK. When I knew him he was all country, sang just like Steve Wariner and a great drummer. During breaks from our road band he played at Tootsies for tips. I haven't been able to talk to him at length so don't know if he decided to branch out into blues or what, Memphis not being known for country music. Like most music towns it has a glut of players translating into much competition for gigs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted July 19, 2014 Members Share Posted July 19, 2014 Yea this town is rough but moreover what it's putting out i'm totally not into so it's a no brainer to leave. I've made some money this year finally but it's not even as much as I will make gigging locally back in FL and I've gone into debt here over $40K so.... Also, keep in mind I'm a full time Music/video guy, and never had a day job so it is a bit different than most of you but I totally get it. I'm 43 but even I don't plan on playing in most of my bands and in 10 years I may play in one and do some solo work on my own, or just DJ. Who knows but it's not going to be much. I'll hire other younger players for that and work in other areas of the business. Thanks for the well wishes man. Around the time I was 33 was when I gave up the full time music thing. I was in Las Vegas at the time and decided I had enough and did the "start over" deal. Left town; found something else to do with my life. Around that same time a friend of mine around the same age as me decided to turn his band, who had often played disco songs in their set as a lark, into a full on costume disco-tribute thing. Remember this is the early 90s we're talking about. Nobody was really doing that yet. At least no one was doing it in Vegas yet. (This was also just as Vegas was becoming "Vegas, Baby!") He did so well with that that he built into a full on talent agency with many copies of the same bands, etc. Pretty much what you're talking about doing. He's done VERY well with that. I've wondered sometimes what would have happened had I decided to stay down there and get involved in some of that. So, yeah..it can be done, and it's not a bad route to take when you've still got the energy to do so. So yes....best of luck for sure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Opus Antics Posted July 21, 2014 Members Share Posted July 21, 2014 My first gig with the new keyboardist went great! And then they announced that the venue is closing. Ah well. Hopefully the new replacement venue uses the same booking guy because he likes us. Fingers crossed. I'll know if a few months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted July 21, 2014 Author Members Share Posted July 21, 2014 I agree with Tim. I think you'll kill it in Florida sventvkg! Great weather for people to go out at night, lots of money there, and places that actually pay musicians. Thanks. Yes I grew up down there and did very well financially gigging both there and when I moved to AK. That's a biz I definitely know well but like Guido said, the pay is capped and the local work is just bread and butter till I build up the other stuff:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TIMKEYS Posted July 23, 2014 Members Share Posted July 23, 2014 I think I was the guy that said the pay was capped doing tikis bars and bar food joints. I know this market pretty well ,, and its always a race to the bottom. A three piece is about as much as you can wring out of a place like that. Now since you do tracks you should be able to do a duo and be fine ,, but you still have the stigma of being a track act. If its really good the customers wont care ,, but those are kind of lifeless gigs from a musicans point since you are confined to the track and cant improve into other songs on the fly. but a gig is a gig. go for it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pinkfloydcramer61 Posted July 23, 2014 Members Share Posted July 23, 2014 Picked up some dates playing keys and harmonica with a Willie Nelson tribute act! The main guy is very good and authentic. I already know most all the songs so it will be an easy fun gig. Got a few months to work on that Mickey Raphael harp vibrato. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted July 24, 2014 Author Members Share Posted July 24, 2014 Tim we're just about done doing all the tracks for 112 songs in Abelton's live which are gridded and we can change keys, change pitch, loop sections etc etc. We can really do anything we want and that's why we set it up this way. Our tracks are 3/4 from the original artist multi-tracks which we procured and we will mute the parts we are not playing and we've created and improved on parts/sounds etc... Gonna really set us apart from the crusty old dudes using a drum machine and a looper or Karaoke tracks We're both really good at what we do so there won't be any stigma once people hear us and if the tracks don't work, we will just do the gig acoustic...2 AC guitars, 2 vocals, Piano, harmonies. That will work too. And since we're using multi-tracks if we want to do a gig that's an "unplugged" thing but with drums and bass we can mute everything else and just have the drums bass, piano/acoustic (my partner) My acoustic, and our vocals.. It's really flexible.....Alternatively, I can use the tracks to do solo gigs that call for it. I plan to do solo acoustic, duo unplugged and probably weekend band replacement Duo tracks gigs. But again, that local stuff will be replaced by the wedding, tributes and corporate stuff as that builds so it's a means to an end. I'm just happy to be going to a place where the work is plentiful again which is something I really took for granted and now that I have lived in a place that it isn't, and struggled for years, I REALLY appreciate!! Oh also, I forgot to mention the tracks will also form the basis of our Variety/Corporate/Wedding band in that when we add drums and bass we can just mute those parts in Abelton's Live and we still have the core. Also, my friend Michele and another female friend will be doing some gigs with us so we're working up about 30 female fronted multi-track songs for when they join us for gigs. Gonna be a very flexible system which we can build upon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted July 24, 2014 Members Share Posted July 24, 2014 Or don't even worry so much about tracks and just try to do something different with the duo. These guys are my favorites up around here. They do a lot of really clever and different stuff. They use tracks some, but mostly not. This isn't even from a gig of theirs--just them playing up at the top of a mountain after hiking. But you get the idea... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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