Well it can be said that agents fall into the same catagory as lawyers and used car salesmen. Most of them would probably sell their grandmother for her pension cheque. And yet, they are a necessary evil.

When you work as a fulltime musician, you are going to need their services at one time or another. (unless your Keith Urban or John Williamson and such).

It is however, these same agents that are bringing down the industry around us. In a never ending attempt to get the market share, they are constantly under cutting each other in order to get the room. And when we proffesionals stand up and say that's not good enough, they simply go and get a bunch of kids that have just been kicked out of dad's garage to come and do the same gig for much less.

Believe it or not, there was a time when agents were sought on the merrit of the musicians they represented. These days it's all about which agent can provide the cheapest entertainment. It's killing our industry.

I hear the same stories week in and week out about acts that are crap, or perhaps they sound good but have no idea how to choose songs the audience want to hear. And yet, these same crap acts continue to get work. WHY? Beacuse the people in charge of the purse strings are only concerned about the bottom line. If they save $50 a night for 2 nights every week, that's $2600 from their budget that they can allocate elsewhere.

These committees and managers of clubs, taverns and pubs have a lot to answer for themselves. They will not stand up and demand quality entertainment. Nor will they stretch the budget a bit further to allow to better quality entertainment. Don't they understand that an extra $50 or $100 a night can equate to perhaps an extra $500 to $1000 over the bar or even some extra dollars through the pokies put in by the people who would have otherwise left much earlier.

Are these peole not qualified to run these venue's? Don't they understand the whole, spend a little to make a little more theory?

Here is a question for you all to ponder on. Why is it that the cost of living rises for everyone else but the music indusrty? Do we have some magic musicians card that allows us to continue to live at 1980 prices?

I'm sure you know that isn't true. So why then do we sit idle and allow ourselves to be screwed over by agents and venue managers? They continue to get wage increases the longer they are employed. Why are we any different?

Thats my two cents for the day...
GT....  

--Last edited by calsonic on 2007-10-28 11:30:57 --

Phew!!!! thought you were going to include us real estate agents there for just a second. I think there are too many musicians who are prepared to perform for next to nothing that are also part of the problem. Its tough though, you need exposure. Have written my own stuff and have had 3 songs recorded by a guy up in Rockhampton who is looking for his big break (maybe mine too)but its just so hard. Unfortunatly I think this guy has just given up which is a real shame as he is bloody good.
Anyway, I like the concept of your site and I might just hang around for awhile...

Hi Hutch,
        Welcome aboard. This site is a work in progress and will take some time to get it going. But by all means stick around and feel free to offer your point of view on all topics.

I agree with what you are saying about the musicians playing for next to nothing. It makes life much harder for the likes of me who does it for a living.

I too am looking for the big break and currently onto album number 2. I have also taken on work in other fields such as writing for small movies, and even recording songs written by others for films and whatever they want.

At the end of the day it's all about getting your name out there any way you can. I am just starting to adopt that principal in every aspect of my music now.

Would love to hear some of your compositions sometime.

GT....

Hi guys.
I just spent New Year in Nashville where every artist that plays on the famous Broadway strip plays for tips only! None of them get paid by the venues.
This system does two things.
First, it ensures that the bands are good players. There are about a dozen or so bars virtually next door to each other, so if you're no good you don't get a gig. No bar is going to hire an act that doesn't attract and retain the punters.
Second, it hones the entertainment skills of the artists. If you don't play what the punters want to hear and if you can't develop a rapport with the audience you just don't get any tips and therefore don't get paid.
Would you feel confident enough in your entertainment value to survive in such an environment?
It'd be tough, but you'd end up pretty damn good if you could stick it out.

GW

Hi, All.

Why I find depressing about things I've read and heard so far is that perhaps most of the folks who have lived and loved country music for (possibly) all their lives ... and are competent at performing it and composing it ... will probably *never* have the "big break".  8(   I am not comforted by that.

Of the handful of songs I've written, most seem to suit a country or country/blues style.  I never even liked country for most of my life!  Oh well.  Probably harder to recognition in the rock/pop arena anyway.

Unlike yourself, Geoff, I'm in fulltime employment completely removed from the music industry.  No pressure!  Sometimes no joy either!!!    I know a man who is a master if not virtuoso on guitars.  He's moved from his old mainstay and love -- the blues -- to jazz, and now Gypsy jazz, his new mainstay and love ... except for his lovely wife, of course!  Thing is, it appears so hard make your bread-and-butter in a less popular genre.  Constant promotion.  I had trouble selling a secondhand car for what it was worth ... and I can't sell myself either.  

Anyway, I wouldn't mind knowing how to find where some of you guys all perform, and when.  It'd be nice to see you'se in action ... or we can all collectively cry into our beers.  

Regards
Honks