Hard Times

So let's see...These are things I learned today.

President Obama had one O.B.L, um, eliminated. Hooray! Go Team! U.S.A! And yet, the guy still can't catch a break. Things like, "Oh, it's a conspiracy; the guy's not really dead; Trump needs to authenticate the remains; we were too polite; why bother with a Muslim burial; they wouldn't do that for us; but he was unarmed; only because Bush laid the foundation."

Sheesh.

Kellogg's, maker of your beloved Tony the Tiger cereal, Pop Tarts, and other high fat/sugar/calorie snickety snacks that are mysteriously marketed toward our, gasp, children, has announced that they are raising the prices on said delectables because the profits were not as high as they had expected.

Not as high as they had expected.

So what they're saying is that, yes a profit was made (undoubtedly substantial), but it just wasn't enough. Which means that you, Mr. Sucker, will make up for it. Understand?

Sheesh, again.

About an hour ago, on Western Ave, I was sitting at a stop light, waiting for it to become a go light. The light changed from red to green, and the guy in front of me wasn't moving. So I honked, as I am wont to do. No movement. Another honk. Still nothing. Now the light has changed back to red. This gives me the opportunity to go around this chucklehead. As I pull in front of him, I notice he's slumped over. Yow! I put on my blinkers, get out of my car, cell phone in hand, and go over to the guy's window. I yell, "Hey." He jumps, startled.

Yep. Asleep.

Got me to thinking. Is this guy drunk, high, stoned, stupid, crazy?

Or just tired? After all, in these times of economic, political, and social stress, where we are all suspicious, we're worried about how we're gonna make it, worried whether or not our jobs (or gigs) will be safe, worried that we might have to pay for something that benefits someone else, and pissed that the big corporations appear to be moving right along, singing their little song. By the way, does anyone still fill up at BP these days? Just wondering.

So it goes...

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Catch my latest endeavor, The Bucktown Allstars, every Wednesday, from 10pm-1230am at the Bucktown Pub. 1658 W. Cortland in Chicago. Joining me are Shelby Pollard, Jay Moynihan, Brian Burke, and a slew of Chicago's best blues talent. Come by some time. It's free. What could be better than that?

Short Burst Series: Get a Contract

I had a corporate gig tonight at one of the museums in the city. Those are pretty sweet gigs: usually only a few hours, you get fed, and the pay is (generally) very good.

Having weekday work is nice too. Especially private weekday work.

Unfortunately, for the client, there was rain.

Heavy rain.

A tree was ripped from the ground, roots and all.

No joke.

As I said, it was unfortunate for the client. Not for us though. Why is that, you ask? Because we had a contract. And the contract said that payment in full is expected rain or shine.

That's the chance you (meaning the client/promoter/party planner) take when you want live music outside. And if there is not adequate cover or protection (water and electricity just don't mix), well then the show's over.

There were no problems or hurt feelings.

I know, I know. It sounds simple. Even mundane. A no brainer.

Yet there are too many cats out there that aren't taking the time to bother, for whatever reasons.

Protect yourself and, more importantly, your gear. Don't be afraid to broach the subject.

Nothing personal. Nothing malicious.

Just the price of doing business.

So it goes...

Life in Music- Subbing Out

I've had to sub out of a few gigs as of late.

I hate having to sub out.

For those of you who are not down with the music biz jargon (and that's all it is, believe me,) "subbing out" means that you can't make a gig you agreed to do, for some reason or another, and someone else gets the call and does the gig in your place.

They also cash the check in your place. Grrr.

Subbing out is part of the deal of being pro. If you are fortunate enough to have a steady gig with steady work, like the Lonnie Brooks Band affords me, then you don't have to deal with it too much.

Why, you ask? Because I'm not taking a lot of gigs from other people, so I rarely have to sub out of something in order to do a Brooks gig.

But I do have to sub out of certain gigs to some extent. Even though the gig with Brooks is a very good gig, it only goes so far. I've been in the group for 8 years, now, but I'm still just a sideman, not the boss. This means that the gig will come to an end at some point (all gigs come to an end.) Which means that I can't just rest on my laurels. I've got to have other work (all working players work with several people.)

So I take a few side jobs. I make calls to people seeing if there's anything out there. People will also (hopefully) call me.

I've even got my own group (so as not to have to rely on the phone ringing my ENTIRE career.)
Between that and the random side work, some of those dates will, undoubtedly, clash with the Brooks band schedule.

Which means that I sub out when I need to, and someone else ends up getting my dough.

Of course, when you sub out, there's always a risk you run: losing the gig to someone else (meaning you won't necessarily get another call for another day.) If you can't make the gig, someone else will (obviously). If they are better than you are, or more reliable, or more likable, or more punctual, or more whatever than you are, then you might fall down a few spots on the call list.

Another revenue stream dries up.

For now anyways. Sideman gigs always seem find their way back to you.

Eventually.

That's how it goes. Not having your phone ring can be a harsh reality. Let's face it, the main reason why you're having to sub out is because someone else is offering better dough for the same day, and since you're just a mercenary (like the rest of us...)

Which means, of course, that we bring our misfortunes on ourselves, searching for that elusive gig that actually IS going to pay you what you think you're worth.

It's not like the guy/gal hiring you is concerned about your finances. They've got their own fish to fry. You're just an interchangeable cog in their (not your own) enterprise.

I'm in a pretty fortunate situation, though, because I'm generally only subbing out of a gig that is mine. Meaning I'm not a sideman in this group, I'm an owner.

I don't have to worry about losing that gig to someone else.

I still hate subbing out.

So it goes...

Beggars Beware

I sent an email the other day. Last week, actually. At the time, it wasn't that big of a deal, or so I thought. As most of you readers know, I'm a working musician, here in Chicago, and I have been for a long time. I've got two groups that I work steadily with, and the career has been successful so far. Like everyone else, though, I need to fill dates in my calendar. And, like everyone else, I have a large network of professionals in the city that I know, so hustling for gigs just comes with the territory.

Just like everyone else who works in music for a living.

So I send this email, like I said, to all of the musicians on my "list". I had an open Saturday night that I was hoping to fill. One of my colleagues, on my "list" replies to the email with a request to take him/her off my "list". This person then publicly posts a note saying that he/she got hit up for a gig and that "beggars beware", lest they wish to run the risk of taking this person off of their "list".

My initial reaction was disbelief.

I mean, wow.

Why such a strong reaction? Especially in these trying economic times? And then my reaction turned into something along the lines of, "Oh no, what have we become?" Surely, the bitterness and cynicism of being in the biz hasn't consumed us so completely that we've become a bunch of whiny protectionists, has it? We're a very creative and talented community. It's hard enough to make it with the obstacles that are out of our control. Do we really need to start treating EACH OTHER this way? It seems to me that it just creates additional obstacles.

This is something that we don't need.

I know a lot of people looking for gigs all the time. This year on New Year's Eve, the granddaddy of all nights to play, the vast majority of the players I talked to had no gig. I had a gig that was cancelled at the last minute. Which means I had no gig, too. And I'm talking about excellent musicians; some of the best players you'll find in Chicago. These are people that I actually know, as well as people I know by association. Or reputation. They're in the book, so to speak. It's not just an arbitrary "list".

The social networking avenues that we now have available to us online are some of the best tools around for musicians (and other professionals in the arts). Whether it's Facebook, or MySpace, or just your own email list, networking for musicians is so much larger and easier than it used to be. These are avenues and resources that need to be embraced, not rejected. Jeez, I remember the days of coming home to a message on the answering machine that was left 3 hours ago. How many gigs did I miss back then because of that? Hell, how did we survive at all back then?

Being a professional, working, musician is a difficult career choice: possibly insane, but impossible to ignore. The late, great, T-Bone Walker once said, "You can't take it with you...". Everybody's, and I mean EVERYBODY'S, gig comes to an end at some point. Yours will too.

So I say to you, Mr. Beggars Beware, we're all in this together. Please, don't you forget it.

So it goes...