Singapore Bands: READ THIS.

[The_Rover]

I agreed with Soft. Bands must be paid!!!

penta-tonic: "those who truly love music wouldnt necessarily do it for the money. if they were passionate enough den the reward of gigging would be sufficient. so we can truly see who are those who are just the bluffs."

Personally, I would love to see more musicians able to make it into a full-time career, especially in Singapore, not many people has the courage to do that. People who play music for a living, I say that's more passionate. Band payment is important because with the money, you are able to afford better equipments, more recordings, hire a manager, or even buy a mini-bus to tour Malaysia and Thailand. If the "reward of gigging would be sufficient", then that will be quite an expensive hobby and passion, and of course there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Imagine, cooking chicken rice is your passion. So you rented a small stall and start giving your chicken rice away for free. You say you cook chicken rice only for the passion and don't mind given away for free. What do you think people who sell chicken rice for a living think of you? Do you think you just spoilt the market? And I tell you, some of these free chicken rice are really really good.

Like what Wicked Pussycat said, "all bands could receive some sort of incentive/ compensation in one way or another for their efforts?" Amateur bands can get a lower pay or at least some free drinks if playing in a pub that is running a business.

Ultimately, there is nothing wrong with amateur/professional bands playing for free (for passion, for charity or for friend) or amateur/professional demanding for payment. Everybody has their rights. I only worried that if more and more bands start to play for free, full-time musicians might have a hard time surviving in this tiny island. Like what James said, "it will kill the whole industry".

At the end of the day, like what one of the AgingYouth guys said, "Every party should walk away happy. The band finished the gig with a reasonable payment from the organiser, the organiser get a cut from the profit made, the fans have a good time at the gig. Everybody happy.

 

[Vio]

WAH LAO EH~ JUST HAVE AUDITION LAH. Good enough then play lor... then pay them lor cos they good enough wat.

Velly hard meh?

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Bands that want to be paid, want to because they treat it like a JOB.

Those that play for free aren't looking for a job, they are the ones who want to be heard and hopefully be discovered and make it big.

Which is the type with the Rockstar attitude?

 

[keiith]

lol.. :lol:

 

[somebody]

i guess many are upset due to the reference to "Singapore Bands". perhaps a reference to "New, First-time bands", might ease the tension a lil.
\m/

 

[Marksman]

The Irony is that there was once he stated that he wanted to organise a gig, and he said there will be no payment for the performing bands, and that he just want to promote the music scene in singapore, and some baka still replied to it saying, "How much is the pay?". lol...

Correct me if I'm wrong about who the post-er is tho.


Not that I disagree with posts about that the music scene will be killed of course.

Free drinks for performing in the gig, not a bad idea.

 

[Grain]

5

If u refering to S'pore bands, u r also refering to many other good bands like Douglas O' Nine Lives at barNone or even Jive Talking or Dancing Nancies or even Lunarin. In the first place, does this gig organiser really knoe the bands b4 they invite or offer to play for their gig?
Even if it is a Free public gig, and u hv a well known SINGAPORE BAND playing for that gig, definitely u have to pay the band rite.

 

[Grain]

At the end of the day, like what one of the AgingYouth guys said, "Every party should walk away happy. The band finished the gig with a reasonable payment from the organiser, the organiser get a cut from the profit made, the fans have a good time at the gig. Everybody happy.

I like this Quote. very reasonable. If i ever organise a gig, i shall use this quote as my motivation to hv a good gig.

 

[azlyjacaz]

Grain, the problem with you and all the other opposing softies is that you guys think through your asses and assume a judment concluded from reading the thread without even completing it. Read the topic again.

 

[turbochicken]

azlyjacaz,

you seem like a troll.

no matter how experienced or prominent you are in the local scene as a gig organiser or a whatever, no matter the frustration and mistreatment you feel you've been bombarded by the amateur and ignorant bands, there is no reason or excuse for you to talk like that. subtle sarcasm is for the life of the topic, but outright offensive remarks rub people the wrong way.

it's a forum. you state your opinion, others state theirs. you argue your point but don't put others down. if you can't tolerate views apart from your own, go start a blog or something and rant however you want.

i believe you're not a pompous prick. so stop acting like one.

 

[azlyjacaz]

okay, my apologies.

 

[angusyoung]

i think azlyjacaz is just, upset, about the lack of humbleness frm new bands. true, bands do have the right to ask to be paid, but if the new bands had known about, the circumstances of the gig, like the organiser isnt rich or whatever, n they back out aft realising that there is no pay, it just ges to show their character, attitude towards helpin build up singapore're local music scene. but still, we shldnt, 'hate', them because it is their choice n we all live in a free world.

 

[AgingYouth]

Imagine, cooking chicken rice is your passion..

Which stall? Where? We are thinking of a venue to hold our 2006 AGM.

At the end of the day, like what one of the AgingYouth guys said, "Every party should walk away happy. The band finished the gig with a reasonable payment from the organiser, the organiser get a cut from the profit made, the fans have a good time at the gig. Everybody happy.

Must have not been me. I'd have added, "Then we move onto the post-gig par-tay!!!"

 

[saito]

yeahhhhhh am I invited to your esplanade one? I'll bring much beer

 

[turbochicken]

angusyoung,

i understand the frustration and agree to a certain extent,
with azlyjacaz's initial post, just not with his way of putting them across. it's a perpetual problem like why locals don't support local music. the sides play a part, the sides are responsible for the scenario now. ditto with bands and gig organisers. as much as gig orgs loathe bands who put money above all else, bands loathe gig orgs who are out to makan them.

something we must understand is forming a band, writing and playing music, getting gigs and all - somehow is 70% for self gratification.
i recognise and give credit to gig orgs who do their best for the life of the local music scene, but we be aware that there ARE gig orgs who are for the money as well, thus contributing to this irritance.

 

[azlyjacaz]

Please take note that I am not an organiser but rather just assisting in giving out contacts.

Yes there are organisers out to makan the bands but from what I see, the one man independent organiser I'm referring to isn't any sort like that.

Firstly, the gig entry is kept below $10 and yes there are free drinks etc. and of course you guys know that rental of equipment and venue isn't cheap, let alone the purchase of drinks to be given out free.

Even with the above information presented to the bands, there are those who still would like to advantage.

Well if the ticket price was set like $15 or above then the bands asking for a moderate contribution would be ethically correct.

Maybe this you guys should understand better.

 

[angusyoung]

oh ok. thx for puttin it across for me

 

[Grain]

dfe

Grain, the problem with you and all the other opposing softies is that you guys think through your asses and assume a judment concluded from reading the thread without even completing it. Read the topic again.

Yeah Bro, this is a thread, u post, we discuss and give our opinions. like it or not, its just another lesson at the end of the day. We all are learning everyday in Life. about ur statement / post, i read it many times before and above all before u even think bout wat u posted, this things been around, discusssed n said many times for as long as i can remember. Your topic is nuthing new to the SINGAPORE MUSIC SCENE. Maybe u r.

 

[edder]

i do know of some gig organizers here in SG and in Malaysia who keep the whole "gig" monetary affair transparent.

end of the gig, a whole list of expediture and cost involved will be listed and sometimes posted on forums/mailing lists for transparency.

and extras(profits) will be shared among the organizer, bands, doorbitch and soundguy.

sounds ideal, sounds great but will many practice it? thats another matter as organizers are into it for a variety of reasons.

If there are profits to be gained from the gigs, bands should be paid no matter how paltry the sum. If no profits, then try harder next time, bands who just sits on their asses waiting for something to happen should understand.

There's another scheme which is pay to play where the bands are actively involved in organising the gig, chipping in their fair share of $$$ and in return getting XXX amount tickets to sell. To make the gig happen, the bands are on autopilot mode to recoup their "losses" or to make their own "profit". There was a guideline posted up somewhere on another forum that I frequent but I'm too lazy to dig it up. Those who care should know how to use google.com to find it.

I have total respect to bands who will do this regardless of genre. Yes even those limpbizkit kind. :lol: At least they're doing their thing instead of sitting behind the monitor asking for gigs to play and bitching about not getting gigs. :lol:

 

[Viruz]

:lol: :lol:
Ok...If u r a season gig organizer or own a event company its best u pay the band.I've known a season gig organizer who never pay bands at all.How i know :?: its all from feedback from the bands.And i dun tink organizers will be honest abt profits made for the gig to the bands.Trust me.This the way music business is done.Some r more damaging.Of course if u invite well known bands/musicians,u should pay them.Someone said hold a audition to see if the band worth to paid to gig..Thats a hell of an idea.

So U now tink abt it,and Go Fish. :smt003

 

[The_Rover]

It depends on who you play for. My band has played for people like Willy, Randolf and Robert Fernando. We don't ask them "So what's the band payment like?" because we knew from the very start they will sure pay you a reasonable amount. It is about professionalism. We were even paid for some charity shows we used to do which we didn't even expect to be paid in the first place.

And of course we have done alot of free gigs in the past too, mainly for charities and for friends. And then you reach a point and start to ask yourself, "We still want to play, but do we want to do free shows for the rest of our lives?"

Performance is a craft that should be valued too, just like you don't give all your albums away for free after spending so much money, time and effort recording it. Then again, if you set your performance fee too high, organisers might probably give your band a miss if they cannot afford. One organiser said this to me, "There are bands begging me for a slot and they are willing to play for free." Anyway, our music scene is still recovering from its death since the late 70's early 80's, so be nice to it.

"Every party should walk away happy. The band finished the gig with a reasonable payment from the organiser, the organiser get a cut from the profit made, the fans have a good time at the gig. Everybody happy."

Hehehe... Willy, this beautiful line said to me by Ah Seng when we were drinking coffee at Bukit Batok coffeeshop! Even boss Grain likes it! You is the best!