Personal Opinion from neutral point on this issue.
I've been playing for this ultrasound gig thingy for like 4 times alrdy??
Not saying my whole band's very happy with the equipment to start with? Or the idea of his 'invalid' contract, and high price of tickets and the huge amount of tickets to be sold.
I'm play the guitars in a very young and new rock n roll band, personally i know we're not good, yet.
My band's made up of 5 members, youngest when we 1st started playing with ultrasound last year at 13 years old, now 14years old, my drummer.
I'm the oldest and i'm 17 years old. Yeah too much info but you'll know why later on as i share my opinion.
Well, honestly i think that the organizer is earning tons, but hey who does'nt want to earn money right? Oh maybe yeah the idea of presale at a lesser price would be good or designing a web banner would be at least done or something?? Yeah anyways, it costs so cheap to design web banners etc, yeah?? But surely not at the expense of young one's.
Now, the thing is.. The contract may be void, cos it's like an unregistered company or something? But hey, its on written paper.. i mean it's good that people here are trying to tell younger bands like mine to avoid getting exploited from this organizer, but i strongly believe that since it's like a promise made with the organizer even if he's cheating you, you still promised right? Personally this whole event, 22 bands get to play and not majority are so called the better bands etc.. So obviously they'll sell their tickets to their friends and would sure to find problems selling the tickets.. Which i have been through and ended up paying like alot! I mean ALOT for unsold tickets, well still i believe in keeping my promises so i find no reason to argue or whatsoever, Even with full knowledge that if this piece of paper(contract) were to be brought to the police, they would not take any action since it's dealing with money matters you'll have to hire a lawyer etc, and what not?
But look, we're singaporeans and this is typical of us complaining about every small thing, we all want to make it big.
I can still remember clearly, Wayne Thunder a honorable person sharing his opinion on soft about gas haus? A few years back??
Okay, now i'll go about the equipment section.. In singapore we have drums and amps and P.A systems wherever we go and play gigs, and even in jamming studios.. In america, you have to PAY to play, and have to bring your drums your amps your own PA systems... Same as austrailia..
So, Why are we complaining that oh, this amp sucks blah blah whatever not??
And yes the organizer earns alot of money, but still if you say that he's cheating etc, cross your heart ask yourself, are you not an inch jeolous that he's earning that much money or is it, just that you care so much about him making the scene corrupted or soemthing i read about??
Hey if you guys really care about the local music scene, Why not start by doing something's small and it takes like $0.00 to do??
I'm sure all new bands like mine would love feedbacks by those more expericenced bands.. But instead, i've seen personally people getting too obsessed with their status like in artshouse you can hear people mocking bands on stage who're playing their 1st gig... I mean you call this surpporting?? The least you could do is to at least clap la?? Playing at artshouse showed me one thing, people can pay 12bucks to seat down and sleep... why not give the bands some surpport by standing up infront even if they suck? Or when they come down the stage just have a chat or something..
Like those small things, it could really make a big difference i tell you..
I feel that if you are a musician or a supporter of the local scene, and if the people who played in live n loaded etc, who keeps going surpport the local scene etc really want to surpport the local scene, why are we downloading music? Buy cd's man! Buy the ep's of the bands you like etc! See? How are bands gonna make a living, people are downloading music this days not saying i dont, but the only way is to tour, and how are we compared to those europe bands, they're naturally more 'known' than us here in singapore.. Does that mean we suck? NO! We have talented people here.. But we're indirectly harming ourself in you own way.. So much for surpporting local music huh? When we BUY cd's of bands from other countries, rather then spending the money on local music..
So i read about young bands* exploited, yeah i think it's quite true too, like if we dont sell all the tickets we have to pay, if we have no money he'll take our i.c etc? Yeah kinda like an ah long man seriously! But hey, if you have complete knowledge knowing that if you dont sell 20 tickets you dont have to pay for whatsoever in refund etc, I'd bet outta the 22 bandds, 22 bands wont take the effort to sell! Like seriously personally i would just hack care!
So, now the ticket price.. 12bucks.. Yeah it's like the most expensive ticket ever! Without a drink etc.. But hey, 12bucks if you dotn wanna stay and watch the 22 bands, then why complain i mean the organizer's not saying you cant do that right??
Well, you see I'm playing on the 18th of april, and idk what would happen on that day i'm playing at 4.30-5.30.
Well, personally idk if there's gonna be anyone around?? HAHA But at least 20 people from the tickets we're gonna sell yeah?
The point that young kids are being exploited again, honestly if you actually watch the whole gig, the youngest player in the whole gig is from my band.. And out of the 22 bands only like 2 bands inclusive of mine has players of such young age? So the point actually driven that young kids are being exploited is funny cos i see people who are around 17 and above playing in general.. Unless 17 is still considered young? But at 17 you should be able to think what? Anyways, the best all of you guys can do is to advice your friends not to play, but i feel that if your friends are playing, why not at least try to sneak in yeah? HAHA Like seriously people are telling me that it's so easy to sneak in? Well for me i've signed the 'contract' and even if it's not valid, i'll still play, be it a shit gig or whatsoever cos i've made a deal and it's important to keep up to your moral values as a musician.
This is how i truely feel and i'm not siding anyone here and i dont think i might be playing future gigs with ultrasound unless there's something done about this issue here, but i won't skip the 18th of april. So if you've feedbacks on how i felt you can always come down for the gig and 'boycott' it in whatever manner you want to and talk to me, once again i'm Melvin from Sunsetblvd. I'm just a new player in this scene, i would like to apologise if what i have said offended anyone in anyway and i'm open to suggestions in everyway. Thank you
www.myspace.com/melvincyril
www.myspace.com/sunsetblvdsg
