Just a message I responded to on Myspace.

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: matthew
Date: Sep 15, 2008 9:04 PM


Mr. Monkey. Just in case you don't know who I am, I am Johnny Nelsons' cousin on his dads side (you probably knew that). Anywho, you are the only musician I know that gigs just about every week. I have some questions for you, if you could help me out. Can you please tell me how much you and you alone make from your average gig? How many times have you been gigging a week in the past 6 months? I think that is all I would really like to know. Any thing you tell me will stay with me only. I am kind of looking for some encouragement in the music biz. Thank you very much.




My response:

I myself don't typically make any money from a show. The way we work as the type of band we are, we dump all the money the band can make back into the band. Most of the stuff we do is self funded because a rock show doesn't typically pay alot. Unless your along the lines of a house band whereas you are contracted a money guarantee for the night, or if your able to talk yourself up to a promoter that they will pay you more thinking you can bring in a a certain number of people. Out of town bands that promote themselves as touring bands can usually talk themselves a good deal if they know they have a connection in a city (promoters, fans).

Since we all have financed cars, cell phones, expensive equipment, and girlfriends, we have full time jobs. Lol. And as of late we've been playing less because of how the economy has been lately, money's low. But when everything was in full spin, I used to play every weekend.

As far as encouragement, all you gotta know how to do is talk. You gotta be a good talker, because it IS a business, assuming your wanting to be doing the big shows with big bands. But if your just playing to be playing, you can still even have a chance at playing those big shows, but you can focus on the people in your scene. Music is a networking tool and an outlet of artistry in all forms. I've met so many awesome people because of being involved in music. A majority of the friends I have are actually musicians or somehow involved in a music scene.

Meow. :-)