I don't think there's anything wrong with discussing salaries here. There are plenty of working drummers who post, and the business aspect should be discussed.
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I don't think there's anything wrong with discussing salaries here. There are plenty of working drummers who post, and the business aspect should be discussed.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I hope no one get in trouble for this, nut, he just played on my friends demo in Nashville for free. I told my fried I would have given my left nut to see him track. Maybe next time he'll invit me! [img]smile.gif[/img]Quote:
Originally posted by SDK:
I've also heard of Vince recording for $100 a track when there's hardly a budget and the music is great. He even plays weddings in LA from time to time. One time, he even recorded for free on Melissa Ferricks CD simply because he dug her and happened to be in Studio A when she was in B at Ocean Way.
I must admit- knowing the kind of dough these guys make has kept me a few extra hours in the practice room at times... [img]wink.gif[/img]
...not saying it's my ONLY source of inspiration, but it helps...
To each his/her own...
I agree with T-Bo. It is tacky to get into too much detail when discussing money (not just with musicians, but with anyone). However, salary ranges for just about any profession (medicine, law, accounting, teaching, etc.) are readily available, so what's wrong with having similar data for musicians? Top pop musicians and top athletes are roughly in the same "stratosphere" financially. Every detail of every athlete's contract is spread all over the news, but not so for musicians. [img]graemlins/hmmm.gif[/img]
I agree w mja's post.
The prob I meant was more w specifying someone's financial directly [as in Vinnie] & singling them out as a topic...& then possibly getting into a heresay or guessing contest...[mja's "...too much detail..."]
No problems w discussing the topic of musicians' expected or relative salary ranges. Ballpark. But when you discuss someone elses finances in a public arena, & they're not in on the conversation, it just feels a little 'strange' to me. Borderline tact. Just a 'respect' thing.
It's all good.
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ August 30, 2004 09:52 PM: Message edited by: FuseU1 ]</font>
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">You're right jonthibault, there's nothing wrong with discussing the business end of drumming at all, but there is a marked difference between that and blatantly asking or discussing what someone earns. You wouldn't ask them to their faces as it is simply rude, so why do it here?Quote:
I don't think there's anything wrong with discussing salaries here. There are plenty of working drummers who post, and the business aspect should be discussed.
If you, mja61 and others are really interested in what the 'top drummers' are earning then why not ask them directly on here?
Why not start a new topic entitled "Gary Husband & Peter Erskine What do you earn?" Go on... I dare you!! ...see, you won't will you?
I'll tell you why you would never do such a thing.... because it is a crass, ungentlemenly and meaningless question to ask such a question to someone, no matter what their vocation is and frankly, you wouldn't have the nerve to ask them on this forum.
I've no inclination to discuss what I charge or earn with the members of this board and I have absolutely no regard for what you, Vinnie or Erskoman commands. Although playing the drums is my full time occupation, the financial aspect of what I earn is a matter for me and the taxman.
While I'm on this board, it is the music that I am happy to discuss, not the money.
I would also like to add this point: Give me one, no, ANY example of an interview that you've read where a msuician gives you an actual figure of what they get for playing their instrument.
Dazz -
I think you may have missed the subtle distinction I was drawing. I didn't say I was interested in knowing precisely what Vinnie pulls in. If you'll read my post, you'll notice I said:
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">This means I think it would be tacky to go up to Vinnie, Peter E., Gary H. or any professional musician and ask, "How much do you make in a year?" This also means I think it would be equally tacky to ask the same question of my neighbor, my physician, my colleague, etc.Quote:
It is tacky to get into too much detail when discussing money (not just with musicians, but with anyone).
Consider these points:
1) I make my living as an engineer (for better or worse). While I don't know precisely what each of my colleagues earns, I do have a good idea of the "market range" salaries for the different engineering disciplines, sectors, experience and education levels, etc. I have a rough idea what "fresh-out" bachelor-degree mechanical engineers in this area can expect, and I also have an idea what directors and executives in computer science might be making. This is a necessary element of being a professional....you need to keep constant track of what your skills are worth.
2) On a similar note, I do not think it is out of line for college students who are deciding upon a major and a career path to have an idea what kind of compensation to expect in that field (low, mid, high, etc.) In fact, I think it's a necessary element.
2a) If I were 18 years old, and deciding between a pro-musician path, or a "safer" route, I would probably benefit from the sobering truth about how difficult it is for guys like Dave Weckl and Steve Smith to break even taking their bands on the road, rather than assume they make 10 times what a CPA makes in a year.
3) Jeff Porcaro once mentioned in an interview that he was a double-scale player, not triple scale. That's a useful data point. If Jeff was double-scale, then I can probably count on one hand the number of drummers that have any business asking for triple scale.
4) If it's bad style to know how much bands make, how do bands get hired to play clubs, and musicians hired to do clinics? How do they get paid? If I own a club and want to have Vital Information play, don't I have to ask them at some point how much it's going to cost? What's wrong if club owners discuss how much it costs to get certain bands to play their stages?
I guess my point was more subtle than I thought. I generally do not take any comments personally, but I find the remark daring me to start new thread entitled "Gary Husband & Peter Erskine What do you earn?" to be in poor taste, especially on a forum such as this.
That said, Dazz, I still enjoy your playing and your contributions to this forum.
-MJA
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ August 30, 2004 10:11 PM: Message edited by: mja61 ]</font>
Points taken MJA - fair enough! I guess my comments were directed to the initiator of this topic and T-bo who doesn't<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">....I on the other hand, DO!!Quote:
think there's anything wrong with discussing salaries here.
No worries, Dazz.....like I said, nothing personal...just our opinions, to which we are each entitled.
Stay out of the ruts and in the groove, y'all.
-MJA