From Markweisgram@aol.com Wed Mar 10 08:32:32 2004
Subject:50 dollar gigs....and sour grapes

I haven't posted for awhile but this one struck a chord. There was a list
member recently who posted a reply asking " does anyone go out for 50 dollars
anymore?". Perhaps some of you saw that.....and my answer to this is that
things being what they are right now near where I live (Portland Ore. area) that I
would consider myself lucky to get a 50 dollar gig right now.

I should say that I do most of
my gigs on drums.....keyboard skills is a recent inclusion in my arsenal of
abilities - but I can play well enough to cover many blues and or pop music
gigs. I'm working on the jazz thing. But on drums, I probably have enough
experience to hold my own on a bandstand with anyone on this list. So, what is my
problem?

The problem as I see it, is that many of the musicians in my area
have actually driven listeners away from live music venues. I can't tell you
how many times I have worked with players who have no sense of the volume
limitations of a particular room. It has also been literally years since any of the
musicians that I work with rehearse. And subsequently, I am seeing many of
the rooms around here discontinue having live music. There is even a club in my
hometown (Salem Ore.) that has a policy of NOT hiring any players. They hire
only blues "stars" of which the Portland scene has many ..... it's very
difficult to get one of these gigs - sort of like breaking into the recording scene
in L.A.

Actually I am very grateful that I otherwise live a relatively happy life,
making a living mostly from teaching . I may not be the first person to
eventually die from a broken heart over what has been happening in the music biz. I
kills me that I obviously do not have the political skills to shmooze my way
to success. But we all have to be politicians to some degree.... anyway more
on this later is anyone wants to talk about it. Mark

I

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]