Glasgow Protest Against Exploitation of Musicians

3 Reviews

• Tam McDonald replied on 19 Apr 2012 at 10:23
  

  A friend of mine who was running a charity benefit Gig In aid of Autism has had to cancel the event In light of the following facts. A 5 pound ticket...where bear In mind the bands on show are performing for nothing, but still bringing a sizeable crowd....are being asked to hand over 4 pounds of every 5 to the venue In question...they also have all monies across the bar coming to them too!!! Now remind me....bands are playing for free...they'd prob be asked to buy there own beer too...where as usually a coupla freebies would be the Norm....Self promotion by bands, getting punters Intae there establishment to spend money..The Venue In mind will send out a wee e-mail to it's contacts...I know this I'm on the mailing list!!! But basically for next to no effort...there coining it In....again remind me..what the event Is for...Oh Yeah Autism awareness and It's benefactors!!!! A pure rip-off!!!

• Mary Kathleen Burke replied on 24 Apr 2012 at 10:08
  

  As a professional musician for many years I was shocked and saddened at the state of the Glasgow music scene and the gross exploitation of musicians where I started my singing career . I was getting paid more 20 years ago in Glasgow venues than some of the bands today ,there was no promoters as the pubs were normally busy then and of course there was no internet so you called the pub gave them your details handed in a cassette or demo most of the places I played gave me a residency so I was working Fri afternoon in one venue , Fri Night in another and the same Sat and Sunday I made £80 per gig so I was making nearly £500 per week just on weekend gigs .

  I came across Pay to play while studying for an HNC in Musical performance and promotion in 2006 and without realising it at first we had to sell 30 tickets each and all the money went to the venue I remember being reprimanded for not doing well with the ticket sales and was told " that was the way it was on the music scene now" by my lecturer! .Being the only mature student in the class I realised something was going on that was very wrong and reeked of exploitation.

  I think Venue owners and so called promoters are the guilty parties here and young bands desperate to play gigs are also under valuing themselves by letting this happen though I have found out that many do it through fear of being discarded from the scene altogether and this fear is from these promoters who do nothing to actually promote the gigs and take most of the money for themselves and the venue owners.

  OK things have changed in 20 years but one thing for me as a musician is and always will be is that I provide a service and expect to get paid for it and who ever books me it is their responsibility to sell the tickets and promote the show through advertising .

  Pubs have to have an audience to pay bands they make the money over the bar and should have a budget for entertainment set aside to pay the band the same as they have to pay their bar staff ,cleaner etc . and bands need to steer clear of pay to play venues and promoters not only for their own good but for the good of all musicians who are fed up with people always assuming because they are musicians they can get them for a knocked down price or get them to pay to play . It is time for all musicians to stand up for their rights next time you do a pay to play gig think of the other musicians you are damaging and just say NO

• Mary Kathleen Burke replied on 24 Apr 2012 at 10:08
  

  As a professional musician for many years I was shocked and saddened at the state of the Glasgow music scene and the gross exploitation of musicians where I started my singing career . I was getting paid more 20 years ago in Glasgow venues than some of the bands today ,there was no promoters as the pubs were normally busy then and of course there was no internet so you called the pub gave them your details handed in a cassette or demo most of the places I played gave me a residency so I was working Fri afternoon in one venue , Fri Night in another and the same Sat and Sunday I made £80 per gig so I was making nearly £500 per week just on weekend gigs .

  I came across Pay to play while studying for an HNC in Musical performance and promotion in 2006 and without realising it at first we had to sell 30 tickets each and all the money went to the venue I remember being reprimanded for not doing well with the ticket sales and was told " that was the way it was on the music scene now" by my lecturer! .Being the only mature student in the class I realised something was going on that was very wrong and reeked of exploitation.

  I think Venue owners and so called promoters are the guilty parties here and young bands desperate to play gigs are also under valuing themselves by letting this happen though I have found out that many do it through fear of being discarded from the scene altogether and this fear is from these promoters who do nothing to actually promote the gigs and take most of the money for themselves and the venue owners.

  OK things have changed in 20 years but one thing for me as a musician is and always will be is that I provide a service and expect to get paid for it and who ever books me it is their responsibility to sell the tickets and promote the show through advertising .

  Pubs have to have an audience to pay bands they make the money over the bar and should have a budget for entertainment set aside to pay the band the same as they have to pay their bar staff ,cleaner etc . and bands need to steer clear of pay to play venues and promoters not only for their own good but for the good of all musicians who are fed up with people always assuming because they are musicians they can get them for a knocked down price or get them to pay to play . It is time for all musicians to stand up for their rights next time you do a pay to play gig think of the other musicians you are damaging and just say NO

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