Thanks For Putting Me Out Of Work.

Disclaimer: This is my blog and as such I reserve the right to rant occasionally. I’ve been having a bad week, and have 6 more on the way, and have therefore chosen to exercise that right. I’m pissed off and I want to bitch about it. That being said, what I outline below is not necessarily the only cause of my frustrations, but I honestly believe it’s a big indirect cause, or a contributing factor if you will. I know it’s easy to blame the labels for putting out crap no one wants to listen to, and they did abuse the power to do so, but that doesn’t make it right for people to steal music. Musicians and their crew need to eat and feed their families. I will also go on record and say that I’ve paid for every song I’ve ever downloaded (aren’t I an angel?) and I use iTunes for free podcasts (which are insanely addictive). I still buy cd’s of the music I like… I’m stuck in the 90s I guess… I’m so perfect I make myself sick… Don’t worry – I’ll slap myself if you don’t do it first… Anyways, let’s move on to my rant.

 

 

I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank all those who have illegally downloaded music over the last couple of years. By trying to save yourselves a little bit of money, you have put touring bands and their crews, people like me, out of work. Sure, you only downloaded a couple cd’s worth of material, that’s not too big a deal, is it? You can go on believing that if it makes you feel better, but the roof over my head is leaking.

 

It’s easy to say that sales are up these days with online stores such as iTunes leading the way, and maybe the future isn’t so bleak, maybe the industry got past the whole Napster thing. Or not.

 

Here are some numbers to crunch, rounded off for the sake of easy math. The average music sale a few years ago was probably $15. If you wanted one song, you bought the album for $15. Now you can buy just the single for less than $1. The problem is the industry was working with budgets that were based on $15 sales. Maybe more music is sold today, but with sales of $1 each, the labels have to sell 15 times as much product to maintain their level of spending. This obviously isn’t happening, so corners have to be cut. Corners like tour support.

 

Bands can’t afford to tour and support themselves. It’s near impossible. Figure the cost of gas, maybe 2 tanks a day ($100), the rental van ($100/day) or bus ($1000/day), maybe 2 hotel rooms on a good day ($200/day), food, phone bills, instrument maintenance, a crew member or two... For one week on the road you’re hitting a few thousand dollars right off the top and this is a pretty basic, beginner level scenario. “The band is playing to make money” you say? $200 a night for an opening act or small club tour doesn’t pay bills. “But they sold 50,000 records!” You know what, because of the way deals are structured, the band is lucky if they ever come close to seeing 8% of the revenue generated from sales. In Canada you have to sell 100,000 records before you see any money, and over 1,000,000 records in the US. You’re either a full-on rock star or you’re not. No middle ground. This is why record labels provide tour support, so bands can go and play their hearts out for you, have a budget to put on a decent show (sound and lights aren’t free) and have the crew to do it.

 

If the labels aren’t making money to provide this support, the bands have to cut back, if they can even afford to tour at all. Two years ago, and even last year at this time, I had 25+ days of work a month, the prime touring season. Now I can’t find one day to save my life. So, where do you think those cuts are being made?

 

Hi, my name is Tom.

 

And, if you have a second, look in a mirror. Your chances of finding good live entertainment are disappearing fast. And that music you love to listen to? Enjoy it while it lasts. No one can afford to make a new record anymore.