Andrew Wilshusen isn't afraid to say what's on his mind. Sometimes the truth ain't pretty. Here's an excerpt from a recent post that discusses some of the negative sides of performance.
Performing by drumming in public is a pain in the ass that only fellow musicians can understand. First, you have to convince a venue to let you play there. Then you have to try to coordinate a time and place to get other musicians together to practice. Then you have to hope a miracle happens and that those musicians show up in time to make use of practice, as musicians are seemingly always running late. Unless the practice is taking place at my home, I have to get to the practice space, which requires: packing up my drums; loading them in my car; driving to the place; unloading my drums; setting up; waiting for everyone else to show up, set their stuff up and probably stop drinking and/or smoking weed; practicing; tearing down my drums; loading them in the car; driving home and unloading my car. This all must be repeated for every practice as well as the gig itself. I’ve driven to venues up to 6 hours away on several occasions, and have had to haul my drums ¼ mile to get them to and from the gig. At the gig itself: the room generally sounds horrible and is filled with smoke; the soundman, if any, usually has no idea what they’re doing; you almost never get paid enough to cover the gas it cost to get there; if there is any audience (usually limited to the bartender and the other bands playing that night, although they often show up late for their set and leave immediately afterward. Not to mention they often are unbearable to listen to…), most seem to not care about what you’re doing whatsoever which really makes one ponder why waste all this time doing it. After the gig, you have to listen to everyone’s bullshit opinions (usually consisting of them lying to your face) about your music, which is probably the worst part of it all as far as I’m concerned.I hope he doesn't mind that I posted this. It struck a chord with me. I can't say that I've never felt bitter, hurt or annoyed. This thing known as artistic expression has a lot of appendages. Sometimes spitting it out, and letting the duck be a duck (so to speak) is the only thing to do.
For those who don't know, Andrew is also an accomplished improv drummer. Check out this solo where he only uses a ride cymbal and his hands.
2 comments:
Yeah, tell me about it.
I played a show last weekend and was more or less thrilled (and surprised) 'cause I made $40.
Let's break this down:
Time
- 30 minutes driving time
- 1 hour waiting to start playing
- 1 hour playing
- 3 hours waiting to haul my stuff away
- 5 hours making posters for the show (including distribution)
- unknown amount of time creating and practicing music
Cost
- 20 miles = $10 in gas (I have a van 'cause it will fit my drums and keyboards and amps)
- a few beers for myself and a couple drinks for friends = $20
Total
- spent $30, made $40 = $10 total
- split $10 by 10.5 hours = $0.95/hour (that doesn't include time spent booking the show and contacting appropriate parties)
$1/hour?!
That sucks, especially 'cause it doesn't include the years of "free time" learning and perfecting my music, nor the money I spent studying music and buying equipment (a minimum of $6,000), nor the money spent on "practice space", nor the physical effort involved, nor the fact that I usually make no money at a show.
So while I am, by most accounts, at least skilled-enough to do what I do well-enough, I still only managed to make 1/6 of the federal minimum wage ($6/hour?).
Why am I doing this? I would make better money begging on the street.
Um, I always hear successful people say that if you just keep doing it, it will come. The problem is that we only hear from the successful people . . . what do the people who kept doing and didn't succeed have to say? No one knows, 'cause they're not successful, and therefore are virtually invisible.
Part of the "problem" has got to be the over saturation of musicians and performance outlets. There is just not enough audience to go around. Too many venues, too many bands, too many media outlets in general. The old model is outdated. It's time for someone to try it a different way.
It least that's how it seems to me.
Post a Comment