I moved to another state to play with a band last year. I don't receive any money playing with this gig. I knew this going into it but I was really using it as a stepping stone and to play music in a good market. This band has been playing for 10+ years and all of the other members have good jobs so the lack of band income isn't hurting them at all. The rhythm section is new and the bass player makes 70,000 per year so he doesn't care about not getting paid (really it's more of a hobby for him anyway considering he can't play out of town gigs during the week). Everyone that I've told about my role and arrangement with the band says that they'd get out or demand compensation. The only money that I ever see is paid hotel and maybe a meal or two when we're on the road and as you guys know, sticks and heads are not cheap. We're in the process of recording an album and playing shows here and there but I've recently lost my job so my money situation is getting REALLY crucial. I don't really want to leave the band but I'm getting offers to play with PAYING bands in the area.
The thing that gets me is that the lead singer is a really good business person. He handles all of our finances and books all of our gigs. In the 9 months that I've been in this band I've never heard anything about actually being a real member of the band, signed anything, or recently anything to do with my involvement of the record we're recording. The band isn't exactly making much money and they're in debt from recording but they all know that I'm not working and getting behind on bills. I just don't understand. If a member of my band needed money I'd try to help in some form. I've even told them that I'd be willing to sleep in the van and pay for my own food on the road and they can give me whatever after we play gigs.
I kinda slipped this into the conversation with one of the founding members of the band the other day. I asked him how many drummers this band has had and he said I was the 13th! Can you believe that? Insane right?
Do you guys have any advice for me? I don't know what I should do. I'm about to say screw it, quit, and possibly move. One guy said that I should get them to acknowledge me as a hired gun and not a member of the band so they'd pay me for recording the album. What do you think?
The thing that gets me is that the lead singer is a really good business person. He handles all of our finances and books all of our gigs. In the 9 months that I've been in this band I've never heard anything about actually being a real member of the band, signed anything, or recently anything to do with my involvement of the record we're recording. The band isn't exactly making much money and they're in debt from recording but they all know that I'm not working and getting behind on bills. I just don't understand. If a member of my band needed money I'd try to help in some form. I've even told them that I'd be willing to sleep in the van and pay for my own food on the road and they can give me whatever after we play gigs.
I kinda slipped this into the conversation with one of the founding members of the band the other day. I asked him how many drummers this band has had and he said I was the 13th! Can you believe that? Insane right?
Do you guys have any advice for me? I don't know what I should do. I'm about to say screw it, quit, and possibly move. One guy said that I should get them to acknowledge me as a hired gun and not a member of the band so they'd pay me for recording the album. What do you think?