Should we take this gig? Don't want to sell out.

dmusician

My good buddies and I are planning on making music full time with our band, while we’re still young and have the time to do so. Due to our plans, we’ve all had to make sacrifices and basically spend more money for studio time, and trying to rack up as many gigs as possible to get our name out there. Our band plays original compositions that can be categorized under the nu-metal and alternative rock genre, so there’s somewhat of an image to uphold.

Following this trail of thought, money has been tight lately with the expenses of getting some much needed recording sessions at this local studio in town. Our bassist’s girlfriend recently set us up for a gig that pays really well, and we’re only required to play for at least an hour for an event. The only problem is that it’s for this foreign affair matchmaker company, and they want us to play acoustic covers, along with other popular songs that are just not our style. Should we go for it? I don’t want us to sell out, but we badly need the cash if we wanna make this work out.

StupidLikeAFox

Play it under a different band name?

DJTrump

Genuine question: How exactly are you ‘selling out’? You said you ‘are planning on making music full time’ so it sounds like you’re just starting out? You have no fan base, no one knows your band’s name, and no actual music even released; three of the key ingredients required before you can even be classed as a ‘sell-out’ if lol. Don’t turn down hard cash, do the gig, you don’t even need to mention a band name & the next day people won’t even remember what songs you sang let alone who or what band you’re from! Everyone wins

K.Flyer

Absolutely do the gig, take the money and run.
Then laugh over it later when you are putting the cash to good use.

Are you the drummer?


The Velvet Underground (11 December 1965)

Lou Reed and his gang performed their first gig at a New Jersey high school. The three songs chosen were “There She Goes”, “Venus in Furs” and, erm, “Heroin”. Safe to say parents were not best impressed. Neither was drummer Angus MacLise who quit in protest at the band “selling out” after they accepted $75 payment. Doh!

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/remembering-the-gloriously-horrendous-first-gigs-of-the-worlds-biggest-bands-a6881231.html

Liam McPoyle

dmusician wrote: »

My good buddies and I are planning on making music full time with our band, while we’re still young and have the time to do so. Due to our plans, we’ve all had to make sacrifices and basically spend more money for studio time, and trying to rack up as many gigs as possible to get our name out there. Our band plays original compositions that can be categorized under the nu-metal and alternative rock genre, so there’s somewhat of an image to uphold.

Following this trail of thought, money has been tight lately with the expenses of getting some much needed recording sessions at this local studio in town. Our bassist’s girlfriend recently set us up for a gig that pays really well, and we’re only required to play for at least an hour for an event. The only problem is that it’s for this foreign affair matchmaker company, and they want us to play acoustic covers, along with other popular songs that are just not our style. Should we go for it? I don’t want us to sell out, but we badly need the cash if we wanna make this work out.

This is probably my favourite post on Boards of the last 12 months.

Rock on young man, rock on.

:pac::D

Noodle Scratcher

I don’t think I could bring myself to do it! What kind of crap would you be playing? There must be better ways of getting cash. We used to mop floors.

2cool4school

Noodle Scratcher wrote: »

We used to mop floors.

...and what are ye doing now?

IMO selling out only becomes an issue if you actually have a fanbase.

Bonzo Delaney

Hold face by doing the covers in your own unique style
Fyi selling out dose'nt come in to play untill you insult the majority of your fan base
I've always compared hard working bands to girls who work as strippers to put themselves through med school.
Ya gotta do what you gotta do.
Rock on.

Noodle Scratcher

2cool4school wrote: »

...and what are ye doing now?

Am..mopping floors...

Pete Moss

Original bands get shafted by bars, venues and promoters in this country and most others. They offer little to no payment for a band, no matter how long or well the band plays. Even if you pack a venue with whatever fan base you have starting off, the venue will state they're offering you 'exposure' to get your music out there, while they have packed tills from your pre-existing fans.

In the current music climate, one of the only ways a new band can get their hands on a reasonable income and some start-up cash to fund the band is by taking some cover gigs.
It’s more of a means to an end to keep the original band ticking over than selling out, so there's no shame in that. That said, try avoid the pitfall of cover gigs/rehearsals taking too much time away from the original band.

"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." - Hunter S Thompson

Wanderer78

'selling out', always hated that term, an element of ego is attached to it, all bands sell out, as soon as they sign their first contract, their first gig etc etc, it's part and parcel of the industry, fcuk it, it's a gig, and you d never know what opportunities it may create. Best of luck

Reati

dmusician wrote: »

. Our band plays original compositions that can be categorized under the nu-metal and alternative rock genre, so there’s somewhat of an image to uphold.

Actually, no there isn't. That's your own ego in your head. No one will know or care. It's like me saying I won't listen to Slipknot because Corey Taylor once sang kids show theme songs on an acoustic set and was paid! That's not metal...

dmusician wrote: »

. I don’t want us to sell out, but we badly need the cash if we wanna make this work out.

Honestly, if you want make it you'll have to sell out a lot worse than this on the the road to success. You can have all the Principles you want then.

machiavellianme

Why not do it and throw an acoustic version of one of your own compositions in the mix. Say nothing and see if anyone even notices. There's so many songs in the world and no one knows them all so they'd be none the wiser. However if your tune is any good, your subliminally implanting it in their heads so when you go on to world domination, they'll already know and recognise it.

Besides, almost every nu metal /alt band has a few covers in their repertoire,from the mighty machinehead and korn to.... erm, limp bizkit...

Wanderer78

machiavellianme wrote:

Why not do it and throw an acoustic version of one of your own compositions in the mix. Say nothing and see if anyone even notices. There's so many songs in the world and no one knows them all so they'd be none the wiser. However if your tune is any good, your subliminally implanting it in their heads so when you go on to world domination, they'll already know and recognise it.

Acoustic version, that's a nice idea

Heckler

Play away. Money is money.

I play in a band but we couldn't do that kind of gig. Not because we'd be opposed to the idea but we never practiced any acoustic/cover songs.

Print off a bunch of small flyers for your band and drop them on tables/bar counters after the gig.

Undervalued

I’d be more worried about the bass players girlfriend than selling out

Heckler

Also a nu-metal, alternative band playing covers at a corporate shindig ? I'd pay to see that. The suits are gonna be coked and drunk. Take the coin.

dmusician

DJTrump wrote: »

Genuine question: How exactly are you ‘selling out’? You said you ‘are planning on making music full time’ so it sounds like you’re just starting out? You have no fan base, no one knows your band’s name, and no actual music even released; three of the key ingredients required before you can even be classed as a ‘sell-out’ if lol. Don’t turn down hard cash, do the gig, you don’t even need to mention a band name & the next day people won’t even remember what songs you sang let alone who or what band you’re from! Everyone wins

I'm scared we might not pull off the gig if we play songs that's not on our genre. We don't want to disappoint clients and guests

Ursus Horribilis

Take the money and run

dmusician

Heckler wrote: »

Play away. Money is money.

I play in a band but we couldn't do that kind of gig. Not because we'd be opposed to the idea but we never practiced any acoustic/cover songs.

Print off  a bunch of small flyers for your band and drop them on tables/bar counters after the gig.

this sounds like a good idea. we'll consider it

eviltimeban

Ha! The things we used to do... a battle of the bands where we had to do a Bon Jovi cover... once we played an acoustic gig on Culture Night in the National Gallery restaurant, while people were eating. It was getting very Flight of the Conchords by that stage. Endless gigs to no one, for no money. If there was a sniff of cash we'd have taken it!

Do the gig. Take the money. Get some experience recording good demos. Keep writing songs. Don't worry about expensive gear - if you can sound good on cheap guitars then you're away.

And don't stress about this kind of stuff. Because this time next year you'll have probably broken up anyway and it won't matter.

listermint

Wants to make money playing music for a living.

Doesn't want to take money playing music for a living.




..

endacl

You know all those bands you like, OP? That you paid money to see? Bought a tshirt? Or, less likely these days, of course, an album?

Sellouts. Every one.

endacl

dmusician wrote: »

this sounds like a good idea. we'll consider it

Don’t print flyers! Flyers is advertising and advertising is commercial and commercial is selling out!!!!

:eek:

CaptainPants

In a world in which hardly anybody pays money for music any more, I dont think 'selling out' is such a bad thing. I mean if you were playing private gigs for a dictator or something, fair enough, but otherwise, more power to you.

eviltimeban

"Selling out" used to be a thing when indie labels / DIY labels were functioning and releasing records and sustaining bands' careers. They were the antitheses and enemy of the major labels, who were all about "corporate suits" and making money over making art.

It's not really like that any more. Most of the indie labels are now owned by the majors, which are generally all owned by Universal. There's a few indie labels out there, but even they have major label distribution deals, to get their product into the shops. You think albums just get featured / reviewed or played on the radio just like that? Nope, it's all about paying for promotion. That money has to come from somewhere. So less financial backing = less promo = less exposure = less fans.

Sure, you can be totally DIY if you won't to do any of that - set up an account with an aggregator, like Distrokid, which will allow you to release your music on Spotify, iTunes etc for about $30 a year. However if you want to press CDs or vinyl you'll be spending a lot of money, and record shops won't take your product unless you go through a distributor.

dense

With respect, don't take yourselves too seriously.



If you're enjoying what you're doing do it. Don't be making up reasons not to.
Sometimes others know better, sometimes they dont.


As someone suggested earlier, do it under a different name, use it as another learning experience on the road to fame and pocket the fee.

It's good to experience different things and even better to be paid for the privilege.