the financial reality of original music

now playing: the olympics


i thought i'd relay a conversation that took place today via "reply to all" email between myself, keyboardist extraordinnaire diamond dave minnich, and phoenixville expatriate charlie degenhart:

charlie:
(attached to an email discussing potential philadelphia-area dates in october, including the famously frugal grape street pub...)

just a heads-up, boys!
i'll keep ya posted!
your pal,
charlie


diamond dave:

cool man

are we playin' for money or a hamburger? :)

hope you're havin' a great summer!

diamon'



yours truly:


hey, dave....

he's talkin' about the Grape here - i think you'd better bring your own hamburger, man.



and this, truly, is the nature of playing your own songs on this level of the food chain...it's ironic that this cyber-conversation happened on the same day that my beloved white trash, trailer park, classic rock cover band was booked for a new years' eve gig for a thousand bucks.

i can go play american band and sweet home alabama for eighty-five bucks an hour, or i can go out and play original music for....

...a hamburger.


these are both paths that i'm walking at the same time right now - i committed to at least one charlie gig on 10/29, and i've officially joined nik everett's band as well, and neither of these situations are going to make me rich, but they scratch an itch that isn't going to be scratched otherwise.