Welcome to a new era for musicians.

Here's a quick note to get things started!

[I'm actually on my way to the regular, Wednesday night steering committee meeting, but felt like this blog was a little lonely]

A QUICK INTRO

A long time ago - until the late seventies - a musician could play seven club dates a month and cover all of their expenses for the month. Musicians were employees of the venue, which took care of the promotions. Clubs built their reputations and clientele on great music and great house bands.

A bizarre loophole in legislation changed all that: Despite providing a service, musicians were now exempt from minimum wage laws of any kind.

Fast forward thirty years. Imagine that service providers in a club - bartender, server, janitor, dishwasher, etc - would be expected to:

- bring their own equipment
- do a majority of the venue's advertising with their own resources
- bring the venue a majority of its customers.
- assume a majority of the financial risk
- go home without pay if the venue isn't well attended

It would be considered unreasonable, even ludicrous for any service provider - except for a musician. In that case, it's not only okay, it's not only expected, but some people, even musicians, adamantly oppose it being any different.

We are going to change that. Musicians are contracted to provide high-quality music for a specific duration: that's a service like any other in a club.

There's far more information at our main web site:
http://www.fairpaytoplay.com