question....

[FuK-NuT]

Actually....

Cost of working your way through the scene, buying equipment, giving years of your life often for not much reward, paying for releases, travel and feeding yourself on the 'road' = priceless.

Cost of practicing, spending time emailing agents, promoters, preparing demo's, vetting promo's and doing enough self promotion to ensure people turn up for your gigs and bother to support releases = at least 3 hours per day EVERY day, again - the cost is almost impossible to measure, but in relation to an average gig - it's about 2 days worth of time, at say, a cheap wage (normally at least £25 per hour but we'll call it £15) = £160

Time spent travelling to venue and back and including time spent hanging around at venue or hotel, soundcheck, meeting promoters, possibly doing interviews etc is roughly 24 hours or more at the same rate is about £360

So the basic logistical cost minus usual expenses - taxi (which promoters normally always claim they will reimburse but don't) food (again normally skipped due to promoters wasting time or having to organise themselves or in worst case senario simply 'choosing records to play their own set) is about £520 for one DJ who is in the same ball park as most DJs and liveacts I know.

With expenses, it's often at least another 50 notes, which is why I don't bother playing a lot of DJ sets for people when they try to 'negotiate' or try to avoid dealing with our agent (we use a good agent - not an agency and she doesn't charge bit agent fees or whatnot - she just makes sure dates don't clash, gigs tie in with releases so that there's plenty of hype for the promoters to buy into and similar - she also acts as a buffer because if some little cunt thinks they are going to try and take the piss, normally our temptation is to tell them we are going to set fire to their house)

I already do a lot of voluntary work for people far more deserving than your average clubber, so I don't see why I should put myself out of pocket for people that can on average spend £100 quid or more on drugs, drinks, taxis, fags etc on an average night....

Running a nightclub isn't a ****ing charity - if you really want to do a good service for the people, go and volunteer at a nursing home or a homeless unit or go work with some orphans or put on entertainment for kids who have nothing !!!!!

But don't turn round to professionals - cap in hand and make them feel bad for charging you less than the value of their work to do a job for you.

fully aware of this man as ive put time in myself...

not out to do bad here and my cap was no where near my hand and empty. just think agents
need to do a bit more research when negotiating, listening wouldnt go a miss either instead of
just putting a flat rate uk price on it, how does this help the little guy? i aint selling my house or arse to bring anyone in techno to scotland. ;)

[qUE]

fully aware of this man as ive put time in myself...

not out to do bad here and my cap was no where near my hand and empty. just think agents
need to do a bit more research when negotiating, listening wouldnt go a miss either instead of
just putting a flat rate uk price on it, how does this help the little guy? i aint selling my house or arse to bring anyone in techno to scotland. ;)

Good to see it's not just about money ;)

Thing is I wonder if it would be any different booking say any of the Sativae lot? Not that you'd want to book Dave Tarrida, last time I saw him I got very bored very quickly, mind you may be different if he was playing Scotland rather than poncey London.

[AVX23]

Not to have a dig at you personally Chris, was a bit sweary so I apologise.

Point still stands, and re: the Sativa guys - you'd probably find they were of similar minds, I had a similar chat with one of them a while about this sort of thing but won't speak for them.

Sometimes it's a bit of an unspoken thing - but to make it real simple, in the world we live in - stuff costs money, like it or not, that's what we have right now, and if you prefer alternatives then more power to you - go make merry in the free-party scene or whatnot - I hear it's great fun ;) And I mean that sincerely.

But as far as asking grown adults, with responsibilities and lifes to maintain, then it's a bit different and the least you can expect is someone's gonna ask you for what they think they are worth, if you can't match it - there's no point greetin about it.

Might seem boring, but it's a take it or leave it deal usually, the people you are asking don't need the exposure, they've probably had years of people taking advantage of them and have a buisness to run which will normally continue whether you book them or not...

[FuK-NuT]

all good man....just venting a bit fraustration, i know shit aint gona change.

as for swamping it up...no ta, had my fill of that aswell. ;)