Ever wondered what your fave bands got paid for playing live back in the 1970s?

ed what your fave bands got paid for playing live back in the 1970s?

In the process of researching a forthcoming one-off special-edition magazine titled Classic Rock Presents… The Great Rock Festivals, we came across a dog-eared piece of paper headed ‘Musicians’ Payments & Contracts Reading 1974′.

It lists the fees paid to the bands who appeared at the 1974 Reading Festival, and it makes very interesting reading.

With the exception of Traffic, Procol Harum and Alex Harvey, all the bands’ fees were below £1,000 – with the mighty Thin Lizzy notching a mere 75 big ones!

Here’s the lowdown in full:

Friday
Alex Harvey – £1,000
Fumble – £100
10cc – £750
Camel – £200
Beckett – £50
Hustler – £50
Johnny Mars – £50
Chilli Willi – £35
Nutz – £25

Saturday
Traffic – £5,000
Sutherland Brothers – £300
Greenslade – £250
Heavy Metal Kids – £50
John Baldry – £150
Thin Lizzy – £75
Georgie Fame – £150
JSO – £100
Procol Harum – £1,750
Trapeze – £50
GT Moore – £75
Jack The Lad – £50

No word on the Sunday line-up (whose main attractions were Focus and Eric Burdon) but we doubt if the monies paid differed by much.

Is it surprising that many old rockers are on their uppers these days? Judging by what they got paid for playing live back in the day, we think not.

Classic Rock Presents… The Great Rock Festivals, a one-off special-edition magazine, is one sale on June 4.