Vixen Of The Violin: The Anna Phoebe Column (No. 10)
This week, Anna Phoebe escapes to Berlin and uncovers some musical gems. She also looks at the whole idea of bands doing post-gig meet and greets, and asks if musicians should be allowed to make money from their art? Click here to read previous columns from Anna.
With the second week of Roxy Music rehearsals over, I’ve sneaked away to my hideaway in Berlin for a week! Just having breakfast listening to old records – currently playing Rolling Stones’ Love You Live recorded in Paris and Toronto 1976-1977.
I found an amazing secondhand shop around the corner from my flat where I bought a huge bag of records for about 10 euros, and this baby was in it – complete with artwork by Andy Warhol. Nice! Next to be played include ZZ Top’s AfterBurner, T.Rex’s Solid Gold and Ike & Tina Turner, from the Italian collection of La Grande Storia del Rock.
On the flight over here I was reading the new Classic Rock issue. The letters page is usually something I glance over and then move on, but this time I actually read all of them; among the letters were a few complaining about Kiss’s entrepreneurial spirit when it comes to the business of music. One complained about Bad Company’s disappointingly short set and that it wasn’t value for money, and interestingly enough there were two who defended Aerosmith’s high ticket prices. It seems that when it comes to live shows, ‘good value for money’ is dependent on not only the quality of the band, but also the production of the stage show, the length of set and the cost of the tickets.
The Trans-Siberian Orchestra, a band that I’ve been part of for the last six years is an excellent example of business model where they pitch everything just right – the tickets are cheap when compared with other arena acts, the lighting/stage rig is one of the biggest in the world (in fact, we use the same production team as Kiss, Motley Crue, Aerosmith, etc.) the length of set is just under three hours and we do a free meet and greet at the end of every show. What audience member could ask for more?
Trans-Siberian Orchestra is probably the only arena act which does the free meet and greet at the end of the show – the band come off stage, we have time to shower and change, and then we head up to the upper levels of the arena where they set up tables and chairs for us to sit. The audience (sometimes thousands) will stand in line to come and say hello. We give out autographs, accept gifts, take photos and sign merchandise for up to an hour. Yes, it is exhausting when you come off stage; often the only place you want to go to is straight to your bunk and curl up asleep. However, no matter how tired you are, meeting the fans who support your career is one of the most rewarding parts of the job, and can be an incredibly humbling experience.
Paul Stanley is attacked for saying that they’re too tired for a meet and greet after the shows. I can sympathise. Running around an arena stage for over two hours is exhausting, especially after a couple of months on the road. But I think it is despicable to say you’re too tired to meet anyone after the show unless they spend lots of money for the privilege. The most rewarding fans you meet after the show are exactly the ones who could never afford it.
I was pleasantly surprised by the two letters which defended Aerosmith’s high ticket prices for the O2 Arena show in London on June 15. Al from Edinburgh wrote: ‘Going to see gigs has been a huge part of my life since 1975 and I’m not complaining about high prices – it’s all about your priorities. The day rock or metal becomes some altruistic art form pandering to the greedy, lazy herd will be a sad day indeed!’ Quite right too!
The music industry has reverted back to the 70s where money has to be made from touring live since everyone expects recorded music to come for free. But this expectation that creative people should produce art simply for the love of it is not a new argument. The phrase ‘Ars Gratia Artis’ comes from the Romans, translating as ‘art is its own reward’. It’s been floating around in various guises ever since as an excuse to exploit creative people, by paying them as little as possible (or nothing) for producing art/literature/music.
Most musicians would agree that you don’t go into the music business because it will make you rich; you play music because it’s the only thing you can ever imagine doing. However, once you’ve accepted this ‘golden ball and chain’ and you find yourself part of the music industry, it is nice to make a bit of cash and earn a respectable living. And if you can combine being a musician with being a sensible business person, good for you! Kiss are a band of excellent entrepreneurs. Love or hate them, they know about marketing, about branding and about selling, and are not ashamed to flaunt it to its full potential.
Footballers and the football industry probably make far more money than the music industry here in the UK. Football fans don’t expect to get their entertainment fix for free – they spend hundreds (if not thousands) per year on satellite subscriptions to sport channels, on season tickets to clubs, and on the latest kit. And after 90 minutes on the football pitch, no-one expects the footballers to turn up for a meet and greet. Footballers play football for the love of the game, and yet nobody expects to be entertained by them for free. Why should music fans’ expectations be any different?
Right. Unpaid hours of violin practice beckon.
AP x
Inspiration Track of The Week: Rolling Stones You Can’t Always Get What You Want
greed is good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
is it? who needs gene simmons houses cars multi million industry , i lost interest in most of the music “buisness”when tshirts cost more than ticket prices,(around 1985?)
anyhow i think most people are happy with getting there money worths,be it what it may ,as rock stars age u get that old people playing music,u are not going to get 3 hour shows , but u should get full on show ,prime example “motorhead” have a leadre /singer whho is nearly 65 ,but you get the same energy from him as you 30 years ago.no gimmicks just straight at you rock ‘ n roll , for 20 quid, way it up ?or pay close to 200 quidto roger waters doing the wall?
and you mor chance or catching phill cambell or ian kiliminster,in the boozer after a show and to have a good bullshit with(done that!)
Damn straight…I enjoy my job as well, but I also enjoy being paid for it so I can afford to do the things I like, such as going to concerts. The more we continue to devalue music, the less important it will be to our culture, our schools, and our development as human beings. Here in the US, school music and art programs are constantly being cut because it’s the first and easiest place to chop away when budgets are tight.
There is no way I could ever repay the musicians (including KISS and TSO) for the enjoyment, memories, and magic they have brought to my life…purchasing a ticket or a CD seems a small token to give back to them a bit of what they have given me.
I agree with what Anne is saying up to a point. What she hasn’t tackled is the Bad Company bad value for money kick. A superstar like Paul Rodgers trades on his affinity for and with his fans, yet gives them barely an hour for £75? not good. I would never compare him with a pop band like Bon Jovi, but my wife went to see them, paid £60.00 and got over 2 1/2 hours, value for money? yes. I paid just £18.00 to see the mighty UFO at Middlesbrough town hall and got a great show lasting an hour and 3/4 with all favourites plus new stuff, plus Phil Moggs crazy wit! value for money? absolutely. Paul Rodgers? have a serous word with yourself.
Footballers do not play football for the love of the game. Its all about the money – especially in England. Let’s see how well England do this summer. Probably will just make the 1/4 finals – no commitment! Don’t put Rock fans in the same category as Football Fans. They are mugs if the want to pay those prices!
However, Download are now selling day tickets. So I can now see Aerosmith for £80 which is still high! This release of day tickets will be due to poor tickets sales – and not out of the kindness of the heart of the promoter!
I’m more than happy to pay good money for a good show. That being said, anyone who rationalizes being fleeced by 60 year old multi-millionaires is a fool and deserves to be parted from their money.
I must admit that value for money matters to me. That might be a bit soulless, but I’m not a must see at any price individual. There is that once in a lifetime thing, but even then there are limits. I can’t imagine paying about £120 to see Aerosmith (including fees), or perhaps £140 with traveling when that can buy a weekend’s entertainment at some festivals. But, if people are willing to pay it, then it’s their decision and their fans.
Relatively wealthy musicians have only appeared relatively recently in modern, western, society. Until the 20th century, if you were a musician, then about the only way you would make any money is through the of patronage of the rich and powerful. The players of music to the common people, traveling troubadours and the like, only scraped by. What made a few such musicians in the 20th century wealthy was the techniques of mass production and modern retailing to exploit their common appeal (something which Simon Cowell knows all about). The appearance of films, recorded music, broadcast TV and so on provided means to some to make massive sums concentrated in relatively few hands. Of course a further shift in technology has changed the game again.
nb. as Anna is dropping back to Latin, then we ought to try and rehabilitate that word, amateur, which is so often used as a term of abuse. The root of the word is amator, or lover. An amateur is someone who does things for the love of it, not a synonym for an incompetent.