Steel Players In Recession..??? How Did Affect You?

Damir Besic · From: Nashville,TN.

since we are now officialy in recession ( I knew that 2 years ago) , I would like to see how are steel players affected by that. Did you get hit hard? lost some gigs? had to sell your steel to pay electric bill?... I have my name on refferal web site thru wich few years ago I got stady pickin` work, now since I posted again about 2 months ago, I didn`t get a one single call...

Db Crying or Very sad

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Mike Cass · Posted 14 Jul 2008 12:16 am

Well, I cant afford to drive to and from Mt. Pleasant Tx anymore......

Antolina · From: Dunkirk NY

I won't be going to the convention this year.
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Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

with all due respect, an OFFICIAL recession has not been reached, negative multiple quarters, but forgetting that, anyone who has been laid off and out of work for some time with no income has been in there own private recession . Any of us who are perhaps trying to make a go of it with LESS are now in a position where that may not be possible. Fuel prices pretty much in my view effect the lower earners more than the mid to higher earner because we all buy the same gasoline. I did a gig this past weekend 60 miles away, it cost me $25 in gas round trip, sure I got paid $135 which made it ok but all in all at the end of the day I hate it ! We may not be in an official recession, I suspect we may go right past that and head closer to a depression with fuel getting totally out of hand and banks not able to keep the doors open. It's not just us musicians, we are seeing this across all businesses now and it will only get worse as the cost of fuel rises.

But.., the club I played in Hickory NC sat night, Wayno's Silver Bullet, it was jam packed. Easily 400 people, no room to stand, sit or dance ! Maybe as things get worse the good ole days of live music for entertainment will become #1 again!

tp

Bill Duncan · From: Lenoir, North Carolina, USA

Hi Tony,
I live in the Hickory, NC area,(Lenoir), and it is fairly tough economicaly. In the Lenoir area, which used to be the furniture capitol of the world, there are empty factories all around. Textiles have also gone away.

I am a consulting engineer and last year I stayed in hotels 300 nights, work was great! I've worked only four weeks so far this year. I do have some things on the horizon though, and hopefully they will materialize.

I'm happy to find you are from Charlotte. From what I hear the Charlotte area isn't so hard hit.
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Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

Tony, you may be right.
They say in the first/last/big depression, speak-easys did well, as people more than ever wanted to go out, drink, dance, and forget.

I haven't heard how musicians fared in that era.
But then, it was a depression.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Hey Bill, I think the Charlotte area has been in a Country Music depression for years ! Other than a few clubs here and there which have Country bands NOW and THEN, along with the Legions and Moose joints,you would be hard pressed to find any club or band playing only traditional CW, unless they are playing for free, ..or less Sad

I liked the Silver Bullet but it was just way to friggin' loud, the house system and DJ system were killin' us. I'm not sure the band went over all that well as it is really about the front man and his original songs ,Brett Greer, he's not well known and the rest of the set list isn't strong enough yet for a balls to the wall dance club. Bretts really good and his songs are really good, but a club like this wants a rockin' set list , 9:30 to 1:30..no pause...

Come on down to Charlotte, I'll lend you $4 for gas so you can get back home !

tp

Scott Henderson · From: Camdenton, Missouri, USA

The lake area pickers are starving. Been slow at the lake. Even the big clubs THAT DON'T HIRE LOCAL PICKERS! are slow. Glad I have a good stable job in Real Estate. AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!! (Sorry! Actually the Real Estate is OK at Lake of the Ozarks not great like we're used to but OK) I have been spending a lot of itme in my studio which doesn't cost other than a slightly higher electric bill. Unofficial or not a skinny pig is still a skinny pig. Don't care what you call it. just stay positive and get through it. Faith my friends.
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Bo Legg · Posted 14 Jul 2008 6:36 am

There'S a lot of knowledgeable groups and think tanks out there that has figured out the WHAT IF FACTORS for about everything. We’ve been warned of the consequences of our addiction to oil and approximately when disaster would strike. It’s just happing a little sooner than we thought because of that All In Poker Game called the Stock Market and the serge of China into there Industrial revolution.
We can’t out bid China for the oil and we can’t compete with their manufacturing prices.
The U S is in deep do do. China doesn’t care what they pay for oil. The higher they bid oil up the more competition they kill of because they can offset it with cheap labor.
I predict that by the Year 2015 there will only be two places to work.
As an employee of WAL-MART or an elected official of the WAL-MART federal government.

John McGuire · From: Swansea,Illinois, USA

Bill Duncan · From: Lenoir, North Carolina, USA

Tony,
You are right about the Bullet being too loud. I've never played there, but I do go to the Bullet with my motorcycle friends. It's a good destination for a motorcycle ride. There are not any Country Music clubs in the Hickory area. Even the Country Music Bar, which has been around a long time is usually Rock or Southern Rock

I've never thought about it, but there does seem to be a Country Music Recession/Depression here.

Tony Prior"]Hey Bill, I think the Charlotte area has been in a Country Music depression for years ! Other than a few clubs here and there which have Country bands NOW and THEN,

I liked the Silver Bullet but it was just way to friggin' loud, the house system and DJ system were killin' us. tp[/quote]
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Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

I didn't intend for my post to be political, but after reading it again I can see that it could be taken that way, so I am deleting it. Oh Well

Scott Henderson · From: Camdenton, Missouri, USA

Amen Gene! I appreciate positive attitudes especially in tough times. Anybody can do it when it's easy.
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Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

There's plenty of gas and oil, it's just far more expensive now. The Energy Department says usage is down over 10%, so I guess those two facts blow the theory about shortages causing high prices! Wink

I think this will just really separate those do music for money, and those who do it 'cause they like it. What has happened is that it's just gone from what was (formerly) a "paying hobby" to one like golf, where you have to pay for the pleasure of doing it.

There was a time when the money was a big factor for me, but now it's something I do because I want to do it.

Barry Blackwood · Posted 14 Jul 2008 11:06 am

Bo, there will actually be three places to work - you forgot China. Laughing

Mickey Adams · From: Bandera Texas

There are gigs available here in the Dallas area. But when you have to drive 150 miles round trip to collect 100.00, It becomes a no win situation. If you were paying taxes on this money, to work for 5 hours, you will be making approxiamtely 14.00 per hour. With the cost of gasoline soaring...now your down to 10.00 per hour. On top of this they want you to dress like millionaires onstage. I suggested that one party im working for negotiate a fuel-surcharge of 100.00 per night to offset the cost of moving the entire PA for 1 nights work....you can imagine the shocked look he got from 1 club owner in Cleburne...lets face it, live music is more times than not...just not worth the hassle..Sad, sad state of affairs...
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Dick Wood · From: Springtown Texas, USA

That does it.

For sale: One gob of musical instruments for a tank of gas.

Ok,so I didn't say how big a tank.

Michael Johnstone · From: Sylmar,Ca. USA

With regular gas at $4.69 around here,any gig I play anymore is strictly for the hell of it. There's one live music country bar within 5 miles of my house called "The Hideaway" up in Kagle Canyon but these days it's mostly trios playing for $100 to 5 or 10 local drunks sitting at the bar. I'd like to hear how it's affecting mid-level touring acts with road crews,tour buses and various other sharks to feed and fans that suddenly can't afford to drive to their concerts. That can't be a pretty picture.
I'm lucky to work in the legal profession where I'm pretty well paid to deal with a virtual conveyor belt of frivilous litigation and all the sniveling drivel that goes with it.That job itself is pretty recession-proof and is actually ramping up these days - but you still have to get there and even in my 4 cyl Honda Element with bare minimum driving I still spend $100-$200 a week on gas - and another $100+/- a week for parking. The only upside to the high cost of gas is that L.A. freeway traffic density has gone back to 1975 levels - meaning it only takes me about 45 minutes to get from the Valley to downtown L.A. or Century City in rush hour traffic.

Groceries are another issue but I find that by shopping at Mexican and other ethnic supermarkets for meat,produce and bulk condiments,restaurant supply places for certain items and buying other bulk supplies online and having them delivered,I can get my food/household bill back where it was a year ago.

But banks are crashing,utilities are going up - equity and other market investments are going down - way down. It's a cold bowl of chili out there.

Roger Edgington · From: San Antonio, Texas USA

So far we are staying pretty busy. We try to car pool if it's out of town. Problem is, our band is all spread out. The drummer lives 120 miles west of me and the guitar player is about 100 miles SE. None of us live in the same city.

Our crowds are down a little some nights but, in some areas DUI has hurt us more than the economy.
As Hank Jr.put it"A country boy can survive". I write business miles off at the end of the year anyway.

Bo Legg · Posted 14 Jul 2008 3:45 pm

Barry Blackwood wrote:

Damir Besic · From: Nashville,TN.

well, my days of new Goldwings and Cadillacs, new houses and trucks are for sure over.After a divorce,bankruptcy and IRS debt (thanks to my ex-wife/accountant) I lost it all, but hey, $crew it, I still have my guitar (that my gf bought it for me) and the most beautiful baby girl, and I`m going to see Time Jumpers and Paul Franklin tonite at the Station Inn....I might not have for a drink, but my God, I`ll be there and have some fun Mr. Green

Db

love of my life....
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John Drury · From: Gallatin, Tn USA

Damir,

Nothing since the News years gig with the accordian, and banjo player.

We were well recieved though, the guy said if we want to do it again this year, its ours.

He said it would be OK if we left our stuff set up!
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Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

I hear China is hiring.

Roual Ranes · From: Atlanta, Texas, USA

The ACTUAL cost per mile to drive now, for most of us, is $0.60 per mile. Figure it out.........can't go far. Even if you are using pay just to off-set expenses..........sure is getting tight.

Damir Besic · From: Nashville,TN.

hey John,

why don`t you stop by the Station Inn tonite? I bet there is going to be some good swing music...

Db Wink

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