I have often wondered about this. If you're in a band or ever have been in a band, how do you get paid?
Here are my questions about this:
1. Do you get a check or a deposit to an account?
2. If a check, is it made out to your band name or to a band member?
2. Do you get paid in cash?
3. Who pays you? Does the payer pay the lead person in your band?
4. Does the lead member in your band distribute the money? If so, do you trust him?
5. Are band members paid equally or do different members make more than others?
6. Does someone think he's the most important member in the band and thinks he should be paid more than everyone else?
7. Have you ever not been paid even though you were supposed to be paid?
8. Have you ever been lied to about how much the band was paid and you got shorted in the process?
9. Do you think all band members should be paid equally? Or do you think a person should be paid differently depending on their instrument, such as a guitarist vs a drummer or a lead singer vs a background singer?
10. If you're in a teenage band, who controls the money and how people get paid?
11. If in a teenage band, do parents ever get involved in handling the money?
12. If in a teenage band, do any of you have parents who expect you to pay them a part of what you make for room and board or whatever?
13. Are you satisfied with what you make? Do you think you're paid too little for what you're worth?
14. Do you work for free a lot (or always)?
Well, thanks for answering. I was a musician years ago and I never made any money. Lots of times we played for different members family parties and, of course, no one paid you for that. Feeling good about playing was supposed to be your paycheck. It was like people thought they were doing you a favor by letting you play for them.
Again, your answers, insights, and comments are much appreciated and I greatly look forward to hearing them!