As a magician, I have met and worked with some wonderful bands, duos, groups, Dee Jays, emcees and some very famous magicians, musicians and comedians, ETC. In my fifteen or more years as a professional entertainer, that is, making all my money through my art form, I have come to realize a few things about the music business and show business. I learn even more almost every day from my good friend and record producer Peter. Peter is MELANIE’s record producer (and husband).

Melanie is a true ‘work legend’, just Google that word MELANIE or MELANIE SAFKA if you’re not sure who she is. I will say this here and now, everyone who plays any form of Rock & Roll should know MELANIE because she has done so many things to bring R&R to where it is today … for example have you ever seen someone point to an artist let him do it? An encore at the end of the series waving a lighter or a cell phone? I know you answered YES … Well MELANIE started that in WOODSTOCK with a candle and the song was “Candles In The Rain”, also known to many as ‘Lay Down’. I could go on and on about Melanie … but, for now, I’ll stop there with her.

Today I want to talk about the music business. Every artist wants to ‘get out of the basement and play man …’ I listen to it every day … ‘I just want to play’ I say that’s great … welcome to the world of amateur music! You see, if you want to make money in this business … the music business … we have to remember the last keyword: BUSINESS !!!

Don’t forget it’s the music business … let’s treat it like a business. That means, stop playing for FUN or THE DOOR or THE COVER CHARGE or FREE or to get EXPOSURE … (BTW, that should be illegal in all 50 states) We’ll talk more about how and why …

Okay, here goes … Working for FREE gets us out of the garage and gives us Exposure. FOLKS, exposure should be illegal in all 50 states and people die from exposure. Exposure to water, cold and even rock and roll.

If you’re working for the big ‘E’, you’d better hope “Tastes Like Rock!” or “Rolling Stone” is there to cover you !!! Bands that play for FREE are playing for what they’re worth and everyone knows!

The owners of bars, theaters and the like are now saying, “Why should I hire that group? We saw them in so-and-so and they played it just for the show or the door.” Bad move!

Let me tell you, it’s hard to beat the price of FREE. Well, what about the door? Let’s handle that now. Okay, I own a club, let’s call it the “work for me” club. You send me a CD or come by and I say, okay, you can work here and we’ll split the door. You say it’s okay. For whatever reason, you start playing at 9:00 p.m. M.

It’s 7 in the afternoon and I have 75 people in my club, drinking, eating, having a good time. My door boy Charlie … and he’s the only door boy I’ve ever used … he works another job … shows up at 10:30 pm … late because he’s ugly. Now 75 more people came into my club, still buying drinks and still eating and having a great time … only now, they’re listening to your first set … and NOT paying for it … and guess what … neither … SCREW that … why should I pay you … you want the exposure … not me.

Keep drinking and eating my food and putting money in my pocket while the band plays …

Well … I guess by now you’ll see that playing for FREE will give you a lot more work … but, the thing is. Free work only gives you more free work. Imagine the smile on the local bar owner’s face when someone drinking at the bar clearly tells him, “This band is amazing, where did you get them from? I’m having a party and I’d love to have it. They’ll be playing my party next Saturday. How much do they charge? “It is at this point that the owner of the bar brags:” Pay them? My God, these guys work for free! ” Well now … try to get someone else to pay for the same service you are giving away!

Let me ask you something … Do you want to RENT a house or get a FREE RENT? Note that both are available if you know where to look. So which one do you want? Do you want FREE food or do you want to pay for your food? Okay … you get the point, right?

Free + Show = FREE SHOW, which also means 1 Free Show = 1000 more offers of free shows.

Have you ever been playing your songs and someone comes up and says, “We have an event and you can play for us … without pay”? Ah huh … here we go! A guy came up to me and asked me to audition for a FREE concert after watching my show … I told him not to hold your breath at the time!

TRUST ME: Nobody wants to PAY for a service you can get for FREE!