I play at the "red" café each week, where, they used to pay me a fiver. Yes, that's right, I did three hours skilled work, for five quid (I usually get £250). Since I have worked there for three years, it has gradually gone up to twenty quid, where it has stopped. The other musician (Matt) who plays there gets £30. I called up the boss this morning and explained that I have a wedding to play next month for £250, and that I cannot justify doing skilled labour, and getting paid the same amount as doing unskilled labour (as in my other job, as a kitchen porter). So, the boss was not happy about this at all, but I put my foot down and asked for "half of the musician's union minimum" (£30, which is the same as the cellist earns).
This is not unreasonable, for I have done good service for these people, for three years, knowing full well that I have played over 500 gigs for hundreds of pounds every time, throughout the course of my life. Like my father before me, I am a musician, that is my business, it's what I do.
No comments:
Post a Comment