From what I understand..

more and more bands are just giving their music away because so many people just steal it anyways.. they supposedly make their bank from live performances, merchandise (kind of wondered why T-shirts are $50 these days) and whatnot..

I know organizations like ASCAP charge bars and clubs around $5K a year for the right to play cover tunes in their establishments and part of that goes to the artists..

Artists are more and more doing "meet and greets" at their performances and charging, from what I've personally seen, up to $500 a person for a one on one meet/greet and to shoot pics and get autographs and whatnot for a few minutes..

Of course theres a LOT of covers and remakes being done and the original artist can make a mint selling the rights to another band to record their song.. Heck, when my 80's bass player Tim Stunson went to play for Blackfoot, the band Warrant wanted to record the Blackfoot classic "Train Train" and Rickey Medlock, the singer and writer of the song, made enough from THAT exchange to buy himself a nice new mansion.. and that song did NOTHING for Warrant...

Local bands its all about the crowds you bring in.. unestablished bands hafta play for free or peanuts, while established club acts drawing big crowds can make $3-4K a night..

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Friendship is like peeing your pants.. Everybody can see it, but only you can feel the warmth..