Someone mentioned my name, and deep in the vast caverns below the glinting minarets of academia I heard. And came.

You don't need a limited company to claim expenses. Just have music down as one of your business activities.

You can give away all the CDs you like. Only a handful with be played, and most of them will not be followed up. The internet helps, but phone-bashing and word of mouth - backed up by a consistent track record and a fistful of great reviews is the only way. But then getting gigs was never a problem for me.

Filling chairs was.

I tried all the short-cuts. And the long cuts. Some worked after a fashion, but not well enough. The big ones (major support tours/collaborations, national media exposure - a talent transplant / youth injection / voice retune) all eluded my best efforts.

By the way - if contributors are genuinely interested in providing useable advice, they might mention which country they're referring to.

I can only speak about the UK. I suspect things are very different across the pond - which may be why there is such variation in the advice above.

I should make it clear that I did all the things suggested so far, but I was only interested in building up a nation-wide touring business. If I'd stayed in Leeds and played hospitals and care homes I'd have made slightly less money, but with lower costs I probably could have gone on making a living indefinitely. But that wasn't the idea. Pub gigs likewise. I gave up believing I enjoyed them in about 1999. I did do a little corporate work, but again, wrong audience.

Last year I turned over £23k but my profit was just £10k (and yes I kipped in the van, stayed with friends and blagged meals along the road). I sort of managed on this, (though my kind wife allowed me to eat some of her shopping when I dropped in at home - yes, I do have one).

Things were in fact getting better year on year - but nothing like fast enough. I was running up a down escalator.

Tom and I had, after 8 years, become small-festival headliners, and 'undercard' stalwarts. Yet on our well-publicised farewell tour we had one audience of just 15 people. At one gig on my farewell trip round Scotland not one person came. Not one. (There were reasons, it transpired, but you'd have to be stupid not to read that rune)

I had a great profile and reputation and thousands of loyal fans on my list, but I frequently didn't draw enough people to cover my fee, and usually offered a reduction. But my offer was always refused (bless you all again) - and I was usually rebooked - only for it to happen again.

A majority of places were full or happily quorate, of course, though the quorum was often not really enough to justify the journey.

If the OP is interested, my article is still online on page 16

But please - don't let me put you off!

At the end of the day it's down to talent. I didn't have quite enough - but I know some who do and are proving me wrong (e.g. Flossie) , and you may well be one of them!

Tom

Now back to the essay... err... how many man hours does it take to coppice one hectare of hazel at 2.5m centres on a four year rotation? (rummage rummage)