hi Will

I never found any real problems in getting paid in the folk world. Occaisionally we had to re-negotiate terms on the night but we always managed to sort it out mutually. Sometimes we did accept less to try to help the clubs out. But this was rare. On very rare occaisions we acctually were paid more than we had agreed. So it works both ways.

When I was playing in a jazz group we were booked to play at a large hall. We were told that we were to be the supporting act for a then well-known band.

We negotiated a fee and agreed to do two half hour spots at an agreed fee.

When we arrived the owner said that the other band were going to be late so could we do a forty minute slot to give them time to get there.
We did but no sign of the other act.

He then said that he had received a call telling him that they couldn't make it. He asked us then if we would do the rest of the night. We said we would as long as the fee was OK. We agreed a figure and duly performed.

When we tried to get paid he just gave us our previously agreed fee and wouldn't pay us for the extra.

I told him that we were members of the Musicians Union and if he didn't pay us the agreed rate we would report him. He reluctantly paid us, making us wait while " he got the cash together".

We were all in a large van and when we got to it in the car park we found that all our tyres had been slashed.

The guy and his doormen stood by grinning.

We never played there again.....oh and I told a "porkie" about us being in the union....but we all then joined.!!!

Cheers

MikeL2