A fair wage for live music has not kept pace with the increases afforded to most other employment sectors. Blame it on whatever you like; DJ's, karioke, disco, muzak, other mediums, competition, related profit margins, performance quality, etc. This has forced some of us out of the full time music business, but I suspect this sort of thing waxes and wains with the times.

I do it for money and pleasure. Though even for the "free" gigs one should try to get expenses covered by passing the hat or something. Charitable gigs are done at my expense. I qualify free gig assistance to musician friends as free, though I can't remember not being offered at least something.

Sometimes being paid in fun is good enough, but I wouldn't want to do it all the time because I still have to pay for strings and travel and such. This, of course, only applies to gigs. Jams, sessions, and lessons are another matter.

Mooh.