Agents

Subject: AGENTS
From: GUEST,Gust of Wind
Date: 07 Mar 00 - 10:04 PM

Look I Got a "decent" agent.....

He is more than a little lazy.....and feels like a lynching vampire on my jugular-life-source.

However,.......I'm not complaining....

My gigs have been steady, with a few deserts, some "deserts," and not too many desserts/ However, my agent takes one-third 1/3 my fees....is this too much???

February, was an AWSOME month...(Thanks to MC and Bruce)I made living expenses for an entire YEAR!!!!!...and some residuals will keep returning for another seven.

Is an "agent" really worth it? I could have made these connections myself.....and he wasn't worth bat-guanno until last month!!!! AND I DID THE WORK!!!!

If I "liked" the "people stuff" I guess I would do it myself....but I just can't relate to "REAL FOLK." Three hours a night is enough....

Subject: RE: AGENTS
From: Amos
Date: 07 Mar 00 - 10:09 PM

If he keeps it up, keep him up. I think 33% is a little high, tho' -- unless he also does litigations!

Subject: RE: AGENTS
From: GUEST,_gargoyle
Date: 07 Mar 00 - 10:17 PM

Never been sued

And Never Been A Sue

I'll read the contract again...but I consider the fees for US to exorbitent.

Subject: RE: AGENTS
From: Brendy
Date: 07 Mar 00 - 10:20 PM

In Norway, the legal maximum is 20%, but the 'usual' fee is 15%.

Try to get your agent to put his fee on top of yours so as you get a fair wage. It is in his/her interest to get you higher fees. The more you get, the more they get.

I don't deal with 'fly by night' agents, and 33% seems extortionate, litigations notwithstanding. What does the law say where you come from?

My experience of agents is that if you smell a rat somewhere in the relationship, trust your gut feeling and put up with the lack of work if you must, for sooner or later these guys will let you down; 1000 miles from home, and with no money.

And that's not nice

B.

Subject: RE: AGENTS
From: MMario
Date: 07 Mar 00 - 10:42 PM

Agent takes 33%, government takes another 35%. you might as well not be working....

Subject: RE: AGENTS
From: Bill in Alabama
Date: 07 Mar 00 - 10:46 PM

When I had agents, they wanted 15% off the top. After a couple of years, we did our own booking and agent stuff. We didn't notice any dimunition of gigs--still managed to work regularly.

Subject: RE: AGENTS
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Mar 00 - 10:56 PM

They take a third while you do what 95% of the work or more? Seems really high to me. In the classical realm, 15-20% was standard. You do have to weight whether it is worth it to you not to have to hassle with the bookings etc. Ask around, there must be another who could do as well or better with a more equitable arrangement.

Subject: RE: AGENTS
From: Sorcha
Date: 07 Mar 00 - 11:14 PM

It's just that if you do it yourself, somebody has to answer the phone, do all the paperwork, approve all the contracts, etc. Do you have time to do that and still work?

Subject: RE: AGENTS
From: Bugsy
Date: 08 Mar 00 - 12:56 AM

An Agent/friend of mine once commented to me with regard to his clients.

"Do you know those bastards take 85% of everything I earn?!"

Cheers

Bugsy

Subject: RE: AGENTS
From: Lady McMoo
Date: 08 Mar 00 - 06:16 AM

35%? Here in Belgium the government takes 57%. I'll book my own gigs thanks!

mcmoo

Subject: RE: AGENTS
From: Brakn
Date: 08 Mar 00 - 07:40 AM

In the UK, it's 15%.
They're useful if you can't be bothered getting the gigs yourself or if you need to fill in gaps.
Generally I find that venues that use agents are not really interested in what they get and after a while, when the agent goes down his list of artists and sends acts that are not very good (polite - ha!), the place will stop having music.

Basically - they don't a sh*t as long as they get they're commission.

Subject: RE: AGENTS
From: GeorgeH
Date: 08 Mar 00 - 08:27 AM

My favourite (repeatable) agent story . .

We booked an Arab musician. Back came the contract; pretty standard rider about feeding the guy, "special dietary requirements - No" ticked.

So we query the agency . . "I'd expect this guy to be Muslem and not eat ham/pork, can you check, please".

Two days later agency gets back "no problem, he'll eat anything."

Artist arrives; he is Muslem and won't eat ham/pork.

Just as well we didn't trust the Agency's word.

Some are very good, some are dreadful.

But as for paying them 33% . . sounds like a sick joke!

G.