So I keep having friends asking me how the "economy" is affecting my business. This is always an interesting question to me, not because I consider myself having any particular interest in matters financial, but because I'm a musician. By definition, until I have my 25th million-seller, I don't have any money. And I'll argue with you a long time about how rich most "rock stars" actually are. Yes, there are exceptions. But even Michael Jackson has run into "financial trouble."
So for all intents and purposes, I have no actual "money." My rent is paid. I'm fine. But "money" in the stock market? 401K? Real estate holdings? Not so much. I have a couple of basses. They have pink strings. Nice.
Furthermore, the people asking me these questions are invariably of a similar financial stratum as myself. None of us ain't got no money! Never did. So unless one of us gets laid off from our job at GM, the "economy" affects us how? The news media is all abuzz with the financial world going to hell in a hand basket. It certainly is. And we could well be on the brink of a major depression, certainly the worst recession in 30 or more years.
And?
So now what do we do?
We survived the "recession" of 2001 when NYC completely SHUT DOWN after 9/11. I was working in the Village for $15/night just to get myself out of the house. I was ready to flip burgers or lick envelopes, whatever I had to do, to keep my head above water. Fortunately I never had to. So unless this latest one turns into the dust bowl again, I think we'll survive it as well. What choice do we have?
I've seen some corporate clients cancel parties that bands I work for have had booked. I've seen wedding bands lose bookings because rich people are now afraid to spend $50,000 on a wedding by hiring a band. They trim their budgets to $40,000 to make themselves feel better. Mazel tov!
The bigger problem in NYC is not the latest economy. It's that the last two mayors have CRIMINALIZED sound. Any sound at all. If there's ONE crank on the block that calls the cops to complain, they're compelled by law now to show up and stop the noise. I don't know how familiar you are with sociology and demographics. But there's ALWAYS ONE crank on every block. So now that Manhattan has become a playground for millionaires, there is no support for arts, culture, or especially live MUSIC.
I've been yelled at for playing too loudly in night clubs in NYC for about the past 10 years. Lest you think I'm the reincarnation of John Entwistle (of The Who, Buiness Book world record holding loudest band. What? Too obscure of a reference?), the irony being that I get these reprimands before the band ever plays a NOTE. I.e, the clubs are getting hassled by the cops. And they're trying to head off the problems before they start. So needless to say clubs are closing at an alarming rate in New York.
The first ticket the cops give a club owner for a sound violation is $750. Keep in mind that a sound violation technically now can be for even ONE decibel of sound audible outside. That's right: ZERO sound. The second ticket for a sound violation is $1400. The third ticket is a padlock on your door. The city closes you down permanently. It's happened a couple of times already on Bleecker Street, home of music in New York, birthplace of the music scene that spawned Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Donny Hathaway, etc, etc.
So most of the gigs I do for money in the past 5-10 years are increasingly private parties, out-of-town gigs, weddings, funerals, and bar mitzvahs. I ain't mad. I'm happy to keep working. But that brings us back to the "economy." More of these type of functions are generated by corporations. And corporations are having a devil of a time with the "economy."
My "economy" hasn't changed. My rent bill, light bill, gas bill, and phone bill are all due the same time every month. So how is my business affected by the "economy?" I'll have to get back to you on that one. I'm a freelance musician. Everything I do is a one-off on a personal referral. The day after one plays at Carnegie Hall, one is once again unemployed. I'm unemployed a certain number of days on any given week. When I do my end-of-year roundup for 2009, I'll let you know....
Ivan Bodley
Brooklyn, NY
Check out my website: www.funkboy.net
Visit me on MySpace: www.myspace.com/funkboynyc
Follow my blog at: http://funkboynyc.blogspot.
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