Here’s a true example of how musician’s are used and abused by the music biz:
In the late-60’s Bill Graham held auditions at The Fillmore Auditorium on Monday nights. Numerous bands played a set, and those chosen were given an opening slot on a regular night. The Fillmore was a union house, so to perform there you had to be in the Musician’s Union.
I knew the guys in one San Jose band who joined the Union just to play the Fillmore audition. They were paid whatever the amount was that Graham was paying, and waited to hear if they would get a regular night gig. They instead heard from the Musician’s Union, who informed the band that all the members were being fined for paying below union scale.
So Graham let the band members know they had to be Union members to play The Fillmore, then paid them less than union scale for doing so, presumably knowing they would then be fined.
Another Bill Graham story:
When Graham was closing The Fillmore he booked all the San Francisco bands that had played there over the years for a grand finale. Dan Hicks inquired as to whether he would be included, and was told by Bill no, that Dan & His Hot Licks Band did not "assault the senses" of the audience.
Speaking of San Francisco bands: Jerry Miller of Moby Grape passed away a few weeks back. I went to a Portland club about a month earlier to see him live, glad I did.
