Simon and Funkle

Simon and Funkle

I have played for weddings where there is no MC and no real sense of a 'Running sheet' and things seem to get done. 

In my opinion it's good to at least have someone–beit a dedicated MC, or the musician, or on of the bridal party–to anounce things as they occur. For example, 'Ladies and Gentleman! It's not time for the cutting of the cake' etc.

I am often asked to MC and happy to do this. 

Simon and Funkle

As self-employed people, different musicians chose their own ways of charging. I used to have a business helping young musicians starting in their careers. I would produce their first CD, help them land their first contract and so on. My business was called 'Music Designs International'. I operated here in Australia but also in London and Europe where I helped artists negotiate contracts in Luxury hotels, cruise ships and residency based gigs in bars etc. Part of my service was to do the books for musicians and performing artist. What I found was the for the average/basic musician, overhead expenses usually came to about $350 per week AUD. For multi instrumentalists such as myself, this figure is much higher–sometimes over $500-$850 or more per week. In addition to the money cost of staying in the music business, there is the enormous amount of time required to maintain equipment, rehears material, practice ones instruments, make phone calls, blog, upload, download, print posters, arrange advertising and boostings, etc. etc. After all this, I believe it I accurate to say that a customer is not paying for the time of the performance, rather for the time it takes the entertainer to get to ‘the stage’. I once knew a musician who put this info onto his invoice:

$00.00   Performance fee (free of charge)

$450     Overhead expenses, travel time, rehearsal …. Etc

My advice to any musician is not to charge per hour, rather to divide up the hours and costs spent per week and divide that by how many gigs they would ideally do per week. Let’s say a musician does three gigs per week and each gig averages to be ten hours, after travel, preparation, etc. Then that only leaves ten hours per week for marketing, bookkeeping and so on. One can arrive at a figure per ‘call out’ based on these considerations.

Most of the work a musician does is not from the stage. The performance is actually a small part of the overall business.

In my view, an entertainer charging by the hour is doing themselves a great disservice.

Simon and Funkle

This is really a philosophical question because we are talking about jinxes, superstitions, imprecation, and spiritual beliefs (if I understand you correctly - reading between the lines). In the field of music psychology it is known that words are powerful and mood evoking. I agree with psychologists who say that you should never curse yourself, for example. One should never say, 'I'm so stupid' or words like, 'I wish I were dead'. These are terrible things to say and this form of self-cursing, in my view is destructive and psychosocially damaging.  On the other hand when Sting wrote, ‘Every move you make, I’ll be watching you’, I’m sure he said it in jest with his tongue in his check. I’m sure he did not seriously intend people to believe that he intended to take up ‘Stalking’ as a hobby.

Did you know that there are some notable performing artists / song writers, who refused to write songs about their wives, girlfriend, boyfriends, husbands etc., for the fear that they would "jinx" their relationships?

Yes, I agree that we need to take care about the sub-conscious effects of words. On the other hand, there are songs that speak of breaking up and in my view harmless because the only message conveyed by the song’s author is, the sorrow of being left alone. These forms of, ‘Lamentation‘ are simply heart rending expressions of sorrow that come from honesty and vulnerability. Music is a platform in my view for expression of joy and sorrow. It is said that the “blues” is a healer. I don’t agree that all music and every song should be a happy, clappy one. Music is a platform of expression and should allow for deep expression of sorrow as well as joy. To ignore feelings of sorry and such, is, in my view, unhealthy, both in community and in one’s personal life. We are all equipped with mechanism for self-healing – weeping, mourning, etc. If one has had sorry in one’s life then one can truly celebrate happiness.  

A song that comes from a traumatic breakup can convey healing and the listener enters into the ‘healing’ too, and feels empathy and compassion for the one who ‘laments’. This too is healthy.  

It seems to me that this is more a question of context: most would agree that singing ‘House of the Rising Sun” (a song about a brothel), while the bride comes down the aisle is just plain out of context and inappropriate – not because of some belief that the subject matter may evoke some curse upon the marriage; rather, because it inappropriately evokes the wrong images at the wrong time. It’s like telling a joke at a funeral. There is nothing wrong with humour per say, even at a time of mourning, but one just simply doesn’t do such a thing because it is inappropriate.

A song about a break-up provides an opportunity for the listener to contemplate the sorrow of the singer and perhaps even feel gratitude for having love themselves.

My answer is that it is more about context. I’m not going to tell a joke at a funeral for the aforementioned reasons.

I personally would not sing a ‘breakup’ song for the first dance of the bridal couple – not because I fear that I will ‘jinx’ the marriage – rather, that’s it’s just not appropriate and out of context.

 A sad song will evoke a response from a listener. When I was playing piano in a particular resort some years ago, a guest at the hotel wrote to the general manager, an email prior to arriving, instructing all musicians and DJs not to sing/play, ‘Fields of Gold’ by Sting. A beautiful song, in most people’s view. It was revealed that the guest had been to a funeral and this song had been sung and did not want to be upset by hearing the song again. There is nothing wrong with the song itself but for the listener, there was everything wrong with it, for a time.

Having said all that; there are songs that I will not sing as an entertainer myself, because the lyrical content contains terribly destructive self-imprecating words. This is my personal view, of course. Other singers may find it amusing to sing such songs as a send-up, not taking the words seriously.

In conclusion: I agree that it’s important what words we say about ourselves and to ourselves through the music we listen too, but understanding the correct context of the words and understanding these expressions – how they have their place in community and our personal lives – is a matter for consideration too.

In closing: if there are songs that particularly upset, offend, or effect your emotions; talk to the musicians or DJs. You will find most professionals will fully understand. If you have religious beliefs that need particular consideration; again, talk to the musician or DJ.

For example, I am playing for a wedding next year in a catholic ceremony. I will need a particular sensibility to song choices. Some of the Wesleyan hymns are approved as ecumenical and requires a particular entertainer to suggest choices appropriate. Similarly with Jewish Weddings, there are songs for orthodox Jews that require a particular pronunciation of the name of G/d. These of course, are unique examples, but to illustrate a point. One can never be too careful when it comes to culture, etc. too.

 I hope these onions of mine, are helpful.