Opportunity Begs

Some opportunities are just too good to turn down. And some are just too awful to accept.

My main band, Russ Payne and the Shark Dentists, like to play festivals – not that we don’t enjoy playing the usual circuit of pubs, clubs and parties.

Having just finished a string of festival gigs, we were offered another. All we had to do was fill in an online application and pay a $10 fee – and the application form made it clear that if we played the festival, there would be no cash payment for “this opportunity”.

It’s insulting enough to be paid nothing, but even worse to be asked to pay $10 to be paid nothing.

If you want to see a line-up of bands who are so desperate for a gig that they are willing to pay to play, this will be the festival for you.

Musicians are good at selling themselves short. And I was just reminded of that fact by Stevie Freeman at the excellent Union Music in Lewes, East Sussex, one of the independent record stores that is stocking the new Russ Payne and the Shark Dentists album, ‘In Love With Trouble’.

I said we were happy to sell the album for £7. Stevie said it should be £10: “You shouldn’t sell yourselves short.”

She’s right, of course. 

We can all do better...

On Tooting Broadway

Remember festivals? They were free and they used to be about music, peace and love, right? Well, only for about five minutes or so in the 1960s. After that they became businesses just like every other business. The ticket prices got higher. And so did the fences.

Tootstock is a (very small) festival which has just been staged in Tooting, south London, for the seventh time. There was free entry, free parking and free food. The only thing you had to pay for was your drinks. And there were nine bands, all playing for free.

I've been involved in this event from the beginning, and despite the fact that it can drain the last bit of energy from you, it can also give you the highest highs, especially when people of all ages from all walks of music get together and sincerely enjoy each other's playing and each other's company.

We had a capacity audience this year and a truly warm atmosphere that was definitely something to do with peace and love.

Tootstock doesn't make money. But it makes magic.