The Finances of a Band

[DrDawkinstein]

One of the guys from the Metal band Oh, Sleeper posted the following breakdown of finances for a smaller/mid-level touring band. Thought some of you might find it interesting.

 

Most of you probably haven't heard of these guys. I only know the name from fliers and tours of other bands. But they are also in the Christian Metal category (signed to famous Christian Metal label Solid State) so they are automatically pretty popular. Their myspace profile has over 4million views. Just to give you some perspective of their size/popularity.

 

The spelling/grammar errors are not mine, so if you have an issue, feel free to email the band

 

For the past 5 years my brothers in Oh, Sleeper and myself have sacrificed our lives, our time, relationships, birthdays, holidays, health(haha) to travel around and play shows for our fans. Not to say that isn’t been a fun ride!

 

I would just like to bring a few things to our fans attention:

 

I would like to show you guys an average day in finances for a “mid-level” band like us. Im going to breakdown the average monetary in and outs of a day on tour.

On tour bands have two ways to make money. Guaranties, and Merchandise.

 

On tour bands have big bills. The biggest are: Managers, Booking agent, Merch Rates, Merch bills, Food, and of course.. the Gas bill.

Our last headliner tour was an east coast run with 3 other bands. The average guaranty per band was 300$ per band, and around 300$ in merch. This was the average for all 4 bands, for the entire tour.

 

So we have a 600$ gross income per night. Now lets break this down.

Merchandise is bough, printed, and shipped on the bands dollar. We print most our shirts on American Apparel. They obviously offer the best fitting shirts, and kids are smart about looking good now days. They wont sell unless you have slim fitting, soft shirts. The demand for better quality shirts from bands is higher in last few years.

 

American Apparel shirts are very pricey to print. usually $7.50 a shirt. More for v-necks, 3/4 sleeve shirts, etc.

We sell our shirts for 15$ at our shows, UNLESS we are on tour with a headliner that demands we price match them.

SO $15 – $7.50 = $7.50. So half is profit. So out of the 300$ the band made in merch, they owe 150$ to the printer.

 

BUT HOLD ON! Merch rates!

Most nice venues have merch rates, we have seen them be as high 32% gross. Usually they are 25%.

—–

So out of the initial $300 in merch the band made. 25% goes to venue. Thats $75.

$300(gross) – $150(merch cost) – $75(merch venue rate) = $75 (Net profit for the band.)

BUT the breakdown doesnt stop there. If the band has a manager, he takes 15% of Net profit of merch.

SO MERCH TOTAL PER NIGHT:

$75 X .15 = $11.25

$75 – $11.15 = $63.75( TOTAL Net profit in merch for the band.)

——–

Guaranties:

The breakdown in deductions from this money is: 15% to Manager, 10% to booking agent.

$300(gross guaranty) – $45(managers cut 15%) – $30(booking agents cut 10%) = $225

Average Gas bill is around $150. some days way better some days way worse. We have done 17 hour drives..leaveing show and showing up to next one right before we play…many times. Those are a bit more expensive. Most west coast tours we do the average gas bill is around 200-250…but ill use 150 for this example.

$225(guaranty after manage and agent deductions) – $150(gas bill) = $75

 

We have 6 people on tour, our 5 Guys, and our merch guy “The maze”. We give everyone $10 bucks a day to eat on. (This isnt enough when your 6 4 and 200lbs like micah and i by the way)

6 people x $10 = $60

$75 – $60 = $15

$15 Total net profit in Guaranties.

——-

$63.75(Net merch) + $15(Net guaranty) =

$78.75 for the band for the night. out of $600 gross.

if you divide that 6 ways its $13.12 a day per band member.

——-

This doesnt include hotel costs. which are usually 50-60 bucks. Most bands dont get hotels or shower to save money to pay for phone bills.

This does not include Tires/Van payment/Oil changes/Van upkeep registration bla bla/Trailer tires/Gear/etc.

This doesnt include taxes. This doesnt include ROAD TOLLS. Which in the northeast can add up to 20-40bucks a day.

 

Thanks for reading.

 

MERCH RATES HAVE TO GO.

STOP STEALING OUR CDs PLEASE.

WE DONT MAKE MONEY WHEN YOU BUY IT FROM STORES, COME TO SHOWS.

WE DONT MAKE MONEY FROM LABELS.

BUY MERCH FROM US AT SHOWS IF YOU LIKE WHAT WERE DOING.

[thebug]

He could make more playing at a subway station and be home every night. Ouch.

[DrDawkinstein]

He could make more playing at a subway station and be home every night. Ouch.

 

it a sucky situation being on the road, for sure. but i dont feel tooo bad for this guy.

 

first off, stop using American Apparel shirts. it would drop their cost per shirt from $7.50 to under $5 easily. You can get other quality t-shirts. if kids only buy band shirts printed on american apparel, then it's b/c they're retards. if they like a band enough, they'll buy it no matter how it fits. it just happens they want everything to fit like spandex and clubbing shirts on their little girl frames. stop pandering to the fashion crowd if you want more money to eat.

[Cugalabanza]

Maybe it's a little different in a christian band. Non-christian band members get the hot fan girls they hook up with to buy them meals.

[Fingon]

Am i suppose to feel bad? If you aren't good enough to make money, don't tour.

[Chef Jim]

If you want to make money I think there are two obvious careers to avoid:

 

1. Rock musician

2. Teacher

[thebug]

If you want to make money I think there are two obvious careers to avoid:

 

1. Rock musician

2. Teacher

 

 

Really? Teachers are very well paid where I am.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

2. Teacher

 

fail

[Chef Jim]

Really? Teachers are very well paid where I am.

 

There seem to be a lot of post about how poorly teachers are paid.

[DrDawkinstein]

Am i suppose to feel bad? If you aren't good enough to make money, don't tour.

 

well, the point he is trying to make (which is true whether he did a good job of it or not) is that even "good" or "popular" bands do not make much money, and even less so on the road.

 

now, if he wants to complain about it then he should not have gotten into the business since EVERYONE knows that most bands dont make any money.

 

i think the overall point he was making is "If you want to support a band, come to the shows and buy merch. Also, only buy the CD at shows."

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

There seem to be a lot of post about how poorly teachers are paid.

 

 

From NEA organizers or people who don't know teachers.

[thebug]

From NEA organizers or people who don't know teachers.

 

 

Or teachers themselves.

[Chef Jim]

Or teachers themselves.

 

That's who it seems to be coming from.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Or teachers themselves.

 

Indeed. Imagine being a mid-level (10 years experience) employee contracted to work 180 days a year and getting paid 60+k a year, full pension, and incredible health benefits.

 

Now imagine contractually guaranteed payraises regardless of performance and throw in the fact that you can't be fired or laid off.

 

Congratulations, you're a teacher!

[thebug]

Indeed. Imagine being a mid-level (10 years experience) employee contracted to work 180 days a year and getting paid 60+k a year, full pension, and incredible health benefits.

 

Now imagine contractually guaranteed payraises regardless of performance and throw in the fact that you can't be fired or laid off.

 

Congratulations, you're a teacher!

 

10 years here and you are above 80K a year I believe.

[Astrojanitor]

One of the guys from the Metal band Oh, Sleeper posted the following breakdown of finances for a smaller/mid-level touring band. Thought some of you might find it interesting.

 

Most of you probably haven't heard of these guys. I only know the name from fliers and tours of other bands. But they are also in the Christian Metal category (signed to famous Christian Metal label Solid State) so they are automatically pretty popular. Their myspace profile has over 4million views. Just to give you some perspective of their size/popularity.

 

The spelling/grammar errors are not mine, so if you have an issue, feel free to email the band

 

That breakdown is a little off. Maybe the churches, or wherever, take a bite out of merch. But none of the tiny clubs or bars I played ever did. Second off, if the fancy shirts cost to much to make, make cheaper shirts. Our shirts cost like $2 each. CD duplication usually runs about $2 per disc as well. Recording is pricey--that's where the expense is. What you do is hit the internet, find bands in different towns you like, and trade shows. You stay at their place after the show, they do the leg work to set up the gig and all in exchange for you doing the same for them. You hit the road you will probably make about $150-200 a night. Gas is about $40-$50 a day. A band can eat for less than $10 and the bars will give you a couple free drinks. So figure about $100-$125 a day profit. Hopefully the van holds up and you should pull in a grand over a span of a short tour. Now split that 4-5 ways...depending on how big the band is. So it's rough. If you want to be rich I don't suggest being in a band. But if you want to be rich your band probably sucks anyway.

 

side note: as for teachers, not all make money. I was an adjunct at oklahoma state for 3 years. Made $950/mo for my troubles. starting salary for a public school teacher here in Rochester is about $35-40K a year and you can tap out at about $65-70K over the course of a career.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

10 years here and you are above 80K a year I believe.

 

Consider the average wage in the USA is somewhere around 25-30k, I think they're doing just fine.

[Astrojanitor]

That breakdown is a little off. Maybe the churches, or wherever, take a bite out of merch. But none of the tiny clubs or bars I played ever did. Second off, if the fancy shirts cost to much to make, make cheaper shirts. Our shirts cost like $2 each. CD duplication usually runs about $2 per disc as well. Recording is pricey--that's where the expense is. What you do is hit the internet, find bands in different towns you like, and trade shows. You stay at their place after the show, they do the leg work to set up the gig and all in exchange for you doing the same for them. You hit the road you will probably make about $150-200 a night. Gas is about $40-$50 a day. A band can eat for less than $10 and the bars will give you a couple free drinks. So figure about $100-$125 a day profit. Hopefully the van holds up and you should pull in a grand over a span of a short tour. Now split that 4-5 ways...depending on how big the band is. So it's rough. If you want to be rich I don't suggest being in a band. But if you want to be rich your band probably sucks anyway.

 

side note: as for teachers, not all make money. I was an adjunct at oklahoma state for 3 years. Made $950/mo for my troubles. starting salary for a public school teacher here in Rochester is about $35-40K a year and you can tap out at about $65-70K over the course of a career.

 

forgot one thing, if you work full year add about $10K to the mix. Ok salary for arguably the most important job out there. But no one is getting rich at it

[KD in CA]

Indeed. Imagine being a mid-level (10 years experience) employee contracted to work 180 days a year and getting paid 60+k a year, full pension, and incredible health benefits.

 

Now imagine contractually guaranteed payraises regardless of performance and throw in the fact that you can't be fired or laid off.

 

Congratulations, you're a teacher!

 

By comparison, most people get about 3 weeks of vacation/sick time and maybe 8-10 paid holidays, leaving about 235 working days a year.

 

Big difference that always manages to get swept under the rug in a flurry of "but the kids are snotty!" arguements.

[John Adams]

side note: as for teachers, not all make money. I was an adjunct at oklahoma state for 3 years. Made $950/mo for my troubles. starting salary for a public school teacher here in Rochester is about $35-40K a year and you can tap out at about $65-70K over the course of a career.

 

Adjunct teaching is simple. Want to make more money? Teach more courses.

 

Teaching kids is a million times harder than teaching college, not that college profs would admit it.