Contract Players OR Not members of the band

PhatBoy · May 20th, 2003, 09:24 PM

I just found out about the practice of hiring people to play in the band, but they're not really in the band. Like Timothy B Schmidt & Joe Walsh of the Eagles in particular. Henley, Frey & What's-his-name(?) were the only voting members, while Joe & Timothy were not.

I guess I'm just used to thinking everyone was the band......

What do you guys know about this?

PB :(

Smokin OP · May 20th, 2003, 11:29 PM

Don Felder? He got fired last year by the band. He's not an original member anyway, joining them for the On The Border sessions. And Walsh & Schmidt were only on the last 2 albums before the reunion. I don't read too much into it anyway, their a "band" in the sense they band together to collect huge sums of money on a tour of old songs. And if it's anything like the "Hell Freezes Over" stuff, they'll have 3-5 extra guys doing a lot of the playing. I loved the Eagles when they came out & still enjoy their music, had the Desperado cd in the other day. And I do believe that whatever the market can bear, whether it be pro sports salaries or has-been rock stars getting $100+ a ticket, is fine with me. I choose not to support it with my money.

OP

teledogg · May 21st, 2003, 11:07 AM

Peter Criss and Ace Frehley are contract players in Kiss now--Paul and Gene are the "band". There's a few others like that.

Alot of the time a non-songwriting member of the band might be better off that way if they've negotiated the deal right.

And I'll second the thought about the "reunion tour" $100+ ticket revulsion, although the thought of Joe Walsh driving the all too precious Don Henley nutz does amuse. Dogg

Geo · May 21st, 2003, 12:43 PM

Steely Dan is pretty like that also and apparently even was in
the early days.
There are probably a lot of "classic" bands like that. How about the Stones?
Wonder if Bernie Leadon gets residuals from the
early Eagles albums he played on?

Jakedog · May 23rd, 2003, 02:35 AM

In addition to my band, I'm a contract player for a local singer/songwriters band. It works out real well. As anybody knows who's tried to play original music on a local/regional level, it's a crap shoot. Some nights the place the fills up and you do OK, some nights the band doesn't make any money,(which is why my band NEVER agrees to play for "the door"). But whether my contract gig makes money or not, I get paid. Sounds cold, but if I've found that in order to be taken seriously, I have to take my business (guitar playing) seriously. Otherwise I'd have to go get a "real" job.

Jake

P.s.- I was sad to hear Felder got fired, when I saw the Hell Freezes Over tour, he stole the show.

Maggot · June 17th, 2003, 11:05 PM

I was about to say, it sucks to be a contract player in the Eagles, but for a smaller band it rules...you get paid; they're at the mercy of the market, record company, etc. I've got a friend who gets 1,000 per week retainer to play in the backing band of a not-even-famous 90's indie rocker. Beats working.

May 20th, 2003, 09:24 PM	#1 (permalink)
PhatBoy Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: OKC, OK Posts: 344 3 Photos	Contract Players OR Not members of the band I just found out about the practice of hiring people to play in the band, but they're not really in the band. Like Timothy B Schmidt & Joe Walsh of the Eagles in particular. Henley, Frey & What's-his-name(?) were the only voting members, while Joe & Timothy were not. I guess I'm just used to thinking everyone was the band...... What do you guys know about this? PB :(

May 20th, 2003, 11:29 PM	#2 (permalink)
Smokin OP Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Leesburg, GA Posts: 327	Do You Mean... Don Felder? He got fired last year by the band. He's not an original member anyway, joining them for the On The Border sessions. And Walsh & Schmidt were only on the last 2 albums before the reunion. I don't read too much into it anyway, their a "band" in the sense they band together to collect huge sums of money on a tour of old songs. And if it's anything like the "Hell Freezes Over" stuff, they'll have 3-5 extra guys doing a lot of the playing. I loved the Eagles when they came out & still enjoy their music, had the Desperado cd in the other day. And I do believe that whatever the market can bear, whether it be pro sports salaries or has-been rock stars getting $100+ a ticket, is fine with me. I choose not to support it with my money. OP __________________ It's so country, it couldn't go pop with a mouthful of firecrackers.

May 21st, 2003, 11:07 AM	#3 (permalink)
teledogg Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Merced, Ca USA Age: 51 Posts: 221	And sometimes you can be changed from 1 to the other Peter Criss and Ace Frehley are contract players in Kiss now--Paul and Gene are the "band". There's a few others like that. Alot of the time a non-songwriting member of the band might be better off that way if they've negotiated the deal right. And I'll second the thought about the "reunion tour" $100+ ticket revulsion, although the thought of Joe Walsh driving the all too precious Don Henley nutz does amuse. Dogg

May 23rd, 2003, 02:35 AM	#5 (permalink)
Jakedog Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Cleveland,OH But my heart's still in TE Posts: 2,816	In addition to my band, I'm a contract player for a local singer/songwriters band. It works out real well. As anybody knows who's tried to play original music on a local/regional level, it's a crap shoot. Some nights the place the fills up and you do OK, some nights the band doesn't make any money,(which is why my band NEVER agrees to play for "the door"). But whether my contract gig makes money or not, I get paid. Sounds cold, but if I've found that in order to be taken seriously, I have to take my business (guitar playing) seriously. Otherwise I'd have to go get a "real" job. Jake P.s.- I was sad to hear Felder got fired, when I saw the Hell Freezes Over tour, he stole the show. __________________ "Them that don't know him won't like him, and them that do sometimes won't know how to take him..."

May 21st, 2003, 12:43 PM	#4 (permalink)
Geo Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Hendersonville, TN Age: 59 Posts: 2,431 15 Photos	Steely Dan is pretty like that also and apparently even was in the early days. There are probably a lot of "classic" bands like that. How about the Stones? Wonder if Bernie Leadon gets residuals from the early Eagles albums he played on?

June 17th, 2003, 11:05 PM	#6 (permalink)
Maggot Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Durham, NC Posts: 727 1 Photos	I was about to say, it sucks to be a contract player in the Eagles, but for a smaller band it rules...you get paid; they're at the mercy of the market, record company, etc. I've got a friend who gets 1,000 per week retainer to play in the backing band of a not-even-famous 90's indie rocker. Beats working.