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- 04/25/2021
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Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
The Apple Tree - 22. Chapter 22
Our first big break came from London, a gentleman who booked acts into one of the prestigious music halls wanted to know if we would be interested in doing a concert. I wrote back indicating we would be interested, please send a contract for our review.
The contract arrived 2 weeks later. The terms were simple; we'd be guaranteed 5000 dollars plus expenses for a 2-hour show with a provision that we'd be paid 500 dollars for 15-minute intervals over the 2 hours. If there is a demand for a second concert, we'd be paid 6000 dollars with the same proviso, a third concert we'd be paid 10,000 and no provisos for overtime.
There was a note, for subsequent concerts in Great Britain; we would earn the money from the ticket sales, minus expenses incurred by the theater and a 20 percent commission based on ticket sales. He would handle the bookings, advertisement, ticket sales, and lodging.
Tony and I had a long discussion about the first proposal. "Tony you need to check with your band. How much would you pay the band, 40 percent of whatever you earn? How many are in your band?"
"I have a drummer, keyboard, bass guitar, and a bass fiddle."
"So if you get 5000 then you would need to split 2000 among the four which would be 500 apiece plus expenses for the first night. That would leave you with 3000. The overtime of 500, what did you have in mind for that?"
"Even split, 100 each. I'll have to sell them on the bigger picture."
"Check with them and then get back to me so I can answer this guy. Don't forget to mail these."
"There's a name for what this guy wants to do, what is it?"
"I think it's called an impresario. It comes from an Italian word meaning to impress. They normally do what this guy does."
Another week and the mail kept coming. I called a distributor telling them that I'm getting these letters from people in their city asking for this music disc. We agreed I'd send 400 on consignment and then we'll monitor sales. When I called a distributor in London, I mentioned that we're considering doing a concert there. The result was another 400 on consignment. Along with the sample disc, was a form asking them to sign which stated the selling price and proposed distribution costs as a percentage of the selling price.
Traveling with Tony on his US tour, I learned a lot about this business. I was seen as a love interest and not someone who would challenge their position. I took the opportunity to ask a lot of questions, I noted the answered in a notebook I always kept with me.
"I mailed those mailers; it costs a lot of money."
"Let me have the receipt, this is a business expense and is tax-deductible. I need 800 discs to send to distributors. What did the band say?"
"They're all for it."
"That's great news. I'll send a disc to that guy who wants to book us into London with some comments."
"My old agent called and I think he was a little upset when I told him I had a London booking."
"He's probably regretting how he tried to take advantage of you."
"That's ok I think you're doing a great job and the money he would've had is staying in house. I'm looking forward to the London trip. Our vacation was great; I never thought I'd travel to Europe."
"Europe today and Japan tomorrow.”
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Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
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