From the Vault: Cost-Cutting Hacks For Broke Bands, Pt. 1: Trail Of Dead, Sigh, Black Anvil
From the “starving artist” lore of yore to Woody Guthrie illegally hopping trains as a method of touring to record labels, promoters, and clubs ripping off bands, artists have struggled to make ends meet since the dawn of … (commercial) art. And we didn’t even mention gear theft, vans breaking down, and natural disasters (until we did just now).
Resilient bands sometimes overcome such hurdles thanks to their fans’ generosity, if the musicians are wise and savvy enough to build, grow, and maintain their fanbase. Other bands get big(ger) through contracts involving their music, merchandise, tours, and marketing. Yet even more broke bands manage to succeed by keeping their costs low—or simply getting lucky.
Thanks to inflation, the corporate treatment of artists as slaves, and streaming services and other new technology, the cost of being in a band is higher now than in recent memory, if not ever. Compounding the dilemma, ticket sales—even for club shows—are skyrocketing not only because bands need more green to stay out of the red, but because small venues are struggling financially too.
It’s anyone’s guess how long this especially severe financial doom and gloom will last. But musicians have an invaluable talent to tap into: resourcefulness. No band ever has gained any lasting power without the ability to adapt—especially on extremely short notice. From a guitarist restringing their axe after a string snaps to drummers playing with broken bones to bands sharing gear with other groups on the same tour, creative thinking goes a long way. So does community, camaraderie and … (said in a facetious tone) a can-do spirit!
A few years ago, The Bad Penny began asking musicians to share tips on how they stay fiscally responsible, while on tour and otherwise. From innovative ideas to no-brainer moves to clever approaches to stunts that miiight be illegal, musicians told us myriad ways that bands are cutting corners and pinching pennies in this era of high inflation.
Here’s what they had to say:
Trail of Dead drummer and co-frontman Jason Reece
“The best way to deal with (financial strain) is to work together with other bands and share, for example, gear and transportation,” Reece says. Sometimes that really helps (offset costs) when a band doesn’t have money to work with. And if you’re touring with a band, you must trust they’re not going to kill you, so try to make the tour work for everybody financially. Trail of Dead have done that a few times: Made new friends and ensured none of us went home broke. Don’t come home broke … like we did with the Coathangers and Alex Henry Foster.
“Share a drum kit or bass cabinets and guitar cabinets (with the bands touring with you),” Reece continues. “Little things like that add up and help, you know? We’re always thinking about (these options) because sometimes (Trail of Dead) budgets are a little tighter and then sometimes they’re (more doable). We toured around the world once and just brought our guitar along. I know, it sounds crazy, but it was like improvising the whole time. Realize you guys are all working together for one common goal. That helps.”
Sigh Frontman Mirai Kawashima
“(Japan imports) a lot of things, (but when) inflation happens in other countries, inevitably we get hit by it too,” Kawashima explains. “(As for cutting costs,) we usually play as a four-piece, even though we have five members. I used to just do vocals, but now I’m also playing bass again. It’s impossible for us to bring five or six members to the U.S. because the airfares are almost double or triple what they were before COVID. It’s crazy. I’m sure all the musicians are struggling with it.
“(How you can save money) depends on where you live,” she adds. “If you’re in Europe or the U.S., it’s a lot easier to make tours happen. Japan is an isolated country. Wherever you go, you have to take a plane, which costs a lot.”
Black Anvil Lead Vocalist and Bassist Paul Delaney
“This is a personal thing, but I buy socks while on tour and wear them till they wear out,” Delaney admits. “I could (pay a) $25 (airline baggage fee) and bring them on tour, but what’s the point?”
He makes an even more colorful suggestion: “It’s probably the least-cool thing for a person in a black-metal band to say, but get in good with the guy at the print shop to help move your merch. That’s where having friends and family (really helps). Or just don’t tour. Stay home and be miserable. This is actually really great advice (considering) prices are still going up but the guarantees are the same every night. The other piece of advice I have is don’t suck.”
(Care to share your own money-saving tips if you’re in a band? Reach out to korzeck@gmail.com, and we might include your advice in a future installment of this series.)
This article was originally published in July 2024 via New Noise.
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