Unity of purpose vital in the game

the same, ether you talk to the more senior guys in the music business or you meet with the very young artistes their sentiments sound alike.
We are not getting a fair deal for our talent considering the role we play in both entertaining and promoting the different local brands.
The question that needs s to be answered is who is to blame for short changing musicians?
Musicians in Zimbabwe need to wake up come together and begin to discuss, debate and prescribe a way forward that will justify their activities and demands.
Until you speak as one voice you will continue to feel used and abused.
From the Government to music associations there seems to be no real interest in setting systems and parameters that govern and control the industry, so it remains the artists them selves standing up and naming their price.
We also need to see progress on the National arts council’s initiative to professionalise the arts.
Talking to a number of top musicians in Zimbabwe I noticed one common trend – they wait to be hired to perform.
Being hired is a good thing but you need to know that most of those who want your services either have a set budget or alternatives.
If you don’t agree with set budget, they will look for someone else unless you are a household name, or a major crowd puller.
One of the issues to consider discussing and setting a basic guide line on is pricing.
The obvious fact that you need to always remember is that your music product is point required, although it may be a question of time.
When someone is paying for a band to perform either at a wedding or function what areas come to play?
What is a fair price that will leave the band feeling a sense of progress and achievement?
The need to rate bands according to performance and experience can also come in handy in setting categories for pricing.
The business of waiting for someone to hire you and failing to create your own festivals and concerts leaves you wanting.
I believe if you network among yourselves you can develop products that can give you value.
A band was given a contract to perform at a big festival recently, before any negotiations the owners of the show had already set the price to a ridiculous four hundred and something dollars.
The show was held in Bulawayo. So did they pay their own accommodation, transport, and food from that money and what did they take back home to feed their respective families.
If that was covered outside that amount how much did each band member get?
Reading news about international artists failing to come through due to monies not reflecting in their accounts must be a lesson for local groups.
How do you expect to get better results if you continue to use the same method?
Watching musicians on stage belting out some of the craziest melodies, groovy basslines and funky drumlines leaves you wondering where they get it all wrong when it comes to money matters.
What are your views on this issue of pricing and payment of music groups?