Just a note from the QA department. It's "bona fide".

11. How many Supertramp covers do you know?

Hahahah! If you will play a tempo crazy synth style version of "Bloody Well Right" I promise I'll be right in the front with a crazy t-shirt on!

Nisa you asked a question, didn't get many responses so you filled in the blanks with what you think is happening.

Many musicians, including myself, would be happy to talk to you about the business side of things in person. I am not going to lay out my finances on a website for a stranger doing research for an essay.

Your old man was one of the finest teachers I ever had. Also one heck of a sharp dresser. I always wondered why he smelled like bondo.

it's entirely possible there are professional/full-time musicians in this town who DON'T post on this board... remember, the entire city populace isn't required to post here! i wouldn't say that worcester can't support full-time musicians just because none of them answered this post... that seems speculative...

Name one? How's about three (of the top of my head with two moments notice)
1. Bane - Worcester's own kings of the U.S. hardcore scene. Bane's put out one quickly sold out (now obscure) six song tape that they made 5000 copies of back in 1996 before getting singed to New York's Equal Vision Records (former independent, now major label subsidiary). Two Cds on Equal Vision, "Give Blood" and "The Note" have sold in the 10,000 range. From 1996 until a few years ago they could have been considered a Worcester band with this exception, during the 7 or 8 months out of the year that they were on tour in the U.S., Canada, and Europe they weren't from anywhere in particular. Over the past few years, guitarist Aaron Dalbec (technically originally from Northboro) met a girl from Colorado, shacked up with her...now that's where he's from. Similarly, lead singer Aaron Bedard met a girl in Maryland and now lives there. Bassist Pete Chilton, Guitarist Zack and drummer Ben still all live in the area.

2. No Trigger - The pride of Dudley, Mass. (You know...just south of Charlton, west of Webster) are on major label subsidiary Time Bomb Records (owned by that dude that sings in the Offspring). They are also on tour through the U.S., Canada, and Europe at least 6 months out of the year. No numbers on their CD or online sales, but their 2006 album, "The Canyoneer" is one of my favorites evuh'. The drummer Mike Ciprianni owns a customized drum making business, but I'm pretty sure for the rest of them, their full time job is "No Trigger". What bugs me about your average Wocesterites lack of knowledge about these guys is, when I tell someone about them, they think that I'm making this up. Like I don't have anything better to do then make up imaginary bands. If I were to be making things up, don't you think that I'd be telling people that my day job was killing people for the C.I.A. or working as a porn star?...just sayin'

3. Duke Levine - Anyone ever heard of that guy? He used to be my favorite Worcester guitarist. The truth is that he's lived in Boston or New York City for the past dozen years, so I suppose that he doesn't count.

That's all I thought of in a couple of minutes. What they do have in common is that you didn't see them around Worcester all the time, because they were out of town often. You can sell a finite amount of music and merchandise in Worcester, an infinite amount of it everywhere else. The other thing they'd have in coomon is being too busy to post on a message board thread about someone's essay, unless they're on vacation like I am.
Be happy I'm not grading your essay Nisa. I'd be taking points off for faulty research and unsubstantiated assumptions.

We really need to start a Fish Tie Club night out.

Phil has been talking this talk for years and he is dead on with it. A big reason original music in Worcester fails and fails so often is the lack of people hitting the road and doing so on a regular basis. As I found out it's hard to do when you are older. You don't know how much it sucked to have the opportunity to tour the States and Europe a couple years ago and have to turn it down because of "responsibility." If you are a young band reading this get the hell out there. You have PLENTY of time to rebound from however you may temporarily mess up your life by doing it and I am fairly certain you won't regret it. You'll regret not doing it much more than you'll regret doing it.

While your out there tell people where you are from and invite bands to come back and do shows here with you.

I have always felt that certain genres of music have really suffered in this city due to the lack of real touring acts within those genres. Pretty soon you are in your 30's, you look around and realize your entire music community has died. Don't think it can't happen.

Yeah, I am a musician making a living playing in the city.

Mc Faddens will pay a flat rate for covers, probably top 40 stuff, definitely older stuff, but they got their slots filled. They offered me $150 for 2 hours.

I play for tips on main street. If make $20 a day, I got $600 for the month.

I spend $318 on rent, $75 on food, $50 on phone, $40 on utilities. That's only $483.

There is a guy who lives in my building who is a classically trained cellist and flutist.

He is often plays with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He is a teacher at Indian Hill School of Music and is part of the Worcester Joy of Music Program. he is also an adjunct professor at a couple colleges included one or two in town and one as far away as Maryland. I think he goes down there once or twice a month. He gives lessons in his unit on Saturday afternoons.

Not your typical route, but all his income is derived thru music.

And often bands that tour aren't making a living, either. Many bands out on the road aren't earning close enough to cover their costs, never mind to put a living salary in the band members' pockets. I don't have first-hand experience with major label deals, but I've heard that a band doesn't break even with a major label's advance until they have three platinum records; and most bands don't have that.

As Gabe's earlier post pointed out, it's a game most available to the young, who might not really have any overhead. They can crash at mom and dad's, or something ike that. That's how I worked it out in my early twenties. Selling a few cassettes a night and picking up a little at the door wasn't enough to finance our trips to Portsmouth, Portland, Boston, Vermont, Western MA, etc. We lost money all over the place.

I don't want to disclose names and information for other people, but three ubiquitous area musicians I know play multiple nights a week and record and tour when possible, and yet still work full-time day jobs.

'shrugs'