| Author | Message | ||
  SisDetroit (sis) 6-Zenith Username: sis Post Number: 707 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 68.43.206.95 |
I remember reading about a well known artist who sings with a well known male group. His contract called for a hefty advance and final payment of $50,000 before going on the stage. (If I can remember correctly on the figures. Could have been $75K.) The promoter sent an advance of $25K, and was to give the remaining 50K in cash to the artist before the hit the stage. Due to poor ticket sells, the promoter had only $47,500 in hard cold cash, gave it to him, and wanted to write a $2,500 check. Well, the artist refused the check, and did not go on stage. The promoter promised that he could get the remaining $2,500 on Monday when the bank opened. "Naw, I ain't goin on til I git da money." Fans from all over the states had spent money just to go and see this famous group. Spent money on planes, hotels, and tickets, and attire. The artist didn't give a care about those hundreds of loyal fans. Everyone knows the unnamed group I am speaking of. What do you think about that? Do you think the popular celebrity should have gone on stage, or do you agree that the celebrity did the right thing in not going on stage. I vote that he should have performed. | ||
Juicefree20 (juicefree20) 6-Zenith Username: juicefree20 Post Number: 2737 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 24.46.184.162 |
Sis, Considering that the difference was merely $2,500 & the fact that the sales were slow, I would have performed. The way I see it is that the group had received almost all of their money. The promoter promised to make good on the $2500 & from the advance & antiing up nearly $48Gs, he appeared to be operating in good faith. If the promoter reneged on the $2500, there was recourse to make the artist whole. What the artist DIDN'T consider was this: For the sake of $2500, he may have cost himself & his group FAR more in the long run. He could scored major points & built a great deal of goodwill with their fans, by performing. Now, I don't know who you're referring to, but they seemed very short sighted. In the end, the $2500 that the promoter didn't have, may have been what some of those fans spent to see them. I'm not suggesting that they work for free, I am suggesting that had they looked at the long term view, they should have taken the check & performed for their fans. As I said, for $2500 there were remedies that they could have taken, should that check have bounced. In the long run, their stand on principle could cost them more than they considered, as well as a few hundred fans. I think they should have at least considered that before walking out. Somehow, I think that the fallout from their decision will make that $2500 look like chicken feed. I guess that we'll see. Though I'm not sure exactly whom you're referring to. | ||
dvdmike (dvdmike) 5-Doyen Username: dvdmike Post Number: 398 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 4.158.66.73 |
I don't know who the group is, but Chuck Berry has a similar groove. You have to give him cash up front, in a briefcase before he will set foot on stage. Probably due to memories of getting ripped off by concert promoters back in the day. | ||
Chi Drummer (chidrummer) 5-Doyen Username: chidrummer Post Number: 250 Registered: 5-2004 Posted From: 67.175.80.98 |
Damn it Mike! You beat me to it. That sounds just like Chuck Berry's MO. Should he have done it? In most cases no, unless he knew the promoter wasn't about to come up with the money and he wanted to teach him a lesson. This one's tough, alienate your fans or possibly gain the reputation of being a mark. | ||
1wicked (1wicked) 5-Doyen Username: 1wicked Post Number: 318 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 12.102.44.68 |
Aretha is said to work in similar fashion. Check out www.thesmokinggun.com for a number of celebrity riders. | ||
Charise (mistrivia1) 6-Zenith Username: mistrivia1 Post Number: 643 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 198.81.26.46 |
Ditto, Sis, Juice!!! You said it in a nutshell, you have most of the freakin' money, get your tail on stage and perform, because if it wasn't for those screaming/non screaming admirers who buy your records, where would you be???? I understand about getting paid, but in the long run, you have kinda forgotten about what is important and longevity. Many people don't understand, if you loose your ability to sing through some misfortune or can no longer play an instrument, then what??? You surely won't have to worry about anybody paying money to see you on stage!!! My point is, don't take for granted that anything is promised to you, don't get so big-headed that you can't see the forest for the trees, because in the end there will be something or someone there to remind you, that you are not the only talent around. Dvd Mike: I heard that story about Chuck Berry, couldn't say I blamed him for doing that back in the day, I have read the horror stories about those practices and can only imagine how rough it must have been for artists in those days, especially blacks. | ||
Juicefree20 (juicefree20) 6-Zenith Username: juicefree20 Post Number: 2741 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 24.46.184.162 |
Remember, Sis qualified the whole situation by stating that the problem was not the promoters' unwillingness to pay. The problem was..... POOR TICKET SALES!!!! Right there, that should suggest to the performer that perhaps, it would be unwise to potentially alienate those fans who DID buy a ticket to see him. Perhaps his next time around in that town may find 200 or 300 less fans purchasing tickets.....the same fans that he walked out on. Sometimes you have to know when to hold 'em, know whent to fold 'em. I'll tell you what, I wouldn't want my career & earning potential to be ruined over $2500, which I could easily recoup by going to civil court & paying a lousy $30 filing fee. (Message edited by juicefree20 on October 06, 2004) | ||
Destruction (destruction) 6-Zenith Username: destruction Post Number: 471 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 69.139.236.125 |
Juice, Once again, excellent point. The key phrase being "poor ticket sales" A no brainer. I'll take "dumbass behavior" for $200, continuing in that category... | ||
Gee (gausden) 3-Pundit Username: gausden Post Number: 40 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 24.231.183.151 |
They or he should of gone on no question | ||
Kenderella (kenderella) 1-Arriviste Username: kenderella Post Number: 2 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 205.188.116.138 |
I saw a similar article a while back. Here it is: http://www.jacksonville.com/tu -online/stories/062802/enm_976 6064.html | ||
Juicefree20 (juicefree20) 6-Zenith Username: juicefree20 Post Number: 2761 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 24.46.184.162 |
Welcome aboard Kenderella! Thank you for the link & please, enjoy your stay  | ||
Juicefree20 (juicefree20) 6-Zenith Username: juicefree20 Post Number: 2762 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 24.46.184.162 |
I just read the story. And they said that Eddie & David were irresponsible!! Maybe, he can write about this & explain it in his next book. I've got a title for it: "The Blunder Years". Seriously, I can't believe that a group of this magnitude & a man who claims to love & respect his fans, would do this to his fans for a paltry $1,500. It's obvious to me that the gentleman is trying to do things the right way. I see where Silk didn't show up for one of his concerts. That seems ridiculous to me, as Silk wasn't exactly burning up the charts in 2001 - 2002. Frankly, I didn't know that they were booked for so many concerts, where they could afford to have passed any up. REALITY CHECK......Brothers, when you ain't exactly flying high on the radar, do the right thing. By the way, I haven't heard much from them lately & their popularity just happened to sink lower than the Lochness Monster. Could this type of thing be one of the reasons why? Back to Otis & co. This is a man who prided himself on being professional, as that was "The Motown Way". This is a man, who always professed him respect & appreciation for his fans. So, as that's the case, how could he have explained to his fans, that they wouldn't see them perform, over a shortfall of $1500? Especially since they could have gotten the money the next morning. The fact that they were hoping for 500 walk-ups, indicates to me that ticket sales weren't too brisk. The article mentions that 1000 fans was left in the lurch. What is the capacity of the venue? Is it possible that the lack of response led to some bruised egos & the shortfall was just an excuse not to perform to a less than capacity audience? Did Otis ever address this issue & did he ever apologize to the fans??? All that I can say is that it makes them look very petty & I wonder how the rest of the fellas felt about it. Maybe they might have protested, realizing that a shortfall of $1500, wouldn't be worth the negative feedback & potential loss of goodwill with the their fans. Did he consider that his fans may have incurred great expense to see them? Even if they got their ticket refunds, perhaps they incurred ancillary costs; babysitters, perhaps they flew in for the show, bought a new suit, or hair weave. I wonder if he had thought about that for even one moment? Maybe the guys told him all of that. Then again, he might have replaced them if they complained. Hey, it's not as though it hasn't happened before. I find it difficult to have a great deal of respect for this man. Could you imagine The Rolling Stones or Diana Ross blowing off their fans over $1500? I've seen artists perform under much worse circumstances than this. Not because they were suckers. Not because they were stupid & not because, contractually speaking they were within their rights to walk. They performed because they were professional & realized that without their fans, they're nothing. If he respected those 1000 who did show up, he would have performed & gotten his money the next morning. This promoter was no fly-by-night operator, he's been doing shows for 15 years. What was he gonna do, run for the border? Frankly, considering the fact that the truly great voices are no longer alive, or no longer in the group, he should've been glad that anyone wanted to see him in the first place. Some folks just don't get it! | ||
SisDetroit (sis) 6-Zenith Username: sis Post Number: 711 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 68.43.206.95 |
An advid Peabo Pryson fan, purchased all of his recordings, went to see all of his concerts, even travelled some distance to see his performance. On one of those travels, she purchased a program, and waited for him either at the door or backstage, or somewhere, and asked him to autograph the program. Not only did he refuse, he was arrogant, hurting her feelings. After that she never bought another recording by him, never went to his concerts, and if I bring his name up, she starts cursing. LOL. I kept forgetting that his name makes her ill, and I always had to apologize when I bring his name up. Especially, after the words she uses to describe him. | ||
Juicefree20 (juicefree20) 6-Zenith Username: juicefree20 Post Number: 2764 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 24.46.184.162 |
Like I said Sis........ Some folks just don't get it!!! Some of these folks just don't understand the damage that they can do to themselves forever. In another thread, I spoke of an artist whom I encountered at The Beacon Show. Out of respect, I haven't mentioned his name. Now, I have praised this artist here in this forum several times. Many consider him to be a "One Hit Wonder", as whenever he's on a TV show, that seems to be the only song that they allow him to sing. Now, Vonnie & I know a young lady who happens to book shows. A month BEFORE I knew about The Beacon Show, I mentioned to her that perhaps she could book him for some shows. However, when Vonnie & I met him at The Beacon, he was very cool, VERY COOL. And as anyone whom I've met can tell you, I don't act like a fawning fan. I speak to them, like I'd speak to anyone else. I give them their space, tell them that I appreciate their music & if they elect to carry on a conversation, cool. I don't ask for autographs, or follow them around like a puppy. I give them respect & that's that. So, after being a fan of this artist since the 60s & admiring them for the immense talent, his coolness was a bit disappointing. Here I've been talking him up to my friend, telling her that she ought to book him on shows & he didn't bother to consider that some "fans" may be able to help his cause. Ironically, he had previously contacted this same person, checking into the possibility of being booked for some of her shows. Now, what if this young lady was my sister, or family member, or whatever. Let's say that she respected my opinion enough to put him on & she asked me my opinion. Considering his less than friendly attitude, how should I respond? Would it be wrong of me to take it personally & say, screw him, he's not so cool after all? Do I run his name into the ground because I saw his less than fan friendly demeanor? No, I choose to chalk it up to the fact that he had a rough day. Perhaps he got stuck in traffic, maybe there was something going on behind the scenes that I was unaware of. Maybe he had family & friends in Florida & he was worried, because the storm had hit there. Perhaps, more likely, he's had bad experiences with fans. Hell, over the course of a nearly 40 year career, he's probably seen it all & chooses to guard himself. I would still speak up for him, as I feel that his talent deserves larger exposure. I still feel that he should be a star & singing current songs as well. Perhaps it was simply an off day. Regardless, the point is that when you rely on the love & admiration of your fans, to put bread on your table, a little cordiality goes a long way. That fan, just may have a key to open doors that you didn't expect to be opened. Not that I have those magical powers, but, would he have known that? In fact, had he taken the time to speak, something MAY have been discussed, or an introduction made. Who's to say? The point is, he'll never know & sometimes, that 5 minutes that you can't be bothered to share, can cost you more than you'll ever know. Opportunity comes in all forms & faces. And if he ever reads this board, I hope that he understands that it is him that I'm speaking of. If he should happen to read my words, I hope that he takes my words to heart. Another person might not be this generous. Out of respect to the possibility of an off night, I reserve any judgement of him. However, if I should ever see him act as he did with his fans that evening, I will waste no time at calling him out publically & letting everyone know the disdain that he has for the few people who have supported him over all of these years. Needless to say, he has many fans here & most of you would have been a bit disappointed. Truism: It's not wise to to alienate those who help feed you. A little kindness goes a long, long way. That pain in the ass fan might just have an uncle, or brother who can help your cause. That's potentially burning bridges that you don't even know that you have & it's not very smart. | ||
Sue (sue) 5-Doyen Username: sue Post Number: 210 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 64.12.116.138 |
Not talking about this situation, but in general terms -- I think this idea of a "celebrity" as someone different than you or me, someone who isn't subject to the same rules of human behavior -- it's just bizarre. As if "celebrities" (what an '80s term) have more troubles than the average joe. More money maybe, but everybody has troubles. | ||
Kenderella (kenderella) 1-Arriviste Username: kenderella Post Number: 3 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 152.163.100.134 |
Thanks, Juicefree. I am enjoying the forum. | ||
Juicefree20 (juicefree20) 6-Zenith Username: juicefree20 Post Number: 2767 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 24.46.184.162 |
Sue, That's because we've been conditioned to think of these folks as Gods. Then if they fall short of that impossible ideal, they get crucified. I was raised to idolize no one & I tried to pass that mentality down to my son. From some of the things that I learned about celebrities when I was young, I was never intimidated by them, or in awe of them. As such, I have no problem talking to them as though I was talking to a neighbor. While I love & respect their music, I don't see them as perfect or infallible. I see them as people & I try to treat those whom I've met that way. A couple of entertainers gave me their numbers at the PBS Special. It was about a month before I called any of them. They must have appreciated the fact that I didn't abuse their number, as when we call one another, we have some pretty cool & candid conversations. Of course, I've never violated their confidence by running my mouth about our conversations. What I've discovered is that if you act like you've got sense & treat them with respect, they return it to you. Although some don't seem to realize it, they bleed just as we do & have the same problems, concerns & frailties that we do. They're not Gods, they're human. I think that sometimes, we expect too much from them. I wouldn't trade places with them either. I can have a bad day, they aren't afforded the same courtesy. That's got to be tough. | ||
Gary (gary) 5-Doyen Username: gary Post Number: 213 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 66.73.238.2 |
A few years ago, I was a member of a social club here in Detroit. We were interested in having a certain B-List female singer perform at a banquet/dance/fund raiser we were sponsoring. The singer's performance fee was $15,000 and she wanted $7,500 in cash up front and the remaining $7,500 in cash on the night of the show. We thought $15,000 was a bit steep for a singer whose hit-making days were largely behind her, so we attempted to negotiate a deal for $10,000, (which I personally felt was still too high). She did not accept our offer so we got another act to perform at our event for considerably less money. I don't know how much steady work this singer was doing at that time, but it couldn't have been very much and $10,000 seemed more than adequate compensation for her services. So she played hardball with us and walked away from $10,000 in cash and we hired another act who put on a great show for less money. I would have thought this singer would have gladly, even if reluctantly, accepted the $10,000 offer. I guess I'm just not meant to understand the business side of show business. BTW, I saw this same singer performing last summer at a free concert. I wonder if she's still demanding $15,000 per appearance these days. I seriously doubt it. | ||
Reese (reese) 5-Doyen Username: reese Post Number: 205 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 12.15.168.221 |
I definitely think the artist should have performed, and I agree with most of the reasons given above. However, I also feel that the promoter has some responsibility as well. He must have known what the ticket situation was before the night of the performance. Therefore, he should have gotten the remainder of the artist's guarantee and had it ready by showtime. Granted, I'm not a promoter, so my opinions might be naive. But it doesn't seem wise to depend on last-minute ticket sales to complete your artists' guarantee. The promoter probably would have better off borrowing that $2500 and having the show go on. Instead he has to make refunds for those disappointed audience members, and those refunds might add up to more than $2500. (Message edited by Reese on October 08, 2004) | ||
Randy Russi (randy_russi) 5-Doyen Username: randy_russi Post Number: 239 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 169.139.180.100 |
Some of the performers I know would never hold a promoter to the contracted fee if ticket sales are so low he couldn't possibly come up with the funds without going broke. Still others... | ||
Sue (sue) 5-Doyen Username: sue Post Number: 211 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 12.34.51.20 |
Juice, That's not quite what I'm saying. I mean, entertainers should be able to abide by the same rules of common courtesy that we all do. | ||
Juicefree20 (juicefree20) 6-Zenith Username: juicefree20 Post Number: 2774 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 56.0.103.25 |
Sue, As you'll see from numerous posts of mine, I agree with you wholeheartedly!! I think that I misunderstood your post, but I'm with you 100% on that point. I thought that good P.R. was part of being an entertainer. It seems as though I may be wrong. | ||
Destruction (destruction) 6-Zenith Username: destruction Post Number: 475 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 199.173.225.22 |
Not completely off topic...but, (and I know she's not fan fave to some here) I felt Missy Elliot's "Gossip Folk" was an interesting take on the "celebrity" mindset, especially at the end when she tears into some of her "fans" and ends it with 'oh by the way, buy my new album', and the crowd goes, 'daaaaammmn'. | ||
fayette (msshonuff4u) 3-Pundit Username: msshonuff4u Post Number: 37 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 152.163.100.134 |
as much as i love peabo bryson,he don't have a need to be arrogant now.irs even sold his shoes. they had his stuff actioned off like they owned it(and they did) my mama use to say, you can't do wrong and get by with it.i had a simliar experience with curtis mayfield was i was a teenager. we had went to a impression concert here in atlanta and after the show we also had a program. i held it out and asked him to sign it, he took me by the shoulders moved me out the way and kept walking.i promised myself i will never ever ask for a autograph and i don't today. fayette | ||
fayette (msshonuff4u) 3-Pundit Username: msshonuff4u Post Number: 38 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 152.163.100.134 |
oops that word was auction instead of action lol | ||
SisDetroit (sis) 6-Zenith Username: sis Post Number: 714 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 68.43.206.95 |
Sometimes LJ Reynolds puts on his stone face. You know "the chilling effect." LOL | ||
Juicefree20 (juicefree20) 6-Zenith Username: juicefree20 Post Number: 2777 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 24.46.184.162 |
Sis, I would suggest that L.J.s picked the wrong time in his career to act like that. Not to be disrespectful, but, I've heard him in the last few years & I don't believe that he should go about alienating any of his fans. It's not 1977 anymore. He may have been able to get away with that then. Times have changed, among oither things! | ||
SisDetroit (sis) 6-Zenith Username: sis Post Number: 716 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 68.43.206.95 |
Juice - Put it this way, not only does LJ know it is no longer 1977, his body reminds him of that on a daily basis. So, this is 2004, do you think he can bare having fans pulling on him every which way as they did in 1977. His body tells him to "put on that stone face man, I don't think I can hold you up if they come atcha." LOL Believe me. They love their fans. They love to perform. This is their life. They just can't handle the pressure as they did in their younger days. (In a few days, I will have an important statement for the fans of the Dramatics.) So, keep the love coming for the artist. They are people just like we are. Let them be them. Think about it!!!!!!!!! (Message edited by sis on October 08, 2004) (Message edited by sis on October 08, 2004) | ||
Juicefree20 (juicefree20) 6-Zenith Username: juicefree20 Post Number: 2781 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 24.46.184.162 |
I love L.J. & will always think of that man tearing up songs like I Can't Get Over You & Be My Girl. In fact, I feel like I owe L.J. & the fellas some royalties. Why, they helped make 1977, how should I say this.....IT WAS A VERRRRY GOOODDD YEAAAARRRR I owe them a lot, they made my evenings a hell of a lot easier, if you catch my drift I loved The Dramatics from the first time I heard Their What'cha See LP with Wee Gee & loved them ever since. I assumed that as you mentioned the stone face & chilling effect, that you meant that he was blowing off his fans. Trust me, I've got faith that L.J. can handle it & he'll be alright. Now, if you Detroit ladies would stop loving the man so much, he wouldn't have anything to fear. I think that I'm getting scared of you Detroit gals. How does the song go...."Too much for one man...." Y'all leave L.J. alone, he's got songs to sing | ||
SisDetroit (sis) 6-Zenith Username: sis Post Number: 717 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 68.43.206.95 |
I meant that he may be tired in his old age. Shhhhh, don't tell him I said that. I trust he only reads this Forum when I insist he read it. He is much, much younger than the Funks. So, the Funks, reluctant to go overseas, went anyway. That long plane ride, from town to town at their age. Still played good music. Fayette - We love Curtis Mayfield so much, it is sometimes hard to believe that Curtis would be so cold. But, yet, we know he did it. I hope you forgave him for what he did. RIP Curtis Mayfield. I love Teddy Pendergrass. However, it took me ten years after Teddy had his accident before I could play his albums. Just think of all the years I missed out on listening to his beautiful voice. As we get older we get cranky. I was cranky today with my son. He just didn't realize that there is just so much I can take at my age. Especially when more important things are happening in our lives, for instance: business matters, medical problems, etc. Times can be hard, and we take it out on those who least expect it. Our fans, our families, our friends. Things usually work out for the best. | ||
Juicefree20 (juicefree20) 6-Zenith Username: juicefree20 Post Number: 2784 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 24.46.184.162 |
Sis, As to your last paragraph, that's what my mother says. She can't tolerate the nonsense that she could, even 10 years ago. She also finds herself saying her thoughts aloud, before she even thinks about it. She laughs & says, "I didn't mean to say that". It's funny, I guess that it's reflexive & I think that it's funny at times. If that's the case, as opinionated as I am, I would probably be a trip, should God bless me with good health & age. WHEW!!! I shudder to think of it | ||
isaiah imani (isaiah) 4-Laureate Username: isaiah Post Number: 160 Registered: 8-2004 Posted From: 66.119.33.167 |
Alright, now, in defense of the artist(LOL!) Suppose you guys were in business for yourselves, and you had an agreement with a client for a certain amount of money to cover your costs just to arrive at their door, and after you arrived at their door, they start trying to renege on that agreement, what would your response be??? My thinking is that whoever this promoter was, he or she is promoting themselves here... I don't see no artist turning down $48-grand if it's up in his face in cold, hard cash... Sorry, I don't see it - not for no principle or nothing!(smile!) Remember, they had to put that $48-grand back into the promotor's hands, all or nothing, and I don't think they'd of done that... So is the promotor willing to put out the video to prove his ridiculous propaganda piece??? Yo, I don't think so(lol!) Peace! Isaiah | ||
Juicefree20 (juicefree20) 6-Zenith Username: juicefree20 Post Number: 2834 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 24.46.184.162 |
What's up Isaiah, Depending on the contractual language, they may not have had to give the promoter back one cent. In fact, if this case ever went to court, their argument would likely be that the promoter didn't live up to his end of the contract. As such, the promoter would be in breach of contract & they wouldn't have to return a dime in that scenario. In this case, it's not the promoter who brought this up, it was a columnist writing the story, Honestly, this guy is not promoting himself at all. Actually, the article points out the many problems that he's had with his shows. Trust me, this is no propaganda piece for this guy. To be honest, after reading of all of the problems that he's had with promoting shows, this article does more harm to him than good. Remember, he didn't write this story & as I read it, he sounds as though he's a little bit in over his head here. He didn't indict The Temptations, he indicted himself. He clearly stated that he didn't have enough money to pay them as per the contract stipulations. He clearly stated that it was his failure, not The Temptations. This doesn't smack of self-promotion, it smacks more of career suicide. This article doesn't make him sound too good, as regards business. Considering the good name of the group involved, as well as their high profile & legacy, I would not have walked out over $1500. Unless they had knowledge that the promoter had the habit of pulling such stunts, they should have thought more about the ramifications involved. Contractually speaking, they had every right to do so. As for myself, I would not be willing to damage my relationship with hundreds of my fans over $1500. Bad news travels faster than good & their decision to walk, had the potential to cost them far more than $1500 in the long run. The mistake that the promoter made was not having the $1500 with him & relying on walk up sales, which are not guaranteed. It appears that he incorrectly evaluated the market for his show. Now, as to the business part, I have experienced similar situations when I was a DJ. There were occassions when I played for weddings & things like that would happen. I received my downpayment in advance, with the rest of the money payable on the day of the wedding. Many was the time, when a couple would either have to rip open their cards & pay me the balance using their gift money. There was an occasion or two, when I received the balance on the next day & I always was paid. I could have yelled & screamed about it, but what would I have gained by doing so? Had I walked, I would have been within my right to do so. However, I would have won the battle, yet lost the war by doing so. I would have lost gigs that I picked up by playing the reception. So, even though I had to wait a day, I gained more than I lost. Now, the group in question is far greater than I & by the nature of the business, driven largely by good faith with their fans. How many future ticket & CD sales did they lose over $1500? The promoter clearly stated that he blew it & he never subcribed blame to The Temptations. He freely admitted that it was his mistake. The point that he made is that they had received nearly all of their money & that should have shown them that he wasn't trying to jerk them. In my opinion, Otis was penny wise, but pound foolish by walking out. Sometimes, you have to look at the bigger picture. In this case, I don't think that he did & he may never know how much money it will cost him, when all is said & done. He took a stand on principle & he has every right to have done so. However, his decision may make that $1500 look like small change. If the guy didn't make good on the next business day, for a lousy $30, Otis could have filed a Civil Court case. There's no way that he would have lost in court & he could have maintained the goodwill of the fans, who are the ones who really got screwed here. I can guarantee you that those ladies who got their hair & nails done, perhaps paid for babysitters & got all set for a night on the town, weren't trying to hear it. I'm willing to bet that when they heard that the shortfall was $1500, they weren't too happy. When you're an institution like The Temptations, $1500 sounds like small change to most fans. I'd just like to know what happened the next time that they came to that town? If they ever went back, I'd love to know what the ticket sales were like. A smart man knows what battles to wage & evaluate the collateral damage that he may incur. I still maintain, that $1500 wasn't worth the risk. | ||
Vonnie (vonnie) 5-Doyen Username: vonnie Post Number: 343 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 64.12.116.138 |
Hey Sis, I thought that I was crazy after the Teddy fiasco. I did not listen to his records for years after his accident. I now feel relieved to know that I was not the only one who felt this way. You know why. | ||
SisDetroit (sis) 6-Zenith Username: sis Post Number: 734 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 68.43.206.95 |
Vonnie - I was sick after he had that accident. It was so unbelievable. His records had serenaded me for a long time. I just love the way he sang those songs, and I loved the sexy way he moved when he sang those songs. But, after his unfortunate accident, coming from a ball game, I was sick at heart. And I'm just a fan. LOL (Message edited by sis on October 13, 2004) | ||
marv (marv) 4-Laureate Username: marv Post Number: 94 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 152.163.100.134 |
Here are a few artist from my own personal experience that are always gracious and warm with their fans. Over the years the artist that stand out for me as being the nicest and most welcoming are : Mary Wilson, The Four Tops, Gerald Alston (of the Manhattans), Martha Reeves, Marv Johnson, Prince (yeah believe it or not), Queen Latifah,Scherrie Payne, Dionne Warwick,Smokey, even Berry Gordy was nice when I met him. |
