From: brown@sunspot.noao.edu (Todd Brown)
Subject: Re: in it for the money
Organization: National Solar Observatory/SP, Sunspot NM, USA
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 92 18:48:27 GMT

In article <182749@pyramid.pyramid.com> glambert@pyramid.com (George Lambert) writes:
>Before I start, Todd...it'd be REALLY coll if you wouldn't fuck around with
>the headers of articles you post.

Hey didn't touch 'em, see! Plus wasn't f*ckin' with just fillin' in
blanks, what does it do screw your machine?
>
>Todd, I understand your frustration, but I think there are more reasons, and
>sound ones, than sheer dollars.  Many of those reasons are tactical, and
>involve population densities of different parts of the country.
>
>Sorry for the basic geography lesson here, but let's face it: the Northeast
>is packed with a number of large metropolitan cities that are set REAL
>close together.  To get that amount of equipment set up and torn down takes
>several hours, and then it's shipped by truck (NOT air freight) to the next
>venue, which in the east generally consists of from 2 to 8 hours of transit
>time.
>
Oh I understand the geography, I've been to all those East Coast
Region, y'all can keep them, I even gave up Texas 'cuz there's too
damn many fences and no open space that don't belong to anyone.

But if the DEAD can rank close to the top in the list of top grossers,
than on the stray occassion the seem to have the money to afford an
show or two a year in regions other than those that insure mega bucks
at little cost to them but cost fans being deprived of show yearly
incomes to make 2000+ mile trips to catch a show, its something like
showing some appreciation to the folks who keep them going back there
when they weren't as mega-popular as they are now.

>Those of us west of the Mississippi live in an area that is very SPARSELY
>populated, and the metropolitan areas are many hundreds of miles apart,
>separated by considerable geographic bits of diversity (mountains, deserts,
>canyons) which make egress between the cities far less easy than on the 
>east coast.  To attempt the frequency of tours they do elsewhere would beat 
>the roadies to death and, given the fact that many of the 'metro' areas don't 
>have a big suburban base to draw on means that many of those shows would 
>simply not be economically viable.

Other bands making far less money mange it?
>
>The Dead covered a large amount of territory pre-'75.  The stresses caused by
>this almost caused a permanent dissolution of the band and left most of them
>in somewhat less than a fiscally sound state of affairs.  They learned from
>this, tho, and have adjusted their touring accordingly.
>

Per-xactly they learned where there money is and figure if anyone else
cares to see them, they will find a way of getting there, thus they
are contributing to the tour hordes just by neglecting other parts of
the country.

Also I think at that time they were touring "The Wall Of Sound" mega
stack of speakers, right! So now they don't thus they should have
a little less freight to haul around, of course they always could
just do an accoustial show, then all they need is their guitars, and
a few drums:-)
>We're extremely lucky (those of us in the Bay Area) because we get a lot of
>shows because of the proximity of the band members homes, so we get more shows
>than any other metro area.
>
>And sure, the Dead are in part businessmen, but they treat their employees
>from all accounts like an extended family rather than coolies, and have to
>pay them and themselves and try to keep the show going.  I don't begrudge the
>band making the money they do at all. 

I think CORPORATE is the real word, I still love their music but I
starting to wonder about their direction in values, could be why
some of the new songs sound so lacking.
>>>
>>But like eagle, I'll stay here in the wilderness, and I'm even higher
>>9200ft., :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)
>
>And that's the choice you make, and it really is one we all make.  If, in
>the balance of things, the wilderness is more important to you, than more
>power to you.  My best wishes.
>
Oh, yeah you bet I lived in the cities, Houston, Austin, El Paso, I
been to just about all the other big cities, except California and
Flordia. And yes I'll stay here and preserve my sanity and life, but
still doesn't mean I don't wander down on occassion just to be sure
they'er still as bad as they'er shown on the news.

But all in all, The Dead are in for the money, sure they have fun
playing, but think about it they've been at it too long to find
a day job:-)

>George Lambert
>
>"Somewhere in San Francisco"
Not flaming George, just adding perspective to those who seem to
idolize these people who really are just a gaggle of musicians:-)


I've know and lived with musicians all my life, some great few
famous!
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>TODD|-ODD-|:-)                   |         Nothing Left To Do But  <
>brown@sunspot.sunspot.noao.edu  /|\             :-) :-) :-)        <
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