[Trombone-l] Why no bands?

[Chris Tune]

I thought we all knew the answer to this:

BUDGETS.

You should note that the major talk shows, and SOME mid-level shows, do HAVE 
bands.  They are now smaller bands, essentially like an eight piece R&B band 
format.  So Jay Leno and the Tonight Show, David Letterman, and even TV chef 
Emeril have these bands. Smaller shows with smaller budgets often do NOT 
have bands.  Also, in earlier days, you had Merv Griffin (a band singer), 
Mike Douglas (a band singer) and similar folk who had a band as a high 
priority.  No so nowadays.  More comedians. . . aaarggh.

For traveling shows, (i.e. "Broadway" shows) there really is even more 
pressure.  These are not supported by TV advertising, but ticket sales. 
Often more than they would like of the tickets go out in bulk as "promo" 
items.  Adding costs of touring on, the manager has to drop something.  They 
can't mess with lighting and sound, and the actors, but the band can go.

When this kind of stuff started happening, Unions tended to blame 
recordings.  It is true that high quality recording was a "genie" in a 
bottle.  But once the genie is let out. . .it cannot be put back in. . .it 
is impossible to "un-invent" the audio recorder. Frankly, it is MONEY that 
drives this stuff.

The money thing gets even more interesting if you start looking at the state 
of touring music performance.  The groups are smaller and much more loaded 
up with automated musical gear, however the show is now made more expensive 
because of special efx.  Getting your giant Pig to move through the sky, or 
blowing up many flash pots, costs pretty good money.  I often think this is 
simply a move from one expense to another, even worse expense.  But the 
styles probably drove this and that cannot be turned back.  You can't 
un-invent the "Rock Band", or "Rap Group".

Chris Tune

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jeff Albert" <jeff at jeffalbert.com>
To: "Charles Levine" <chardy2 at totcon.com>
Cc: <Trombone-l at server5.samford.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, November 29, 2005 6:44 AM
Subject: Re: [Trombone-l] Why no bands?


>I played the Joan Rivers show a couple of times and she uses a band  in her 
>live act.  The band is on stage, and is essentially a prop.   We played her 
>on and played her off, and were the butt of a few  jokes.  Other than that 
>we just sat there on stage and watched her  show...and collected a nice 
>check.  I think it was her musician  subsidy program.
>
> Jeff
>
> =====================
> Jeff Albert
> www.jeffalbert.com
> www.scratchmybrain.com
>
>
>
> On Nov 29, 2005, at 8:03 AM, Charles Levine wrote:
>
>> How come MOST of the talk shows have no band or live music at all?
>>
>> How come so many night club acts and "road" shows have recorded music
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