Supporting Bands You Love - AKA Don't Be A Douchebag

Inspired by recent posts on Twitter by Ol Drake, particularly this one. What it all comes down to is this: Many of the bands you like, maybe all of them, if you have more obscure music tastes, are struggling for money.

I've started to think more about issues to do with piracy, and people's very important right to be paid for their work even if they enjoy doing it, since I got into sex work. Outsiders often don't realise that it IS a creative job (convincing a man who isn't a metalhead that you find him attractive = performing fucking arts, I tell you!) and that a lot of the same issues musicians and other artists face affect sex workers too.

Piracy is a big one - finding your pay to view clips on a tube site or torrents feels horrible - but the main thing I encounter is the crazy view that if I genuinely enjoy my job (which the bulk of the time I really do) I shouldn't care about the money. I've had perplexed emails from non-clients who ask if I never 'play for fun' or if I don't just want a fuckbuddy, I've had guys begging me to flash on cam so they can see if I'm "worth paying for", or asking me to text them dirty pics before they'll book. I hate this attitude, that I'm obviously so horny that I'll give my services away, and I hate it when it's applied to musicians I respect (or for that matter ones I don't :P) - the bizarre idea that being passionate about making music should mean having no interest at all in being paid for your work. It IS possible to love your job and still expect fair compensation for it, and even if it wasn't, reality is that people have to eat and pay their bills every now and again.

Wouldn't it be awesome if music was free, merch was dirt cheap (like the fake Manowar shirts I spotted some scumbags openly selling outside the gig in Leeds this month) and everyone lived in a happy fantasy land? Yep, but that isn't the situation, so stop being an asshole and try the following instead:

1. Buy CDs/Legal Downloads

Most people have done it at some point, but there isn't actually any moral justification for piracy at all. We all do stuff we're ashamed of every now and again but don't you dare claim you're not stealing directly from someone, because you are. If you want to 'try before you buy' most bands have a few songs legitimately available through Youtube that they've put there themselves, you don't need to nick the entire album. If you like a band enough that you'd prefer it they didn't have to quit because they're flat broke, go out and buy an album. If you can't afford a physical CD, iTunes or other legal downloads are usually quite a lot cheaper, and often so is buying CDs from online retailers like HMV, Play or Amazon. Can't afford it at all? Save up, maybe drink less or something!

2. Go to gigs and buy merch if possible

Yep, I've been to gigs and not bought any merch. That's because sometimes getting to a gig costs me £40+ in the first place if it's not local, and sometimes I just don't have much money, or I'm going to three gigs in a week and I can't afford merch at every single one because that would be a bit mental. I'm not saying you're a cunt if you don't buy a shirt or several at every gig you've ever been to. But try to, most bands now have some really awesome shirt designs, or more unusual merch (my friend MariJayne now has a pair of The Darkness panties! Seriously, they're amazing, more bands should do panties). Stuff like posters, wrist bands, etc are usually significantly cheaper if you're on a budget. But don't whine about tshirt prices, the band isn't trying to rip you off, they're trying to make a living which they're more than entitled to. Either buy one, or accept that you can't afford it and do something else to support the band.

3. Don't buy fake merch

Yes, a Manowar shirt for a tenner off some dodgy man in the street after the gig might be tempting (apart from the fact that they looked like shit, that is) but don't be a douche, buy one from the band, from a shop or online store, or if you can't afford don't bother. Wearing one of these just proves you don't care about supporting the band at all, why would you want to publically admit that every time you wear the shirt? I've only seen this going on at the one gig, but I'm assuming it happens more often than that and judging by the number they'd got printed and stacked in the street it's big business for these dickheads.

4. Recommend bands to friends

This is supporting the band, and doing something nice for your friends too! If a band is awesome pimp them out at every given opportunity until people tell you you're being annoying and beg you to stop. If you convert a couple of new fans, and they buy CDs and merch as well, it's like you're spending 3x as much. Excellent work! Also you'll have some mates to hang out with at gigs.

5. Don't tolerate shitty fans

If someone you know is merrily torrenting and announcing it to the world on Facebook, tell them why they're a fucking asshole. Publically humiliating them might not work, some people really don't have any shame, but it's worth a shot. Don't accept copied CDs, don't turn a blind eye to people stealing or being in general bad, unappreciative fans. If you love music have a high standard and stick to it.

I know full well that no one can manage all of this 100%, I don't even (I don't pirate music anymore but I have been known to turn a blind eye to my friends doing it, because I'm a pussy sometimes) but if you aim for perfection you'll manage to improve, maybe. The alternative is bands getting steadily poorer and poorer, until only people who are rich to start with will be able to make music. I don't see that being a great world to live in, to be honest.