Australian nightclubs just got screwed...

kwalitykwality 620 Posts
edited July 2007 in Strut Central
From The Age NewspaperPatrick DonovanJuly 11, 2007MUSIC to dance to is about to cost more. A landmark decision yesterday will cost nightclubs and dance party promoters — and maybe punters, at the end of the line — millions of dollars a year.The Copyright Tribunal yesterday sided with artists to approve an application by the Phonographic Performance Company for an increase in music licence fees paid to artists and record labels by nightclub venues and dance parties.It lifted rates for recordings played in nightclubs from seven cents per person a night to $1.05 per person. The dance party rate rises from 20 cents to $3.07 per person.The nightclub industry fears the increase will send many clubs broke.Clubs Australia executive Anthony Ball said that it could even make dance parties too expensive to run for some operators."The increase from (almost) eight cents per person to $1.05 … is astronomical, it's over 1000 per cent," Mr Ball said."It will see clubs that provide discos and dance nights withdraw their services in suburban and regional parts of the country. They might just decide it's all too expensive."Likewise the Australian Hotel Association. "We're a bit stunned by the size of the increase," said the director of national affairs, Bill Healey. "It will be very difficult for some to stay in business, but it might open the door for some live music."Not surprisingly, musicians took the opposite view, hailing the decision.Lindy Morrison, the former drummer of the Go-Betweens, who is also a Phonographic Performance Company board member, was elated with the decision. The work of recording artists had been "subsidising" the revenues of nightclubs for too long, she said."As an older artist, receiving those cheques becomes very important."Dean Cherny, a DJ with Melbourne band Dirty Laundry, agrees with the principle, but wonders about the practice. He expects the increase will particularly affect smaller bar owners who do not charge entry. He points out that clubs work on cash, so "if there's a fixed cost, then people are going to be far less likely to declare".Phonographic Performance Company chief executive Stephen Peach said it was "highly unlikely" to send any clubs broke. "What we've got to keep in mind is that number is less than half the price of checking a coat, it's probably 20 per cent of the price of a drink."The majority of artists at the seven-cent rate would be earning less than a couple of hundred dollars a year from nightclubs. At this sort of rate, no one is going to be retiring or buying a holiday house — it's going to get them more towards getting a reasonable income."Phonographic company board member Paul Christie, who was Mondo Rock's bass player, said: "Artists are entitled to a fair day's pay for a fair day's work and this will go some way towards compensating us for our creative output."But Dror Erez, who runs The Prince in St Kilda, was flabbergasted by the 14-fold increase in licence fees."The CEOs of the record companies will be sharing this money. Most of the music we play is from overseas, and I bet those artists don't see a cent," he said.After operating costs, the Phonographic Performance Company distributes half the money to record labels and the other half to Australian artists.
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  Comments


  • djsheepdjsheep 3,620 Posts
    that's fucking nuts... but it serves as major karma, to all those nightclubs who only pay $25-50 a hour for "established" djs to work per hour, YEAHH!!!!. pay up u suckers!!

  • PunditPundit 438 Posts
    "A good DJ works through the music in an endeavour to keep the crowd involved and will read the crowd to keep people enthusiastic and dancing," the tribunal noted, adding that some DJs earned up to $100,000[/b] for a single performance."


    Hey B*van, how come you got your loc as Brisbane/Tokyo/Scotland... what there's no cities in Scotland?

  • PATXPATX 2,820 Posts
    So since clubs already do the "gimme your whole ticket you don't need stub, and let's just put it in this bag" (to resell up front) routine.... how many more firetraps are there going to be from this?

    Such a great idea.

  • DrBorisQDrBorisQ 298 Posts
    I'm not so sure about that. I haven't been in a dangerously overcrowded club for years now. But then again, maybe I'm just

  • djsheepdjsheep 3,620 Posts
    Hey B*van, how come you got your loc as Brisbane/Tokyo/Scotland... what there's no cities in Scotland?

    Oh yeah, I need to change that, I'm in Edinburgh, which is the nicest city in Scotland methinks. Glasgow is bigger but a little more full on...

  • PATXPATX 2,820 Posts
    Glasgow is bigger but a little more full on...

    Politely put.

  • kwalitykwality 620 Posts
    I agree sheep, but having washed up nobodies decide the going rate for someone to play music in a club is seriously fucked up. How many artists that are being played in pubs/clubs will actually be a member of the group do you think? If I played a set tomorrow night, I don't think there'd be one single record that would fit their criteria. Plus why should the drummer from Australian Crawl (or whatever) earn money from me playing cdrs or raers? They enjoyed their moment in the sun, in a much better climate for musicians to make money. I just think it'll be one more excuse for clubs/pubs to be shady.

    "I was gonna pay you $25 an hour, but because of these new laws you actually owe me money to play your music..."

  • djsheepdjsheep 3,620 Posts
    I agree sheep, but having washed up nobodies decide the going rate for someone to play music in a club is seriously fucked up. How many artists that are being played in pubs/clubs will actually be a member of the group do you think? If I played a set tomorrow night, I don't think there'd be one single record that would fit their criteria. Plus why should the drummer from Australian Crawl (or whatever) earn money from me playing cdrs or raers? They enjoyed their moment in the sun, in a much better climate for musicians to make money. I just think it'll be one more excuse for clubs/pubs to be shady.

    "I was gonna pay you $25 an hour, but because of these new laws you actually owe me money to play your music..."

    I feel that the whole Australian "nightclub" / "dj" scene is totally fucked up anyhow, I was struggling out there as a DJ for something like 10 years, and few-and-far-between did anyone offer me any type of gig to motivate me, both financially or as an artist, after establishing myself and winning local competitions, promoters would still throw you $50 for 2 hours, and the cab ride home was $25 each way, and this was pre-Microwave and I had to buy new tunes weekly for the gigs... pure bullshit, you'd explain your situation to them, and they'd just go grab any shit DJ-in-a-box regardless of how good they were.

    I soon figured (even if it was a little too late) that I could travel overseas and get a little respect and a little scrilla and support myself off what I like to do, even though my intergrity was tarnished in some way by playing commercial music at times, I still find ways around it, and it's the best I've felt as a DJ ever... I honestly think being a DJ in Australia is like being a bucketful of rats fighting for a piece of chee$e, you know? I came back home after 6 months of living and DJing overseas, and no one offered me any work, and if they did, it was "free". That's why I'm in Scotland. Fuck being a DJ in Australia.

    Anyways, I know my post doesn't have anything to do with what they are charging, but it is yet another example of how fucked up the entertainment industry is in Australia.

    peace.

  • kwalitykwality 620 Posts
    Yeah, you're right - there are plenty of rats fighting for very little cheese. I hopped off the djing treadmill long ago, cause it just wasn't worth the hassle. But what more can they do to fuck up any nightlife? Noise restrictions, licensing laws, lockins and now this? I'm just seriously sick of all the dumb shit we're doing over here.

  • djsheepdjsheep 3,620 Posts
    Yeah, you're right - there are plenty of rats fighting for very little cheese. I hopped off the djing treadmill long ago, cause it just wasn't worth the hassle. But what more can they do to fuck up any nightlife? Noise restrictions, licensing laws, lockins and now this? I'm just seriously sick of all the dumb shit we're doing over here.

    my advice, get the hell out the entertainment industry in Australia, it's in shambles matey. Either hold a day job, or if music is your passion, move overseas for a minute and make some connections...

    peace.

  • kwalitykwality 620 Posts
    Funny you say that - I've worked for distributors that have gone bust, worked in vinyl shops that have gone bust, worked with labels that have gone bust and been screwed around by plenty of other labels. Combine all that with a Melbourne Winter and I'm wondering why I'm so stupid... How do others keep the faith? I don't wanna be a , just to not live week to week.

  • djsheepdjsheep 3,620 Posts
    Funny you say that - I've worked for distributors that have gone bust, worked in vinyl shops that have gone bust, worked with labels that have gone bust and been screwed around by plenty of other labels. Combine all that with a Melbourne Winter and I'm wondering why I'm so stupid... How do others keep the faith? I don't wanna be a , just to not live week to week.

    I know exactly how you feel, being in Australia puts you in a prime place to relocate for up to 18 months to Japan to teach English...

    http://www.teachinjapan.com

    I filled in the info form, went for a meeting in a week and was overseas within 6 weeks of filling the form out (I could have gone earlier too, but wanted to sew things up at home). Trust me, I ain't ballin', shit, I ain't even DJing at the moment, but the Aussie mentality when it comes to music drives me nutty... good luck man, if you need any help, just PM me...

    bev

  • Hmmm, this thread is moving a lil bit, and I can see where you guys are coming from but on the other hand Melbourne actually has a lot of options for going out at night and seeing some decent music / DJ's .. and just recently the funk scene here has picked up too, that shit was on some serious life support not so long ago!

    That said, I think we could easily use some more 'innovative' / exciting shit down here.

  • djsheepdjsheep 3,620 Posts
    Hmmm, this thread is moving a lil bit, and I can see where you guys are coming from but on the other hand Melbourne actually has a lot of options for going out at night and seeing some decent music / DJ's .. and just recently the funk scene here has picked up too, that shit was on some serious life support not so long ago!

    That said, I think we could easily use some more 'innovative' / exciting shit down here.

    yeah...

  • kwalitykwality 620 Posts
    You're right John, but don't you think this latest effort will put a bit of a dent in that momentum? I dunno, it's a shame that some little place that would've been willing to try something different will now be slugged with yet another high cost just to stay open. It seems like another way that labels are making up for their losing money.

    And sheep, you don't know how many times I've thought of packing up and bailing to Japan... if things stay the way they are it'll be Konichiwa Tokyo in no time!

  • luckluck 4,077 Posts
    Sounds like a Promotional Tax to me... like a brand-name charging an outdoor signage company for the privilege of hosting their ad.

  • DrBorisQDrBorisQ 298 Posts
    Plus why should the drummer from Australian Crawl (or whatever) earn money from me playing cdrs or raers?

    Oh come on, don't tell me you don't drop Boys Light Up every now and again.

  • kwalitykwality 620 Posts
    It's strictly Cold Chisel around here...

  • PunditPundit 438 Posts
    There was a massive migration of peeps from Brisbane down to Melbourne a few years ago, like this total expat QLD scene down there now. A dude who played bass when I was Djing w gravity warriors moved down there for a band, got kicked out of the band, and now makes over a G a week in Melbourne just playing CDs of mostly crap, no mixes blends whatever at pubs n shit, he's making a tidy and mostly tax free living. I'm not mad at him cos he's a good mate, but shit, I'm like whoa, why did I ever bother putting so much effort into Gravity shows (oh yeah, personal integrity). I've NEVER had illusions about living off music in Bris or anywhere else in oz, I've always kept my day job, in fact playing records gives me an outlet and keeps me sane, I'm not too concerned whether its a club or in my lounge room. Plus Bev, you forgot to mention all the playahate you used to cop....

  • PunditPundit 438 Posts
    Plus why should the drummer from Australian Crawl (or whatever) earn money from me playing cdrs or raers?

    Oh come on, don't tell me you don't drop Boys Light Up every now and again.


    I got an Automator/James Reyne mashup I drop from time to time. Sleep and Reckless..

    Normal people dig it.

  • eliseelise 3,252 Posts
    What was the deal with Honkeytonks out there? I think it closed down, but just wondering...

  • What was the deal with Honkeytonks out there? I think it closed down, but just wondering...

    yep it closed, although it may have reopened under a different name - incidentially Paul Nice was the dopest dj I ever caught manning the white piano there



  • DrBorisQDrBorisQ 298 Posts
    Yeah Honkytonks has closed, it is called 3rd Class now. I'm not 100% sure on the story, but basically their lease ended so they closed Honkytonks (with a new years eve party that is now part of melbourne folklore). The building was supposed to be redeveloped as apartments or something, but got delayed, so they stripped out all the stuff (piano included ) and re-opened it as 3rd Class until they come to convert it into apartments.

  • eliseelise 3,252 Posts
    i think I need to make a week of coming out and venturing out there. I think I could enjoy the spots out there a bit. I have been considering moving, and the thought of moving out of this country would be splendid.

    Anyways, I have heard of great things about Honkeytonks. Honestly, that is the only club/venue I know of out there.

    Time to start using that student loan to travel.....hahahhahahahaaaaa!

  • PunditPundit 438 Posts
    I had a student from Seattle who came out to Bris for 3 years to study just for something different. She's loving it. You'll make lots of friends if ya ain't from around these here parts. We always love a novelty act. Plus you'll be an instant drawcard for DJ nights cos you'll have (USA) after your name.

  • cheebahazecheebahaze 235 Posts
    i think I need to make a week of coming out and venturing out there. I think I could enjoy the spots out there a bit. I have been considering moving, and the thought of moving out of this country would be splendid.

    Anyways, I have heard of great things about Honkeytonks. Honestly, that is the only club/venue I know of out there.

    Time to start using that student loan to travel.....hahahhahahahaaaaa!



    "Come on down"

  • Hey B*van, how come you got your loc as Brisbane/Tokyo/Scotland... what there's no cities in Scotland?

    Oh yeah, I need to change that, I'm in Edinburgh, which is the nicest city in Scotland methinks. Glasgow is bigger but a little more full on...

    Theres only really 2 cities in scotland...!

  • kicks79kicks79 1,333 Posts
    While i understand that artists need to get payed for their work. This just seems like another nail in the coffin of sydneys already shrinking nightlife options. Along with the high price of liquor and entertainment licenses.
    The artists won't be gettin paid at all if all the clubs and nights close down.
    I suspect this has more to do with major labels loosing money left right and center than anything else. It will be intresting to see how they will police this.
    But sheep is right being a dj in australia tends to suck the big one. I've been concentrating on just collecting the music i love rather than trying to play it out anywhere. Which thanks to these new laws just got a lot harder.

  • djsheepdjsheep 3,620 Posts
    Plus Bev, you forgot to mention all the playahate you used to cop....

    ahhhhh, good ol' Brisbane, I miss hanging out with you and ol' Bruce Highway, but there's less of the small town tall poppy syndrome anywhere outside of Australia matey, and you know it!! I miss those record fairs tho, the last one was a fucking mint of raers, pity I just bought them and put them in storage!

    peace.


  • there's less of the small town tall poppy syndrome anywhere outside of Australia

    So true.
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