Billy Blaze's Blog

Well as you can tell from some of my last few blog entries things havent been going so well for me.

However…..
I am moving forward in my Nightster tansformation which makes me very very happy
AND if you have checked the gig schedule you will see I have 5 shows this month and 5 shows the next month so far which is a dang good start to my playing season.
I will be playing regularly at Augies Sunset Cafe on Eagle Mountain Lake on Sundays!
This place is right on the lake and is a full service bar and has the best Hamburgers I have had in a very long time.
The staff and regulars are very kind and it doesn’t take much to stike up a meaningful conversation with the patrons.
This isnt a biker bar but there are always a few bikes outside and generally people enjoying the sun and fellowship.
So come on out and listen to old Billy Blaze and have a beer and a good ol greasy cheesburger…they really are fantastic!
Much more to come as I start delving more into the booking aspect of this year….keep a weather eye on the schedule I may just be in your neck of the woods some time soon, also if you would like to see me play close to you….visit your local powers that be and throw my name in the hat you all know I am not beyond taveling great distances for my friends and fans.

Thanks so much for sticking with me even in the dark hours

Billy Blaze

At the end of this year I will have been in my new place for 2 years.
Since I have been out here I have not done much with my music. Partialy due to so much work needed of me to improve the place and keep it running.
And another part is I just have lost some desire to play music.
If you read this blog you will get the idea that i have worked hard to advance my career in music but had little luck with it panning out.
Such is the case for many musicians out there hitting the bricks every day looking for work.

After playing many many shows where at the end of the night and after each song you are left sitting in the silence you create….waiting and listening for an answer to why you are there to begin with.
I enjoy playing music as much as I always have but when this happens it is tiresome and cuts deep scars into your soul.
I wonder how easy it must have been before the internet in comparrison to the overwhelming amount of people that play music online.
Each person, bar owner, manager, booking agent, etc etc etc has a quirk and a different set of rules that you cant possibly know but are expected to know.

Playing in bars is like giving blood, you are simply background music for people who want to get drunk and laid.
The phrase “exposure” means only to the sun.
NO record executive will be roaming your little piss ass town festival looking for national artists, people dont look for talent that way.
People use that to get free entertainment out of artists when really they are saying….
Come play my event for free, I think so little about your music, your time, you, or all that you have invested, that I will not pay you, but I will make money off your talent.
And people fall for that over and over again.
Slidding scales, percentage of bar sales, working for the door etc etc etc.
All these terms come with hidden things you done know like for instance your pay could be calculated on what the bar made for the whole day even when the band wasnt there, or they dont count bar tabs, or credit card transactions in the bar sales.
Bottom line is its all a way to get over on the band or artists.
If you are a musician you MUST have the confidence to ask for a flate rate and be true to yourself and ask for what you feel you are worth.
If everyone did this we would all get paid.

But then you have “Billy Joe Bob Stumble-fuck and the Midnight Ass Bandits” who are more than happy to assault people nightly with their shitty music and drunkeness on stage who are more than happy to play for a possible shot at a piece off ass and some free beer.

I hope that one day I can reach someone that can help me, with my music. In all likelyhood it wont happen and if it does they will say I am too old to exploit…..and really I just want the world to hear what I am writting about.
My songs mean something to me and I hope they do to you.

Peace and love through music!
Billy Blaze

So I got an 08 Harley Nightster, I have always wanted one since I was a kid and its a damn shame it took the ecconomy getting this bad for me to be able to buy one.
I started ridding bikes back in 1978 and didnt learn to drive a car till I was in my 20’s.
Just like everything I own, I end up changing it into something I like completely.
So far the transformation looks pretty sweet.
You can follow my progress with it here…
http://www.billyblaze.net/blazesbaby.html

I sold just about all my music gear with the exception of my trusty Takamine guitar and Bose system, sold all my recording gear except bare essentials.
And I have written a new song called “The Cage” which is in my opinion one of the best songs I have ever written, for many reasons I believe this…here are some.
It can easily be applied to many others lives.
The bridge,chorus,and verses came out in a unique arrangement.
I write about serious topics mostly, ya know songs with meaning so it has the tone set as such like most of my music.
I plan to record this one soon and offer it up for download on my site as well as a few other choice tunes.
I am checking into the costs for this soon.
I believe this time I am going to work with digital media rather than tangible CD’s since I still have a shitload of my 1rst one.

Anyhow thats all for now, untill the world screws me so bad again I need to write about it…lol

Billy Blaze

So……
I have worked for with these guys for around 2+ years here and there playing gigs in Midland,Oddesa,and Snyder,Tx.
I am going to share my story as I think other musicians should know what they are up against if they work for these guys.

I started by working at the Mahogony Lounge in Midland,Tx.
There was a flat rate that I made, no room or food drinks etc included.
The first night I played there I dead headed it down there and played the show and headed back home.
The second time I figured since I was soooo tired that I would stay the night in Midland.
I figured well I am already at the Hilton where the club was located, so I would ask about the room prices.
The lady behind the counter told me the rates and I said that was pretty steep and was going to search around a bit….at that time the lady behind the desk said wait a moment and got another very nice lady to come talk to me and she comp’d me a room for the night.
This will come into play later…..
I had send multiple requests to be represented by Promising Projects in that area as the folks out there are just awesome for a musicians morale.
Each time I got no response, however they did read what I was asking in e-mail as they replied to other inquiries.
years rocked on and I only got a show or two at the most per year….i just figured that it was because i was so far away.
I brought a good friend of mine that plays music out to a show and he met “Lisa Grissom” the agent for Promising Project who is partnered with Ronn Reager the other owner.
Immediately almost my friend was signed into their roster which sort of upset me a little.
Since I had spent countless attempts at signing myself up with them.
I played a little place in Snyder at which point I was approached about playing there and booking through the owner and not Promising Projects at which point I declined, after I got the word about my friend being signed on with them I changed my mind and attempted to book a show through the little place in Snyder.
At which point I got a phone call from Ms. Grissom chewing me out about booking the show…
Now let me point out….I had not signed any contract with PP and the owner of this cafe also booked on his own as well as using their services.
She continues to chew me out about the room that was comp’d to me years ago at the Hilton saying essentialy that i was begging for a free room or something…anyone who knows me knows that I dont ask for anything from anyone much less beg for anything.
So in short I spent years wondering what happened and why i wasnt getting more shows and it took this for these folks to finally tell me what was keeping their panties in a bunch, and it was all over stupid shit.
Furthermore i dont understand the anger in me booking a gig at a place when I held no contract with anyone, and the owner booked acts on his own.
This just goes to show you musicians out there that there are some really flaky people that work in and around the music industry.
Dont walk but run away from Promising Projects….on top of all this they went as far as even threatening my carrer.
Honestly i have been playing pro for over 15 years and I play in and out of state, so I am not phased by empty threats.
Anyhow just wanted to share my experience and since its all factual I have no fear of telling this story.
If this helps one hard working honest musician from being taken advantage of by self centered, self serving booking agents then my job is done.
Unlike the folks mentioned I will rest well tonight.

Billy Blaze
p.s. working on my third CD as we speak, will be back in the studio this coming year to record CD #2

Hey guys I have a chance to have my tunes produced by a kick arse producer…

Click this link to view my song “Dr Rx” and vote for me by clicking the “I Like” button under the video.

www.gimmethegig.com

You dont have to sign up for anything at all, you dont have to give an info on yourself….nothing just a couple of clicks.

Thanks for your support!

Billy Blaze