How Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy Learned To Grow Up And Start Firing His Friends

[Guest Jules]

It's probably safe to say that nobody in Wilco, with the possible exception of Tweedy, could retire today and be set for life.  By that metric, they are not wealthy.  

 

That's what I was trying to get at.  Yeah there are other revenue streams, but nothing compared to tour revenue.  Plus those "other" streams likely go primarily to Tweedy.  I'd guess the band members make a couple hundred K per year (from Wilco) and Tweedy is around seven figures.

[Atticus]

That's what I was trying to get at.  Yeah there are other revenue streams, but nothing compared to tour revenue.  Plus those "other" streams likely go primarily to Tweedy.  I'd guess the band members make a couple hundred K per year (from Wilco) and Tweedy is around seven figures.

 

you should have one of your siblings write down a question about this at the next LRS.

[jff]

I'm starting to think my wealthy comment was unneeded.  

 

But I guess that gets into the criticisms people raised about the existence of the article- it leads you to ask questions you normally wouldn't ask

 

As an amateur musician, the answers to these types of questions are interesting to me.  There's a fine line between minding ones own business and finding out info that may be relevant to ones career aspirations.  I wouldn't pry for this info, but I enjoy knowing about these things when freely offered.   

 

On a somewhat related note, several years ago Nels wrote about his experience recording a few tunes with the Blue Man Group.  Neither Nels nor anyone in the Blue Man Group had the slightest idea how much Nels should be paid for his services.  i guess they could have used union scale as a guide, but that type of scenario makes it interesting, to me at least, on the rare occaisions when the curtain is pulled back and we get some actual numbers.

[Guest Jules]

Agree. I felt weird posting about it, but when the numbers are right there I can't help but do some math.

[lost highway]

Me too, to all of the above comments.  It's like everyone wants to know, but doesn't want to be nosy.  I think the most fair way to excuse us all for speculating is this: 

 

Most Americans have a decent sense of what typical jobs can earn.  You can probably make a pretty good ballpark on what a teacher, plumber, paralegal, pediatrician makes.  What's interesting is that some people have jobs that are very much atypical.  What does that sculptor guy make in a year?  How much does the owner of 'Funny or Die' make a year (does he/she need to have another job)?  How much does a guy in Wilco make?  How much does Radiohead's lightning design person make?

[calvino]

Why sad?  I'll admit it, I go to DMB shows, I enjoy their music, I'd much prefer for Wilco to stay where they are, smaller shows, less hassle, nicer venues...

 

Wealthy?  Now that's a hard one, but I guess it's best to but a framework around it, they are working musicians, they are not hauling their own equipment around and struggling to get people to come to their shows, however they are also not selling billions of records and getting $600/seat to play stadiums and huge arenas.  So to put it in that scale I'd say they are comfortably in between starving Musician (on the one extreme) and Mick Jager and Paul McCartney (on the other).

 

I got no beef with DMB --- wish them best.

[Yaz Rock]

I think the article is very interesting and the follow-up questions are not at all in appropriate. We know how much athletes get paid; it is curious to know the same of musicians whose salaries we pay by buying their concert tickets/tshirts/.albums. As for "can they retire right now," I guess that all depends on how well they have invested, and that's  a whole 'nother matter. All in all it's not a big deal to me and not something I think about when I go to a show. But it is good to see bands being smart and making good business decisions and setting good examples for young aspiring musicians who also want to play music for life and to be able to make a living doing so.

[jff]

Me too, to all of the above comments.  It's like everyone wants to know, but doesn't want to be nosy.  I think the most fair way to excuse us all for speculating is this: 

 

Most Americans have a decent sense of what typical jobs can earn.  You can probably make a pretty good ballpark on what a teacher, plumber, paralegal, pediatrician makes.  What's interesting is that some people have jobs that are very much atypical.  What does that sculptor guy make in a year?  How much does the owner of 'Funny or Die' make a year (does he/she need to have another job)?  How much does a guy in Wilco make?  How much does Radiohead's lightning design person make?

I tried to make a similar point about careers and general pay scales, but abandoned it due to clumsy wording, so I'm glad you made that point. 

[jff]

Since DMB has come up, did any of you see the article yesterday about their violinist having 400k embezzled from him by his personal assistant?  That provides at least a hint into how much those guys earn.

 

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/dave-matthews-violinist-victim-400000-592448

[moxiebean]

That's what I was trying to get at.  Yeah there are other revenue streams, but nothing compared to tour revenue.  Plus those "other" streams likely go primarily to Tweedy.  I'd guess the band members make a couple hundred K per year (from Wilco) and Tweedy is around seven figures.

I imagine as salaried musicians the rest of the band makes enough to cover mortgages, support families/raise kids, and carry on with various musical side projects without having to worry too much about turning a profit (or breaking even, really). I seem to remember that salaries are briefly mentioned in the Kot book.

[The Inside of Outside]

But it is good to see bands being smart and making good business decisions and setting good examples for young aspiring musicians who also want to play music for life and to be able to make a living doing so.

This is why I really enjoyed the article. They don't call it the music business for nothing. There is a business side to it, and I am glad Wilco has figured out how to make a good living in a rapidly changing economic landscape.

[choo-choo-charlie]

I imagine as salaried musicians the rest of the band makes enough to cover mortgages, support families/raise kids, and carry on with various musical side projects without having to worry too much about turning a profit (or breaking even, really). I seem to remember that salaries are briefly mentioned in the Kot book.

 

They were -- but they were BT/ST/YHF-era figures. Surely those have changed (read: increased).

[mariana neri]

That's what fascinates me about "band as brand": it's too complicated to turn music into a business, because it's an art.

I studied advertising in college and I love music so I always think about the union of these two things and about the limits of both. We can think of marketing for a band in the same way we think about marketing for a product but there are some points that make music marketing a little more delicate (perhaps the relationship of music consumers is more passionate than the relationship of consumers and a product).

I always think about that analyzing my relationship with Wilco: how I love the music and the people involved in a way that makes me want to sit and talk with them and made me travel so far to see their festival (and I felt so happy there like a kid at Walt Disney World). I always find myself thinking: "What causes me this? Only the music?"

I don't like to see a band that I love as a company, but I like to know that they are aware of the market and knows how to handle it. It's good to see they care about the business the same way that maintains the commitment with music without selling out... and I think it's even harder when it's a band which doesn't play to a big audience but have to maintain a big structure on the road! We can't be hippies and think that the band is supported only with music and love (I wish!)... it's their job and they are people like me who have to work to pay the bills and support the family. So I try to relate the way they do it with the way I lead my life or something like that. It really isn't easy being an adult. :/

[Plumplechook]

Not to mention that DMB makes shit ton more money on the road then Wilco (very sad to say).

 

That may be true but worth noting that the Dave Matthews Band are very much a US phenomena and virtually unknown outside the US.  By contrast Wilco have a strong international following and play to decent sized audiences throughout Europe,  Australia,  Japan etc - as well as playing a bunch of festivals most years outside the US.

 

i'm based in Australia and Wilco have toured hear regularly every two or three years for the last decade playing packed shows.  I am pretty sure that DMB have only come here once during that time and did not even sell out their one show in Sydney.

 

So my guess is that Wilco are making more money from touring outside the US than DMB.

[choo-choo-charlie]

they *do* have three upcoming shows in South Africa, which is Dave's home country. Saying they're "virtually unknown" seems like a stretch to me.

[caliber66]

"Phenomena" is the plural form.

[Ghost of Electricity]

thenks fer te speling lessun

[caliber66]

Grammar, actually.

[Doug C]

Hear

[hwllo]

That may be true but worth noting that the Dave Matthews Band are very much a US phenomena and virtually unknown outside the US.  By contrast Wilco have a strong international following and play to decent sized audiences throughout Europe,  Australia,  Japan etc - as well as playing a bunch of festivals most years outside the US.

 

i'm based in Australia and Wilco have toured hear regularly every two or three years for the last decade playing packed shows.  I am pretty sure that DMB have only come here once during that time and did not even sell out their one show in Sydney.

 

So my guess is that Wilco are making more money from touring outside the US than DMB.

 

I enjoy Wilco much more than DMB, but let's be honest here. In 2010 both Wilco and DMB played in Rome. Wilco played a venue that holds under 2,000 I believe and DMB played a venue that holds around 10,000.

 

Even if DMB isn't selling out, they're still selling a lot more tickets than Wilco is.

[Atticus]

Dave Matthews was on an episode of House whereas I don't think Jeff Tweedy has been on an episode of House.

[IRememberDBoon]

Since DMB has come up, did any of you see the article yesterday about their violinist having 400k embezzled from him by his personal assistant?  That provides at least a hint into how much those guys earn.

 

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/dave-matthews-violinist-victim-400000-592448

 

I know Andy. He was Andy Roddicks assistant/manager as well and now hes left with zero. Shows what greed will do for you. He was making tons of $$$ as it was.

 

[jff]

 

I know Andy. He was Andy Roddicks assistant/manager as well and now hes left with zero. Shows what greed will do for you. He was making tons of $$$ as it was.

 

 

Seems that the more money one has, the more one wants.

[Bob_Roberts]

I was unaware that it's a virtue or a sign of "growing up" to fire your friends especially when their livelihoods depend upon it.  But I guess that's the warped corporate mentality of the age we live in.  Such a pity.

[Magnetized]

 

I was unaware that it's a virtue or a sign of "growing up" to fire your friends especially when their livelihoods depend upon it.  But I guess that's the warped corporate mentality of the age we live in.  Such a pity.

Did you read the article? The title was deliberately provocative, I assume in order to cause people to read it. I don't think you'd find anything to argue with in the article itself, however.