In a recent interview with Blabbermouth.net, Sepultura frontman Derrick Green spoke about the challenges more unique bands face in organizing tours in the post-pandemic world.
“It’s extremely difficult — now more than ever. The industry itself is consistently trying to take as much as they can from the artists because of the whole pandemic, as far as clubs really being extremely greedy and trying to make their money back through the artists, which is completely ridiculous, as far as having absurd percentages that they’re taking from your merch. Which doesn’t make any sense to me at all, being an artist where you’re creating the merch, you’re carrying the merch, you’re paying the tax on the merch, you’re doing everything to make it relevant and to have it out there, and then somebody comes along and they’re, like, ‘Oh, I’m gonna take 30 percent.’ ‘I’m gonna take 20 percent of whatever it is that you’re selling in our venue.’ And I think this is absolutely absurd and outrageous, that they are pushing this on artists,”
He continued: “A lot of people don’t realize, that’s where you make your money as an artist, is with your merchandise. It can sometimes save a tour, if you’re not getting that in gigs, the proper payment. So I think this is something that’s happened a lot more, where the percentages are going up, which is absolutely disgusting, I think, and super greedy from these clubs doing this, especially in the U.S. I find it’s very disrespectful for certain places where they’re doing check-ins, checking your bags as an artist as you’re rolling into a venue. I mean, it’s completely absurd, and it’s pissing me off here, the fact that they’re putting us on the level as almost treating us like criminals. The fact that we’re putting on a show, creating a show that’s paying everyone in the venue, I figure that we’re all working together, but in the sense that these clubs are treating us like we’re gonna do something to damage our own show is absurd. So these things have been popping in my mind from being on this tour that really drive me up the wall. And it’s forced bands to do other alternatives of selling their merchandise — either pre-selling it or doing pop-up stores in places where they’re not taking so much of a percentage of your merch and maybe just a flat fee just to rent the space out and then you can sell your merch there the day before the show. Also some alternatives that artists are gonna look for so that they’re not being ripped off by these venues.”
Green added: “I think a lot of artists need to speak out because… I think a lot of artists might be afraid to speak out from [a fear of] being banned or whatever from certain shows, but I think it’s important if every artist spoke out about this and really talked about it and really tried to find a change in this because I think it’s unfair in so many ways. It’s just disgusting, the fact that a lot of these people in the industry are always trying to take away from the artists when the artists already have less. We’re the ones that hadn’t played for two years as well too, so we’re coming back struggling and fighting and trying to pay a lot of debt and things like that. But we continue onward. The music is still very strong, and the scene, and I think it’s just important that musicians and artists fight for their rights.”
Derrick isn’t the only metal musician who has spoken out about the practice of venues taking a cut of an artist’s merchandise revenue. Earlier this month, FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares told The Razor’s Edge that promoters are taking “larger and larger” cuts from the bands than they used to. “Of course there’s always been a percentage that you have to give to venues. That’s just how it is,” he said. “Merch percentage — we’re talking about merch percentage. But, of course, it’s getting higher and higher. So, unfortunately, the fans are the ones who have to pay for that, because once the merch percentages get higher that the venue takes, then you’re gonna have to raise your prices on a t-shirt. That’s just inevitable and that’s unfortunate, [but] that’s what happens.”
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