Metal as a career.

How many bands do you think make enough money besides the obvious (Metallica,Megadeth,Slayer) to not have to work some kind of day job?

I'm guesing Nevermore doesn't have to work a day job.

Overkill

Ultimatum

just kiddin'

I would actually think Nevermore do have generally have day jobs. I really doubt they make a huge amount of money, and wit all of them having had health problems recently, that may be their fly in the ointment, so to speak.

Besides, I heard Warrel's day job is as a chef

Nevermore can live of the music. Iced Eart too. Probably most of the band that are in the "mainstream" metal circuits can live off of the music. Blind Guardian, Gamma Ray, Helloween, Symphony X, Kamelot, Pagan's Mind etc. etc.

Nevermore - maybe now, but when Pat O'Brien did a interview for Paranoid zine in 2004, as a member of Cannibal Corpse, he said that it's better now in CC, because they can live out of the music, while the guys in Nevermore couldn't afford that and they had to have their regular jobs as well.

Mainly the ones who were making it in the 80s and are still around.

I always heard Nevermore all worked at a pizzeria when they were off tour. And that Jon Schaffer ran a store on the side.

Welders get paid pretty well

Dream Theater for sure. With their cult following and the multiple projects they do, all members make enough. That is not speculation, I've actually read about that in interviews.

DallasBlack wrote:

Dream Theater for sure. With their cult following and the multiple projects they do, all members make enough. That is not speculation, I've actually read about that in interviews.

They deserve it, they work hard. Even if I don't like any of their recent albums.

TANKARD for exemple still have jobs beside the band. They didnt work from 89 till 91 (living from the band only) but then again they had to start working. SAD BUT TRUE.

I think it is very hard for a lot of bands to make a living playing music these days. Bands sell a lot less cd`s now, and there are too many good bands and too few metalheads to buy records and go to live shows.
My good friends in Communic are signed to Nuclear Blast, they get great reeviews all over the world, they sell ok, they are playing Wacken, Prog Power UK, Prog Power US, Rock Hard and lots of other festivals, they are only three persons to share what they get paid.
Still they have to have regular jobs, the little they earn playing, they use to buy equipment, banners, instruments ++.
Like KROKUS says: Sad but true.

I've heard even groups like In Flames live a life not unlike your typical local 9 to 5 people.

krokus wrote:

TANKARD for exemple still have jobs beside the band. They didnt work from 89 till 91 (living from the band only) but then again they had to start working. SAD BUT TRUE.

Yeah .. Frank is selling Jaguar cars, Olaf is making car brakes, Andy is an engineer, and Gerre is, by his own words, social worker although he is an alcoholic

Sinister for example, are on Nuclear Blast now, and they paid them the recording for the new album, but here's what they get out of it: (as far as I can remember, I'm not 100% sure about it) - for first 10.000 nothing, and then few euros from each CD sold.

I think most bands that are continually touring and recording like Sepultura, Overkill, Saxon, Slayer, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, etc., probably have enough dough to go around. Most probably bands like IM and JP who have been around a long time and sold millions of records, so I'm sure they are doing fine.

who cares? working a real job like the rest of us slobs may keep these rock stars grounded.

sovdat wrote:

Sinister for example, are on Nuclear Blast now, and they paid them the recording for the new album, but here's what they get out of it: (as far as I can remember, I'm not 100% sure about it) - for first 10.000 nothing, and then few euros from each CD sold.

Yes, that's how big labels pay. They will advance you some money for the recording, and then will start paying you cuts from sold CDs after a certain amount have been sold. I doubt Sinister get paid several Euros per CD sold, though, it is most probably under 1 Euro per CD. I once read somewhere that most major companies pay no more than up to 25 cents - a band of 5 members needs to sell MANY million CDs per year to be able to make a living out of it...

So obviously not many bands can live on CD sales alone - they mainly do it by playing live and selling merchandise. In other words, if you want to support your favourite band - go see it live and buy a shirt

And that is why shirts are $35 or more at shows...

how do bands manage to have a career if they need to take a few months of every once in a while for touring?

A few years back, Devin Townsend was still working at A&W. Then he started producing and got more notoriety for that, thus SYL did better. Now Devin doesn't need to work a day job.

Dan Swano until recently worked at a record shop. Now he's turned to mixing albums for bands—for $35 a song, by the way...wicked cheap!

I would assume 9 out of 10 members of bands have some sort of alternate income, whether it's a more normal day job, or something like giving guitar lessons, doing studio musician work, or what have you. Not many musicians can sustain themselves on band money alone, unless they're touring 365 days a year and only need money to eat.

King Diamond.

Temple of Blood wrote:

DallasBlack wrote:

Dream Theater for sure. With their cult following and the multiple projects they do, all members make enough. That is not speculation, I've actually read about that in interviews.

They deserve it, they work hard. Even if I don't like any of their recent albums.

i dont thinlk their new album was that bad!

i dont think opeth need day jobs cos they mostly all have other projects

AC/DC and Iron Maiden make a killing with merch sales and the big arena tours. They got AC/DC sleep pants at wal-mart and every kid and their mother own a Iron Maiden t-shirt.

troublezone wrote:

AC/DC and Iron Maiden make a killing with merch sales and the big arena tours. They got AC/DC sleep pants at wal-mart and every kid and their mother own a Iron Maiden t-shirt.

Funny you should mention that: I own 8 Maiden shirts currently and have had over 10 in my short lifetime and I onw AC/DC sleep pants.