Everything I needed to know about business, I learned while running a rock and roll band

Everything I needed to know about business, I learned running a rock and roll band in the ‘60s. I was 15 when I realized our band, The Confidentials, had reached a modest level of success but was not developing much of a following. This began my on-the-job training.

You must give your customer what it wants. The Confidentials had good musicians, Paul Pisciotta (guitar), Bob King (electric piano), Johnny Driver (bass), Frank Harmantas (trombone) and me (drums.)  Not having a lead singer was killing us. Those who requested tunes were disappointed we only performed instrumentals.

When 14-year-old Rob Gordon auditioned as a singer I knew we would be transformed from a group of Bethesda, Maryland friends playing private home and youth center gigs, into a business that would require serious management. Rob had a rich baritone voice, a keen ear and a desire to rock and roll. Everyone in the band loved his singing. We immediately worked up Dion’s “The Wanderer” with Rob and added nine more vocals for him. His first date was at Landon Boys School in Bethesda, where he repeated each song. He performed well his first time fronting a band, but for a while he needed encouragement to raise his confidence.

You must constantly improve.  We quickly increased Rob’s repertoire, which was easy. We were a top 40 band, and Rob could imitate anybody. We covered tunes by artists and groups, from Elvis and James Brown to Smokey Robinson and The Miracles. Word got out we had a good sound, and bookings increased dramatically. We satisfied our customers’ needs…most of the time.

We performed poorly at a Sweet Sixteen birthday party at the Potomac, Maryland farm of well known publishers, the Kiplingers. We took too much time between songs, and we played apathetically. At our next practice I announced, “This will never happen again.”  Bob King, a current Bull Run Mountain resident, was charged with producing dynamic set lists for each gig. He did just that.  Every tune popped.

I warned everybody, “If it is your responsibility to kick off a tune, I will fine you if you do not start it within three seconds of the end of the prior song.” At our next job, the Arabian Embassy, we improved so much, a girl who attended both parties said it was hard to believe we were the same band.  We strengthened our product and maintained that high level.

We upgraded our gear.  Rob bought a sophisticated sound system, which allowed Bob, Paul and Larry to provide backup vocals. Each had an occasional lead, including Bob’s crowd-pleasing “Louie Louie.” When Bob added a Hammond organ and Leslie, The Confidentials soared.

Your appearance must be professional. With more sophisticated bookings our stage appearance needed improvement, especially our uniforms.  We first wore red blazers donated by Paul’s father.  We later bought red and black brocade tuxedos and a contrasting gold and white version for Rob. Later, we added Beatle boots. We wore white chinos and paisley shirts for outdoor summer gigs.

New clients are a must.  When we started in college, we were playing country club, school and private party gigs. To attract more bookings Bob and I went through fraternity rush at the University of Maryland our freshman year.  We made contacts that led to repeat business. We began playing for fraternity parties and sorority spring formals at Maryland and American University. 

You must negotiate well. I handled the bookings, negotiations and money. I learned everyone must win in a negotiation for it to work. I tried to make others suggest a price, first. Ours ranged from $125 for fraternities to $350 for sorority spring formals and private schools, good rates for the time. Another member of the band often scared off prospects by throwing out a price way above their budget. I tried to handle all negotiations, and I removed his name from our next business cards.

It is not building a better mousetrap that counts; it is marketing a better mousetrap. A lot of good bands were not playing anywhere because of no marketing. I used recordings from AU sessions as a demo to get gigs, so prospects didn’t have to take ” a pig in a poke.” This always got us business. Since fraternities’ funds are limited, I made introductory offers.  I chopped $25 from the first date and added it back onto the full price of the second, evening at our price.  I mailed Christmas calendars to places we had played, saying, “The Band to Hear in the Coming Year” or “Put us On Your Calender in the New Year.”  Worked like a charm.

Supply and demand always determines price. There are times of the year when bookings are plentiful and other times when they are sparse.  There were only a few local bands that competed with us. I learned when I could ask for more and when I would settle for less. If I got a call for a date when we were booked, I threw the job to another local band and took 10 percent for myself. Standard industry practice.

Good management is having good people. Even though we were friends, I had to make tough personnel decisions.  After Driver left the band, we had no regular bass player.  Every week I called bands to find fill-ins. I had a pecking order of bassists. If I got to the bottom, I would hire the hot saxophonist in his band to offset the mediocre bass playing. We made less, but the band remained tight.

Later we had a chance to add Larry Swacker, a sensational guitarist who returned to the area, but I wanted to keep my friend Paul.  He agreed to move to bass.  I helped Paul find a used bass, and I bought a new powerful Ampeg bass amp for him. I kept out some of his gig money until he paid it off.  It was a good move.  We sounded great, and Paul earned a music degree from Maryland concentrating on the bass.

Friends are friends, but business is business. One night I had to fine a band mate his entire pay, which was $30, because he enjoyed a TGIF party at school too much before we played. That was hard to do to a friend. I also fined members for arriving at gigs less than an hour beforehand, improper attire and inappropriate stage decorum.

You must look for new opportunities. In addition to playing for dances, I booked us for other events.  We played in a TV pilot for a local teen show that failed to replace the syndicated Lloyd Thaxton Show.  We performed live on local radio, at radio sock hops and on the Wilson Line. We even tried out for a movie, “Hot Rod Hullabaloo.” We were disappointed when during our tryout show-stopping tune, James Brown’s “Outta Sight”, the strap on my kick drum snapped.  A James Brown song with no syncopated kick drum does not get the job, even with Rob singing and dancing like Brown. We also released a “45” to hopefully elevate our rate per job that got some local airplay.

Bob, Paul and I traveled to New York City one semester break, looking for a record deal. We trudged up and down Broadway with our demo tape, for another supply and demand lesson.  Musical artists are a dime a dozen we were told many times; writers are scarce and valuable.  We went home determined to record some original music. One of our unreleased demos of songs written by Bob and Rob sold on Ebay for $845 a few years ago.

Show me the money. I handled all of the money dealings, collecting from clients and paying my bandmates. They trusted me. The fine money was used to buy equipment for the good of the entire band.

Nothing lasts forever. Four of us in The Confidentials merged into another local band, The Newports, handled by Paramount Artists in DC.  Along with other top Washington bands handled by Paramount Artists, we played constantly. It was a thrill, but during my junior year at Maryland, I called it quits. Playing in bands since I was 11 years old, I now wanted a social life as I earned my college business degree. So my rock and roll business education came to an end.

My band-mates have done great things in music.  Bob King produces CDs as Ambient Bob. Paul Pisciotta still plays locally in his band, $40 Fine. Frank Harmantas retired as doctor of music and professor at Toronto University.  Rob Gordon performs world wide as Robert Gordon, the King of Rockabilly, and has charted with several recordings, probably selling a million albums.  I play two Sunday services at Centreville Baptist Church. I used these lessons in the three businesses I owned and the managerial positions I held with two other companies, but my best decision had nothing to do with business or rock and roll.

The music never ends. A few days after hanging up my rock and roll shoes, I called a girl I knew casually for our first date, on Feb. 17, 1967.  We have been a couple ever since.  Jan, who loved to dance to the music of The Confidentials, and I chose a tune I played at every gig as our song, “For Your Love” by Ed Townsend.  We said our “I Dos” on March 28, 1970, and have made beautiful music together ever since.