Yeah, it's not like there was a choice back then. Cheech? Up here it
was "Guido".
--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, djacques@... wrote:
>
> The problem was that in the 70's it was either join the union or
you might get a visit from "Cheech".
> Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "Bernie" <kornowicz@...>
>
> Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 15:07:02
> To:newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [newmellotrongroup] Re: My Mellotron Obsession
>
>
> Here in Connecticut, they used to tell us the same thing. Turns out
> it wasn't true. At least one local booking agent who was in big
with
> the AFM was shaking down the bands. A club owner showed us our
> contract, which the agent would never let us see. He was taking
45%.
> Later on, he was brought up on charges by the National Association
of
> Orchestra Leaders for violating a private contract by refusing to
> cross a hotel picket line to play at a private party.
>
> Bernie
>
> --- In newmellotrongroup@ <mailto:newmellotrongroup%
40yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com, "David Jacques"
> <djacques@> wrote:
> >
> > Back in the 70's you had to be in the union to play any of the
> major clubs
> > in Miami. Even rock bands.
> >
> >
> >
> > _____
> >
> > From: newmellotrongroup@ <mailto:newmellotrongroup%
40yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com
> > [mailto:newmellotrongroup@ <mailto:newmellotrongroup%
40yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Bernie
> > Sent: Saturday, May 10, 2008 4:48 PM
> > To: newmellotrongroup@ <mailto:newmellotrongroup%
40yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com
> > Subject: [newmellotrongroup] Re: My Mellotron Obsession
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --- In newmellotrongroup@ <mailto:newmellotrongroup%
> 40yahoogroups.com>
> > yahoogroups.com, "David Jacques" <djacques@>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > A few days later I was
> > > called onto the carpet from my union, The American Federation
of
> > Musicians.
> > > Uh oh.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > It was pretty funny going before a "jury" of old Miami Beach
> musicians
> > > lecturing this long-haired hack keyboardist that my playing a
> > Mellotron was
> > > putting musicians out of work. So they fined me $100 and I
> continued
> > > playing.
> >
> > Has anyone else had union problems regarding Mellotron usage? The
> > Hartford local, a group of small-time Mafia gentlemen, harassed
my
> band
> > because we dared to use a Mellotron to "replace other union
> members".
> > They even sent some of their officers to spy on us in the hopes
of
> > finding some incriminating evidence, but they were too ignorant
to
> > recognize our Tron for what it was. I called the president of the
> > Hartford local and told him to keep his fat nose out of my band's
> > business (literally). For some reason, he took offense to this
and
> > threatened to bring me up on charges (whatever that means).
> Fortunately,
> > I was also a member of the competing Allied Musicians Union in
NYC
> at
> > the time and they offered to send down a lawyer on the next
plane to
> > defend me. When the Hartford local found out about it, they
backed
> off.
> > A very strange, but entertaining situation.
> >
> > As an aside, of what value is the union to musicians? They don't
> seem to
> > benefit musicians in any way.
> >
> > Bernie
> >
>