Amanda Palmer to pay musicians after all. Great to hear.
I haven't weighed in on this yet, but here's how I see it:
I know musicians who play for beer. Because that's pretty much your only option if you want to play big band jazz in Phoenix Metro these days. These are guys who can't NOT play big band jazz, and so they're willing to do it for free because they love doing it so damn much.
But every single one of them would rather be doing it for money. I mean, no shit, right?
I think Palmer made a bad call here. I think she's looking at these backup players as fans instead of pros -- people who are just thrilled to meet her and that's reward enough in and of itself.
And fans they may be. But they're also musicians performing onstage with a band that is getting paid, for a lady who could afford to pay them but (initially) chose not to.
I don't think Palmer's a bad person. I don't think she set out to screw anybody. I don't think she meant any harm. But I think she made a critical error in how she assessed the situation. And I think it's pretty clear she's realized that, seeing as how she's changed course.
I think some of the attacks on her were really nasty and vitriolic, and I think that's not cool. But I also think the basic criticism that you should pay your performers if you can afford to pay them is obviously, self-evidently true.
Anyway, all's well that ends well and I hope it's been a learning experience, not just for her but for anybody else who travels this path in the future.
You should pay people. Even if they're willing to work for free.
Short of some kind of charity thing, I guess.