The Music, the Money, the Hang

The holy trinity of the performing musician.

For those who make their living playing music, especially those who are hired by others to play, there are three variables to take into account with each gig offer. Two of the three must be present to warrant gig acceptance.

The Music - not just any music. Only exciting, interesting, new, swingin', foot-stompin', mind-bending music qualifies in this category. If it is recycled, boring or amateur, this column gets a zero.

The Money - Some gigs pay, some don't. Money is the difference between being a full-time musician and working at a bookstore. No one likes to take money into account, least of all musicians who love what they do, but landladies rarely have a sense of humor.

The Hang - good people having a good time. If there will be other talented musicians present; good booze readily available; an abundance of cute girls (or boys) in the audience; one guy who tells the craziest stories... then the gig qualifies as a Good Hang.

Two of the three (the Music, the Money, the Hang) have to be present for a musician to accept the gig. If only one is present or, God forbid, none, it will be tough to find decent musicians willing to spend their time and talent.