Some of you may remember me from such bands as Copper, Three Pound Cock, Tall, Hinged, & FingerBangMisfire. Or you may not? Hell you might even dislike me? Who Knows? and really Who cares? These are some of the things that spark conversations like the one I had with my friend Jeff from Project Amarillo.
Jeff is an old friend, one who actually comes out to shows when I'm in town. One of my last shows in Amarillo, Jeff stopped in and I had some time before I played to sit down and really talk.
Jeff asked how things were going for me since I moved to the Houston area. It lead to a long discussion on the differences between the Amarillo music scene and some of the other scenes I've been playing.
We talked about me writing an article about it for Project Amarillo, so here we are. Months later and I'm finally getting around to it. Now the Idea has grown and I will be sending in articles periodically.
So for this first one lets keep it light. Like discussing Pay!
I love to come back to West Texas to play! I have just enough of a following to be able to make some cash when I travel that way. It's nice, I worked hard to be able to do it.
Some of the bands I played in got payed pretty well, most didn't. Some people thought we were over paid. As my friend Ed liked to say, we got paid really well to load in and out, we played the shows for free.
Things down here are different. I had no contacts in the Houston area, it was starting over. I spent about six months playing open mics and free shows to get my foot in the door and my name out. Now I've hooked up with some good guys, we play some cool clubs.
Rudyard's, Shoeshine Charley's BIG TOP Lounge, McGonigals Mucky Duck, The Corner Pub, Firehouse Saloon, I've been told by other musicians I've met down here that I'm getting some prime gigs. These guys say people play for twenty years down here and don't get to play these clubs! I lucked out.
Even crazier, people clap down here they get into music. These people seek music out! not just show up to drink beer and there happens to be a band.
So now the $$ part! I make about 1/10th of what I make in W. TX
It makes you think what am I in this for? The $$, or is it my soul desire to play music in front of people who get it?
Don't get me wrong I'm trying to make a living. I wish there was more money in it down here. It's about the opportunities, growing as a musician, getting better and learning every show how to make the next show better.
It's nice to be able to look at the Amarillo music scene as an outsider and see my mistakes and triumphs in a different light.
I hope that by writing articles for you that I can shed some light on the scene there and help out my fellow home town musicians.
Chunkin' Deuce
~Nathan
Local Music Scene 
