Net worth of band members?

[nitta 175]

I've always thought about that.
I would like to know the net worth of big names like HYDE, yasu.. but I'm also curious to know how much members of small bands (the god and death stars for example)
earn.. is it enough or do they need to have a side job ?

[emmny 4139]

3 bowls of instant ramen

[Tokage 5930]

most band members: CONSTANT DEBT and SUFFERING

[Peace Heavy mk II 7200]

Kaya's gotta be worth at least 6.

 

 

 

In all seriousness, I believe a lot of bandmen actually do have side jobs and their music career is not their real one. That's why a lot of ex-Matina guys who are now "retired" now have regular desk jobs or why some of them own bars / host clubs. I think unless you are in a band with a fairly intense touring schedule that sells well, you'd need a side gig, such as hosting or modeling, to keep afloat. A lot of bands also post their tour schedules for the upcoming 6 months, but if you look, it's usually like 4 - 7 gigs a month, which I'm assuming is no where near enough to feel financially secure.

 

Groups signed with big indie labels, such Shimizuya, PSC, -AINS-, Goemon, and BP Records, are probably fine with just making music, but would need to find something else once their current band splits. Very few people are like Yoshiki with race cars and pianos made out of smaller pianos

Edited July 22, 2016 by Peace Heavy mk II

[Zeus 7997]

A nice rule of thumb for visual kei bands is to use the estimated cost of their wardrobe as the lower bound for their net worth. As in, they have to have at least enough money in their pockets to buy their outfit, or someone has to think they are worth it enough to invest.

 

But then when you get into comparing the different members of a band to see how the 100% is split between them all, it would be hard to say without knowing more information. To me, a band's main composer would clearly have a higher net value. But then another member could handle business and money which is essential but also invisible to us as fans so his value to the band is invisible too. No way to measure that. You can have a unique vocalist that isn't the best but then there's no one like him and he gives your band identity, so he has value too. Then there's the excuse that the band breaks up because someone left and it doesn't "feel the same anymore", so that's an indirect way of saying the band member was so valuable they couldn't buy someone else to replace him!

So really it defines on what you want to measure.

[emmny 4139]

in all serious, no one really makes money unless they're major AND popular.

hyde, yasu, gazette and diru make decent money but they're in the VERY vast minority.

[itsukoii 1300]

but if a bandguy seems like he makes a lot of money, it's probably just his mitsu

[Tokage 5930]

do you guys think the Buck-Tick dudes have do$h

[Waru Chibi 142]

most of the indie Band guys have side job somewhere. May it be as Host, in a Convini or somewhere else. They just can't affort living with the band alone.

Some, but that's probably the lowest percentage have parents who help them out.

[LIDL 692]

Unless they are popular and/or major,  nobody got money in the VK business. So yes, Buck Tick have some $$$

 

Acquintance of mine worked in the business told me how it work.

 

For the scouting to no name new bands, the systems are the label with lend them money, technically, for recording their first maxi, and it will usually have 1 or 2 upbeat songs, 1 ballad, and usually there will be SE too, this happened because budget given aren't big.

 

I said technically because the band will record their 1st maxi with the label's owned studio, and they are charging the band for it.

And after this maxi released, the band are in debt to the record label, not just for the recording, but also for the costumes, photographer fee and such, and each of maxi sold, the money goes into the label's pocket.

 

They pay up their debt, by selling their maxis, and another singles, or EPs, or else they will just disband cos they didn't make any money.

 

As for bands that never sell enough, they will be given options by the label, stop their music activity at once and never to be seen again, usually ended up as salary man, or disband and make a new band with another member of bands who also disband in that label.

 

If any bands disagree with either option, they will have a name change instead with new direction and looks and gimmick.

 

Meanwhile, those who always selling out singles after singles, after a year, they will be signed by flagship company (example: PSC). Meanwhile, the 2nd and 3rd best will be signed by secondary (i.e: SPEEDISK) and tersier (i.e: Resistar) labels.

 

Those who does not get signed by any labels but still want to continue will have to record music, they will have to do so with their own money, this is where shops like Like An Edison takes important role for them because releases below 500 copies will not be accepted for sale in major stores such as HMV and Tower Records. And the same reason why some bands did live show only CD-R album too often rather than official releases.

 

 

As for live shows at live houses, the band will pay for the live house fee, hence is why many new bands are always performing with 4-5 other bands to cover the rental fee. And depends in the scale of the event, usually each band will be responsible to pay for 15-25 tickets/band, say ¥1500x25, hence is why you will be asked who do you wanna see when you are attending concerts at Japanese live shows. And as for famous  bands or bands who affiliated with very good and reputable booking agency such as DNR, they will be listed as guest instead and free from all responsibilities from paying up the venue or at least they will gather their street team to fill up the venue.

 

Indie bands barely make any money, instead they got more debts, hence they have day jobs. They are only get money once they becomes big name in the scenes, signed by major labels, got endorsement from brands, and touring big venues all over Japan.

 

So if we are talking famous and established ones like The Gazette, DEG, Luna Sea, Buck Tick, L'ARC, MUCC, and such they make money and live well. But if we are talking about bands like Sibile Bashir, no they don't, they are dirt poor.

 

Edited July 23, 2016 by SEKHMET

[nekkichi 6042]

I heard that Japanese ambassador for voices of tonsillitis and autism outreach nippon is also hustling as a Dir en grey and sukekiyo frontman part-time, so get your numbers from there I guess??

[Zeus 7997]

1 hour ago, nekkichi said:

I heard that Japanese ambassador for voices of tonsillitis and autism outreach nippon is also hustling as a Dir en grey and sukekiyo frontman part-time, so get your numbers from there I guess??

But would that even be accurate? Kyo has reached sempai-status and the rest of the members in his band aren't slouches. He could get a pass just off his chops with Diru.

[enyx 903]

I read a particularly interesting and rather depressing article regarding Spangle call Lilli line (who, for the uninitiated, are a popular and long-running indie band) and it really put into perspective how even an influential and highly-respected outfit like them aren't even close to being able to survive off of the band alone and have to resort to working day jobs that ultimately end up taking up 99% of their time; especially as responsibilities like parenthood slowly start creeping in. Reading things like that makes me slightly more forgiving towards groups like 凛として時雨 for basically just selling themselves out and going down the generic anisong route, even though it still sucks either way.

Edited July 31, 2016 by Pho