angrysoundguy
New Member
Greetings,
I'm a soundguy. I made the mistake of doing a pair of gigs with out getting a contract before hand and the guy stiffed me on the bill. The guy in question is a local performer.
What happened was I was told that I'd get paid X for one gig and the same amount for a gig the following night. I got half of X at the end of the first gig and was told that the rest wold be paid the following night. I received half of X after the 2nd gig and was told that I could pick up the remainder at the musician's house. He said that he needed to wait for the money to transfer to his account before I was paid. Then the guy stopped returning my calls and emails. Eventually he wrote me back and stated that his band had taken a vote and decided that they weren't going to pay me any more. I replied and said that if he didn't pay me then I'd post what had happened on our local craigslist.
So he didn't pay and I posted it. Then for a couple days there were lots of angry posts back and forth, but from the guy that owes me money and from other musicians who he has wronged. All those posts were flagged and taken down, but I was able to cut and paste the majority of them. A friend of mine had several emails back and forth with the guy, which ended up with that musician threatening to hunt him down and hurt him. Another person had received a threatening phone call from that guy.
Things have calmed down a bit and I'm just not sure what to do. If I were to take him to small claims court, all I have is an email from that guy stating that his band had "to a vote and found that you have been paid in full. For services rendered" and an email from their bass player stating that they never took a vote and he had no idea what was going on. Problem is that I don't have anything, either in writing or in email stating what that specific amount is. Just my word against his.
The other thing he has said to me is "This young man will meet up with the wrong person and will have his ass kicked as it should be" but that is on craigslist. It isn't an email and it doesn't have his name signed to it.
The only other thing I have is that a friend of mine corresponded with this guy and it ended up with that guy threatening my friend and his fiance with violence.
What I'd like to get out of it:
1. I'd like to get paid, but that looks doubtful due to me being foolish and not getting a signed contract. So....
2. Why not make a website, put all of the emails and craigslist posts on it and hope that some day when someone googles this guy, my site will show up before his. People could see both sides of the story (more or less) and make up their own mind. But I suppose I may get sued for that so,
3. Why not change the names and put the story out there. Its so bizarre and to someit'll be entertaining and perhaps a reminder to people to get contracts signed and get paid in advance.
I'm more or less at a loss of what to do, so any advice would be appreciated.
I'm a soundguy. I made the mistake of doing a pair of gigs with out getting a contract before hand and the guy stiffed me on the bill. The guy in question is a local performer.
What happened was I was told that I'd get paid X for one gig and the same amount for a gig the following night. I got half of X at the end of the first gig and was told that the rest wold be paid the following night. I received half of X after the 2nd gig and was told that I could pick up the remainder at the musician's house. He said that he needed to wait for the money to transfer to his account before I was paid. Then the guy stopped returning my calls and emails. Eventually he wrote me back and stated that his band had taken a vote and decided that they weren't going to pay me any more. I replied and said that if he didn't pay me then I'd post what had happened on our local craigslist.
So he didn't pay and I posted it. Then for a couple days there were lots of angry posts back and forth, but from the guy that owes me money and from other musicians who he has wronged. All those posts were flagged and taken down, but I was able to cut and paste the majority of them. A friend of mine had several emails back and forth with the guy, which ended up with that musician threatening to hunt him down and hurt him. Another person had received a threatening phone call from that guy.
Things have calmed down a bit and I'm just not sure what to do. If I were to take him to small claims court, all I have is an email from that guy stating that his band had "to a vote and found that you have been paid in full. For services rendered" and an email from their bass player stating that they never took a vote and he had no idea what was going on. Problem is that I don't have anything, either in writing or in email stating what that specific amount is. Just my word against his.
The other thing he has said to me is "This young man will meet up with the wrong person and will have his ass kicked as it should be" but that is on craigslist. It isn't an email and it doesn't have his name signed to it.
The only other thing I have is that a friend of mine corresponded with this guy and it ended up with that guy threatening my friend and his fiance with violence.
What I'd like to get out of it:
1. I'd like to get paid, but that looks doubtful due to me being foolish and not getting a signed contract. So....
2. Why not make a website, put all of the emails and craigslist posts on it and hope that some day when someone googles this guy, my site will show up before his. People could see both sides of the story (more or less) and make up their own mind. But I suppose I may get sued for that so,
3. Why not change the names and put the story out there. Its so bizarre and to someit'll be entertaining and perhaps a reminder to people to get contracts signed and get paid in advance.
I'm more or less at a loss of what to do, so any advice would be appreciated.
