"Enforceable" Contracts

[MaxwellSt <MaxwellSt...>]

In a message dated 03/26/2001 2:00:38 AM !!!First Boot!!!, 
wiener (at) mindspring(dot)com writes:


> 

Not to go too far astray off the topic, but (since I never studied business 
before going into the music business and learned this lesson the hard way), 
let me add that no contract is worth anything unless the contractor (the 
musician) is willing to go after the contract-breacher in court.  Having said 
that, there is STILL no way to guarantee that you will force the 
contract-breacher to pay. Alas, there are enough ways to get around legal 
judgments that professional con artists will do so with impunity, and you 
will never see your concert fees or your legal fees again.

SO...the morals of the story are: 1) Never go into a contractual relationship 
when your gut tells you not to trust this person (or get as much money up 
front as a deposit as you are willing to settle for in the end); 2) Realize 
that contract-breaching is part of business, and there will be a certain 
number of write-offs in your life; and, as the song goes, 3) Don't gamble 
more than you can afford to lose.  Happy gigging!

Lori, in wintery Chicago