Randy's Salary/Income

[AndrewT1976]

Does anyone know what Randy made (salary/income wise) during the BOO and DOAMM eras? I'm just curious to see if he was starting to see some financial benefits before his unfortunate death. Obviously he was given tons of great gear from Marshall and Jackson, and I'm sure he lived well on tour, but was the money coming in too? Something tells me "no" because of the nature of Sharon/Ozzy and how they viewed the rest of the band (frankly speaking) as "hired" help.

[halo8th]

i don't know what he made income-wise but i'm almost sure it wasnt' much. He would make enough to buy a guitar, dinner and some things, but nothing like a big house or any big financial benefits, no. In those beginning days, there wasn't much money coming in yet, so he likely was on a meager salary.
In fact, Jake E. Lee had stated in later years (when the money WAS rolling in..), that he was getting paid a next-to-nothing salary and that "my girlfriend's a cocktail waitress and i make about the same as she does in a night.....so you could probably guess about what i make...."

[whoopiecat]

I think Randy was on the cusp of starting to make some money, but not quite there yet. He wasn't endorsed by anyone at that point, either...although some may have been considering it. I'm from that era and cannot recall a single ad where Randy endorsed guitars, amps, strings or effects.
He paid to have the Jacksons made, and Grover had just split from Wayne Charvel's company, so the Jackson brand hadn't even taken off yet. In two years he was making money hand over fist, thanks to Randy's idea of making a guitar that looked like a jet.
Had Randy lived, he most certainly would have been the ambassador for Jackson guitars and would have had a large arsenal and maybe even a new design or two.
I think Vinnie Vincent was one of the first to own a Rhoads model, which he took on the road with KISS for the Creatures of the Night tour.
Aside from that, he had the PDV, which again, was paid for. Karl Sandoval is a name now, thanks to folks like Zakk Wylde, but back then, his brand never went beyond a grass-roots kind of thing, unless that was his aim, to crank out only a dozen or so quality custom jobs a year. Back then he had made a V for George Lynch who was the one to send Randy Karl's way.
Lastly, in another year, Randy's name would have been huge, but at the time he was just one of a cast of thousands playing a Gibson Les Paul through Marshall amps and using MXR stomp boxes.
Hard rock/metal wasn't the seller then that it is now. As popular as Ed Van Halen was, he really didn't start doing any kind of endorsements until about '83 or '84, which would be about five or six albums deep into his career.
Once the scene took off with the success of QR, the Crue and Def Leppard, that was when folks in the genrre began to get endorsement deals.
I believe somewhere in the forums there is some mention of an uncashed paycheck from his wallet that was recorded along with the rest of his personal effects by the Leesburg police, but that goes beyond my curiosity.
I don't recall it being an astounding amount, but then, those were 1982 dollars.

[stress2stress2]

From "The Day The Music Died"

1 Brown wallet containing 1 - Visa credit card, 1 - American Express card.
Robinsons credit card plus one check for $1,141.88 and $300.00 cash and other identification.
Brown music case with sheet music and tape recorder and extra tape plus one portable music stand.

[Geo Sav]

Good money! especially for back then. Can you imagine whats on those tapes!

[AndrewT1976]

I'm assuming the check is for a 2-week period. Not that bad for 1982. That was probably just income from the road. I wonder if that included any money from album sales, licensing, pusblishing, ect.

I guess we can only wonder...

[AndrewT1976]

@ Geo Sav -

yeah...-----I WANNA HEAR THOSE TAPES!!!!

[Whipper]

According to an inflation calculator, that amount would be $2,644.27 in today's money.

[halo8th]

now there's NO way to even guess what or how long that check was even for. Come on.

[sytharnia]

now there's NO way to even guess what or how long that check was even for. Come on.

this......but that won't stop them

[Solos]

I'll bet that check was from the Knoxville show the night before. From what I've heard, even mega stadium acts get their guarantee checks the night of the show, just like us scrubs in local bands... except the money is ALOT better

[GUITARIDOL5682]

I have a document for a contract agreement for a Black Sabbath show back in 1970 the band played for £300.00 that was a good nights wage for 4 people back then. I'm sure i have just read something about how much Ozzy was making for one show back in 1982 was it $100.000 per show ?. It sounds alot but when you break it down into the wages of the crew and all the expensenses etc. A couple of grand for each band member sounds realistic.

[Silver Rhoads]

Because I used to be in the music business, I would put a safe bet that the check was from album and/or radio royalties. The $300.00 may have been his weekly pay for concerts. He was probably getting $300.00 a week salary to play. That's what most musicians on tour get after paying for stage crew, hotel, bus and all of the other expenses that must be paid. I know it sounds crazy, but that's how it's always been. You have to be a mega group like KISS to gross the millions on a tour, but even Ace and Peter were on a salary. $250.00 to $300.00 was the normal pay a week for most touring bands. Of course I could be wrong, but someone could ask Bob Daisley or Rudy Sarzo. They could tell you. Randy's salary might have been a little bigger.

[Geo Sav]

Why Ace and Peter sold their share is beyond me. I wonder what randys estate gets now from BOO and DOAM writing credits and performing?

[stress2stress2]