Are you a musician? Is your group having issues? Critic Jessica Hopper has played in and managed bands, toured internationally, booked shows, produced records, worked as a publicist, and is the author of The Girls' Guide to Rocking, a how-to for teen ladies. She is here to help you stop doing it wrong. Send your problems to her; confidentiality is assured, unless you want to use your drama as a ticket to Internet microfame. 
Dear Fan,
I am a performer in a relatively successful touring act. On our last tour, we made $25,000. I book all of the tours. I plan the live show. I keep track of money and pay everyone. What do you think is a fair compensation for this? Is it ok to pay myself more for doing this stuff? What is a standard percentage of total earnings? How do I explain to my large-ego'd bandmates that I deserve more money than them? Secondarily: How do I cut the slackers and hangers on out of my posse? Like, the guys that don't do any work but claim that they do and then reap many of the benefits from claiming that they are part of my project?
<3 Darling Nikki
I support
