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# Kick Back
- URL: https://www.thoughtsfromtheroad.blog/kick-back/
- Published: 2026-08-03T21:08:51.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-03T21:08:51.000Z
- Author: Matt Doherty

I wish I was writing about taking it easy...you know, something we love to do after a stint of hard touring. Forgetting the constant emailing, the never ending questions, the brutal hours, and just, well... kicking back.

Alas, I aint

If you are on the take then you are a thief. If you get a kick back from a vendor by adding to your artist's costs then you are a thief. If you manipulate invoices and twist the way the business is done, so that you benefit financially, then you are a thief. 

There is no way this can be OK. Well, there is one way. That you go to your employer and suggest that they accept that you will get a commission from a supplier of theirs. I personally do not know any managers, business managers or artists that would think this was OK. Maybe you do. This arrangement would be too hard to manage as you would have to show that the deal for the artist was not impacted by the payment of the commission...so competitive quotes from other vendors, who would catch on and then it is an easy low ball to win the gig collapsing the whole arrangement in the process

And let's be honest, if you really thought this was OK, you would not work so hard to keep it hidden. The raison d'être of a thief is to take something and keep hidden the taking of the thing, as well as their identity once the thing is known to be missing....to avoid being caught.

To the young and upcoming production professionals. If you are offered a kick back, DON'T

And to any vendors that need to offer kickbacks to get work....you should just lift your game and stop being fucking lazy. If you are not good enough then get better, and you know if you add to an artist cost so you can pay a kick back, you are a thief. 

It is never OK