[x] Membership or not?

Earlier we had a chat about Ron Wood's status in Rolling Stones. He has only recently been placed on profit-sharing status - apparently till now he's been on a salary. However, he's been considered a band member since 1976. Ish.

There's also Lenni Zaksen, the some-time saxist in Sad Cafe. He was only put on band-member footing from the 1980 album onwards. However, he is pretty sure about the fact that he *was* a member of the band. In his words:

"The problem here was that the band had become a partnership, in 1979, whilst I was absent. There's no doubt about me being an equal member of the band; I was not a member of the company. So, it was a question of the business side of things getting mixed up with the show side."

How do we treat such arrangements? Do we need a "rule" to cover the situation whereby some member(s) of a band are on a different business footing from the others?

IMO, Zaksen was as much a member of Sad Cafe (under the above arrangements) as Wood was of the Stones.

Thoughts?

In this situation, we have Zaksen claiming he is a band member, and i find his explanation convincing. I think he gets in.

I tend to think we've got it right in light of he sum of the information we've dug up (ie he's a member post-Facades but not before or for Facades).

[www.sadcafe.co.uk] http://www.sadcafe.co.uk/lenni.htm
Mr Zaksen says:
"In 1979, I was asked by Paul Young to do some work on a new album (Fanx Ta-Ra), for a band called ‘Urban Gorilla’, which later became Sad Café. I only did one track.

I joined the band, but left when Eric Stewart was asked to produce Facades, because they decided that it was going to be just a rock band and probably wouldn’t need a saxophone player. However, a track from ‘Fanx Ta-Ra’ became a big hit, in the States, so I was asked to rejoin. I did the track ‘Emptiness’ (and wrote the ‘hook’ sax line, which didn’t get credited), for Facades, in LA. It’s interesting to note that Fleetwood Mac was doing the album ‘Tsk’, at the same time, but that took about a year to complete; we were in, and out, in a couple of shakes. Though, I spent most of that time in a fake English pub called 'Ye Olde King'’ head, which had Milwaukee beer, with added gravy browning to look like British beer: it was full of Aussies.

Ironically, when Sad Café did the next album, Eric Stewart asked me to do more work with him."

So he's definitely not a member on Fanx Ta-Ra because he said so.
He then left in a very clear and explicit decision (which was followed right through the production of the album to the point where it was sold - e.g. 6 on the cover of which he isn't one). It seems therefore clear that he has a different status than the 6 'members'. He also only appears on 1 track on Facades (Emptiness) which was recorded in a separate American session from the rest of the album. At best he's in a 1 track second line-up and that might be consistent with the fact that he's then a member for the next album. Might. But might not. We have no chronology for that session and importantly - if he was a member - why he was not on the cover? The album credits (this was gone through at the time) definitely don't give him on an equal footing to theother 6 and I don't believe that's for 'legal' reasons.

[www.sadcafe.co.uk] http://www.sadcafe.co.uk/discography.htm demonstrates that Lenni, despite his perception in that interview, was considered to be a guest in 1979 and a member in 1980:

Facades

Originally released: 1979 (RCA PL 25249)

CD: 1992. Japan only. BMG BVCP-2096

Track Listing: Take Me to the Future; Nothing Left Toulouse; Everyday Hurts; Strange Little Girl; Crazy Oyster; Emptiness; Cottage Love; Angel; Get Me Outta Here; My Oh My.

Notes: Available in black vinyl and blue vinyl LPs.

Line-up: Young-Wilson-Emerson-Irving-Mulford-Stimpson. Plus: Lenni

Personnel changes: OUT – Tony Cresswell

IN – Dave Irving – Drums.

Lenni plays Saxophone on "Emptiness" only. Ashley does some backing vocals.

...

Sad Café

Originally released: 1980 UK: RCA SAD LP4 (PL 25319) / U.S.: Swan Song SS 16408

CD: No

Track Listing: La-Di-Da; Digital Daydream Blues; What Am I Gonna Do; Keeping it From the Troops; I'm in Love Again; Losin' You; Dreamin; No Favours- No Way; Love Today.

Notes: Peculiarly, whilst never released on CD, the singles "La-Di-Da" and "I'm in Love Again" and the album-only tracks "Dreamin'" and "Losing You" are available as downloads from most of the LEGAL sites in the UK.

Line-up: Young-Wilson-Emerson-Irving-Mulford-Stimpson-Lenni

Personnel Changes: For the first time, Lenni is listed as a full member of the group and adds backing vocals as well as all varieties of sax.