CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
With the cryptocurrencies now entering the mainstream, a vast number of Australian retailers are now accepting forms of payment that are neither plastic or paper.
Luxury car dealerships, travel agencies, and sporting franchises are all lining up to barter with computer money instead of the old fashion Australian dollar.
However, it would seem that cryptocurrencies aren’t the only form of alternative payment out there.
Betoota’s most popular music store, Axes And Saxes, have made headlines this week after becoming the first guitar shop in the country to accept ‘Free Exposure’ as a form of payment.
Playing for free – at the weddings of cousins and family friends, club fundraisers, anniversaries, and side stages at community fetes – are not traditionally viewed as acts of philanthropy of behalf of the musicians, but more of a gift from event organisers.
Historically, emerging musicians have struggled to pay their bills due to the fact that they are often remunerated for their services with ‘the opportunity to get their name out there’.
But it appears that this is no longer the case in Betoota, after Axes and Saxes today advertised themselves as the first music retailer in Australia who are willing to exchange their goods for this intangible commodity.
“We think this could be a game changer” says A&S founder and former Briscore punk legend, Gabe Michaels.
“As a retired musician myself, I would have loved to have been able to buy a new guitar with all those gigs I did for free on the Gold Coast in the eighties”
Michaels says ever since accepting ‘Free Exposure’ as a form of payment, his store’s sales have tripled, with droves of struggling artists making their way to his shop with wallets full of exposure from drought and pandemic fundraiser concerts.
“We’ve seen a real bump in business” says the retailer.
“Guitars flying off the shelf”
“Now I’ve just gotta find a way to convince the electricity company to let me pay my bills with this exposure”
“Before they cut the power to my shop”
“Unfortunately, the landlord doesn’t seem to get it either. He says the contract on my lease stipulates that I need to pay rent with actual money or I can get the fuck out”
