For starters I'm not saying that I grew up in a mobbed up area.

But I've been a full time musician for over 40 years in the south florida area. Back then nearly all the nightclubs I worked were crawling with wiseguys.

In a few words.....They treated us great, whatever we wanted to eat or drink was on the cuff (just so long as it didn't look like you were taking advantage of their hospitality. Doing stupid shit like ordering lobster all the time or bringing a bunch of your friends around expecting them to drink for free)

AS long as you gave them a good solid set (no cheating on the time) you almost never had a problem.

How I wish it were that way today. You could be working in one place on a steady Saturday, and hit another club and say "so and so sent me" and generally you'd pick up a steady Friday or a Sunday.

There was no corporate bullshit, you dealt with the boss or the owner of the club. They always made sure on busy nights that the valet guys saved a few spots for you.

And the owners were some of the biggest tippers.

Those old school joints had real class. There are still a few around , but not like the old days when there were 200 clubs with live music between Ft. Lauderdale and North Miami.

I'm not a cement contractor or a builder so I don't give a shit. Working in those old wiseguy clubs were some of the greatest times of my life. Yes I did see a few guys get roughed up, but they asked for it. You know how they always are saying in the movies "This guy don't show the club no respect", or "He disrespected the club". Thats exactly what these guys did to catch a beating.

Sal