Teen Jesus & The Jean Teasers: 'The Music Scene Doesn’t Make It Possible' To Make A Living

Teen Jesus & The Jean Teasers have discussed the difficulties of being a band in 2024, dispelling notions that success equals money in the music industry.

Band members Scarlett McKahey (guitarist) and Jaida Stephenson (bassist) appeared via teleconference in a hearing yesterday. The hearing took place in Sydney.

McKahey and Stephenson spoke during an inquiry into the Australian live music industry yesterday (25 July) hosted by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts.

Speaking about “trying to secure the future” of the Australian music industry, the pair began by outlining that they’ve been hustling for a decade, and they’ve been able to focus on music because of grants and external factors supporting their careers.

Despite being recognised as – and feeling like – a successful band, McKahey and Stephenson said they “don’t make a sustainable income” from music.

“We really feel strongly that artists work really hard and should be able to make a living, do their job full time, and not have to find work elsewhere. The Australian music scene doesn’t make it possible to do that,” they said.

Teen Jesus & The Jean Teasers are still working “other jobs” while being in a band that played approximately 60 shows last year.

“Even though shows pay quite well, the expenses that we have to outlay on the side of that… we definitely wouldn’t be able to do it without the help of government grants and outside help.”

While the money from shows is good, paying for flights, accommodation, hiring vans, and other costs is so high that it’s not often feasible to do a full-blown Australian tour.

The band said that the money they make from merchandise now pays for the shows, and they no longer have to fork out their own money to pay for the tour. During the early years, that wasn’t the case for them.

McKahey and Stephenson then indicated that things like making government grants easier to obtain and discounts for flights would help bands like them and artists trying to make their way in the industry.

The band also mentioned the essential nature of music festivals, which give acts the “bulk” of a band’s annual income, Michael’s Rule—having an Australian act open for an international act, like Teen Jesus & The Jean Teasers opened for Foo Fighters last year—and an increase in royalties (they make “next to nothing” from streaming services) as things that would make a massive difference in an Australian artist’s career.

Teen Jesus & The Jean Teasers were set to feature on the Splendour In The Grass line-up this year, which was cancelled a few weeks after the line-up was announced.

“It’s reached a point now where I don’t really think that a big show or festival is going to happen until I’m there; we kind of protect ourselves in that way,” they said.

You can listen to the band’s appearance with the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts here (approximately 10:00).