Back in 2003, ministers called the new Licensing Act "a licensing regime for the 21st century", yet where live music is concerned, they actually turned the licensing clock back more than 100 years. A case in 1899 (Brearley v Morley) established that a pub landlord could let customers use a piano on his premises without an entertainment licence. Today, such a landlord could face criminal prosecution where the maximum penalty is a £20,000 fine and six months in prison.
It is as a result of absurdities like this that today, in the House of Lords, I am announcing my intention to bring forward a live music bill which will clear up the bureaucratic minefield of the Licensing Act and breathe new life into the live music scene.
Tim Clement-Jones
Lib Dem, House of Lords
So, an unelected corporate lawyer is going to save the music biz, eh! I would like to know what experience of the live pub music scene he has, maybe his Cambridge education involved slumming it with real people, there again, maybe not. The sooner the music scene gets away from these types the better.
No it's not, if the music industry needs rescuing it's not by the likes of lord hoo-ha. Do you really think he cares tuppence about the scene that we inhabit? Thought not.
Well, he's a LibDem, so he's trying to do the right thing, but will probably put his foot in it.
And he's probably wearing green socks with sandals !
Interestingly, some people have found that the Licensing Act did help things very nicely; a friend who runs a folk-club in Camden says that the Act took away the powers of the Local Authority to barge in and check every members' details without notice; now, so long as the pub is licensed, she's fine. Previously these jobsworths had even shut down events financed or supported by other departments of the Council as important cultural and community events.
Rumours that these obnoxious individuals are now working in the car-parking department cannot be confirmed
It is getting off the original point a little, but...
When did " live music scene" equate to the "music biz", and in your subsequent message "the music industry", strayway? Particularly in the context of live music in pubs?
Sure there will be overlap, but they are hardly synonymous. e.g. In my experience at least, sessions fit the first description only.
There is plenty of music that isn't part of the "music biz" or "music industry", much of it taking place in pubs.
As far as live music in pubs goes; just tie a morris-bell around the knee of your trousers - morris dancing ( and obviously the music that goes with it ) is not covered by the Act; just say you're morrispersons, and they can't touch you.
If the corporate lawyers, accountants, marketing gurus and media moguls get any more control, there won't be any scene, biz or industry left. The session pub will become a recruiting ground for talent show hopefuls with no talent and those wishing to play diddley music for the price of a pint will be banished to a small, darkened back room close to the jacks, whaddya mean, they already are?
strayaway writes:
"If the corporate lawyers, accountants, marketing gurus and media moguls get any more control..."
Surely this chap is attempting to remove restrictive, unnecessary and unfair controls that Blair's Margaret-Thatcher-clones put in place. What's wrong with that?
This chap has absolutely no chance of ever removing any restrictive practices at any time or in any industry. He's one of the aforementioned gang, after all. Hollow words by shallow people looking for a bit of good publicity, if you want to change the law then go out and openly break it, having said that, ITM is not punk rock, mores the pity.
“the aforementioned gang”?
Surely people with an educated or even wealthy backgrounds are not automatically incapable of doing good for society as a whole (take Tony Benn or Daniel O’Connell).
Oh Lordie!
Oh Lordie!
A lovely letter from today's Guardian:
Back in 2003, ministers called the new Licensing Act "a licensing regime for the 21st century", yet where live music is concerned, they actually turned the licensing clock back more than 100 years. A case in 1899 (Brearley v Morley) established that a pub landlord could let customers use a piano on his premises without an entertainment licence. Today, such a landlord could face criminal prosecution where the maximum penalty is a £20,000 fine and six months in prison.
It is as a result of absurdities like this that today, in the House of Lords, I am announcing my intention to bring forward a live music bill which will clear up the bureaucratic minefield of the Licensing Act and breathe new life into the live music scene.
Tim Clement-Jones
Lib Dem, House of Lords
Way to go Tim, and best wishes...
# Posted on June 15th 2009 by Cath
Re: Oh Lordie!
Fingers crossed...!
# Posted on June 15th 2009 by Ron P
Re: Oh Lordie!
So, an unelected corporate lawyer is going to save the music biz, eh! I would like to know what experience of the live pub music scene he has, maybe his Cambridge education involved slumming it with real people, there again, maybe not. The sooner the music scene gets away from these types the better.
# Posted on June 15th 2009 by strayaway
Re: Oh Lordie!
Huh? That's like saying, "don't try to rescue me from that
crocodile - you're wearing blue socks"
# Posted on June 15th 2009 by Hup
Re: Oh Lordie!
No it's not, if the music industry needs rescuing it's not by the likes of lord hoo-ha. Do you really think he cares tuppence about the scene that we inhabit? Thought not.
# Posted on June 15th 2009 by strayaway
Re: Oh Lordie!
Well, he's a LibDem, so he's trying to do the right thing, but will probably put his foot in it.
And he's probably wearing green socks with sandals !
Interestingly, some people have found that the Licensing Act did help things very nicely; a friend who runs a folk-club in Camden says that the Act took away the powers of the Local Authority to barge in and check every members' details without notice; now, so long as the pub is licensed, she's fine. Previously these jobsworths had even shut down events financed or supported by other departments of the Council as important cultural and community events.
Rumours that these obnoxious individuals are now working in the car-parking department cannot be confirmed
# Posted on June 15th 2009 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Oh Lordie!
It is getting off the original point a little, but...
When did " live music scene" equate to the "music biz", and in your subsequent message "the music industry", strayway? Particularly in the context of live music in pubs?
Sure there will be overlap, but they are hardly synonymous. e.g. In my experience at least, sessions fit the first description only.
There is plenty of music that isn't part of the "music biz" or "music industry", much of it taking place in pubs.
- chris
# Posted on June 15th 2009 by ramblingpitchfork
Re: Oh Lordie!
As far as live music in pubs goes; just tie a morris-bell around the knee of your trousers - morris dancing ( and obviously the music that goes with it ) is not covered by the Act; just say you're morrispersons, and they can't touch you.
# Posted on June 15th 2009 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Oh Lordie!
If it's all the same Pete, I think I'd rather just be fined
# Posted on June 15th 2009 by ramblingpitchfork
Re: Oh Lordie!
If the corporate lawyers, accountants, marketing gurus and media moguls get any more control, there won't be any scene, biz or industry left. The session pub will become a recruiting ground for talent show hopefuls with no talent and those wishing to play diddley music for the price of a pint will be banished to a small, darkened back room close to the jacks, whaddya mean, they already are?
# Posted on June 15th 2009 by strayaway
Re: Oh Lordie!
Tim Clement-Jones? Never heard of him but good luck to him if he hacks away a few tentacles there.
"A small, darkened back room close to the jacks..."
Various session rooms have given me the feeling of being shut up inside a rotten tooth, I must avow.
# Posted on June 15th 2009 by nicholas
Re: Oh Lordie!
strayaway writes:
"If the corporate lawyers, accountants, marketing gurus and media moguls get any more control..."
Surely this chap is attempting to remove restrictive, unnecessary and unfair controls that Blair's Margaret-Thatcher-clones put in place. What's wrong with that?
# Posted on June 15th 2009 by whistleblower
Re: Oh Lordie!
This chap has absolutely no chance of ever removing any restrictive practices at any time or in any industry. He's one of the aforementioned gang, after all. Hollow words by shallow people looking for a bit of good publicity, if you want to change the law then go out and openly break it, having said that, ITM is not punk rock, mores the pity.
# Posted on June 16th 2009 by strayaway
Re: Oh Lordie!
“the aforementioned gang”?
Surely people with an educated or even wealthy backgrounds are not automatically incapable of doing good for society as a whole (take Tony Benn or Daniel O’Connell).
# Posted on June 16th 2009 by whistleblower