The Musician, Winter 2018

The Musician Journal of the Musicians’ Union Winter 2018 theMU.org

Musical Theatre Stars

Meet one of the first all-female pit bands in a West End musical

Profile: Jess Gillam

The classical saxophonist whose star is in the ascendant

Merchandising Tips

How to make your tour merch work financially and ethically

Focus On Leeds

The Yorkshire music city that is quietly going about its business

contacts Union HQ General Secretary Horace Trubridge Assistant General Secretary Naomi Pohl (Music Industry) Assistant General Secretary David Ashley (Finance & Administration) National Organiser Bill Kerr (Orchestras) National Organiser Diane Widdison (Education & Training) National Organiser Phil Kear (Recording & Broadcasting) National Organiser Dave Webster (Live Performance)

Regional Offices Head of Communications & Government Relations Isabelle Gutierrez In-House Solicitor Dawn Rodger PR & Marketing Official Keith Ames Recording & Broadcasting Official Michael Sweeney Licensing & Distribution Official Annie Turner Sessions Official Geoff Ellerby Live Performance Official Kelly Wood Equalities, Diversity & Inclusion Official John Shortell Orchestras Official Morris Stemp Campaigns & Social Media Official Maddy Radcliff

Union HQ 60–62 Clapham Road London sw9 0jj t 020 7582 5566 f 020 7582 9805 e info@theMU.org w theMU.org @WeAreTheMU

London Regional Organiser: Jo Laverty 33 Palfrey Place, London SW8 1PE t 020 7840 5504 e london@theMU.org East & South East England Regional Organiser: Paul Burrows 1a Fentiman Road, London SW8 1LD t 020 7840 5537 e eastsoutheast@theMU.org Midlands Regional Organiser: Stephen Brown 2 Sovereign Court, Graham Street, Birmingham B1 3JR t 0121 236 4028 e midlands@theMU.org Wales & South West England Regional Organiser: Paul Gray Transport House, 1 Cathedral Rd, Cardiff CF11 9SD t 029 2045 6585 e cardiff@theMU.org North of England Regional Organiser: Matt Wanstall 61 Bloom Street, Manchester M1 3LY t 0161 236 1764 e manchester@theMU.org Scotland & Northern Ireland Regional Organiser: Caroline Sewell 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow G3 6NG t 0141 341 2960 e glasgow@theMU.org

report

Directions And Directives The new BBC Sounds service is a potential new income stream for musicians, but how will performers’ rights be attributed? And what is their future in the long run?

© Joanna Dudderidge

You may have noticed that the BBC has launched a new service called BBC Sounds. The service is to be rolled out in three phases and the first phase is online now. This phase includes ‘Music Mixes’, which are a collection of tracks available as a near linear webcast. The reason that it is referred to as ‘near’ linear is because the user has the ability to scrub through the mix without actually being able to jump directly to the start of a particular track.

However, the user is able to see the full track listing as this is deemed important for new music discovery.

Horace Trubridge, General Secretary

For some years now the performers’ right known as equitable remuneration has, in my opinion, been the jewel in the crown of performers’ rights. This is because it provides a guaranteed income stream to both signed artists – whether they are recouped or not – and more importantly, session musicians and vocalists.

Without this unwaivable, non-assignable right, our profession would have lost so much talent as the musicians and vocalists would not have been able to survive financially. But what will happen to our industry if this essential income stream dwindles and eventually disappears?

No guarantee The BBC has negotiated a licence with PPL for this phase, but there is no guarantee that they will do so for phases two and three. The reason for this is that phases two and three will have far greater user interactivity and therefore the rights owners (the labels and publishers) regard this usage of their copyrights as no longer falling under the public performance right and attracting equitable remuneration to be shared with the performers through PPL. The record companies contend that the usage of their copyrights in phases two and three – and in particular, the facility for the user to pause, skip and so on – comes under the ‘making available to the public’ right and therefore is not subject to equitable remuneration through PPL. In other words, featured performers (signed artists) will only receive a share of the money that the labels receive from the BBC for phases two and three if they are recouped and don’t owe their respective record labels any money. Moreover, non-

featured artists (session musicians and vocalists) will receive no payment beyond their original session fee.

Stand up for your rights I have written at length in these pages about my fear that consumers will, over time, migrate from music radio to streaming sites; the former pays equitable remuneration, the latter doesn’t. What now seems apparent is that the broadcasters, in order to be able to compete with the likes of Spotify and Netflix in this brave new world, will have to gradually transform themselves into digital service providers (DSPs). The consequence of this is that, with the introduction of the ability for the user to interact with the music, the performers’ rights that the broadcaster will be licensing will not be public performance but making available, a right that is not administered at present by a collecting society and, sorry for repeating myself, not subject to equitable remuneration.

“What will happen to our industry if this essential income stream dwindles?”

Right now our only hope is that the EU Copyright Directive, which is now in the trialogue stage (in the hands of the EU Commission, EU Council and EU Parliament) if passed, will give us a hook upon which to hang our long-standing demand for the making available right to include an element of equitable remuneration.

Without this essential change to the rights regime the digital revolution offers little comfort for performers.

Horace Trubridge

To hear more from Horace, visit theMU.org The Musician • Winter 2018

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Contents Winter 2018

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26

Exclusive interview with Simon Emmerson, the ideas man behind world music band Afro Celt Sound System.

The Musician • Winter 2018

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Frontline

Features

Reports

Your Voice

3 MU General Secretary Horace Trubridge 10 Assistant General Secretary Naomi Pohl 12 The MU at the political party conferences 14 Making the most of merchandising 22 Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival report 30 The MU’s Beneficiary Royalties Service 34 The Trident Studios piano 40 MU Conference 2019

32 Fair Play Focus: The Joiners, Southampton 36 Regional Focus on the current music scene in Leeds 9 Interacting with MU members and supporters on Twitter

The Orchestra of Opera North performing in Leeds.

© Sarah Zagni

6 The MU’s Music Education initiative hits the headlines 7 Victory for creators as EU Copyright Directive is passed

Profiles

18 Jess Gillam: a classical saxophonist in the ascendant 26 Simon Emmerson of Afro Celt Sound System 50 Cover stars: the all-female band in the Heathers musical

Reviews

44 Albums, EPs and downloads released by MU members

Union Notices

2 Key MU contacts 25 How to secure professional indemnity insurance 46 Tributes 48 Ask Us First 49 Ballot results 51 Member benefits

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MU Contributors Duncan Seaman Duncan is a journalist and subeditor who regularly writes about music for publications such as The Yorkshire Post, the i newspaper and Louder Than War. p36

Photo: Joseph Branston. © MU 2018

Andrew Stewart Andrew writes for The Times, The Guardian, Classical Music and BBC Music Magazine, among others. He is also the Director of Southwark Voices. p18

Katie Nicholls Katie is a freelance journalist and editor whose features and reviews have appeared in titles such as Mojo, The Guardian and Kerrang! p22

Tracey Kelly A singersongwriter, one half of pop-jazz duo Tracey & Jason, and an MU member. Tracey has also written for books on pop, jazz and rock. p30

Henry Yates Henry is a freelance writer from Gloucestershire who has written for publications as diverse as Classic Rock, Total Guitar, NME and Record Collector. p14

Roy Delaney Roy has written for Metal Hammer, Classic Rock and Melody Maker, and is the lead singer and drummer with the two-piece punk rock band Hacksaw. p32

Neil Crossley A journalist and editor who has written for The Independent, The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian and The Financial Times. Neil also fronts the band Furlined. p34

Will Simpson Will has contributed to a range of music magazines, including Total Guitar, Guitarist and Mixmag.

Will has also published the book Freedom Through Football. p26

Cover: The band from Heathers: The Musical Photographed at Theatre Royal Haymarket Photo: Joseph Branston. © MU 2018

The Musician • Winter 2018

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Brexit and You The MU is fighting to protect musicians’ right to travel when working in the EU post-Brexit. We want to hear from you about how Brexit has affected your working plans for 2019. #WorkingInTheEU bit.ly/2AzdUAV

frontline Winter 2018

The MU in action, working on behalf of professional musicians.

MU Makes A Splash As Music Education Disparity Highlighted The MU’s initiative to highlight the inequality of music education among school age children has struck a chord with the national and local press, and has appeared on and in dozens of news sources.

© Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock

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New MU research highlights inequality in music education.

As well as getting sympathetic coverage on BBC, ITV, Sky, Channel 5 and the Mail Online, the story has appeared on 13 regional BBC radio stations, and received a plethora of local press coverage. MU General Secretary Horace Trubridge’s appearance on Sky News with David Arnold was particularly successful, being aired several times.

The new research from the MU at the heart of the campaign concludes that many parts of the UK are at risk of under-representation in the music industry, as lower income families are priced out of music lessons. The data, released in November, reveals that families with a total household income of less than £28k are half as likely to have a child learning an instrument as more affluent peers.

Counting the cost This stark disparity exists despite similar levels of interest from both groups of children and, therefore, the MU is calling on government to review its offering of music education in schools. Cost is currently the greatest barrier to learning, with over two-fifths (41%) of those from lower income

families saying lessons are beyond their household budgets. Cost also impacts on how children are learning. Those from low and mid-income families are more likely to teach themselves, missing out on the benefits of a specialised tutor, exposing a clear need for music provision in schools.

Horace Trubridge, General Secretary at the MU, said: “With certain children priced out of learning musical instruments, we may well only be hearing the songs and sounds of the affluent in years to come. Those from poorer backgrounds will, unfairly, be increasingly under-represented within the industry.

The data released shows the extent of the problem – and we would like to work with Government to address this issue.”

For more information visit theMU.org

The Musician • Winter 2018

“We may well only be hearing the songs and sounds of the affluent in years to come.”

Horace Trubridge

frontline

© Eric Richmond

Creators Welcome Copyright Decision The MU welcomed the passing of the new European Copyright Directive by the European Parliament on 12 September. This is a positive development and followed years of lobbying by the MU and other bodies to achieve fair compensation for performers from streaming services and user-upload sites like YouTube.

The European Parliament passed the new European Copyright Directive by a significant margin – 438 votes for, 226 against. The vote reversed the previous vote by MEPs on 5 July 2018, which rejected the Legal Affairs Committee’s proposals on the Directive.

The Chineke! Ensemble were among the musicians performing as part of Black History Month.

The legislation had been opposed by companies such as Google and Facebook, who argued that the Directive would have detrimental consequences for the internet.

Musicians Mark Black History Month 2018 October saw another hugely successful Black History Month. Music events taking place as part of this celebration of black culture this year included cool jazz at Birmingham Symphony Hall with the Jean Toussaint Quintet Jazz, the 19th Family Gospel Festival for Sickle Cell & Thalassaemia at Broadwater Farm in Tottenham, an exhibition on the work of pioneering British rapper Derek B in Redbridge, and an appearance at the Cambridge Music Festival by Chineke!

Ensemble , plus many other great events across the land.

One of the artists acknowledged in Black History month was globally renowned composer Errollyn Wallen MBE – recipient of an Ivor Novello Award for Classical Music and a British Composer award – whose prolific output includes 17 operas to date.

Black History Month – also known as AfricanAmerican History Month in the United States – is an annual observance of the history, achievements and contributions of black people in the UK, Canada, the Netherlands and the US. It was first celebrated in the UK in 1987 and began as a way of remembering important people and events in the history of the African diaspora.

John Shortell, MU Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion Official, highlighted the importance of this national celebration of culture: “Black History Month is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the enormous contributions black communities have made, and continue to make, to the UK,” he said.

“These contributions are visible in all areas of society, from music and the arts to education and politics. Black culture has helped shape a multicultural society, making the UK a better place for everyone.”

For more information on how you can get involved in this important event next year, please visit blackhistorymonth.org.uk

But as reported in the Autumn 2018 issue of The Musician, the MU believes that creators and rights holders are being denied their fair share of the colossal revenues that tech giants derive from their businesses. The European Copyright Directive aims to compel platforms such as YouTube to seek licences for content such as music videos and enable artists to negotiate better royalties.

The European Parliament will now agree a final draft of the Copyright Directive with the European Council and the European Commission. The final draft must be approved by the European Council and the Parliament.

This will most likely happen in early 2019, the Copyright Directive will become law and member states will be required to implement the rules into their respective national law.

Your Union

£10m

1959

85%

The amount of public liability insurance cover for MU members who perform and teach

In this year American singer, actor and political activist Paul Robeson addressed the MU Conference

The estimated number of MU members who regularly work on a freelance basis

For the latest news on how the Musicians’ Union is helping you visit theMU.org The Musician • Winter 2018

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After 29 years, Bill Kerr will be retiring from his role as MU National Organiser in February 2019. Originally a first violinist in The Hallé, Bill commenced his trade union work as the Orchestra’s steward before becoming the MU’s North West District Organiser. Fourteen years later he was promoted to the new role of National Organiser Orchestras. Bill’s dedication and understanding in this role has been hugely appreciated and will be greatly missed by both members and MU colleagues alike.

Over the next few months, Bill will be handing over to the newly appointed National Organiser Orchestras, Jo Laverty.

She is delighted to be given this opportunity and is looking forward to expanding her work for the MU nationwide.

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Meanwhile, Jamie Pullman – currently Regional Officer in the East & SE England Region – has been appointed to take over Jo’s current role as London Regional Organiser. The replacement for Jamie will be announced in due course.

A full appreciation of Bill’s work for the MU will be a part of the report on the Orchestra Conference 2019, set to be a feature in the next issue of The Musician.

MU Political Fund And Its Impact

© Rawpixel.com / Shutterstock

Bill Kerr To Retire From Orchestra Role

SUPPORT THE MU Love Music? Encourage your music-loving friends and family to sign up as MU Supporters at theMU.org

The MU’s Political Fund is in decline, partly due to the changes brought about by the Trade Union Act, which has changed the rules regarding how trade union members contribute to their union’s political fund.

Make sure your records are up to date.

Check Your Details Online MU members are advised to check their membership records online via the Union’s website at theMU.org

To benefit fully from MU communications, members should ensure that the Union has their latest contact address, email and telephone numbers. To check the details that we hold, members should log onto the site where reminders will highlight your membership status and date of renewal on your ‘Welcome’ page. Selecting the ‘Manage my membership’ option offers the chance to view and edit your profile, visit the Forum and Directory, download your Public Liability Insurance Certificate and check your account.

The MU’s Political Fund does not all go to the Labour party. Affiliation currently accounts for just under half of the Fund, and this is likely to drastically reduce due to the Trade Union Act changes. The rest is spent on other political activity, which is vitally important in protecting musicians’ rights and livelihoods.

MU members are reminded that they are free to make donations to the Union’s Fund should they wish to. Contact your MU Regional Office for more details on how you can donate, or further support our lobbying.

Expulsion Notice Dominic Kelly, May 2018

Mr Kelly was subject to disciplinary action under MU Rules. Mr Kelly was expelled from membership and had his MU Approved Contractor status revoked. Subsequently Mr Kelly has challenged the expulsion through proceedings filed with the Certification Officer.

The Musicians’ Union has filed grounds of resistance to that challenge.

Dates For The Diary

08 Jan

29-31 Jan

08 Feb

6-7 Mar

23 July

What: MU Orchestra Section Conference Where: The Studio, 7 Cannon Street, Birmingham, B2 5EP Info: tinyurl.com/orchconf

What: Americana Music Association UK Conference Where: Hackney House, 25-27 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3LT Info: tinyurl.com/amaukconf

What: Question Session Annual Music Conference Where: The Centre for Contemporary Arts, 350 Sauchiehall St, Glasgow Info: questionsession.co.uk

What: Music & Drama Education Expo 2019 Where: Olympia, Hammersmith Road, London, W14 8UX Info: tinyurl.com/MEDGexpo

What: MU Delegate Conference Where: Hilton Brighton Metropole Hotel, Kings Rd, Brighton BN1 2FU Info: theMU.org

The Musician • Winter 2018

frontline

Your Voice This selection of tweets, emails and letters reflects the diverse range of dialogue between the MU and its members.

Live music venues across Scotland will be protected from noise complaints from new housing developments after the Local Government Committee supported my amendments to the Planning (Scotland) Bill which adopt the #AgentofChange principle.

Lewis Macdonald MSP @LewisMacdMSP

Scottish venues such as King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow should benefit from Agent Of Change.

gerard ferry / Alamy Stock Photo

Scot free

Euro vision

@WeAreTheMU are trying to ensure touring in Europe is still do-able after Brexit. It’s something I hope won’t be made too hard anyway, but had a lot of hopes broken recently.

Glad the MU are speaking up for us touring musos.

Laura-Beth Salter @laurabethsalter

Teach in

Thanks to the @WeAreTheMU Education team, and other staff who supported the teachers CPD weekend. Thanks to @TrinityLaban for such splendid hosting. Thanks to all contributors. A great weekend with colleagues and friends – new and old.

Sam Dunkley @SamDunkleyMusic

THE TEAM

Be our guide

Guides and Rangers were excited to meet @BronnieMusic – she sang for us and we talked about learning music and the places it can take us. We all agree with @WeAreTheMU that every child should have the opportunity to learn music.

1st Grange Guides @1stGrange

Youth opportunities

Loving the MU’s new Let Every Child Learn Music campaign.

I got so much from learning music as a child – we have to continue those opportunities for future generations.

Jen Thornton @jenthornton01

Editor Keith Ames (MU) Consultant editor Neil Crossley Art editor Chris Stenner Writers Keith Ames, Neil Crossley, Roy Delaney, Tracey Kelly, Katie Nicholls, Duncan Seaman, Tom Short, Will Simpson, Andrew Stewart, Henry Yates Production editor Roy Delaney Director of content marketing Clare Jonik Head of Fusion procurement and production Matt Eglinton Account manager Rebecca Nannery Editorial director Mark Donald Art director Stuart Hobbs Repro Gary Stuckey Printed at Precision Colour Printing See p2 for the contact details of Musicians’ Union offices.

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Girls up front

In the last three days I’ve seen three West End musicals (Six, Company and Heathers) and all three were conducted by women. I think that’s pretty cool and shows great progress.

George Francis @georgeonkeys

Face facts

Plenty of food for thought at tonight’s @WeAreTheMU ‘Facebook for Musicians’ event brilliantly hosted by Sheldon Southworth from @60secondmm.

CrusaderBeach Solo Piano @CrusaderBeach

facebook.com/musicians.union

soundcloud.com/musicians-union

Follow us on Twitter @WeAreTheMU

Find us at theMU.org

Follow us on Instagram @WeAreTheMU

Email us TheMusician@TheMU.org

All information contained in this journal is for informational purposes only and is, to the best of our knowledge, correct at the time of going to press. This journal is published by Future Publishing Limited on behalf of Musicians’ Union. Neither Future Publishing Limited nor Musicians’ Union accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies that occur in such information. Readers are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers direct with regard to the price of products/services in the journal.

Publication of an advertisement does not imply any form of recommendation. Organisations offering financial services or insurance are governed by their relevant regulatory bodies and problems with such services should be taken up with those bodies. Neither Future Publishing Limited nor Musicians’ Union accept any liability for the quality of goods and services offered in advertisements. We do our best to avoid inaccuracies, but if you believe that an error has been made, please contact the editor straight away before taking any other action and the Union will take appropriate steps. If you submit material to this journal, you automatically grant Future Publishing Limited and Musicians’ Union a licence to publish your submissions in whole or in part in any edition of this journal that is published worldwide in any format or media throughout the world, and you grant Musicians’ Union a licence to publish your submissions in whole or in part in any format or media for the purpose of promoting any products or services referred to in your submissions. Any material you submit is sent at your risk and neither Future Publishing Limited nor Musicians’ Union nor their respective employees, agents or subcontractors shall be liable for any loss or damage. © Future Publishing Limited and Musicians’ Union 2018.

All rights reserved. No part of this journal may be used or reproduced without the written permission of Future Publishing Limited and Musicians’ Union.

The Musician • Winter 2018

What I Have Learned About The #MeToo Movement MU Assistant General Secretary Naomi Pohl discusses some of her findings from the MU’s SafeSpace initiative on sexual harassment at work, and suggests some of the changes that are needed to help protect MU members in the workplace.

As MU members will I’m sure be aware, we have been spearheading the movement to combat sexual harassment, discrimination, abuse and bullying in the music industry since the advent of the #MeToo movement last year.

It started with an MU member setting up an online forum for female musicians to share their horror stories of working in the British music industry, which led to us establishing our own facility for confidential and/or anonymous reporting by email: safespace@theMU.org.

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Reporting abuse I have previously shared news of positive initiatives we are undertaking as part of our campaign and have spoken to the press about the range of reports made to us. We’ve received more than 100 reports of inappropriate behaviour in a wide variety of workplaces and scenarios. This figure excludes over 600 responses to our Dignity In Study survey that looked specifically at sexual harassment, discrimination and bullying in colleges, conservatoires, universities and drama schools.

I’ve not yet reflected publicly on the investigations we have carried out as part of our SafeSpace campaign, however, and the barriers we continue to face in bringing perpetrators to account. This is what has inspired me to write on the subject again: it is crucial we aren’t collectively disheartened and

“It is crucial we aren’t collectively disheartened and that we continue to work to improve the culture of workplaces.”

The Musician • Winter 2018

that we continue to work to improve the culture of workplaces. We know this won’t happen overnight, but while some industry bodies may feel the initial spotlight thrown on our industries by high profile cases has passed, we are committed to continuing our work to genuinely effect change.

Crime figures You might wonder why we’ve received 100 confidential reports of harassment, abuse, sexism, bullying and inappropriate behaviour that have not previously been reported. Surely some of these cases could have been reported to the police, you might think? The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW), which is the preferred measure of trends in the prevalence of sexual assault in England and Wales, estimated that 20% of women and 4% of men have experienced some type of sexual assault since the age of 16 – equivalent to an estimated 3.4 million female victims and 631,000 male victims. By way of illustration, an estimated 3.1% of women (510,000) and 0.8% of men (138,000) aged 16 to 59 experienced sexual assault in the year ending March 2017.

However, the CSEW also reports that around 83% of victims did not report their experiences to the police. This doesn’t necessarily mean the police are failing to provide a safe space for survivors: there are a whole range of reasons for non-reporting, which include: • A concern that reporting will be invasive.

• A concern that many reports of sexual assault do not lead to a conviction.

• Embarrassment or not wanting people to know what’s happened to you.

Julian Eales / Alamy Stock Photo

profile report

up withdrawing from the workplace. This is completely devastating to a person who’s put themselves through the deeply unpleasant process of making a formal complaint.

All of this sadly lends itself to the current culture of workplaces remaining intact, certainly for freelance workers. That’s why our next move will be to lobby for legislative change along with other entertainment unions, associations, and via UK Music. As a starting point, our Executive Committee has agreed that we should push for the following changes:

It is essential that all musicians feel safe from harm in their workplace.

Our own members also give the following reasons for not reporting incidents to employers, engagers or the police. These issues highlight why our industry in particular needs to change: • An expectation, or threat, that reporting could lead to a loss of work opportunities or bookings.

• Fear, or threat, of reputational damage, for example being labelled a troublemaker or someone who can’t take a joke.

• A power imbalance between the perpetrator and the victim.

• An expectation that the matter would be dismissed, handled badly or not taken seriously by an employer or engager.

• Fear of not being believed.

Actually, we’ve also discovered that the bar for making a sexual harassment claim in the courts or a tribunal is higher than it should be. One-off incidents, however serious, may not meet the legal definition of harassment. A one-off incident of sexual abuse is a different story, but this differentiation risks victims feeling that what happened to them wasn’t ‘bad enough’.

Harassment victims are also not provided with identity protection by the courts. No wonder they are concerned about coming forward.

Complicated system We have also found that timescales are an issue. If you are employed and have the option to take a claim to a tribunal, you may be stumped by the three month time limit.

Survivors of harassment and abuse do not make the decision to take a claim lightly and it may take time for them to feel able to talk about it to anyone, let alone risk going public.

Of course, the majority of professional musicians are self-employed, and being freelance presents even more barriers. If the incident occurs outside the UK, even if you’re engaged by a UK-based company, you won’t be able to pursue the matter at home, but may have to go through the police system and courts in the territory where it happened.

Taking responsibility Where there is an engager of both the victim and the perpetrator, we feel they should take responsibility for the incident having occurred as a result of the engagement (even if it occurred in the pub or hotel room after the gig rather than at the venue). In employment situations this often happens, but where freelancers are involved we’ve found that the engagers are more likely to wash their hands of any responsibility. In some cases we’ve seen, the perpetrator has remained at work, even though the victim is believed or the offence is admitted, and it’s the complainant who ends

• Extending the time limit (three months) within which a claim must be lodged – to a more reasonable time frame (at least six months).

• The reintroduction of the rights around third party harassment.

• The reintroduction of the use of discrimination questionnaires.

• Confirmation that the protections in Section 83(2) of the Equality Act 2010 cover all musicians including the self-employed. At present, it is unclear if the Equality Act 2010 covers self-employed musicians who are able to deputise their work. As a result, these musicians are particularly reluctant to report incidents due to fear of being blacklisted from future engagements.

Protecting members We are also looking at how to use contracts and other tools at freelancers’ disposal to protect them from harassment and abuse at work. With partners in the music industry and trade union movement, we are looking at Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) and what can be done to ensure they do not protect perpetrators and harm survivors. Next year, we will be hosting focus groups with musicians to look into what protections they feel would work best for them.

No-one should experience or fear sexual harassment, abuse, bullying or discrimination on campus or at work. We’re working hard to highlight the issues in music industry workplaces, and make sure those who do are heard and better represented by a fairer system. It will not be easy, and there are many challenges to overcome. In the meantime I would urge anyone who wants to get involved in this area to email me directly.

The Musician • Winter 2018

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MU Success At Party Conferences The MU visited the major party political conferences over the summer to lobby their delegates about musicians’ rights.

Report by Isabelle Gutierrez

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Most of the MU’s campaigns are at least partly aimed at changing government policy to improve conditions for working musicians.

In order to influence MPs and Ministers, we hold regular meetings, briefings and events.

This year, we also went to both the Labour and Conservative Party Conferences to talk about music education, a touring visa for musicians post-Brexit, and the other major issues affecting the MU’s 30,000 members.

The MU had a stand in the exhibition areas, and hundreds of delegates across both conferences signed the MU’s petition for a touring visa, recognising the difficulties caused by a lack of clarity in Brexit policy and the need to ensure that musicians – as highly skilled but often low paid workers – can continue to travel easily to make a living after Brexit.

As well as the stand, the MU took a delegation of EC members to the Labour Party Conference. The delegation was able to participate in debates and votes in the main hall, and notably voted in favour of keeping open the option of a second referendum with Remain as an option if the Prime Minister’s final Brexit deal does not meet Labour’s six tests, and if there is not a general election.

The motion outlining the compromise was the subject of hours of intense debate behind

“It has a real impact on the eclectic music this country is famous for.”

Horace Trubridge The Musician • Winter 2018

closed doors and in the Conference hall, where it was supported by the vast majority of delegates. Now that we have seen Theresa May’s Withdrawal Agreement, it is clear that Labour’s red lines have not been met, and we will continue to work with MPs to secure either a better deal for musicians, or a second referendum based on the facts we now have.

MU General Secretary Horace Trubridge appeared on the panel at several fringe events at the Labour Party Conference, including the UK Music fringe event on the Talent Pipeline with Kevin Brennan MP, Steve Rotherham (Metro Mayor) and Sharon Hodgson MP. The discussion centred on access to music as a career. As Horace said: “Mainstream music in the UK is now dominated by middle and upper class young people because they’re the only ones who have the opportunity to learn an instrument. It has a real impact on the eclectic music that this country is famous for.” The MU has released research which shows that families with a total household income of less than £28k are half as likely to have a child learning an instrument as their more affluent peers, and access to music education will continue to be a key campaigning issue for us.

The MU stand was also very popular at Conservative Party Conference. We collected nearly 200 signatures for the touring visa petition and signed up a decent number of supporters, as well as discussing our key issues with a number of MPs. Across both conferences, we had meetings with more than 20 MPs including Stephen Doughty, Luciana Berger, Alison McGovern, Kevin Brennan, Thangam Debbonaire, Tom Watson, Peter Aldous, Bob Seely and Rebecca Harris.

REPORT report

Horace Trubridge with Alison McGovern MP, Naomi Pohl and Isabelle Gutierrez (left).

Centre (L-R): Shami Chakrabarti; Luciana Berger MP; Eddie Izzard. Bottom (L-R): Dave Lee & Jo Stevens MP; Keith Ames.

Gus Campbell / Maddy Radcliff

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The Musician • Winter 2018

Making The Most Of Merchandising Merchandise represents a significant chunk of a musician’s live revenue. Here, The Musician examines how to make merch work financially and ethically.

Report by Henry Yates

Meanwhile, reports from the UK circuit suggest that merchandising typically accounts for 20-30% of a band’s live take.

“Merchandise is the backbone to many bands’ success,” says British bluesman Danny Bryant. “It can be the extra bit of money that keeps the van on the road, or the muchneeded income that subsidises the occasional necessary low-paying show.”

Diversify and conquer Effective merchandising starts with the right products. The trusty T-shirt is still a banker, but with major bands thinking more laterally with their merch, musicians further down the chain stress the importance of standing out.

“Be different,” says singer-songwriter Jack J Hutchinson. “I love bands like the Black

Crowes and Blackberry Smoke, where you instantly recognise their merch because it’s unlike other bands. Everyone has black T-shirts, but I went for bright red and sold loads. You can spot them a mile away.”

“The possibilities with merchandise are endless,” says Scottish alt-troubadour Dave Arcari. “My signature bottleneck slides are a big seller: players want the same slide as you and non-players buy them as gifts, or to keep because they’re unusual and funky. I do two different crystal whisky glasses, both with my logo engraved. Download cards for albums that are no longer available in physical format go well, especially with a promo keyring attached to add some kind of physical value.

I also have Dave Arcari signature sets of guitar strings for sale.”

By diversifying, musicians also give themselves scope to offer merch at a variety of price-points, with premium vinyl and hoodies offset by smaller items like stickers, badges and bottle openers. Across your merch range, advises Bryant, ensure the design is strong and your band name and logo is prominently displayed, turning a one-off sale into a sustained marketing campaign.

“Financial income is very important, but when you can get your fans to pay you to advertise your band, it’s a win-win.”

Danny Bryant The Musician • Winter 2018

© Haydn Hart

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There’s an apocryphal music industry tale that indie-rockers James survived entirely on t-shirt sales in the late-80s. In modern times, that wouldn’t be so hard to believe.

While music sales remain negligible, a recent study by the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association (LIMA) revealed that merchandise transactions grew 9.4% year-on-year and were worth a global £2.41 billion in 2016.

“Generating publicity and an income stream from merchandise is the top goal. Financial income is very important, but when you can get your fans to pay you to advertise your band, it’s a win-win. Creating attractive merchandise is important, so your fans will not only wear a shirt to a show, but will want to wear it out to the pub or doing the shopping.”

Sustainable selling There’s a bigger picture to consider. In a live industry becoming aware of its environmental and social footprint, ethical merchandise has grown from a buzzword to a burgeoning industry. Julie’s Bicycle is a London-based charity that supports ethically sound creative projects, and project manager Chiara Badiali has helped bands produce merch that is both saleable and environmentally savvy. “It’s good to think of your merchandise as an extension of you as an artist,” she says. “Everything about it is a display of who you are and what you stand for. That should include how it’s made and what from. For clothing, look for certified organic cotton fabrics that incorporate recycled post-consumer waste,

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Bluesman Jack J Hutchinson (left) stresses the value of merch to touring bands, and suggests that you should think out of the box for unique items that stand out.

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or clothing made from more sustainable fibres like bamboo or hemp. Look for things like Fairtrade cotton, companies that are transparent about their supply chains and brands that are members of initiatives like the Fair Wear Foundation, which work towards improving working conditions. For posters, ideally print on post-consumer recycled paper – or FSC certified paper if recycled isn’t possible – and work with printers that have environmental policies.”

Most musicians would agree with those points in principle. But with profit margins often on a knife-edge, there remains a perception that ethical merchandise will be prohibitively expensive. Acclaimed indie-folk songwriter Novo Amor (aka Ali John Meredith-Lacey) believes wider adoption will help musicians address the big issues without compromising their bottom line. “When an artist starts out making music,” he notes, “I don’t think they expect to be printing thousands of vinyl,

T-shirts and such. But when the time comes, the environmentally friendly and ethical options aren’t usually at the forefront of the options offered. I’d say this is mainly due to price. Using eco-friendly materials for clothing can be a bit more expensive, but the quality is better and the reduced impact on the environment is worth it. If more artists went down this route, I’m sure the prices would decrease with the demand.”

Meredith-Lacey has proved the viability of ethical merchandise with the campaign for his debut album, Birthplace. “If there’s going to be audience demand for me to create merchandise,” he says, “then I feel a responsibility to do it in the least wasteful, most environmentally responsible way possible. I do this – where I can – by using Fairtrade and organic cottons, water-based inks or salvaged materials. My new record is pressed on recycled vinyl, which means the manufacturers sourced unused colour vinyl

pellets to create new vinyl. This was actually the cheaper option. It meant that every piece of vinyl will be slightly different in colour, as all the pellets get mixed together to create the product. I love that it adds originality to the product – and it’s something that more artists could easily be doing.”

Another artist enjoying strong sales with socially aware merchandise is Lucy Rose, who has previously offered jam made using food waste and now tours with her own chocolate.

“Everything with the chocolate is sourced ethically and handmade and wrapped,” she says, “so it’s time-consuming, which puts the price up. But it’s important to sell great products, as they represent me in what I’m trying to do, which is make the best music

The Musician • Winter 2018

“It’s important to sell great products…

Paying a little more for a much better product is always the best route.”

Lucy Rose (right) sells handmade chocolates and jams at her shows for that personal touch.

Lucy Rose that I possibly can. Paying a little more for a much better product is always the best route, in my opinion.”

Tricks of the trade With the product decided, the challenge shifts to production. Using a local company will reduce the shipping costs and carbon

“The most important thing is not to overorder,” stresses Badiali, “especially if designs are time-limited. Excess merch is a waste of money and resources. Some merchandise companies offer print-on-demand services, which is less useful for touring merch, but very useful for your online store.”

Likewise, it pays to think of the internet as a shop-front that never closes, and to use your social platforms to funnel fans towards an intuitive merch page on your website. “Artists

Dave Arcari (left) keeps his merchandise varied, while Chiara Badiali (below) helps to produce merch ethically.

© Valentina Abrazey, © James Allen

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With a little imagination, adds Aaron With of Chicago power trio Volcano!, ethics don’t have to cost the earth. “The first time we made band shirts, we didn’t want to buy sweatshop T’s, but we also didn’t have money to buy union and didn’t know if we could sell shirts for $15 to make that make sense. So we went to a bunch of thrift markets and grabbed around 100 shirts for $0.50 to $2. We’d pick the ugliest ones we could find. They’d have community charity run designs, old sports team logos, 80s bands logos and classic thrift stains. A great artist named Oli Watt designed us a silkscreen, and we printed directly on top of whatever logo it already had, often clashing in ugly and indecipherable ways, but occasionally creating an interesting or funny combination. Except for the most unsalvageable ones, they sold out fast – maybe because we sold them for $5.”

footprint, and you may be able to negotiate better prices using the prospect of repeat business as leverage. Ordering in bulk will also cut costs, but keep your figures realistic, basing your projected merch pricing on that of other bands at your level, and gauging demand based on gig attendance and social media interest. “Don’t order too much,” warns Hutchinson. “I know bands who have wasted thousands of pounds on koozies and drum skins. Most of it is still in boxes in their garage.

I asked my followers on social media what they would most likely buy, then I produced merch based on that.”

The Musician • Winter 2018

sell merchandise via websites and artist profile pages on sites like Bandcamp and Big Cartel,” says MU Live Performance Official, Kelly Wood. “But crowdfunding platforms have really opened up opportunities for artists to appeal to their fanbase to buy weird and wonderful things, often on the back of a forthcoming album. However, most artists report the majority of their merch is sold at gigs, where fans are excited about the performance and able to get items signed.”

It is important, however, to be clear upfront about the cuts that will be taken by the venue and the services they will offer in return.

“Larger venues almost always charge a commission and 20-25% is fairly standard these days,” continues Kelly. “In some scenarios this seems disproportionately high, but this generally includes staffing. Most small venues don’t take a commission, as they understand that the profit margins can be tight and that artists need to supplement their gig earnings in this way. Venue owners possibly also appreciate that a merch table, particularly when operated by the artists themselves, can keep an audience in a venue buying drinks.”

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Top 6 Tips Diversify T-shirts are still the bread-andbutter for most bands, but do a little research into what else interests your fanbase – then offer merch at a variety of price-points.

© Laura Lewis

Gauge the demand Don’t go overboard with your order, especially if the merch is pegged to a time-sensitive tour or release. Instead, be realistic about demand and look into print-on-demand services.

Also give some thought to payment facilities.

The cash float still has a place, but you’ll also need to cater for the punters with cards and smartphones. “Have a contactless credit/ debit card machine and an Apple Pay reader,” Arcari notes. Unfortunately, these only work in the country where your bank account is based, but outside the UK I get round that by getting folks to PayPal a payment to my PayPal email address via their phone.”

Strategy and technology certainly help, but there’s no substitute for good old-fashioned retail smarts. “Make sure the merch table is well-sited and someone is in attendance as soon as the doors open,” says Arcari. “Have merch available for folks to pick up and look at, with clothing on hangers and good lighting.

We carry a black cloth to cover the merch table. I see a lot of artists with everything in a small case and while it’s convenient, I don’t think it shows the merch off in the best light.”

Above all, remember that every band member should combine their musical responsibilities with their role as a salesperson. Don’t be shy about mentioning your merch from the stage, and make your presence known at the merch table, as this personal touch will attract

punters for a chat – and perhaps a purchase.

“As the artist, make sure you make the effort to get out to the merch desk and meet the fans,” says the acclaimed roots-rocker Rosco Levee. “It gives fans that interaction they crave, helps you seem more human, and gives them a feeling that you made the effort.

People remember these things…”

If all goes to plan and your live profile reaches the next level, be ready for the attentions of a professional merchandising company and the contract that allows them to licence your merchandising. The golden rule here is to negotiate a short-term deal (allowing for renegotiation as your career progresses) with clear royalty terms and payments made as early as possible. But don’t forget that your MU Regional Office can enlist a specialist solicitor to examine and amend the small print.

“When a merchandising deal is offered to an artist,” says Kelly, “we’d recommend that they bring it to us prior to signing, so that we can get our lawyers to review it.”

Price it right Get out on the local live scene to see what your peers are charging, and place your prices in that ball-park. Sell your merch too cheap and you’ll kill your profits. Price yourself out of the market and you’ll be left with a surplus.

Ace the design Choose a great design and merch fulfils a dual purpose, earning you money while giving you free advertising.

Settle for a dud, though, and nothing can save it.

Sign with confidence Once you reach a given level, you might benefit from working with a professional merchandising firm – but before you sign any contract, get it checked over by the MU’s Contract Advisory Service.

Top Tip When you arrive at the venue, set up the stand where punters can’t miss it and lay out the merch so it’s easy to view and fast to process.

Most important, look into a card reader or payment app, so you never lose a sale from a cashless fan.

The Musician • Winter 2018

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© Phil Rigby Bay Living

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“I do get nervous, although the more I perform, the better it becomes.”

The Musician • Winter 2018

profile

A Star

Ascending Saxophonist Jess Gillam has been hailed by critics since her scintillating performance at the Proms.

Profile by Andrew Stewart

It takes something special to cut through a century of tradition and lighten the lumbering load of nostalgia for a mythical past. Jess Gillam managed to do both at The Last Night Of The Proms in September. The saxophonist, only just out of her teens, reinforced her rising-star status with a scintillating performance of Milhaud’s Scaramouche, hailed by critics as one of the annual show’s brightest highlights.

She began her evening’s work with a date at Proms in the Park before racing to the Royal Albert Hall to join the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Sir Andrew Davis. Surrounded by Union Jacks and other symbols of Britannia’s imagined communities, Gillam did much more than nail a virtuoso showpiece.

Proms triumph Here was a young woman from Cumbria, wearing gold Doc Martens and glitter in her hair, making Milhaud’s jazz-infused, rumba-tinged composition sound as fresh as when it was first minted eighty years ago. “For me it was all about the music, but

the experience was surreal,” she recalls. “Just to go out and enjoy it was the thing for me. I don’t really have specific goals, but when I was younger, I really wanted to play at the Royal Albert Hall. I do get nervous, although the more I perform, the better it becomes. But I still get nervous and am not always calm. The shape of the Albert Hall makes it feel like an intimate and warm space, even when it’s completely packed. You step out there and feel you’re in a small concert hall. It’s very special.”

Jess Gillam’s Proms triumph marks the latest chapter in an unfolding good news story for classical music. She made her breakthrough two years ago as the first saxophonist to reach the final of the BBC Young Musician competition, and has since been signed by Decca Classics and Polyarts, a partner of leading classical agents Harrison Parrott. Her Decca debut album – the first by a classical saxophonist in the label’s long history – is in the works and set for release in 2019. The company issued two taster singles – Michael Nyman’s If and the barnstorming Brazileira from Scaramouche – in time for Gillam’s Last Night outing. Although her bookings diary is filling fast, she continues to study with John Harle at the Royal Northern College of Music, learning from a performer who pioneered the career of classical sax soloist in the UK. Communication skills Gillam is blessed with a natural generosity and warmth of character, qualities that register as brightly in the way she speaks about music as in the way she makes it. Regular listeners to BBC Radio 4’s

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© Live at The Proms: BBC / Chris Christodoulou

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Today programme will remember her weekly appearances with James Naughtie during the Proms season, not least for her considered comments and passion for music of all kinds.

She continues to hone her media skills as co-presenter of the BBC’s Young Musician podcasts, tackling everything from exam stress and performance anxiety to the nutsand-bolts of being a professional musician.

“Music is such a powerful form of communication,” she observes. “It should be at the centre of human experience. If people lose the opportunity to be exposed to it and engage with it at a young age, then it’s almost too late by the time they reach their teenage years to start learning an instrument. Of course it’s never too late! But I think we have to make sure that young people have that experience, especially of live music. There’s so much available to stream, download or watch online, but I think we must never forget that electrifying experience of the live concert and make sure that young people can share in it.”

Gillam has always spoken to audiences of all ages. The performer, she argues, is there to lead people into the emotional world of

The Musician • Winter 2018

Music In Education a composer’s work, not to stand above the crowd. “It’s not always necessary or appropriate to say something about a piece during a concert. But for me it helps make connections with an audience, which is an essential part of being a musician. Most of the time, we’re performing music created by others. It’s not about me, it’s about their music. I like to think that I’m grounded, and putting the music first is one of the things that helps keep me there.

“When I began the Young Musician podcasts I realised that audiences are not always aware of the work that goes on before a concert and what it takes to be a musician. If people discover something about the hours of preparation we put in, it might encourage them to come to concerts. I believe that removing some of the mystery from classical music can open doors to people without damaging the music itself.”

From Brazil to Barrow Gillam’s introduction to live music-making was unusual for someone raised in Ulverston.

“There wasn’t a huge amount of music there,” she recalls. “But I started in a carnival band.”

A carnival band? In Cumbria? She laughs, before tracing her musical roots to the Barrow Carnival. “I know it sounds mad, but my dad

“Whether or not a young person chooses to pursue music as a career, the range of skills needed to learn an instrument include so many essential skills for life.

Most of the things I know about the world have come through studying music, from discovering the history of a piece and the time and place in which it was written, and trying to see a composer’s work through human eyes. By having an emotional connection to the subject, I believe you remember much more of what you learn and you develop empathy for it.”

“It seems absolutely crazy to me that music is not central to education, something that everyone should experience as they learn. Music is seen very much as an add-on to the curriculum, but I believe it should be an integral part of it. It’s very rare to meet someone who doesn’t like or listen to music. That is why it’s so surprising to me that it is not at the heart of the school curriculum.”

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“Music is such a powerful form of communication.

It should be at the centre of human experience.”

Jess Gillam’s showstopping performance at The Last Night Of The Proms (left) has opened doors for the young Cumbrian saxophonist.

© Kaupo Kikkas

parents, she enrolled at the Junior RNCM, the Royal Northern’s Saturday school, and began making the long weekly round trip from Ulverston to Manchester.

played percussion there, so it was completely normal for me. It seems odd now looking back, but we had musicians and dancers coming over from Brazil to teach us samba rhythms.”

The Barrow band, she adds, was based in a deprived area of the Cumbrian coastal town.

“It provided children and people of all ages with somewhere to go and enjoy regardless of their background. It was all about the community spirit and creating something together. We had fun. That’s what I try to bring to the classical stage today. I absolutely loved playing the saxophone. It was something I enjoyed so much.”

Her enjoyment soared when she was taken to hear the Kaleidoscope Saxophone Quartet.

The 10-year-old Jess discovered what her instrument could do in a classical setting and was soon taking lessons from the group’s soprano saxophonist, who was then a student at the Royal Northern College of Music. Three years later, encouraged by her supportive

“The teaching was very much about developing a rounded musical education,” she notes. “We had lessons in musicianship, improvisation and harmony. It was a very centred experience, quite holistic in many ways. I took inspiration from all the areas we covered at the RNCM. Now I have an incredible teacher in John Harle. I’m very lucky to study with him.”

Power of the Union When offers of professional work began to flow, Gillam was quick to join the Musicians’ Union. She already understood the power of the Labour movement and its value in standing up for collective interests. “My dad was always in the MU – I remember seeing the MU Diary around the house and him using it.

When I started playing, he said I should look into joining. I think it feels like belonging to a community, a genuine family of musicians.”

While the saxophonist regards music as her calling, she’s adamant that professional musicians should be properly paid for their work. “It takes a certain type of person to be a musician. I think the MU really brings those like-minded people together, and respects the fact that music is a hugely worthwhile profession in society. We need organisations like the MU to create this community of musicians and to encourage the next generation.”

Huge ambition When we spoke at the end of October, Jess Gillam’s attention was focused on recording sessions for Decca. What of the future? “It’s been a huge ambition of mine to release an album, and that’s coming to fruition,” she answers. “Now I want to commission new music for the saxophone and extend its repertoire. I have no specific goals other than to reach as many people as possible, spread the joy of music-making far and wide, and always to try to inspire young people.”

Her approach to the latter will definitely not be hidebound by genre. It will develop from an appreciation of the way people today listen to boundary-defying music playlists.

“I think clear-cut genres are becoming less relevant as music of all kinds is heard as something that we react to emotionally,” she notes. “Perhaps the categorisation of music will change over the coming decades as we change the way we listen to it more and more.

I’m sure this will break down the perception people have of classical music as elitist, as it becomes part of a whole landscape of music where how things are labelled no longer matters. Of course, the danger is that we become hooked on singles and never sit down to listen to a complete symphony. That’s where live performance is so important. It’s something that everyone should be able to experience, something every musician should fight for, something that society needs.”

The Musician • Winter 2018

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Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival Song, sun and speeches made 2018 a special year for the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival.

Report by Katie Nicholls

This last year has been an unusual one.

The heatwave brought record-breaking temperatures across the UK throughout June and July, and a young England football team unexpectedly inspired their fans.

Such glimmers of hope were reinforced by the well-attended demonstrations against 22 the visit of Donald Trump in July and by the People’s Vote March on 20 October, which saw 700,000 people take to the streets of London – evidence if needed that the strength of many voices remains a powerful force in Britain during 2018.

The year was also special for the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival. This annual celebration of one of the most significant moments in the history of the trade union movement proved to be among its most successful, with tickets for the event selling out well in advance. 2018 has been particularly notable for the trade union movement too, as the TUC celebrated its 150th birthday, and the NHS clocked up its 70th year.

Mark of respect Anyone who has ever made the pilgrimage to this otherwise sleepy Dorset village, with its thatched roofs and hanging baskets, will know

“I love the camaraderie.

Events like this are important because it provides a voice.”

Ceri Williams The Musician • Winter 2018

that the festival brings with it a riot of colour, lively discussions and music. It’s a weekend that celebrates the trade union movement, as well as being a mark of respect to the bravery of the six Tolpuddle Martyrs who were sentenced to extradition to Australia in 1834 after protesting against poor wages.

The Musician headed down to Dorset on one of the hottest Sundays in a summer of hot Sundays. It was reassuring to see that the crowds had not chosen to visit one of the nearby Dorset beaches to cool down but were instead gathering at the festival site to enjoy a day of speeches, food, film and music. The third and final day of the festival is popular as the doors open to all for free, and the parade from the festival site to the grave of one of the martyrs, James Hammett, takes place.

The parade of union stalls lining the walkways of the festival is a reassuring reminder of how every sector and minority are represented by a union in this country. From teachers’ unions to organisations supporting those with disabilities to groups giving a voice to the LGBT community, to larger unions such as Unite and Unison – all were to be found at the festival this year. The MU was of course present, with Paul Gray, Regional Organiser for Wales and South West England at the helm of the MU stand.

Let the music begin…

Festival-goers who had been on site since the doors opened on Friday had already enjoyed performances from a slew of bands, including She Makes War, Captain Ska and a solo performance from Show Of Hands frontman

Steve Knightley. The line-up on Sunday included Pele, Misty In Roots and Tolpuddle stalwart (and this year’s headliner), Billy Bragg. As the crowd began to swell for the day’s events, Bristol duo Husky Tones took to the stage to perform a set of stripped-down punk blues with singer and drummer Victoria Bourne, and guitarist Chris Harper putting all their energy behind their raw, energetic set. The dusty influences of Mississippi blues sounded particularly apt as the crowd soaked it up under the hot sun.

The line-up on Sunday was tight, with the parade being the centre of attention from 2pm. After a quick turnaround, Merseyside singer-songwriter Ian Prowse brought his significant presence to the stage with politically-charged songs such as Lest We Forget. His passion provided a perfectly rousing soundtrack as all attending prepared to take part in the procession.

Photos: Jonathan Stewart. © MU 2018

REPORT report

The MU At Tolpuddle

Jeremy Corbyn leads the march to lay a wreath on James Hammett’s grave (left).

Misty In Roots (top left) and Billy Bragg (above) headline the entertainments.

All join the parade The tradition of the trade union movement has been marked throughout history by parading banners that identify the organisation in the most colourful way possible, revealing the tools of the trade of the union, while also signifying the core principles of unity and friendship. It’s particularly fitting and moving, then, that the Tolpuddle Martyr procession featured hundreds of colourful flags that this year glimmered and shone in the sun. Leicestershire Unison, Wessex Communication Workers Union, North Devon Communist Party, GMB Southern – there are representatives from every corner of the country here today.

The MU was represented by the Union band, which waited patiently in the heat holding bassoons, trombones and drums for the procession to begin. With the yellow of the MU flag flying above the band, MU member and trumpet player Ceri Williams contemplated what it meant to him to participate in the parade. “It’s my sixth year at the festival,” says Ceri. “I love the camaraderie between my

Every year the Musicians’ Union has a stand at the festival and the Union provides a familiar and wellloved presence during the parade as the band play during the walk from the festival site to James Hammett’s grave. Paul Gray, MU Regional Officer for Wales & South West England, explained why it is so important for the Musicians’ Union to take part:

comrades. I’ve been in the MU for a long time, and events like this are important because it provides a voice. It’s a privilege to be in the band and to be doing this amongst likeminded people.”

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn led the procession, alongside celebrity union supporter and actress Maxine Peak. Holding a wreath to lay at the grave of James Hammett, Corbyn took the helm with dignity as the rainbow array of banners, flags and balloons behind him fluttered in the breeze. It’s a short walk to the grave, but the sheer size of the parade this year meant that those at the tailend of the parade had to quicken their pace to be back at the festival site in time to hear TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady.

A voice for the people Frances O’Grady was in a passionate mood and her speech was fuelled by a desire for political change. “Do you remember,” she asks the crowd, “when Liam Fox told us that the deal with the EU would be the easiest deal in history…? I think some of us know there

“There are many highlights at Tolpuddle, from the diversity of the panel discussions to the variety of music being performed, but the main procession to the village and back with all the colourful flags and banners is just fantastic – anyone can join in and it gets longer every year. The MU marching band is a traditional fixture and they’re just brilliant: they get everyone dancing along the way, young and old alike. It’s a very proud moment to be flying the MU banner and marching alongside them.”

“The MU stall always attracts a healthy amount of visits – the Keep Music Live stickers and badges fly out! It’s a great opportunity to meet other musicians and members, many of whom I’ve spoken to on the phone or otherwise assisted in the past, and, of course, to recruit new members. It’s great to catch up with other unions too.”

The Musician • Winter 2018

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“The whole history of our movement finds its way back to this corner of Dorset.”

Frances O’Grady addresses the crowds. (right). Husky Tones and Ian Prowse entertain the masses (below).

Billy Bragg is a threat...” she contemplated before turning her focus to the effects of a Tory government over the past eight years.

“There is no doubt we need a Labour government to lift us and save the NHS,” she continued, “we need Labour to stop the benefit cuts that have seen a million more children in poverty since 2010. We need them to repeal the vicious anti-trade union laws and give us the freedom and right to be free and organised. The best way to help Labour win is to grow and organise this trade union movement. We can win if we organise. Move over Mrs May, we are ready. Thank you and happy birthday TUC!” 24

O’Grady’s speech fired up the crowd, and as Maxine Peake introduced Jeremy Corbyn as our “next prime minister” the crowd responded with the familiar rendition of ‘Oh, Jeremy Corbyn’. The Labour leader has been coming to Tolpuddle for many years, and the support for him was palpable among his large, and noticeably young, contingent of supporters. He assessed the future of trade unionism. “I want all of our young people to grow up understanding that those brave people, the Tolpuddle Martyrs, risked their lives for the liberties of all of us, generations and generations later,” he says. “They are part of our national story, they are part of our lives.”

Corbyn turned his attention to the many glaring inequalities in the UK, such as the 1.3 million people who used food banks last year.

“The demonstrations at Donald Trump’s visit last week show that people don’t want to go down that road of grotesque inequality,” he said. “Don’t underestimate the anger of many people in this country,” he continued. “Today is a celebration of what went before and what we’ve all been through and an act of solidarity to trade unionists around the world… We learned those lessons all those years ago, we forget them at our peril.”

The Musician • Winter 2018

With such political heavyweights having roused the crowd, Misty In Roots’ finelyhoned dub reggae beats soothed and cajoled the crowd on this balmy late afternoon. The rhythm was irresistible and Misty, who have been gracing festival stages for 40 years, soon had the audience swaying and swooning.

Frontman Poko spared five minutes after their set to talk to The Musician. “It means enlightenment for acknowledgment, “ he said cryptically when asked what it means to play at Tolpuddle. “We’ve come a long way and we’ve had a long journey. Some of us have survived, some are no longer with us, and with respect to that journey and the expression of culture that we have here today it means a lot to be here. There are not many things in life that are positive,” he continued, “so if this can bring forth a good vibe and have a positive effect, bring it on!”

A day of celebration With the audience sufficiently warmed by Misty’s soulful reggae, Billy Bragg had an even easier job than usual to woo the Tolpuddle masses. Bragg is a regular feature at this festival, and he plays his acoustic set as a man who knows he’s amongst friends. “This festival is very important,” he told The Musician minutes before heading on stage, “The whole history of our movement finds its way back to this corner of Dorset. From this so much flows: the eight-hour day, the five-day week, the NHS – it all comes out of the working people holding bosses to account. It’s great for me

’cause I only live up the road!” he laughs.

“There’s a whole radical corner in the West Country in particular. Every now and then you need your day in the sun and that’s what’s happening here.”

The singer-songwriter remained optimistic about the future too. “I think we’re going to get a Labour government with Jeremy Corbyn as the head, and people are going to get representation again. That’s what our whole movement has been about. Holding bosses to account and making sure that when we’re exploited, we’re exploited on our terms, not on theirs.”

As Bragg finished his set and the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival goers shuffle from the site back to their cars and buses, the overwhelming atmosphere is one of comradeship with a good dose of optimism, and perhaps a little bit of sunburn after enjoying, as Billy says, our day in the sun.

MEMBER BENEFITS

Professional Indemnity Insurance MU membership provides a comprehensive, beneficial and unique range of insurance cover for music teachers and lecturers.

The £10m Public Liability cover is hugely valuable to members teaching music, performing alone or in collaboration with other MU members.

The MU Personal Accident cover offers further peace of mind. This cover operates worldwide, 24 hours a day and provides weekly benefits of £125 following temporary total disability and £20,000 following permanent disability/loss of life in the event of an insured accident.

There is also protection for vital musical instruments and equipment as members can instantly register for up to £2,000 worldwide Musical Instrument/Equipment Cover without charge. Union membership also includes cover for tax investigation expenses up to £100,000 via specialist insurers, Abbey Tax. All these schemes are designed and managed by Hencilla Canworth, our preferred insurance intermediary.

The new scheme While all music teachers, lecturers and private tutors take great pride in their work, the fact is that insurance claims can arise when unexpected.

“There is no need to register as the cover is automatic.”

Blend Images / Alamy Stock Photo.

Report by Roy Delaney

Regardless of your professional qualifications and experience, things don’t always go to plan. A simple mistake or oversight could result in the course or instrument being taught incorrectly. Should a student underperform in their exams, legal action may be taken by the student or student’s parents, alleging that your service was not of an adequate standard. Claims like these can lead to legal costs (even just to defend the allegation) as well as awards of compensation.

Professional indemnity insurance covers against these sorts of allegations of professional negligence and provides legal costs and compensation if required.

From 1 January 2019, MU members will automatically benefit from Professional Indemnity Insurance up to £1,000,000 of cover whilst teaching and lecturing music.

25 There is no need to register as the cover is automatic, provided that you remain a subscription-paying member of the MU resident in the UK. A summary of cover can be found online, along with the Policy schedule and Policy wording at theMU.org.uk/Indemnity Claims are subject to £1,000 policy excess and any circumstance or claim that may give rise to an incident covered by this policy must be reported to insurers immediately and no later than the 31 December of the year that you are aware of a circumstance or claim.

N.B. Incidents that occurred prior to 1 January 2019 will not be covered.

Arranged by Hencilla Canworth and provided

by Aviva, MU members will benefit from cover against claims caused by negligent acts, negligent errors, or negligent omissions, including the loss of or damage to documents arising from your teaching and lecturing music.

The Musician • Winter 2018

Celtic Soul Brother For Simon Emmerson, the melding of multicultural music comes naturally, as does collaboration with performers from around the globe.

Profile by Will Simpson

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You won’t find many more staunch defenders of the idea of multiculturalism as a progressive force than Simon Emmerson, the motivating force behind Afro Celt Sound System. “You hear people saying: ‘you end up losing the host culture and it all gets swamped by these foreign signifiers that British people can’t relate to’ and it is just not true!” he insists. “I grew up on reggae and bluebeat and ska. I used to buy Bollywood soundtracks from Willesden High Road. It’s always been my life and it’s the way I want to live.”

Emmerson’s four decade-long musical career has been one extended exercise in cultural exchange.

He started out in Scritti Politti back when they were a post punk reggae-influenced squat collective, then graduated on to afrobeat-inspired indie band Weekend, before forming the 80s latin jazz ensemble Working Week. But it was in the early 90s that he had an epiphany that changed his life.

Inspiration struck when he was working in Senegal, producing a Baaba Maal record. “One evening when we were due to record there was a whole series of power cuts, which was fairly normal in those days.

Baaba Maal started singing a traditional song, the kora player picked up on it and I recorded it – it

“I grew up on reggae and bluebeat and ska. It’s always been my life.”

sounded very very familiar, like something I’d heard before. I brought the track back to the UK and at the time Davy Spillane, the Irish pipes player, was in London working with Riverdance. I got hold of him and he turned up in the studio and started playing the same melody. Within half an hour he’d played this amazing duet with Baaba Maal. I suddenly thought ‘wouldn’t it be great to get a celtic harp and a kora together with a talking drum and a bodhran?’.

And that’s kind of what we did for the first album.”

Worlds apart Emmerson admits there was a “lot of eye rolling” when the Afro Celt Sound System first emerged in the mid 90s. “The British music press was pretty cynical about world music at the time. It had this reputation of being very worthy and tokenistic.

I think people thought ‘here we go, another dodgy fusion concept’.” The band found a more receptive audience amongst the UK dance scene, which by the early 90s had become more open to world influences. The success of club nights such as Whirl-Y-Gig and acts like Transglobal Underground undoubtedly smoothed the band’s path. As did the rapid expansion in festivals during that decade.

“That certainly helped,” says Emmerson. “I was surprised when it all started taking off. I always assumed we would be destined to play all the little obscure festival sets at 4 o’clock in the morning in front of a bunch of tripping hippies. If they mention us at all, the mainstream music press always refer to us as ‘festival favourites’, which I guess we are since we have played a huge number over the years.”

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The Musician • Winter 2018

Simon Emmerson: a true champion of multi-culturalism.

Cross-Genre Collaboration

All photos: Joseph Branston. © MU 2018. Taken at the Cheese and Grain cheeseandgrain.com

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“During their two decade-long history the Afro Celts have worked with a huge range of musicians (Robert Plant, Peter Gabriel and Sinead O’Connor being just three of the more famous names).

Collaboration across genres and musical traditions is at their very core, something Emmerson has become accomplished at over the years: “It has to be based on an open, honest unexploitative relationship,” he suggests.

“You have to make sure that all these issues involved of getting paid are resolved, people feel happy and don’t feel in any way threatened or exploited.”

“After that you’ve just got to listen, not be too prescriptive, and not force people down any one particular route. Quite often the good stuff happens when you’re not looking. Time and again I’ve heard stuff that I’ve not really noticed at the time, but when you go back and listen you realise that without the musicians knowing it you have this really profound dialogue.”

The Musician • Winter 2018

Afro Celt Sound System on stage at the Cheese & Grain in Frome.

In many ways the Afro Celts have been a true underground band, sustained by word of mouth and their live reputation. But while they’ve floated under the radar in Europe, they managed to attain a level of success in America on the back of the electronica scene of the late 90s, alongside the likes of Underworld, Leftfield and Groove Armada.

Rough luck “We had a radio hit over there with When You’re Falling,” Emmerson recalls. “We had a Grammy nomination in 2000. We did Conan O’Brien and David Letterman, and were about to do this sell-out tour with the single just about to come out. Then 9/11 happened.

Course, the video had a guy falling through the air past a plane and tower blocks. We

had to pull it and the tour was cancelled. I often wonder what trajectory our career could have taken if things had been different.”

The band also weathered another storm when they split in the run up to making a 20th Anniversary album in 2016, and two members set up a rival Afro Celt Sound System. The dispute is still obviously a sore point for Emmerson. “It was horrific at the time. They had gone to social media about it and we were advised that the matter was out of our control, so we just kept a dignified silence.

I would have loved to have put our side of the argument, but then it would have escalated into ‘who said what’, and I don’t think our punters really cared at the end of the day.”

Union advice At this tricky juncture the MU were on hand to advise Emmerson. “I phoned them up and talked to them about simple working partnerships – that was the kind of model

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“I always tell the band members that they should be in the Union.”

Cross-fertilising musical cultures since the 90s.

“We didn’t set out to write a political album, but I think in the current climate it would disingenuous for us not to confront these issues. We are a living breathing example of the open, multicultural Europe that is now under attack at all levels.”

I wanted to turn Afro Celts into, rather than one where a couple of musicians controlled everything. Their advice about both that and resolving the split was really useful. They said ‘don’t go to the High Court. It would be a massive waste of money’. So that was our strategy to start off with. Unfortunately, the other lot didn’t think like that.

In the end Emmerson’s group won in court, but having come through that ordeal the Afro Celts now face their biggest challenge yet: Brexit. For a group their size, with a number of different members living in different countries it seems certain to be a logistical – and financial – nightmare.

“I’m very, very worried. I really am. I‘m old enough to remember touring Europe before the Schengen Agreement and it was hell.

Every time you left the country you had to have a carnet, and you’d be stopped at borders for hours. They’d be ticking off serial numbers on your carnet across serial

numbers on your amp and guitars. If we go back to that it’s going to have a really pretty disastrous effect on bands like the Afro Celts that rely on touring around Europe.”

It was with the events of the last two years on their minds that the band cut their current album Flight. It’s partly a conceptual set, which links Emmerson’s own hobby as a birdwatcher to wider themes of human migration. The initial inspiration was a pair of ospreys that a group of fellow twitchers are trying to re-introduce to Poole harbour, coincidentally where Emmerson’s label ECC Records – a sister company to the ethical cosmetics firm Lush – are based.

Free bird “Ospreys are a totemic afro celt bird,” he explains. “Every year they fly down to West Africa, to Senegal, where the whole idea was seeded. Obviously there is a metaphor there for human migration. But on a very real level Reina our singer has been working in the refugee community in Manchester, and through her we came across Emmanuella, a refugee from DR Congo who sings in a choir, and we collaborated with them on a track.”

Emmerson has a day job at Lush where he is musical director, but admits that in the past he has struggled to survive as a working musician. “At the peak of the Imagined Village when we got our Radio 2 award I’d never been so broke. Obviously things like the current Spotify rates are appalling, but I’m hoping that we will see the same kind of revolution that happened in the late 70s with indie labels like Rough Trade, where musicians can start making music and selling directly to their fanbase and receive an income.”

He has been an MU member since the late 70s and feels a strong union is essential if power is ever going to be wrested back from the tech giants. “I see the MU as a very important fight back for the rights of musicians because we are being attacked from all sides at the moment. We need to be aware that things used to be – and can still be – a whole lot better. I always tell the band members that they should be in the Union. Our democracy, the health service, comprehensive education – this was all fought for and won by the trade union movement.

Whether it’s making sure musicians are given a fair deal or preserving our freedom of movement, nothing worthwhile has ever been achieved without a struggle.”

The Musician • Winter 2018

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Ensure that all your sessions are logged with the Musicians’ Union for full royalty receipts.

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Right On Your Side

Beneficiary Royalties The MU’s Recording & Broadcasting department is working hard to ensure that fees continue to be paid out to members’ families after their death.

Report by Tracey Kelly

The Musician • Winter 2018

A surprising number of musicians assume that the secondary use fees they receive from the MU cease when they die. In reality, income continues to be generated for the full duration of the performers’ rights in the recording: currently 70 years from release or communication to the public, whichever is first. After a performer’s death, the right to receive this income passes to the beneficiaries of their estate. It’s important that members leave clear instruction regarding their estate, to avoid their families facing the possibility of missing out.

If you are a recording musician, you are probably already aware of the various session agreement forms and musician consent forms that are available on the Musicians’ Union website. Every time you perform at a recording session you should ensure you complete and sign an appropriate MU approved form and email it to the MU. On the right track Phil Kear, MU National Organiser, Recording & Broadcasting says: “These days you can download free phone apps that convert photos taken with your mobile phone into

profile REPORT

© LightField Studios / Shutterstock

high-quality, clean PDF documents. Download one of these and use it to photograph session forms, then email the resulting PDF to us. We’ll ensure the data is entered into the MU royalty system, to build up a complete picture of all the recordings on which you have performed.

If one of your recordings is subsequently used, even long after your death, we’ll use the form as evidence to claim fees from the music user and pay them out to your beneficiaries.”

Where there’s a will Many musicians also assume that the entirety of their estate will automatically pass to their spouse when they die. This simply isn’t the case. It is important they make a will that appoints an executor to look after their financial affairs upon their death, and that they inform their appointed executor that they should apply for a Grant of Probate through a solicitor when they are settling the estate.

Annie Turner, MU Licensing & Distribution Official, explains: “The Grant of Probate is the gold standard of proof that an executor has control over the deceased musician’s estate.

Once we’ve received a copy, we are legally bound to take instruction from the executor regarding payment of future royalty income.

Without proof, however, we are required to suspend all payments. This can be a very difficult situation for us, and the potential beneficiary, at an already stressful and upsetting time.”

The MU Recording & Broadcasting team carries out a considerable amount of proactive work trying to trace beneficiaries of deceased members’ estates. Annie continues: “We publish a list on the MU website, and proactively use services such as the government probate registry to track down executors, reuniting families with money that’s rightfully theirs. Quite often the money is completely unexpected but can be a much-needed lifeline for the recipients.”

Please contact the MU Licensing & Distribution Official Annie Turner for advice on Beneficiary Royalty accounts.

Proof Of Beneficiary Status The MU collects millions of pounds for musicians each year. As with any institution dealing with financial matters, it’s important that proof of identity is obtained prior to disclosure of any financial details. For an Executor to prove they have the authority to act for a deceased musician’s estate, there are a few options: • Grant of Probate – A document granted by the Probate Registry upon a person’s death, naming the Executor. This is the gold standard of proof.

• Letter of Administration – If Probate was not requested at the time of death, a Letter of Administration can be applied for retrospectively from the Probate Registry.

• Will & Death Certificate – The MU will accept these in place of Probate in certain circumstances. The standard of proof is lower as there is no guarantee the Will provided is the final version.

• Letter of Indemnity – Where none of the above is available, the MU offers a Letter of Indemnity to be signed by a beneficiary, indemnifying the MU and accepting all legal responsibility should it later prove they are not the legal beneficiary of the estate.

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PHIL KEAR MU NATIONAL ORGANISER RECORDING & BROADCASTING

Annie Turner MU LICENSING & DISTRIBUTION OFFICIAL

“There is a common misconception that in the event of dying without a will, your estate automatically passes to your spouse. It’s not as simple as that. A marriage certificate is not legal proof that you are the beneficiary of your spouse’s entire estate. Without a will and Grant of Probate, there is always the chance that the MU won’t be able to make future payments to your family after your death. When making a will, it’s worth considering that the MU has a long-standing relationship with Thompsons Solicitors, through which it offers members the MU Accidents Plus benefits package. Among other services, this package includes Low Cost Wills. See pages 39-42 of The MU Handbook for more details.”

“The copyright in a commercial sound recording stands at 70 years from its release date, and this applies to recordings from 1963 onwards. If these recordings are licensed for use by the MU, or if music use revenue is collected by the MU in any other way, royalties can result, and these can be payable to the performer or their beneficiary. It’s important for musicians to be aware that even after they pass away, royalties on their sound recordings may continue to flow through to their MU royalty account. With a Will and Probate documents, beneficiary contact and bank details, our team can normally take instructions from the Executor of an estate to set up a Beneficiary Royalty account.”

The Musician • Winter 2018

Fair Play Focus

The Joiners One of the south coast’s longest running and best-loved venues, The Joiners Arms is proud to be part of the MU’s Fair Play Venue scheme.

Feature by Roy Delaney

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Started as a live music venue in March 1968, The Joiners in Southampton has been celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Over that time it has become one of the best-loved smaller venues on the circuit, and has been a vital hub for developing young talent in the south coast area.

Renowned for its diverse and inclusive booking policy, The Joiners is committed to the fair treatment of musicians and was one of the first venues to sign up to the MU’s Fair Play Venue scheme. Like all Fair Play Venues, The Joiners pledges to treat musicians fairly, to recognise good practice in the live environment and to present a united front against the unfair practice of pay-to-play.

Free to play Ricky Bates, head of booking and promotions, is a big supporter of the scheme, and wholly opposed to pay-to-play: “This is something I still see in bigger cities such as London or Manchester where rogue promoters still force bands to sell X amount of tickets in order to be allowed to appear on a bill. It’s bad for the show, as that band’s fanbase leave directly after they play, and it creates an odd vibe, as a lot of the time they are mixed bills.”

Touring bands, like Florida’s Gouge Away, see The Joiners as a must-play venue.

The Joiners, 141 St Mary St, Southampton SO14 1NS joinerslive.com

CAPACITY: 200 ABOUT: A long-standing south coast circuit stalwart booking a broad range of international and local artists CONTACT: Ricky Bates GETTING A GIG: Email Ricky and provide contact info, proof of previous gigs, a short bio, and URL links to your music

The Musician • Winter 2018

© Martyna Wisniewska

T: 0238 178 2021 E: info@joinerslive.co.uk

Feature

Ricky Bates Bates notes that the bands who play The Joiners are looked after as well as possible: “We do everything within our power to ensure bands get paid. A lot of the national acts are on contracted deals or 80% of the door, and any costs need to be agreed in advance with their agent. So if they don’t wish to budget for bands to be paid, unfortunately we can’t then pay them from the show costs. But I always look to lower the overheads of any out of town bands, whether we make them some food or give them a few drinks,” he says.

Broad church Running shows most nights of the week, The Joiners is noted for its decidedly open booking policy. “We don’t have one set of music we focus on – we book everything from every country we can. It’s almost like a ticklist to try

The Musician Sean McGowan, Singer-songwriter A Southampton local, 24-year-old troubador Sean McGowan cut his teeth at The Joiners – shows that formed the foundations of the internationally touring artist that he went on to become. “The Joiners is probably the most crucial element in my career,” he says. “I learned my craft on that stage. I once played there to only two people (my mum and her friend). Without The Joiners I would not be talking to you from a tour date in Prague, Czech Republic right now.

It’s one of few hubs for culture, community and opportunity in Southampton. It’s our home.”

to bring new audiences to the venue. Whether its stringed instrumental music or death metal there’s essentially nothing we won’t book that we don’t feel would work in some capacity.

A recent week has had indie, hip-hop, reggae, folk, punk & drum ‘n’ bass.”

Marika Hackman is another regular performer at the Hampshire venue.

“We have a perfect mix of local headliners, or local acts supporting national and international acts at the venue,” he adds, “which gives the local bands a step up and a chance to build relationships with larger touring acts.”

Let’s work together Everyone wants a successful event that fans, bands and venues enjoy and make money on. So how does Bates think that can that be best achieved? “In this current climate it’s extremely important that all parties involved promote to their fanbases equally. The venue and promoter should be pushing in every avenue as standard, but the bands have direct access to their fanbase via social media. So if everyone puts their two pence in, I think it makes for a better experience all around.”

To access the Fair Play Venues database, visit bit.ly/2B9vSNs. To nominate a venue, email live@theMU.org

MU Regional Officer JAMIE PULLMAN, MU Regional OFFICER, EAST & SOUTH EAST ENGLAND “The Joiners has been a music venue for 50 years, and you don’t get to survive that long as a small venue unless you are doing not just something, but almost everything right. The people who run it are passionate about music and musicians, and there aren’t many out there who know more about booking the right bands than Ricky Bates. Playing The Joiners is a rite of passage for pretty much any band who are looking to make a name for themselves. I can’t see any reason why it shouldn’t last for another 50 years!”

© Martyna Wisniewska

“There’s essentially nothing we won’t book that we don’t feel would work in some capacity.”

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The Venue Manager Ricky Bates, THE Joiners, Southampton Venue manager Ricky Bates had no hesitation in singing up the MU’s Fair Play Venue Scheme. “It’s something we strongly believe in as an institution that every act that passes through our doors is treated fairly, whether we have sold 20 or 200 tickets for that particular night. So the MU’s scheme helps us reinforce our ethics towards the running of a show. Of course, we are also here to help grow the local scene, so it’s great to have bands from the age of 14+ play our venue as their first experience as a live band.” joinerslive.com The Musician • Winter 2018

From The Beatles to Bowie, some of the greatest songs ever recorded were made using the same studio piano. The Musician honours a relatively unsung instrument.

Report by Neil Crossley

On 15 June 2017, a blue plaque was unveiled outside the site of Trident Studios, a legendary recording facility tucked away in the heart of London’s Soho. The plaque was awarded by BBC Radio London in recognition of the iconic 34 David Bowie albums recorded at the studio.

Bowie was just one of numerous influential artists drawn to Trident. The studio offered a relaxed atmosphere, unmatched technological advancements, and some of the best engineers and producers in the business. It also had one more asset: a late 19th-century C. Bechstein grand that has been described as “the best rock and roll piano ever”.

The list of songs featuring this instrument reads like a roll call of some of the finest rock music of the last half century: Hey Jude by The Beatles; Life On Mars by David Bowie; Killer Queen by Queen; Your Song by Elton John; Perfect Day by Lou Reed; Without You by Harry Nilsson, You’re So Vain by Carly Simon. It’s an impressive CV for any instrument and a testament to its rich, distinctive sound.

Best in the business Trident Studios was founded in 1967 by Norman Sheffield, who believed that studios should be places where musicians were encouraged to be creative. He founded the studio with his brother Barry and brought in the best producers and engineers of the day, such as

The Musician • Winter 2018

© Ilpo Musto / REX / Shutterstock

The Greatest Rock & Roll Piano Ever?

David Bowie recorded Ziggy Stardust at Trident (right). Freddie Mercury looks thoughtful by the Bechstein (centre).

Ken Scott. Trident was also at the technological forefront. It was the first studio in London to use an eight track reel to reel recorder, and one of the first to use Dolby noise reduction.

Crystal clear sound The piano that Sheffield installed at Trident was a handmade 1898 C. Bechstein grand, rented from London music shop Samuels for 20 years until being bought by the studio in 1986. This instrument was notoriously difficult to play because of its stiff hammers, so players had to really hit the keys to get something out of it.

But its bright and crystal clear sound held huge appeal for musicians.

“I have heard many pianos in my time but I have never heard a better ‘rock’ piano than that one,” wrote Ken Scott in 2006. An in-house engineer at EMI Abbey Road Studios, Scott joined Trident Studios in late 1969, where he moved into production, co-producing David Bowie’s Hunky Dory (1971) , The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars (1972) and Aladdin Sane (1973), as well as landmark albums for artists such as Elton John, Lou Reed and Supertramp. “It had a

tremendously bright sound that unfortunately was lost when the sound board had to be replaced. Because of its inherent sound it was remarkably easy to record. Two, maybe three microphones and just a little EQ.” Easygoing ethos Five months after opening, The Beatles walked through the doors to record their new single Hey Jude. The band inextricably linked with Abbey Road had been lured by Trident’s creative ethos and its eight-track Ampex recorder. In an era when even The Fab Four had to adhere to regimented sessions overseen by engineers in white lab coats, the easygoing ethos of Trident proved hugely appealing.

With the tape running, they laid down Hey Jude, working on a carefully layered rhythm track that featured Paul McCartney playing Trident’s Bechstein grand and singing a guide vocal. They recorded four takes, opting to use the first one. Producer George Martin warned the band that, at seven minutes

Source: Trident Studios. © Unknown.

REPORT report

Trident Piano Tracks The Beatles: Hey Jude, Martha My Dear, Honey Pie David Bowie: Changes, Life On Mars, Oh! You Pretty Thing, Lady Stardust, Aladdin Sane Elton John: Your Song, Candle In The Wind, Tiny Dancer Carly Simon: You’re So Vain, The Right Thing To Do Queen: Seven Seas Of Rhye, Killer Queen Harry Nilsson: Without You Lou Reed: Perfect Day, Satellite Of Love

35 and eleven seconds long, no DJs would play the new song on the radio. “They will if it’s us,” snapped Lennon.

Golden era As the 70s dawned, the Trident piano became a selling point for artists, particularly the new wave of singer-songwriters such as Elton John.

His eponymous second studio album, featuring the breakthrough single Your Song, was recorded at Trident from November 1969 to January 1970. He returned for the follow-up, Tumbleweed Collection and in 1971 for his fourth studio album Madman Across The Water. He continued to use the studio and its piano on later albums including Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

“I have heard many pianos in my time but I have never heard a better ‘rock’ piano than that one.”

Ken Scott

The early 70s were a golden era for Trident, which was by then luring artists from across the Atlantic. When American singer Harry Nilsson undertook his seventh studio album Nilsson Schmilsson (1971), Trident was the chosen studio. The Bechstein, played by Gary Wright, is the sole instrumentation on the intro of the album’s soaring epic Without You. One year later, Carly Simon was seated at the same piano for her third album No Secrets, which yielded the hit single You’re So Vain.

Then in August 1972, Lou Reed recorded his seminal album Transformer, with co-producer Mick Ronson playing the Trident piano on Satellite Of Love and Perfect Day. Defining sound Bowie first recorded at Trident in 1969 and chose to revisit the studio for his breakthrough album Hunky Dory. The Bechstein features throughout. Rick Wakeman, then an indemand session musician, played much of the piano on the album, while Bowie – in his own words on the sleeve notes – tackled the “less complicated piano parts”. Tracks such as Changes and Oh! You Pretty Things are defined

by the piano, but it is arguably Life On Mars that remains its true masterpiece. By the end of 1972 Bowie had become a household name.

Queen, meanwhile, were just getting started.

For the cash-strapped band, the only way to make their debut album was by recording at Trident in off peak hours, an opportunity that drummer Roger Taylor described as “gold dust”. Freddie Mercury played the Trident Bechstein from the outset, the most notable early example being the intro of their first single Seven Seas Of Rhye. The piano also featured on Queen 2 (1974), Sheer Heart Attack (1974) and A Night At The Opera (1975).

Enduring legacy Trident Studios was sold in December 1981 and reopened as Trident 2 at a new location in 1986.

In May 2011, its Bechstein went up for auction with a guide price of £300,000. Neither the purchaser or eventual price have been publicly revealed, but that hasn’t prevented online forums from buzzing with speculation. Trident, its engineers and producers were fundamental in helping artists such as The Beatles, Bowie, Elton John and Queen realise and often surpass their creative visions. In its own small way, the piano that sat in the studio at St Annes Court for over 20 years, played an integral part.

The Musician • Winter 2018

Regional Focus

Leeds Feature by Duncan Seaman

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A broad and diverse music city that has been quietly going about its own business…

The Leeds music scene has come a long way since an incendiary performance by The Who in 1970 indelibly stamped the city’s name into rock folklore. Today, England’s fourth largest city boasts an array of talent as rich and diverse as the many venues that serve it, from famous names such as Kaiser Chiefs, Embrace and Corinne Bailey Rae to internationally renowned guitar virtuoso Jon Gomm, alternative rock band Pulled Apart By Horses and grime artist Dialect.

The Musician • Winter 2018

In the 1980s Leeds was known as Goth City, with names as notable as Sisters of Mercy, The Mission, The March Violets and Ghost Dance all congregating in its clubs and pubs.

The city’s creative legacy lives on in the now annual Goth City festival.

conservatoires. It has recently worked closely with the Orchestra of Opera North to develop future generations of classical musicians.

Situated in the fast-growing arts quarter in Quarry Hill, its neighbours include Northern Ballet, Leeds Playhouse, and BBC Leeds.

Underground roots Goth had its roots in punk and post-punk, a subculture inspired by the visit of the Sex Pistols to Leeds Polytechnic in December 1976. In the audience were Marc Almond and Green Gartside, who would go on to form 80s chart stars Soft Cell and Scritti Politti. Other seminal post-punk bands put together by students in Leeds include Gang Of Four, The Mekons and The Wedding Present.

Opera North is the biggest Arts Councilfunded organisation outside London. Phil Boughton, director of its Orchestra and Chorus, says the company follows the kind of model seen in Europe, where as well as staging touring operatic productions, its Orchestra performs separate concerts.

If Leeds lacks a defining musical sound, its strength lies in the sheer variety of music being made across the city. One of the key drivers is its large student population. Leeds College of Music is among the UK’s leading

“We do about 90 performances of opera per year, with seven or eight titles, ranging from big Wagner, Verdi, Puccini down to Handel or Monteverdi, the full gamut, as well as musicals.” While utilising Leeds Grand Opera House, the company also runs the Howard Assembly Room as a rehearsal space and venue for jazz, folk and chamber concerts.

Population: 784,800

Paul Ridsdale / Alamy Stock Photo

Famous Leeds people and residents: Alan Bennett Ricky Wilson Mel B (Spice Girls) Sue Ryder Corinne Bailey Rae Jeremy Paxman Jake Thackray Peter O’Toole Keith Waterhouse Hilary Benn Nicola Adams

MU North of England Region Regional Organiser: Matt Wanstall 61 Bloom Street, Manchester, M1 3LY 0161 236 1764 manchester@theMU.org

Venues FIRST DIRECT ARENA Leeds’s premier music venue opened five years ago. It has a capacity of 13,500 and was named the best venue in the world in 2014. firstdirectarena.com

O2 ACADEMY LEEDS Housed in a listed Victorian Gothic building, it was taken over by the Academy Music Group in 2008, and has a capacity of 2,300. academymusicgroup.com/ o2academyleeds

BRUDENELL SOCIAL CLUB A community, non-profit venue, the Brudenell has been the winner of numerous awards including Music Week’s Grassroots Venue in 2017. brudenellsocialclub.co.uk

BELGRAVE MUSIC HALL AND CANTEEN Built in the 1930s, it has run for the last five years as a three-floor music and social venue. The programme of music includes rock, pop, reggae, jazz, hiphop and electronica. belgravemusichall.com

The Kaiser Chiefs perform a hometown show at the O2 Academy.

Mitski in concert at the popular and intimate Brudenell Social Club.

HEADROW HOUSE

LEEDS CITY VARIETIES

A former textile mill, located in a city centre yard, it hosts regular music and arts events above its beer hall. headrowhouse.com

A Victorian music hall where Charlie Chaplin and Harry Houdini once performed, it is now known for its programme of comedy, theatre and live music. Russell Crowe’s Indoor Garden Party played there in 2017. cityvarieties.co.uk

LEEDS TOWN HALL As the city’s grandest music venue, Leeds Town Hall hosts an annual concert season of orchestral concerts, featuring the likes of the Hallé, the BBC Philharmonic, and the triennial Leeds International Piano competition. leedstownhall.co.uk

THE KEY CLUB

HOWARD ASSEMBLY ROOM

A 300-capacity live music venue and night club founded by the team behind the city’s Slam Dunk Festival, it principally caters for fans of rock, alternative and skate punk. thekeyclubleeds.com

Run by Opera North, the busy programme at this 300-capacity venue within Leeds Grand Opera House includes chamber music, world music, jazz, folk and spoken word. operanorth.co.uk/howard-assemblyroom

Based in a former petrol station, and one of the newest additions to Leeds’s live music scene, hosting regular jazz, acoustic and DJ events. hydeparkbookclub.co.uk

THE WARDROBE

THE LENDING ROOM

A stylish venue in the arts quarter that hosts regular funk, soul and latin nights plus a wide range of gigs including hip-hop, indie and reggae. thewardrobe.co.uk

Situated in a popular student pub, The Lending Room regularly stages gigs and is perhaps the venue in the city to catch up-and-coming artists. lendingroom.co.uk

HYDE PARK BOOK CLUB

Local Media ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy Stock Photo

Leeds West Yorkshire

© Richard Nicholson / Music Pics / REX / Shutterstock

Feature profile

THE CITY TALKING

COUNTERFEIT

Launched as a free newspaper, The City Talking is now a monthly subscription magazine covering fashion, music, sport and more. It has also now branched out into documentary films. thecitytalking.com

A descendant of Sandman Magazine, Counterfeit is an online music and arts magazine put together to give exposure to new bands, artists and groups throughout the North. counterfeitmag.co.uk

THE CULTURE VULTURE An independent online arts magazine since 2008, it mixes views and interviews with lively comment and debate.

More recently it has switched its attention to promoting events. theculturevulture.co.uk The Musician • Winter 2018

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“Wherever you go in Leeds there is live music to be found.”

The Orchestra of Opera North is a major presence in the city’s classical scene.

© Sarah Zagni. Opera North

across the region. Whiskas is also heading up Music:Leeds, an organisation that aims to act as a central hub for music development of any level or genre in the city.

At The Lending Room, Alan Raw (who presents the local BBC Introducing show along with Emily Pilbeam) has established #360RAW, a showcase for new acts, with Richard Watson, another mentor of upand-coming artists, who is regularly 38 involved in Independent Venue Week.

At Leeds Beckett University, degree courses focus on music production, technology and event management.

Ken Scott, producer and recording engineer who worked with The Beatles and David Bowie, is among the lecturers, along with Sam ‘Whiskas’ Nicholls, former member of the band ¡Forward, Russia!, who has been keenly involved with Come Play With Me, a singles label founded by Tony Ereira to promote

World class venues In the student heartland of Hyde Park stands one of the country’s best independent venues, Brudenell Social Club, which attracts the likes of Johnny Marr and Suede to play there. The latter was co-organised by Crash Records, who along with fellow independent store Jumbo, regularly stage musical events.

The First Direct Arena has made Leeds a magnet for big touring acts such as Fleetwood Mac and Kylie Minogue. It has also had an economic ripple effect, encouraging bars and restaurants to open nearby. While the clubbing scene has dimmed since its 90s heyday, the likes of George Evelyn, Utah Saints and Tom Zanetti still regularly DJ in Leeds, and Dave Beer, founder of Back To Basics, now runs music venue The Church.

Northern soul Wherever you go in Leeds, there is live music to be found, and uniting the city since 2007 has been Live At Leeds, an award-winning metropolitan festival held at multiple venues.

Attracting 10,000 people and more than 200 artists per year, it’s the perfect place to get a flavour of what this vibrant city has to offer.

The Musician • Winter 2018

LEEDS FESTIVAL The city’s biggest annual three-day music festival is, like its cousin in Reading, run by Festival Republic and staged over the August bank holiday weekend. Based at Bramham Park, it attracts 90,000 music lovers with a bill of metal, indie and hip-hop. leedsfestival.com

LIVE AT LEEDS The North’s leading new music festival takes place in May and involves virtually all of the city’s music venues.

Running since 2007, it features 200 artists and over 20 stages. liveatleeds.com

SLAM DUNK Born out of a club night, Slam Dunk Festival has been running since May 2006, with later additions in Hatfield and Birmingham. With a bill focused on pop-punk, emo and ska, it is next year due to leave Leeds city centre for a new, larger base at Temple Newsam Park. slamdunkfestival.com

COCOON IN THE PARK A dance music festival presented by Sven Vath, it takes place in July at Temple Newsam. Due to celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2019, it features an international bill of techno DJs. cocooninthepark.com

WORLD ISLAND An eclectic metropolitan festival that this year ran over three days in May. It has attracted acts as varied as Sampha, Loyle Carner, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Gilles Peterson. world-island.com

The Local View “While I don’t see the city having as clear a musical identity as say Manchester or Liverpool, there’s always a great diversity to the music being made there. The student population is a factor, having expanded in recent years at Leeds College of Music. From The Brudenell enjoying a reputation as one of the best independent venues in the region, to Northern Ballet and Opera North consistently delivering innovative productions, the city boasts excellence across genres.”

Matt Wanstall, MU Regional Organiser

Festivals

“I’m from Leeds. I’ve obviously been all over the place but I do still live here. I think it’s been really important to our career in terms of support. I think one of the reasons why our first band Parva was not as successful was that we were not appreciative of what was around us – the scene.

The music community has really helped. We still rehearse at the Old Chapel. Leeds United has been really important as well. I think people like something to get behind in Leeds and be proud of.”

Simon Rix, Kaiser Chiefs bassist

HIGH & LONESOME Previously a multi-venue festival of Americana and acoustic music, its fourth edition this year took place at the Brudenell Social Club, and featured the likes of John Smith and Josh Rouse. highandlonesome.co.uk

Feature profile Nick Hodgson playing The Church at this year’s Live at Leeds festival.

© Richard Nicholson / REX / Shutterstock

Education

© David Harrison , York.

Music Shops PMT West Yorkshire’s premier musical instrument stockist, its 9,000 sq ft showroom on Kirkstall Road offers a vast range of guitars, drums, keyboards, PA and music equipment. pmtonline.co.uk/stores/leeds

Trading pre-loved and collectors’ guitars on Call Lane since 1989, Northern Guitars now has a cafe bar whose stripped-back walls are lined with guitars, vintage posters, local artwork and photography. northernguitars.co.uk

Dawsons Music One of the UK’s leading music shops, and situated on Vicar Lane in the city centre, it stocks a wide array of musical instruments, recording equipment and DJ gear. dawsons.co.uk/stores/ music-shop-leeds

Besbrode’s cavernous piano showrooms are packed with delights.

Hobgoblin Music Specialising in acoustic and folk instruments, Hobgoblin moved to larger premises in Eastgate in 2010.

For those seeking mandolins, banjos, violins and acoustic guitars, this is the place to come. hobgoblin.com

Besbrode Pianos A specialist piano dealer and wholesaler based on Holbeck Lane, it is said to boast the best selection of pianos in the UK. besbrodepianos.co.uk

Leeds Arts University

A conservatoire offering degrees in classical, popular, jazz, music production, folk, music business and musical theatre, as well as postgraduate study and courses for under 18s, it has 1,900 students. lcm.ac.uk

The city’s former arts school now has university status and offers a BMus (Honours) degree in popular music performance, taught by experienced tutors and visiting industry professionals. leeds-art.ac.uk

University of Leeds

Leeds Beckett University

A member of the Russell Group, it is one of the UK’s most popular universities, with 33,000 students. Its School of Music attracts undergraduates, postgraduates and researchers from around the world. ahc.leeds.ac.uk/music

Its School of Film, Music and Performing Arts is an innovative centre for creativity, offering degrees in music performance, production and technology courses.leedsbeckett. ac.uk/music_sound_ courses

Studios GREENMOUNT STUDIOS

EIGER STUDIOS

Based in a converted church in Armley, it prides itself in its analogue sound, but it also has computers and Pro Tools as well as a 1970s MCI console. greenmountstudios.com

With two recording studios, nine rehearsal spaces and a venue, it also hires musical equipment and backlines for festivals. eigerstudios.co.uk

PIRATE STUDIOS

The first purpose-built rehearsal studio in Leeds, the studio has been the starting block for Kaiser Chiefs, Cud and Embrace. oldchapelleeds.com

Located in Kirkstall, this rehearsal space is open 24/7. piratestudios.co.uk/leedsrehearsal-studios

© Eiger Strudios

Northern Guitars Cafe Bar

Leeds College of Music

Eiger Studios is a favourite haunt for both recording and rehearsing.

OLD CHAPEL STUDIO

39

Delegate Conference 2019 Changes are being launched for the Conference in Brighton.

The Executive Committee has agreed to make changes to the structure and format of the Biennial Delegate Conference.

The changes will take effect from 2019.

Programme

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The Delegate Conference will continue to consider the Conference Report, motions, and rule changes. It will look and feel very similar to the current arrangements, dealing with the traditional and essential formal communication and reporting between the Executive Committee and the membership via the delegates. Depending on the motions to be considered by Conference, presentations from Officials might be made on particular issues. External speakers will be invited.

Conference Report

The Conference Report will be redesigned to become a more concise document, with reformatted sections. It will continue to report on activities over the previous two years but will exclude lengthy detail on (for example) pay rates, which will be made available on the MU website. The structure of the Report will match that of the Executive Committee agenda and be based on the MU’s organisational structure. This approach will demonstrate closer links between governance and reporting to members. Questions from delegates on the various sections will be taken on a section-by-section basis, in line with traditional arrangements. The Report, along with all other Conference documents, will be made available to attendees in digital format as soon as possible prior to the event.

The Musician • Winter 2018

All Conference photos: Joanna Dudderidge

The Delegate Conference will take place on one day only – Tuesday 23 July 2019.

Conference Motions

The timetable for the submission and moderation of motions is unchanged.

Motions will be contained in a separate section within the Report. Each will be allocated to a section and numbered accordingly. Delegates will consider each motion at the conclusion of questions on the section to which it has been allocated.

Rule Changes

Proposals for Rule changes will be contained in a separate section of the Conference Report. Delegates will consider rule changes sequentially as a separate item on the Conference programme.

Travel & Accommodation

Hotel accommodation will be provided for the Tuesday evening for those delegates who have chosen to attend the Members’ Conference on the following day.

report

Members’ Conference The Executive Committee has agreed to the introduction of a Members’ Conference, to take place alongside the Delegate Conference. It is intended to give all members an opportunity to contribute towards the development of policy and strategy on current and anticipated music industry issues.

The MU’s Delegate Conference is where the Union’s work over the last two years is reported and new motions are tabled and voted upon.

Pictured here are some of the scenes from the last MU Delegate Conference, back in 2017.

Expenses

The £35 attendees’ subsistence allowance will no longer be paid as attendees are provided with full accommodation and catering throughout the event.

Social Events

The formal post-Conference dinner dance on the Wednesday will not take place, as Conference closes on Tuesday. However, a drinks reception will be held on the Monday prior to Conference to welcome attendees.

Standing Orders Committee The activities of the Standing Orders Committee continue unchanged.

Nominations

Nominations for delegates will be called later in order to reduce as far as possible the number of delegates who drop out, and to allow potential delegates to view the motions before the nominations process begins.

© Nicola Pulham / Shutterstock.

Programme

The Members’ Conference will take place on Wednesday 24 July 2019, immediately following and at the same venue as the Delegate Conference. It will be a less formal event than the Delegate Conference.

The programme will incorporate breakout sessions. Topics will be selected for these sessions, with attendees choosing which to attend. The sessions will be led by National Organisers alongside Executive Committee members and will be based around the National Organisers’ remits.

Attendees will be invited to select their preferred sessions to attend when joining, although some adjustment might be needed to ensure a reasonable spread across the sessions.

The outcome will be a series of reports from each session which will identify issues and recommend actions for the Executive Committee to address.

Attendees

All members are able to attend, although numbers may need to be restricted to

reflect the limits on the venue. The limit is likely to be set at 100. Executive Committee members will attend and participate.

The Secretariat will be present along with National Organisers, as well as other invited staff.

Travel & Accommodation

Accommodation for those individuals attending the Delegate Conference as well as the Members’ Conference will be made available for the night of Tuesday 23 July.

Departure following the Conference will be no later than 16:00 so accommodation will not be required for the night of 24 July.

Applications

Invitations to apply for places will be made in or around April 2019, to allow Conference delegates to apply.

Expenses

Attendees will be provided with full accommodation and catering throughout the event, as required.

All attendees’ travelling expenses will be reimbursed, along with loss of earnings where verified.

This information is also available at theMU.org A large print version of this information is available on request from your Regional Office.

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41

Delegate Conference 2019

Submitting Conference Motions How and where to submit your Conference motion…

The MU’s 2019 Delegate Conference will be held at the Hilton Brighton Metropole Hotel on 23 July 2019. Conference receives a report from the Executive Committee on its activities since the last Conference, considers Conference motions and amendments originating from Regional Committees, discusses and decides matters of policy, and determines rule changes.

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Conference Motions Members are invited to put forward motions for Conference to consider via their Regional Committee at their meetings to take place in January 2019.

Please note that Retired (Free) members are not eligible to submit motions. Each Region is entitled to propose one conference motion for every 750 members in the Region at 31 December 2018. This is subject to a minimum of three and a maximum of fourteen motions per Region. The Regional Committee will determine which motions are to be submitted for inclusion on the Conference Agenda.

Conference motions must be supported by five fully paid up members of the Region and should address matters of Union policy at a national level. Motions must be submitted in writing with the names and membership numbers of the supporting members of the Region attached. No member may move or support more than two motions.

Motions may be submitted via email.

Acknowledgement of receipt will be provided on request.

The Musician • Winter 2018

There is a very defined process for submitting motions to Conference. If you have something you’d like to table, be sure not to miss the deadline.

Motions should be sent to your Regional Office as set out below.

Scotland & Northern Ireland Region The Regional Organiser, Musicians’ Union, 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow G3 6NG, to be received by no later than midday on Wednesday 16 January 2019.

Email: caroline.sewell@theMU.org North of England Region The Regional Organiser, Musicians’ Union, 61 Bloom Street, Manchester M1 3LY, to be received by no later than midday on Monday 14 January 2019.

Email: matt.wanstall@theMU.org

Wales & South West England Region The Regional Organiser, Musicians’ Union, Transport House, 1 Cathedral Road, Cardiff CF11 9SD, to be received by no later than midday on Friday 25 January 2019.

Email: paul.gray@theMU.org

Midlands Region The Regional Organiser, Musicians’ Union, 2 Sovereign Court, Graham Street, Birmingham B1 3JR, to be received by no later than midday on Monday 28 January 2019.

Email: stephen.brown@theMU.org

London Region The Regional Organiser, Musicians’ Union, 33 Palfrey Place, London SW8 1PE, to be received by no later than midday on Tuesday 29 January 2019.

Email: jo.laverty@theMU.org

East & South East England Region The Regional Organiser, Musicians’ Union, 1a Fentiman Road, London SW8 1LD, to be received by no later than midday on Friday 18 January 2019.

Email: paul.burrows@theMU.org

For full details of submitting a motion to a Regional Committee, please refer to Rule VI on page 206 in your MU Members’ Handbook.

report

Delegate Conference 2019

Writing Motions For Conference

Make sure your motion is topical and concise.

Tips for getting your motions noticed and selected…

Your motion is more likely to be selected by the Regional Committee if it comes with a call for action that the Region can support, and that the EC can implement if it is carried at Conference. In general, a motion is more likely to be selected if it: • Contains genuinely new and interesting proposals.

• Is on a subject where there is a lack of policy and which hasn’t been debated at a recent Conference.

• Is on a subject of major political or industrial importance.

• Is likely to lead to an interesting debate, with amendments and speakers both for and against.

When writing your motion, make sure it is: • Topical, accurate and concise.

• Comprehensible and logical.

• Likely to prompt good debate.

• In a subject area on which it is desirable for the MU to develop or change policy.

It is less likely to be selected if it is: • A repeat of old policies with nothing really new.

• On a subject which has been debated recently.

• Unlikely to lead to a good debate – for example if it is so uncontroversial that no one will want to disagree with anything in the motion.

The best motions are structured as follows: • A description of the issue or problem which the motion seeks to address, usually using words such as Conference “notes”, “is concerned by” or “regrets”.

• The principle(s) which underlie the solution.

• A description of any existing policies which will contribute to the solution.

• The further policy proposals which normally conclude the motion and are its most important element. A common reason for motions not being selected is that they contain a lot of criticisms and a detailed description of the problem but are thin, unclear or entirely negative in their conclusions. Proposals are usually introduced by Conference “calls for”, but you could also use “recommends”, “proposes”, “urges”, “demands”, “insists”, or “resolves”.

Conference is a great place for exchanging ideas.

Motions should be clear statements which cover: • The problem which needs to be solved (welcomes, regrets, deplores, denounces).

• The principle which underlies the solution (reaffirm, recognise, declare).

• The proposal at the heart of the motion (affirms, believes, recommends, urges).

Do • Choose issues which are topical and new and not a repeat of existing policy.

• Include a proposal of action as this is far more useful in shaping policy and therefore makes a better motion.

• Use sections if you have several clear calls for action. Ensure that any subsections only deal with one point of principle and don’t reference other subsections as they may be divided by the Standing Orders Committee.

• Be concise and clear – write in plain English, explain any abbreviations, and try not to go above 150 words.

• Check that any factual points are accurate – motions that have inaccuracies are unlikely to be selected.

• Be original – Conference needs exciting, topical debates, even if your motion falls it can still offer the Conference a valuable perspective.

Don’t • Write long, verbose speeches or be repetitive, vague or moralistic.

• Include quotations or actual sums of money, both of which run the danger of being inaccurate and thus invalidating the motion.

• Put forward motions which are already policy.

• Make personal attacks – the law of defamation applies to Conference.

• Be afraid to submit a motion. They are important to us developing and shaping policy into the future.

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reviews

rock

Reviewers: Keith Ames & Tom Short

A look at some of the latest albums, EPs and downloads released

by MU members for 2018, together with links where you can find more information on the featured artists.

Project Assegai Project Assegai This classic rock trio is led by guitarist Edward Box and is confined to the studio for now, but tight riffs, anthemic vocals and a hard-hitting rhythm section suggest they’ll be very popular live.

Sara Colman has created a meticulously-crafted album that is unorthodox and intriguing.

projectassegai. bandcamp.com

The Willows Through The Wild

© Ian Wallman

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Sara Colman

C What We’re Made Of

omposer, singer and music educator Sara Colman has made a serious impact on the UK jazz world, with nominations for BBC Radio Two songwriting awards, numerous festival appearances and session credits for artists including Laura Mvula under her belt.

Avoiding the temptation to make a record of crowd-pleasing torch songs, Sara has chosen to make something more unorthodox and intriguing, truer to her idols Joni Mitchell and Paul Simon. Her gorgeous music has been sadly neglected, but her new record should change all that. Recorded with a first-rate

To submit an album or download track for review, send recordings and PR material to:

The Musician • Winter 2018

The Musician, 60-62 Clapham Rd, London SW9 0JJ or email TheMusician@ theMU.org

band and the glorious Carducci String Quartet, it’s been meticulously crafted and structured.

Each song flows together perfectly, making room for welcome, meandering jazzy flourishes. Her version of All I Want is a particular standout. saracolman.com

You should also forward your cover artwork and/ or photos (minimum 300dpi resolution) to: keith.ames@theMU.org

We try to help as many members as possible, and preference is given to members not previously reviewed.

This five-piece exploded onto the UK scene in 2013 with an expert blend of Americana and traditional folk. Their third release builds on this winning formula with pounding drive-time rock. thewillowsband.com

Gryphon Reinvention Britain’s premier medieval rock band have returned after 41 years. Dense passages of crumhorn, unusual time signatures and outstanding jazz traces display a rare freshness and commitment. thegryphonpages.com

reviews

singer/songwriter

instrumental

Robb Johnson Ordinary Giants

Nicky Swann Tell Them Of Us

David 9 Lunas Universal Joy

One of our great political songwriters, Robb has produced a landmark project based on the life of his father and the social upheaval of the 1930s. This is a very funny, often heartbreaking musical documentary.

Recommended.

Nicky’s growth as a songwriter has been something to behold.

Her skill is to make these stories fresh for today, with a voice that can summon extremes of emotion with a breathy whisper.

Packed with gorgeous smoky chamber pop arrangements.

A true musical chameleon, David switches effortlessly between a smooth croon, cockney patter and hard rock swagger.

There are tender love songs here too, and tunes which bravely address the causes of drug use and mental health issues.

robbjohnson.co.uk

nickyswann.com

david9lunas.co.uk

folk

Patsy Gamble In Remembrance Patsy’s suite for soprano sax and church organ draws on more reflective experiences in brass bands and as a civil funeral celebrant.

Her soaring sax lines sound magnificent in the lofty acoustic of Gloucester Cathedral. patsygamble.co.uk

Yr Hwntws Y Tribanwr Greg Lynn spent many months researching for this album, setting the Triban form of Welsh poetry to traditional songs. The new line-up lends spirited performances to these wonderful, witty verses. sainwales.com

Fiddle and Faff The Soldier’s Wife

Phillip Henry True North

Something remarkable happens when Lissie Bayford and Christine Adams work together. Their unusual arrangements, and instinctive vocal chemistry create sparkling renditions of folk-classics.

Recorded to mark the anniversary of a trip to India to learn from one of the world’s greatest slide guitarists, this set takes in everything from Irish folk to Indian classical music.

Each piece conjures sublime visions of pastoral landscapes.

fiddleandfaff.com

philliphenry.co.uk

world jazz Arts Against Slavery Today Is Good!

Duncan Chisholm Sandwood Inspired by an ancient beach on the most north-western point in Scotland, this album from one of the country’s foremost fiddle players has a timeless feel. An expertly judged mix. duncanchisholm.com

John Bailey Oneiric Sounds

Charlotte Glasson Robots

A delightful compilation featuring songs by asylum-seekers from Africa and Bangladesh.

Although a modest production, the songs are bursting with energy, giving us insight into each of the artists’ difficult journeys and hopes for the future.

One of the UK’s most respected jazz guitarists, with influences ranging from modern classical to baroque woodcuts, this third album is a heady brew, that benefits from standout solos from Bailey and saxophonist Julian Argüelles.

Charlotte has shared stages with artists such as Nick Cave and Herbie Flowers, but her own music is often painted as contemporary jazz.

This album is steeped in a broad musicality, pivoting between Latin, blues and South African music.

These astonishing compositions fizz with invention.

A top-drawer production – made possible by Creative Scotland – adds a brilliant sheen.

todayisgood.org

johnbaileymusic.co.uk

charlotteglasson.com

kinnarisquintet.com

Kinnaris Quintet Free One

The Musician • Winter 2018

45

tributes Philip Garnham Drummer, bandleader and popular MU activist Phil was born in Kent, although he moved to Goring in Sussex during the war. His urge to play drums was a constant driver in his life, and he bought his first proper kit at 16. He joined the Union in 1949 and performed as a semi-professional for many years, mostly in Sussex, although on occasion in the London area.

46

Phil was a very reliable attendee at MU meetings throughout the decades, rising through the activist ranks as a local Committee officer and Conference Delegate before securing a senior role on the

Executive Committee. His loyalty to the Union and neverwavering belief in the value of live music, saw him attend his last East & SE England Regional meeting on 23 April this year, almost 70 years after he joined the Union.

He was always held in great respect by his MU colleagues and will be much-missed.

Horace Trubridge, MU General Secretary remarked: “One of the things I most admired about Phil was his ability to see clearly through the mists when faced with a particularly intractable problem. His wisdom and guidance will be sorely missed.”

Find a full tribute at theMU.org

Maartin Allcock English folk-rock regular and Fairport Convention member Born in Manchester in 1957, Maartin was a multiinstrumentalist, who served his musical apprenticeship in local folk clubs and dance bands, before joining Mike Harding as one of his Brown Ale Cowboys in 1977. In 1981 he became a member of the Bully Wee Band, a Celtic folk group, which led to an 11-year stint with folk-rockers Fairport Convention, four years with Jethro Tull, and a session career that saw him contribute to more than 300 albums.

He worked on sessions for an incredibly diverse range of musicians, including Robert

The Musician • Winter 2018

Plant, The Mission, Beverley Craven, Dan Ar Braz, Judith Durham and Cat Stevens.

Upon discovering that he had terminal liver cancer after returning from holiday in the summer of 2018, he quickly finished his autobiography, and played an emotional final show at Fairport’s Cropredy Convention in August. Before he passed away in September, aged just 61, Maart signed off on his website with typical aplomb: “I will go with dignity, good humour and good grace. I just have to wait now for transport back to my own planet. I only came for the curry anyway.”

Roy Delaney

Chas Hodges Session player and frontman of beloved duo Chas & Dave

accent – for want of a better description, cockney.”

Chas Hodges, who has died of cancer at 74, will be best known as the pianist and singer with Chas & Dave, the ‘cockney rockers’ who enjoyed a string of hits in the 1980s. But by the time the duo formed officially in 1972, north London born Chas was already a seasoned session musician, playing guitar, bass, banjo, violin and piano. Selftaught, he bought one of the first electric basses in the UK, turning pro at 16 years old.

Together with old friends and colleagues bassist Dave Peacock and drummer Mick Burt, the quintessential cockney act Chas & Dave saw songs such as Gertcha (1979) Rabbit (1980) and their biggest hit, Ain’t No Pleasing You (1982) become national favourites after use in Courage beer TV ads. Snooker Loopy (1986) and four FA Cup songs for the pair’s beloved Spurs during the same decade, gave sports fans some great sing-alongs.

As bassist for Joe Meek’s house band The Outlaws, he played on hits such as Johnny Remember Me (1961) before joining Jerry Lee Lewis on tour, then Cliff Bennett And The Rebel Rousers in Germany when they supported The Beatles in 1966.

A 1972 US tour with British country-rock outfit Head, Hands and Feet, featuring Albert Lee on lead guitar, saw Chas begin to tire of the somewhat faux-American sentiments of the British Invasion. “I felt like a fraud singing in an American accent over there,” he recalled in his 2008 autobiography All About Us. “I wanted to write and sing a serious song in my own

“I wanted to write and sing a serious song in my own accent – for want of a better description, cockney.”

The duo enjoyed a renaissance of late, with two more albums, Glastonbury in 2005 and 2007, and Chas’ solo offering Together We Made Music in 2014. As The Guardian critic Dave Simpson observed that year, Chas & Dave were “documentarians of a lost England, in the manner of The Kinks”. That comparison is richly deserved.

Clive Somerville

Tributes

John McGough

Stanley Glasser

Sax player who lost his battle with leukemia

South Africa born composer and teacher

Celia Davies

Jack Hardy

Celia was born and brought up in Rugby, and studied the violin for five years at the Royal Academy.

Don Hunt

A busy freelance, she started the Celia Davies Music School, which provided opportunities for children to learn locally. By 1969 she was a tutor for an evening class of singers, which swiftly became The Coritani Singers.

Don was an accomplished and highly-respected pianist, arranger and musical director, who sat behind a host of big name stars of stage and screen.

After forming a cooperative group with Ray Fernandes in 1957, the Mecca circuit became his meal ticket for nine years, leading various combos playing around the south east, with me his wife on bass and vocals.

© Peter Kotsa, © Patrick Munoz, © REX / Shutterstock, © Bruce Adams / Associated Newspapers / REX/ Shutterstock

That John learnt to play sax while recovering from breaking his neck in a car accident says a lot about his unique positivity. As a sax player he played with a diverse range of artists including Jools Holland, Jocelyn Brown, Citizen Kane and Journey South, through to a series of headlining spots with DJs Eric Morillo and Carl Cox.

Violinist, educator and proud MBE

He also featured as a soloist on numerous Cafe Del Mar tracks, with Snake Davis describing him as “a great musician, a great writer and a fabulous sax player”. As a writer, projects in the pop world included work with James Arthur who reflected that he was “an amazing writer/ producer and world class saxophonist” who “will be remembered as a legend round our way”.

Having worked with John for 20 years I will miss him as a musical partner, but much more as a great human being, a fantastic positive soul without whom the world is a much quieter place.

Matt Wanstall

Her music consultancy company, Heritage Music, was founded in 1980, and in 1994 a not-for-profit organisation, Peckleton Arts Ltd, was formed with Celia as artistic director and trustee.

Its purpose was to present orchestral concerts across rural Leicestershire.

She was appointed MBE in 2008 for her services to music.

This honour reflected her lifelong role as facilitator, innovator, opportunity maker and supporter of music throughout her life.

Eleanor Graff-Baker

Songwriter, bandleader, commercial musician

Pianist, arranger and MD to the stars

He started his musical career as a jobbing pianist in West End clubs and theatres, and was a regular performer at the notorious Windmill.

When working at Danny Le Rue’s club he was tipped off that Bruce Forsyth needed a pianist. He became Forsyth’s MD, and was often called on to assist the entertainer with his performances on piano with the big band.

He remained working with Brucie for nearly forty years.

Don also worked with a wide range of other famous names, including Morecambe & Wise, Max Bygraves, Sammy Davis Jr, Howard Keel, Elaine Paige and Anthony Newley. He will be missed by many in the music profession.

Don Reeve

We then played the Fortes circuit, with Blackpool practically a second home, and in 1972 we were one of the first European groups to play in Dubai.

“One of the first European groups to play in Dubai.”

We decided the heyday of running groups was over, and became a successful duo in pubs, clubs and restaurants, but in 1999 we called it a day. Jack set up a studio at home, and just before he died in July aged 83, he completed a disc of original songs.

He was independent of thought, had great humour, and was a well-rounded person.

Born in South Africa in 1926, Stanley was the son of Jewish immigrants from Lithuania. He moved to England in 1950 to study composition under Benjamin Frankel and Mátyás Seiber, before going on to read music at Cambridge.

Returning to South Africa in 1959, he was appointed lecturer at the South African College of Music in Cape Town, but was forced to flee back to Britain in 1963 when charged under the apartheid nation’s immorality act for his relationship with the black singer Maud Damons.

He was immediately appointed music lecturer at Goldsmiths College, where he became head of music from 1969 to 1991. A versatile composer, he wrote dramatic works, orchestral music and a large body of vocal music, as well as chamber and solo instrumental music.

Roy Delaney

Ann Hardy

The MU also notes the sad passing of: • Clyde Dias Steel pan • Peter Vickers Bass • Margaret Clayton MU activist Find a full tribute to Margaret Clayton at theMU.org

The Musician • Winter 2018

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ASk us first

It is in the interest of all MU members to read this list carefully.

If you are offered work or an agreement by anyone below, consult the MU contact shown before saying yes. Or talk to MU In-House Solicitor Dawn Rodger on 020 7840 5516 or dawn.rodger@theMU.org

— The Akademia Jamie Pullman 020 7840 5540 — Band Management Universal Ltd — Big Al Entertainment Group Scotland & Northern Ireland office 0141 341 2960 — The Convent Jamie Pullman 020 7840 5540 — Jan Mulder/Miller Music USA Phil Kear 020 7840 5557 — Jonathan Gilbert aka Jonny Gilbert Sam Jordan 020 7840 5553

— MB-Xperiential Limited/ Guildford Jazz Festival Sam Jordan 020 7840 5553

— Ross Dorrance t/a Skinny Music Sam Jordan 020 7840 5553

— Neil Eckersley/Speckulation Entertainment Ltd/Wonderland the Musical Ltd

— Simmonds Music Limited/ Thomas Simmonds

— Oliver Weindling / Babel Label — Oren Rosenblum Barry Dallman 0161 236 1764 — Peter Frosdick Productions Ltd/ Shout Tour Ltd

— Spirit Productions Limited — Wave 365 Media Ltd — Wayne Maughan/Wayne Maughn/Wayne Keith

— Productions at Southwark Playhouse

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MU Standard Contracts

Contract Advisory Service

Foreign Claims

Members are strongly advised to obtain written confirmation of all engagements. The MU produces Standard Contracts for engagement and these are available from your Regional Office or at theMU.org

Throughout their professional life, musicians may be required to enter into complex and often long-term agreements for such services as recording, songwriting, management, touring and merchandising. It is vital that musicians receive expert advice on the terms and implications of such contracts. This service could be obtained, at a cost, from one of the many solicitors who specialise in music business matters.

When undertaking professional activities with a contracting party based abroad, members are strongly advised that they ensure fees are paid upfront before the contract is performed and that an advance is obtained against any future royalty payable. Members are also reminded of their obligation under Rule XI.3 to ”submit written contracts for professional activities abroad to the Union before they are entered into”.

However, during the early stages of a musical career, Musicians’ Union members may be invited to enter into an agreement whilst not having the means to pay for such legal advice. To cater for such circumstances, the MU offers members a Contract Advisory Service (CAS), which, in the vast majority of cases, is available at no cost and grants up to an hour of our specialist solicitor’s time on any music contract.

Members should be aware that requests for legal assistance in relation to claims abroad must be considered against the MU’s criteria for legal assistance. Such claims are often not cost effective to pursue and if no upfront payment is obtained, members may remain completely unpaid for their services.

Members should always use an MU Standard Contract as these provide evidence of the conditions of an engagement if a dispute arises.

The MU cannot always assist if a contract does not cover you. Where MU contracts are not used, written evidence is essential. A letter or note should specify the date, time and place of the engagement, the fee, and that the engagement is subject to MU rates and conditions.

The letter or note should be signed by someone fully authorised to do so. We recommend reading p61-62 of Playing Live and p102 of Recording and Broadcasting in the MU Members’ Handbook.

The Musician • Winter 2018

The latest edition of the Ask Us First list can be obtained from the ‘Advice & downloads’ section by logging into theMU.org

NOTICES

Musicians’ Union Election Results Independent Scrutineer’s Report This report is issued in accordance with the Trades Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 as amended.

Executive Committee Elections East & SE England

Scotland & Northern Ireland

(Two to be elected)

(One to be elected) Rab Noakes

Nickie Dixon Julian Field Xenia Horne Anna Neale Widdison Peter Willson

Elected Unopposed

In accordance with Section 53 and MU Rules, ‘Nothing in this Chapter shall be taken to require a ballot to be held at an uncontested election’.

The number of members nominated in the election for the Scotland and Northern Ireland Region does not exceed the number to be elected, and a ballot is therefore not required.

I have been able to carry out my functions without such interference as would make it reasonable for any person to call my independence in relation to the union into question.

(One to be elected)

Elected Unopposed

Ruth Ballantyne Phillip Court

In accordance with Section 53 and MU Rules, ‘Nothing in this Chapter shall be taken to require a ballot to be held at an uncontested election’.

The number of members nominated in the election for the North Of England Region does not exceed the number to be elected, and a ballot is therefore not required.

Elected

I have inspected the register of members and no matters were revealed which should be drawn to the attention of the union in order to assist it in securing that the register is accurate and up to date. I was not requested by any member or candidate to inspect or examine a copy of the membership register.

London

Midlands

276 94

Spoilt ballot papers 0 Total ballot papers received 370 11% Total ballot papers dispatched 3332

The MU did not appoint an Independent Person under Section 51A of the Act.

(Four to be elected)

(One to be elected) James Dickenson Rosalind Page

I am satisfied that the arrangements made with respect to the production, storage, distribution, return or other handling of the voting papers used in the election, and the arrangements for the counting of the votes, included all such security arrangements as were reasonably practicable for the purpose of minimising the risk that any unfairness or malpractice might occur.

Wales & SW England

(One to be elected)

Elected Elected

North of England

224 235 228 187 101

Spoilt ballot papers 1 Total ballot papers received 530 9% Total ballot papers dispatched 5921

Eileen Spencer

I am satisfied that there are no reasonable grounds for believing that there was any contravention of a requirement imposed by or under any enactment in relation to the election.

86 237

Elected

Spoilt ballot papers 0 Total ballot papers received 323 12% Total ballot papers dispatched 2704

Steve Done David Lee Gerald Newson James Topp Barbara White Sarah Williams

502 695 647 406 485 832

Elected Elected Elected

Anne Hock Managing Director, Popularis Ltd 5 November 2018

Elected

Spoilt ballot papers 7 Total ballot papers received 1101 13% Total ballot papers dispatched 8795

Any member of the Musicians’ Union requiring a copy of the Scrutineer’s Report should write to David Ashley, Assistant General Secretary, 60-62 Clapham Road, London SW9 0JJ with such a request enclosing a suitable SAE.

The Musician • Winter 2018

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COVER STARs

Breaking Through

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Photo: Joseph Branston. © MU 2018

This issue’s cover stars are one of the first all-female pit bands in the West End, who work together at the Theatre Royal Haymarket on the hit musical Heathers.

Yours is one of the first all-female pit bands in the West End. Why do you think it’s taken so long for this to happen?

Emily Linden (guitar) I think for years West End pits have been male dominated, not for any reason in particular other than that’s just the way it’s been. I’m very grateful to be living and working during a time where there seems to be a certain shift for female musicians.

Things are progressing and changing and there are some awesome opportunities out there. I just hope more young female musicians feel inspired to make a career in musical theatre (especially my rhythm section sisters out there), and the overall balance between male and female musicians within pits, and the music industry in general, continues to become more equal.

Does West End theatre make up the bulk of your work? What other type of work to do?

Becky Brass (drums) After graduating in 2015 from Trinity Laban I toured with Our Ladies Of Perpetual Succour for two years, which then had a West End run at the Duke of York’s in The Musician • Winter 2018

2017. I play all sorts of the less conventional percussion instruments, which has enabled me to play at the Royal Opera House in the past. I also teach drums and percussion a few days a week.

Once this show ends in December, what does the future hold for you?

Robyn Brown (bass) Panto for Christmas.

It would be great to get to work with this line-up again, but it’s also good to work with new people. Every time we have new deps on the show it makes it fresh again, which is nice. I will say I’ve never laughed as hard as I do when I’m with this band!

What advice would you give to musicians who are starting out in the business and want to work in musical theatre?

Simona Budd (MD) Don’t give up, and don’t be too precious about the type of music work you first accept. You never know who

you may meet and work with, and what they may offer you. We all have to start somewhere, and sometimes that means starting a few steps lower down the ladder to get to the next step. Learn correct etiquette, understand the bigger picture, and be willing to work.

Care about what you do.

What are the benefits and challenges of working as a musician in the West End? Katie Punter (reeds) I feel very lucky indeed to play great music on a really fantastic show, and to get to sleep in my own bed at night. I’ve been on tour around the UK with only a few months’ respite here and there for quite a few years now, so I’m really enjoying the simple pleasures of home, being able to do a bit of gardening, and spend time with my other half.

Do you have any more work planned in the future with this line-up?

Georgina Bromilow (trumpet – not pictured) I really hope we all work together with each other in the future in any type of line-up.

This show has been tremendous fun!

member benefits

Have you registered for your MU benefits?

While membership of the MU offers a wide range of free services, there are a number of benefits that you need to register or apply for.

MU website

To fully access our website – theMU.org – you will need to register on your first visit using your membership number.

Instrument and equipment insurance

For £2,000 worth of free musical instrument and equipment cover, register for the scheme by calling Hencilla Canworth on 020 8686 5050.

Are you due a royalty payment from us for the use of any of your recordings in television programmes, films or adverts? Are you the next of kin of a musician who used to receive royalties from us?

The Musicians’ Union pays royalties to a growing number of musicians for the secondary exploitation of their recordings.

In most cases we know which musicians performed on the recording and already have their contact and payment details, so the royalty income can be distributed straight away. However, there is a certain amount of income we have collected that we cannot distribute as we have not been able to identify who

Motoring service

The MU Family Motoring and Accident Aftercare Scheme provides 24/7 cover.

Members must enter discount code MU24 to obtain free membership of the scheme.

Register now via telephone or the web. mu.totalmotorassist.co.uk

Contract advice – before you sign

Receive professional advice on the terms and implications of any complex agreements via our Contract Advisory Service. Contact your Regional Office to find out more.

If all the members of your group are already MU members, or decide to join, we can offer free partnership advice and an agreement. Contact your Regional Office for more information.

performed on the recording; or we do know the names of the musicians but we have been unable to trace them or their next of kin. If you can assist the Musicians’ Union with line-up information or contact details, visit theMU.org/Home/Advice/ Recording-Broadcasting/Royalties Here, you will be able to find more information on the types of royalty income we collect, as well as lists of musicians and recording line-ups we are currently trying to trace.

theMU.org/Home/Advice/ Recording-Broadcasting/Royalties

Partnership advice

Medical assistance

The British Association for Performing Arts Medicine delivers specialist health support to musicians. Visit bapam.org.uk

Musician’s Hearing Services (MHS)

MHS offer a top range of hearing related services for MU members.

For an appointment, call MHS on 020 7486 1053 or visit musicianshearingservices.co.uk

Full details of all the benefits of membership can be found in your MU Members’ Handbook.

MU Sections

To join, contact the relevant MU Official.

Live Performance Section Dave Webster National Organiser Live Performance 60–62 Clapham Road London SW9 0JJ T 020 7840 5512 F 020 7582 9805 E live@theMU.org Music Writers’ Section Phil Kear National Organiser Recording & Broadcasting 60-62 Clapham Road London SW9 0JJ T 020 7840 5557 F 020 7793 9185 E writers@theMU.org Orchestra Section Bill Kerr National Organiser Orchestras 61 Bloom Street Manchester M1 3LY T 0161 233 4002 F 0161 236 0159 E orchestral@theMU.org Recording & Broadcasting Section Phil Kear National Organiser Recording & Broadcasting 60–62 Clapham Road London SW9 0JJ T 020 7840 5557 F 020 7793 9185 E rb@theMU.org Teachers’ Section Diane Widdison National Organiser Education & Training 60–62 Clapham Road London SW9 0JJ T 020 7840 5558 F 020 7582 9805 E teachers@theMU.org Theatre Section Dave Webster National Organiser Live Performance 60–62 Clapham Road London SW9 0JJ T 020 7840 5512 F 020 7582 9805 E theatre@theMU.org The Musician • Winter 2018

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