The Musician Journal of the Musicians’ Union Autumn 2014 Themu.Org

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The Musician Journal of the Musicians’ Union Autumn 2014 theMU.org

Your rights on YouTube What do the new terms really mean for our music makers? Film man David Arnold From Björk to Bond themes – an incredible musical journey Black music in Britain Charting the profound impact of black music over the years Confirming bookings Key advice on ensuring proof of contract in the digital age contacts Union HQ Regional Offices

General Secretary Head of Government Relations London John F Smith & Public Affairs Regional Organiser: Naomi Pohl Isabelle Gutierrez 33 Palfrey Place, London SW8 1PE Assistant General Secretary t 020 7840 5504 Horace Trubridge (Music Industry) In-House Solicitor f 020 7840 5599 David Fenton e [email protected] Assistant General Secretary David Ashley (Finance & Administration) Legal Official East & South East England Dawn Rodger Regional Organiser: Paul Burrows National Organiser 1a Fentiman Road, Bill Kerr (Orchestras) Communications Official London SW8 1LD Keith Ames t 020 7840 5537 National Organiser f 020 7840 5541 Diane Widdison (Education & Training) Recording & Broadcasting Official e [email protected] Michael Sweeney National Organiser Midlands Ben Jones (Recording & Broadcasting) Royalties Official Regional Organiser: Stephen Brown Phil Kear 2 Sovereign Court, National Organiser Graham Street, Dave Webster (Live Performance) Sessions Official Birmingham B1 3JR Peter Thoms t 0121 236 4028 f 0121 233 4116 Live Performance Official e [email protected] Kelly Wood Wales & South West England Orchestras Official Regional Organiser: Paul Westwell Danny Longstaff 199 Newport Road, Cardiff CF24 1AJ Music Education Official t 029 2045 6585 Fran Hanley f 029 2045 1980 e [email protected] Education & Equalities Official Union HQ Bindu Paul North of England 60—62 Clapham Road Regional Organiser: Morris Stemp London sw9 0jj 61 Bloom Street, Manchester M1 3LY t 020 7582 5566 t 0161 236 1764 f 020 7582 9805 f 0161 236 0159 e [email protected] e [email protected] w theMU.org Scotland & Northern Ireland @WeAreTheMU Regional Organiser: Sheena Macdonald 1 Woodside Terrace, Glasgow G3 7UY t 0141 341 2960 f 0141 332 8709 e [email protected] report John Smith reports on music in the party manifestos With the elections coming up, the MU is working hard to get arts and culture included on the parties’ manifestos.

The first of these highlights the need for a realistic level of state and local authority arts funding, pointing out that philanthropy, while welcome, will never replace core funding. In most EU member states this takes The second asks for the full implementation the form of a levy on the hardware of the National Plan for Music, so that manufacturers, which is used to music education is moved up the agenda. compensate the contributors. The UK Our other amendments call for stability in government will not introduce this or any the funding of the BBC and a new focus other method of compensation to the clear for the Intellectual Property Office (part of the Department for “A system of fair compensation Business, Innovation and Science) so that it must be introduced to run

© Katharyn Boudet Katharyn © 3 becomes a champion John Smith, of creators and alongside the Copyright Exception.” General Secretary performers, and acts on their behalf rather than supporting the detriment of writers, performers and others likes of Google, Microsoft and Apple. who hold rights in the material that will be copied. We will not accept this without a On the last point there is still unfinished fight, and along with UK Music, the British business in the intellectual property Academy of Songwriters, Composers We are approaching a very interesting area. The Copyright Exception, which will and Authors (BASCA) we are currently period in the political life of the UK. This legalise private copying but not give fair considering our options. I will have more to September sees not only the referendum compensation to rights holders, has now report on this in the next issue but we will on Scottish Independence, but the last moved through the parliamentary challenge this decision. It could be a long TUC and party conferences before next process and been accepted. The MU and process but this is an important matter of May’s General Election. The MU has UK Music have consistently said that we principle which must be pursued on behalf written to the main political parties asking support the private copy exception. We of UK creators. for arts and culture to be included in the believe that, in this age of iPods, MP3 manifestos. Last time round only the Lib players and the like it is nonsense for the John Smith Dems made any reference to culture in law to make copying copyright material the run-up to the election, and to be fair onto these devices for personal use an ensured that the Coalition delivered, illicit act. However the EU 2001 Copyright albeit through a private members’ bill In The Information Society Directive – the Live Music Act. makes it quite clear that a system of fair compensation must be introduced to run I’m optimistic that the Labour Party alongside the exception. will make reference to our sector in its manifesto, particularly since the MU has been successful in getting the Labour Party National Policy Forum to adopt four amendments to be included in the document that will go forward to the To hear more from team that is working on the manifesto. John, visit theMU.org

The Musician • Autumn 2014 “The dynamism of black music in Britain has spread far and wide beyond the migrant communities whence it originally came.” 24

Contents Autumn 2014

Steel Pulse: one of Britain’s most influential reggae bands

The Musician • Autumn 2014 16

This issue... On the Frontline Inbox Advice 6 Funding boost for music 10 Emails, tweets and letters 36 A guide to booking gigs education in England in the digital age 7 MU backs Fair Digital Features 40 Increasing your fees Deals Declaration 12 Is YouTube imposing restrictive contracts Reviews Reports on music makers? 43 CDs and downloads 3 MU General Secretary 24 Charting the huge influence 8 How one complaint can of black musicians in Britain Union notices spell closure for a venue 34 The role of the modern state 2 Key contacts 20 Creating new revenue in supporting the arts 42 Ask Us First streams with library music 46 Tributes 23 Celebrating the 80th Profiles 49 EC & Regional anniversary of PPL 16 David Arnold Committee nominations 5 32 A whole new outlook 28 Moulettes 50 MU Pension Scheme for Help Musicians UK 51 Member benefits

Front cover: Chris Vinnicombe from The Lash Find out more at MU Contributors musiciansunion. org.uk/join-the- Helienne Katie Will mu/benefits/ Lindvall Nicholls Simpson Swedish-born Katie is a Will has Helienne is an award- freelance journalist contributed to a range winning songwriter, and editor whose of music magazines, musician, journalist features and reviews including Total Guitar, and blogger, and have appeared in Guitarist and Mixmag. writes regularly about titles such as MOJO, He recently published Top 5 benefits music and media for The Guardian and his first book, Freedom l The Guardian. p12 Kerrang! p16 & 36 Through Football. p20 Insurance schemes l Legal assistance l Nationwide network Kevin Anne Andrew l Rights protection LeGendre Wollenberg Stewart l Kevin writes Anne is Andrew writes Career and about soul and jazz an award-winning for The Times, The business advice for Echoes, Jazzwise, journalist who Guardian, Classical The Independent and has written for Music and BBC Music The Guardian. He The Guardian, The Magazine, among has also presented Independent and Film others. He is also For more programmes for BBC Four. She also sings Director of Southwark on benefits

frontlineThe latest news, views and events from the world of music.

Children will benefit from an extra £18m of music education funding

July 22 © Getty Images

MU welcomes fresh funding recognising the importance of for music education in England giving children the opportunity to “This is excellent news for music The MU has welcomed the learn instruments at school. government’s announcement education and for hubs in particular.” in July that music education for “This is excellent news for children in England will receive music education and for hubs in everywhere, and celebrate by music teachers around the an £18m boost in funding. The particular,” she said. “However, we the work of music teachers in UK. The campaign encourages additional revenue will be have seen hundreds of teachers creating the musicians and people to share experiences – allocated to music education, lose their jobs in music services music lovers of the future.” via social media platforms – of including to the national network over the past three years and how music teachers transform of 123 music education hubs, we still feel the aspirations of The Support My Music Teacher students’ lives and help them to established in 2012. Diane the National Music Plan can campaign was created by the realise their ambitions. A motion Widdison, MU National Organiser – only be achieved if there is the MU and the Music Industries has been tabled for the TUC Education & Training, said the MU workforce there to inspire the next Association (MIA) to help support Congress in September 2014 is pleased to see the government generation of musicians. This is the invaluable work carried out to support the MU and MIA’s one of the reasons we launched Support My Music Teacher #SupportMyMusicTeacher – to Campaign. To find out more about raise awareness of the issues #SupportMyMusicTeacher, visit affecting music teachers tinyurl.com/support-mmt

The Musician • Autumn 2014 frontline

june July 26 july 14 17 TUC LGBT Conference Delegates from across the trade The MU distributed Arts Council pulls plug on leaflets at the BBC’s union movement New pledge Jazz Services funding War Horse Prom were represented heralds hope for UK jazz musicians, fans and © Jonathan Stewart at the annual two-day digital music deals promoters were dealt a blow LGBT Conference at The MU has given when Arts Council England (ACE) MU action at War Horse Prom the TUC’s Congress its full support announced it would no longer The MU’s ongoing fight to save House in London. The to The Fair Digital be funding Jazz Services as a the War Horse band – the five May MU’s Bindu Paul and Deals Declaration, National Portfolio Organisation members engaged in the Nicola Dancey were launched in July (NPO) from April 2015. Jazz West End production of the among delegates by the Worldwide Services is the UK’s foremost show, whose contracts were 19 from 28 unions at Independent Network charitable support organisation for terminated – continued on 3 the event. Keynote (WIN), a global forum jazz music and the announcement August at the BBC’s War Horse speakers talked for the professional comes as part of ACE’s investment Prom. MU members and officials about LGBT bullying independent portfolio for the arts over the distributed leaflets at the Royal 7 in the workplace music industry. next three years. Dave Webster, Albert Hall. The Proms were MU appointment and classroom; The declaration MU National Organiser, Live collaborating for the first time for Scotland & civil partnership is a statement of Performance, said: “It’s a great with the National Theatre (NT) N Ireland Region conversions; ending commitment made shame that an organisation that for a concert inspired by the Caroline Sewell has discrimination in by independent has supported jazz musicians for award-winning play. The action been appointed sport; and the plight record labels to treat many years has had its funding was part of the Union’s response to the post of of gay Africans. In their artists fairly in cut by a government that seems to comments allegedly made in Scotland & Northern all, 20 motions were agreements relating to know the cost of everything but The Stage by National Theatre Ireland Regional passed. The day to digital exploitation the value of nothing.” Members executive director, Nick Starr, Officer, based at after the conference of artists’ work in can sign the petition at tinyurl. who was reported as saying the Union’s office in ended, the MU sent recorded music com/jazzpet or show their support that, “We should have axed War Glasgow. Caroline, a delegation to the agreements with at facebook.com/Jazz.Services. Horse musicians in 2009”. Please whose career in the London LGBT Pride third parties (see Ltd and via Twitter using the sign the petition at change.org/ music industry has march, defying the our story on page hashtag #4JazzFuture. organisations/musicians_union, included elements of rain to wave the 12). Those labels that follow @WeAreTheMU for updates artist management, MU’s flags and sign up will agree to and use #KeepMusicLive on publishing, labels, celebrate equality. attach a signed copy Jazz Services Twitter to spread the word. touring and live of the Declaration to supports many performance, said musicians, their artists’ royalty including she was delighted statements. Labels saxophonist and extremely wishing to sign Jason Yarde proud. “I look up can download forward to utilising the Declaration at August this experience in winformusic.org/ order to best serve fair-digital-deals- the members of the pledge/ and then region,” she said. return it to emmy@ 03 musicindie.com. © Getty Images

The Musician • Autumn 2014 Live venues under threat MU Assistant General Secretary Horace Trubridge outlines a worrying rise in the number of live music venues that have already shut down, or are at risk of closure, due to noise complaints from a handful of neighbours.

So, you knock yourself out for years and years to establish a live music venue. You build a profile for your establishment so that agents and promoters start putting some of their better bands in. You give local bands the chance to cut their teeth live and you establish a popular destination for people Now, I like my sleep as much as the next in your community who want to experience person and, while the Trubridge offspring are live music. All good then, so good in fact that now of an age that means they are more likely you would naturally expect your local to be in the venue than in a cot, I still remember authority to recognise the importance of how hard it is to get a baby to sleep when your music venue as a valuable component there is a distracting noise. Nevertheless, if I in the rich cultural tapestry of the community. choose to move into a flat or a house situated Wouldn’t you? near a music venue then surely I’m likely to know that there will be times when I will hear 8 If only this were true. Unfortunately, the reality music coming from that venue, and if I have is very different. There is a worrying trend that young children or a predilection for insomnia, has emerged over the past few years whereby then maybe I should consider moving it only takes one or two complaints from somewhere else. neighbours in the vicinity of a venue to spark a flurry of noise abatement notices from the When the local authority processes noise local authority’s environmental office, often complaints do you think they ask the culminating in the closure of the music venue. complainant the key questions? Such as, ‘how long have you lived there?’ Or, ‘did the estate Here’s a select list of premier music venues agent not tell you that there is a live music that are currently under threat or have venue next door?’ I don’t know, that’s why I’m already closed: asking. I suspect they just process the complaint and fire off the noise abatement Night & Day Café, Manchester: An objection notice. The next thing you know, the venue is from one local resident and the venue is under threat, the owner is contemplating fighting for its survival. closing down the business they have worked so hard to establish and Live Music UK suffers The George Tavern, Stepney: Developers want yet another casualty. to build apartments next to the venue; noise Did you know? complaints are an inevitable consequence. Perhaps even more alarming is the scenario This article first appeared in Horace’s online whereby the music venue is situated in an monthly column in The Huffington Post. The Blind Tiger Club, Brighton: A new resident area that – prior to the establishing of a huffingtonpost.co.uk/horace-trubridge/ moves above the venue and complains about successful music venue – held no attraction the noise, eventually leading to The Blind Tiger for property developers. However, with the Club’s closure. emergence of a popular music venue, the area “It only takes one or suddenly becomes more attractive, the developers move in and Bob’s your uncle: two complaints to following complaints from the new neighbours, the venue closes down. This particular spark a flurry of noise practice is on the increase and seems totally unfair to me. Of course, by shutting down the abatement notices.” music venue a valuable piece of real estate

The Musician • Autumn 2014 report © Lucas Smith

Nile Marr, who performs as Man Made, at Manchester’s Night & Day Café (left), which is fighting for survival after a complaint from one neighbour Motion to TUC Congress 2014

The MU and its members are concerned about a worrying trend of long established music venues being forced to close after only one or two complaints from neighbours, which often result in the issuing of noise abatement notices from the local authority.

This is becoming more problematic as a result of the increasing numbers of new flats and houses being built in the vicinity of existing music venues. New residents are often unaware of the music venue when they purchase the property and then put in noise 9 complaints.

We would like to see the introduction of an ‘Agent of

© Amanda Window Amanda © Change Principle’ law, such as that in Australia, which would then becomes available in an area that residents. The music venue bears no put the legal responsibility of property developers are keen to utilise but far responsibility. This would seem to me to be a remedying any issues on to the be it from me to suggest that anything fair and proper arrangement and it’s about person or persons who have underhand has gone on, I’ll leave that for you time we adopted this law here. In the brought about the changes to ponder, dear reader. meantime, support your local music venue that inadvertently affect an and let them know how much you appreciate individual’s business. I think it is about time that the UK adopted a their, albeit precarious, existence. new law that has worked very well in countries Under this law, in the case of like Australia. The law is sometimes referred to a property developer building as ‘The Agent of Change Principle’. You can homes in the vicinity of a read about it here: dpcd.vic.gov.au/planning/ music venue, it would be the publicationsandresearch/codes-and- property developer’s legal and guidelines/live-music-taskforce#agent. What The Fleece saved? financial responsibility to use it basically says is that it is the legal sound proofing to prevent any responsibility of the person or persons who A welcome ruling by Bristol City Council inconvenience to the residents have brought about the changes that just as The Musician was going to press and the music venue bears no inadvertently affect an individual or an could prove to be a test case for music responsibility, other than to individual’s business to take steps to remedy venues across the country. The Council continue to operate within the the problem. approved plans to build flats next to seminal terms of its existing licence. music venue The Fleece, but said the new In other words, in the case of the property homes would be subject to strict acoustic Congress calls on the General developer who builds homes near a music conditions. The Save The Fleece campaign Council to support the MU’s venue, it is the property developer’s legal was led by local MP Kerry McCarthy and calls for a change in the law to and financial responsibility to use sound backed by a 41,500-name petition. protect music venues. proofing to prevent any inconvenience to the

The Musician • Autumn 2014 Follow us on Twitter @WeAreTheMU soundcloud.com/ inboxThese pages reflect the diverse range of multi-channel musicians-union communications between the Union and its members. Find us at theMU.org Email us TheMusician@ We welcome your contributions via email, Twitter or letter. TheMU.org

Morris major Tom Robinson was Just got off the phone with the profiled in the summer issue of The Musician MU’s Morris Stemp. Excellent service, felt like he had all the time in the world for me. Cheers MU! KTB Music @ktbmusic Keep it live Took part in the inaugural meeting Your Editor of the MU’s Live Performance 10 Committee today. I reckon this Welcome to the could be the start of a good thing! Autumn issue of Guitar George– Cielo The Musician. @GuitarGeorgeUK We hope you appreciate the This means war wide range of I can’t believe this whole War Mr Robinson That’s not the ticket reports, features Horse band fiasco is still going on. Great interview in The Musician It’s not just consumers fed and interviews. Aside from the obvious breach of with Tom Robinson @freshnet up with extra charges, the MU contract, if the NT follows its own about opportunities to get your says ticket fees can damage We have also logic, it would pay the actors once, new music heard. the artist/fan relationship. enclosed your video the whole thing and show it Sam Duffy @samduffysinger whi.ch/1va1O87 MU Diary for 2015. on a big screen! Which? News @WhichNews Many members John Spiers @squeezyjohn Sweet retweet have told us how Was enjoying the MU magazine A good read much they value Come on fellow musicians! We and found myself retweeted in Congrats to the MU on the range of MU should have 30,000 names on that print. Nice one folks! :) another very fine members’ printed publications, petition for starters. It’s your job Alison Diamond @ADsaxist journal! A compelling, colourful, from The Musician on the block next. #warhorse interesting read! Love the new and the Members’ Gavin Greenaway @gvngrnwy Sound advice look and structure. Handbook through The band I’m touring with are Gareth McLearnon to the Musician Pension points full of praise for the MU for @garethmclearnon Extra newsletters Calling all West End MU members. consent form advice and and the Diary. Make sure your employer is paying cheap NCP parking. Well done @WeAreTheMU! This into the MU Pension and get the Rick Finlay @rick_finlay month’s mag has saved us up to Please stay in most from them. £900 in accountant’s fees thru the touch and keep the Hencilla Canworth @Hencilla New signing article on tax and MU members’ feedback coming. Signed up to the MU the other legal cover! day. Very much looking forward Tom Makes Keith Ames to some instrument and public @tommakesmusic TheMusician@ liability insurance – very handy! :) theMU.org Kyle Stuart Howie @TheKyleOfLife

The Musician • Autumn 2014 letters

Fee not free Feel the benefits To all promoters: I do NOT accept Just joined the MU. Amazed by unpaid gigs, unless charity or all the benefits you get from festivals. I have to pay my band joining! Thank you! members. #WorkNotPlayMU Tanya Stephens XSARA @XSARA_ @RainbowSoundKM

Music festivals of the shires, Many thanks t please stop asking musicians Thanks to the MU for its nice little f to play for free. Unless the piece about my CD The Space e catering comes free too. And In Between in The Musician. the stages, loos, security, #newmusic w advertising… #worknotplay Hannah Scott @hannahscottuk #sickofbeingaskedtodo- Editor Director of ourjobforfree Taxing afternoon Keith Ames (MU) FuturePlus UK David Booth @DaveRecordingB In Leeds for the MU tax talk Consultant editor Jayne Caple with Andy Levett and Ajay Jassal Neil Crossley Senior account manager Yep, the value of our work isn’t from @HWFisherUK. A lot to take Art editors David Parker Stuart Hobbs Group account director reflected by fees or reality. If we in, but very glad I went! Emma Swift Fiona McDaniel work for ‘free’ we’re paying to play #taxes #sorehead Writers Editorial director when you factor in parking/food. Jenny Dyson @_jdys_ Helienne Lindvall Mark Donald Daren Callow @Daren68 Kevin LeGendre Art directors Katie Nicholls Stuart Hobbs Singing and signing Anne Wollenberg Dermot Rushe I have an MMUS and professional Delighted to run a workshop at the Neil Crossley Repro training. In any other profession MU Teachers CPD Weekend Andrew Stewart Future Pre-Press would I train for years to work in October on Singing and Signing Keith Ames Printed at Will Simpson Precision Colour Printing for free? @aamedia_org_uk. Ellie O’Hagan See page 02 for the Eve Williams @EveLMWilliams musiciansunion.org.uk/event/mu- Roy Delaney contact details of 11 teachers-cpd-weekend Clive Somerville Musicians’ Union offices. Sam Dunkley @SamDunkleyMusic Production editors Don’t bash the buskers Roy Delaney Buskers arrested in London Andrea Ball while the MU met the Mayor’s Support your teacher Production and Office to discuss a code of Great music teachers give an procurement manager conduct to cover them. invaluable emotional connection Matt Eglinton Client production Trade Union Group to the school syllabus. So co–ordinator @TradeUnionGroup important. Support the arts! Tracy Nugent #SupportMyMusicTeacher I don’t think musos are the real Georgina @gmorris5 nuisance on our streets! Terl Bryant @TerlBryant Has a music teacher changed your life and helped you achieve your ambitions? All information contained in this journal is for informational purposes Save The Fleece only and is, to the best of our knowledge, correct at the time of going to Another established live music #SupportMyMusicTeacher press. This journal is published by Future Publishing Limited on behalf of Musicians’ Union. Neither Future Publishing Limited nor Musicians’ venue facing challenges – Steve Haynes @stevehaynestbn Union accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies that occur @FleeceBristol. Musicians and in such information. Readers are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers direct with regard to the price of products/services in music lovers show your support. the journal. Publication of an advertisement does not imply any form of bit.ly/1tInhCF “Thank God for the MU – recommendation. Organisations offering financial services or insurance are governed by their relevant regulatory bodies and problems with Graham Russ @GrahamRuss1 such services should be taken up with those bodies. Neither Future every artist should sign up Publishing Limited nor Musicians’ Union accept any liability for the quality of goods and services offered in advertisements. We do our Travel advice best to avoid inaccuracies, but if you believe that an error has been Travelling with instruments for help with any difficulties!” made, please contact the editor straight away before taking any other action and the Union will take appropriate steps. If you submit material made of rare or potentially to this journal, you automatically grant Future Publishing Limited and Rita Morar @ritamoraruk Musicians’ Union a licence to publish your submissions in whole or in endangered materials? part in any edition of this journal that is published worldwide in any format musiciansunion.org.uk/ 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 advice-downloads/playing- the purpose of promoting any products or services referred to in your live/2014/06/30/ • In the Summer issue we included submissions. Any material you submit is sent at your risk and neither Future Publishing Limited nor Musicians’ Union nor their respective travelling-with-instruments- a tweet from Caroline Murphy. employees, agents or subcontractors shall be liable for any loss or made-of-rare-materials We wish to confirm that her correct damage. © Future Publishing Limited and Musicians’ Union 2014. All rights reserved. No part of this journal may be used or reproduced without the Martin Weller @Ramones74 twitter username is @_C_Murphy written permission of Future Publishing Limited and Musicians’ Union.

The Musician • Autumn 2014 SOUND andVISION Is YouTube using its position as the world’s premier music service to impose restrictive contracts and low royalty rates on the people who make music? Feature by Helienne Lindvall

12 Where do you go to check out a new record or artist that’s been recommended to you? YouTube Chances are the answer is YouTube. If you’re under 25 years old, it almost certainly is. With in numbers more than a billion users worldwide, YouTube is by far the biggest music service in the Monetising your videos l Google, which owns YouTube, world – and as such, it’s extremely important Many labels and musicians choose to apply to refuses to specify how much as a promotional tool for both pop stars and be ad partners with YouTube rather than file of its revenue comes from self-releasing independents. endless take-down notices. This means that the streaming service. Its ad YouTube will monetise even user-generated revenue for 2013 has been But in June 2014, news emerged that YouTube videos of your music, and share the revenue estimated to be anything from will remove music by independent labels with you. However, you can only be a partner if $3.6bn to $5.6bn. It’s expected that have refused agreements with the site. you have enough views. The rights holder that to bring in $7.2bn in 2014, When added together with concerns about becomes an ad partner can choose what type according to eMarketer. ultra low royalty payments, music writers, of ad is served with the video, such as pre-roll l There are currently over a performers and producers are all expressing ads that are run before the video starts, and billion YouTube users uploading grave concerns for the future of commercially pop-up ads. How high a percentage of the well over 300,000 videos a day. released music across the globe. ad revenue YouTube pays through varies, but l The most recent royalty the most it will pay through, according to the statements show that, if a YouTube is not just a great means for labels we’ve spoken to, is 55%. songwriter has written 100% of musicians to promote their new music, for a track, he or she would need many it’s the prime listening source, and these It’s impossible to say exactly how much about 952,000 YouTube streams days it even allows the user to make playlists. YouTube pays per stream, as all its licensing a day in order to make the This has led to speculation that YouTube may deals are covered by non-disclosure UK minimum wage of £50.48. also be cannibalising music sales. A recent agreements. It also depends on what type of “Someone must be making study by researchers from Fairfield University ads are served with the video. Record labels money out of the music on and the University of Colorado, called Online report that they earn between $1,000 and YouTube but it certainly isn’t Music, Sales Displacement, and Internet $3,000 – Cooking Vinyl said it could earn as the people who write the 13 Search: Evidence from YouTube, came to this much as $5,000 – per million streams. The songs,” says songwriter Barry conclusion, pointing to a period in 2009 when Mason. “Delilah would need to Warner Music blocked videos by not only be streamed roughly 113,250 their own artists, but by anybody using bits “YouTube is not just times for Les Reed and I to of their music on YouTube. The blackout, the earn enough for a coffee each study concluded, had both statistically and a great means to at Starbucks.” economically significant positive effects on l The new YouTube contracts album sales. It claimed that not having videos promote new music, are offering lower rates of on YouTube increased sales by on average payments than other on- 10,000 units per week for top albums. for many it’s the prime demand services. While Spotify pays through about But getting YouTube to block all unlicensed listening source.” 70% of its revenue to labels videos is easier said than done for all but the and publishers, the YouTube major labels. It can involve sending endless highest rate comes from videos that have deal offers 55% to labels take-down notices only for the videos to pop non-skippable pre-roll ads, though many and 10% to publishers and up on the site again within hours, uploaded by labels choose not to use those, as they fear performing rights organisations its users. If you get accepted by YouTube as a users will simply refuse to watch the video if for its premium audio-only content partner, you’re able to use its Content they have to sit through an ad. service – for music videos it will ID to streamline the process, although it’s pay out 55% of revenue, with worth pointing out that it only identifies 50- But YouTube has received criticism from music 45% going to the labels and 10% 60% of the songs that are uploaded). YouTube creators, labels and the MU for devaluing to the publishers. won’t, however, use the tool to pull down music. Billy Bragg has suggested that artists

“Anecdotally, we know that YouTube pays about a fifth of what other on-demand streaming companies pay the rights owner of the recording,” says MU Assistant General Secretary, Horace Trubridge.

The Musician • Autumn 2014 And that’s only for tracks that are identified by Content ID. You can find almost any full-length album on YouTube, uploaded by users, from which the creators of the music receive no revenue, and arguably no promotional value.

The cannibalisation conundrum The worry about cannibalisation has increased recently, as YouTube is preparing to go head- to-head with audio streaming services such as Spotify and Deezer by launching a subscription service. Google is notoriously tightlipped about It’s not just the small its operations, but the New York Post reported underground acts that back in March that it would be called Music are affected. High profile artists such as Goldfrapp Pass, and would likely cost $5 a month with and Arctic Monkeys ads, or $10 a month for an ad-free version. release their music on independent labels too

The major labels have already concluded Lindberg/Rex Barbara © licensing deals for the service, and have reportedly received huge upfront payments. l The label must promise to never sue either threatened with having their videos blocked Many independent labels, however, were not Google, or a member of the public who illegally from the user-generated web platform if they offered the option to negotiate as they simply uploads the label’s music to YouTube. In did not accept these terms. received click-through contracts saying that if theory, this would mean Google could accept they did not agree to the terms, their YouTube user-generated copies of a label’s music, “The MU is supporting the indies in their channels would be terminated and they would make money off the advertisements – and efforts to get a fair deal with YouTube on 14 lose the ability to monetise any of their music refuse to pay the label. the new streaming service,” says Horace. across the ad-supported site. “The one thing we are absolutely against l The leaked YouTube contract doesn’t offer is non-negotiable contracts. We enter into Although the contracts (which are with a minimum rate for streaming, meaning that agreements every day in the business we’re Google and not with YouTube, meaning that on its ad-supported component it will only doing – and we never do business with a third they could cover services across the Google pay if ads are connected to the video, but it’s party who isn’t prepared to negotiate.” spectrum, including Google Play) are covered not in any way required to put ads on every by strict non-disclosure agreements, there video. A YouTube source told Billboard that YouTube explained to The Guardian newspaper have been multiple leaks to the press. Judging if every video had ads against it, it would that it had “successful deals in place with by these leaks and label sources, there are a drive away users and reduce plays. However, hundreds of independent and major labels number of issues that the independent label other streaming services, such as Spotify, do around the world, however we don’t comment community finds unacceptable: have minimum per-stream rates and so are on ongoing negotiations”. incentivised to monetise every single stream. l The contract stipulates that if the label However, the technology news site releases a song on any other service, the Hunt explains: “I haven’t seen the contracts The Register noted that ripping up existing new YouTube service must also have it. This but, from what I understand, if you don’t have contracts and blocking royalty payments completely negates any opportunity for so- a video for a piece of music, YouTube will (while continuing to host the material) would called windowing – giving exclusives to one supply a video for it – but they will own the put it in breach of most competition laws particular service for a limited time. copyright to that video. This leads the way for anywhere in the world, given YouTube’s self- “YouTube’s demand for all the catalogue enormous copyright confusion later on.” proclaimed status as “the world’s de facto denies the opportunity for it to be used as a (and free) jukebox”. promotional tool any longer,” says songwriter, Many indies deemed these terms producer and former frontman of The unacceptable, but claimed that the contract Hunt puts it more bluntly: “Banning Longpigs, Crispin Hunt. had been presented as non-negotiable by independent labels who haven’t signed up to YouTube. The Worldwide Independent the agreement, while allowing people to cover l There’s a permanent “least favoured nation” Network said its members had been those songs on their service, is tantamount to clause in relation to the majors, meaning that complete legalised piracy. It wouldn’t be legal if the majors decide to lower their royalty rate in any other sphere but the internet.” at any point – which they could do in return for, say, a large up front payment – then YouTube The European indie label trade body Impala is able to lower the rates for smaller labels to is filing a complaint with the European match, as long as it gives a 30-day notice. Commission calling on it to red card YouTube

The Musician • Autumn 2014 reached is still hanging over the labels. Changing attitudes YouTube claimed in the press that this was a The Worldwide Independent marginal problem, that only 5% of the indies Network (WIN) launched its Fair

© PYMCA/Alamy © were holding out for a better deal. “That’s Digital Deals Declaration, with a simply not true,” says Wenham. “It’s a lot more worldwide sign up day in July. than 5%. I don’t want to speak to the actual market shares, because I don’t want to dignify WIN has underlined five key points the argument. In a world where customers in the declaration: expect everything, 1% would be enough to compromise the service.” l We will ensure that artists’ share of download and streaming Hunt, who is also chief executive of the revenues is clearly explained Featured Artist Coalition (FAC), says the in recording agreements and streaming service’s behaviour poses a wider royalty statements in reasonable threat by commoditising music. “Personally, as summary form. a musician, I listen to and create music in order l We will account to artists to avoid commercialisation and adverts, rather a good-faith pro-rata share of than in order to be a lure for an advert.” any revenues and other compensation from digital “We’ve only just got over the trauma of having services that stem from the to come to grips, as musicians, with music on monetisation of recordings but streaming services being about access rather are not attributed to specific than ownership,” he adds. “Now YouTube will recordings or performances. make it about attention and l We will encourage better not ownership. The things that standards of information from “They are not part of the command the most attention digital services on the usage and marketplace – they are get paid the most. This forces monetisation of music. musicians to make ever more l We will support artists who 15 essentially THE marketplace.” extreme videos, with singing choose to oppose, including bunnies and naked twitching publicly, unauthorised uses of girls, which completely their music. for abusing its position as a gatekeeper to the circumnavigates the quality of l We will support the collective online market. It also suggested the EC could the music and becomes more about the position of the global independent issue a fine of up to 10% of YouTube’s turnover quality of the video. It’s about attraction record company sector worldwide. WIN and Impala are not only asking rather than access. Musicians need now as outlined in the Global the EU competition commissioner Joaquín more than ever to work together and sing Independent Manifesto. Almunia to investigate, but also to annul any with one voice in order to create a movement contracts that have already been signed. that denies the complete devaluation of what More than 750 independent we do for a living.” labels from more than 21 countries “Google has over 90% of the online advertising have signed the declaration, at the market in Germany – 80% in Europe,” explains time of writing, and many more Alison Wenham, chief executive of WIN and the are expressing an interest. Some Association of Independent Music companies of the more high profile labels (AIM). “YouTube has over 90% of the online who have already signed up video-viewing audience worldwide. They are include: 4AD, Beggars Group, not just monopolies, but monopsonies so they The Musician contacted YouTube for Cooking Vinyl, Epitaph, Fat Cat, are must-have customers. The development of its response to the issues raised in Flying Nun Records, Kill Rock online markets now appears to entail a single this feature. A YouTube spokesperson Stars, Matador, Mushroom Group, dominant player in each market. They are not provided the following statement: Mute, NinjaTune, Rough Trade, Sub part of the marketplace – they are essentially Pop, Tommy Boy, Tuff Gong, Warp THE marketplace, the only gatekeeper, the “We’re always working on new ways for Records and XL Recordings. only route to market.” people to enjoy YouTube content across all screens, and on giving our partners The campaign can be followed on After an outcry from the creative community, more opportunities to reach their fans Twitter from the @winformusic YouTube postponed its controversial plan to and generate revenue. We’ll be adding account and using the hashtag block those record labels that don’t sign its subscription-based features for music #fairdigitaldeal4artists. For more deals from the video platform in order to allow on YouTube with this in mind, and look information on the campaign and time to negotiate a solution. However, the forward to sharing them with music fans.” the background behind it, visit threat of being blocked if an agreement isn’t winformusic.org

The Musician • Autumn 2014 Movie

manFrom Luton to Hollywood: The Musician talks to David Arnold about his journey from gigging musician to award-winning composer. Feature by Katie Nicholls

16 profile

Arnold’s James Bond soundtracks balance bombastic drama with an edgy atmosphere and a strong emotional connection.

Fresh from performing his live concert debut Whether you realise it or not, David Arnold’s at the Royal Festival Hall, David Arnold sat mercurial talents have ensured that his down with The Musician to discuss his journey sublime compositions will have undoubtedly to success, his favourite collaborators and David Arnold found their way into your sitting room. His how he puts a soundtrack together. on the MU reach extends from the West End, as the writer of musical Made In Dagenham; through You started writing soundtracks at sixth form in the 21st the BBC, as the man behind Sherlock’s with film director Danny Cannon… signature soundtrack; to Hollywood, where I didn’t start writing to picture until I met century he was composer on Independence Day, Danny at the Arts Centre in Luton. He wanted Godzilla and five Bond movies. He’s picked to be a film director and I wanted to be a film My perspective is slightly up a Grammy, a couple of Ivor Novello awards composer. We’d grab our friends on a Sunday different because I’m not a and a few BAFTA nominations on the way; and morning, head to a field just off the M1 and working musician in the same if you were wondering which musical maestro film them walking across the horizon with way that the guys we employed matched Danny Boyle’s unforgettable long coats on looking important! For a good on Sunday night at the Royal dramatics at the opening ceremony of the couple of years we were making films Festival Hall are. They don’t 2012 Olympics, that was Arnold too. together. That was when I was 19, 20 and to know what they’re doing the put it into some perspective, I didn’t get a job next day. They get a call and It wasn’t always red carpets and glitter. He writing music until I was 31. In the ensuing they come down, and whatever paid his dues for many years working small- period there was an awful lot of stuff done, is in front of them they’ll play. time gigs in pubs and clubs. His break came at but zero reward for it in financial terms. It Either that or they’re playing the age of 31 when his long-time friend Danny was Danny who ended up doing his first in the West End. I know all Cannon secured the gig as director of the 1993 feature film. He asked me to score it and that those players and I know how precarious the business of feature film The Young Americans. He asked got me into the world professionally. Until 17 Arnold to score the soundtrack from which then it was me gigging at nights and the being a working musician is. Björk’s rendition of Play Dead was a chart hit. weekend, doing part-time jobs in B&Q, selling The possibilities for exploitation The doors opened and within weeks Arnold carpets, digging holes in roads… are greater because there was flying out to LA for a date with Stargate are hundreds of great violin director Roland Emmerich. Which composers inspired you as a child? players but there might not be John Barry had the biggest influence on me, hundreds of great composers Born in Luton in 1962, Arnold was growing but also Lionel Bart. Seeing Oliver, You Only Live for the particular work for up at a time when the dynamic power of the Twice and The Jungle Book – watching films which they think you’re relationship between film and music was being that were very powerful musically in terms suitable. Most of my experience fully realised. Inspired as a young child by the of score as well as being very idiosyncratic of the Union is when they come visual and aural punch of films such as You visually. All of those films were hugely iconic. in to see if everything is alright Only Live Twice, he would later became close I loved the feel of it: the visual noise and the with my sessions – they turn friends with his mentor John Barry. They would aural noise seemed very exciting. I lived in up and make sure everyone is looked after properly. That’s © Nichole Rees Nichole © share more than friendship and, like Barry, Luton and everything looks exotic when your bedroom backs onto a factory car park. the great value of it. It’s there to protect people’s rights, “It used to annoy me What form did your musical education take? and to make sure that they’re It was largely informal. I never had piano compensated fairly and looked when people couldn’t lessons. I didn’t have a formal university after, and not exploited. education in playing or composition, but I’ve keep time. I could been writing songs and instrumental pieces since I first picked up a guitar aged nine or ten. never understand it,” When they first put a recorder in my hand and the class tambourine was passed around, it On his school music lessons used to annoy me that people couldn’t keep time. I could never understand it. I was always hearing harmonies in my head. I loved the idea that people were making a sound that wasn’t speech. I remember feeling that the music teachers seemed to be the happiest in the school. Good education and enthusiastic

The Musician • Autumn 2014 problem. Whether it’s Sherlock or James Bond or Independence Day: it’s me in the same room with the same equipment looking at the same screen trying to respond to something that’s in front of me. The first thing you do is music teachers are the secret. Music teaching make a decision about what the tone of the is about so much more than just learning music is going to be. Is it electronic, acoustic, music. It teaches you how to communicate, to jazzy, orchestral, techno? You have to find listen and work democratically within a group, the language of the film stylistically, and that and when to play loud or quiet – so many life comes from your own response to the work in lessons to be learned. front of you as well as from discussions with the director. I used to write themes based on Throughout your career you’ve forged a wide the script and I’d start putting music to it once variety of collaborations – Jarvis Cocker, Iggy they’d sent me the film. Now I wait until they’ve Pop, Paul McCartney among others. How do finished shooting. Sometimes I read the script, you choose the musicians you work with? sometimes not. I ask filmmakers if they can Sometimes people ask me, which is a huge assemble sequences for me. If it’s a character treat and an honour. Sometimes I’ll have study, for example, I ask them to send me someone particular in mind and it’s just a scenes they’re in. The way they move, talk matter of making a phone call. I really like and look – something that tells you the kind working with other people – I don’t know if I get of person that they are. Then I write a suite a bit irritated or bored with myself. Also, there’s of music inspired by the film – not the story, always an element of surprise that you would but by location, light, character and dialogue. never achieve if you’re doing your own thing. I write suites of parts, and the filmmakers put People say to me it must be amazing hearing them into the film in different places. Then you your work played by an orchestra, but the start the process of rescoring based on how performance is always in my head. When we they’ve reused the music that you have given 18 do get to the point of ‘that’s the take’, it’s more them. By the end of that process, before you a sense of relief than excitement. You don’t go, start ‘scoring scoring’, you might have 50% of ‘Oh my god, this is my music being played by the music ready. That’s when you sit down to an orchestra,’ you think ‘this is how I conceived decide where the music should go and what it it.’ It’s a team sport. should be doing.

How do you approach writing for film? Does it How has the development of technology differ from writing for Sherlock, for example? affected the way young songwriters approach It doesn’t really differ from TV. You have a the craft of songwriting? series of moving images and you have a I think it’s democratising the idea of producing set of problems that those images present sound recordings, but there’s a big difference you with, and music is the solution to that between a songwriter and a record maker. I think software has allowed people who don’t have musical training to express themselves musically, and that’s a good thing. What worries me more is that it allows you to make Rasic/Rex Brian © music with a limited scope and reach. I’m “There’s a big not saying you can’t write an amazing song Fitzgerald and Hoagy Carmichael? You can’t with three chords – plenty of people have. hear them on the radio unless you seek out difference between I suppose it’s a bit like learning a language the specialist programme that puts them on. and only knowing five verbs. But if that’s all What worries me is that there is a shrinking a songwriter and that’s required for that style of music there’s sphere of amazing songs in terms of how they obviously no problem. I’m not the person to influence future generations of writers. a record maker,” criticise the state of songwriting because I think there are great songs being written. When did you first join the MU? On new technology in music Are there classic songs being written? I guess When I started recording stuff myself. My dad there still are, aren’t there? If you’re talking was a big union fan and a socialist-minded about classic songwriting: Gershwin, Rodgers person. He used to sing in a 12-piece dance and Hammerstein, my main concern is that I don’t know where you’re going to be hearing that material in 50 years time. If you’re a teenager, where are you going to discover Ella

The Musician • Autumn 2014 profile © Nichole Rees Nichole © Shaken and stirred

As a prolific composer, band. They were all MU members and the producer and writer, David newsletter used to be around the house. Arnold likes to mix up his I always thought, ‘This is a good idea’, portfolio. Here are just three of because there’s no other way of being his career highlights… represented. When I was 21, 22, I used to use the legal services, because in the early days 1996 when you got a contract you didn’t know When director Roland what you were looking at. You just wanted Emmerich was looking for a to know what time to turn up, what you were composer who could supply going to get paid and if you got a sandwich. dark drama and rousing It was very useful in that there were anthems to accompany his film consequences if people messed you about. Independence Day, Arnold was the obvious choice. A great How is the way music is consumed decision that earned Arnold a affecting the industry? Grammy for Best Instrumental We can all agree that the idea of being able Composition Written for a to sell music to people is something that Motion Picture or for Television. is disappearing, and probably won’t be around for that much longer. Technology 1997 has effectively allowed illegal behaviour to As a longtime Bond fan, flourish, but we have to adapt to the fact David Arnold paid homage that that’s the world we’re living in now. to John Barry by producing an That cat is definitely out of the bag! People 19 album of versions of tracks share music on devices and they don’t from the Bond films. Jarvis consider the implications because there Above: Alone in the studio. Far left: The BBC Electric Cocker, Propellerheads and are no consequences. The consequences Proms with Dame Shirley Björk were among the artists are that we will lose grassroots skills. We’re Bassey. Near left: On who joined Arnold on the already losing the smaller and medium-sized stage at the John Barry album. Barry liked it so much studios… if the recording studios go, the Memorial Concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Below: At he recommended Arnold as the engineering skills go, the knowledge to mic the BMI Film & TV awards composer for the next Bond up a piano, or mic up an orchestra – that will in Beverley Hills with Clint movie and the pair became go and the support network will go and then

© Getty Images Mansell and Brian Tyler. close friends. what’s the point of learning an instrument if you’re not going to play anywhere? I’m 2010 talking about 50 years in the future when Sherlock, Mark Gatiss and our core group of astonishing, world-class Steven Moffat’s sharp, edgy musicians will have passed on to the next interpretation of Arthur Conan generation. I wonder if people will bother Doyle’s detective hero, needed investing all that time and trouble in learning music to match. Working – and we know how much time that is – and

© Getty Images alongside collaborator Michael the sacrifices you end up making to be a Price, Arnold’s compositions player of excellence. I wonder whether that and signature theme tune will just fall away and we’ll stop being the have become inextricably centre of excellence in music. I think we connected to the show’s need to protect our studios and we need intelligent wit, and the complex to protect our musicians’ inheritance in characters that inhabit it. terms of allowing them to do what they do so brilliantly. There’s a reason why the world comes to this country to make recordings. The industry is not dead. It’s lying on the ground twitching a little bit! I’m thinking if we kick it hard enough it might get up and walk but there’s a possibility that it might not. It might need some intervention.

The Musician • Autumn 2014 20

Background BEATS Composing library music for TV, radio and film can be a great way to earn extra money. Will Simpson investigates…

The Musician • Autumn 2014 FEATURE

Hamilton has been writing library music for 18 years. After making his mark as a sax player, Royalty-free he turned to writing library when he had many pieces that he couldn’t find a home for. “My library music wife said: ‘why not send them to a publisher?’ I got some negative responses, but the head Most libraries hold the Compared to playing in front of a live of De Wolfe Music came back to me. He liked copyright of a track for audience, or creating and honing your what I’d done, one thing led to another, and I perpetuity and split royalties own artistic vision, the world of library music have now done five albums for them.” 50/50 with the composer. might be sorely lacking in romance and However, recent years have glamour. But for a writer/composer, it can Hamilton now freelances for a number of seen the growth of so-called provide a decent income to supplement libraries, but the commissioning process isn’t royalty-free or copyright-free your potential earnings as a musician. as free and easy as it used to be: “They used to library music, especially in sometimes say ‘do you fancy doing an album the US, where instead of Library music is the incidental music that of this kind of thing’, like travel music or late- MCPS the library pays a you hear on TV and radio, and it differs from night jazz type stuff. You’d forward a few MP3s flat fee up front to the writer. most commercial music in that in most to see if you were on the right track. Many in the industry feel that cases the library owns the copyright. this represents a bad deal for Essentially it’s a convenient solution for TV “Now, with it being so much more competitive, all concerned. and film producers, that is considerably it has become difficult even for established cheaper than commissioned music. writers to get their calls returned. Even though “The advantage is that I’ve done dozens of albums for companies, programme makers would In the UK, library first rose to prominence they still don’t phone me back when I phone take a punt on dozens of during the 60s and 70s – the so-called them! It’s like the conventional music business different pieces of music to golden age of British TV. Indeed several of in that respect. Now, if you have written a lot of see what worked,” says Andy that era’s best loved themes were originally stuff for a company, they will send out a brief Hamilton. “But I don’t think library tracks. Approaching Menace by Neil to all their writers, saying: ‘We’re doing this, many musicians are interested Richardson is instantly recognisable as the have you got anything like this? Send it in and because the whole idea of 21 theme from Mastermind, while a generation of we’ll tell you if we like it.’” putting your life and soul into 30- and 40-somethings could probably hum a piece of music is that at some Alan Hawkshaw’s Chicken Man note for note. The commissioning process varies from library point in the future it might get (It’s better known as the Grange Hill theme, to library. “Some of the guys I work with are used extensively and you’ll in case you were wondering.) much more hands on,” says composer Paul reap greater rewards.” Honey. “They’ll say ‘yeah that’s working’ or As the number of TV channels has multiplied in ‘that’s not, how about adding this, how about Ray Russell is more succinct. the digital era, so has the number of libraries taking this away’. And with the mix they’re “It’s a false economy. And it and library musicians. In fact, according to much more hands on too.” devalues the music.” composer Andy Hamilton, the sector has never been more competitive. “Technology Others, like the Eastbourne-based Made Up has made it easier for everybody to make Music, have a relaxed attitude. “Probably music. But I also think it’s the sheer number the difference between us and a lot of other of people who have realised that it’s a way to companies is that they (the writers) approach “It can’t be a bedroom earn money, and so are flooding the library us,” says co-owner Ray Russell. “They say, recording. It has to be companies. I’m amazed that the companies ‘look we really really want to do this, what do haven’t got every kind of music that has ever you think?’ If they’re lucky we say ‘yeah’. But recorded properly to

© Getty Images been written in the whole world.” we do have very stringent quality control – it has to sound really good and it can’t be meet what we think is a bedroom recording. It has to be recorded properly and mastered to meet what we think the right audio quality,” is the right audio quality.” Ray Russell Russell says that he listens to every submission sent on spec by aspiring composers. “I think most companies do. We’ve struck up a couple of very good relationships that way, and what is great for us is if it sounds good, we can react reasonably quickly. It’s quite a simple process for us to put it out.”

The Musician • Autumn 2014 Andy Hamilton has boosted his earnings as a sax player by writing library music So what makes a good library track? Well unlike nearly every other field of contemporary music, library tracks do not draw attention to themselves – in most cases they are there to Ray Russell insists that aspiring provide underscore, a musical bed upon which library music should have top-notch production images and dialogue can be laid. Essentially, and sound it’s background music. What is a term of abuse in the world of commercial music couldn’t be a higher compliment when it comes to library.

“It’s a very specific skill set,” says library composer Matthew Moore. “You have to switch off your sense of art and attempt Advice to write music that could be used in lots of different ways rather than pigeonholing for aspiring

yourself. It’s really developing those skills © Paul Carter in listening, and thinking about how many library different usages it might get? It’s not easy. I’ve Then when your track has been accepted, made some great rookie errors, like writing composers the best thing you can possibly do is sit too much melody that can get in the way of back and forget about it. “If you’re waiting dialogue, or not putting enough variation in. l Do your research. Have a expectantly every month for something to Or a massive change of texture. The knack is look around at what the be used then you will drive yourself slowly keeping it constant.” libraries are releasing. Think mad,” says Honey. “The best thing is not to about the sort of music they worry about it. Of course, trends come and go – in the 60s need, and any gaps they might and 70s library music was synonymous with have in their catalogue. “There is no rhyme or reason how this 22 easy listening mood music. In the 90s it was music gets used. My work has been used difficult to switch on your TV without hearing l When you put your tracks up on everything from a series of historical library trip-hop. These days, though, it is on SoundCloud, make sure they documentaries to Embarrassing Bodies. perhaps best to think outside the box. are recorded on the best quality One thing I’d completely forgotten about – equipment you can get. Cheap- a cheesy George Shearing-type piece with “You have to think: ‘where is there a gap?’ sounding music is unlikely to be vibraphone and piano that I had written 15 says Honey. “Sometimes, rather than thinking commissioned. years ago – popped up in Poland. It probably ‘oh the trend is to do this type of thing,’ why hadn’t yielded many royalties in all that not think ‘there’s not much of this going on l Think about how to make time, and then it gets picked up and is used out there’. For example, Andy Findon and I your music appeal to libraries absolutely masses on a Polish series.” recorded an album of fairground-type music through words. Give your tracks called Cirque Du Freak for the In-spired library. titles that instantly conjure That’s the thing about library – it’s very I think if you throw yourself into an existing up memorable images. Ray much a long-term investment. Everyone trend, well, there is no point adding more Russell suggests: “You need to we spoke to for this article agreed that tracks to a very crowded market.” have a concept. When an editor you’re very unlikely to become rich overnight listens to a track they usually from this kind of work. However, if you’re listen to about three or four patient and prolific enough to build up a “You have to switch off seconds, so they’re more likely substantial back catalogue of tracks it can to commission tracks with become a nice little earner. “It’s a nickel and your sense of art and keywords that explain what the dime industry, but those nickels and dimes all music is like.” add up,” says Russell. “A body of work is how attempt to write music you make money.” l Try to make your music that could be used in timeless. A track that sounds And it is entirely possible to earn a living bang up to date in 2014 might from it. “I do know some people who do just lots of different ways,” not be used in five years’ time, library and live off it,” says Honey, “although let alone 20. they are probably writing a huge volume Matthew Moore of music to earn that amount. It’s certainly l Write as much as you can. not a guaranteed income, and I wouldn’t And don’t be put off if at first the recommend doing it solely. Use it as just one of libraries don’t return your calls. your strands of income rather than devoting your whole life to it.”

The Musician • Autumn 2014 feature PPL celebrates 80th anniversary in fine health

Licensing company hits major milestone as strong technology is in place to enable the company to process this information in the most growth in performance rights continues. efficient way possible.

Board representation In the past few years, PPL has also worked to increase the number of performers represented on the PPL main board and performer board, so as to better represent the needs of both record companies and performers. At the most recent Annual Performer Meeting, in 2013, performer, songwriter and producer Crispin Hunt and performer and songwriter Mark Kelly were elected as performer directors, taking the total number of PPL performer directors to five. Two performer directors are nominated by Equity 23 and the Musicians’ Union respectively.

Performance rights are PPL CEO Peter Leathem said: “The needs of an important source of revenue for artists our members are at the heart of everything

© Blend Images / Alamy that we do, and we look forward to being able to serve them with even greater effectiveness, It is now eight decades since the creation creating recorded music. PPL is managing efficiency and transparency as the industry of PPL, the music licensing company more rights for more members with revenues continues to evolve.” dedicated to collecting payments for labels continually increasing: the £1m collected in its and, more recently, performers. As the first full decade of business had grown to Performers wanting to find out more about copyright landscape has changed, PPL’s role almost £180m a year by 2013. It also operates how PPL can help to maximise their royalties, has expanded and it has significantly grown an international royalty collection service. With both in the UK and internationally, should the revenues that it pays out to its members. 68 reciprocal agreements in place in 34 visit ppluk.com – or check PPL out on Twitter countries with other international music at @PPLUK #becauseitsyours. PPL works on behalf of more than 90,000 licensing companies – or Collective record companies and performers to license Management Organisations (CMOs) as they recorded music played in public (at pubs, are sometimes called – PPL helps members to nightclubs, restaurants, shops, offices and get paid when their music is played many other business types) across the UK. internationally. The firm has agreements in the Why join PPL? Created by EMI and Decca, its members USA, as well as most European countries, and include major record labels and independents, in Asia and South America. PPL member and T.Rex Drummer Bill Legend as well as globally successful performers and explains why he finds his PPL membership so session musicians, ranging from orchestral The organisation’s continuing investment in valuable: “I really appreciate all the work that players to percussionists and singers. The new IT systems, staff training and better PPL does on behalf of those musicians, past majority are small businesses, all of whom are processes have helped to make music and present, whose musical performances legally entitled to be fairly paid for the use of licensing more comprehensive and efficient. are now finally rewarded – sometimes after their recordings and performances. Given that PPL now licenses more than long periods of time when their creative input 300,000 public performance sites (including and musical inspiration have been As physical sales of music have continued to shops, bars and gyms), broadcast and online disregarded. We now have true recognition decline, performance rights have become a channels and more than 3.6 billion seconds of and just financial reward.” major income stream for all those involved in broadcasting airplay, it is imperative that the

The Musician • Autumn 2014 BLACK MUSIC IN BRITAIN To celebrate Black History Month in October, Kevin LeGendre takes us on a journey through the traditions and innovations of black music makers in Britain.

24 © Getty Images

The Musician • Autumn 2014 FEATURE

Any study of black music in Britain hinges on an understanding of black people in Britain. For the most part this brings to mind West The Indian and African immigrants as well as their Classical children, who claim a dual heritage that is as politically complex as it is culturally rich. Connection However, the other key part of the equation is the numerous African-Americans who have Although Samuel Coleridge- been coming to our green and pleasant land Taylor remains the iconic for many centuries. presence in black British classical music, there were Put simply, there is no single, monolithic black Classical composer notable others who came community in Britain. There are several black Samuel Coleridge-Taylor before and after him. George was a hugely popular communities with histories that converge Bridgetower was a virtuoso musical pioneer, but still and diverge, as the lived experience of the struggled to embed himself violinist and composer who different members of this human mosaic are Archive/Un/Rex History Universal © into the establishment was a sensation among in a near constant state of flux. Trinidadian European aristocratic circles in calypso singers who arrived on the Windrush the 18th century for his recitals in 1948 met an England quite unlike that which “There was discrimination, and work with Beethoven, who awaited Rwandan DJs and producers who police brutality, murders, composed the notoriously disembarked in 1998. demanding Kreutzer Sonata mob violence and riots for him. Another significant Assuming that there was a kind of grand composer was Joseph Emidy, inventory of black music in Britain, an while Britain learned who once played at the Opera alternative Domesday Book that recognised House in Lisbon, before he the songs, instruments and audiences rather how to skank.” was kidnapped and brought than the monies of musicians of colour, we to Cornwall where he greatly might be astounded if we flicked through it. edifying was the fact that there had initially developed symphonic music. 25 been reservations over his enrolment at the Broad appeal Royal College of Music for fear of the unrest a A contemporary composer Who do we find in 1810? A one-legged ‘coloured’ student would cause among fellow who has drawn inspiration fiddler by the name of Black Billy Waters. pupils. This paradox – an embrace of black from Emidy, and who has He is entertainingly ‘scraping the catgut’ music and contempt for black people – is not imaginatively incorporated for dandyish punters on his pitch outside an isolated phenomenon, and whether the elements of his African heritage London’s Adelphi Theatre. And what about historical period in question is the Victorian or into his work, is the cellist- 1940? Jamaican double bassist Coleridge post-war age the trend proves recurrent. kora player Tunde Jegede. His Goode. He plays jazz in several groups in superb 1995 CD Lamentation Glasgow where he’s studying electrical Britain’s history as both a slave trading nation was recorded with members of engineering. 1900? Classical composer and colonial power that once ruled large the London Sinfonietta. While Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, whose father was parts of the West Indies and Africa made this the lack of black representation Sierra Leonean and mother English. He sees very problematic engagement with blacks in major national orchestras his immensely popular oratorio The Song Of inevitable. Entrepreneurs who realised the has been a subject of intense Hiawatha performed at the Royal Albert Hall. 18th century plantation economy was a vital debate over the years, the means to power the Industrial Revolution saw achievements of some of This is but a cursory roll call of significant the Negro as a source of untold wealth. But Jegede’s peers such as Paul names in the history of black music in they were always more than an efficient beast Gladstone-Reid should not be Britain. But even this relatively small cross- of burden. Slaves throughout the Americas overlooked. He has proved to section reveals how musicians of African and displayed enormous aptitude on banjos, be irrepressibly eclectic and Caribbean descent have made their presence violins and percussion instruments, and British has frequently brought soul felt in both highbrow and populist settings. audiences did not resist the charms of black and pop influences into his The hundreds who flocked to hear Coleridge- music. Tours of Britain by African-American work. He has composed for Taylor’s richly layered, jaunty and appealing minstrels, such as Haverly’s Genuine Colored string quartets and the Royal score may also have been interested to know Minstrels, drew large crowds. Philharmonic, and there are that when he successfully toured America improvising musicians – a he was dubbed The African Mahler. Less Those who followed down the ages – 19th key example being the alto century gospel legends Fisk Jubilee Singers; saxophonist Jason Yarde – 30s jazz big band leader Ken ‘Snakehips’ who have worked with the Johnson; 50s calypso singer Lord Kitchener; London Symphony Orchestra. 60s ska pioneers Millie Small and Ernest

The Musician • Autumn 2014 The Specials et al were reaching back in time to hail the influence of the form of Jamaican music that had preceded the reggae expounded by the aforementioned Aswad. Instead of Bob Marley, Prince Buster was the primary source of inspiration, and this made the essential point that the cultural history of the African diaspora was multi-faceted and ultimately post-modernist. The music of the past was plural rather than singular, and often

Ranglin; 70s Afro-rockers Osibisa – enjoyed Political voice great success while the debate on immigration To their great credit, The Specials went beyond and race relations took hotly contentious, if not the anachronistic. In Ghost Town, they created tragic, turns. There was discrimination, police an intensely shadowy, beautifully bleak brutality, murders, mob violence and riots anthem to the hopelessness of the Thatcher while Britain learned how to skank. years that was much more than facile West Indian pastiche. It showed how the deep roots What brought things to a head was the rise of of black music could flower into new forms far-right groups such as the National Front, of British pop, if the exponents tuned into the whose merciless and vicious targeting of political as well as musical frequencies of the © David Levenson/Rex ‘wogs’ and ‘Pakis’ reached untold proportions original models. The hue of Jamaica’s shanty in the 70s. That, as well as the shocking racist towns of the 60s was recast as the cry of comments made by white artists, such as Britain’s wrecked council estates in the 80s. Eric Clapton in 1976, formed the backdrop 26 against which the Rock Against Racism (RAR) Fascinatingly, this time travelling was campaign was launched in 1978. It was a paralleled by developments on the jazz scene. watershed moment that united superlative A few years after the Two Tone revival there reggae acts such as Misty In Roots, Steel came a new wave of improvising musicians Pulse and Aswad, and punk icons The born in Britain to West Indian parents who took Clash, Buzzcocks and The Ruts in a series of their cue from 50s and 60s post-bop legends © Eugene Adebar/Rex Eugene © concerts up and down the country. “The real such as Art Blakey, Sonny Rollins and importance of Rock Against Racism was that it John Coltrane, and developed their own gave a platform to all genres, and just allowed acoustic rather than electric music. “The hue of Jamaica’s people to hear punk and reggae and other The scene’s prime movers, Steve genres together,” recalls Aswad lead vocalist Williamson, Courtney Pine, Gary Crosby, shanty towns of the 60s Brinsley Forde. “And it wasn’t just the racial Cleveland Watkiss and Orphy Robinson, thing. It was an opportunity to voice opinions who played together in the much-loved was recast as the cry of on many different things, while all kinds of Jazz Warriors big band, were weaned people were coming together and dancing.” on all kinds of black music. In fact, Britain’s wrecked council they debuted with funk groups like Rich heritage Hi-Tension and reggae singers such as estates in the 80s.” No greater symbol of the cultural unity Carroll Thompson. This education was fostered by RAR was the emergence of the very important, as Robinson explains. ways. The blackness and the Britishness 80s Two Tone movement spearheaded by have intermingled in 90s forms such as drum bands such as The Beat, The Selecter and “Our background is the Caribbean. So we’ve ‘n’ bass, a genre whose barrelling subsonics The Specials. Quite apart from the fact that had that strong heritage, and the culture, the owed an obvious debt to Jamaican dub, but they were multi-racial, and in the case of The traditions, the food, the music. It’s always whose frenetic speed and icy tonal austerity Selecter fronted by a woman, these bands also been there whether it’s Burning Spear, from reflected the starkness of a dimly-lit England. made the important point that the heritage of my background in reggae. We’ve always had Most impressively, the music went all around black music in Britain was simply too rich to people speaking very strongly about the world the world, influencing many DJs and producers ignore. Their template was the bluebeat or ska from their viewpoint, and how they see things. from Shibuya to Sao Paulo. that had proved hugely popular in the 60s. I’ve always grown up with that, so let’s not pretend that we only eat fish and chips.”

Since the heyday of the Warriors, this cultural duality has crystallised in startlingly fresh

The Musician • Autumn 2014 FEATURE © IIpo/Rex ©

Black trailblazers in British music. Page 24: Osibisa. Left to right: Soul II Soul, Courtney Pine, The Specials, Tinie Tempah, Aswad, Roni Size

Soul II Neo-Soul

Since the early 60s Britain has had a strong blues scene powered by the likes of Alexis Korner and John Mayall, but as © David Corio/PYMCA/Rex David © the music evolved in America, new British artists embraced its changing sound. Rhythm & Blues, with its jazz influence, was brilliantly played by Georgie Fame while the next stage of R&B’s development – soul – was made popular by while reflecting the thrust of the present. the likes of the great American However, the dynamism of black music in 27 expatriate Geno Washington. Britain has spread far and wide beyond the migrant communities whence it originally

© Danny Payne/Rex In the early 70s the visionary came. Therein lies its real magnitude. Blues, West Indian combo Cymande soul, funk, reggae and dubstep have all mixed soul and rock grooves significantly affected rock and pop acts over Ultimately, Britain has proved the place where with Rastafarian drumming and time, even though the artists are as disparate black artists have been able to entwine genres chanting, and the end of the as The Clash, Portishead, James Blake or, with and flout conventions with regard to how decade saw the rise of a funk the greatest of irony, Eric Clapton. Put simply, music is made, let alone what it sounds like. movement whose exponents black music has radically changed Britain. The key examples here are three trail-blazing were children of Caribbean acts that came to prominence in the 90s – immigrants – Hi-Tension, While this is cause for celebration there is Soul II Soul, Massive Attack, and Roni Size/ Light Of The World, Beggar still considerable ambiguity over the status Reprazent. They were not bands per se, but & Co. By the end of the 80s of black people, whether or not they are rather collectives of DJ-producers, rappers, there was another explosion musicians. The new wave of artists such as singers and players who blurred the lines of soul-funk acts led by the Tinie Tempah have shown that urban pop between tradition and modernity, and built Brand New Heavies, Omar and can sell, but that doesn’t mean the doors inventive bridges between soul, jazz, hip hop, Young Disciples. These artists have been flung open for all black musicians, dub and drum ‘n’ bass. tapped into the music of James especially those who are hard to pigeonhole. Brown and Curtis Mayfield Far-reaching influence and championed live playing, Which is why Bindu Paul, Education and Roni Size scooped the coveted Mercury Music particularly with horn sections, Equalities Official of the MU, is keen to make Prize in 1997 and brought a greater degree of at a time when hip hop was this point. “Young Black, Asian or Minority gravitas to, and media interest in, electronically- making the DJ-producer king. Ethnic people need to have role models that based black music that has consistently It was a highly significant they can relate to and aspire to be like. Black undergone myriad transformations, from development as the huge music has made the British music industry rich trip-hop to UK garage to grime, all of which popularity of the Heavies and with different influences from around the world have experimented with rhyme, rhythm, tempo, Omar would greatly influence and from different cultures. There is still a long texture and the whole art and science of the a new wave of American neo- way to go in order to maintain opportunities for beat that acknowledges the weight of the soul artists such as Maxwell, young people who will continue to add to this past – there would be no Dizzee Rascal without D’Angelo and Erykah Badu. contribution.” Where black music in Britain will Tricky and no Tricky without Rodney P – all the go next is anybody’s guess.

The Musician • Autumn 2014 28 The Musician • Autumn 2014 Autumn • Musician The

© Jonathan Stewart Photography Written in the stars Feature by NeilCrossley collaboration withsome famous friends… the stories behindtheir songsandtelloftheir Cosmic prog-tinged folk bandMoulettes explain

profile

Jets, Noisettes, Laura Marling and Mumford & Sons, then, in 2009, Seasick Steve’s management and label offered to release the band’s eponymous debut album.

Ask most bands to describe their sound and This was followed in 2011 by The Bear’s it’s unlikely the answers will correspond Revenge, described by MOJO as “complex and with those of the music critics attempting to beautiful… intriguing and unique”. Since then, Moulettes define them. Such is the case with Brighton- the band have been almost continuously on based band Moulettes, whose unbridled, the road. In June 2014, they released their third on the MU idiosyncratic style has been dubbed variously album Constellations, a work steeped in rich as indie folk, alt folk or just plain old folk rock, stories, characters and imagery. Hannah Miller: “I think the MU tags that fail to reflect the band’s diversity. is a very positive force. I wish As they prepared to undertake a series of that more people would use it “People can listen to Moulettes and hear summer festivals, Hannah Miller and Oliver and use it to its full potential, Shostakovich, Björk, Miles Davis, Pink Floyd, Austin (drummer, co-founder and producer on because I think it has a lot more Pentangle and Skrillex,” explains founder, this album) spoke to The Musician about their to give on a political scale, and vocalist, cellist and principle songwriter sound, gigging abroad, and the challenges of I think we need people to be Hannah Miller. “That is where we’ve all come navigating the digital music marketplace. part of that.” from. Everyone shares in over 80 years of recorded music history.” You have some guest artists on this album, Oliver Austin: “We keep getting including Arthur Brown and Herbie Flowers. told that the left, the strong Moulettes’ broad sonic palette and soaring What did they bring to the mix? left, is becoming less of a niche live performances have helped define the Hannah Miller: It’s a real pleasure to work with thing. But maybe we have a band from the outset. Formed in 2002 in both of them. They’re legends. We went on warped perception because Glastonbury, they rose to prominence playing tour with Arthur Brown. Jim, our bassist, has there’s a lot of idealism in and Den Of Iniquity nights at London’s 12 Bar Club. been the MD with Arthur for a few years now, around the arts. I mean, we’re By 2005 they’d forged friendships with Mystery and I think there was a mutual appreciation big fans of comedians like 29 and friendship. He sings on a couple of tracks. Stewart Lee and Josie Long, We multi-tracked him to get a whole choir of who are actively out there. It’s Arthur Brown – the God Of Hell Choir. When do frustrating that the messages you get an opportunity to do that? are getting out there, but mobilising people is a whole Oliver Austin: He’s got more energy than any different challenge. We need to of us, and he’s got such great pipes still – he try bringing in some of the more can really belt it out. I sometimes drum with independent artists. There’s a him, and I did a gig with him where he did the lot of support for the MU in the fire helmet. And of course it’s even more of a folk world and there’s a strong shock now because of people’s health and relationship in the classical safety perceptions. I think a lot of the health world. If we can try and and safety rules that were implemented were encourage a better relationship because of Arthur! When you see it in a venue between independent music – it’s primeval and just incredible. rock music, and hip-hop and dance – if we can do that, How did Herbie Flowers get involved? there’s potentially a sleeping OA: Again, through our bassist Jim, who had giant there.” “People can listen to a few lessons from him. Herbie was a real innovator in youth project music 20 years ago. Moulettes and hear He kind of set up the rock school model. Jim was a product of that and he struck up quite a Shostakovich, Björk, good relationship with Herbie. He’s just such a Miles Davis, Pink Floyd, genuine person. HM: He’s always played the same two basses Pentangle and Skrillex,” – the electric Fender and the double bass (as played on Walk On The Wild Side) – and when Hannah Miller he started to play on Land Of The Midnight Sun you could hear this familiar warmth. It was amazing. I really enjoyed that day.

The Musician • Autumn 2014 You’ve always been broadly dubbed as a folk- based band. Is that true of the new album? OA: I think there are actually very few folk moments in there. And I think that’s kind of a conscious thing because we definitely want to try and appeal to a broader audience. That’s who we are anyway as musicians. I wasn’t brought up on folk music at all. I mean, I love it now – Hannah’s introduced me to loads of it, particularly the Scandinavian stuff.

HM: I really love the storytelling element of Scandinavian folk tunes and the traditional instruments they use. There is something very magical about those tunes. I think Moulettes as a band get accused of having too much going on and people struggle to pinpoint what

we’re actually doing a lot of the time, but that’s © Jonathan Stewart Photography where we’re at musically at the moment. I mean, people have been saying ‘keep it simple’ OA: I don’t think anyone really knows the for quite a long time now, and although there answers or the solutions. Like all these things, are merits to that, I don’t think we should shy you always have to think innovatively about away from complex music. We’ve worked at it, how to make money. That’s obviously not our but I don’t think we’re cramming things in for main ambition, but as we all know it helps. But the sake of it. It’s a very organic thing – we’re trying to sustain the thing is difficult. always trying to serve the song. Moulettes frequently HM: It is bad because it does clip your wings, expand their four member core to a six-piece for live 30 You’ve enlisted the help of dubstep producer you know? I don’t think anyone could ever work, bringing in Eliza Jaye Mike Dennis on this new album. accuse us of not being ambitious, but the (above, second from left) OA: He’s consistently done really great things that we could have achieved had we on electric guitar, synth remixes for us before, and we worked with him had the means… that’s kind of sad. and vocals, and Mikey Simmonds (above, far left) specifically on Land Of The Midnight Sun and on violin, viola and vocals. Keep It As A Memory on Constellations. Have you felt the effect of the downturn in I think folktronica – acoustic instruments with terms of live work? electronica – has been a real innovation in a HM: Yep. I think it’s fair to say that small lot of production in the past 10 or 15 years, and venues are shutting left, right and centre, I don’t think we should shy away from it at all. which is really sad because they can be the I definitely just wanted to experiment a little bit real heart of the community. And, because of with programming. the scale of them, there’s generally a lot of love in those places, from the people that promote Since you formed in 2002, the music industry them and work there. Middle-sized venues are OA: It’s been slower for us than we would have has undergone a profound transformation, also getting pretty scarce, and they can be hoped overseas. Our previous management with artists now struggling to define where some of the best venues to play as well – those and label were convinced that we would be their recorded music revenue will come from. 300-capacity places. able to do better in the UK, and that it would What impact has that had on you? then make it so much easier to do the deals OA: It takes a long time to be able to get to in the different territories. And although we’ve that level. That’s when bands can actually had some tangible success it’s not as much as “People now realise turn over a little bit of money. But that’s one I think was hoped, so we took a gamble. Only potentially positive thing that’s come out of the now are we really starting to hard graft it in that the live thing industry’s changes – people now realise that different territories. the live thing for musicians is so important in is so important in terms of revenue. And that’s our main stream Do you have any plans to tour North America? of revenue. It’s still difficult, but it’s real. And it’s HM: I went to Canada to do that very thing, terms of revenue,” ongoing from day to day – we’re constantly on but I went in January and we drove through Oliver Austin tour. And at least it creates cashflow. the Rocky Mountains with no winter tyres, What about touring in other territories such as Scandinavia and Europe? HM: Yeah, Norway’s especially good.

The Musician • Autumn 2014 profile

Spreading the word

“The other day we did a workshop with Alex Mann from so it was hairy. And expensive. But Canada’s the MU,” Hannah explains. great – there’s such a healthy scene out there. “Pete Flood from Bellowhead I really want us to get to Canada which is why I was there too. We were in a took this chance. Somebody offered me a little school doing a few workshops, grass rootsy solo tour. I think there’s a lot to be just outside Winchester. It was said for the way we’ve done it in other places, for young people who want to which is just get out there in a van and build it work in the music industry, and up yourself. At least you have a kind of human I thought that was just a really element going on, which is always nice. positive thing, just to speak to these kids and hear what they In addition to your live shows, you do quite a had to say. They were really bit of outreach work. How did that happen? into getting signed up and HM: Yeah, we nestle it in between our touring. getting clued up as soon as We do workshops and sing in care homes possible, which is so important and extracurricular stuff like that. There’s so because otherwise you don’t much more need for that with the government realise how much you have cutting so much funding. Once you get into to do everything, and not, these places and realise how transformative regrettably, just the music. it is, it’s enough to galvanise you into action. We’ve also done vascular post-surgery and “There were a lot of motivated dementia. One of our number, Ruth Skipper, is young women, and one of a doctor actually. 31 them in particular was really keen to become a producer. OA: She’s got a passion for it, I think. She really I was like: ‘Definitely do that. wants to make the wards in the NHS better. Please do that.’ I mean there’s And you can tell that the patients really love it. such a scarcity of female Last time, when we went into vascular, it was producers in an industry amazing. A guy who had just had surgery said, that’s still dominated by men. ‘Oh I like your guitars’, and asked to have a go. Very tiresomely.” He started playing, so we had an impromptu 12-bar blues wig-out on the ward.

Looking to the future, what’s next? OA: More records, more touring. Going into Australia and Canada – these are things that are at the forefront of our agenda. We do need Moulettes line-up to be gigging all the time to keep the thing alive. We’re already thinking about the next record. Our first album came out in 2010, and it took quite a while to come out. But the way that I see it, if we can put out as many albums in this decade – say two a year – that will be six albums. That’s my personal goal I think.

HM: And bigger shows, bigger productions, given half the chance. I’d love to do scores. We’ve done some theatre scores, and we’re Hannah Miller Oliver Austin Ruth Skipper Jim Mortimore working on a videogame score at the moment. Vocals, cello, hammered Vocals, drums, guitars, Vocals, bassoon, Vocals, double bass, dulcimer, percussion, percussion, electric autoharp electric bass, guitars, OA: It’s one of those videogames that, if it autoharp, synth bass, autoharp, synth, percussion takes off, keeps on building. So new music piano, waterphone, ideas will need to be added. Which is totally vibraphone our scene – building worlds.

The Musician • Autumn 2014 With a little Help from our friends The Musicians’ Benevolent Fund charity has rebranded as Help Musicians UK, a new, more inclusive organisation. Feature by Andrew Stewart

Professional musicians understand the value director at the Southbank Centre, having of self-reliance. It belongs to the list of started his career as a musician. “I was aware personal attributes necessary for a career as of the charity and that it had been through a performer, helping individuals deal with challenging times,” recalls Sheffield. “I also fallow periods and driving them on when the knew it had moved beyond its traditional role workload reaches fever pitch. The music but without people necessarily recognising industry would cease to function without it. how it had changed. When I heard about the charity’s new management team and the But what happens when that is not enough to ambitions they held, I felt I could bring some deal with life’s difficulties? Most musicians will leadership to the organisation.” be aware of the MU’s work, but it seems that 32 only a minority know about another significant Sheffield intends to be a hands-on chairman, source of assistance – a charity dedicated to speaking on behalf of Help Musicians UK, the cause of working and retired musicians. presenting its message to potential The Musicians’ Benevolent Fund may be users and donors, “Help Musicians UK provides long- familiar to many – small wonder given that it and recruiting has been around for over 90 years. And yet the prominent term support, one-off assistance charity’s own research suggested that it had ambassadors. become ‘the best kept secret in the music “I’ve never done and appropriate advice.” business’. Its management team responded a job where I’ve been by launching an ambitious programme of there to mind the evolutionary change, one intended to inform shop,” he notes. “I felt I could lead the next concerned for the future welfare of the 15 all musicians in the UK about the charity’s stage of the change process.” He aims to work elderly residents still living there. “We had a broad remit to provide the greatest possible with the charity’s executive team to challenge massive issue with them over that,” recalls number of those in need with help, support received opinion about its activities. The John Smith, General Secretary of the MU. “We and advice. The old name, regarded by many charity’s rebrand, he notes, is part of the story. feel we were right to call on the charity to keep as an exclusive fund for retired musicians, was the home open for the rest of its residents’ replaced at the beginning of this year by the “I believe it helps articulate what we’re trying lives. But they chose to close Ivor Newton more inclusive title, Help Musicians UK. to do, in terms of reaching more musicians and House. It was a very unfortunate episode, making it evident that we are addressing the which happily we’ve put behind us.” New direction full range of music professionals.” Graham Sheffield, director arts for the British Smith pays tribute to the work of David Sulkin, Council since 2011, was appointed as the New relationships executive director of the charity since 2008, charity’s chairman in April. His career credits In 2008, the Musicians’ Benevolent Fund made and welcomes the charity’s forward-thinking include an acclaimed period as artistic director headline news following its decision to close development under his leadership. “We have at London’s Barbican Centre and music Ivor Newton House, a 21-bed care home for worked closely with them on things such as retired musicians run by the charity. The falling health and wellbeing, and are about to sign a number of people who wanted to live there and memorandum of understanding and the home’s limited ability to care for residents partnership deal. They will assist us with our with complex disabilities were cited among the wellbeing workshops and we will help them reasons for its closure. While the MU accepted where we can. So we’ve moved forward the charity’s case in principle, the Union was extraordinarily since the Ivor Newton House

The Musician • Autumn 2014 report

one-off assistance and appropriate advice to Retired Musicians emerging artists, musicians in crisis, retired Lauretta Boston – people whose principal career was in music, jazz singer and pianist and individuals employed as sound engineers (top left) and record producers or in other music- “Help Musicians UK has related professions. The charity also offers helped me quite a lot. They support for the relatives and dependants of pay for the piano tuning, the musicians. “As far as we can, we wish to help help I get with housework musicians plan their careers, and for later life,” and shopping, and also to explains Sheffield. “That will allow us to shift meet up with other musicians. the balance of our resources towards helping It’s always good for retired in early career, rather than picking up the bits musicians to keep in touch later on. Of course we will continue picking up and remember that they are the bits, because we all make mistakes, we all musicians. The other week I have unforeseen circumstances and we all get performed, part of it playing old. But I think we can help people plan for the piano, part of it singing and those eventualities more systematically, not in the rest talking about music. It a patronising way, but by offering the kind of helps having an organisation help and advice that we all need.” that helps musicians.” At present Help Musicians UK funds around Musicians in Crisis 400 emerging artists each year, provides Mandhira de Saram – support to an equal number of musicians violin (top right) affected by accident, illness or other career- “One of the biggest challenges limiting crises, and offers assistance to around I’ve had in my career so far was 500 musicians in retirement. According to its getting ill. I had thyroid cancer, 2013 Impact Report, the charity also helped and that put things on hold 670 musicians to access expert healthcare 33 while I had an operation and advice, contributed to the costs of some radioactive treatment. professional training for 106 music students, When I first got sick, I panicked. and supported 64 musicians with long-term or Because I have a string quartet, terminal illness. It directed around £3.2m (79%) it meant that three other people of its £4.1m income to charitable activities, lost work as well. I know a lot including £626,000 to emerging artists and of musicians who try to work £180,000 to the British Association for through illness and end up Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM). more sick. Help Musicians UK helped me financially and gave “We need to raise money to do this work,” me emotional support, too. I notes Graham Sheffield. “The demand for what would advise any musician who we do is increasing, and as we get our has serious health problems or message across to more musicians, the need needs support with their career to raise more funds will also increase.” Like © Help Musicians UK. to ask for help.” most charities, Help Musicians UK relies on donations, legacies and fundraising initiatives. days. We saw them then as a patriarchal emerging artists While income from gifts in wills fell in 2013, the organisation, but that has changed under United Vibrations yield on its investments and money from David’s watch. We look forward to a close Kareem Dayes – fundraising grew. “It’s important for us to show cooperation with Help Musicians UK in future.” bass and vocals (bottom) that we are supporting those who create an “Our unique style is influenced art form that is enjoyed by a significant part of New ways to help by music from all over the world, the population,” comments Sheffield. “If I can Help Musicians UK is open to applications from from the past, present and help this charity to support the profession across the community of professional future. But it doesn’t necessarily even more effectively than it has done before, musicians. It provides long-term support, fit into the models which the I will have done my job.” music industry has currently. Help Musicians UK has helped us carry our vision forward without having to box ourselves or limit our musical creativity.”

The Musician • Autumn 2014 State &policy Should the state’s responsibility include promoting and funding the arts? The debate is discussed by an MU-backed think-tank.

Feature by Ellie O’Hagan, media and communications officer at Class

Societies across the world have some kind of ‘state’ – the question is not whether the state should play a role, but what sort of role that should be. Now, a new series of papers published by the Centre for Labour and Social 34 Studies (Class), a think-tank backed by the MU,

will explore questions around what a state Five years after the financial crisis, and with Alamy / Greig Johnny should do, and in whose interests. an ecological crisis looming, it is time to ask how a modern state can play a major role in Neo-liberalism – the dominant political securing social and ecological justice in the public services work for the common good. ideology in Britain since the 80s – sees UK, and how it can improve quality of life for Seifert agrees, stating: “Whenever public the state as authoritarian: it should defend ordinary people. services have been privatised the outcomes national sovereignty, protect private have been generally worse with rising prices, property, and maintain social order. Under Future vision restricted services, more scandals, more neo-liberalism there is no role for the state The new series from Class is entitled ‘In the corruption, less long-term investment, worse in promoting sustainability, social justice or public interest: the role of the modern state’. pay and conditions for staff, and a transfer celebrating arts and culture. The series features policy papers and think of money from the pockets of users and pieces by leading academics and journalists taxpayers to those of shareholders and Initially, the financial crisis of 2008 seemed over a range of subjects, including public senior managers.” also to be a crisis of neo-liberal thinking, but a ownership of the railways and other public serious debate about the role of the state in a assets, local government, and wage-led growth. Wage drive post-neo-liberal society has not taken place. Özlem Onaran, Professor of Workforce and Andrew Cumbers, Professor of Political Economic Development Policy at University Economy at University of Glasgow, and of Greenwich, suggests ways in which the Roger Seifert, Professor of Industrial government can intervene in the market to Relations and Human Resources end falling real-pay and ensure that the What is Class? Management at University of Wolverhampton economic recovery is wage-led. Her paper The Centre for Labour and Social Studies Business School, use their papers to examine will give an overview of the free-market, (Class) is a hub for debate. Established in the role of public services in the modern trickle-down myth and highlight some of the 2012, Class works with academics and state. Cumbers argues that public services, state interventions already in place to benefit experts to develop political policies that such as the rail industry, energy, housing and big business at the expense of working support working people. Through water are now concentrated in the hands of a people. She makes several recommendations publications, events and seminars, Class narrow set of vested corporate and financial to reverse this trend and increase people’s discusses issues on, among others, the interests. He says the consequences are wages. These include strengthening the economy, work and pay, trade unions, that decision-making is geared towards housing, equality and welfare. short-term profits, at the expense of more longer-term thinking and, in particular, how

The Musician • Autumn 2014 feature

Isabelle Political dynamics Gutierrez MU Head of In 2009, David Cameron said research in the Government Relations ground-breaking book The Spirit Level & Public Affairs, has (Richard Wilkinson & Kate Pickett) “has been elected to the officer level shown that among the richest countries, it’s position of Vice-President of Class. the more unequal that do worse according to almost every quality of life indicator.” “Class is producing exactly the Since the introduction of neo-liberalism in sort of intelligent and exciting the late 70s, inequality has expanded to policy work which is so levels not seen since the 20s, matched by a desperately needed at the decline in trade union membership and moment in order to counter the collective bargaining coverage. narrow-minded and unimaginative In a paper for Class, the authors of The rhetoric of the Conservative Party Spirit Level argue that the relationship and others on the right. The MU between trade union membership and is proud to be involved with this inequality demonstrates the weakening of organisation, which we believe is the political and ideological influence of the already helping to reinvigorate left in the era of neo-liberal ideology. It is and shape left-wing politics for only through creating a progressive alliance, the 21st century.” with trade unions playing a central role, that the levels of inequality brought about by neo-liberalism can be tackled. 35 Ongoing debate As we move further towards the May 2015 general election, the debate around what bargaining power of trade unions so they can focus on the New Public Management model a state is for, who it benefits and how it fight for a better deal for workers from the and discuss what a progressive vision for local functions will become more and more outset; increasing the statutory minimum government would entail. important. Members of the MU will wage and putting in place processes for already be aware of this debate following the incremental increase to the level of a Finally, Yvonne Roberts, leader writer at The eye-watering cuts to the arts under the living wage; introducing and enforcing Observer, ties all the ideas together. She looks coalition government. Those cuts alone pose pay ratios (which ensure bosses don’t get at the changing role of the state over the past questions about the purpose of the state: paid significantly higher wages than their century, and the effect this has had upon the should it be the state’s responsibility to wellbeing of citizens, as well as the enhance people’s enjoyment of the arts by quality of public services and the funding artists and arts venues? Or should the “Whoever wins the next success of business. She writes: state focus its abilities on providing services election is projected to inherit “Whoever wins the next election essential to survival and maintaining law and is projected to inherit a deficit of order? A neo-liberal answer would be that a deficit of nearly £80bn.” nearly £80bn. Paying for borrowing the state should provide as few services will be the third largest cost after as possible and concentrate on protecting employees); ensuring a more progressive tax spending on welfare and health. So far, Labour private property and preserving the ability of system which includes higher corporation has accepted that the straitjacket of further businesses to trade with one another. tax and a tax on wealth; and ending the public cuts will dictate the way ahead. In theory, the sector pay freeze. state will shrink regardless of which party is There is a growing consensus that neo-liberal in power. That makes it all the more urgent ideology has failed ordinary people; not James Murray, Executive Member for Housing that the prevailing neo-liberal mold is broken, just in the UK, but around the world. As more and Development at Islington Council, looks a new social contract is urgently forged, and a and more people move away from neo- at the need for a strong democratic local positive narrative developed as to the function, liberalism, there needs to be a progressive state and the need for the left to reclaim the capabilities and extraordinary resources that alternative in place for people to gravitate concept of a ‘progressive public localism’. a proactive state can command.” towards. We need to debate the ideas and His paper will provide a brief overview of the ideology that might form an overarching vision changing role of local government, addressing of what the modern state would look like. why we need to move away from New Labour’s To find out more visitclassonline.org.uk

The Musician • Autumn 2014 Knowing how to protect your interests

36 © Getty Images advice ARE WE BOOKED? Texts, emails and social media may have made it easier to book gigs, but musicians need to be aware of the pitfalls, as Katie Nicholls discovers.

Have you ever booked a gig with because of the reach it has,” says Rich. “Many a promoter via text or email that venues and promoters use social media as “There’s a culture of goes something like: “Cheers, an alternative to a website.” The problem, it m8. See u at 7 nxt sat 4 gig”? seems, doesn’t lie with the medium but rather believing that anyone Fine if you’re planning a night with the message. “Communicating via social out, but if you’re the one taking media or email doesn’t present a problem on who performs music to the stage it not only lacks the face of it as long as the content is clear and isn’t doing a serious job,” professionalism, it will also be certain,” says Dawn Rodger, MU Legal Official. hard to use as evidence in court “To bring a claim for unpaid fees you need to Rich Gordon if the arrangement goes awry. In provide documentary evidence to prove that the context of the casual nature a contract was in place. Ideally the member so taking a more serious approach with a of communication via social would use a signed MU contract. Often, venue or promoter can feel strange. “Even if 37 media, and the current culture though, it is a clear exchange of emails or even the parties have never met, there’s often an whereby venues often expect a print out of a Facebook chat or tweets. The air of casualness contained in social media musicians to play for no fee at all, evidence required is the same, regardless of exchanges that doesn’t exist in traditional a haphazardly arranged booking the format of your agreement. You have to contracts,” says Dawn. “It’s important to can result in the band picking have enough detail down on paper to prove a remember that you may need to print and use up the bill having spent time and contractual agreement was in place and that these conversation exchanges as evidence expenses getting to a venue to all of the relevant terms had been agreed.” if you don’t get paid. They are all you have find conditions have changed, or to prove that you had a contract in place so worse still, there’s no gig at all. North London four-piece Hot Under Collar fell they must set out all the agreed terms. If foul of the casual nature of a booking when your messages are peppered with text talk, Of course, the ‘my friend-of- they travelled to the Isle of Wight only to miss for instance, it’s going to be harder to prove a-friend who’s a promoter and out on their gig “due to the lack of organisation that there was a serious intention to create a likes your band’-style of booking of the promoter. That wasn’t the only problem,” contractual relationship.” is nothing new in the music say the band. “We waited at least two hours industry, but when the majority before we could soundcheck due to them Rich believes that the lack of seriousness of arrangements are taking place using the same old default email in regards to arranging gigs is exacerbated by the via social media, by text or by what time we should arrive. We weren’t even expectation that musicians are all hobbyists. email, musicians need to protect given a contact number.” “I don’t think that the medium has an impact themselves against unscrupulous on how the promoter views the seriousness promoters by ensuring that the A serious profession of the booking,” Rich considers. “I think process of booking a gig is as Communications via social media, by their there’s a culture of believing that anyone professional as possible. very nature, tend to be informal and chatty, who performs music isn’t doing a serious job, and that if they’re looking to perform in small A new way to communicate venues or pubs it’s very much a case that Rich Gordon is a Scottish the musician is a hobbyist and exposure is musician, bagpipe player and payment enough. I think this is partly songwriter who arranges most down to the mixture of hobbyists and of his bookings via social media. professionals who are doing similar things, “It tends to be the most direct but also the feeling that only people who way of getting in touch with have made it big should be taken seriously. promoters and venues, primarily I’ve certainly been on the receiving end

The Musician • Autumn 2014 of this several times. I think in many venues musicians are viewed as an abundant resource that can be easily replaced.”

While there undoubtedly needs to be a cultural shift in attitudes towards working musicians, acting in a professional “Good organisers ensure that way is a signal to venues and acts are promoted and paid,” promoters that you Tracey Howard-Baker are worth taking seriously. Asking a venue or promoter to sign a contract, or explicitly express the terms and conditions

for each booking, is an outward expression © SuperStock / Alamy of how you value yourself as a performer. Whatever instrument you play, if you “There’s definitely a degree of informality in don’t want to end up out of pocket after the business,” says Dawn. “As a lawyer rather a gig, make sure you get the terms and than a musician, it took me a while to get used conditions agreed in writing first to that. However the reality is that if you don’t get paid the judge isn’t going to listen to an argument that ‘no one uses contracts’ or ‘I’ve done lots of gigs for them before’. Each claim booking. I’ve never booked anything through for an unpaid gig will be looked at on its own text. I’ve always used that as a medium for merits and your history of working with the informal discussion and the confirmation 38 engager isn’t necessarily going to help you in always comes through email. In short, if you trying to prove that you were booked on that don’t take yourself seriously as a musician and particular occasion. You need to prove it.” conduct yourself in a respectable and self- respecting manner, no one else will. At the end It’s understandable that musicians at the very of the day, this is a business venture.” creating a beginning of their careers are often reluctant paper trail to use contracts. “Members who are starting 360° protection If you’re not using the MU out are naturally wary of scaring a venue off. Getting the terms and conditions of a booking Standard Contract when If an engager refuses to sign, though, or even in writing or getting an MU contract signed booking gigs, you need a paper to confirm the booking in writing, alarm bells is an ongoing process and not a one-off trail to prove that a contract should ring. Of course you want to get the gig, transaction. Dawn says that a common pitfall was in place. Here’s what it but you also want to be paid. These formalities is that musicians become complacent when it should include: aren’t optional. The MU contract is a simple comes to regular gigs where they have a good l Date of the agreement one-page document that we supply to history with a venue or agent who normally l The names and addresses members. It protects the promoter’s position plays fair. “Unfortunately it’s not going to help of both parties: hirer/engager as much as the member’s, so they really your claim to say, ‘I always got paid before,” and the musician (or ‘leader’ shouldn’t object.” advises Dawn. “It’s this particular unpaid gig in the case of one person that you need to prove the terms of. I hear from representing the band) Rich agrees that terms and conditions need members who say, ‘We had a contract last l A description of the job for to be clarified as a prerequisite to accepting time but there weren’t any problems so we which you are being hired the gig. “Pretty much all of the gigs I’ve been didn’t use one this time’.” l The specifics of the gig: date, booked for as a hired piper have been through start time, finish time and fee email, but in those instances I lead the process Another common mistake is to arrange the l The number of musicians by providing the agreement and the terms of gig with Bob the barman who neither has the l Clarification of time needed authority to hire bands nor is anywhere to for soundcheck be found when the band turn up. Check that l Confirmation of the your contract is with the right person, and equipment needed when you sign make sure it identifies the ‘legal l The nature and time period person’ (either an individual over 18 or a limited by which the musician/leader company) who is engaging you as the hirer. will be paid “The contract should not simply name the hirer as The Fly Bar or Fantasia or Queen Victoria,

The Musician • Autumn 2014 advice

Top 5 Tips The key points to remember when arranging a booking 1 Get it in writing A Twitter, Facebook or text booking is still better than arranging a gig over the phone. “At least you’ve got something in © Mike V / Alamy writing,” says Dawn. “Your contract 2 Only sign with a legal person certainly isn’t with A legal person is anyone over 18 or a limited company, and they should be Queen Victoria and we named as the hirer. If the booking is can’t help you to bring with a company, check that it exists. 39 a claim against her,” 3 Dawn Rodger Check their authority Always make sure the hirer who has signed the contract or made the giving her the full terms and conditions. agreement has the authority to do so; Of course, there are many hard-working, Bob the barman probably doesn’t. honest promoters out there who support the music industry and the musicians working within it. “There are some good organisers/ 4 promoters using social media who plan, book What do you mean

© Image Source / Alamy and promote their events to the max, and they’ve gone? try their very best to ensure that the acts Your contract is with the person you followed by an address,” Dawn advises. “Your are well-informed, promoted and paid,” says made the booking with, even if they contract certainly isn’t with Queen Victoria and Tracey. Rich goes as far as to suggest that move on before the gig takes place. we can’t help you to bring a claim against her. sometimes it’s the musicians themselves who These names are not ‘legal persons’, they are create issues when it comes to the terms and either simply part of an address, and you can’t conditions of a gig booking. “I think it can be 5 sue a building, or business or trading names of very difficult dealing with some musicians. Talk to the MU the legal person using them.” They can have very exacting demands that The MU can offer legal help and advice cannot be fulfilled.” to all its members. If you have a MU support disagreement with a venue, promoter or Professional vocalist Tracey Howard-Baker Ultimately, the onus is on the musician to agent, contact your Regional Office. has had her fair share of dubious dealings ensure that the contract is fair, legal and with promoters. Most recently, she fell foul of binding, and if only one member of the band a venue who had booked her and her band, is in the MU, they should be the one doing Roxi & the Blue Cats, via Facebook without the negotiating: “A claim is much more value yourself as a musician straightforward if it’s the MU member who’s Don’t be afraid of asking to be taken dealt with the business side of things,” says TOP seriously. Using contracts and Dawn. “Although it’s important that they get TIP agreeing terms demonstrates that you their colleagues to join the MU as well.” expect to be respected.

The Musician • Autumn 2014 How to increase your

FEESWe all want to get paid fairly, but talking about money can be a difficult thing.A nne Wollenberg offers tips for getting what you deserve.

Bolotin, a freelance journalist who co-tutors the Pitch and Deal course for the National Union of Journalists. As the cost of living continues to rise, negotiating a good rate of “People don’t necessarily think about how they pay is more important than ever. should be speaking on the phone,” she says. Playing live can be a 40 valuable experience But how can you go about raising “If you mess up at the start, you’re immediately in itself. But don’t sell your rates when it’s challenging putting yourself at a disadvantage when yourself short, and be enough to raise the subject in it comes to selling what you’re selling and sure to get paid what the first place? “Give yourself making sure you get the right money for it.” your experience merits the okay to talk about money,” says Dave Webster, MU National Practise your approach. Try rehearsing what Organiser for Live Performance. you plan to say out loud until you can deliver it “Be very straightforward with confidence. “People tell us money is the “Diplomacy is vital at and make sure you have your thing they find really hard to talk about, so they all times. If you’re rude business hat on when you have don’t talk about it,” says Bolotin. “That’s why this conversation.” role-playing is an important part of our course. or difficult, word can If you don’t ask, you don’t get. And if you don’t This applies whether you’re negotiate beforehand, you may find there’s no get round.” dealing with an industry incentive, or even no obligation, to pay you.” professional who has similar discussions on a daily basis, or Agreeing a higher fee could prove pointless if a member of the public who has the gig gets pulled, so it’s important to make if it’s wise to rock the boat. The trick is to never booked a band before. It’s a a deposit part of the deal, too. “This can help approach the subject in a way that makes business transaction either way, flush out people who aren’t really in a position you sound reasonable. It can help to cite so be sure to treat it like one. to put gigs on,” says Kelly Wood, MU Live external factors such as inflation, so do your Performance Official. “If they pay a deposit, research first. “The Retail Price Index is a Broaching the subject of payment they may do more of a push on the promotion, good benchmark for increasing your fees,” shows that you value what you do. which can also be a good way to negotiate says Dave Webster, who suggests visiting It’s worth trying to get this right on price,” she continues. “If you’ve got active the Labour Research Department website for from the beginning, says Louise social media platforms that will reach your relevant statistics (lrd.org.uk). “It’s also useful committed fans, you can say you’ll use these to look at rising fuel prices and to be aware of to help plug the show.” what other musicians are earning.”

Your rates should rise as your reputation grows, but asking a happy client for more money can feel risky, and you may wonder

The Musician • Autumn 2014 advice

venue Urban Forest. “Promoters don’t see money from the bar and venue, so they have to try to get the venue as cheaply as possible – and you’re not going to get a sell-out deal if the venue isn’t actually likely to sell out.”

Roberts says diplomacy is vital at all times. If you are rude or difficult, word can get around quickly. “If there are any issues with a band, people will hear about it,” he says. “Be nice to people on the way up, or they won’t be nice to you on the way down.”

“It shouldn’t be a grabbing exercise,” adds the MU’s Kelly Wood. “If a promoter pays a fee © DCPhoto / Alamy they can’t afford, they might put ticket prices up, which could put people off coming and Case study: stop you from getting a repeat booking.” One Dark Blues possible strategy is to ask for a guaranteed “It’s more competitive now than fee and a percentage of the potential door I’ve ever known it,” says Nigel takings. “Be realistic,” says Wood. “Don’t sell Tully, band leader of in-demand yourself short, but don’t be greedy. You might function band the Dark Blues. say: ‘that’s less than I would normally work for, “But you don’t always get the and if you want me to commit to doing this gig gig by quoting more cheaply.” you’ll need to meet me halfway.’” 41

Tully recommends finding People are less likely to feel short-changed out as much as you can if they understand what they are paying for, about potential bookings and so it’s a good idea to keep things as emphasising any unique selling transparent as possible – which is especially points your act may advisable for members working in education. The MU’s suggested minimum rates are a have. “Our vocalist, “Whoever engages you, whether schools or useful starting point. They can be found in Annabel Williams, is a parents, they need to know what they are the members’ area of the website, and the vocal coach on The paying for,” says Dianne Widdison, MU National Regional Offices will be happy to advise, too. X Factor and Britain’s Organiser, Education & Training. “Being open Remember to differentiate between the price Got Talent, so I make about your charges and policies will encourage you charge and the amount of profit you’ll sure I work that into professionalism on both sides.” see after taking off tax, travel and other costs, the conversation as well as factoring in the time commitment early on.” Teaching rates should factor in the cost of tax © David Monk David © involved. A corporate trip abroad may involve and National Insurance, and should reflect several days in which you are effectively held “Be prepared to talk directly your training and expertise. The MU currently captive. These are all potential bargaining and clearly about money. If suggests a guideline fee of £31, based on an points when trying to negotiate rates. you quote £3,000 for a function average take-home rate of around £24-25 per band and someone else is hour, although fees vary according to location Try to see the fee from the client’s perspective. quoting £1,500, you’ve got to and experience. If you’re teaching in a school, If they’ve suggested a price, they’re unlikely to find a way of justifying that to find out how much they’re charging parents. have plucked it from thin air. If it’s a function, your client,” he says. “Ask When there’s a middle man involved, it helps to what’s the overall budget? If you are booking a how long their sets are, who’s know how big a cut they’re taking. gig, will there be room to manoeuvre after the in the band, how big their venue has covered its costs? setlist is and if it’s fixed,” he “Make sure your fees reflect your skills, continues. “Do they only know experience and qualifications, and “Some venues do door splits after the cost of 20 songs? Does their price communicate with parents and schools opening, which includes things like security include a PA? You need to be about when increases will take place,” Diane and technical staff,” says Joe Roberts, a able to say: if you book my says. “It is really important to establish your freelance promoter rep and venue manager band, this is what you’ll get.” professionalism from the onset, and setting who recently worked on the launch of London fees is an important part of this.”

The Musician • Autumn 2014 ASk us first It is in the interest of all MU members to read this list carefully.

If you are offered any work or agreements by anyone listed below, before you accept, please consult either the contact shown here, your Regional Office, or MU Legal Official Dawn Rodger (tel: 0161 233 4007, email: [email protected]).

— Andrew East-Erskine / Wish — European City Guide — Orchestra Europa Limited Music Ltd Jo Laverty on 020 7840 5535 — The Orion Orchestra — Big AL Entertainment Group / — Exp o Guide Management (Jan Cassidy) Big AL Entertainments Ltd* Scotland & Northern Ireland Dave Webster on 020 7840 5512 Scotland & N Ireland Office on Office on 0141 341 2960 0141 341 2960 — Pamela Aird at the Unicorn — Getty Images Music Theatre in Abingdon — Bigfo ot Arts Education Ben Jones on 020 7840 5557 Fran Hanley on 020 7840 5544 — Play Recording Studios Ltd* — Grubser’s Limited* Naomi Pohl on 020 7840 5532 — Brian Soundy / UK Jazz Radio Naomi Pohl on 020 7840 5532 & Now — Ptar migan Productions Ltd* / Dawn Rodger on 0161 233 4007 — Hemm ings Leisure Mr Brian Willets / Ptarmigan or Scotland & Northern Ireland Promotions Ltd* Office on 0141 341 2960 — Isle of Wight Jazz Festival Dave Webster on 020 7840 * 42 Limited / Isle of Wight Folk & 5512 — Celtic Music / CM Distribution Blues Festival Limited* / Horace Trubridge on Philip Snellen / Geri Ward — Royal Shakespeare Company 020 7840 5512 Paul Burrows on 020 7840 Productions in London 5536 Naomi Pohl on 020 7840 5532 — Clas sical Festival Company Ltd* / Serenata / Anthony — Keko Promotions London — Spe ckulation Entertainment Malpas / Lesley Malpas Paul Burrows on 020 Limited Paul Burrows on 020 7840 7840 5536 5536 — Wayne Maughn / Maughan — Leo Alexander — Craigh olme School for Girls Jo Laverty on 020 7840 5535 * Dissolved (Glasgow) Scotland & Northern Ireland — Live & Unsigned Office on 0141 341 2960 Kelly Wood on 020 7582 5566

— David Shepherd and — Music Management (UK) Brian Daniels t/a D and B Limited; Sally Civval Artist Productions Ltd promotion Dave Webster on 020 — The Music Practice Ltd services 7840 5512 Scotland & Northern Ireland MU members are sometimes Office on 0141 341 2960 asked to sign up to artist — Englis h Martyrs Roman promotion services that Catholic School — Onli ne Music Ventures demand an up-front fee. Fran Hanley on 020 7840 5544 Limited* / Andrew Smales Members are advised to view any such company that requires an up-front payment with caution and to consult their MU The latest edition of the Ask Us First list can Regional Office before signing any agreement or parting with be obtained from the ‘Advice & downloads’ any money. section by logging into theMU.org

The Musician • Autumn 2014 reviews To get your CD reviewed Reviews, The Musician, or photos (minimum and public. We try to send recordings, full 60-62 Clapham Rd, 300dpi resolution) to: help as many members contact info, biog and London SW9 0JJ. [email protected] as possible, and PR material to: Copies of the recording preference is given You should also forward must be available to MU to members not your cover artwork and/ members, the industry previously reviewed.

Reviewer: Keith Ames reviews A look at some of the new albums, EPs and downloads released by MU members for 2014, together with links for more information on the featured artists.

ailing from Devon, Sam Dowden is a singer/guitarist in the mould of Sam Dowden Out Of The Blue James Morrison. He’s been sharing stages with Jack Johnson and Ben Howard, while garnering BBC airplay and much acclaim for his Clever wordplay, funky performances and the contemporary style of his fluid songwriting. rhythms, singalong toplines and Sam’s H attractive voice must Potential chart-bound, media-friendly North Devonian artist’s focused, surely gain further hits can be found liberally sprinkled gimmick-free writing and hook-ridden traction for this rising throughout Sam’s latest album: the guitar work. His enduring vocals, with artist. Able to sound instantly likeable and upbeat Lucky their naturalness and unaffected style, utterly up-to-the- Stars; the effect-driven mid-tempo are a breath of fresh air. A modern day minute and yet echo Just Friends; and Silver Skin with its Colin Blunstone, Henry Gross and David classic elements, Sam Sheeranesque percussion. Each Gray in waiting. is building rapidly on his track positively blossoms with the samdowdenmusic.com early promise.

The Musician • Autumn 2014 jazz folk/roots rock

Heads South The Gascoyne Skyhook On The Way O’Higgins At The Quartet Stringsmith’s Instantly light, refreshing The Real Note, Forge and adventurous, this Volume 2 Button up album boasts 11 tracks The acoustic trio treat Beat Street of uplifting originals with This captures one us to another album of welcome interpretations of our leading jazz exceptional airs, dances Coatbridge’s mod of Horace Silver’s The line-ups in blistering and ballads. Opener heroes step out with Preacher and The Odd form. Delivering new Snowing Up The Hill sets an album of brass and Couple theme mixed in compositions based an ear-catching high organ dancefloor fillers. for additional flavour. on established chord standard, before Bonny The setlist leads with It’s Spirited solos and sequences, there is Light Horseman has feet A Trip with a Northern understated rhythms a genuine depth and a-tapping and any chair- Soul feel, yet it is I Can blend to make a imaginative scope bound listeners heading Fall which absolutely delightful whole. present here. to the dance floor. hits the RAF target. Fab. headssouth.com geoffgascoyne.com skyhookmusic.com buttonuprecords.com

Spice Fusion The Basin A light left on Trying Too Hard Street Burning The Brawlers Candle At Arranger/saxophonist It’s Tight Like That! Both Ends Simon Niblock and The Curious drummer/composer The dynamic seven- Melodic acoustic folk/ Incident 44 Elliott Henshaw are the piece serve up piping pop with striking lead Might As Well driving force behind hot 20s and 30s rags. guitars, subtle strings Swim this big band, formed Solos surface from the and the occasional to encompass their waves of group playing, blissful harmony. Last To The debut from this joint love of jazz, Latin, and when rounded off by Leave and the George London-based foursome cabaret, soul and swing. a bluesy vocal, underline Harrison-like Don’t brings some much A consummate example the timeless appeal of a Throw Me Away are the needed aural sunshine. of big band power. swinging outfit. pick of the bunch. Happily, the sun-kissed, spicefusion.co.uk tinyurl.com/bsbrawlers alightlefton.co.uk hook-laden melodies never fall into irritatingly chirpy territory. stand out facebook.com/ thecuriousincident We’ve picked out two albums that have taken the pole position on our playlist and just get better every time we press Play…

Alison Raynor John Verity Quintet Tone Hound THE ROOZ August Caught In Best known for his tenure The Sun Alison has been wowing with Argent in the 70s, John audiences for many years, Verity has maintained a long This teenage four-piece whether in the jazz-Latin and influential career. Still markedly avoid being Guest Stars or working with gigging to acclaim with both pigeonholed into one Tal Farlow. This disc is packed acoustic and electric outfits, genre and present hard with her own prime fusion his search for the ultimate rockers, ballads, boogie and swing compositions, blues tone continues, and woogie and rock‘n’roll. such as Mr Stanley II and here he’s nailed a classic The occasional addition Half A World Away. British take on the genre. of keys only serves to blowthefuse.com johnverity.com highlight their range. therooz.co.uk

The Musician • Autumn 2014 reviews classical country

Andy Quin Laura Rossi Jan Tocatta No.1 In C Voices Of Leszczynski Remembrance Over The Horizon Pleasingly indebted to 19th century A landmark orchestral A Lincolnshire-based Catherine composers, with nimble and choral collection, classical guitarist and Ashby ornamentation in the alongside readings writer who specialises Tennessee style of Chopin plus by Vanessa Redgrave in tender instrumentals. Tracks a Debussy-flavoured and Ralph Fiennes, Starting out in rock and approach to tonality. to commemorate blues, he went on to A homegrown A gorgeous example the soldiers of World study classical guitar, Americana singer/ of modern repertoire War I. Complete with perfecting the wide- songwriter, Catherine masquerading as a informative liner notes, ranging solo style at the marries classic Nashville salon piece, this is a real it’s an important and core of these 14 with a British sensibility treat for the ears. timely production. heartfelt tracks. and lyrical warmth to tinyurl.com/andy-quin laurarossi.com guitarmanjan.co.uk illustrate the best of both musical worlds. singer/songwriter catherineashby.com

Charlotte David Nick Tann Campbell Woodcock 3am Blue Eyed Soul Open Secret With his lyrics at the Released after a This Southend-on-Sea heart of the project Charlie 45 PledgeMusic drive, based songwriter has (‘The rain on my Savigar the 10 tracks burst quietly established windscreen and the sun Get In Line with melodies laced himself as one of the on my back, nothing left with sunshine and most intriguing musicians in this place that can This country rock delicate acoustic to emerge this year, ever hold me back, I’m release parades a settings, which never with an excellent run of coming home, coming commercial touch and fail to demonstrate smart, catchy and urgent home’), Nick steps into the influences of rock her impassioned, singles that will surely a crowded marketplace royalty such as Status commercial appeal. bear endless returns. with an assured sound. Quo frontman Francis tinyurl.com/charlottec tinyurl.com/dwoodcock nicktann.co.uk Rossi. Light-hearted, and life-affirming. writer/composer charliesavigar.com

Belle Chen Rosie Bans Meadhbh Boyd Listen, London Be Bold Confrontation

Australian-Taiwanese A talented writer of This arresting release pianist Belle Chen is intensity and integrity comes from an Rick Christian developing a growing with something to say ethnomusicology graduate It’s About Time reputation thanks to about modern life and whose conversational her impressive solo everyday challenges. vocals over a looping riff Rick ensures his pick pieces, chamber music The influences of Tori are interspersed with of standards (The Fields recitals and concerto Amos, Imogen Heap and frenzied bursts of fiddle. Of Athenry, Love Hurts) performances. This is an Hazel O’Connor bubble Boyd’s off-kilter approach benefit from the same excellent introduction, along under the surface may not be for everyone, emotional content as with seven original but Rosie has defined but its simplicity should his tuneful originals pieces focusing on the her own space in which be enough to appeal to (Haunted By The aural soundscape that is to create melodic and musicologists and Regina Memory, The Things I our capital city. finely observed songs. Spektor fans alike. Didn’t Say). bellechen.com rosiebans.com meadhbhboyd.com rickchristian.co.uk

The Musician • Autumn 2014 tributes

of its brass ensemble, then principal trumpet two years later.

While towering performances Kathy Stobart: a most and an avuncular charm innovative sax player hallmarked his playing career,

Rod’s selfless determination © David Redfern/Getty Images to continue educating the next generation, through the Kathy Stobart LSO’s brass academies and Innovative saxophonist wartime and everybody was as professor of trumpet at The regarded as the first lady so hard up for players they had Royal Academy, drew equal of British jazz. to give me a job,” she recalled. admiration. The LSO recalls a She took full advantage, playing colleague “passionate about the But for a chance encounter, we jazz all over the capital, from

© Kevin Leighton/LSO education of future generations might be remembering Kathy bottle parties in bombed-out of musicians,” while the RA’s Stobart the light entertainer basements, to the 100 Club and principal, Jonathan Freeman- rather than the pioneering jazz the BBC, working with Denis Rod Franks Attwood, “will remember his musician. “The grounding in Rose, Ted Heath and Art Pepper, Hugely respected former incisive understanding of what music I had covered classical, among many others. 46 principal trumpet with the LSO. students needed, his genuine light and dance music,” she warmth and, of course, his recalled in an interview in 1974. After briefly fronting her own In July, a car crash robbed us of legendary and remarkable “I certainly didn’t hear anything band, a call from Humphrey a prodigious talent, aged just 58. courage. And what a player.” about jazz in those days.” Lyttelton in 1957 changed the Rod Franks’ contribution to the course of her career. Their LSO over a 25-year tenure has A refusal to let health problems Born into a musical family in long collaboration produced been simply immense. With 23 of compromise a career he loved South Shields in 1925, she picked the album Kath Meets Humph, those years as principal trumpet, only enhanced his reputation up tenor sax swiftly and was the man himself marvelling at he had recently requested to among colleagues and fans. touring wartime Britain at just 16 her “huge, booming sound, step back to third trumpet, “His resilience and strength with the all-girl Don Rico’s Ladies imbued with total originality and following ongoing health issues over the past few years were Swing Band, adding singing, commanding presence”. from an operation to remove a astounding,” says the RA’s head dancing and Gracie Fields brain tumour in 2002. of brass, Mark David. “So much impressions to her repertoire. “A huge, booming so that he seemed invincible.” sound, imbued with “It’s very far from normal and When the Blitz forced a return I can’t always tell how loud I’m “Rod was hugely respected to the North East to join Peter total originality,” playing,” he said to The Times in and immensely popular with Fielding’s Ballroom Orchestra, Humphrey Lyttelton 2008, adding that he relied on members of the orchestra, she chanced upon sax his co-principal Maurice Murphy conductors and audience alike,” supremos Keith Bird and Derek Kathy also enjoyed the for an honest appraisal. “I have said the LSO, in a warm tribute. Neville, then stationed at the “amazing… very gratifying” made him promise to tell me if “He will be missed for his local RAF base. They bought experience of teaching at the day comes I should give up.” ever-welcoming friendliness her 10 jazz records for her 17th London’s City Literary Institute and brilliant playing.” birthday and taught her the throughout the 60s and 70s, Born in Shipley, West Yorkshire rudiments of the genre. She while continuing to delight in 1956, Rod played with the Clive Somerville never looked back. audiences with solo and Brighouse and Rastrick Band collaborative performances, and the Bergen Philharmonic, “His resilience over Once the bombing abated, until her retirement in 2004. before becoming principal the past few years the war provided unbounded She was, as many observed, trumpet of the Philip Jones Brass opportunities, even if a female a true original. Ensemble. He joined the LSO in was astounding,” sax player was something of a 1988, appointed artistic director Mark David novelty in 40s Britain. “It was Clive Somerville

The Musician • Autumn 2014 Robert Masters with Tributes a young Nigel Kennedy

Martin Lister John Leach Steve Dawson Synth pop maestro and The sound of the Brass maestro and member of Alphaville. Cold War spy movies. much-loved teacher.

A musician, songwriter John Leach, composer Steve played trumpet and producer for more Arthur Jerrom of soundtrack and and flugel horn, and had than 25 years, Martin One of the best British library music and player been a well known face Lister died unexpectedly steel guitarists. © Getty Images of exotic instruments on the London music in May. As a session such as santur, koto, scene for more than 30 man, programmer and Steel guitarist Arthur Robert Masters cheng, kantele and years. His close producer he worked Jerrom has passed Sublime violinist and cimbalom, has died understanding of brass with artists such as away. Performing under music educator. aged 82. playing in the jazz and Mel B, Beverley Knight, the stage name Jerry Latin spheres helped Gabrielle, Paul Carrack West, he was reputedly English violinist Robert Born in London in 1931, guide the development and Peter Andre, and Slim Whitman’s favourite Masters has died at the John was evacuated to a of many musicians from played a major role in steel-guitarist and age of 97. A fellow of the musical family during their first tentative steps the BBC show Fame played in the country Royal Academy, which the war, and started with the horn all the way Academy, recording singer’s band during the he first attended at the learning the piano at 10. through to becoming songs at short notice. 60s, touring Australia age of 16, he specialised Upon leaving school he professional players. and New Zealand. in music education. learned flute at Trinity But it was as a member College of Music. As well as becoming a of German synth pop He also played with He was instrumental in regular face in the band Alphaville that he country greats such as helping Yehudi Menuhin By the age of 21 he had bands at West End was perhaps best Willie Nelson and Hank found his School in played for the Sadler’s shows, Steve recorded known. Joining in 1995 Locklin, and formed his Surrey, where he also Wells Ballet Orchestra, with artists as varied as when the band began to own band, Spinning tutored a young Nigel D’Oyly Carte Opera Mezzoforte, Jimmy Page, play live shows more Wheel, who found Kennedy. “There is no and the Liverpool The Style Council and regularly, he was at first success in the 50s and other person with whom Philharmonic. While The Cure, and within the 47 the band’s keyboard 60s touring US bases in I have shared as many playing in Liverpool he Latin-jazz scene he player and musical the UK, entertaining ideas on the violin, on spotted an opportunity worked extensively with director, but in time homesick servicemen. interpretation, and on that would help make Roberto Pla, Alex Wilson, became an integral part music in general,” his name. Omar Puente and The of the act, writing songs It was while serving in Menuhin wrote. Big Three Palladium for many of their later the Navy that Jerrom John noticed that the Orchestra. Steve had albums. Alphaville’s lead learned to play steel “We have shared players brought in to also been developing an singer Marian Gold guitar, practising during so many ideas play the Hungarian advanced trumpet, remembered Martin as his months at sea. dulcimer-like instrument called Ursa Major, with “a marvellous keyboard After he was discharged on the violin,” the cimbalom were Leigh McKinney at player, a competent and he joined The Yehudi Menuhin unaccustomed to Eclipse Trumpets. gifted composer of Tumbleweeds, playing orchestra work, so music and a most alongside bassist Dave Robert performed at the travelled to Budapest Over the last two years precious friend”. Peacock, later one half Coronation in 1953, and to have lessons. This Steve had been fighting of Chas & Dave. He later was director of the Bath brave move paid off, a battle with a rare form

© Isifa/Getty Images Roy Delaney gigged with Rod Clarke International Music and soon he was the of brain tumor. His last and Terry Edwards, with Festival. He helped go-to guy for cimbalom project was to record a whom he formed assemble Menuhin’s work, most famously song for the recent Spinning Wheel. violin ensemble. appearing on the World Cup, with any opening credits of the profits from its sales Garrick Webster While touring in Australia, The Ipcress File and going to a brain cancer he met his wife Noel, many other great movie charity. Sadly Steve and later emigrated. He soundtracks. never got to see the passed away in Sydney, full fruits of his labours, and soon after his death Roy Delaney as not long after the Menuhin School recording, his condition performed Fauré’s worsened, and he left Martin Lister: Requiem in his memory. this world on 16 June. keyboard whiz for Alphaville Garrick Webster Roy Delaney

The Musician • Autumn 2014 Kenneth Thorne regular co-conspirator Richard Freddy Adamson Twang. He accompanied top Lester hired him to recompose the Popular big band drummer artists of the day both at home Multi award-winning TV and original John Williams scores for and friend of the stars. and abroad with Engelbert movie score composer. the action blockbusters Superman Humperdinck in Las Vegas, II and Superman III. Freddy hailed from a small and had a long and happy Born in Norfolk in 1924, Kenneth village in Yorkshire. After association with Bruce Forsyth Thorne cut his teeth playing piano Over his career he collected a working locally in Hull he for over 20 years. with the big bands, before turning string of awards nominations, joined the Jack Parnell Big to composition in his late twenties. including Best Original Score Band, and drummed with He was an enthusiastic mentor He began to score music for the at the Grammys for Help! many well-known big bands to students, and always movies in 1948, and worked on and Outstanding Individual of that time, including those of advised them to read. Moving films including The Beatles vehicle Achievement in Music And Lyrics Oscar Rabin, Eric Winston, Ken to Walmer, he played regular Help!, Inspector Clouseau, The at the Emmys for A Season Of Mackintosh and Vic Lewis. Sunday Concerts on the Royal Bed Sitting Room, Hannie Caulder Hope. But he topped the lot with a Marines Memorial Bandstand. and How I Won The War, as well prestigious Oscar win for his score He worked on many top Freddy died on the 15 April as classic British TV series The of A Funny Thing Happened On The West End musicals, touring after a long illness. He leaves Persuaders, R3 and The Zoo Gang. Way To The Forum in 1966. Scandinavia with the original Jean, his supporter and fan of But perhaps his most well-known production of West Side nearly 60 years. work came when his friend and Known as a kind and gentle man, Story, as well as Sweet Charity, he passed away at his Californian Godspell and the ill-fated Jean Adamson “Over his career he home in July, and is survived by collected a string of his wife Linda, and twin daughters awards nominations, Emily and Claire. Kay Hurwitz In 1967, she set up the Youth and won an Oscar.” Roy Delaney Inspirational viola player Music Centre in Hampstead, and educational pioneer. which went on to become one of the best respected Saturday 1848 Described by everybody who morning music schools in after a period as director of music knew her as a formidable London, and was a regular tutor Kendrick at Wellington School in Somerset character, Kay was a viola on the Monterosso string Partington he moved back to Nottingham in player, chamber musician and courses in the 1970s and at the 1957 to take up the same role at educationalist who kept Dartington Summer School. Lifelong musical educationalist. the city’s High School. working well into her eighties. More recently she gained an Born in Nottingham, Kendrick He was organist at St Peter’s The wife of renowned violinist unexpected late bloom of fame learned to play the organ at a local Church in the city centre until and leader of the English among Harry Potter fans after church while in his teens, and 1994, and founded the St Peter’s Chamber Orchestra Emanuel a poster for a Mozart concert received advanced tuition from Singers, recently celebrating its Hurwitz, Kay was a founder she once gave was seen on Boris Ord when he went to study 25th anniversary with members member of the Melos a bulletin board in Hermione at Cambridge. He started out in past and present. Ensemble under her husband’s Granger’s bedroom. teaching as assistant director of leadership, and they were both music at Malvern College, and Roy Delaney regulars at Aldeburgh. Roy Delaney

on shows as diverse as The Two Ronnies, Top Of The Pops and Alan Sparkes as part of Laurie Holloway’s band on Parkinson. After developing Session guitarist who sat in behind many greats of stage and screen. serious heart problems in 2003, he retired to France with his wife Val, where he still managed to organise regular jam sessions. Alan began his professional career playing at the Gaiety Ballroom in Grimsby. He began learning guitar in 1956 and was largely self-taught, Sparky was a great all-round musician and a good friend. His but by 1968 he had graduated from dance bands at the regional humour and sheer exuberance was infectious and could brighten ballrooms to getting booked for sessions in London. up the dullest of sessions. I shall miss him greatly, as I’m sure will many others in the music business. During the 60s and 70s he backed acts such as the Bee Gees, The Dubliners, the Bay City Rollers, Barbra Streisand and André Previn, Mike Townend and toured regularly with James Last. He was a regular on movie soundtracks and could play virtually every style of music, from jazz to The MU also notes the sad passing of saxophonist Johnnie Gray. country and western and folk. Later he turned his skills to TV, playing A full tribute to Johnnie is now available on the MU’s website.

The Musician • Autumn The Musician • Autumn 2014 2013 notices

Your Executive VAT Place of Supply of Services – Committee and changes due in 2015 Members are alerted to impending changes to VAT rules, coming into effect on 1 January 2015. Regional Committee The changes only affect B2C transactions where the customer is a private person based in another EU member state. The changes nominations apply to supplies of telecommunications, supplies of broadcasting services – including Paid-up members will have received their printed radio or television programmes transmitted over a radio or TV network and live broadcasts copy of The Musician Extra from their Regional Office over the internet; and to supplies of e-services – including video on demand, during August or early September. This contains downloaded apps and music downloads. information on standing for any vacancies on their Currently, where these services are supplied own Regional Committee (RC) plus standing for any to private customers in other EU member states, UK VAT should be charged. In the vacancies on the national Executive Committee (EC). new year it will be necessary to charge VAT at the local rate where the customer belongs. This can be done by registering for 49 Nominations for Nominations for the MOSS (Mini One Stop Shop) which allows for all such transactions to be accounted for on Regional Committee Executive Committee a single return submitted online to HMRC.

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The Musician • Autumn 2014 “The scheme was designed for use by all members of the Union, no matter what side of the business they are on.”

in particular to allow policy holders to make personal contributions outside of contracts, and starting personal

© Blend Images/Alamy Blend © contributions now will obviously help improve retirement prospects. Contributions can be made on a regular or ad hoc basis and at a level you want. MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR UNION Reassuringly, MU members who sign will have full control of their involvement in the scheme, as only they have access to their pension fund. It is also possible to consolidate existing pensions into one place, as they can be transferred into the scheme. On top of that, it comes Saving for with a low and simple charging structure. Company contributions Many high profile employers are part of the scheme, and 50 make a contribution alongside that of policy holders. These include Birmingham Royal Ballet, Society of London the future Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Opera House, Royal National Theatre, BBC, ITV and the ENO. Recently the A flexible, competitive Personal Pension scheme has expanded to cover Subsidised Repertory and Scheme designed specifically for musicians. Commercial Touring Theatre. But MU members do not have to be attached to a The Musician explains what it can offer… professional orchestra or ensemble to take part in the scheme. Part-time and freelance musicians also have Since the relaunch in 2000, the Musicians’ Union Is there something access to MUPS, and Hencilla’s advisors will be able to Pension Scheme (MUPS) has established itself as the that we do within tell you exactly what you need to do to join – and what the first choice in pensions for musicians working in the UK the MU that you benefits are likely to be. in theatre, television and radio. Designed specifically would like to know for the needs of working musicians, the MUPS is the a little more about? What’s in it for me? only stakeholder-compliant pension scheme into which Or perhaps there is So who can join the scheme? Andrew Barker of Hencilla participating employers will contribute. an element of your Canworth explains: “The scheme was designed for use professional life by all members of the Union, no matter what side of the Administered by Hencilla Canworth, the MU’s preferred that you need a little business they are on. We have solo artists, band members insurance advisers, the scheme’s funds are managed by advice on? Either and orchestra members in the scheme. The key benefits AVIVA, the UK’s largest insurance group. way, we might be include access to a quality product, a product into able to help. Drop which members can make regular and one-off personal MUPS offers great flexibility, with policy holders contributing us your questions contributions, and of course the additional benefit of only when they want to. The scheme has been designed to the appropriate contributions made by production companies, if they are address at the front working under a qualifying MU agreement. Anyone can of the magazine, join – they just have to be over 16 and under 75.” or via Twitter @WeAreTheMU Further information For more financial advice, and information on any of the other great benefits offered by the MU, visittheMU.org . For more specific pensions advice, go to Hencilla Canworth’s site at hencilla.co.uk.

The Musician • Autumn 2014 member benefits

MU Sections 2014 To join, contact the Have you registered relevant MU Official. Live Performance Section Dave Webster National Organiser – Live Performance for your MU benefits? 60 – 62 Clapham Road London SW9 0JJ While membership of the MU offers a wide range of free services, T 020 7840 5512 F 020 7582 9805 there are a number of benefits that you need to register or apply for. E [email protected]

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The Musician • Autumn 2014