Bobby Gillespie and Jehnny Beth: 'Brexit has destroyed any hope for young musicians'

"I think the Brexit thing, it's destroyed any hopes of chances for young musicians that are trying to make it," Gillespie tells the BBC.

"I think Brexit is completely destructive to creative arts. But what do you expect?"

The Scot stresses how artists today do not have the same opportunities that working class British kids like himself, Jarvis Cocker, Ray Davies, Keith Richards, Brian Eno and Bryan Ferry, were once afforded.

This is due, he opines, to the ending of free further education in large parts of the UK, squatters' rights and certain benefits by a succession of Tory and Labour governments, as well as the new plan to cut university funding for creative subjects by almost 50%.

He's hopeful people will "fight" to win back some of those rights.
Sir Elton John 'livid' as Brexit hits musicians

Sir Elton John has described the government as "philistines", and accused them of failing to understand the implications of Brexit on music.

Since leaving the EU, musicians are no longer guaranteed visa-free travel in the bloc, and may face huge fees when they go on tour.

"It's a nightmare," Sir Elton told the Observer. "To young people just starting a career, it's crucifying."

What's wrong getting visa's ? I have to obtain them numerous times for work or to stay overseas, Mongolia being one of them.

Genghis Khan Statue Complex is a must see Jo.

The problem here seems to be the abandonment of a system which requires no paperwork or fees in order to go on tour/work in several EU countries and the adoption of one that involves visas and/or work permits for however many of these countries depending on their rules and accompanying delays and fees. As Elton John says, not such a great problem for him as he has people who can do the admin for him and has money to pay for the paperwork, but totally different for a young musician starting out, having to navigate all the different rules and cough up for the fees.

www.ism.org/advice/eu-work-permit-requirements-for-musicians

Your trip to Mongolia sounds interesting. What was it like?

Admittedly I don't know much about the music biz (as I am conscious I may be about to reveal!) and also am no fan of Brexit, but I have a suspicion that for established acts things will speed up when the system beds in and there is a touch of exagerration.?

As for new acts if it were me there is no way I would let "paperwork" get in the way of my ambitions and would spend evenings getting my head around it and getting it done myself - with cannabis smoking and loafing on any spare ones.

The cost of work permits? I don't know what it is but is it that much? You would have to be reasonably well known to start a long tour in Europe surely?

While I hate Brexit there is a bandwagon of exagerration in Remainers...

Wyot wrote:
Admittedly I don't know much about the music biz (as I am conscious I may be about to reveal!) and also am no fan of Brexit, but I have a suspicion that for established acts things will speed up when the system beds in and there is a touch of exagerration.?

As for new acts if it were me there is no way I would let "paperwork" get in the way of my ambitions and would spend evenings getting my head around it and getting it done myself - with cannabis smoking and loafing on any spare ones.

The cost of work permits? I don't know what it is but is it that much? You would have to be reasonably well known to start a long tour in Europe surely?

While I hate Brexit there is a bandwagon of exagerration in Remainers...

Exactly Wyot.

Seems like Elton John is more worried about third world problems.

Mongolia is rich in both culture and history. It depends on what sort of holiday you after, I took a 4 month break and learnt a lot.

Japan was nice also, seeing early AI doing bar work is interesting but worrying at the same time. We don't want jobs to go.

However I have no issues about obtaining visa and doing paperwork to go to Mongolia again. Anyway I never liked Elton John music anyway and I have never bought a record of his.

Wyot wrote:
The cost of work permits? I don't know what it is but is it that much? You would have to be reasonably well known to start a long tour in Europe surely?
...The stress and cost of work visa requirements, new taxes, and prohibitively high touring costs have upended the careers of Clarke and scores of British musicians, to the extent that many are considering moving to Europe. ...

Sara Wolstenholme is a violinist in the Heath Quartet, which normally tours Europe year-round. The quartet has an invitation to appear at a concert in Spain in May 2022, but with four work visas costing £232 ($320) apiece (over 30% of their fee), it is a significant pay cut. Wolstenholme is worried that some EU concerts will become scenarios in which quartets would be paying to perform. “Often, travel isn’t included,” she says, “or the hotel is paid for but not the flight. You have to ask yourself: Is the [opportunity] worth the money? It starts to look less viable.” ...

Visas for musicians depend on individual countries’ rules (and each country comes with its own paperwork). Restrictions affect groups and ensembles the most by prohibiting them from making more than two destinations on a single tour because of the imposition of limits on road haulage—musical ensembles carrying their instruments in vans or trucks are being conflated with commercial haulage vehicles, which are subject to rules mandating their return to the U.K. after only two stops. ...

Musicians have begun to discover even more byzantine hurdles. Take, for example, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or Cites, a global agreement that regulates or bans the international trade of species that are under threat. While period instruments made of ivory or endangered wood have always fallen under Cites restrictions, U.K. musicians before Brexit did not have to fill out any declarations as they shuttled between Britain and the continent. Now, traveling with period instruments doesn’t just mean more paperwork. It means that the way musicians travel has to change, too, says Alison Heather of Bridge Arts Management. These laws are being “rigorously enforced” by the EU, she says. A British musician with a violin made from endangered wood can no longer take the train between London and Paris because the Eurostar has no Cites office, she says. “They have to fly.” ...

www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-04-...he-pinch-from-brexit

Jo wrote:
Wyot wrote:
The cost of work permits? I don't know what it is but is it that much? You would have to be reasonably well known to start a long tour in Europe surely?
...The stress and cost of work visa requirements, new taxes, and prohibitively high touring costs have upended the careers of Clarke and scores of British musicians, to the extent that many are considering moving to Europe. ...

Sara Wolstenholme is a violinist in the Heath Quartet, which normally tours Europe year-round. The quartet has an invitation to appear at a concert in Spain in May 2022, but with four work visas costing £232 ($320) apiece (over 30% of their fee), it is a significant pay cut. Wolstenholme is worried that some EU concerts will become scenarios in which quartets would be paying to perform. “Often, travel isn’t included,” she says, “or the hotel is paid for but not the flight. You have to ask yourself: Is the [opportunity] worth the money? It starts to look less viable.” ...

Visas for musicians depend on individual countries’ rules (and each country comes with its own paperwork). Restrictions affect groups and ensembles the most by prohibiting them from making more than two destinations on a single tour because of the imposition of limits on road haulage—musical ensembles carrying their instruments in vans or trucks are being conflated with commercial haulage vehicles, which are subject to rules mandating their return to the U.K. after only two stops. ...

Musicians have begun to discover even more byzantine hurdles. Take, for example, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or Cites, a global agreement that regulates or bans the international trade of species that are under threat. While period instruments made of ivory or endangered wood have always fallen under Cites restrictions, U.K. musicians before Brexit did not have to fill out any declarations as they shuttled between Britain and the continent. Now, traveling with period instruments doesn’t just mean more paperwork. It means that the way musicians travel has to change, too, says Alison Heather of Bridge Arts Management. These laws are being “rigorously enforced” by the EU, she says. A British musician with a violin made from endangered wood can no longer take the train between London and Paris because the Eurostar has no Cites office, she says. “They have to fly.” ...

www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-04-...he-pinch-from-brexit


Diddums.

I think there is a difference between the "jobbing" musician in a string quartet or session guitar player and the creative artists also mentioned above. The jobbing musicians will - like all people who earned a living doing whatever physically across Europe - suffer from restrictions on the movement of people. But to hear the likes of Elton suggesting the next Eltons can't come along because of Brexit...I'm not sure.

World is so different now and online you can be a star and never leave your bedroom. The next Eltons may not come along again but not because of Brexit...If you get a following I'm sure you can afford visas for physical concerts. I just suspect it is being over blown. But as I say I don't know much about that world.

It is over reaction causing over panic again; like everything, once society takes the wrong road, everything goes wrong.

Wyot wrote:
I think there is a difference between the "jobbing" musician in a string quartet or session guitar player and the creative artists also mentioned above. The jobbing musicians will - like all people who earned a living doing whatever physically across Europe - suffer from restrictions on the movement of people. But to hear the likes of Elton suggesting the next Eltons can't come along because of Brexit...I'm not sure.

World is so different now and online you can be a star and never leave your bedroom. The next Eltons may not come along again but not because of Brexit...If you get a following I'm sure you can afford visas for physical concerts. I just suspect it is being over blown. But as I say I don't know much about that world.

Absolutely!

If you want something bad you will do anything to get it.

When I worked in USA, Canada and South Africa. I had to jump through hoops but it was well worth it. When I wanted head space I took the plunge and went to Mongolia for a long holiday. Yes I had to a fair bit of paperwork and form filling.

Iron Maiden’s frontman complains about the impact of Brexit on music industry despite voting for it

Jo wrote:


Iron Maiden’s frontman complains about the impact of Brexit on music industry despite voting for it

Love it! He voted Brexit but now wants everyone to "get their act together" so acts can tour freely...Hey Bruce, how about something like an area across Europe where people and goods can freely move and trade across borders with no red tape...oh...yeah...

Actually as a young rock fan I met Bruce and the rest of Iron Maiden backstage. Bruce and the band were lovely; couldn't have had less "rock star attitude" and after a long, very energetic set had all the time in the world for the few fans lucky enough to be there. And they were already metal superstars at this point.

Doesn’t Bruce fly Iron Maiden around the globe when they tour ? I know he has pilot’s licence and has a nice private plane.

Green Man wrote:
Doesn’t Bruce fly Iron Maiden around the globe when they tour ? I know he has pilot’s licence and has a nice private plane.

Neither he nor the band have a private jet. They have hired specially adapted 757s to take crew and gear on world tours. Bruce used for some years to be an employed commercial pilot who flew holiday makers around, taking unpaid leave to tour with Maiden. Just because he loves flying; not, I believe, as he needed the money...

Wyot wrote:
Green Man wrote:
Doesn’t Bruce fly Iron Maiden around the globe when they tour ? I know he has pilot’s licence and has a nice private plane.

Neither he nor the band have a private jet. They have hired specially adapted 757s to take crew and gear on world tours. Bruce used for some years to be an employed commercial pilot who flew holiday makers around, taking unpaid leave to tour with Maiden. Just because he loves flying; not, I believe, as he needed the money...

Must go against the far left's agenda on Climate Change.