Readers will no doubt have heard that as a result of Brexit, artists will need to complete extensive paperwork if they wish to tour in Europe.
Criticism of Brexit negotiators is being made and a session of a parliamentary committee is being broadcast on BBC Parliament today.
Although Government and the music business isn't going to do things differently just because Chris
says, I've a few opinions I'd like to share.
1. The nation voted to leave the European Union because people saw too many foreigners in the country. Any agreement struck to facilitate UK artists may be reciprical contrary to the democratic wish.
2. Some Britons might envisage a foreign poet, roadie, punk, hippy or rapper as the type of foreigner more likely to enter the country and then stay illegally.
3.Officials have to try to act in accordance with residents wishes so were right to not prioritise the easy passage of artists especially if in the process they were able to secure a better deal on something like trade or jobs or human rights..
4. Artists have always had to fill in forms when they tour outside of Europe
5. Big artists will have people to fill in forms, smallers artists will have to do it themselves.
6. I've noticed artists doing just a handful of gigs when touring the UK. I recall the Arctic Monkeys: Glasgow, Birmingham, Plymouth, Manchester, Londion, Sheffield. That's it, 6 gigs. At a hundred quid a pop plus travel, accommodation that's five hundred or so for two.
7. Someone will say there's no where to play. True, flats have been built next to venues, residents have complained about the noise and the venue's had to close but when Ash played a few years ago they did 26 dates, one in every town in the alphabet. Cliff Richard: I remember he had a 40 date tour in the UK. Status Quo: I think there's was 89 dates or something.
8. My county is the one that gave the nation The Rolling Stones, Billy Childish, The Pretty Things. You'd never think so if you sought an evening's entertainment; in a normal year an on line events guide might have three or four events: Typically a 'Festival' one weekend in May, a date at Pizza Express in the autumn and Dancing On Ice before Christmas.
9. There's s great interest in music. Sales of guitars etc are always on the up, the net is awash with tutorials and tab sites. every time you see someone interviewed on line they've got a guitar hanging on their wall.
10. My point is that if it's so hard for British artists to tour abroad then why can't they tour at home?
