Local Music scenes - a bear pit of aggression?
Discussion
Until recently, I was involved with a small Community Radio station and through this, was exposed to the local music scene which hitherto, I assumed simply comprised bands of various genre and quality performing in pubs and clubs, either aspiring to greater things or - mostly as it turns out - simply happy to play.
In the background to all this though was the most child-like competitive aggression, fuelled it seems by promoters who honestly think they are Harvey Goldsmith (whilst working checkouts at supermarkets), families of bands who think their siblings are the next Coldplay (which invariably they are not) and will do anything they can to ensure this comes to pass, jam nights that exists for no other reason to out-jam night other jam nights on the same night, trolling to majestical levels and more.
We had one band (a metal band) play a live set on one of our shows. A listener complained about this to OfCom claiming inappropriate language - which there was, but nothing too bad and this was after 9.00pm. OfCom rejected the complaint saying that the audience would have been self-selecting and was past the watershed but the fact that somebody complained wrangled me. Turns out it was the mother of a local music promoter who was annoyed that the band had chosen to support an event being organised by a rival promoter.
Is this unique to my area (Maldon / Chelmsford) or is it common. I'm intrigued!
In the background to all this though was the most child-like competitive aggression, fuelled it seems by promoters who honestly think they are Harvey Goldsmith (whilst working checkouts at supermarkets), families of bands who think their siblings are the next Coldplay (which invariably they are not) and will do anything they can to ensure this comes to pass, jam nights that exists for no other reason to out-jam night other jam nights on the same night, trolling to majestical levels and more.
We had one band (a metal band) play a live set on one of our shows. A listener complained about this to OfCom claiming inappropriate language - which there was, but nothing too bad and this was after 9.00pm. OfCom rejected the complaint saying that the audience would have been self-selecting and was past the watershed but the fact that somebody complained wrangled me. Turns out it was the mother of a local music promoter who was annoyed that the band had chosen to support an event being organised by a rival promoter.
Is this unique to my area (Maldon / Chelmsford) or is it common. I'm intrigued!
Nanook said:
Take a hobby, and try and make money from it, and it stops being fun IMO.
I always recommend people to keep music a hobby if possible. I turned pro in 1982 and it's been my occupation ever since and these days I hardly listen to music as it's a bloody day job!One of the reasons I never charge people in my other occupation as a photographer (I just sell stuff)... for as soon as you charge, expectations change and it becomes 'work'. (A four letter word).
Interested to hear the O/Ps post. It was never like that in the late 70's early 80's in London (jazz scene) - we all used to go to each others gigs to support... but then most of us were stoned stupid at the time, so aggression wasn't an option
Gassing Station | Music | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff