HELP UK MUSICIANS TO DEFEAT LICENSING BILL!!!

Isilwen · Post by **Isilwen** » Tue Jan 07, 2003 1:51 pm

http://www.musiclovers.ukart.com/

The UK has started to pass a licensing bill stating that all musicians, who play live, public music, no matter where it is shall have to purchase a license to do so. Penalties for playing music publicly without a license are jail and a huge fine.

If you are a UK resident, sign the petition!
If you aren't a UK resident, post on the forums; your names will be submitted separately from the petition, but the more people who care to sign and stop this, the better!

Thanks.

MarkB · Post by **MarkB** » Tue Jan 07, 2003 2:05 pm

This is dangerous to the civilized world!! This must be stopped at all costs and quarantined to England, be it the rest of the world governments find out about it.

It seems that my signature below has a lot more meaning than when I entered it for the first time!!!

MarkB

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Tue Jan 07, 2003 2:57 pm

Any idea of the rationale behind
the legislation? Why?

[ This Message was edited by: jim stone on 2003-01-07 15:57 ]

MacEachain · Post by **MacEachain** » Tue Jan 07, 2003 3:15 pm

Hi,
It all has to do with what's known as a public entertainment licence. The pub or bar requires this licence if it intends to have a group or band to entertain. As far as I know this latest ruling was the result of trying to simplyfy the need for the PEL licence, but has turned into a "sledgehammer to crack a nut" scenario. If you check out Hobgoblin's UK website it has more information.

Cheers, Mac

PhilO · Post by **PhilO** » Tue Jan 07, 2003 5:22 pm

We all seem to legislate, enforce, monitor that which is easy and relatively harmless. A lot more difficult to go after really hard, pernicious stuff that matters, like terrorism.

Philo

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Tue Jan 07, 2003 5:26 pm

I believe this rule might break some European regulation.
I would suggest your musicians associations contact a lawyer, file a lawsuit within Europe.

And do start an immediate musicians' strike, for Pete's sake! Go play elsewhere, anywhere within Europe where you're free to work like Europeans after all!

Unfortunately, the petition is restricted to England, Wales residents only.
Pity--letting others sign it might have had an influence on the tourism offices.

Like I, who loved visiting Cornwall (still officially England...) will not even stop there without music. Now, England will be my mere forced embarcadero to IoM, or the necessary thruway towards Scotland. The fastest, the better. I'll miss visiting Cornwall, Northumbria but hell...

Paul Salvaire
121 imp. St Pierre
44420 Mesquer
France, Europe.

[ This Message was edited by: Zubivka on 2003-01-07 18:37 ]

E = Fb · Post by **E = Fb** » Tue Jan 07, 2003 5:36 pm

Most Americans would be surprized to find out that Brits pay a licence for their TV sets. A licnence to play the Bodhran...sounds like a good idea to me!

C4 · Post by C4 » Tue Jan 07, 2003 5:41 pm

This sounds rather scary..Does that include singing without instrument backup..Hmmm what about humming to oneself in public...Where will it all end?

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Tue Jan 07, 2003 5:41 pm

On 2003-01-07 18:22, PhilO wrote:
We all seem to legislate, enforce, monitor that which is easy and relatively harmless. A lot more difficult to go after really hard, pernicious stuff that matters, like terrorism.

Philo

Don't worry, Philo. Mr Blair's government is also your most obedient ally for the "crusade" currently a-drumming a-fifing.
What would take more courage to levy a tax on music might be on the computers and CD-writing software, which are killing the music labels, especially the smaller ones, through computer piracy...

Chuck_Clark · Post by **Chuck_Clark** » Tue Jan 07, 2003 5:53 pm

See. It only proves that American lawmakers aren't the only ones with more free time than good sense.

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Tue Jan 07, 2003 7:14 pm

Did you doubt it ?

LeeMarsh · Post by **LeeMarsh** » Tue Jan 07, 2003 8:13 pm

I have always treasured our constitutional right to Free Speech here in the U.S. Requiring folks to pay a fee and obtain a license to sing or speak or express themselves in public is a step into tyranny.

Music is no longer owned by the aristocratic classes. It belongs to the all people. Governments may tax commerce; but, they have no right to tax the free exchange of ideas. Music connects folks beyond mear words and is a cornerstone of many communities. By requiring licensure, they basicly say the the communities right to bond through music or public entertainment will exist only by permission of the government and to the profit of those currently in office.

If passed, I sincerely hope the people actively pursue steps to demonstrate to government their foolishness. Starting with every military band. Insisting that all participants bear the penality. And should your legislators, sing "God save the Queen" without license at the openning of some function at the entrance of the Queen, I hope they all have the opportunity to pay their fine and do their time. With the jails filled with troops and legislature, perhaps sensibility will return.

To each and every soul dwelling in England and Wales, I hope you can ensure your rights to ...

_________________

Enjoy Your Music, Lee Marsh 

[ This Message was edited by: LeeMarsh on 2003-01-07 21:36 ]

AnnaDMartinez · Post by **AnnaDMartinez** » Tue Jan 07, 2003 9:09 pm

Muttering and swearing! That sucks, absolutely sucks! Strike! Strike!

blackhawk · Post by **blackhawk** » Tue Jan 07, 2003 11:20 pm

When I was over there last year I kept hearing public service announcements talking about television licenses. They were warning folks to register their televisions, if I understood correctly. It sounded as if they had to pay an annual fee to the gov't for each tv they owned, including computer monitors. What next, an oxygen tax? You UK C&Fers, did I get that right? Is there an annual tax/fee on televisions?

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Wed Jan 08, 2003 3:06 am

On 2003-01-08 00:20, blackhawk wrote:
It sounded as if they had to pay an annual fee to the gov't for each tv they owned, including computer monitors. What next, an oxygen tax? You UK C&Fers, did I get that right? Is there an annual tax/fee on televisions?

A tv is hardly like oxygen, but in most European countries there is a television licensing law in operation. But on the bright side the licence fee goes towards financing the public broadcasting system. And whatever else you may think the BBC [and to an extend it's counterparts in other countries] is a fair attempt at quality broadcasting.