Happy Birthday Live Music Exchange!

This week’s blog post celebrates Live Music Exchange’s 2nd birthday by listing some of the achievements of the Live Music Exchange and setting out our future plans.

Playing for nothing – Simon Frith

This week’s guest blog is by Simon Frith, in which he muses on the perennial problem about musicians playing for free and suggests that the problem of ‘playing for free’ is caused by the ‘exploitation’ of live musicians by the people who make money out of them.

Live Jazz in Glasgow – Alison Eales

Guest blogger Alison Eales writes about Glasgow’s regular jazz sessions in this week’s blog, and finds a dynamic scene which features a mix of trad and jazz styles across the city, both indoors and in the city’s outdoor public spaces.

Gig In Your House: National house gig network launched today – Emma Webster

Emma Webster promotes the concept of a database of house gig promoters to coincide with the launch of an online network of house gig promoters within the UK, Gig In Your House.

Update: The Fight to Keep Street Live in Camden – Jonny Walker

Jonny Walker, explains what the Keep Streets Live Campaign against Camden Council’s decision to license busking is currently up to and how to get involved.

Scotland on Tour: Strategies for Promoting the Scottish Music Industry – Adam Behr and Matt Brennan

A report produced from research conducted under an AHRC Cultural Engagement grant, looking at state provision of support for Scottish music industry practitioners, with a particular emphasis on showcasing activities.

Apartheid and South African jazz in the 1960s – Professor George McKay

Today’s post features Professor George McKay writing in response to the death of Nelson Mandela about some of the experiences of South African jazz musicians under apartheid in the 1960s.

Attitude is Everything – working in partnership with audiences, artists and the music industry to improve access to live music – Suzanne Bull

Today’s guest post is by Suzanne Bull MBE – Chief Officer at Attitude is Everything – a project working towards improving access to live music for disabled people. Here she explains the origins of the project, the philosophy behind its continuing work with market leading festivals and venues, the Charter system of best practice and the forthcoming State of Access report.

The Perils of Pay to Play at the Grassroots – Louise Dodgson

Louise Dodgson, Editor of The Unsigned Guide on the perils of pay to play at the grassroots level – she discusses what pay to play is and isn’t, and how to avoid pay to play.

The Rules of Freedom: The place of street music in the life of our cities – Jonny Walker

Today’s guest post by Jonny Walker – singer, songwriter and founder of the Association of Street Performers – comes in the face of recent moves against buskers by Camden council, which is considering draconian restrictions and fines. In advance of the council decision next week, Jonny outlines the ramifications of these proposals and the relationship of street music to city life.