A good whinge about music

Hey I thought it was time to get a new whinge out.   Here is my 'made in New York' whinge.  This one is about music and the sorry state of it.
I went to see a very talented musician play the other night (someone who is lauded in the music world) and was sad to see the 'hat' was being passed around to pay her.   Here was someone that you expected to be paid.  Someone who has worked with the top names in the business (Joe Jackson, Peter Gabriel and others).  To me this is just unacceptable.

The promoters are all making money while people are drinking in the bar and ordering food.  This occurs in the UK as well.  I hold respect for all the venues that pay you, feed you and give you drinks as remuneration.  Not paying musicians is just out of order.  Musicians hone their crafts, study, spend money and put their hearts and soul into their profession.

When I put shows on at Taurus, I always pay people from the proceeds at the door.  Is it any wonder people  love playing there?  It is atmospheric, has a great vibe and they come out winners.


This blog will probably put me on a promoter's blacklist, but I don't care.  I am tired of being taken advantage of and refuse to succumb to this kind of behaviour.   This is the reason I don't do many gigs. It is quality rather than quantity.

Comments please. x

www.facebook.com/risahallmusic

ANOTHER DARN GOOD WHINGE -sorry !

Ok I was hoping to do a happy blog and not a ranting and raving one, but today made me think of how the NHS has gone downhill since I first moved here and it breaks my heart as it is was such a great institution.  Today I had an appointment with a specialist and showed up a half an hour early (at 8 a.m. in Manchester) , only to be informed that there was no surgery and I had received a letter to tell me of this cancellation.  Well I didn't receive any letter and I promptly let them know about the lack of correspondence.  So who do we blame?  Let's find scapegoats, shall we?  They, of course, blamed the post (which is hugely inconsistent despite the rise in postage) and I am sure the post would blame the hospital.  I was just disgusted as not only did I not receive any letter, but I was also told that I would have to attend a surgery at a Salford hospital which is not convenient for me and I am not a new patient ( I have been going to Oxford Road for 10 years).  Well I then became infuriated and told them I am not going to attend anywhere else, thank you!!

So now I still haven't met the new consultant which has taken over the Professor that I had been seeing for years , plus I was down bus fares , etc.   I had arranged to see my son at 12 and then had to cancel which was also a disappointment.

I now have no appointment, nothing!   This was the perfect time to go as it was Easter and I wouldn't lose any money supply teaching.

Has anyone else had any experiences like this or feel that the NHS is deteriorating.   The NHS has been a life saver for me , especially coming from the land where you have to have medical insurance or else you could be refused treatment.

I would love to hear your views on this.

A Good Whinge

Hello all- Welcome to my first blog.  I think I will start it off with a good whinge to get things off my chest.
Yesterday we were on our way to Manchester to do our Music Night.  This used to be a pleasurable experience and has now turned into a nightmare due to Manchester Council's revenge on us for not approving their congestion bill.  This nightmare is not because of the talent we have on (the acts were astounding), but it is now due to the commute we have with  Manchester deciding to become anti-car commuter.   As if it is not bad enough that petrol is £1.40 a litre and rising by the minute, we also now have the problem of complete cacophony as you are entering the City, cars rolling bumper to bumper as there are no routes in, and to top it off you cannot park after 6 pm anymore so you have to add on the £5.20 for only two hours parking.  Personally whenever I have a choice, I always take the bus or tram as I try to be as environmentally friendly as possible, but a musician needs to use their car to haul equipment and gear--simple as that.
The latest addition to creating havoc, is closing Deansgate for a pedestrianized Cathedral area (do we really want this?) which will force everyone on to the awful Trinity Way ring road.  You would think that Manchester would try to encourage tourists and locals to go to the MEN and see gigs, use their restaurants and clothes shop in Manchester, but I really think this is going to have the opposite effect.  We are now keeping away from our 'days out in Manchester'

What do you think?