The Government have recently passed laws in the UK to try and suppress live
music and dance. Pubs which could previously offer work to solo singers or
duos now have to pay for a special licence and can only have 12 of these per
year. Even school Xmas concerts need to be licensed.

If you don't know there is a UK government web site where anyone can now
start a petition and that's what is being done. we've just received the
following email which explains things more clearly and gives the site
address . If you care about keeping music live please take the time to sign
the petition.

Subject: Music/Licensing Laws - Official Downing Street petition

Date: Wed, 17 Jan 2007 12:36:37

Please circulate

The live music/licensing e-petition now has nearly 4550 signatures.
It currently stands at no.17 in the list of 1,702 petitions on the
Number 10 website: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/licensing/

This is good, especially in just under a month - and there are five
more months in which people can sign. (CLOSING DATE: 11 June 2007).
But the petition needs to do much better to make an impression on ministers,
and to encourage DCMS to implement music-friendly amendments.

The petition is for everyone, not just musicians. Please consider
signing if you haven't already done so. If you have signed, encourage
friends to sign.

Points to remember about the new legislation:

a.. The unlicensed provision of even one musician is a potential
criminal offence (although some places are exempt, including places of
public religious worship, royal palaces and moving vehicles). Max penalty:
£20,000 fine and six months in prison.

b.. The rationale is to prevent noise, crime and disorder, to ensure public
safety, and the protection of children from harm.

c.. But broadcast entertainment, including sport and music, is exempt - no
matter where, and no matter how powerfully amplified.

d.. In the transition to the new regime, bars with jukeboxes, CD
players etc were automatically granted a license to play recorded
music; but their automatic entitlement to one or two musicians was
abolished.

e.. For the first time, private performances raising money for charity are
licensable.

f.. School performances open to friends and family are licensable -
they count as public performances.

g.. Under the old regime all premises licensed to sell alcohol for
consumption on the premises were automatically allowed up to two live
musicians (the 'two in a bar rule').

h.. In December, DCMS published research confirming that about 40% of these
have lost any automatic entitlement to live music as a result of the new
Act:

'Very few establishments that wanted a new license were denied it, and many
who were previously limited to 2-in-a-bar now have the ability to stage
music with 2 or more musicians... This contrasts, of course, with the fact
that 40% of establishments now have no automatic means of putting on live
music (i.e. they would have to give a TEN).'

['Licensing Act 2003: The experience of smaller establishments in
applying for live music authorization'; December 2006', paragraphs
6.1.1 and 6.1.2 'Conclusions', p54; Caroline Callahan, Andy Martin,
Anna Pierce, Ipsos-MORI]

'TEN' stands for Temporary Event Notice - in effect a temporary
entertainment licence. Only 12 are allowed per premises per year.
They cost £21 each. See the full MORI reports on this site:

http://www.culture.gov.uk/Reference_...ec_summary.htm

link to sign petition is here.. http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/licensing/

I know this if for England and Wales at the moment but how long before we
get hit with something like this too in Scotland. This applies to everyone.

Thanks everyone. Please email this to everyone you know, post it on other
forums, myspce it, whatever you can do.

meh.

anyone see the Mario Brothers movie where they arrested the busker? hmmmmmmmmmmmm

bugs added

Ha ha the confirmation letter from Number 10 when straight into my junk mail folder. fitting!

just another measure to 'control' the public... not long now till they try and palm ID cards and Chip implants on us in the name of 'safety from terrorism....'' what a joke.

I remember in America, Total Information Awareness was rebranded to Terrorist Information Awareness. I've heard it called Totalitarian Information Awareness.

ITS ALL BOUT THE ILLUMINATI AND WORLD CONTROL...NEW WORLD ORDER N THAT.

yes agreed mC-herbalist

as Mr Brown has already blatently stated >>>

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6277747.stm

i will never conform to these idiots rules.

Its about time all MP's were dragged outside the Houses of Parliment and publicly shot!!

We need 2 take action and TAKE BACK CONTROL of this fair nation!

All they're interested in is making money and stepping on every1 else.

FUCKWITS....

Why dont the government stop making up ridiculous pointless laws, that make living everyday life illegal, and start making some proper laws that do something about the real criminals in society like paedophiles, rapists and murders?

Er - you are all aware that there was MONTHS of consultation before the legislation went through parliament? The time to bitch/make suggestions was then.

If you spend your lives with your heads in the sand then you shouldn't be surprised if people occasionally come along and fuck you up the arse.

http://infowars.com

any1 seen this site?

yeh mC-heRbaLiSt , i have much of alex jones work, its quite an eye opener, most people have no idea as to what is really going on and are just too damn ignorant if you ask me.
just look at the way the govts control the public through fear, thats communism
i just hope more people see the truth as to what is really going on or we are all in big, big trouble :/

Er - you are all aware that there was MONTHS of consultation before the legislation went through parliament? The time to bitch/make suggestions was then.

But honestly, of the 7000 on this thread, how many knew that!!! They dont go round anouncing this sort of stuff cause they'd never get it through in the first place!!!

Fucking wankers - they take the living piss dont they?

GRR - i wish everyone in this country had more balls and we all steamed up to the house of parliament and fucking mutiny

Thats just pissed me off that has.... :(

Signed & Buddies Added

ppl piss me off they start saying something when it put there noes out but when it count

NO FUCKER VOTE

ITS TIME 2 GET THIS COUNTRY BACK 4 THE ENGLISH

VOTE BMP

ENGLAND 4 LIFE

LETS PUT R HOUSE IN ORDER

JUST HOPE THE LETTER BOMB MAN OR WOMEN DOESN'T FIND OUT

But honestly, of the 7000 on this thread, how many knew that!!! They dont go round anouncing this sort of stuff cause they'd never get it through in the first place!!!

Too right.

Signed and buds in

If you spend your lives with your heads in the sand then you shouldn't be surprised if people occasionally come along and fuck you up the arse.

Well said!

just look at the way the govts control the public through fear, thats communism

Not really. Communism's based upon labour and finances being shared for the greater good of the union. Doesn't always work like that but a lot of Latin America's countries are communist and believe me, there is not the control you've been told there is!

Buds in and and signed but anything that generates money WILL go through. I've said it before in the microchips in cars to monitor speed/location thread.....it's time to leave the UK because democracy is a thing of the past. Fuck welcome to 1984, welcome to the 51st state!

it's time to leave the UK

IT NOT ITS TIME 2 STAND UP AND FIGHT

Will we have to pay to sing in the shower soon????

fucking bastards!

another down fall of shitty tony blairs governmnet!!!!

roll on lib dems or conservative ill die before letting labour win another election, especially when that twat gordon brown is taking over...

84 budz added!

signed

But honestly, of the 7000 on this thread, how many knew that!!! They dont go round anouncing this sort of stuff cause they'd never get it through in the first place!!!

the people who needed to know about this sort of thing (IE venues, promoters, etc) knew

a load of clubbers aren't going to make a difference. If the venues and promoters made a stink then maybe as they are the ones really stung by this. But most aren't stung by it as it really isn't a problem

What a load of cack!! Well of course I'll be signing this! Its a bleedin outrage!! Buds added.x