Police Hate Live Folk Music

Date: 10 Jul 2003 10:12:24 -0700
Newsgroups: uk.music.folk,soc.culture.british
Size: 2,631 bytes

Probably the major reason why the Government is making live folk music
licensable at great cost and inconveniance to all involved is because
the police have such a jaundiced view of it. But why so? After all
let's face it the police can probably relate to pubs with widescreen
t.v. blaring out football matches, and they can probably relate to
over-loud disco raves - both of which have the potential for attacting
drunken trouble makers.
So why can't they understand that live folk music is far far less
disruptive than any widescreen t.v. sports event or any loud disco
rave? Live folk music and dance has a deserved place in the cultural
heritage of this country. Its a darn sight less disruptive than a
bunch of drunken hooligans watching a football match or fighting
outside a pub disco rave.
So now we get someone totally ignorant of what live folk music
actually is, and representing the entire police force of this country,
tarring us all with the same brush as drunken hooligans and criminals.
Great!! Thank you very much!! What a bl**dy slur on the thousands of
folk musicians both professional and amateur in the country!! What a
totally offensive remark to make!!
I quote:
'Live music always [ALWAYS !!!!] acts as a magnet in whatever
community it is being played. It brings people from outside that
community and having no connection locally behave in a way that is
inappropriate, criminal and disorderly.' - Chris Fox, President,
Association of Chief Police Officers, in a letter to Tessa Jowell,
DCMS, on 2 July 2003, arguing against the exemption for licencing live
folk music in pubs and clubs.
NOT IN ANY FOLK COMMUNITY I'VE EVER BEEN INVOLVED WITH !!
What this person is condeming in his heavily critical diatribe is that
there are noisy, disruptive and criminal elements attracted to ALL
morris and clog performances, to ALL folk song clubs in pubs, and all
events requiring live music such as barn dances, etc., etc.
I have to opine that in EVERY single LIVE folk music session in pubs
in Southern Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and in bars in the USA and
Canada, I have NEVER EVER witnessed ANY drunken or undesirable
elements.
So why the heavy legislation against live music in this country. What
the hell has the police got against live folk music to make this
statement?
And to think that my heavy Council Tax goes to paying for people with
such jaundiced and deeply offensive views as this.
All faxes of protest can be sent to: Association of Chief Police
Officers of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, 25 Victoria Street,
London SW1X OEX. Tel: +44(0)207 227 3434. Fax: +44 (0)207 227 3400/1.