Guest, memyself - surely, if you view the session as 'yours' and don't 'give a damn about the punters', all you are doing is engaging in a different activity in a pub, which is self-absorbing - much like playing darts or dominoes - in that it gives you pleasure, but isn't designed to necessarily engage or involve anyone outside the participating group.

The difference being, though, that the other users of the room (ie those who have gone to do something else) MIGHT find that your activity impinges on THEIR ability to use the room to do whatever it is that gives them pleasure - even if that is just watching telly.

In those circs, the landlord is going to have to decide what ambience he wants to create in his pub, or which group makes him th emost money.

Having live music on isn't necessarliy a money spinner - especially if the musicians aren't, by their own admission, there to entertain. It's fine if the landlord has an otherwise empty bar, or side room, but if another group, who is likely to drink more, decide they want to use it....

If all musicians want to do is play, essentially, to themselves, why isn't someone's front room, with a few bottle-conditioned beers, an appropriate venue?