uk revival and Agents

Subject: RE: uk revival and Agents
From: The Sandman
Date: 05 May 19 - 05:16 PM

i would like to as k Vic a question , you ran a folk club for avery long time do you remember whether over the years you booked through agents in latter years more frequently than in the sixties or seventies

Subject: RE: uk revival and Agents
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 05 May 19 - 05:12 PM

I disagree. For about twenty years now, the agents have had a malign influence.Promotiing very dull acts.

I suppose its come from the knowledge that social secretaries at colleges,and frequently people booking folk festivals don't have a clue about acoustic music, and anyway they'll have moved on by next year. So earning a rebooking doesn't matter.

THe deals that at one time were done at street level by folk clubs are no more. Another by product of the diminution of the clubs.

Subject: RE: uk revival and Agents
From: Vic Smith
Date: 05 May 19 - 02:53 PM

Two words missing:-
Relationship between an artists and agents can have many points...

Subject: RE: uk revival and Agents
From: Vic Smith
Date: 05 May 19 - 02:49 PM

Sorry, Dick, but I read the title and what I saw the potential for this becoming yet another thread that develops into long wrangling from the same group of people taking up the same positions without there being any hope of resolution. If it doesn't then I will apologise to you. I sincerely hope it doesn't because to many folk enthusiasts that I talk to Mudcat has become something of a laughing stock because of this.
So I will give my contribution and the retire and watch what happens.

For many busy profesional performers in all branches of the performing arts, there comes a time when handling their own appearances/engagements/contracts/publicity etc. takes too much of their time and they are pleased to hand over that business to an agent for a percentage of their earnings. I would reckon that it is a pretty tough job without a guaranteed income. Relationship between an artists can have many points at which it can become fraught.
In 50+ years of running folk clubs and festivals, I have worked with very many agents. They have ranged from the the excellent and utterly reliable to the hopeless and inefficient with most somewhere between the two extremes. Just like all the other people that I interact with in my life, in fact.

Subject: RE: uk revival and Agents
From: Jack Campin
Date: 05 May 19 - 02:31 PM

Their job is surely just to get their clients a larger share of the available work. They don't make any difference to the total amount of work that's going.

Subject: RE: uk revival and Agents
From: The Sandman
Date: 05 May 19 - 02:12 PM

Vic, why so dismissive?and no clarification as to why you think they have had little effect on the uk folk revival

Subject: RE: uk revival and Agents
From: Vic Smith
Date: 05 May 19 - 01:44 PM

Very little. Next thread please.

Subject: uk revival and Agents
From: The Sandman
Date: 05 May 19 - 01:35 PM

to what extent are agents responsible for the present state of the UKFOLKREVIVAL?