By Coral Consciouslee
3rd November 2015
In an industry where one’s reputation is based on one’s
conduct or performance, I was saddened to know that yet another artist has had
to go public and complain about a promoter.
UK’s rising Reggae Star, Aysha Loren took to social media
yesterday to vent her frustration and outrage at the shoddy treatment she and
fellow band members received at the hands of a promoter. Apparently he waited until after the show to
tell Aysha, that she nor her band members would not be receiving any payment,
because he had no money with which to pay her.
As Aysha pointed out (and it was evident), the venue was
very well attended! This meant that even in ticket sales alone, revenue would
have been generated, so why, knowing full well that such actions would be
broadcast, did the promoter in question not show any remorse or any intention
of fulfilling his side of the agreement?
The other burning question is, did Lukie D receive HIS agreed fee for
his performance? If this is the case, the international artist has once again
been given preferential treatment over a UK artist!
My blog is not merely to state the obvious, but to highlight
the very urgent need for us to change in how we do things here in the UK. For things to change, we have to take effective
action. To be effective we really do
need to come together and commit to working to a higher standard. The saying “all singing from the same hymn
sheet” springs to mind. Even though
contracts can and will be broken, there should be a consequence for the
promoter or artist if this happens. The
promoter should NOT be able to get away with his actions without any
repercussion or penalty. I am sure as I type, the promoter in question
will not only be counting whatever profit/loss he has made, but he will already
be busy promoting his next event or venture.
I saw some of the comments under Aysha Loren’s status. “Put it down to experience”. “Did you have a
contract?”. “Did you have a rider in
that contract?”. My all time favourite : “Leave him to God”. So in a nutshell, seemingly there is nothing
Aysha or her band members can do. She
and they used their own resources which includes time and effort, which whilst
appreciated by her fans and those who attended, was laughed at by the promoter
himself! Another pertinent question is does the fact that Aysha is a female
singer have any bearing in the promoter’s stance in this situation? Would the
promoter have handled things differently if it involved a male? Questions,
questions, questions!
I call on artists, musicians and like-minded individuals to boycott promoters who behave in this way. The power is in our hands; if we choose not
to put our hands in our pockets and take our hard-earned cash and pay for a
ticket, that promoter is rendered inactive, the event cannot take place. Naming and shaming is not a spiteful or
malicious act. By refusing to name and
shame we give that promoter licence to do it to others, we are actually giving
them permission to waste other people’s time and money. We also need to stop
being “armchair” critics. There are ways
of supporting positive change and I would be wrong not to promote Reggae
Fraternity UK of which I am a member. I
joined because I want to be instrumental in causing change to the Reggae Music
Industry in the UK especially; I truly believe it can be done. What are you doing to contribute to change?
You may say you are not an artist, musician, promoter or DJ; however without
you, the general public, none of this is possible. As Chronnix sang “I’m recruiting....”
“Better must come”....but who is going to do it? How will it
happen? When will it happen?
It’s up to us...
