We're in the news!
- bill8344
- Mar 19
- 2 min read
The Old Romantics got a decent plug in an interview with our guitarist Bill, on the local radio station This is Alfred!
“A Shaftesbury businessman has stepped in to save live music at the town’s monthly Sunday markets. Bill Bruce, a musician himself, will launch a new musical venture to coincide with the first Sunday street sale of the year on 13th April.”
Market organiser Jules Bradburn had planned to remove musicians from the programme after the Performing Rights Society (PRS) required her to pay for a licence for each busking spot. Jules, who already pays the performers, felt the additional fees were unaffordable and decided not to risk prosecution. Bill, however, did not want to see a vital showcase for local talent disappear, so he stepped in to cover the costs.
Bill, who started playing music in the 1970s, recalled the Musicians’ Union campaign to ‘Keep Music Live’ and said: “We understand that this quango needs to exist because money needs to be recovered to go to original artists and the owners of copyright, but the way it’s assessed is unfair. Artists and traders will get more footfall if there’s live music, so to not have that aspect of the market is just so sad.”
When Bill heard about the PRS fees, he decided to personally fund them. “For a very small contribution, I can fix this,” he said, adding that he hopes others will contribute in future.
Bill also expressed concerns about the broader challenges musicians face, especially when they are expected to perform for free. “Music should be paid for. Even if musicians are playing covers, they deserve to be compensated,” he said. He praised Jules for ensuring musicians at the market are properly paid, and said he wanted to help ensure that remains possible.
The PRS has a complex licensing system, with fees based on estimated audience numbers. Bill described the system as impractical: “You can’t predict footfall. If an inspector turns up at 10 am, they might think there are three people there. By midday, there could be 2,000 people.” Despite the challenges, Bill said he would ensure set lists are logged so that royalties reach the correct copyright holders.
Thanks to Bill’s intervention, live music will return to the market from 13th April. He will also debut his new band, The Old Romantics, with Melbury guitarist Noel Bowman and Nick Gray. They will perform again on 26th April at King Alfred’s Kitchen’s Nuns’ Passage venue, and later at Shaftesbury Fringe.
“We’re playing melodic sing-along songs – Beatles, Stones, Lindisfarne – well-known tunes that fit the market vibe,” Bill said. “People can hang around, listen to a song or two, and move on. It’s uplifting, and it works with the flow of a street market.”
With live music saved for now, Bill hopes more businesses and individuals will support the initiative, ensuring that Shaftesbury’s markets remain a vibrant space for musicians and visitors alike.
Comments