Brexit and music

Ever since the 2016 EU In/Out referendum on UK’s EU membership when the country voted narrowly for Brexit, I knew at the time and still to this day that Brexit will mean disadvantage for the music industry and the show business.

British musicians and bands who go on tour freely to European countries (who are mostly members of the European Union) without the need for work permits. google.co.uk 

Since the UK left the EU almost a year on 31st January 2020 and the Brexit transition period had ended more than 14 days ago (on New Year’s Eve 2020) and the effects of Brexit have recently commenced, UK musicians and bands will no longer tour to Europe freely. Meaning they will require work permits. Same for European bands and musicians who wish to go on tour to the UK. google.co.uk google.co.uk independent.co.uk 

Even the Brexit topic itself had divided opinions for well known musicians and bands given mostly of them are anti Brexit (the likes of Elton John, Paul McCartney, etc) while some are pro Brexit like Ringo Starr of the Beatles. nme.com 

Anyways recently it was confirmed that Britain had admitted that they rejected the offer from the EU27 during post Brexit trade negotiations despite the UK government have pointed fingers at the EU. Well we all know the truth. The government was being unreasonable. Totally unreasonable. independent.co.uk t.co 

When we (the Brits) were the EU passport holders (& please don’t get me started on British blue passport without the title “European Union” & all that Jibber Jabber), musicians and bands from Britain who go to Europe to attend for playing music live at gigs and concerts & even attending recording sessions at the recording studio, shooting for music videos & playing at the opera, they all benefited from the EU freedom of movement. Now if bands and musicians who want to perform live in concerts/gigs and festivals (music festivals) at any European country destinations in cities like Paris, Berlin, Barcelona, Rome, Amsterdam, Brussels, Stockholm, etc, they would need to declare musical equipments, instruments and gear on a Carnet (Customs document) given the United Kingdom is not in the EU Customs Union and the Single Market anymore. 

Just like financial services, the music business (& other showbiz like actors in the creative sector) have been left out of the UK - EU post Brexit free trade deal. It is not good for the Creative industry like music to be forgotten given the coronavirus pandemic have severely impacted the whole industry in the art sector: theatres, soap operas, TV, films, drama, dancing and yes Music. All performing arts. Affected by Covid and now Brexit. Creative arts in the UK definitely needs to be rescued & the government haven’t do anything to invest money to save the struggling businesses from collapsing. 

The United Kingdom is the home of many famous homegrown musicians, singers, rappers and bands that we know very know: The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Sting, Queen, The Who, Tom Jones, David Bowie, Elton John, George Michael (& Wham), Bee Gees, Pink Floyd, Duran Duran, Culture Club (& Boy George), Annie Lennox (& Eurythmics), Phil Collins (& Genesis), Peter Gabriel, Rod Stewart, Shirley Bassey, Spice Girls, Blur, Oasis, Take That, Robbie Williams, KT Tunstall, Leona Lewis, Arctic Monkeys, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Susan Boyle, Coldplay, Lily Allen, One Direction, Ed Sheeran, Little Mix and Stormzy. Yet the government under Boris Johnson administration said no to the EU offer of continuing the freedom of movement of musicians throughout the European continent post Brexit (& it would been special musician visa under reciprocal agreement between both sides the UK & the EU27) cos they were like “screw this, bands & musicians from will require work permits & additional admin cost to tour in mainland Europe so no thanks”. That is something that PM Boris Johnson and the whole cabinet will eventually regret for not including musicians, tour management & road crew to be exempt from the idea of requiring a work permit, carnet & additional expensive costs post Brexit.  nme.com 

Musicians Union reacted to the news of not allowing visa free travel for musicians to tour freely in continental Europe on tour schedule post Brexit musiciansunion.org.uk 

At least the UK will still participate in Eurovision Song Contest as Eurovision is not affiliated with the EU & it is not even a EU agency. 

British music is the UK’s export to the world not just Europe & yet we are throwing it away. Voted for something that may be not beneficial for everyone except for those who might be advantage for Brexit positively. Not being part of the club (the European Union which is negatively mad) & yet the government & Brexiteers  talked of “Global Britain” as if Britain is not “global” as we have been member of the European Union since 1973 for almost half a century.  As I said before that I don’t believe in isolation economically and politically & that I voted Remain. As for music, music is everywhere. It is global. The universal language that we all enjoy regardless where you live in the world  

So that is why I knew from the very beginning following the 2016 Brexit vote that Brexit will be disadvantage for musicians & bands. As someone who loves music & made music, it is not fair. Last thing everyone needs is red tape and bureaucracy which will indeed be stressful for music artists to go through the red tape and customs document (Carnet) while heading to Europe to perform live in concerts. barneteye.blogspot.com 

That is something we have to get used to it. The new normal post Brexit for all of us including British and European recording artists. Despite British music is European music. I know a friend of mine (Fil) who is a great friend & who is in my friend’s band (the False Dots. Roger’s band) who is originally from Portugal. He told me that Brexit is bad for music. So yeah, Brexit is really devastatingly disadvantage for UK music. That is all I can say about it. musiciansunion.org.uk bestforbritain.org 

Click the links for petitions to allow musicians to continue going on tour freely to Europe post Brexit now that we are already outside the European Union. 

petition.parliament.uk If you live in the UK, you can sign the petition. UK only. 

change.org UK & worldwide for everyone to sign the petition.