Not quite off topic - Form 696

[marshlander]

I am sure there are other musicians on here and there are also people subscribed to this forum who enjoy live music.

I wonder how many of you have heard of Form 696? It is a form that people in 21 London boroughs have to fill in if they want to put on a music event. This form is not for the benefit of the local authority nor for complying with the recently changed and already over-the-top licensing laws. It is an 8-page document required by the Metropolitan Police which "demands that licensees give police a mass of detail, including the names, aliases, private addresses and phone numbers of all musicians and other performers appearing at their venue, and the ethnic background of the likely audience. Failure to comply could mean the loss of a licence or even a fine and imprisonment."

There is a lot of concern among musicians of all kinds that this is yet another step too far into Big Brother territory. There is some concern that this form of further data collection will spread to other police areas. I guess I could be liable to criminal prosecution under these laws, because I frequently operate with community groups and, although I may be leading the music, I don't necessarily have a clue as to the contact details of the performers. Even with my professional musicians I sometimes have to call in deps at short notice. Will promotors be deterred from putting on events because of yet another added burdon of admin? The logical conclusion is that this is another shovel-load of paper with which to bury live music.

As someone in the discussion that follows the report in The Independent said,

"The music industry's live side of business is already having serious problems with having to get a specific licences to host performances even though it's had little financial gain for the smaller venues. This will be the final nail in the coffin for these venues which provide the grass roots to the whole music industry - without which we will only be left with manufactured music as a product not an art.

I am devastated that we live in an age and city which gives billions to wealthy bankers who brought the country to a financial stand still yet our elected representatives see fit to kill off the arts that made the city famous."

I've seen accusations that this expression of concern is a "knee-jerk" reaction to real problems currently facing the police. So, they need to be informed of the ethnic background of the likely audience, eh? Like the record of the Met in dealing fairly with racist incidents leaves us with nothing to worry about! How can having a database of performers help the police locate some knife-wielding or gun-toting lunatic in an audience? It's just barmy. When are we going to have the guts to say, "Stop!"

I don't know how effective the on-line petitions are, but there is one on this subject Petition to: Scrap the unnecessary and draconian usage of the 696 Form from London music events. | Number10.gov.uk

Spread the news, people.

Thanks.