Prime Minister Boris Johnson waves on the doorstep of number 10 after making a statement in Downing Street following the Conservative Party's return to power in the General Election with an increased majority.
Victoria Jones/PA Images via Getty ImagesEarlier today, WME and more than 50 of its clients sent a public letter to U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, encouraging the government to urgently tackle the live touring crisis brought about by the Brexit trade deal with the European Union.
In order for artists, their crew and equipment to move between the U.K. and EU, additional permissions are now required, including work visas, carnets (goods passport) and permits. The additional cost, administrative burden and delays associated with obtaining these permissions are "the latest threat to an industry already ravaged by the devastating impact of the pandemic" and will prove "particularly onerous for new and emerging talent for whom live touring in the U.K./EU may no longer be a reality," a statement from WME reads.
In the letter below, agents and music artists ask that the government act without any further delay and engage with its EU counterparts to ensure visa-free touring for artists.
RT Hon Boris Johnson MP
Prime Minister
10 Downing Street
London, SW1A 2AA
Dear Prime Minister:
The UK music industry, which sustains over 197,000 full-time jobs, is amongst the most affected by COVID-19’s devastating impacts, and thousands of musicians whose livelihoods depend on touring are keen to get back to work. However, due to the changes brought about by Brexit, we are facing a crisis that may prevent that from happening, and we need your help.
Over the past several decades, the UK has experienced a consistent upward trajectory in live touring, bringing with it a significant and positive economic impact. Much of this success was due to our ability to tour the EU with much greater ease. According to research by the Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM), 44% of UK musicians were earning up to half of their earnings in the EU, and nearly a third spent more than 30 days in the EU for work per year.
Due to new immigration rules, UK musicians and our teams will not be able to tour Europe without obtaining certain visas and work permissions (in addition to those permissions required to transport equipment cross-border and the changes to the rules around cabotage), far in advance. In some territories, the process to obtain these work visas can take months, causing a logistical nightmare as many engagements are booked on much tighter timeframes, and which is made more cumbersome if an artist is required to surrender their passport throughout each visa application process. Additionally, should the booking need to be rescheduled the process starts all over again. These new challenges will impact all musicians, and unfortunately, emerging talent in particular, as touring becomes cost prohibitive for most.
We welcome your recent promise in Parliament to fix this crisis facing our industry. It is encouraging to hear that the Government is working ‘flat out’ with EU Member States to iron out the huge challenges we now face, but as the live events industry begins to reopen around the UK and Europe, a successful resolution must be found quickly.
To deliver on your commitment, we urge you to find solutions that ensure performers and their creative teams do not need to obtain a visa and work permit each time they seek paid work in any EU country. We, in collaboration with our industry partners and in support of the campaign #LetTheMusicMove, seek and implore you to deliver on your commitment, and urge you to find solutions that ensure performers and their creative teams can seek paid work in any EU country without impediment.
With planning already underway for tours this year, there is a limited window of opportunity to solve the issues threatening our industry. Reducing the complexities of new border regulations and the prohibitive costs to UK musicians touring in the EU will open the door to an exciting and vibrant future for UK talent.
We would ask that you urgently consider our request to fervently engage on this issue to ensure that additional paperwork and costs are removed to enable musicians to tour Europe once more and bring joy to millions of people.
Thank you for your consideration.
Alison Goldfrapp & Will Gregory (Goldfrapp)
Anna Calvi
Barns Courtney
Big Society
Blane Muise
Bow Anderson
Culture Club
Danny L Harle
DON BROCO
Duran Duran
Dylan Cartlidge
Emeli Sandé
Fatboy Slim
George Riley
Georgia Twinn
Gramn.
Grand Pax
Greentea Peng
Groove Armada
HONNE
Hot Chip
Hot Since 82
IDER
Idris Elba
Jarvis Cocker
Jessie Ware
Johnny Flynn
Kaiser Chiefs
Keane
KEYAH/BLU
Kindness
Knucks
LCYTN
Leftfield
Leon Vynehall
Lily Moore
Louis Dunford
Mabel
Madness
Massive Attack
Mumford & Sons
Mysie
Nilüfer Yanya
Pete Tong
Rick Astley
Sad Night Dynamite
Scarlxrd
The Hunna
Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs
Tourist
TVAM
William Doyle
YONAKA
Young Fathers
Faith No More appear to be hinting at a return to the stage in 2027.
The influential alt-metal band have remained mostly quiet over the past decade following the release of their reunion album ‘Sol Invictus’ in 2015. After its arrival, they played what would become their most recent live performances in 2016 and later called off several touring plans in the years that followed.
Now, however, they seem to be preparing fans for something new. The group recently shared an image of a concert crowd on social media with nothing more than the text “2027” placed across it.
No additional information accompanied the post, but it quickly sparked speculation among fans, many of whom believe a full scale tour announcement could be coming next year.
After wrapping up their 2016 run of shows, the band intended to return to the road in 2020. Those plans were ultimately abandoned because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Further touring plans surfaced in 2021 as venues began reopening, but those dates were also cancelled before they could begin. Frontman Mike Patton later explained that mental health struggles were behind the decision and revealed he had been diagnosed with agoraphobia during the pandemic.
Until recently, a reunion seemed unlikely. Patton spoke about Faith No More’s lengthy break and said that he did not “see it as a sad thing”.
Speaking on the Kyle Meredith With… podcast and reflecting on whether he felt a “sense of closure” after the 2016 tour, the vocalist said: “I didn’t really think so at the time, but, yeah, maybe. I think that we all kind of felt it, but it was unspoken.”
“It’s funny: when you’ve been in a band or a musical situation for a period of time, you always, in the back of your head, you’re kind of thinking, ‘Well, maybe this is it.’ And I don’t mind that feeling,” he added. “I don’t see it as a sad thing. I see it as being present and being able to really appreciate it while it’s happening.”
Faith No More have never formally announced a breakup following the cancellation of their 2021 tour, although other members have suggested in recent years that the chances of touring again were uncertain.
Last year, guitarist Roddy Bottum discussed the band's future and admitted they were in a “really weird spot”. “I can’t really tell you what’s going on. I don’t know myself. I get different information from people… and I’m in the band,” he said.
Drummer Mike Bordin echoed similar thoughts last spring, saying that he and some of the other members were willing to perform again, but claimed Patton was “unwilling to do shows with us”.
In addition to leading Faith No More since 1989 after replacing original singer Chuck Mosley, Patton has also been involved with projects including Mr Bungle, Fantômas, and Tomahawk.
Tomahawk recently unveiled plans for their first tour in 13 years, with a series of US dates scheduled for this summer. The run begins in Nashville next month and will also see Patton and his bandmates reunite with longtime labelmates Melvins for the first time since 2003.
Patton has also recently launched his tour with Avett Brothers and teamed up with Jehnny Beth on the new single ‘Look At Me’.
