Brexit From A Musician's Perspective

A personal view concerning how Brexit has affected the life of a professional musician.

For pro-EU content, I can recommend...

The Musicians' Union...

#brexit
#brexitreality
#brexitchaos
#ukpolitics
#musicianslife

[MaximilienRobespierre]

Wonderful video Pete, would love to have you on the channel to discuss this further, thanks for the shout out too!

[jonnysmokesmusic]

Viewing Brexit from the other side, I work at a backline company in Amsterdam. We are picking up a ton of work supplying gear for British bands touring the EU now due to the mountains of paperwork required to bring their own gear. Talking with tour managers, the UK bands are even having merch made in the EU and drop shipped to various clubs, as well as renting EU vehicles and hiring EU crew. All these extra costs hurt British bands, but we appreciate the extra revenue in the EU economy, so please don’t stop touring.

[SoloSi]

Very well said Pete. Thank you for speaking up for us. Sad that it's come to this, but your videos are now more important than ever. Such a pity that not all remainers voted in the referendum.

[SephBentos]

Fellow guitar teacher and performer here. Very well said mate, couldn’t have put it better myself. What a mess.

[godehardbrysch]

Good afternoon Pete, greetings from "non sovereign" and "dependent" Germany, near Cologne.
Thank you, it was time for a video like this and you can be proud, you see, there are international comments.
First of all, the music of the UK had immensely influenced generations all over the world, but even more, a general interest in British culture was coming up. Great country in art, film,
music, theatre and above all in literature. The UK has brilliant novelists and so has Ireland.
I was quite young and more handsome than today, the first time I listened to the UK-Charts
(BFBS in Germany) the number one was "Have I the right" by the Honey Combs..
The programme was at midnight and I had to be cautious, my parents were not in favour of me not sleeping.
Whereas you have given this necessary comment, I'm a bit disappointed about the UK theatres. I have an overseas membership of the RSC, and it is a pity that they do not realize that donations from the EU are real presents, they are not-a-matter of course.
You are right, super stars are still touring. Robbie Williams had a tremendous success here,
but the performance of Uriah Heep in my town was cancelled. Heartbroken, I would have liked to listen to "Lady in Black, " one of my number one hits of the 70s.
Roger Daltrey has complained in the meanwhile, stupid, one cannot tell me he didn't know what was coming.
Symphonic Orchestras have special regulations as some players come from EU member states (free movement). So I'm glad to see a performance of the Oxford Philarmonic Orchestra with Martha Argerich in Heilbronn, 3 April, 2023
The interesting fact is that tables are turned now. The decisive success for LEAVE was the
great popularity of Boris Johnson. This all leads to divison, just the opposite what Farage has predicted.
In a sober way: Compare what was promised or even predicted and what is happening now, Interesting that basically not the EU is criticized but the Tories, they did not deliver Brexit.
"We are now united, free and independent, Brexit is for the ordinary people" (Farage)
Highest debts since WWII and last week more borrowing: 22 Million (record high)
Instead of saying to the nurses "Your claims are unaffordable" one should admit: "We are broke". (prediction: We will be in full control of our money)
"Yes, it's international, inflation, pandamic etc."
If one uses arguments like those one should have been honest from the beginning: "Brexit can only work in good times." - wish you all the best, good start in 2023.

[michaeldaffern]

I'm a guitar player, only a hobby. You're the first I've heard talk about racism, how it was really dissolved in the 80's and how the idiots brought it back to make money from it. It's so sad how money is seen as the be all and end all.
I do wish you well in your work.

[clashholland]

Excellent talk, good to see that there still sane people in the UK, have to be your Maltese blood😊. Good luck to you !

[Misses-Hippy]

That was an elegant presentation; You are an excellent speaker. Regarding Brexit, many Brits here in France had to uproot their lives and return to the UK. Why? The rules for immigration apply evenly to all, no exception for the Brits who had made their lives here. I think the UK got a bad case of Trumpitis. It's been going around. Bon courage!

[mikebashford]

Well said sir. I am an IT trainer - used to work about 40 weeks per year in the EU - can't do that anymore. But, I work for a multinational organisation, with an office in Bucharest - so the EU training still gets done, but by Romanians, not me or my British colleagues. Maybe I should go round chanting 'British Jobs for British Workers!' Of course, there's still work in the UK - I've had about 10 weeks in 2022 - but it usually requires hiring equipment - the British company that used to do this went out of business because most of its customers were in the EU, and shipping hire equipment to and from the EU became impossible - and the EU companies that hire out kit won't touch the UK with a bargepole. And Ian Botham said today (see Max Robespierre's channel) - that Brexit is a success. I despair.

[Michelesf]

Hi Pete,
I wish that the british politicians and the politicians of the EU are willing, to correct this historical mistake as soon as possible. You are a member of the family.
Greetings from Germany

[rosemariebach]

Hello Pete,
Thanks for you video! I'm writing from Germany. Your video remembers me of all the musicians who were the stars of folk festivals of my youth time, pentangle, Bert Jansch and John Renbourn, and many more. We'll, the UK musicians were special and sure they are now, too. Brexit is a big loss for us, but specifically for the new members like Poland, where people really would appreciate your music, but didn't have much opportunity yet.
EU without UK is like Christmas without candels.
It is in our own interest to negotiate an easy exchange with your musicians artists and writers p.

[theweatherman]

Well said Pete. As a fellow musician, (not as busy as you obviously have been!) You've have ticked all the boxes for me in describing this unholy mess that has been created and coincidentally, I am tuned in to Phil Moorhouse and Maximillions regular vids, excellent observers of how deep the crap is! Thanks for your input from another perspective.Cheers

[MoebiusUK]

Congratulations on your Maltese passport. I did the same and got my Irish passport.

I'm a Londoner of have mixed heritage, Irish and Nigerian and when I got my passport I mentioned it on Youtube comment section .... The comments I got left me in tears (of joy).

Why, 'tears of joy'? because the Irish came out in force in the comment section to welcome me. I was left close to 100 comments (no exaggeration), supporting me. Many were in Gaeilge. ... I'm still emotional about it (nearly 2 year later) because there was not one single nasty comment, just genuine happiness for me.

Go raibh maith agat, Éire 🍀❤

[blurtam]

Wow!! Sorry to hear how badly so many musicians have been terribly effected by Brexit!! I'm from Canada and touring in Europe has always been amazing - outside of the UK (which had crazy paperwork and costs before Brexit - while the rest of Europe was easily accessible and super professional and well paying, much better than Canada/US for indie bands)!! Sending you positive from across the pond!!

[joaomarreiros]

Well, hello there Pete, you appeared in my algorithm, better than some crazy things that pop on occasion, so I will just drop a like and my little story.
I am in my forties and I WAS an Iron Maiden fan since I was a little kid, going to the concerts, here and in Spain mostly (I live in Portugal), buying the music, some merchandising, the works and usual stuff. Well, then one day me and my metal head group, ranging from folks in their 20´s to folks in their 50´s, saw some interviews and comments by a little weasel with a siren voice (air siren) Mr. DicKinson, the Bruce, and well, we felt so good about said words and intelligent remarks from a person that as a degree in literature I think? That I, dumped all my merchandise, unsubscribed to any and at all videos/services, and simply banned Iron Maiden from my life, oh, me and about at least 30 people and respective families. I erased them from my life and all over beautiful Europe, some people must have done exactly the same, I even dislike/don´t recommend channel/not interested any videos by them that happen to bother me and my algorithm. I would not go to an Iron Maiden concert again, not even if they provided me with two lovely ladies of easy conversation, a "pint" of strawberry and chocolate ice cream, a foot rub and a free ticket with backstage access (unless I was showing them my Portuguese/German opinion on the Bruce´s ideas trough the means of a clenched fist).
As for normal people such as yourself, you have my solidarity, but I am afraid the current idiots in charge of the British government are reducing the chances of the UK ever joining the SM, the CU or the EU every minute they spend in power, people should think in decades and not years for such a thing (but it is possible). As for anyone that can get a EU passport, go for it, or relocate to the EU doing something else and with at least a temporary visa and some luck, you´ll find a job in the music scene.
I liked your honesty my friend, a good character trait forgotten by British politicians. Cheers.

[berulan]

Thank you for this very informative and interesting video and Merry Christmas from Germany.

[davidmarkwort]

You tell it like it was, authentic and with all its gloom.

[ahgversluis]

Absolutely right, Pete. I hope that your Maltese heritage will save you. Good for you! may other musicians soon find similar benefits when cooler heads prevail over trade deals with the EU

[trroland]

Merry Christmas buddy. I do feel bad for all the Brits who had this served up to them.

[rodthemod]

Pete...my wife and I were in the UK in early 2016 and prior to our visit, we could not imagine Britain would leave the largest free market in the world. The longer we spent travelling about, the more we were to come to the realization Leave could win. We returned home and watched in shock as the results came in. Our fears for my homeland (N I) have sadly come true, but wiser heads have instituted a system between the North and the Republic of Ireland/EU to mitigate the worst of Brexit. For the rest of the UK, the suffering and loss will continue until, as you said, a return to some form of membership in the EU takes place.
I've been a long time fan of your YT lessons, yet my "mastery" of the guitar is woeful...but, thanks to you, I can make enough pleasant noise to keep me musically happy, lol, my wife perhaps less so.

A Merry Christmas to you Peter, and hope for brighter days ahead.