Buskers are now legal on the London Underground. The LU has ruled that they can play at certain stations.

From the BBC website: "Bass player Justin Manser, 30, had never busked in the Tube before - but decided to apply for a licence to save the hassle that busking usually brings.

"I didn't want to come up here and fight people over the pitch," he said.

"I know where I can go and play, and there won't be any arguments from anybody - shopkeepers, environmental health, beggars."

Apparently there are now 285 licensed buskers and 1,200 two hour time slots to fill each week. Click here to apply for an audition to become a tube busker with the London Underground also check out Eurobuskers which is a fantastic resource if you are a would be busker and you can also learn who in Europe is the most generous when it comes to giving to buskers. The UK is third, so there is hope for London's buskers.

There was even a TV documentary - Busking Underground - which followed the progress of the new busking trial on ITV1 - Carlton on 25th September 2003. It was produced by Mosaic Films who earlier in the year had produced The Tube, an excellent TV series on the London Underground. Watch this space for more news!

SHOULD YOU GIVE MORE MONEY TO BAD PLAYERS OR GOOD ONES?

I've just joined a few newsgroups about London Transport which I've found fascinating. Here's an opinion on the standard of buskers, how does it compare to yours?

"To me it makes no difference whether a busker plays well or plays badly. In fact, if a busker plays badly I am MORE likely to give them some money because: (a) he/she will receive less money than other buskers, and I don't see why people living on the poverty-line should be remunerated according to their musical talent. Some buskers are just learning to play an instrument out of desperation, without having had any musical instruction, and whilst they perfect their instrument they will obviously play not as well. It doesn't make them any less desperate for your money.
(b) he/she, if a good busker, has more of a chance of being 'talent spotted' (you'd be surprised how many of our Britpop stars started in the tube tunnels). And if talent spotters are elusive, a good busker also has the chance of buying NME or Melody Maker, checking out the classifieds and auditioning. In other words, they have another opening, they could find a 'proper' job via their music. But poor buskers, until they become good buskers, whilst they perfect their technique, have little or no chance of successful auditions so need our support in the meantime!

I do practice what I preach. At Old Street you often get this classical guitarist. He is superb. I've heard him play the Concierto de Aranjuez, some Bizet, and 'modern' stuff too such as classical versions of Céline Dion songs. Not my cup of tea, but that's not why I don't give him any money. He is so good I know he'll (a) get money from other people anyway, and (b) could easily make a career out of himself by going professional. He's good enough. Ditto, the female violin player who hangs around Holborn and Bank.

However, when it comes to the Batá drummer in Bank, I always give him money. Batá drums aren't everyone's cup of tea (they're like congas but they are a different shape and thay hang off your neck), and on top of that he plays them really badly (I know this as I can play some Batá/congas, although I play badly as well). He gets very little money. And no salsa band would look at him! So while he improves his playing, and practice takes a long time, I'm delighted to be of some assistance. Also, there's one guitar player who keeps hitting bum notes -- I try to help him out.

A good busker will always get more money than a crap one, as not many people out there share my view. But at least the crap ones will get something if myself and a few others do what I do. Enough for a nice breakfast and, who knows, maybe enough for some lessons! Or new guitar strings! Or self-help music practice books. And eventually, I like to think, one of those buskers I helped will become good enough and make that break. And be the next Damon Albarn, or the next Jarvis Cocker, or the next Noel Gallagher.

Music is one of Britain's best exports, and makes a lot of money for the country (second biggest British industry, I think Blair said?), as well as gives a lot of pleasure to billions of people worldwide (a friend of mine is president of the Ocean Colour Scene fan club in Argentina!!) Let's be a little more supportive of our buskers. Let's be proud of them!!"

TRISTÁN from uk.local.london newsgroup

Now, have your say, and cast a vote here

Buskers Love Em or Hate Em

And now back to the buskers themselves....

They're back and they're bad (and not in the Michael Jackson sense of the word bad either). It's the legendary twosome, the "This train is going to Richmond" buskers. I thought they had gone into winter hibernation, but they are back on the overly busked District Line. Not only that, they were singing a new song, complete with guitar and bongo drums.

I was travelling into London and so instead of singing "This train is going to Richmond, this train". They were singing "This train is going to Barking, this train", which brings a whole new meaning to the song.

Also another lucky coincidence. When they go round to collect money, they always say 'We take cheques, we take Luncheon Vouchers, we take Indian rupees' and guess what I happened to have in my bag that evening - some Sri Lankan rupees. You cannot believe the joy I had of actually being able to put 100 rupees into their little bag.

I thought I ought to share the lyrics of their brilliant protest song with you all. The song was written as they used to use the public toilets to shave in when they were homeless. This practice was banned and they said you could tell because of all the "no shaving" signs that kept appearing in the toilets. Unfortunately there are some words missing (perhaps someone can fill in my gaps) but it goes something like this:



"If you can't have a shave in the toilet, where can you have a shave?
If you can't have a shave in the toilet, where can you have a shave?
Think of all the other things that people do in toilets
Much worse than shaving
Much worse than raving
(missing two lines goes here)
We only want to keep ourselves
clean and respectable
clean and respecta-buuullll
If you can't have a shave in the toilet where can you have a shave? - ah!"

Simon Fraser saw them recently and added:

"Yes, indeed. I attended one of their gigs last night between Hammersmith and Earls Court. The two numbers were present and correct ('This Train is going to Barking' and 'If you can't get a shave') but I can't give you the two middle lines of the latter I'm afraid.

"I must say I found the collection of donations in a small omelette pan rather enchanting (Delia would be proud of them) as I did the invitation to change trains and accompany them back to Hammersmith to hear some more material."

The only problem is that they don't have any more material!!!!
Any more sightings please let me know through the guestbook.

A nice little story here from Bassman

"I always give a bit of change to buskers - if they're good. I remember stopping at a bus station on wy way to Scotland once, there was a guy playing "Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd on a 12 string guitar. There were loads of strings missing though. Next time I did the same journey, I gave him the old strings that I had taken off my 12 string when I put new ones on. He was most grateful. He did Wish You Were Here for me again and I sang a passable harmony".

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