Music Licensing - New Conservative peer and former ITV chairman Michael Grade used his maiden speech in the House of Lords to back Tim Clement-Jones' Live Music Bill, claiming the 2003 Licensing Act which it seeks to amend is a "bad law" that denies up and coming music talent the chance to develop their skills.
The Live Music Bill had its second reading in the House of Lords last week and is aimed at changing the 2003 act to allow gigs with audiences of 200 or less, held between 8am and midnight in bars and workplaces, to take place without a licence. Grade said that under the current act, anyone who plays without a licence "can tune up and get banged up" and added that acts such as the Beatles would not have been so successful had they been forced to operate under the act.
"They all had to start somewhere, and I am certain that wherever they did start, they were not burdened with the redundant bureaucracy of filling out forms to apply for a licence for a harmless pursuit," he said. Grade also said that in an "iPod and headphone world" more should be done to "encourage and promote live performance".
Hard Rock Calling - Rod Stewart will headline the Sunday show at this year's Hard Rock Calling Festival in Hyde Park. Stewart said he intended "to do my part to bring a whole lot of music and more than a few surprises". Bon Jovi will top the bill on the Saturday at the London festival which runs from Friday 24 to Sunday 26 June. Meanwhile, Stewart's former collaborator - guitarist Jeff Beck - has revealed the two have discussed a possible reunion to make a blues album.
Festival Update - The Chemical Brothers have been announced as the headliner of this year's Creamfields festival. The dance act will perform at Daresbury in Cheshire on Saturday 27 August, a bank holiday weekend. Other acts confirmed include David Guetta, Swedish House Mafia, Tiesto, Armin van Buuren, Calvin Harris, Magnetic Man and Josh Wink. The Chemical Brothers are also headlining this summer's RockNess and Wireless festivals and are appearing at Glastonbury.
(Jim Evans)
