Back in March this
year, The Hat wrote a well-received piece about how blues music in
the UK needed a National Voice, postulating that although, for those
on the ground, it is vibrant, busy, innovative and exciting, there is
no obvious national presence. Regardless of how many branches there
are to the broad church of the blues there never seems to be a coming
together when it is needed. If you want to refresh your memory on
these arguments you are welcome to read it again here...
http://bluesmaninhat.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/please-dont-talk-bad-about-my-moma.html
To an observer, the
last few weeks discussion on the social media sparked off by the
announcement of the nominations for this year's British Blues Awards
has been as depressing as it has been predictable. It was always
thus. There have always been differences of opinion on those lists,
but this year the grumpiness, stone-throwing and name calling seem to
have reached new levels of disaffection. In one corner, you have the
paranoid conspiracy theorists who insist that everyone has got it in
for them and they will never get nominated (Infamy, infamy). In
another corner there are those who think that the nominations panel
is full of unqualified half-wits who Know Nothing and just vote for
their mates. In a third corner are the frequent and verbose critics
who like to let us know that they are Experts but they are too busy
doing important stuff to make a contribution. Indeed, there is even a Special Corner occupied by vehement critics who were asked to join
the nomination panel and refused (presumably so they can criticise
without shooting their feet off) - and in the other fifteen corners
are numerous vested interest megaphones of different sizes and
volume.
If you have ever been
involved in an awards programme or on a judging panel, you will know
that vigorous debate and constructive discussion are really important
– and yes of course, personal prejudice, likes and dislikes always
play a role. But it seems to me that the discussion (I doubt that is
even the right word!) this year has reached a level of negativity
that is not only, for the most part, unhelpful but on a wider level
does damage to the notion that at the heart of all this is a
wonderful wide-ranging, all embracing, multi-faceted range of music
that is not only alive and healthy and bringing joy to its
participants but one that attracts followers in its tens of thousands
across the country whilst both embracing the young and emerging
talent and acknowledging its history and substance.
The current British
Blues Awards have developed over many years and it is a tribute to
the few who have done the work all that time, that it even survives
and attracts attention around the world. However, many seem to
conveniently fail to note that the awards are for the favourites of the
previous year – not for who is 'hot or not' right now – and
sorry, that may well include your favourite artists who have been
quiet, in the studio, or 'resting'. The fact that you or your
favourite are not included does not, on its own, mean that you have
to throw your toys out of the pram in disgust, crying 'fix, fix'.
The system certainly
has much that needs reconsidering, particularly as it has grown in
strength and the huge response that the final voting now brings. The
nomination panel - if only to escape from the casual abuse it
receives every year - needs an overhaul. However, does being a PR or
manager for (say) two artists make you an 'industry expert', or are you
only an expert if you run a blues club and are very vocal and
opinionated? If you are just a gig-attender, are you an expert or do
you just like one particular type of music? Maybe you get to be an
expert if you have a record label? Maybe even the name of the awards
should change? It's a musical labyrinth of prejudice, Blues Scylla
and Blues Charybdis fighting to the death. Whatever the answer, it
needs sensible discussion and not two lines of smart-arse unfunniness
to your personal captive audience on your Facebook page..
Let's not pretend this
is a just a blues thing. Don't get me started on the killer fights
over classical orchestras, light opera or why Ed Sheeran should be on
a black artists music list, for heavens sake...
If the nomination panel
and the voting procedures need to be looked at – which seems to be a growing consensus notion, then in The Hat's view, the profile of the
awards is a major issue that should be tackled as soon as possible.
Putting aside, momentarily, the fact that there is no magic pot of
money to spend, it is clear that any awards need to be as visible as
possible to the music community in general and certainly to all
those who may have, or are developing an interest in the blues world.
They need to generate some energy and excitement. The sad
circumstances of the loss of Barry Middleton have somewhat derailed
things this year, but nevertheless the absence of a national profile
for the awards is regrettable. Sponsorship can certainly be found but
any serious backing from the industry needs a high profile awards
event as a pre-requisite. I have said before elsewhere, it is sad
but true that major backers, sponsors and participants will only turn
up to an 'event' – not a casual happening. Philanthropist Calouste
Gulbenkian apparently famously said he wasn't keen on funding
ventures round a kitchen table. It's time to look for both an
occasion and a venue that will excite interest and give the BBAs the
profile they richly deserve. Think of a few other award events and you will get my drift.
Personally, The Hat
doesn't get too bothered by the tribal composition of the blues
world. On the contrary, it is a wonderful snapshot of our rainbow
that soul, swing, country and (er) americana, rock and jazz all get
the blues hook; that harps, saxophones and flutes get to elbow their
way to the front of stage; that the grand masters don't get forgotten
and the feisty young upstarts keep shaking the tree. What I do
care about is that the current Tower of Babel back-chat runs the risk
of drowning out both the importance of the need for a Blues Awards of
some kind and how important it is to salute those on the final lists who have plied
their trade with such huge talent and huge pride. So let us stop, take a
breath and at least acknowledge that - and make sure you get voting when it starts in August.
Right now, The Blues is
Eating Itself – and that is doing Nobody, No Good, Nowhere.
Pip Pip!
The Bluesman in The Hat