No Money, No Music

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Did anyone else notice the non-busking busker at the Davis T this morning? I guess he decided to employ a new business model, because the sign in his guitar case said NO MONEY, NO MUSIC. Sure enough, his case was empty, and he was pacing and grumbling "f*ck, man, f*ck" and reading a newspaper, not playing at all. I saw him lash out his arm at an elderly person who stepped too close to his case.

I busked for a year with a folk trio, and I have to say, that's just not how it works. We sang and had a great time, and people gave us money if they enjoyed the music. Sometimes candy or T tokens too. Most Boston buskers do it in their spare time and don't attempt to make a full living at it, and it's more about getting exposure for their music or their CDs, and making a few bucks for sharing music.

All I can say is I hope this guy isn't planning to take up regular residence in that busking spot. Coming down the stairs I noticed the unusual absence of music, then this surly, swearing guy taking up a spot that another busker could have been using.

Comments

[desiringsubject.livejournal.com]

ick. just what subway commuters need: another way to make mornings less pleasant.

[komos.livejournal.com]

Was it the guy with the ponytail who plays swamp guitar? (Not that that would have been obvious, but...)

He's been doing that off and on for years.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

He did have a ponytail. I don't know what kind of music he plays though when he was refusing to play without cash upfront. He needs a clunk on the head with the Clue-by-Four.

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

ha, he's put up the same sign in Porter in the past. I thought to thank him for not playing (he's awful)

[infinitehotel.livejournal.com]

Wonder if he actually makes any money at all? My experience with the economics of street performing was similar to that old theory about asking everyone at the party to sleep with you; if you keep putting yourself out there, eventually you'll find *someone* who's willing to reward you for it. :)

[on-reserve.livejournal.com]

That guy always made me angry. Because I don't like having an ultimatum forced on me first thing in the morning plus I am one of those uber-generous types when it comes to street music I like. Since we are in the era of not paying for music much anymore I frequently toss a $5 to people who are really great and even a buck to people just for bringing music to the subway. I didn't like the way his sign presumed the worst of people.

[androidqueen.livejournal.com]

really? that's terrible. busking has this great tradition of giving you the product and allowing you to pay for it if you like it. it irritates me that people would actually encourage this other way.

[firstfrost.livejournal.com]

I give money to buskers when I like the music they're playing.
But I don't buy CDs without having an idea what they're going to sound like - why would I pay a busker who isn't playing?

[http://users.livejournal.com/_meej_/]

He's definitely the one with that sign; I've noticed it before.

He's also prone to "playing" even without donations and then giving a generous "f* you very much!" shout when the train finally comes in and people get on.

I'm a big fan of buskers, even ones whose musical tastes I don't share, but he's relatively close to just being an irritant in my book.

[infinitehotel.livejournal.com]

Maybe I was trying to be too cute, but that was my point. When we were doing public performances (I was part of a madrigal singer group that wandered around singing carols during Christmastime) we didn't even ask for money, but at the end of a day of non-stop singing, we'd usually had a few people who tried to give us some. I suspect if we'd walked around with a sign saying "Give us 25 cents or we'll just stand here looking sullen", our daily receipts wouldn't have totalled much.

This is not a Fair Representation of the Art of Busking

[secret-willow.livejournal.com]

Hi There! I am a long time member of this community and of the Busking community of MA. Yes many of us DO find a way to make a full time living doing what we love and busking is a viable piece of that for me.

I know exactly who this person is.. there are not a bunch of folks doing what he does to become infamous amongst street performers but there are a few. He is Boston's angriest performer. We also used to have a magician who would lash out at his patrons as well.

I am a street magician, I love doing what I do and sharing it with all of the greater Boston Area... Look for me in Davis Square over the next month I will come play there some time over the next week.

I am sorry that some people suck!

[darxus.livejournal.com]

I hate that people are allowed to make that much noise at all in a place where I go because I have no other realistic option. Let alone profit off of it. It's not a small part of why I bought a motorcycle.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Is he? :-) That somehow makes me feel better about it. Good musicians always get some money, and without having to demand it. He probably wasn't making any even before the "no pay no play" policy.

Re: This is not a Fair Representation of the Art of Busking

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

We also used to have a magician who would lash out at his patrons as well.

I think I remember that magician, if he played Harvard Square. I was friends with some jugglers and they couldn't stand him, the way he was so mean and demanding.

Looking forward to seeing you in Davis!

[komos.livejournal.com]

I'm wondering, should I point out the irony here?

[darxus.livejournal.com]

Yes please.

[komos.livejournal.com]

I've wondered if I shouldn't file a complaint with the MBTA. Either that or just take a seat and stare at him. I mean, so long as he's occupying the space, he is presenting himself as a performer...

[komos.livejournal.com]

Nah, too obvious.

[darxus.livejournal.com]

No please do tell, it's not obvious to me.

[mattlistener.livejournal.com]

I think it's the motorcycle -> noise link.

[darxus.livejournal.com]

That was my guess. Motorcycles with loud exhausts also piss me off, because similar to the subway performers, I find the noise obnoxiouisly inconsiderate. Unlike the people making noise in subway stations where I occasionally have to be, loud exhausts are illegal. Complain to the local police about them.

Here's my bike: http://www.chaosreigns.com/sv650/
With the nice quiet original and legal stock exhaust.
When I was shopping for it, I had a good opportunity to buy another at a good price, but didn't entirely because it had an aftermarket exhaust.

[komos.livejournal.com]

Yeah, not what I was thinking.

It's good that you have options, though.

[tahnan.livejournal.com]

You know, I suddenly have this strong desire to get together a small group of people and stand around with a sign saying "Give us 25 cents or we'll just stand here looking sullen." With no intention of singing; just of standing around looking sullen.

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

see, now I have also heard it said, and quite seriously, "Loud pipes save lives," as the operators of the 1/4+ ton vehicles never SEE motorcycles . . .

Didn't help the guy I knew who sent his ride back for louder pipes, but, then again, it won't do much dopplered in from in front of an exhausted 18 year old reaching for his cellphone in the passenger seat.

[darxus.livejournal.com]

Yeah, those people are full of shit.

[androidqueen.livejournal.com]

oh, yeah. i misinterpreted "put yourself out there" as "stand there with a sign that says 'no money, no music'," so i thought you were saying that people would actually give the guy money.

it all becomes clear . . . .

[darxus.livejournal.com]

http://www.virginiawind.com/byways/loud_pipes_save_lives.asp

There we go. I'd love to see statistics on the percentages of these people who are supposedly so safety conscious who have bothered to take a Motorcycle Safety Foundation class or wear a SNELL certified (full face) helmet.

Loud pipes don't help anybody, they just piss everyone else off, which is not good for your safety.

[androidqueen.livejournal.com]

we should just start filling his case with notes that say "don't quit your day job."

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

hmm, while I agree on the premises of the article, I think saying that pissing off automobile drivers is unsafe says that those drivers are going to have less regard, based on anger.

It may be true.
It's just an ugly reflection of humanity.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I honestly felt like doing that. If I'd had a crumpled candy bar wrapper or something, it would have been tempting. But then, the guy looked capable of homicide, and the track was just too close for comfort...

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

Oh, I would totally give you a quarter for that!

Re: This is not a Fair Representation of the Art of Busking

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

I'd love to hear more about who some of the other 'infamous' street performers are!

[hammercock.livejournal.com]

You should stand next to the sullen guitar guy when you do that. :)

probably an unpopular POV....

[an-art-worker.livejournal.com]

I don't ride the T any more in the mornings since I have started freelancing out of my house but for a while I worked downtown and when I didn't bike to work I took the T at Davis - and I *loathed* the buskers. The opera guy, and flamenco guy. Ugh. Leave me in peace. It's 8:30 in the morning- I don't want to be a captive audience to music I am not interested in and do not like.

fwiw - I feel the same about most public art - though for different reasons (most public art is so compromised by the commitee process it has had to go through that it is worthless and sometimes offensive).

I don't mind buskers in open spaces but in the T- please, spare me.

[secret-willow.livejournal.com]

But this is his day job!