Billy One Mate Posted August 10, 2006 Share Posted August 10, 2006 I thought about putting this in the music section but thought it deserved a slot in the news as what I am going to say deserves some other view points. I robbed this off the manxbands site. See page 7 (rock section) Greenland air I believe this may be a first for a local band (Twisted Angels LA) and well done to them. My understanding is that this playlist appears on many international airlines and has to say something about these girls if they are considered to be able to hold their own amongst the likes of Coldplay etc. Now my gripe. I am fully aware of the massive sacrifices these girls and their manager have made in search of their dreams with absolutely no support from Departments within the IOM Government. In fact at times damn right rudeness with many letters or phonecalls not even being replied to. They have missed out on some serious cheap advertising and publicty for the Island, one in Japan where Honda wanted to be involved. If anybody has seen these girls in the UK they will have been surprised at the way in which they promote their manxness and their love of the Island. In fact I do remember on a BBC radio interview the drummer Andrea getting very upset when they tried to make a joke about us only just getting eletricity (if only they knew, I digress). It appears to me that in general our Government and the Civil Service believe that if you are in the music industry and are getting some publicity you must be making a fortune. In the musc industry when you are an up and coming band you get paid extremely little as venues in the UK believe they are doing you a favour by giving you the chance to play to a wider audience. For example on the girls last tour the steam packet wanted to charge in excess of £2,000 reurn to Heysham for their two vehicles as they stated they were Commercial. The gigs they did across didnt cover this cost. There are some extremely talented bands on the Island who with some help could make it bringing another source of revenue to the Island and another item to add to our Branding but I believe that our Government would rather spend massive amounts of money on anybody or anything from off the Island in a blinkered fashion without considering what we already have here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alias Posted August 10, 2006 Share Posted August 10, 2006 Not really a fan of their music or their promotion tools ('zomg we're lesbians'). Great for them if they've made it, but not my job to pay for them . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gladys Posted August 10, 2006 Share Posted August 10, 2006 IMHO Twisted Angels are not a talented local band, they have caught on to a particular formula (lesbian screaming rock) and are plugging away at that. Wish them all the best, but I do not see why public money should be used to subsidise these girls so that they can make a mediocre attempt at the international music market. There are many more talented musos on the Island more deserving of a leg up, but I still wouldn't offer public money for them. There are other ways they can be assisted, (perhaps put on a local bands showcase at no cost to the bands at the Villa and invite the music industry on a subsidised jaunt)but subsidising specific bands rather than the 'industry' as a whole from the public purse? No I don't think so! By the by, TA so have a very expensive and large motorhome thingy I think I have seen, perhaps it should have been garaged in England for their tours over there and not brought here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misfit Posted August 10, 2006 Share Posted August 10, 2006 I'm not going to get into debates over funding, or whether people like the band or not. After all, they are personal opinions, which we are all entitled to. However, I must reply to the apparent misconception that the girls have marketed themselves as lesbians. Of the five band members only 2 are gay. We have never pushed this as a selling point for the band, and the only reference to this in the past has been a few magazines who tried to sensationalize on the fact, and one unscrupulous PR company (who were very soon fired). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
localyokel Posted August 10, 2006 Share Posted August 10, 2006 For example on the girls last tour the steam packet wanted to charge in excess of £2,000 reurn to Heysham for their two vehicles as they stated they were Commercial. The gigs they did across didnt cover this cost. There are some extremely talented bands on the Island who with some help could make it bringing another source of revenue to the Island and another item to add to our Branding but I believe that our Government would rather spend massive amounts of money on anybody or anything from off the Island in a blinkered fashion without considering what we already have here. Sorry but anyone on the IOM who wants to make it off island has those costs ... sportsmen particularly so why should they be treated any different. I know people travelling off Island all the time to further international sporting aspirations. They get some grant support if they are lucky but why should some cruddy band that are not even any good be subsidised by the tax payers. Its not like the Gov would ever get its money back - as soon as they earn a few quid you won't see them for dust. Even U2 restructured all their finances to Holland recently to avoid Irish taxes and the Irish Government threw an absolute fit as it took about £100m out of public funds. The music industry is only interested in three things - me, me and me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy One Mate Posted August 10, 2006 Author Share Posted August 10, 2006 I am sorry but good PR is good PR. The PR value to the IOM over the last week can be measured in Millions Localyokel your quote above. Whether you rate them or not dosent matter. I dont like rallying but appreciate the amount of publicity it gives to the Island and that is why the rally recieves tax payers money. Why shouldnt any individual, band etc that is promoting the Island recieve some sort of financial assistance. In relation to sportsmen/women I am aware that the family of one of these who recieved national recognition recently were less than impressed at the way the Government jumped on the band waggon considering the lack of support they recieved over many years of hard work and sacrafice. My post has given the opportunity for people to assasinate the twisted angels but if people would take the time to read it properly what I am trying to get across is that our Government will spend money on anything that appears from off our shores but will not look at the talents that exist within this Island. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
localyokel Posted August 10, 2006 Share Posted August 10, 2006 I am sorry but good PR is good PR. The PR value to the IOM over the last week can be measured in Millions My post has given the opportunity for people to assasinate the twisted angels but if people would take the time to read it properly what I am trying to get across is that our Government will spend money on anything that appears from off our shores but will not look at the talents that exist within this Island. Somebody obviously likes them ... for replies to disappear and all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumble Posted August 10, 2006 Share Posted August 10, 2006 Glad they're doing well Billy - seem like nice girls but with very average musical talents based on what I've heard so far. But good luck to them. I fear you're living in cloud cuckoo land if you think anyone who isn't a huge fan would want to subsidise their dreams out of the public purse. Historically, we don't have a great tradition of big names 'pushing' the island internationally. Look at the Bee Gees - for years I thought they'd been born in Manchester! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
localyokel Posted August 10, 2006 Share Posted August 10, 2006 Glad they're doing well Billy - seem like nice girls but with very average musical talents based on what I've heard so far. But good luck to them. I fear you're living in cloud cuckoo land if you think anyone who isn't a huge fan would want to subsidise their dreams out of the public purse. Historically, we don't have a great tradition of big names 'pushing' the island internationally. Look at the Bee Gees - for years I thought they'd been born in Manchester! Billy I have no problem with anything at all. Your post was good. But Grumble raises a good point. I'm sure the £25 spent on a plaque at Union Mills post office was a source of great amusement to the Gibbs when they were sat by their LA pools counting cash in suitcases. I agree that subsidies should go to help recording, session times, rehersals etc but once your a band your on your own. You make it on your own, and would you want to come back to the Island at 35 and be reminded by all and sundry that it was their tax subsidy that put you were you are. Its hardly rock and roll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theskeat Posted August 10, 2006 Share Posted August 10, 2006 Billy has put one hell of a lot of money where is mouth is on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Posted August 10, 2006 Share Posted August 10, 2006 I think the point where public funds could be used is not when the bands are looking to tour England, but at an earlier stage. I see a thriving local band scene as just as important local cultural asset as art exhibitions and am-dram productions. I do accept that it isn't high on the list of priorities, but if I may induge in a bit of blue-sky dreaming, I'd like quality rehearsal facilities, a pooling of local talents for recording and releasing short run cds, with a market to support them, an equipment bank, a variety of places to play. Really I think what I'm saying a vibrant self-contained scene, which allows the bands to experiment and grow. Manx music on Manx terms if you like. Partly because it'll allow more locals to fulfill artistic potential and partly because most truely inovative and special musicians spring from scenes like the one I'm describing. This isn't to denigrate any of the current musicians or promotors because the situation is closer to what I've described than it was 5 years ago through their efforts and maybe we are still moving in that direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misfit Posted August 10, 2006 Share Posted August 10, 2006 Definately Declan. I approached the govt for funding to set up a rehearsal studio for up and coming bands with lots of other facilities. Negative answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gladys Posted August 10, 2006 Share Posted August 10, 2006 Agree entirely Declan, subsidise and encourage the 'industry', (live music IS is part of the IOM culture) but not specific bands. Perhaps there is scope for something like a performing arts college/facility - not for those that want to stand still for hours on end calling it art, but for aspiring performers and related technos. We are constantly told how rich our muscial heritage is and yet there is very little to help that art form in the way of public assistance. (That said, the schools do provide very good music tuition, but it peters out after school.) But subsidising specific bands? No, and again no! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arronc Posted August 10, 2006 Share Posted August 10, 2006 Well, I have a lot of empathy for the financial position anyone in a band finds them selves in with regard to finance and marketing, but to be honest, In my own experiance, you can only be in a band for commercial reasons, or as a hobby. If its a hobby, then for sure you should not expect to be externally financed. If its a commercial excercise, then finance should be provided by a legit stakeholder in the business side of the commercial venture (ie record labels, promoters etc), not a one sided handout. International playlisting is not a first for a manx band, but it almost certainly is on a airline ! Well done to all involved for that. I guess from a taxpayers perspective, it is pretty hard to see how to monetise publicity in a rock band into something of more broad based value as a return. As for the specific case of commercial vehicles, it is clearly not a cost effective way of playing gigs : the last time I played in london, it was cheaper for me to buy a cheap synth for the event, fly into london, sleep on peoples sofas, and give away the synth after the gig, than to try drag equipment from the IOM to the UK and back. Its a nasty catch 22 though : we are always being invited to play gigs in far flung places, but because we as a band dont have sufficiant profile to sell tickets at the other end, the promoters cant afford to pay expenses. But IMHO that means we just have to work hard with the resources we have, sell records, do remixes, whatever. Maybe we'll succeed and one day be able to play places we want to because we can sell tickets. Maybe not. But in the meantime, I dont think it would be in ours or the governments interest to subsidise the reality gap between our commercial worth and commercial expenditure. PS : rock isnt my thing, but i think the Twisted Angels make perfectly good reords, and play well live. PPS Anyone who uses the argument's about talent in commercial valuation of a band is somewhat missing the point ! LOL. PPPS Terry christian made the same "Electricity Joke" back in 1988 when we were on the BBC. I think it must be in their database of funny things to say about the Isle of Man, LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alias Posted August 10, 2006 Share Posted August 10, 2006 Well if they're good local bands, why would we want to send them away ? Perhaps funding for local projects, but not to go seek fame across and away from the good old rock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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