No Rock And Roll Fun

JUMPING TO THE WRONG CONCLUSION: While the Great Reporter is right with its facts, that British music isn't the global thang it once was, we can't agree with its conclusion that "The government should be investing more into the development of British music. Ploughing money into youth centres where youngsters can DJ or listen to the latest sounds should be mandatory for Tony Blair and company."

Yes, government can do a lot to support development of music, but creating state-sponsored Listening Dromes is so not the way to go about things. So, do we have any better suggestions?

Well, yes. One of the things that should be done is to help people who want to provide an infrastructure in which the musically talented can work. There have been half-hearted attempts at this, in the creation of well-meaning 'arts-council-with-beats' style organisations, but the real problem is that if you want to be a record company, or a nightclub, or a promotions agency, there won't be anyone at your local Business Link or Development Agency who will be able to help you, and the only advice you'll get from businessmen is to try the arts places. Getting some people with media and entertainment experience into the business advice end of the services for start-up companies would do more, at a stroke, than sticking some decks and a microphone in a community centre in Stoke Newington. The weakness of the British Music Industry is in the Industry, it's not in the Music.