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  1. #1

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    Violinist Nigel Kennedy has pulled out of a concert at the Royal Albert Hall with only days to go after accusing the radio station Classic FM of preventing him from performing a Jimi Hendrix tribute.

    Kennedy said the “culturally prejudiced” decision amounted to “musical segregation”, with the station he now calls “Jurassic FM” preferring him to play Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in Wednesday’s show.

    He intended to play some Hendrix with Chineke!, an orchestra of young black and ethnically diverse musicians, until he was told the rock star was “not suitable” for the station’s desired audience. Classic FM, which was hosting the event, preferred for him to play Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.

    He said that he felt he had no option to withdraw after being informed of the station’s decision.

    “This is musical segregation,” he said. “If it was applied to people, it would be illegal. If that type of mentality is rampant in the arts, then we still haven’t fixed the problem of prejudice. This is much more serious than my feathers being a bit ruffled. Prejudice in music is completely dreadful. They’re effectively saying that Hendrix is all right in the Marquee Club, but not in the Albert Hall.”
    full article: Violinist Nigel Kennedy cancels concert after Classic FM stops Hendrix tribute | Nigel Kennedy | The Guardian

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  3. #2

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    I think calling it "segregation" is a bit of a cheap shot. It's a very loaded word given the context. I'm sure they would have done the same if he wanted play Elvis.

    Nevertheless it's just very narrowminded to say that their audience wouldn't have appreciated it. But what's more disturbing is how they are micro managing an artist's choice of their repertoire. I think he should have been granted more freedom if he was hired for the gig. You got to trust his vision and musical sensibilities if you chose to hire him.
    Last edited by Tal_175; 09-20-2021 at 12:22 PM.

  4. #3

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    Didn't Led Zeppelin play the Royal Albert Hall at one point?
    So did the Experience:
    In February 1969, The Jimi Hendrix Experience delivered two concerts at London's legendary Royal Albert Hall. The February 24 appearance would end up being The Jimi Hendrix Experience's last at the storied venue.
    Jurassic FM doesn't even know the history of the venue, and might possibly be presuming too little of their target audience &/or the presentation of the artist they chose.
    Maybe he was planning on something like this:

    As opposed to this:

    Although i personally would prefer the latter (not that Kronos is bad by any stretch).
    Last edited by dogletnoir; 09-20-2021 at 03:53 PM.

  5. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by dogletnoir
    (snip)
    Jurassic FM doesn't even know the history of the venue, and might possibly be presuming too little of their target audience &/or the presentation of the artist [he] chose.(snip)
    What were they afraid of, I wonder?

    Anyway, how about this rendition:


  6. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tal_175
    I think calling it "segregation" is a bit of a cheap shot. It's a very loaded word given the context. I'm sure they would have done the same if he wanted play Elvis.

    Nevertheless it's just very presumptions to say that their audience wouldn't have appreciated it. But what's more disturbing is how they are micro managing an artist's choice of their repertoire. I think he should have been granted more freedom if he was hired for the gig. You got to trust his vision and musical sensibilities if you chose to hire him.
    And Nigel Kennedy is known for playing Hendrix, he has been doing it since the 80s - not like it should have been a surprise to anyone

  7. #6

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    Maybe Classic FM knows its audience.

  8. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by Litterick
    Maybe Classic FM knows its audience.

    Maybe it doesn't.

  9. #8

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    Good for him. Calling Nigel and then balking at him playing Hendrix proves how out of touch "Classic FM" is.

  10. #9

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    Hendrix is Hendrix and Vivaldi is Vivaldi........
    I understand it

  11. #10

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    Why can't the client decide the music?

  12. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by P4guitar
    Why can't the client decide the music?
    Hendrix is my idol but that's the bottom line.

  13. #12

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    Did the shows producer(s) really messed this up? They should have agreed on the general program, contractually, prior to booking this event. If the shows producer(s) contract leaves the programming up to the performer than they legally should stand by that (and just not book this performer in the future if they are disappointed).

    If the contract provided the producer(s), with a programming veto, than the performer is in breech and should have to compensate the venue.

    So to me this is strictly a contractually issue and one shouldn't assume who the "bad guy" is unless they know the terms of said contract.

  14. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by P4guitar
    Why can't the client decide the music?
    He who pays the piper calls the tune is how the saying goes...
    and ideally the relationship should be a mutually beneficial one.
    But shouldn't the the piper also be free to walk away from the gig (and the paycheck)?
    Of course, as jameslovestal states, before we decide who is really at fault here,
    we'd really have to know the terms of the signed contract.
    Offhand, it sounds to me like assumptions might have been made (and quite possibly on both sides)
    rather than requirements specified.

  15. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by kris
    Hendrix is Hendrix and Vivaldi is Vivaldi........
    I understand it
    Does that put Angel Vivaldi somewhere in between the two?

  16. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by dogletnoir
    He who pays the piper calls the tune is how the saying goes...
    and ideally the relationship should be a mutually beneficial one.
    But shouldn't the the piper also be free to walk away from the gig (and the paycheck)?
    Of course, as jameslovestal states, before we decide who is really at fault here,
    we'd really have to know the terms of the signed contract.
    Offhand, it sounds to me like assumptions might have been made (and quite possibly on both sides)
    rather than requirements specified.
    Yes, there is so much we don't know; E.g. did Kennedy agent\lawyer advise the venue that he would cancel the concert unless they allowed him to do that tribute? Was an offer with considerations made or not?

    Either way, when assumptions are made by either party negative events tend to happened.

  17. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by dogletnoir
    Does that put Angel Vivaldi somewhere in between the two?
    Angel is a great guy I was very happy for him when he got the Charvel sig guitars.

  18. #17

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    I am not into neither Nigel neither Classic FM. It is time to recognize that many actor, entity are showin the PC card in a cheap selfish way, which btw hurts PC and also hurts ethic. No doubt calling this segregation is a cheapo.

    Regarding the particular topic, please realize, we practically can say nothing without seeing their *contract*. The sponsor pays, and in every particular case there is a signed contract with particular terms. The contract of course may or may not unfair. However Nigel probably not in the situation to be forced to sign unfair contracts. But again without seeing the contracts we can not judge either.

  19. #18

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    Nige, speaking from his home in the Polish mountains:

    Kennedy says his participation actually halted three weeks ago, but this wasn’t announced until much later – presumably amid behind-the-scenes panic. “So it looks like the spoilt artist walking out. But I’m standing up for the noise-makers,” he says. “If we down tools then what are the people behind the desks going to be dealing in? Fish fingers?” He emits one of the mighty cackles that pepper our 75-minute conversation. “Not that I’d mind. I love fish fingers.”

    To understand all this, it helps to be British.

    Violinist Nigel Kennedy cancels concert after Classic FM stops Hendrix tribute-fish-fingers-jpeg

  20. #19
    joelf Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by dogletnoir
    Didn't Led Zeppelin play the Royal Albert Hall at one point?
    So did the Experience:
    In February 1969, The Jimi Hendrix Experience delivered two concerts at London's legendary Royal Albert Hall. The February 24 appearance would end up being The Jimi Hendrix Experience's last at the storied venue.
    Jurassic FM doesn't even know the history of the venue, and might possibly be presuming too little of their target audience &/or the presentation of the artist they chose.
    Maybe he was planning on something like this:

    As opposed to this:

    Although i personally would prefer the latter (not that Kronos is bad by any stretch).
    There's something about the Kronos that irks me. It's not that they're not fine musicians, and I wouldn't question anyone's sincerity unless I was allowed to tour their craniums. I even had the Bill Evans CD and liked it. There's a wannabe pop-star sensibility I just don't buy, with the trendy clothes and hair, etc. It's like they're putting out a divining rod in search of the next 'big thing' to jump on. Bugs me just a bit...

  21. #20

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    Last I saw Nigel play (and it was a long time ago) he played Voodoo as an encore. The headline being he was bringing his orchestra to Australia to performs the Vivaldi & 4 seasons tour. No one in the Audience objected. Nor when he booted a Man-United soccer ball into the Sydney opera house great hall Audience. Everyone accepted when you go to see Nigel, Expect to see some Nigel. Punk outfit and all.

    if the BBC billed a concert to see Nigel Kennedy, they should accept that- warts n all.
    if the BBC billed a concert to see Nigel Kennedy play Vivaldi and Nigel wanted to play Hendrix instead, well he is shifting the contract commitments.
    if though Nigel wanted to play an encore after a night a Vivaldi, the BBC should be grateful for whatever Nigel brings. Is it not the Artists prerogative what he plays for free?

  22. #21

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    It was not the BBC. It was Classic FM, a commercial radio station that plays mainstream classical music. It has thrived for nearly thirty years, in competition with the state-owned and advertising-free BBC Radio 3. I respectfully suggest Classic FM knows its audience better than Nigel Kennedy or anyone here. That Hendrix once played the Royal Albert Hall is interesting but of no significance.

  23. #22

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    My bad- why I noted BBC is beyond me.
    Classic FM or BBC or whoever-
    either way. If classic fm has been in the business for 30 years it would know what it is getting with Nigel Kennedy. He has been performing for at least 30 years if not longer having being pick up as a child prodigy.
    Without knowing the details of their contract with Nigel we are all speculating.
    Maybe they know their audience, but that Audience I bet knows Nigel and what his repertoire consists of.

  24. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by EastwoodMike
    Last I saw Nigel play (and it was a long time ago) he played Voodoo as an encore. The headline being he was bringing his orchestra to Australia to performs the Vivaldi & 4 seasons tour. No one in the Audience objected. Nor when he booted a Man-United soccer ball into the Sydney opera house great hall Audience. Everyone accepted when you go to see Nigel, Expect to see some Nigel. Punk outfit and all.

    if the BBC billed a concert to see Nigel Kennedy, they should accept that- warts n all.
    if the BBC billed a concert to see Nigel Kennedy play Vivaldi and Nigel wanted to play Hendrix instead, well he is shifting the contract commitments.
    if though Nigel wanted to play an encore after a night a Vivaldi, the BBC should be grateful for whatever Nigel brings. Is it not the Artists prerogative what he plays for free?
    Man U? What are you talking about m8? Kennedy’s an Aston Villa man.