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After performing to a small but delighted audience at the RED LION, TEDDINGTON on Saturday we were understandably peeved and surprised to be told by the landlord that we had been too loud and consequently our meagre wages were to be further reduced. This was the first time we had been approached regarding this by him or any member of staff. (We are a very busy band and are repeatedly booked in UK and abroad by scores of satisfied venues. This was our first gig here )

Clever ploy this - and we didn't see it coming. This pub has been by all accounts going down hill in terms of attendance and consequently takings. So.......rip the band off !

So - apart from warning all bands to avoid this venue, this is a good time to suggest to pub rock and similar musicians who are for their own reasons not in the M.U and have not their protection (such as it is - and pubs won't sign contracts which have no realistic enforcable value anyway) to broadcast by e mail to other musicians warnings a la neighbourhood watch regarding similar rip offs. And ask them in turn to forward these warnings on.

Musicians such as ourselves travel far and work hard for a pittance usually, yet have no rights or protection from exploitation it seems.

Do you know of another profession that is vulnerable to this abuse and has no means of redress? I can't think of one.

We must stick together on this. The vast majority of proprietors of pubs and similar venues are good eggs and pay what they can afford, but there are still rats out there who will have artistes over at the drop of a hat and they need naming and shaming.

I would urge all musicians to pass this on to others in the business and from now on to circulate warnings of these low lives. Word of mouth is the only teeth we have against these bastards without knocking theirs out. You would be advised not to..........(?)

Thanks for listening. Keep rockin' ( but get paid for it - your talent shouldn't be given away for nothing.)