Transcripts

Transcripts

Transcript 1- Interview Bolshy 

Int: Urmm.. so ah, can you guys introduce yourselves?

Bolshy 1: We're Bolshy

Bolshy 2: Yeah, we're Bolshy… and play music

Bolshy 3: (Laughs)

Int: So, how long have you been busking?

Bolshy 4: For about 2 years-

Bolshy 2: Too long

(LAUGHTER AND RANDOM CHATTER)

Bolshy 1: Yeah, we started- we started… first time we went out we were doing it for charity and erm… yeah… we just realized we could earn a little bit of money from it so we just took it from there really and we're still doing it now…

Int: Erm… so you started to make money then? Er… do you have any other jobs? Or is it just-

Bolshy  4:Erm… I surv- live off busking but I go out separately with Bolshy as well.

Int: So you do it solo as well then? Have you been doing that for 2 years as well or?

Bolshy 4: Erm… I've been doing that for like 1 and a half years… I was in college for a bit but…

Int:  Erm… Hw did you get into it?

Bolshy 1: We did it through charity once. We raised money for Palestine and then realized it was alright so we just carried pm

Int: How often do you do it?

Bolshy 5: It used to be once a week

Bolshy 6: We do it when we can really

Bolshy 4: I'm out- I'm out- Sometimes I'm out everyday. Err… I'll be out like 4 times a week… I think

Int: Is that always Liverpool? Or have you been anywhere else?

Bolshy 1: We've been Chester- but mainly Liverpool coz' it's just a pain in the arse getting all the gear everywhere else

Int: So you're from Liverpool then?

Bolshy 1: Yeah!

Bolshy 6: We went to Birmingham once. That was really good.

Int: Have you ever had problems busking… like er… anyone ever tried to stop you or anything?

Bolshy 1: Several times

Bolshy 3: The main problem we've ever had has been the council when trying to bring in regulations a while back… Buskers just basically got together and embarrassed them and left… they didn't go ahead with it in the end.

Int: We know a lot about that actually. There were those busking laws… would you like to go in more detail about them?

Bolshy 3: Yeah erm… well they wanted some stupid rules like you had to be over 18, you had to get public liability insurance, you had to get a license, you could only busk within a certain amount of space… stupid, erm… like volume limits-

Bolshy 1: And there was like a compulsory license which buskers don’t even license with the UK law anyway so it was just...

Bolshy 4: It's classified under license anyway…

Int: So, ever had any drunk people coming up…?

Bolshy 3: We d- We don't really get that if you busk during the day-

Bolshy 4: Yeah… we do days and days and they're normally pretty nice. With nighttime-

Bolshy 1: They're characters- Just a lot of characters.

Bolshy 4: In- In the night times you'll get a big group of drunk nobheads who'll come and like… be nobheads for a bit, but if you put up with them long enough, they'll give you money. It's pretty much how it works at night.

Int: Erm… what's the best memory you've ever had? Each of you or collectively, while busking?

Bolshy 1: Yeah, I'd say my favourite memory. We were busking once outside Marks and Spencer, it was dead sunny! We had a massive crowd, and, erm… this guy was dancing to us in the middle of the crowd and he was just having a good time. And then, he just came up to me and he was just like… 'the best things in life are free' and then we started playing a song and then he just turned around and pulled a pack of ciggies out his pocket and just started launching them to the audience and just throwing them at people who just walked past-

Bolshy 2: There was this one couple that he hit with a cigarette that the guy was like what? Someone just threw a cigarette at me because he stopped, he stopped and started listening to us and then gave us money… because the guy started throwing cigarettes at them!

Bolshy 4: I smoked one of them

(LAUGHTER)

Int: What are the main difficulties then, you know, with coming into town and busking?

Bolshy 1: The weather-

Bolshy 4: The weather. It's cold and it's effort and you fuck your throat after a bit.

Bolshy 1: Find a spot… finding a spot where you're not gonna disturb anyone else busking on the streets.

Bolshy 3: For like the first 6 months it was pretty easy getting a spot. But then around like the beginning of 2000 and like 13 it just seemed like a whole load of buskers came and it suddenly became a lot harder.

Bolshy 4: But could say- It's important to point out that we still like- dunno like it's hard to get a spot but it's still- we still self regulate effectively. Like do you know what I mean… like in not going…

Bolshy 2: I think we should have set times it works…

Int: Well our batteries are dying so it'll be good to get some footage of you playing for us?

(COLLECTIVE 'YEAH')

Transcript 2-Interview Ben Helm

Interviewer: So, would you like to say your name again?

Ben: Err.. my name is Ben Helm

Interviewer: Ben, Ho often do you busk a week?

Ben: Err.. about 5 times a week depending on the weather

Interviewer: It that a problem then?

Ben: Well, like today, it was raining  a bit today, but it's gone off now but heavy rain then there's no point. If it's light then it's not too bad. Obviously sunshine is the best.

Interviewer: Are there any other problems? Like with the laws and stuff?

Ben: No no, they tried to bring it in ages ago but it just got high bust (?)

Interviewer: Yeah, we heard about all the protestinh

Ben: Yer all the protesting. They're trying to do something now like stop all the buskers and street artists but someone raised a petition about it and stuff like that but in Liverpool it's not too many. The problems you've got is that there's so many. So every 20 yard's a different busker. And you're like… a bit of a pain.

Interviewer: Yeah, we were worried we wouldn’t find someone and stuff like that.

Ben: no… yeah, you'd be alright in Liverpool

Interviewer: Yeah. Err… is this like yor main source of income?

Ben: Er… at the minute, yeah

Interviewer: Erm… how did you get into it?

Ben: To be honest, I heard someone busking on the street and they were awful. I thought, you know what? I can do better than that! They're making money from that? I'm gonna come out and do it… and… so-

Interviewer: How long ago was that?

Ben: It was only about 2 years ago… I'm not telling the age (laughter)

Interviewer: That's fine (laughs) what's your favourite memory of busking?

Ben: Err… probably getting 20 quid from some lad in a gimp suit on a Saturday night try'na play me guitar. When he couldn't play, he just gave me 20 quid… and I'm like happy days (?) That'll do (?)

(RECORDING INTERUPTED)

Interviewer: Err.. so any big influences on you?

Ben: It's the song that gets you the most money because it just depends on the people that are walking past… So, but I'll say a popular one's kinda 'Sweet Home Alabama'… those a popular one with people… erm … just one everyone knows. I've just started 'Whisky in a Jar'… I can play that as well.

Interviewer: (laughs) Just do what you do best!

Ben: What eat? I do that the best!

(BEN STARTS PLAYING THE GUITAR)

Transcript 3- Interview Ise Erain

Interviewer- What is your name?

Interviewee - My name is Ise.

Interviewer- When did you start busking?

Interviewee- Have been doing 12 month.

Interviewer- 12 months?

Interviewee- Yes 12 month.

Interviewer- So how often do you go out?

Interviewee- Don't go out Interviewer- I mean like...

Interviewee-Doing Busking?

Interviewer -Yeah.

Interviewee- On every weekend

Interviewer- Every weekend?

Interviewee-Yeah.

Interviewer- Do you stay in Liverpool?

Interviewee-- Yes I only stay in Liverpool.

Interviewer- Why?

Interviewee- Because I think it’s very important making kids happy.

Interviewer- Are you from around here?

Interviewee-- Yes I am from Bootle

Interviewer - So why did you start Busking?

Interviewee-Something to do

Interviewer - Something to do?

 Interviewee--Yes and hobbies

 Interviewer-What like….How did you get in to billon making and stuff like that?

Interviewee-is err… I used to years ago in Spain, that where I picked up form it, and then I come over here it has been 11 years and then I carry on myself

Interviewer-So where do you think is the place to busk? Do you just stay here or…?

Interviewee- In here! Best place is in here.

Interviewer - What about Liverpool one?

Interviewee-(Laughs) I like it in here, this is the best one

 Interviewer -What is the most popular thing you have been asked to make?

Interviewee-I make Dragon, Giraffe, Dogs, Hats Flower

Interviewer Ermm... Do you get like any problems?

Interviewee-No, I get a lot of entertainment but not problems ever!

Interviewer- Ermm... What’s your favourite thing you like to make?

Interviewee- Ermm... I make Dragons.

Interviewer- Dragons?

Interviewee- Yeah!

Interviewer-Could you make me some?

Interviewee- (laughs) Yeah!

Interviewer-Is this like you full time job, like is this all you do?

Interviewee- No no no I am working full time…. Two part time job one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

Interviewer-So is this purely for joy?

Interviewee- Yeah, just something to do... Hobbies, I started hobbies… basically make kids happy. Interviewer -How often do people come up to you?

Interviewee- Lots, depends in time, sometimes err 12 O'clock…after 1 O'clock

Interviewer -So is it like…

Interviewee -Lunch time

Interviewer -So is it like children come up to you and say I want this done or is it like the parents?

Interviewee- Err. Just children come and want the balloons .

Interviewer –I’m guessing you support Liverpool then?

Interviewee- (Laughs) Yes I do, I do... I support Liverpool.

Interviewer -Usually kids come up to me, they want balloons… They basically love the balloons.

Interviewee-Yeah.

Interviewer-Do you ever like get computations with other Buskers?

Interviewee-No not really, we got other person that does it on the weekends, but not really…. I see him some times in the weekends but we don't have any computation, not really…any! (Laughs)….Anymore questions?

Interviewer - (Laughs) can't think on any more!

Interviewee-(Laughs, carries on making his balloon) am nearly done and then you can have this one.

Interviewer- What are the main challenges you face day to day with Busking?

Interviewee- Main challenge for me? I think it depends how civilised you are and sympathetic…I think if you are very civilised people and saying that’s for you know... things, it's good.

Interviewer - Why the clown costume?

Interviewee- I think it's all kids like the clown. Because nobody else does in Liverpool. No. Nobody.

Transcript 4- Interview Billy McGuiness

Interviewer: when did you start busking?

Billy: when? Err well let’s see. I’d say about 1988

Interviewer: how often do you do it?

Billy: that depends.

Interviewer: On?

Billy: whether I’m sick, err, whether, I mean, err, I’ve been sick for a few years. So, and now I’m still sick but I’m not sick enough to err get any money for being sick, and I’m not going to get any better. So I’m standing here with this sad pittance to try and pay my rent.

Interviewer: Is this why you do it then, it’s your main source of income?

Billy: Yeah. You see when I started to learn this thing, this was the only thing I was making any money on and I’ve, I’ve done a lot you know. I’ve been jazz festivals, Canada, America, Europe, I’ve done seven John Peel sessions, you know John Peel? The rock fella, BBC, the legendary John Peel. You know, so, err radio 3 session Jazz, you know I’ve been there and back, and now I’m here. But all through that time, I-, I’ve been err, I’ve been busking if I felt like it. You know and err, it used to be pretty ok, to try, to kind of make a living off it you know. Erm, and now it’s, now it’s really really sad, you know? But y- people don’t need music do they? You know ‘cause you got mus- everywhere there’s music in little boxes, you know put in a little box, you know, years- we’ve been made obsolete. So we’re the bottom of the line. It doesn’t matter how much skill it takes to, to play some of what I’m playing. It just doesn’t matter, you know? There’s a guy with balloons, hes making more mone- guy with the big issue is making more money than me you know and this used to be something of val- tell me how much you think this is worth? If you wanted to get one of these- two and a half thousand quid. Does that surprise you?

Interviewer: so you mentioned more recently it’s hard to make a living off doing this, why is that?

Billy: yeah. Why? Because we’ve had an economic crash and if you’re not part of the mainstream, then your- then they don’t want ya, an- and not only that this is (background noise becomes louder here) a political statement Mr Cameron. It’s almost like there’s a media conspiracy to make anyone who is marginalised in anyway whatsoever to turn them into a scapegoat for this country going down the pan. People, and not only are they doing it but, people believe it. See that’s a big major problem, people who actually believe that. You know.

Interviewer: we know that in 2012 there was the increased busking laws in Liverpool and the work permits and liability insurance, anything to say about that?

Billy: Well, basically, basically the council shouldn’t have done that. Because it just messed everything up. It brought attention to the fact there were a few people standing and playing instruments. So they had some big fuss and half of town was full of people who are not buskers but standing there busking and I was playing down there trying, you know, trying to make a few quid and come and set up on me here making all this noise and they’re not even buskers and it’s supposed to be supporting buskers. You know, so the whole thing kind of just went- all they had to do was just shut up and leave us alone, but they you know. But it’s gone now because it was not workable, so that’s not happening anymore so, yeah.

Interviewer: So how did you get into busking then?

Billy: ‘Cause I wanted to make some money.

Interviewer: Where have you been, just Liverpool or other places?

Billy: Where have I busked? Erm, all over the place. New Orleans is the furthest.

Interviewer: What made you go there?

Billy: No, err, we, err, I was err part of a band who booked to play the Houston International Festival so we had mon- time on our visa left so we went New Orleans. Played in New Orleans.

Interviewer: How long has this been your spot for?

Billy: How long? About 3 hours.

Interviewer: What would you say was your favourite memory, favourite thing that’s happened?

Billy: The favourite thing that’s happened? Erm, I don’t think I could say that there is a favourite thing. I like it when people put £20 in my side pocket. That’s pretty good.

Interviewer: Do you have any issues with people coming up to you and trying to stop you or the legality of it or the drunken people?

Billy: Generally, no. I just get on with it, you know and erm I-I’ve had a couple of run ins with people erm in Liverpool. What would they call themselves? Anyways, there was some fella with a uniform and he was trying to show off to some girl who was also in a uniform. So, err I basically told him that I didn’t err, that he didn’t have no authority whatsoever and it be best that he just went away. So he did. I didn’t say it like that, but, but I wasn’t particularly rude it’s just that he was being rude to me because of his sad little ego you know whatever. But no, generally.

Interviewer: Do you have any musical influences?

Billy: Yeah, everything. I’m standing here playing right? And I could stand and play regular tunes just like normal so people would rec- and sometimes I do, but half the time I don’t, you know, ‘cause err I’m just playing what I feel, you know, and err some people seem to get on that and realise it and some people don’t.

Couple of years back there’s this fella comes up who sixty odd you know, err been thrown out of his flat ‘cause there’s some crazy woman who… and err he had a clarinet in his backpack and err, you know err I said do you know this Charlie Parker tune? Do you know anything about Charlie Parker? Well, he was a genius anyway and err, and this fella pulls out this- ‘cause I didn’t expect him to know this- and he just pulls this thing out, puts it together, counts the thing 1, 2, 3, bang, he’s in on just like perfect, absolutely note perfect  and this fella was homeless you know and he did the tour of the beach boys tour in the 60s you know and err, so I mean this fella was a true artist and I don’t like the way this country treats artists, at all. In fact, the way the country treats real artists is by not recognising them or deliberately trying to stop them from doing anything at all. You know.

Interviewer: What do you think can be done to change?

Billy: Nothing. Nothing, no move to France possibly, maybe it’s got bad over there now, err, I don’t know really. But, but one thing is for sure, I mean, if you are really good, I mean really good, I don’t mean something shoved in your face on the TV, I mean really good, you gotta’ die before people will go ‘oh they were good weren’t they?’ Weren’t they is the thing because then they don’t have to pay them anymore and this might sound bitter but it’s not, all I’m doing is recapturing what happens at the time. Think about artists and musicians- Mozart, Pauper’s Grave, Barc, was it a hundred years before they, before someone picked that up and said oh aye look at this. You know and err for painters you know, so err this isn’t about busking is it? It’s about me raving on about… 

Interviewer: Is this the spot you usually choose then?

Billy: Err no. Err it depends whether anyone’s here or not really. Erm, and I haven’t been out for ages, you know? It- I’m just starting to err come out and try and make some money, I mean I need food you see… I need money. I got here early and I thought it would be alright and it isn’t really its crap. It’s not good at all. Say, before the so called economic crash thing, then err I’d of made 3 times what I’ve got there and gone home. Anyway…

I’ll tell you, I played this tune earlier on called ‘Stardust’, right, and it’s absolutely beautiful, lovely. And, one person actually recognised it, and walked back to put some money in, you know, and this was written in about nineteen twenty five or twenty eight maybe, but that made my day, because one person out of all these people, recognised that tune and we can finish by saying I never lik- I never wanted anything from this world anyway, I don’t like it, I don’t like boxes, I don’t like people sitting and looking at box- it’s all to do with.. erm, I prefer this. I prefer standing here, doing this for a pittance, because err, at least it may look like I’ve wasted my time but I’m not, you know, and err, and you never know what you might get, I mean, err like. Funny a couple of years back and he was down there and then someone was saying ‘err get a job’ and it’s like, the week before that I did have a job. I was doing a BBC radio 3 Jazz session, in London for my sixty quid and whatever the BBC gives yer. But I was seen to be like, this scav. I mean it’s alright for him to listen to the radio but not to me on the streets. But for thousands of years people have just played music wherever they wanted really. Haven’t they? You know, a lot in the streets certainly. 

Transcript 5- Interview Toby Parker

Hi im toby parker, and i busk professionally and have done for 2 years, i went from just sort of a guy with a guitar and you know a little bit of harmonica to a one man band in the last nearly a year. I played as a double bass player- gigs wise, and we'd call ourselves parker and the suitcase. Due to my origins of playing a suitcase as a bass drum, i upgraded to this wooden box here. How often do you do it i have to do it a lot man, its not easy, you know, you're looking at six days a week, but thats not an unlikely option for this sort of thing but theres a lot of freedom involved where do you go i do a lot in liverpool, I've been over to sheffield, manchester, mainly just liverpool, I'm from herefordshire so i busk there too why/how did you get started i just sort of fancied the idea of it originally, i played in bands before i ever busked, er, and i sort of thought, we had this festival in my home town it and it was going on for like 10 days so me and my friend just thought hey lets busk there and the two of us did it together, and sort of enjoyed it and just erm, and the other thing, when i started playing professionally id been in bands and i was frustrated with my level of ability, and i thought right if i busked a lot, if i busk all the time, my ability would be really high, so thats why i decided to do it. and issues? i talk to another busker, well he used to be a busker, now he's like a, he writes, like a musical director of something and he was saying all i remember of it, you wake up - and he'd have to drive there and - i hope it doesn't rain, i hope someone doesn't take my spot, i hope, i hope i don't get any crap and you do worry about that every day you know, am i gonna get a good spot, is it gonna rain, you know i was selling cds with a sign saying you know £6 cds, and i took that down after a certain amount of hassle and i just put cd available i found another busker who said put the pricing thing back up you know cos he does it and he's sort of willing to back me up in court if i get accused of illegal street trading you know I've done it at night you get a lot of problem people falling all over you

STE-015

just then i had some kid kick the back of my drum, i get really riled you no, no respect, I'm a superstar sort of thing (laughs)

i was gonna do something with like a loop pedal plays harmonica tuning guitar i was gonna play something but i decided to play something else plays song that songs on the cd, first track

Transcript 6- Interview Ian McIntyre

"No I know what I'm gonna do; a Beatles one for you."

Anytime At All

MONO-031 "I want your money, that's what I want. Wanna buy a guitar mate? I want your money; yeah, yeah, yeah, that's what I want."

"So d'you want me to play more or are you asking me questions?"

MONO-032 "Ian McIntyre, yeah." when did you start busking? "Ohh, a long time ago, dunno, jeez, i used to play all over, erm I've played in America when i was a kid, Spain, I loved doing it in Spain, i'm back in my own town for years but I've always been in bands, but its not what- it's busking, but it's just another little side to what I do. so busking is not the only thing that you do? "No i write- i write songs, you can get me on sound cloud under GunMetalMagnets, and erm, I've been in, er, what else, I've been in lots of other bands and that but i keep moving forward and keep writing songs. why do you do busking? its a great way to rehearse, you're out on the street, erm plus you don't know whats gonna happen on the street you've gotta be prepared, when you get up on stage you know you've gotta keep that- you know, get up on stage and do what you do, and this kind of like helps, your always in the public eye so you know you can afford to get things wrong cos you can always sort of like touch up, just rehearse and rehearse. how often do you go out? depends what the weathers like, and it depends if I'm, I've just finished recording a friends album, so it depends, you know if i haven't got any gigs on, cos i like do the clubs as well. do you always stay in the same place? i used to stand here for a long time, I've been down in whitechapel for a bit, erm but yeah usually do you get any problems? yeah you're gonna get that anyway you'd get that regardless but its just how you deal with it i suppose, so, a lot of the time you just tell them to fuck off (laughs) have you got a fond memory of busking? yeah, i done the chrimbo lights in warrington one time that was mad. (laughs) erm some girl came up to me yesterday and she said you're an angel and pinned that on me (points to badge on collar) she's from the ukraine so i thought that was nice, what times the tea ready? (laughs) what songs do you usually get the most crowd? i love playing the beatles, and pink floyd, and bob marley. I could go on but they're the ones i really enjoy playing are they your biggest influence would you say? Influenced definitely, like just fortunate to be born in the same town as where the beatles come from cos a lot of people are like eugh the beatles, but its like- they were just like songsmiths it's as simple as that but its been done, game over, brilliant, very inspiring.