I was walking through town the other day and I was amazed by the quality of the buskers.
What a fabulously musical city we live in!
I love buskers! They never fail to brighten my day with their cheery soundtrack of the city.
Do we have the world's best buskers here in the North West?
Loads of the big bands and artists I speak to started out busking.
Are you a busker? Or have you seen a great busker anywhere? Do you put a few pennies in their guitar cases?
Post your busking best busking stories and photos in the blog I've set up about thison my myspace site www.myspace.com/jades_music_page and we can revel in a celebration of the music of the streets!
Buskers occupy a strange and misunderstood position in the British musical landscape. Often ridiculed, even more often taken for granted, most of them don't make records or perform conventional gigs, but, in a way, they perform a more useful humanitarian service.
Nothing can brighten your day like busking at its best. Put a record on, or go to a gig, and you have a fair idea of what to expect, but does it compete with the unexpected pleasure of rounding a corner and finding a busker playing a song you love, or a song you know you are soon going to learn to love? I'd rather hear a busker than piped-out music any day.
There are plenty of celebrity buskers. Paul McCartney once put on a disguise and went busking. He reportedly did very well. In an interview on Britain's Radio One he revealed: "It was for a film thing ("Give My Regards To Broad Street" - 1984) and it was something I'd always wanted to do, so I scruffed myself up a bit, put on a false beard and shades, and went down to Leicester Square tube station. It was really cool. A couple of people came up and said, 'Is it you?' but I just said, 'Oh, no'. But I got a few shillings and I thought, 'This doesn't feel right,' so I gave it to charity."
It has also been reported that Sting has also donned a disguise and gone out busking. He reportedly made £40. "He pulled a hat down over his eyes, but one woman said: 'It's Sting.' The man behind her said: 'You silly cow. It's not him. He's a multi-millionaire.'"
Bon Jovi has been known to take to the streets from time to time. Among the most famous Bon Jovi busks were those at London’s Covent Garden and Moscow’s Red Square
Jeff Buckley was well-known for his performances at Sin-é Cafe in New York City, and even released a live album, Live at Sin-é, in 1993.
John Lydon and Sid Vicious, before the days of the Sex Pistols would "busk" around train stations in an odd way. They would usually perform Alice Cooper songs, and play with broken guitars and violins, even though they could not actually "play" the instruments. The attitude and idea were more like, "Here's some money, now go away".
The Clash's Joe Strummer supposedly got his name "Strummer" from busking in London, sometimes playing ukuleles. His guitar-playing ability was only up to "strumming" chords. The Clash, post Mick Jones, also went on a "busking tour" in 1984. The group traveled around the UK performing with acoustic guitars, only allowing themselves to carry at most forty pounds of cash at all times.
Arcade Fire occasionally play acoustic sets on the streets after shows. They allegedly once played at a New York City subway station spontaneously.
Carl Barat formerly of the Libertines often busks in London, often for charity. Whilst in the Libertines, he and Peter Doherty would often play street shows for passers-by.
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