Intersting article about insuring world tours, needless to say our Moz gets a mention
Sex and drugs and rock'n'roll insurance - The Guardian
As tours become longer, more spectacular and represent more of an artist’s income, music biz insiders reveal that on-the-road hedonism is dying out. Well, at least it keeps the premiums low
Excerpt:
Byrne puts it more bluntly. “Non-appearance insurance is only for the people who are necessary to perform,” she says. “If, say, the sound engineer is ill, that doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t do the show. You can get another sound engineer but you can’t get another Damon Albarn.”
Not everyone has as glowing an appearance record as Blur. Last year, Consequence of Sound ran a feature under the self-explanatory headline “Here’s every tour Morrissey has ever cancelled.” It’s a bracing read as it becomes apparent just how many shows he has pulled for a variety of reasons, including illness, but also if venues or festivals will not go meat-free.
“There are certain artists in the limelight that insurers aren’t going to be rushing to underwrite their tours,” says James Sandom of Red Light , who represents artists such as Belle & Sebastian and Interpol. “Reputation plays a part.”
Some acts will require a full medical before an insurer will touch them. “Anything is insurable but there are artists who have got to the point where no one would quote on them,” says one well-placed source about a tour that fell apart several years ago at the planning stage. “Whitney Houston wouldn’t release any medical information but everyone knew she wasn’t well, so the brokers couldn’t provide a quote. In effect, she made herself uninsurable.”
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That might read like we are inheriting a live music scene with the rough edges sanded down to a bland finish. But, if you are paying £60 or more for a ticket, which would you prefer? Going to see an act you know will show up? Or taking a punt on a Morrissey and Babyshambles double headliner that might splutter out before the first show? Quite.