Storm Gloor, Associate Professor of Music Industry Studies at UCD — and all around GREAT guy!
By Wade Sutton, DiscMakers | New “feel-good” legislation passed in the PA House allows venues to hire minors as long as they don’t pay them. The implications for professional musicians seems to have been overlooked in the process.
The following is a transcript of the latest episode of The Six-Minute Music Business Podcast. It is being reprinted here with permission. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-six-minute-music-business-podcast/id1391225579
You know how difficult it can be for bands to create leverage when trying to negotiate better guarantees from venues? Well, something is happening in Pennsylvania that is going to make that even more difficult and musicians nationwide should be keeping an eye on this because it is something that could spread to other states.
Pennsylvania House Bill 561, an amendment to the Pennsylvania Liquor Code, was recently introduced by state Representative Sheryl Delozier. Delozier is a Republican lawmaker representing Pennsylvania’s 88th District, which includes a portion of western Harrisburg.
Here is the part of the amendment that matters:
“… a hotel, restaurant or club licensee may permit a minor of any age to perform music if the minor is not compensated and the minor is under the supervision of a parent or guardian.”
Yes, it allows any establishment with a liquor license to hire minors to perform as long as the venue DOES NOT PAY THE ARTIST.
As it stands now, the Pennsylvania Liquor Code permits minors to perform in a licensed establishment, but only if that performance is part of the minor receiving some kind of instruction in a performing art. Delozier’s amendment strikes the instruction requirement from the code.
The bill passed the state House by a final vote of 185-12. Even more concerning is that the bill was given the thumbs-up by every state representative from Pittsburgh and all but one representative in Philadelphia, the commonwealth’s two biggest music hubs. The bill now goes to the state Senate for approval before going to the governor for his signature.
There are two things about the passage of this bill that should concern musicians, not only in Pennsylvania, but around the country.
First, professional performing artists have long been at odds with venues willing to do whatever possible to bring in free music, particularly when it is done under the guise of “getting exposure.” As Philadelphia-area entertainment attorney Bryan Tuk said in a recent opinion piece for PittsburghCurrent.com, this bill institutionalizes the idea that young performers should perform for free in exchange for exposure. Not only do I agree with his assessment, I would go a step further and argue that the bill institutionalizes the continuing devaluation of music in live form.
By removing the instructional requirement from the Pennsylvania Liquor Code, venues will be able to pursue any and all musical talent under the age of 18 and offer them stage time at zero cost. That means professional musicians will be faced with more competition for slots at establishments with liquor licenses as this free talent suddenly becomes legal and available.
The second big concern artists should have has to do with why this amendment came about. This wasn’t a situation in which venues banded together and pushed for the change. The only reason Delozier introduced the bill is because a teenager in her district wanted to be able to perform at local establishments that had liquor licenses. In a written statement on the Pennsylvania legislative website, Delozier said this change would allow that artist to “continue to grow his talents.” She introduced this bill completely ignorant about how its implementation would impact professional artists.
So what you have here is what many call “feel good” legislation: legislation pushed through more on the basis of emotion than common sense. They are doing it “for the kids.” And if you vote against it, you aren’t for helping the kids, and what lawmaker wants to be labeled in such a manner?
That is a big part of the reason why this bill passed the House Appropriations Committee by a vote of 34-0 before getting full House approval by a vote of 185-12.
Musicians in other states should keep an eye on this. If operators of establishments in other states see that this passed in the Pennsylvania House — and why it passed — they could easily go to their own lawmakers and suggest similar changes because, you know, they want to do it to help the kids.
Wade Sutton is the founder of Rocket to the Stars, an artist services record label with clients around the world. He is the creator and host of The Six-Minute Music Business Podcast, which was named by CD Baby as one of “five music-business podcasts artists can’t live without.” Wade was also a featured speaker at the 2018 Music Entrepreneur Conference at Harvard University. For a free 24-page preview of Wade’s new music business book, Hacking Music, visit www.GiftFromWade.com.
https://blog.discmakers.com/2019/04/the-pa-bill-that-should-worry-professional-musicians-everywhere/
[If you have time, read the idiot comments after. Obviously not from musicians!]
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Thanks to Storm Gloor for contributing this news:
Storm is an associate professor in the Music and Entertainment Industry Studies department of the College of Arts and Media at the University of Colorado Denver. He is the recipient of the university’s 2018 Excellence In Teaching award. In 2014, professor Gloor developed the first Music Cities higher education course in the world. Along with that course, professor Gloor teaches Music Marketing and oversees the internships for the College of Arts & Media. As part of the First Year Experience program at CU Denver, he teaches a course on the Beatles.
Professor Gloor is also a Faculty Fellow in the Center for Faculty Development, is the current president of the Music and Entertainment Industry Educators Association, and serves as a city councilman for Glendale, Colorado. He has presented at numerous events and programs, including SXSW.edu, South By Southwest Music, the Music Cities Convention, the Future of Music Summit, the Underground Music Showcase, the Denver Music Summit, and the EdMedia world conference. The conversation could go many directions in a casual Q & A type atmosphere, this is one not to miss!
Storm Gloor
417-499-3375
Associate Professor, Music and Entertainment Industry Studies | University of Colorado Denver
President, Music and Entertainment Industry Educators Association | http://meiea.org/
City Councilman, Glendale, Colorado | http://www.glendale.co.us/
Faculty Fellow, Center For Faculty Development | http://www.ucdenver.edu/cfd