FEATURE:
The Chosen Hour
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Music and the Positive Aspects of Lockdown
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WHILST we have been seeing a decline in…
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those infected with and dying of Covid-19, we still need to wait until figures get a lot lower until we can ease lockdown and start to see some return to how things were before. It will be a slow transition, and it is a stressful time for a lot of people! Not only are venues struggling, but culture in Britain risks being destroyed if there is not more help from the Government. This article from The Guardian opened my eyes and, let’s hope, politicians here spring into action:
“More than 400 of the UK’s leading artists, musicians and creative figures including Nick Cave, PJ Harvey, Meera Syal, Simon Callow and Johnny Marr have signed a letter calling on the government to release funds to support the creative industries, warning that unless more is done the country could become “a cultural wasteland” because of the economic damage done during the Covid-19 outbreak.
The letter, which is written by Creative Industries Federation (CIF) and addressed to the chancellor and culture secretary, appeals for urgent funding for creative organisations and professionals who, it says, are “falling through the gaps of existing government support measures”.
Signatories of the letter also include Anish Kapoor, Jeremy Deller and Jonathan Pryce, who argue the government “cannot allow the UK to lose half of its creative businesses and become a cultural wasteland”.
The singer Rufus Wainwright, who also signed, told the Guardian artists “protect the minds and souls of a nation”, and it could be “criminal” for the UK to not support them during the crisis.
He said: “Artists are creating so much content online that people can experience in their homes. They have not stopped producing and it would be a crime as a society to not support them through this crisis as they are nourishing us”.
There is a great website where fans and artists can donate to their local venues and make sure they get some much-needed funds. Right now, the fabric of life music is vulnerable, and venues will be among the last spaces opened when lockdown is eased. It is a worrying time, but I think our sense of community is one of the best things that has come out of lockdown. Whilst many people supported venues and artists anyway, I think we have all been more generous at this difficult time. I wonder, when things calm and venues are allowed to open again, people will think about supporting venues through donations. I think venues can survive if enough people attend gigs, but they are always subject to threats for various reasons – high rent price, a drop in demand and other factors. I would be happy to put something into the kitty to support my local venues; maybe not a monthly donation, but occasional sums that mean that, if something like Covid-19 hits again, we have all put something in to help venues and keep them afloat.
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Our government should be doing more, but the goodwill and strength of the public has been through the roof. I think this kind of altruism and respect for venues will carry on long after lockdown has ended. Similarly, I love the fact that we have been able to see live performances, gigs and even festivals during lockdown. I am not suggesting this will become the new normal, but how many of us saw live-streamed gigs and took in live music this way pre-lockdown?! I think artists will do the usual touring and attending festivals, but I feel we will see a lot more one-off gigs online and ways of connecting fans to artists. If anything, many people cannot get to see gigs, so I feel the virtual equivalent is very important. Also, so many fans are supporting their favourite artists through donations and buying their music. Streaming figures have declined a bit, but there is this appetite for, now, for buying records. There was re-lockdown, but so many record shops have seen a lot of orders come through online. It is a hard time for record shops, and I think we are all becoming aware of just how valuable these places are. Whilst we will look forward to flocking back to them when we can, I think a fresh appreciation is instilled in us all. I would not be surprised to see a lot of new people not only order online from independent record shops post-lockdown; many more fresh faces will make a trip to their local.
IN THIS PHOTO: Dua Lipa
The music industry has had to adapt and evolve whilst doors are closed, and the industry has shrunk. Whilst we cannot get together right now, the generosity and sense of connection being felt across the world is a big positive. I also like the fact that there are artists out there who have released albums whilst in lockdown. Laura Marling and Dua Lipa are two big acts who pulled their album release dates forward so they could give people something good at a bad time. Charli XCX has a new album out this month. As we see in this BBC article, she has made the album whilst in lockdown – something that she might not have considered months ago:
"Oh God, I feel so old. I'm so sorry," says Charli XCX, after two failed attempts to join our Zoom interview.
"I'm literally one of those old women going, 'Where's the camera? Is this thing on?'"
The star is speaking from her home in LA where, in reality, she's become something of a technological ninja.
In the space of just six weeks, she's planning to write and record a new album from scratch, with only the "tools I have at my fingertips to create all music, all artwork, all videos… everything".
The 27-year-old is already one of the most respected songwriters in pop, known for hits like Boys , 1999 , Boom Clap and her Icona Pop collaboration I Love It .
But this time around, she's making the writing process completely transparent - posting lyric ideas to Twitter , playing demos on Instagram live and sharing early drafts on her Apple Music radio show .
Not only that, but she's screen-grabbing texts from her producers, crowd-sourcing ideas in mass-participation Zoom calls, and getting fans to create artwork, videos and remixes.
"Part of me is like, 'I don't know why I haven't made an album like this before'," she says. "It's so fun and nice to work like this".
Although I am not a massive fan of using technology like this myself – I do not have Zoom and only use Facebook Messenger -, I have sort of come around to watching gigs through the Internet, but I am not a convert myself when it comes to recording or communicating via video – I always prefer the smoother and more human approach. That said, artists are realising that they do not need to make albums over weeks in fancy studios: many are able to produce fantastic albums from their homes. Whilst most artists will be happy to get out their homes and get into studios and venues, I think we will see a lot more homemade albums and gigs streamed online; a nice mix that benefits artists and fans alike. Before I move on, I want to nod to Tim Burgess’ Twitter album listening parties. Though he has been running these for years, the intensity and demand has been huge over the past five or six weeks. I never really delved into album listening parties before lockdown, and I bemoaned how there were no classic album series where we got to hear the stories behind iconic albums. Not only are legendary albums being discussed; new albums are also being explained via tweets, and it gives fans a chance to learn more about the gestation and creation of albums. Like virtual gigs and lockdown-style albums, I think the album listening party is another thing that will continue to germinate and inspire long after lockdown. If anything, I think technology is being used in new ways, and artists will have new skills and knowledge when they come out of lockdown.
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Apart from the things I have mentioned above, one big positive of the lockdown is exercise. Maybe returning to the working world will restrict our time and desire, but so many people are listening to music whilst on their permitted one hour of time outside. I know many people who exercised very little before lockdown are not more active and, when they go walking or running, they are listening to music. Not only are they checking out new artists, but radio is also being played. I think the role of radio is becoming very clear as we are locked down. The incredible service stations and broadcasters play is being realised across the world. I think that an increase in people listening to music whilst out will continue post-lockdown which, not only will make folk healthier, but there is that chance for music discovery, streaming and radio. People are also keeping fit in the home, and music is playing a big role there too. We can move and dance as much as we want at home, and people have been taking advantage of lockdown playlists, chill mixes and streamed D.J. sets. Whilst some are getting fitter through dancing, others are discovering the calming and inspiring nature of music. Whilst we have very little time to do anything but be at home or some exercise, music and radio are keeping us company. It will be interesting to see whether we all go back to our old patterns when lockdown eases, or whether the transition will be a lot slower – or whether we completely adopt a new way of life. Although lockdown has created a lot of anxiety and uncertainty, it is also clear that…
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A lot of good has come out.