Music: Keeping it Live in 1999

Tim Parsons, director, MCP

I want to see new technology working in our favour. The promoter has gone further and further down the food chain: with new digital technology we have a chance to wrest some of the initiative back. An ISDN line changes a venue into a broadcast studio.

Ian Croal, director, Band on the Wall

All promotion of music below a certain level is a kind of charitable activity, and the removal of VAT from tickets would be a great thing. Paying 17.5 per cent less would also mean you could do away with a lot of subsidy schemes.

Dennis Scard, general secretary, Musicians' Union

There's got to be reform of the Public Entertainment Licences. If there are more than two performers you need a licence. If you don't have two musicians, you're allowed to have enough disco equipment to set off a cruise missile.

Ashley Slater, leader, Freakpower

Right now, I'm seriously thinking of going out on the road all on my own as the Freakpower Sound System, and DJ'ing and then just taking my trombone and some dub plates to play over.