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.....from Elvis to Madonna via Led Zeppelin to the Arctic Monkey and tens of thousands of others, there are a team of helpers, working backstage or off-stage getting the show on the road. From lighting to catering, sound crew to roadies, designers, wardrobe and make up. These are the Friends to the Stars. All of them can go to the supermarket unbothered by fans, unrecognised and unrewarded. However, without their Friends the Stars themselves couldn’t build their own reputations and careers.
Having worked for decades in the “Friends” role, some of us have decided to set up a site geared towards those who work tirelessly, live the life of gypsies with no set career path, sick pay, job security or pension and who often remain uncredited (although special mention has to go to George Michael, whose recent world tour credited every one of them). This site aims to be tutor, companion and assistant to everyone working in the live sector.
While geared towards rock music it will also be useful to those working in  the theatre industries. And why are we setting this up? – because no one else has done anything quite this useful!
We aim to give no-nonsense, unpatronising advice from our many years of experience. We endeavour to give realistic, practical help, not theoretical and therefore useless advice. Our “Ask A Roadie” section & laminate guarantees a 24 hour response to any individual problem from our community. Our forum allows our community to tell us what they think and if we are talking rubbish, and to supply other alternative solutions to the problems of their peers. We have access to the leading lights of the music business, from labels to publishers, promoters and agents. We can’t guarantee record deals and international superstardom, but we can give access to, and pass on advice from, those who know.
In time we aim to launch a weekly newsletter, training courses, discounted services and supplies.
In the meantime, here are some facts and figures which we found interesting. All have been taken from the recent report into the live music industry, “Access All Areas”, produced by the Government funded organisation Creative and Cultural Skills while announcing the creation of a National Skills Academy.
- There is currently a real shortage of skilled staff predicted to rise to 30,000 by 2017. Says Tony Hall, CBE, Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House: “The shortage of skilled and qualified staff threatens to limit our ability to reap the commercial and creative rewards of our success and play a central role in a world-class creative economy”.
- Around 42,500 people work in the live music sector
- It accounts for 45% of the total workforce of the music sector
- 63% of the workforce lives outside London
- 61% are male
- 95% are white
Friends to the Stars aims to allow access to our community to all helpers behind the scenes regardless of sex, race, or creed, wherever they are in the world and at whatever stage of their career they are in. It might even help some wannabe Stars. However, in doing this it also aims to be fun and irreverent without any whiff of worthiness – just like us. Welcome!
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