[Trombone-l] Why no bands?

[Adrian Drover]

> From: George Carr


> Budget cuts.  It's cheaper to put on a show, taped or live, without
> live musicians.  If you hire them, you have to pay them.  And I'm sure
> a consumer-feedback survey once found out that more people tune in to
> hear the hosts and guests TALK than listen to the music.


We have a chat show host in the UK called Michael Parkinson who still
presents his show in the old style and never works without at least a big
band, often augmented with strings.  It has always been a popular show.  I'm
almost sure it's not the punters who have a dislike for live music.  We also
have a star singer called Shirley Bassey who refused to do a Royal Command
performance because the TV station wanted her to work with pre-recorded
backings.  I think it's wonderful that some star performers still support
quality and are prepared put their own potential incomes at risk by doing
so.

A.