Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
Despite having recently performed at some of Europe’s largest venues, one of the most highly regarded young rock bands in Britain has disclosed that they are suffering financial difficulties, as per Loudersound.
The accusation that Manchester doom-punks Witch Fever are “broke” after finishing an arena tour of Europe with Danish rockers Volbeat paints a bleak picture of the ongoing difficulties faced by up-and-coming musicians. This is what singer Amy Hope Walpole says on the podcast 101 Part Time Jobs.
So we’re broke as fuck – and we just did two months in arenas. We also can’t get a job because we’re back on tour in March, so nowhere will hire us. This is just crazy that this is what the music industry is like at the moment. I’m currently living off four grand of my late mother’s pension that I got at the end of last year. That is obviously rapidly running out. So it’s quite a depressing landscape at the moment.
We just got off tour with Volbeat. We did two months in arenas and stadiums. You know, we played Wembley. We got to the end of it and our profit is all stuck in withholding taxes across Europe. – Alex Thompson, bass player
The expense of touring in Europe and the challenges of earning money while traveling are not unique to Witch Fever, who are signed to a Sony Music subsidiary.
The Agonist postponed several summer European performances in 2023 in order to save “a dangerous amount of money.” Due to escalating expenses, Anthrax canceled their planned European festival appearances in 2023 and withdrew from a European tour in 2022.
Sarah Woods, CEO of the UK-based nonprofit Help Musicians, tells The Independent this.
A career in music can be rewarding, but for many musicians it is also financially precarious. In recent years the complexity and costs associated with working and touring, from rising travel and crew expenses to additional paperwork and compliance requirements, have grown significantly, and we are hearing from increasing numbers of musicians seeking support to reduce the risk of financial loss.
Insights from industry bodies within music highlight the negative impact Brexit has had for musicians with UK Music and many of its members campaigning for a reduction in red tape and additional sector support. Changes are needed to create conditions where musicians can build sustainable careers at home and internationally to ensure musicians can continue to tour and fans can continue to enjoy the music we all love.
