I’m a licenced busker on the London Underground. That means I’m one of around 400 people allowed to perform and receive donations on the official Buskear pitches (sponsored by Capital 95.8 and thelondonpaper) at 25 or so of London’s Tube Stations.
I play ukulele and sing. My repertoire is taken from popular song from the early part of the 20th Century, but that makes it sound a lot more serious than it is 
If you want a flavour, listen to this or this
I do have a profile on buskear.com but it’s a bit bare at the moment. (To be honest, the whole site doesn’t work that well and I’ve lost too many attempts to write stuff there – also, the map thingy is often out of date)
When I remember, I put my slots on upcoming.org – so subscribing to my events there (and following me on twitter) is probably the best way of knowing when I’m going to be out and about.
Here’s what I wrote here in my first week of busking:
“When they hear I’m busking, I get some funny reactions from some people – they immediately assume it’s about the money, or that it’s a bit low and dirty. It just occurred to me that sometimes these are people who don’t have any problem with blogging, but the reactions seem to me to be the same as, say, mainstream journalists to social media.
So, thanks guys for helping me see that my busking is just the same my blogging – just because I’m busking doesn’t mean that I’m trying to get to the top of the CD charts, I’m not doing it for the money, or that I’m slumming it with the low lifes – and it’s not about whether everyone likes what I do or not, it’s for the odd glances of recognition and those people whose day is made a tiny bit better by hearing some old git singing his little heart out today – and it’s for me – I’m having a great laugh 
“
That’s not to say that I’d ever say no to a few coppers in the case! And if you’re not likely to be passing in the near future, you can still toss me some spare change courtesy of Paypal.
If you want to have a go at being a busker yourself, you have to apply, pass an audition and have a police check. The details are on the Transport for London site – but be patient, it took me around 9 months to get from application to licence.
9 comments
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May 11, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Mike Collins
hi great to see you’re enjoying your busking, i couldn’t get audio to work though.
i have 1 picky comment that i’d like to make if you don’t mind.
you don’t seem to value your work very highly, you use the word donations instead of tips. This implies that they have “donated” out of the goodness of their hearts not because they valued your music, whereas tips imply that people will reward you for good service. This is the essence of busking and why i’m so passionate about it.
You passed an audition mate you gotta be worth more than “a few coppers”
This is all a bit of a bugbear of mine and you can take or leave it as just some one else’s opinion.
Anyway, I’d love it if you wanted to upload something into Cyberbusking.
It’s a video sharing site for buskers and their supporters. It’s like you tube except that you could get tipped. I’ve just opened it so there’s just me at the moment but you are very welcome.
Anyway good luck with the busking
Mike
July 21, 2009 at 11:59 pm
Peter Murphy
Lloyd
Sorry to learn you didn’t renew your LU busking licence last March,
hope you’re able to join the scheme again later in 2009.
It’s most regretful to note that LU suspended the licence of a well respected busker last Friday for a period of 3 months. It seems that
this will be the penalty handed down for displaying a CD recording
of our own music whist busking on a licensed pitch in the London
Underground. Very strange, given that during 2003 to 2008 licensed
LU buskers were allowed to display their own music CD while performing.
After all, some LU customers love to take our music home with them.
Hang on, I thought the one of the main reasons for introducing the LU
licensed busking scheme was due to support of the majority of travelling
customers and I do wonder if they would support suspending a busker’s
licence for 3 months for promoting their own music, particularly given
unemployment is now at it’s highest level since 1992.
Of course, we have to take our hats off and salute the mayor for the
Rhythm of London, but how will those 10 lucky winners of a one year
busking licence promote their music while performing in the tube ?
Peter Murphy
July 22, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Lloyd Davis
Hi Peter
thanks for this, yes the booking process became unworkable for me as a part-timer when it all changed. I’ve put myself back on the waiting list and look forward to getting back to it when I can.
I’m sorry to hear that relations between buskers and LU continue to be tense. I think it’s a shame that the management don’t seem to have learned yet that there’s more to being a busker than just turning up with your instrument and playing. Are the negotiations through the MU still going on?
July 27, 2009 at 12:38 am
Peter Murphy
Lloyd
Many thanks for your reply.
Yes, Musicians Union are and will continue be involved in any matters
concerning the London Underground Licensed Busking Scheme, particularly
those issues on the terms of our contract, alleged breeches thereof,
suspension of licences and appeals, also reviewing a situation where
licensed musicians may have any cause for complaint on the mangagement
of the scheme.
LU has managed the busking scheme “in house” for the past year,
despite calls from buskers for a meeting, requests have been denied.
Perhaps their fears are based upon rumours of LU licensed buskers
being agressive individuals, I can assure you that they are not.
The case continues.
Peter
November 16, 2009 at 11:46 am
miss heer
Hello
Im doing a project on busking at the moment, and i was wondering if you would no the locations of the 25 or so spots underground where people can busk, but spots i mean the underground stations.
Maybe on a map?
Also can people busk other places without it being illegal? like places above the underground?
please reply back
November 20, 2009 at 2:50 am
Peter Murphy
Miss Heer
Many thanks for your email.
Regarding the stations participating in the London Underground Licensed
Busking Scheme, I must sympathise with those LU customers who use
Marble Arch and Notting Hill Gate, due to local management decisions,
there will be no live music played at these stations. Obviously the particular genre of music played by the licensed buskers at those stations
since 2003 did not appeal to the local station management, hence the
travelling public will hear the looped announcement on the public address
system “There is a good service running on all London Underground lines
apart from those with planned engineerings works”. So, the travelling
customer is aware that the public address system does actually work,
but the announcement gives no useful information, unless you’re already
aware of which lines have planned engineering works. In between these
announcements at Marble Arch and Notting Hill Gate there will be silence.
Unless there is a gifted musician busking in the station who is unlicensed.
There are currently 21 stations participating in the LU licensed busking
scheme:
Angel
Bank
Bond Street
Canary Wharf
Chancery Lane
Charing Cross
Embankment
Euston
Green Park
Hammersmith
Leicester Square
Liverpool Street
London Bridge
Oxford Circus
Piccadilly Circus
South Kensington
St Paul’s
Tottenham Court Road
Victoria
Waterloo
Westminster
It’s necessary to hold a currently valid LU busking licensed to busk at these
stations and if you wish to apply for an audition, call: 0845 330 9878 or
email: busking@tube.tfl.gov.uk .
Yes, there are some excellent spots to play on the streets in London,
you’ll find out where these are by the process of trial and error.
With very best wishes
Peter
November 23, 2009 at 9:16 pm
miss heer
Thank you so much for your reply! Much Appreciated.
December 6, 2009 at 9:06 am
Sheralyn
Hello Pete
Glad to hear you are still playing.
Do you have any idea as to when they will open up audtions again? I couldnt renew my licence as I was unwell and they wouldnt hang on for another week to allow me to then do it but there you go! They said I could re-apply in Sept of this year but then as far as I know auditions did not take place?
Any thing you know on the situation would be appreciated
cheers, Sheralyn xx
December 7, 2009 at 8:12 pm
miss heer
Hello again,
I actually forgot to ask something quite important;
Where the busking auditions are placed? Is the place large or small, any good for acoustics? same place everytime?
And how many judges are there usually? sorry for the hundread and one questions…
just need to no for my project thanks.
also what do you think about Coco Cola sponcering now?
many thanks