This is all very distasteful. Out of RESPECT I have refrained from posting on this thread. Its all too easy to get embroiled in a 'feeding frenzy' that can unfortunately cause hurt to peoples feelings AND be used unscrupulously to further 'agendas' that some may have
From a PERSONAL point of view Chris is held in high esteem by me and many others...because of the 'Hose st' link and that is a nostalgic moment in time that a lot of us of a certain age , have many fond memories
Fast forward to 2014.........oh how those times have changed in the cut throat world of the 'professional promoter and how social media can 'influence'
Myself along with countless others are 'gullty' if thats the correct word, of consistently using it to persuade, cajole, influence people to attend their venue..that said it doesn't need me to tell you...the dangers of how it can have repercussions that go far far beyond.....snipes and jibes aimed at discreditng people..
So Chris has come on here and presented a version of the 'tale' as HE sees it...this can now be read into, disected, analysed, concluded upon etc......which brings me on to my original point...out of RESPECT I have refrained from commenting because 'dirty laundry' as it were should not be aired on a public forum because of the tendency of it to become a trial by internet...
I hope NOT to have to revisit this topic again and again ....I like many many others of you must surely have more pressing matters especially at this time of year with Xmas coming........
What follows will be my 'take' on Chris Burton's posting..Excuse the capIta.ls as I feel to properly reply as it were...my comments need to stand out from the existing text
Hi Mace good to hear from you. Basically Jez introduced me to the owner the Sunday that the owner kicked Winnie out of THE bOX
WRONG.....FACTUALLY INCORRECT n.b. ANY ISSUES BETWEEN VINCE,MYSELF AND THE BOX ARE EXACTLY THAT
and he asked me if I would take the Sunday sessions at The Box
WRONG...FACTUALLY INCORRECT...I DID INTRODUCE CHRIS TO THE VENUE OWNER AFTER CHRIS TOLD ME ABOUT HIS OTHER .VENTURES N TO PROMOTING LIVE 'TRIBUTE' BANDS....THE BOX IS FAMED FOR HOSTING LOTS OF THESE EVENTS AND OUT OF RESPECT TO CHRIS I INTRODUCED HIM TO THE VENUE OWNER WITH SPECIFIC INTENTIONS.THEY EXCHANGED PLEASANTRIES AND CONTACT DETAILS WITH A VIEW TO FURTHERING THEIR LIAISON..AND SHARE EXPERIENCE.. OVER PROMOTING THE LIVE BANDS........END OF
HE CATEGORICALLY DID NOT....ASK CHRIS TO TAKE THE SUNDAY SESSIONS AT THE BOX. AN ODD CLAIM IN ITSELF CONSIDERING THEY HAD ONLY JUST MET..AND THE VENUE OWNER HAS NO IDEA OF NS HISTORY ETC ETC
, I told the owner in front of Jez that I could not be involved
WRONG..FACTUALLY INCORRECT ..REFER TO MY ABOVE RESPONSE
however Jez and I had several discussions ,
WRONG..FACTUALLY INCORRECT...WE HAD ONE DISCUSSION FACE TO FACE...(ALL OTHER SUBSEQUENT CONTACT I'VE HAD WITH CHRIS HAS BEEN VIA TEXT WHICH I STILL RETAIN)
in terms of how we could increase the numbers from the 60 that were attending at that time
WRONG...FACTUALLY INCORRECT...NOW AM I TO TAKE THIS AS A 'ROYAL' WE.......BECAUSE THIS INFERS THAT I AM INCLUDING CHRIS IN FUTURE EXPANSION PLANS...WHEREBY CHRIS CLEARLY STATES IN HIS POSTING LATER ON... I HAD NO INTEREST IN INVOLVING HIM ....I AM TAKEN ABACK BY CHRIS'S ABILITY TO COUNT/JUDGE NUMBERS ATTENDING ON THE DAY...I SUPPOSE THAT COMES WITH EXPERIENCE.....ITS INCORRECT..... AGAIN.....BUT ITS ASTONISHING NONETHELESS
I suggest later on that Saturday All nighters might help to raise the profile of the venue,
CORRECT..ALTHOUGH ITS HARDLY GROUNDBREAKING NEWS...AND CERTAINLY NOT WORTHY OF MENTION IN THIS CONTEXT (HAVING SAID THAT I MAY HAVE RESPONDED ABOUT THE DIFFICULTY IN STAGING AN ALLNIGHTER IN THE CURRENT CLIMATE DUE TO CLASHES )...AS THE BOX HAS RUN SEVERAL ALLNIGHTERS IN THE PAST.
I proposed a deal to Jez
WRONG..FACTUALLY INCORRECT.I SAID IF YOU WANT TO HELP ME PUT A 'SOUL NIGHT' ON HERE WOULD BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS THAT IN THE NEW YEAR...NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS...A DISCUSSION...CHRIS SEEMED DISINTERESTED AND IT WENT NO FURTHER
and he stated that he wanted to proceed doing it his way
CORRECT ....AND AT THIS POINT YOU WOULD THINK THAT IS THE END OF THE MATTER
. Moving on several weeks the owner contacted me to advise me that he had agreed with Jez
CANNOT COMMENT ON THIS...OBVIOUSLY I WASN'T THERE.....ALTHOUGH I HAVE CONTINUALLY EMPHASISED MY COMMITMENT TO THE SUNDAY SESSIONS
that Jez quite rightly wanted to continue with his Sundays
CORRECT..IN 100 PER CENT AGREEMENT
and that he has reached agreement with Jez that I could assist with 2 all- nighters a year
WRONG ..FACTUALLY INCORRECT....AT NO TIME DID I AGREE TO CHRIS ASSISTING ME WITH ANY ALLNIGHTERS...EVER
a position that I thought would work because Jez had agreed
REFER TO MY ABOVE STATEMENT
, I now realise that Jez had not been informed until last Sunday
CORRECT ....AT 5.30PM APPROX DURING A BUSY 2 ROOMED EVENT....I WAS INFORMED BY THE VENUE OWNER THAT CHRIS WAS GOING TO DO 2 ALLNIGHTERS...AND IMPOTRTANTLY EMPHASISED THIS IS ....TBC AND THAT WE(ME AND HIM) NEED TO DISCUSS ALTERNATIVE DATES...........................THIS IS CENTRAL TO EVERYTHING !! THE MIGHTY WHEELS OF GOLDSOLE PROMOTIONS MOVED SWFTLY INTO PLAY ON SUNDAY AS A NEW PROMOTION OF 2 ALLNIGHTERS (DATES AND EXISTENCE OF......I WAS UNAWARE OF) BECAME INCREASINGLY A REALITY
SO.....IF CHRIS WAS 'BROUGHT IN TO ASSIST ;LIKE THE TROUBLESHOOTER JOHN HARVEY JONES,
1) WHY DIN'T CHRIS MAKE CONTACT WITH ME...DID HE NOT THINK HE NEEDED TO....SURELY IF YOU ARE ;BROUGHT IN....THE FIRST ETHICAL THING TO DO IS CONTACT THE EXISTING ENCUMBENT TO DISCUSS THE FUTURE WAY FORWARD. I HAVE AN AUDIT TRAIL OF TEXTS FROM CHRIS....SADLY GIVING NO INDICATION OF HIS PROMOTIONS
2) I AM AT A LOSS IN TRYING TO UNDERSTAND GOLDSOLE( SHALL COME TO THIS RIGHT AT THE BOTTOM)....... INVOLVEMENT IN ALL THIS...WHO IS/WAS RUNNING THIS..ITS ALL VERY CONFUSUNG....JUST WHO IS THE MAIN STAKEHOLDER IN THIS
3) CHRIS HAS RIGHTLY STATED....I WAS NOT AWARE OF THIS TILL SUNDAY AND BECAUSE OF THIS...IT TRANSPIRES THAT CHRIS HAS RESPECTFULLY DUE TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES REJECTED ANY OFFER
IS/WAS THIS IN FACT A 'HOSTILE TAKOVER' ?
, I commenced advertising on facebook yesterday not knowing what had actually happened
CORRECT..CHRIS DID COMMENCE ADVERTISING....HOWEVER CLAIMS OF NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE LEAD UP TO THIS....IS A POOR EXCUSE....AS A PROFESSIONAL PROMOTER ITS YOUR JOB TO KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT A PLANNED EVENT...INCLUDING PREVIOUS HISTORY AND MORE IMPORTANT;Y THE HUMAN ASPECT.....WHO AM I AFFECTING BY DOING THS...ARE MY ACTIONS GOING TO CAUSE ANYONE ANY PROBLEMS....SURELY THESE ARE CONSIDERATIONS..........WILL THIS ENHANCE MY BUSINESS....WILL THIS AFFECT OTHER BUSINESSES.... ETC ETC
, when I was aware of what had happed I immediately withdrew
CORRECT
my advertising, cancelled the flyers and tickets for March 14th
WHAT?...A DIRECT QUESTION TO CHRIS.........WAS THIS DONE PRIOR TO ANY SO CALLED AGREEMENT??.....SURELY NOT
and informed the owner that I could not be involved due to the circumstances that had presented them selves
SO AGAIN A QUESTION TO CHRIS...CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT THE PLANNED MEETING YOU HAVE WITH THE VENUE OWNER TODAY...WILL NO LONGER TAKE PLACE
The owner had confirmed all the key points I have referred to me in writing
I CAN'T COMMENT....I HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF ANY CONTRACTUAL OR OTHERWISE... AGREEMENTS YOU HAVE RECIEVED
and if this ill informed campaign against me does not stop I will take the legal action to stop it.
I have done my very best within the soul scene for over 40 years and
my reputation is still very important to me and thanks to the support given to me I hope to continue to do so for a few more years
THAT GOES WITHOUT SAYING..AS IS MINE
Now I said I would get back to goldsole at the bottom
Firstly Golden 101...who is this?
Are you a representative of goldsole promotions ?
Are you in fact Kev Roberts ? i found all this pseudonym nonsense very silly ?
If you are in fact Kev Roberts...then take heed
This is a thread of a very sensitive nature and as Chris rightly states reputations can be harmed and irreperrable 'collateral' human costs are at risk
I find you're flippant and almost blase comments are at best inflaming a sensitive subject..and at worst a thinly veiled personal attack on me and valued friends of mine. Ether way you clearly have no constructive part to play in this debate
So can I respectfully ask you to stop now.....you are becoming tiresome
..and the random rantings of an AGEING IMPRESSARIO. is surely an image you dont want to cultivate
I can do no more but wait.............
Can I just say a BIG thanks to all the messages of support I've received from all the promoters, who have similar tales to tell of bully boy tactics and underhand dealngs( keep strong you lot.....you can shape the future of the scene YOUR EVENTS ARE IMPORTANT TO US...THE SCENE NEEDS YOU),.........and from the many decent and honest soulies out there who are week in week out supporting venues and events.... enjoying the scene, never involving themselves in stupid and destructive politics and underpininng what is a great scene... BE THE BEST YOU CAN
...Be honest with people and show respect ...they tend to like it