Above: Alun Parry

Website: http://www.parrysongs.com
Email: alun.parry@gmail.com 
Telephone: 07739 020 030
 
Address:
3 Laburnum Avenue
Parr Street
Liverpool
L1 4JN
United Kingdom
 
Categories: Artist / Performer, Festival / Event Organiser
Festival/Event: Working Class Music Festival
Dates: 12/09/2009 - 14/09/2009
Description: 

From: "Alun Parry" <alun.parry@gmail.com>
To:  merseyactivist@yahoogroups.co.uk
 
Hi

An update.

You'll remember that LMHR/UAF hadn't paid me for putting on their official TUC Conference event at the Working Class Music Festival meaning that I had paid £1,250 from my own pocket.

This is outstanding from an agreement made in the Summer of 2009.

Not only did they not pay, but they stopped talking to me, and failed to respond to phone calls, voice mails, and emails.

After I sought advice here last time in a desperate effort to avoid it having to get to court, they responded - largely I think because the local LMHR people (who I think are honourable and are not to blame for this) contacted them, and because a number of local activists contacted them too demanding answers.

I have been paid just £500 as a result. This still leaves £750 outstanding. I received a call around a month ago with more promises that were not fulfilled. This is pretty typical. I have been in touch since and had the same old treatment of no replies.

Not even the local LMHR people have been able to do anything to make the national people pay up or even contact me, or do anything that resembles decent comradely behaviour.

So I have taken the matter to the courts with a very heavy heart. It was something I was desperate to avoid but I have been left with no choice. It is now in the hands of the courts which is just dreadful in my view.

I am consoled somewhat by the realisation that LMHR/UAF is clearly not a comradely organisation (if they were they'd treat their comrades better than they have treated me), and so I feel I offer them no debt of comradeliness in return any longer.

I post this because I had sought advice from local comrades here and so wanted to give you a follow up.

I also post it as a warning in case other comrades plan to work nationally with LMHR/UAF in such a way that you may end up left to personally fund their activities as I have done - even when they know you simply can't afford it.

I'd like to repeat that the local LMHR people are in my view thoroughly comradely and decent. I feel confident that had I have been working with them that there would have been no problem whatsoever.

It's a shame that they continue to use the name of an organisation who nationally have shown themselves to be anything but.

My problems relate solely to the head office. So please be warned about working with them on a national level. I know that TUC Conference is in the North West again this year so I didn't want anybody going through my experience.

If you do decide to work nationally with them, please get all monies up front. I'd hate for another individual or campaign to have to go through the hardship I have as a result of them behaving the same way.

At the same time, I'd ask that you please don't give the local folks any stick because it's genuinely nothing to do with them and they are not even mildly at fault.


Alun Parry is an English folk singer/ songwriter and community music festival organiser from Liverpool.
Parry began his musical career as busker shortly after learning to play guitar, and went on to be awarded the title of Merseyside’s number one busker by the local media[1]. He is known for his slice of life lyrics and punchy performance style. A story telling musician, Parry often weaves social commentary into his tales, and political songs feature as part of his repertoire.
He went on to become a solo acoustic artist before recording his first album Corridors of Stone in November 2006. The album represented a new sound for Parry as he was backed by drummer Thomas Western and bass player Rob Harper, formerly a keyboard player with The Mighty Wah.
Lianne Steinberg, a music writer in the Big Issue said of the album: "The Liverpudlian singer-songwriter packs more weight in the punch of his folk songs than most acoustic musicians do in a lifetime"[2]. Parry followed this up with a commemorative EP of original songs dedicated to Liverpool to celebrate the city's 800th Birthday. Spencer Leigh described Parry as "one of the most incisive songwriters on Merseyside"[3]. BBC Radio’s longest running folk radio programme, BBC Radio Merseyside's Folkscene, featured Parry’s music during a one hour profile, broadcast in December 2006, and a second one hour profile in September 2009.
Parry has been a champion of the local music scene, having promoted Second Friday events, Payday Playtime band nights at 'The Casa' and for hosting his weekly Acoustic Slice showcases at Liverpool's Parr Street Studios from 2006 to 2008. Liverpool.com described Acoustic Slice as "by far the best acoustic night in Liverpool."
The Liverpool Echo, in the run up to European Capital of Culture year, named Alun Parry, along with the city's other poets, playwrights, authors and songwriters within the top 30 reasons why Liverpool was culturally great[4]. In January 2008 Parry was chosen by BBC Radio 4 to present a grassroots music special to introduce Liverpool’s European Capital of Culture celebrations[5].
Parry is also the founder and organiser of the Liverpool Working Class Music Festival, supported by the TUC, which has taken place annually since September 2008 with the aim of bringing the very best radical musicians to Liverpool for a celebration of working class life through music and song. It is the only annual festival dedicated to political song in Europe.
In September 2009 the album We Can Make The World Stop was released by Irregular Records, a Brighton based record label specialising in radical song, and closely associated with protest singer Robb Johnson. Other performers supporting Alun on the album were Barry Briercliffe, Stu Thompson, Jon Withnall and Sharon Latham.
Outside of music, Alun Parry was the founder of AFC Liverpool, a co-operative football club who have been playing in the North West Counties League Division One since the 2008/2009 season. He stood down from the club chairman's role in November 2008 but was unanimously made Life President by supporters at the club's AGM in August 2009.
He is a graduate of the University of Liverpool.