Terry St Clair has been performing regularly at Covent Garden for nigh on 29 years. During that time he has travelled and performed extensively across Europe, often earning his living solely through his street musician work; been a leading light of 1985’s Busk Aid (organised alongside Live Aid and raising much money for charities); made four albums; put two daughters through college on the back of his musical earnings and had his song, “If I fall in love with you” featured in the Kevin Costner film Upside of Anger. Prior to Covent Garden, inspired by the folk blues of Bert Jansch and Jackson C Franks, a teenage Terry took up the guitar seriously in the late-sixties, plying his trade around the folk clubs of his native Midlands. He also started to write his own songs. By the mid-seventies he was playing guitar and singing around the country. And this is the bit I like best. In 1974 he was on TV’s New Faces (The “Britain’s Got Talent” of its day) performing in front of a panel that featured Tony Hatch, Mickey Most and Arthur Askey! He went down well apparently. Mickey gave him nine out of ten for star quality. Perhaps I was watching.
Thirty-five years later I was sitting on a wooden bench in Covent Garden Market, watching him perform his mix of covers and originals. He's a classy performer and his own melodic songs fitted snugly alongside the more well known pieces. Some people appreciated this and rewarded his music with applause, money in the guitar case and cd purchase. Others were oblivious to Terry’s musicianship and he wasn’t shy to let them know what he thought. Anyone sitting on the bench with their backs to him was remarked upon. And rightly so I thought. In my opinion he wasn't busking. He was very obviously performing in a space. The side where he stood acted as a stage to the people seated on the three benches in front of him that formed a square. It looked quite peculiar to sit facing the other way.
Thinking what I wrote about Terry performing and not busking...what is the difference? Is there one? Perhaps not. I guess a busker is more likely to perform to one side, be it in front of the wall of a tube corridor or leaning against the stone wall that stops them falling into The Thames. They are open to being ignored, as much a predictable and omnipresent feature of many pedestrian Londoners' day as the pavement they walk upon. Terry, despite the best efforts of some, was hard to ignore. Okay, like many buskers he had his guitar case in front of him, but for the hour he was performing, he had charge of his space.
The free dictionary definition of "to busk" is..."To play music or perform entertainment in a public place, usually while soliciting money", which if anything rather muddies my theory. If someone plays music in a public place, but doesn't solicit money, are they performing rather than busking? Or are they just showing off? Related comments welcome!
Blasts of music and crowd-calling voices rolled around the pillars of Covent Garden Market like fog around trees - seemingly within ones grasp, but always a little further away from where one actually is.
