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<\/p>\nIn those lively days of June 1931, when Largo Caballero was Minister of Labor during Spain\u2019s Second Republic, the circumstances were favorable to setup, as a branch of the UGT (Uni\u00f3n General de Trabajadores<\/i>, Spain\u2019s leading trade union at the time), an \u201cAssociation of Spanish Variety Artists\u201d (\u201cAsociaci\u00f3n de Artistas Espa\u00f1oles y de Variedades<\/i>\u201d) to which many flamenco professionals of those days belonged, among the more than two thousand members it once had. Stars such as Manuel Vallejo, Pastora Pav\u00f3n, Pepe Pinto, Luis Maravillas, El Pena, Angelillo, Luisa Esteso (chairwoman), Paco Aguilera (secretary and delegate) and Jerez\u2019s Jos\u00e9 Cepero (who acted as speaker) where some of the artists who took that decisive step, according to Antonio Conde in his just-released book \u201cEl Poeta del Cante<\/i>\u201d (page 147). Apparently, they did important things, yet the self-interest of some of them eventually prevailed over the majority. Things got worse during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), when the trade unions took over theaters and cinemas and served as a tool to give regular employment to artists in positions of power. Among them, Cepero himself.<\/p>\n
Continuing with Conde\u2019s text (page 148, quote 81) the original idea of the artists was to \u201c\u2026 elevate the prestige of the [artist\u2019s] class and improve their material well-being, besides securing a better pay. They also demanded a lowering of the taxes imposed on variety shows. Besides, they also wanted to stop the abuse incurred by some intermediaries. Finally, they hoped to defend the artists in their disputes with entrepreneurs\u2026<\/i>\u201d Does any of this sound familiar? I think that all those initiatives should also be made in our days, with the same or even greater emphasis because, as Cepero himself once told Josefina Carabias 85 years ago: \u201cHere, we flamencos, who are as hard-working as anyone, just mind our own businesses, having no weight to protest against any injustice<\/i>\u201d (Ahora<\/i>, September 11, 1931).<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t you think it\u2019s time for flamencos to have their own organization to regularize their work situation? An organization which advocates for artists\u2019 social security benefits not being a luxury item. An organization which stands up to those unscrupulous agents who tell artists \u201cI can\u2019t offer you much, but I\u2019ll get you a guitarist<\/i>\u201d, when the guitarist plays almost for free while the agent takes double commission, often in agreement with the venue\u2019s president. An organization which stops the majority of\u00a0pe\u00f1as flamencas<\/i>\u00a0offering miserable salaries, as they nicely act being the \u201cvictims of austerity\u201d, supported by the corresponding federations. An organization which stops certain renowned record labels and producers from robbing artists, forcing them to pay for absolutely all expenses of production (recordings, meals, manufacture, taxes, promotions) when these companies are the sole beneficiaries of all sales. An organization which prevents public institutions to program any non-flamenco show in flamenco events, offering the few flamenco aficionados left \u201cwooden nickels\u201d, priced like Sanl\u00facar lobsters.<\/p>\n
How much longer must we wait for the regulation of fees for guitarists who are not their own agents, and for\u00a0palmeros<\/i>\u00a0(the most affected by all this mess), just like it\u2019s done with bullfighting assistants? When should we clip the wings of a\u00a0Bienal de Flamenco<\/i>\u00a0which in fact is subsided by the artists themselves, as they are forced to get loans to be able to meet all the conditions demanded by the organizers, because what they are paid to perform doesn\u2019t even cover 50% of those expenses? When should more sensible reasoning prevail, allowing the emerging flamenco stars refuse to work Saturday evenings in renowned theaters while having to perform on Sunday mornings in flamenco federation\u2019s circuits, getting paid five times less? When should we stop those who publish a litany of recital dates in social networks, yet omit mentioning they\u2019re paying the artists barely anything, in exchange of giving the artist the opportunity of performing at the closing act of a festival? When should we kick in the mouth the people who have destroyed the market with those and other bad practices, shielding themselves under a supposed \u201claw of supply and demand\u201d applied in the most absolute illegality?<\/p>\n
Oh, if only the artists managed to agree among themselves! As I know my trade, I\u2019m aware that I\u2019m asking too much. Yet, it\u2019s in your hands the chance to start a veritable revolution that unifies criteria and guarantees the future of this musical genre, beyond the purely artistic. We have become accustomed to seeing in the social networks those\u00a0cantaores<\/i>\u00a0who only get mad when unscrupulous agents fail to hire them. However, can\u2019t you at least give it a try? In the balance is the future of flamenco in the next decades, and not just on from a social or labor perspective. Besides, don\u2019t forget that, although it may not seem so, in your hands is the future of companies that operate legally, of honest festivals, of professional agents, of unblemished\u00a0pe\u00f1as<\/i>, of proper journalists, of individuals that invest their money on yourselves, often never getting it back\u2026 Someone has to make a definite move before any of those who chose the legal path, tired of always getting the short end of the stick, decides to takes matters in their own hands and, on impulse, picks up the phone and ask \u201cCan I speak with the minister, please\u2026?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Chemi L\u00f3pez<\/strong> In those lively days of June 1931, when Largo Caballero was Minister of Labor during Spain\u2019s Second Republic<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":6733,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[73],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6731","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinion"],"yoast_head":"\n
\n\u00a0Music\u00f3logo y Productor Fonogr\u00e1fico<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"