Friday, December 16, 2005

Cheap, foreign labor

The Radio City Christmas Spectacular in Minneapolis has no live music because the show's producers found it was easier to use pre-recorded music. Musicians were outside the theater (in December, in Minneapolis - that's determination) handing out leaflets protesting the show's decision.
The show features the Rockettes doing their routines to -- drum roll please -- recorded music.

The festive holiday music wasn't even recorded in the U.S., according to Brad Eggen, president of the Musicians Union in the Twin Cities.

"No U.S. orchestras will do recordings to be used like that," Eggen said. "They went to Ireland to find an orchestra."
Cheaper, foreign labor putting the locals out of work. Terrible.

I'd love to know if this is the RTE National Symphony Orchestra. Are my taxes helping put American musicians out of work this Christmas?