So apparently a coalition of 400 artists, including bands like Radiohead & Arctic Monkeys, are attempting to lobby the government or at least see if there is some support, for an artist levy on the secondary ticket market.

"Hey they are our shows can we have some more money if it is selling well?" Seems like a niave cry for more revenue streams.

But like it or not, bands, and tickets to a band's show, are a product - a product with intellectual property but a product neverless. Surely the very basics of capitalism are about supply and demand; if you have a ticket, then someone will probably be prepared to buy them. Where else, in the history of anything, is reselling anything subject legally to a tax on the original seller? Would the musicians be prepared to pay everytime they resell the artwork on their album? It is exactly the same principle.

Maybe artists could talk directly to promoters (usually seperated by a mystic chain of agents who mess every deal up) and come up with some solutions. Like reserving some of their own allocation and auctioning it for there own benefit...or how about playing a few more shows?

How about remove the booking agents - that will save everyone 15% for starters....