Following Jamaican legend Ernest Ranglin cancelling on his commitments to Bluesfest 2014 lineup, a war of words has erupted between the event’s promoters and Ranglin’s representatives.
Earlier this week, Bluesfest promoter Peter Noble issued a scathing and detailed statement to media over Ranglin pulling out of the 25th Silver Anniversary edition of Bluesfest next April, in which he attacked the 81-year-old music veteran’s agent as “unethical and self-serving”, accusing him of working to “manipulate and sabotage the Australian Tour of the Jamaican Legends member Ernest Ranglin.”
Among Noble’s lengthy, biting statement, he slurred the agent to “do the right thing… stop manipulating an 81 year old man. Stop preventing him from working,” noting; “our industry should condemn this kind of manipulation of an artist.”
The target of the Bluesfetst promoter’s ire was one Christian Georgiadis, of French-based booking agency Bacana s.a.r.l., who had previously hit back at Bluesfest’s accusations that Ranglin had “taken a bigger offer,” saying, “the reputation of the probably most influential Jamaican artists of all times has been damaged with such negligence.”
Now the French agent has once slung back some sour words into the Bluesfest court, issuing a statement to The Music Network where he refutes Noble’s claims of manipulation as “a wrong and misleading assumption which lacks of arguments and rather stands as a shady accusation.”
Mr Georgiadis, who represents Ranglin “on a non-exclusive base” says that the artist “must have had his good and own reasons” for declining to perform at the Byron Bay festival, independent of Bacana’s actions. “Furthermore I can assure that despite his age, Mr Ranglin is in excellent mental shape. Mr Ranglin is rather an experienced music professional and cannot be influenced.” The agent refutes Noble’s claims of manipulation as “a wrong and misleading assumption which lacks of arguments and rather stands as a shady accusation.”
The Bacana agent adds that his company is “a serious booking agency [with] 15 years” experience and they “never aimed for nor dared to damage the reputation of Bluesfest. I understand the energy Bluesfest is investing in order to secure its outstanding reputation. However this should not happen, discrediting Ernest Ranglin or my agency.”
Mr Georgiadis calls Noble’s accusations “an untrustworthy and unfair campaign” that is “unfounded” and “to a certain extent also ridiculous.”
The Jamaican musician himself – who was worked with legends from Bob Marley to Jimmy Cliff – already apologised for the miscommunication that led his cancellation. Ranglin issuing a public statement last Monday, about “the problems associated with the action taken” by his agent, who “had made some bookings and responses for booking(s) in Australia of which I was not aware.”
Bluesfest organisers are currently ‘exploring other options’ for a replacement for Ranglin on the Jamaican Legend series, part of the second Bluesfest 2014 lineup announcement that featured Doobie Brothers, Boz Scaggs, Aaron Neville, and more alongside the already announced headliners John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band, and John Butler Trio.
Meanwhile, the third Bluesfest 2014 lineup announcement date has been set for next Tuesday 22n October, themed as the ‘Legends’ announcement. Which mean that those already name-checked over at the Bluesfest forums are in the rumour mill, including the likes of Tom Jones, Trombone Shorty, Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, Willie Nelson, the Black Crowes, and the Black Keys.
The news arrives as a contingent of the Bluesfest 2014 lineup has been announced for the first official Bluesfest Touring booked sideshows, including double-bills from Aaron Neville with Dr. John & The Nite Trippers, as well as Steve Earle & The Dukes pairing with Kasey Chambers, and more besides.
Read Christian Georgiadis’ full Bluesfest 2014 statement below:
Having “manipulated” Mr Ranglin is a wrong and misleading assumption which lacks of arguments and rather stands for a shady accusation.
If Ernest Ranglin has decided to decline to perform Bluesfest as part of the Jamaican Legends project, then he must have had his good and own reasons. Furthermore I can assure that despite his age, Mr Ranglin is in excellent mental shape. Mr Ranglin is rather an experienced music professional and cannot be influenced.
My company is working with Ernest Ranglin since several years now and on a non-exclusive base. We are working with many great artists from all around the world and we have never booked more than a handful of headline shows for Ernest Ranglin per year. We have no power nor mandate to refuse to let Ranglin work nor did we have any good reason to do so since there was no conflict of dates.
Bacana is a serious booking agency since 15 years in the market. We have worked with festivals and venues all over the world. We are also huge fans of the Australian music scene hence we have worked and work with prestigious and reputable Australian artists. Bacana will attend for the 4th consecutive time AWME in Melbourne with the aim to encourage the exchange of both, music business and cultural dialogue between the continents.
My company never aimed for nor dared to damage the reputation of Bluesfest. I understand the energy Bluesfest is investing in order to secure its outstanding reputation. However this should not happen, discrediting Ernest Ranglin or my agency.
I also consider this situation an untrustworthy and unfair campaign. Its public exposure seems unfounded and to a certain extent also ridiculous.
With kind regards,
Christian Georgiadis
