Nestled amongst your CD and record collection may well be albums from artists spanning many decades and several genres, writes Jacqueline Bourne of local Indie band Crystal Jacqueline.

Most of these bands and individuals will have begun their careers playing in pubs and clubs in the towns and cities of their respective countries.

This was the case from the 1950s, certainly up until the 1990s when bands such as Oasis would have made a connection with audiences around Manchester. Indeed, there were lots of venues supporting original bands up and down the country, with plenty of people hungry for new live music.

So, what has happened? What caused the demise of the original music scene? Could it be that peoples’ listening habits have changed so much that original, live music no longer interests them? The higher cost of gig tickets may be a factor although people are still willing to pay the asking price to go and see one of a plethera of tribute bands that are around.

The sad fact is that venues which support original bands are now rare, which makes it harder for bands to become known to a live audience. They now have to be skilled and determined in the digital forum, have a large pot of money or wealthy parents who are willing to spend money on advertising in order for the bands to gain a foothold in the industry. Alternatively they must be prepared to tour and play, often for little or no money in order to build up a following.

The venues that do remain should therefore be cherished. There are but a small number of them here in the South West. One such is The Phoenix in Exeter which regularly hosts original bands. The affiliated radio station, Phonic FM also has several DJs such as Paul Giblin (Future Sounds Of Exeter), Steve Brown (Exeter’s Vanished Rock Venues) and Pat Bensberg to name just a few, who play music from unsigned bands on their radio programmes.

I write this from the perspective of a musician in a band which struggles to find places in which to play and which often ends up travelling many miles to do so. While our albums receive 4 and 5 star reviews in national music magazines, we have no chance to progress because the live gig situation is so limited.

Gratitude, then, to the existence of Exeter Phoenix, and especially to Paul Giblin, an energetic, enthusiastic champion of local bands and new, independent music in general. He has organised an evening of three bands at Studio One on November 12. My group, The Crystal Jacqueline Band (members from Bondleigh, Copplestone, Exeter and Somerset), will start the evening off, followed by The Telephones and finally Icarus Peel’s Acid Reign. It should be a splendid evening! We hope you will come and support us!

I leave you with one final thought. Would any of your favourite bands have become successful if they were just starting out today?