Wouldn't agree at all. Man and the Machine were always deadly, I've heard buskers choose more inspired covers than Hallelujah (although it enragingly common). Just ignore the s**t ones like everyone else.

I think I would have to agree with alot of what aidan has to say. The main reason being that I have zero time for people doing cover versions. I need songs to mean something to the artist and not have some you're a star wannabe corrupting it. What I love doing is standing up beside them to listen. They then tend to put more effort in with the hope of reward. Then I leave without giving any money. That must really piss them off guddo. I know its cruel, but my ears will recover!! Has anyone noticed the rap battles around Temple Bar recently? My God how sad are they. Dressed in adidas's latest head to toe haute couture and iced up to the last these skangers certainly dish out aural punishment. They are the single biggest threat to tourism in Temple Bar. Well maybe they aren't all bad so!!

yet another pointless moany rant on cluas that once againg doesnt really talk about Irish Music. Nevermind who wrote that, who agreed to post it up

I disagree with the article. I like buskers, I might think that they are absolutely rubbish but I think the streets in Dublin are better off because of them. Brings a bit of colour to the area and occasionally you'll hear someone that is good. Completely disagree with the notion that if they were good they would be charging us to see them. As for fire eaters, what is the point of them?

i know its an opinion piece but its not very good, is it? its the kind of thing we'd call "lazy" and "uninformed" if it appeared in the Irish Indo or Irish Times. i think buskers are the scum of the earth but if i want to read a piece attacking them, i want it to be witty, catty, sharp and wonderful, this piece is just boring. sorry.

More pretentions from the Cluas camp I see. "I've been to Paris!""I like street theatre!""I know who Aung San Suu Kyi is!!!" Supplementary to convincing us of the authors knowledge and sophistication, the author trys to put his point across. He does so. I see his point, I understand it, but, well, I disagree with it. Now, I hate Oasis covers as much as the next man, but Buskers bring a lot of colour to the streets of dublin. These guys are (mostly) kids, and for aspiring singers, buskin is a great way of testing your mettle, and improving your skills. That way they'll be a little better when they get to the point where they're on a stage demanding payment from you. Its a tough gig, and I respect their cajones. I can ignore crap buskers. Just as easily as I can igonre the crap music being pumped outta clothes shops, or loud people, or any of the other myriad things that could annoy you when you step into the outside world. Its not hard. Give it a try. Seriously dude. relax

I'm just putting this out there but might it be a good idea to give powers to the police to round up all buskers and house them indefinitely in a detention camp, like what the Bush administration are doing to terrorist suspects or any dark-skinned male with a beard in Guantanemo Bay? The buskers could then be deprogrammed by professional psychologists, preferably ex US Army personnel. The buskers would be weaned off the music of Radiohead, Oasis, Jeff Buckley and Leonard Cohen, this may involve torture but it is a very small price to play so as to never have to walk past a busker again,themselves torturing 'Halleluja' or 'Wonderwall' Next step would be a grooming and employment programme where the buskers would have their hair cut, beards/stubble shaved, showered and deloused and then forced to find work like the rest of us. Finally, orders should be given to assassinate Glen Hansard for incitement to busking offences and for generally being a Bin-Ladenesque inspirational Godhead to all potential buskers in the future. This just a suggestion.Is it feasible? If we could pressure the government enough would they be up for it. It would be interesting to get some feedback on this.

I liked that Rocky fella who played the keyboard guitar thing, surely we can set our differences aside and agree on one thing, David McSavage is an unfunny c**t.

We should all just agree to continue ignoring buskers, McSavage in particular.

Ace!

What happened to my post's? Just curious.

i did a fair bit of busking in my youth - not a guitar in sight mind you - and in defense of the endless stream of covers that can indeed wreck your (radio)head, drive you up the (wonder)wall, cause more pain than a (mojo) pin under a fingernail etc, buskers will always play whatever makes money. so really, it's not their fault. personally i think buskers are fine, good ones can be great, bad ones painful, but on the whole there's nothing wrong with a bit of live music on the streets. and i'll never forget the blind dude who 'played don't think twice it's alright' on request for me on winthrop street... people who work near the top busking spots might disagree, but they're not really doing any harm, and if you don't like them, keep walking and keep your money in your pocket. and yes, i know, there's really no excuse for my atrocious punmanship, but i read an article about neologisms today and it spoke, in a breathy voice, to my baser insticts... by the way, what do people think of record companies hiring buskers to play "walk the line" as a part of a promotional campaign for the new movie/cd? link here - http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2003838,00.html

There is one defense to be made on behalf of buskers: that dude on Grafton St who plays an acoustic as a lap steel guitar. I've never seen anyone play slide like that.

<nothing to do with busking> Censor overlord here did go on a deletion spree 'cause the whole thread got extraordinarily drifted off-topic somehow and was turning into a 'this-comedian-is-crap-oh-no-he's-not' riff or something like that, can't remember. But it was nothing to be with music, and certainly nada to do with Buskers. So, alas, my tolerance of off-topic rants is obviously on the serious decline. There do be the, er, mystery solved. And listen if, you want to start a rant about my authoritarian zero-tolerance on this front, feel free to do so. Just do it in a new thread. Purleese. eoghan. </nothing to do with busking>