Wow, 8 Year Old Guitar Prodigy ordered to stop playing bars and nightclubs

Lefty Robb · #1 08-13-2008, 05:02 AM

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080812/...n_mu/blues_kid

thats pretty crazy. The Labor Laws are in place to stop people from forcing kids to work, no one is forcing this kid to do anything he doesn't want to do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfSnG...eature=related

mi2tom · #2 08-13-2008, 05:18 AM

What an arse? The labor law can go and die.

Lefty Robb · #3 08-13-2008, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mi2tom

What an arse? The labor law can go and die.

Please take no offense to this but I kind of find it ironic that you say that and live in Malaysia, where there probably are 8 year olds being forced to work right now as I type this.

mi2tom · #4 08-13-2008, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lefty Robb

Please take no offense to this but I kind of find it ironic that you say that and live in Malaysia, where there probably are 8 year olds being forced to work right now as I type this.

No worries man, but seriously though malaysian government have stopped all that kinda nonsense, forcing underage kids to work and all. I see kids work but for their parents, helping their parents out, normally after school.

Distantshore · #5 08-13-2008, 07:35 AM

Wow, I checked out a couple other of his videos and the kid definitely has talent!
All I can say is those local musicians better watch out when he is old enough to play out.

eviltwin · #6 08-13-2008, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mi2tom

I see kids work but for their parents, helping their parents out, normally after school.

That is just as bad, the law applies to all kids and all kinds of work, not specifically those who are forced to do work, tricked or persuaded; or get paid a lot (young performers)

Quote:

The Labor Laws are in place to stop people from forcing kids to work, no one is forcing this kid to do anything he doesn't want to do

The laws are in place and are being enforced just because it is very hard to find out the level of coercion. The key to the ban is exploitation. Even if a kid really wants to work, it can still be construed as exploitative.

From the article above:
"The law prohibits it, and the Legislature enacted the laws to protect the health, safety and welfare of all children."

Usually, after consultation with the labor authorities, waivers can be attained for a certain number of working days per year, depending on age, for performers (child singers, actors etc.)

Zero 7 · #7 08-13-2008, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eviltwin

That is just as bad, the law applies to all kids and all kinds of work, not specifically those who are forced to do work, tricked or persuaded; or get paid a lot (young performers)

The laws are in place and are being enforced just because it is very hard to find out the level of coercion. The key to the ban is exploitation. Even if a kid really wants to work, it can still be construed as exploitative.

From the article above:
"The law prohibits it, and the Legislature enacted the laws to protect the health, safety and welfare of all children."

Usually, after consultation with the labor authorities, waivers can be attained for a certain number of working days per year, depending on age, for performers (child singers, actors etc.)

Thank god that SOMEONE on here has a brain.

**jim777** · #8 08-13-2008, 12:05 PM

The kid should be at home doing his homework, not in a bar being pimped by his parents.

andy7jem · #9 08-13-2008, 01:17 PM

I'm surprised Michael Jackson isn't trying to "hire" him

jem20thlover · #10 08-13-2008, 02:38 PM

I have a hard time with the word "prodigy". Kid has talent, no doubt, but playing cover songs in the blues scale=prodigy? I know it's real neat to see a kid so young doing that, but prodigy he is not. Just my opinion.

waylay00 · #11 08-13-2008, 03:07 PM

I agree completely. It's great that the kid can play a few pentatonic licks (and great that he plays guitar), but calling him a "prodigy" is a little over-the-top.

And I don't know, but this does seem like a case of a kid being pimped by his parents.

mi2tom · #12 08-13-2008, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eviltwin

That is just as bad, the law applies to all kids and all kinds of work, not specifically those who are forced to do work, tricked or persuaded; or get paid a lot (young performers)

This might seems strange to you but being an asian it's a culture for kids to help out their parents, besides IMHO it's alright to help out their dad or mom, besides mum and dad won't abuse their kid.

Lefty Robb · #13 08-14-2008, 01:42 AM

I didn't post this to debate the whole "prodigy" thing, just the fact that they are stopping a young kid who loves to play guitar. (minus the HERO after that word)

Perhaps he can get around the law by playing for free but accepting tips, I don't think tips would define him having a "job".

gu1tar · #14 08-14-2008, 04:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim777

The kid should be at home doing his homework, not in a bar being pimped by his parents.

Exactly.

The law is there to prevent kids from being put in situations like this. What parent wants their kid spending time in bars where you probably have to be 21 to even get in? Another reason is because even though the child will say they are doing it because they want to, they are usually really doing it because they are getting positive reinforcement from mom and dad (or maybe adult patrons at the bar). Let him spend his time being a kid, not "working" in a club. He can jam with people all he wants at his home or theirs.

I also agree with others, learning the blues(pentatonic) scale(s) hardly makes someone a prodigy or anything fascinating. Clearly anyone with the will to practice can do that.

**GilkyBear** · #15 08-14-2008, 04:48 AM

I doubt he is being 'pimped' by his parents. On the other hand, it isn't like bar rooms are the only place the kid can play either.

On the child labor thing, you can not possibly compare America to many many other countries. For many of them if they don't work, they don't eat, period. A lot of parents sell their kids off to go work as laborers because they can not feed them. I have seen it. It is ugly. Go to India sometime. I have seen children who have had limbs chopped off because it makes them better beggers. I have seen it with my eyes. The sad truth is that some 40-50% of the world's people still live like animals. But we don't want to hear about that as long as we don't have to see them when we lace up our new nikes.

*edit* I'm not saying child labor is OK by any means, I am just saying that 99% of the time there isn't some evil fat ass getting rich off them, most of the time it is just a necessity to eat.