Fact #73251
When:
Short story:
It is reported in UK pop paper the NME that the US Government's Labor Department is now refusing to grant H-1 visas - the work permit needed for US tours - to British groups.
Full article:
Colin Blunstone (vocalist, The Zombies) : We were working in New York at that time, playing a series of shows at The Brooklyn Fox, and this ruling meant that our upcoming tour would have to be cancelled. I think The Nashville Teens were affected in the same way.
What happened was there was so much interest in the British invasion that the Americans didn't like all these British bands going over and nicking their work, I felt it was a bit harsh because for many, many years American bands had come here and cleaned up but they didn't like it when it was the other way around and we are only a small little country and you know when the Americans came over they completely dominated whereas there was plenty of room for everyone in America, but yeah there was a ban and it did affect us working there
Nat Hentoff (US journalist) : Individual promoters of each concert could apply for a group to work in their town, but setting up a tour this way would be time-consuming and impractical. It is likely, therefore, that British groups will only come to America for TV, radio or New York stage engagements in future.
Art Sharp (vocalist, Nashville Teens) : We were all going to be (in America) for about four weeks, but because of visa trouble an 18 day tour was cancelled. A couple of television shows were washed out too, because we couldn't get work permits.
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What happened was there was so much interest in the British invasion that the Americans didn't like all these British bands going over and nicking their work, I felt it was a bit harsh because for many, many years American bands had come here and cleaned up but they didn't like it when it was the other way around and we are only a small little country and you know when the Americans came over they completely dominated whereas there was plenty of room for everyone in America, but yeah there was a ban and it did affect us working there
Nat Hentoff (US journalist) : Individual promoters of each concert could apply for a group to work in their town, but setting up a tour this way would be time-consuming and impractical. It is likely, therefore, that British groups will only come to America for TV, radio or New York stage engagements in future.
Art Sharp (vocalist, Nashville Teens) : We were all going to be (in America) for about four weeks, but because of visa trouble an 18 day tour was cancelled. A couple of television shows were washed out too, because we couldn't get work permits.