Goin' Underground

'My Journey as a Busker'

Today, I realised I haven't written a single post about busking. So, I want to share some insights into the world of a London underground busker, a unique, subterranean life with many highs and a few expected lows, just like any job.

How I Became a Tube Busker

I got my tube busking license in 2010, thanks to an extremely lucky break: the very day I looked it up, auditions were about to happen and I had just one day to get my application in . I’d just come back from a few months in Australia (more on that another time), where I’d started learning guitar and tried busking for the first time, with no amp, no clue, but still not bad money. Since returning from Australia, I started busking close to home and still do occasionally.

So...on my return to the UK

I wondered if busking could be a real way to earn a living. So, I dug into the underground scheme and applied. They had me list six songs representative of my set……easy when you only know fifteen! I chose my best, crossed my fingers, and waited.

Soon enough, I was invited to audition—which honestly blew my mind at the time. Auditioning to busk? Madness! I’d never done an audition before, so I hit every open mic I could in Worthing and crammed in extra practice (I was notorious for forgetting lyrics back then, as my old bandmates would confirm!). When the day came, I signed in at a disused platform in Charing Cross and found out they were seeing someone every 15 minutes from 9am to 5pm for two weeks. The competition was fierce!

My audition: two songs in front of a panel (mine were “Mr Jones” by Counting Crows and “Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon). They did the whole ‘chat amongst themselves’ thing, which is a special kind of torture if you aren’t naturally confident (hint: I’m not, but I’ve had to learn and it has taken me a long time!).

The result..

A few weeks later, I got the letter: I’d earned my license! Ecstatic didn’t even cover it! Only a criminal records check stood between me and the tube. Three months later, I was officially allowed to start.

By the way, it’s harder now, there’s a huge waiting list and they give out very few licenses. Competition is even stiffer these days .

So… What's Tube Busking Really Like?

The first question everyone asks is, 'How much money do you make?' It's funny because, in any other job, asking about someone's salary would seem rude. But with busking, everyone’s curious, and I get that I suppose! Most people don’t think it’s possible to make a living this way.

The Truth: it’s unpredictable. There’s a real science to busking, with so many variables: the pitch, the crowd, the mood, especially my own mood, which tends to determine my earning potential. There are good buskers and some not-so-good. Amazing singers and guitarists (and some less so), but in the underground scheme, most are pretty gifted in their own way. Still, earnings vary wildly!

The question I usually ask in return to those asking about revenue though is: “Does it really matter?” If tipping a busker is about entertainment, then give what feels right, not out of pity or because you think the case looks full or empty.

Sometimes, you might have a full case one day, but that amazing day was preceded by 5 days where you earned next to nothing because the weather wasn’t good, or the pitches were quiet. In the case of London, there may have been a jubilee or a wedding or some other event which contrary to what you may have expected (been there for sure) even piccadilly Circus station was dead as a dodo!! So next time, tip because it moved you, not because of what’s in the bucket.

The Joys of Busking

Life as a busker is up and down, like the earnings. The thrill of setting up at a great pitch is real! Piccadilly Circus is electric, for instance. People hear and see you as they come down the escalator, moods are high, and tourists emerge decked out in London swag. There’s foot-tapping, singing along, and even couples sharing a moment to some mushy number. Sometimes flashes from phones, sometimes people filming themselves as they tip, just to prove they paid a busker!

I have had so many experiences whilst out busking, where a person has come to tell me how I just played a song that reminded them of this experience or that person. That’s the power of music for me! It can transport you to a place or time, or evoke a memory of a loved one.

I used to keep all of the notes people would leave in my case! Some happy, some sad, but all describing a feeling someone had while listening to me play and sing. Those experiences for me, are invaluable, and long after I stop busking, I will hold them dear!

My favourite tips, though? The little kids who come down the escalator asking their parents for money to drop in, or better yet, dig around in their own purse for a coin. That always melts my heart. If the timing’s right, I’ll work in a thank you, sometimes people turn it into a game, seeing how many times they can get me to say thank you. I’m always up for that!

Other pitches have their own vibe: Canary Wharf is similar (different crowd), North Greenwich is wild during O2 events, though generally too wild to make much cash, but good vibes anyway! Angel and Shoreditch get the cool kids, Liverpool Street is more hit or miss, St Paul’s is packed with business types, so Lunch times can be fun, but home time everyone is in too much of a rush! It’s never boring!

There's so much to say about outdoor busking too, but that’s for another day!

The Downsides (Yes, There Are a Few)

Honestly, there aren’t many cons to doing what you love for a living. But the booking system for pitches can be tough! Prime spots can’t be booked often, demand is high, and the phone queue (which is now online thank goodness) can be a nightmare. It’s not TFL’s top priority, so sometimes it’s a tedious wait for a slot.

Bad days can spiral. If something puts me in a bad mood before I even get to the pitch (travelling in rush hour with heavy gear isn’t fun for example), it’s harder to smile, tips slow down, and the whole performance can feel flat. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy, looking down means feeling down, and it shows.

Also, self-employment means no sick days, holiday pay, and worst of all……dealing with tax returns! Yes, buskers pay tax. I’m lucky mine’s simple, thanks to the fact I keep track of my business expenses! but saving for the tax bill is a pain!

Fun fact: I actually lost my license a few years back (2018) while working and mostly living inDenmark, due to a missed license renewal email! But I was luckily able to re-apply only last year, and after another Audition, regained my license! I haven’t done it as much lately, but I plan to hit the tubes again this year, and into next!

Final Thoughts

I haven’t covered everything, but here’s the main thing: For me, the pros far outweigh the cons. For you,  If you can help it, don’t ask a busker what they earn! They likely won’t tell you anyway! (would you tell me if I asked your salary and bonus amounts?) and many don’t just busk; we’re booked for all sorts of shows too, and sometimes it is a stepping stone to other gigs, and we continue to do it just because we love it! - That said, I made my living almost entirely from busking while I lived in London for around five years, before I began working abroad.

Most of all, if you do tip, let it be because something moved you, be that a lyric, a guitar lick, a smile. You of course don’t have to pay a busker who hasn’t made you feel something. This isn’t begging, it is performance, and good performance should make you feel, and is always worth paying something for!

And Also……..

This is a TBC, as I haven’t gone into some of the detail, and I know that a lot of busking purists will hate my account because I’ve “sold out” by joining a licensing scheme, and many will hate that I use an amplifier (all be it, mostly to help my voice survive hours of singing) That’s cool though, we all have a different experience with one of the oldest professions in the world! But I end with a disclaimer:

***These are my opinions and experiences; others may see things differently, (Also, the audition process has changed since I applied)***