Our thanks to Jeff for this. Extracts:

“Last year, on average, women made up 26% of the festival line-ups in the UK, so we’re talking about doubling that in a five-year timeframe,” said Vanessa Reed, CEO of the PRS Foundation.

“That’s quite ambitious but it’s achievable.”…

Melvin Benn, MD of Festival Republic, which arranges the event, [J4MB: the Wireless festival] told the BBC that his bookers had tried to secure more female acts.

“18 female artists were approached to play Wireless Fest this year, only three of which were secured for our first announcement.” he said.

“Certain artists were unable to commit due to touring schedules or other reasons. In an ideal world, all 18 would have confirmed and we would be having a different conversation.”

One of the Bedford-based guitarists I interviewed for my international bestseller Guitar Gods in Beds. (Bedfordshire: A Heavenly County) (2014) – just £3.00 on Kindle – was John Verity, lead guitarist and singer with The John Verity Band, a heavy metal band. In the 1980s he was planning to tour Germany again, but was informed of new guidelines that all bands performing in Germany had to include at least one female “musician”. He was told that most bands resolved the problem by having women who were “musicians” by virtue of shaking a tambourine from time to time. The idea of a tambourine player in a heavy metal band was so offensive to John, that he refused to tour Germany.