Police seize elderly pianist's instruments after neighbours complain about noise Read

[AeolianHarp]

Police seize elderly pianist's instruments after neighbours complain about noise

A 72-year-old man had all of his musical instruments taken away after neighbours complained he was disturbing them.

Officials from Coventry City Council seized John Hudspith’s keyboard, organ and amplifier, as well as tape players, televisions, a megaphone, two sets of speakers, two VHS video players, a turntable *– and even an ornamental gong.

It is claimed that the 72-year-old former hotel manager had breached a noise abatement order banning him from making excessive noise *– for a third time.

"I mostly play classical music," he said, "but sometimes I'll play a bit of boogie woogie. Never at night though."

It is reported that when police raided Hudspith’s home, he was playing Summer of 69 by Bryan Adams, and Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers.

The Coventry Telegraph reported that Hudspith retaliated when a noise dispute with his neighbour started because of slamming doors. But he denies the problem had escalated to the point where his items should be seized.

He also says that his house was damaged and he was assaulted during the raid.

The classically-trained pensioner, who used to play concerts, said: "It broke my heart to see them remove my keyboard in that way, carrying it upside down."

Since Hudspith is threatening to take legal action, Coventry City Council is unable to comment further at this stage.

Read more at http://www.classicfm.com/music-news/...dumy3GubvS8.99

[Megan]

Fair enough, he had enough warnings. The trouble is that flats and houses if they are adjoining are not very well insulated and It can be annoying if you can here a monotonous beat all the time. Sorry, but there is such are thing as headphones, I'm sure he must have had a pair. He mentioned a keyboard , so I assume it is electric.
I have had similar problems with neighbours playing loud music in previous places I have lived, especially with students. We had an all nighter once and they were even playing bongo drums in the garden. It's funny now when I look back, but extremely inconsiderate to the neighbours at the time.
The students were never any bother otherwise. It was just that they loved partying.

[AeolianHarp]

Fair enough, he had enough warnings. The trouble is that flats and houses if they are adjoining are not very well insulated and It can be annoying if you can here a monotonous beat all the time. Sorry, but there is such are thing as headphones, I'm sure he must have had a pair. He mentioned a keyboard , so I assume it is electric.

I do feel sorry for him- he didn't play at night. There is always noise around in the daytime- I have to put up with constant traffic, police cars, an ice cream van and shouting in the streets. I suppose he had some headphones..but maybe he thought playing in the day should not be a problem. I have used headphones when playing my Privia DP after 10 pm, but the lady next door can't hear it anyway, as my bedroom is the opposite side of hers (where my piano is) and is on an outside wall.

I have had similar problems with neighbours playing loud music in previous places I have lived, especially with students. We had an all nighter once and they were even playing bongo drums in the garden. It's funny now when I look back, but extremely inconsiderate to the neighbours at the time.

Yeahhh I lived in a bedsit a few years ago and the young fella next to me used to have his pals round playing guitars and he'd sing very loudly and play the bongo drums alongside them ....at 3am!!!

The students were never any bother otherwise. It was just that they loved partying.

Except when they have exams LOL

[Megan]

Gone are days when I used to hear police or ambulance sirens everday and living in a flight path with noisy aircraft, the weekends were c r a p.
One thing that drives me mental is folks televisions on too loud.
I have always been mindful of the neighbours and never have music loud or play piano loud. My adjoining elderly neighbour says he never hears me. Though we hear his dog barking when the postman arrives at his door, not that I mind that at all. We have a neighbour opposite who has three yappy dogs. In fact nearly every other neighbour has a dog or cat. So its like we are living near kennels.

[Peter]

I do feel sorry for him- he didn't play at night. There is always noise around in the daytime- I have to put up with constant traffic, police cars, an ice cream van and shouting in the streets. I suppose he had some headphones..but maybe he thought playing in the day should not be a problem.

It is basically a neighbour dispute and in such situations it is best not to play the game of tit for tat. I feel sorry for anyone who has to put up with the ghastly modern phenomena of noise pollution. I'm fortunate to live in the country in a village, but even there it is rarely possible to relax in the garden listening to my mp3 player without strimmers, mowers, helicopters! I'm looking forward to my trip to France later this year where I'll be staying in a gite in the middle of nowhere!

[AeolianHarp]

Wish I lived in the country. I hate living in a dirty noisy town.