The Big Smoke

Read our report on busking in London

Watch our video of the best buskers in action

The London street musicians who will play at Ginglik on Thursday.

Milli Moonstone

Instrument Singer-songwriter, guitar and serangi

Age 25

Busking for 8 years

Spot her South Bank, tube Feature continues

Why? 'I love music and sharing music. I come home buzzing – all the connections you make with people. My family and I went caroling every Christmas, and by the time I was nine I was out playing my flute down Winchester High Street. But it was after travelling in Indonesia when I was 17 that busking became real. It's a hard life to live off, but it’s all or nothing. I’ve got a band, an album and I’m working towards a career.’

Steel Pan Sam

Instrument Alto steel pan

Age 29

Busking for 8 years

Spot him ‘Where the wind blows’

Why? ‘Once you see it in your head and you know that you can do it, just go and do it. All it takes is that push to say, “C’mon, get up.” Even if I’ve been teaching or done a gig and made £200, I’ll get home to the TV and think “Nah, I'm not tired, get out and do something.” My friends and family think I’m weird. They don’t get me. But I've always been self-driven, a free spirit.’

Beppe Nieddu

Instrument Didgeridoo

Age 39

Busking for 6 years

Spot him Tube

Why? ‘With an instrument like mine it’s very hard to make enough money from gigging in London. Busking is the best way to practise, meet people and make a bit on the side. The underground system doesn’t make it easy though. You can’t sell CDs; the old sponsors never paid us anything; staff are often rude and to book pitches we all have to call the 0845 line. The average holding time is about an hour, which means TfL are milking us like cows.’

Puncturekit

Instrument Drums and electronica

Age 37

Busking for 8 months

Spot him Off Oxford Street, Piccadilly Circus

Why? ‘My friend Ariel said, “Just get out there and play it.” So I rode to Brick Lane on my bike, turned it upside down and re-assembled it into a drum kit. I’d been a furniture designer and uni technician in Adelaide, Australia, and during my lunch breaks I’d admire the buskers and think, “Man, that’s the greatest way to make a living.” Soon after, I came to London to drum and invented the Puncturekit design. Only complaint? Police inconsistency – London needs to sort out its laws.’

MC Xander

Instrument Beatbox and multivocalist

Age 26

Busking for 2 years

Spot him Brick Lane, Carnaby Street

Why? ‘Freedom to be able to play in situations which are not constrained by promoters, venues, labels or sales. In the street you find out how your music translates to the average person. You can experiment and passers-by have no vested interests in your music, so you have to get them involved with banter, tricks, jokes – if it brings a smile or inspires a kid or two to buy a sampler to loop their beats, even better.’

Read our report on busking in London 

Watch our video of the best buskers in action