Finley Quaye kicked offstage by music promoter for 'polluting his venue with bull****'

Reggae artist was sacked just 30 minutes into gig

Finley Quaye performing at the BRIT Awards in 1998 (Rex Features)

Finley Quaye was unceremoniously ejected from a gig where he was headlining after just 30 minutes by a music promoter who apologised for “polluting [his] venue with bull****”.

The Scottish reggae artist and BRIT award-winner was told to get offstage at the Convent Club in Woodchester after performing a slow, vocal-less blues jam that reportedly had the audience struggling not to fall asleep.

Music promoter Matt Roberts walked onstage and signalled for the music to be cut and apologised profusely to the crowd for Quaye whom he revealed hadn’t turned up for a soundcheck at 3pm.

“And then at 9pm they turn up and I have a beautiful, beautiful crowd of people who I love and then they come and f*** my stage. You guys,” he said to the band. “Go home!”

Roberts continued: “I suffer from alcoholism and stuff but I’m a professional. I will not sit here and pollute my venue with bull****…I’m so sorry guys…this is my house and I have acted how I feel is appropriate.”

He told the audience that all tickets would be refunded and invited them to discuss the evening’s events downstairs at the bar. “I can only say that I am so sorry because the music industry and live music is beautiful.”

Quay, whose hits include “Sunday Shining” and “Even After All”, had his heyday in the Nineties when he won the 1997 Mobo Award for best reggae act and the 1998 BRIT for Best Male Solo.

The artist has since had a fall from grace. In 2012 he was charged with racially aggravated assault in Edinburgh, later pleading guilty to spitting in a woman’s face and hitting her on the head as she waited for a bus. He was sentenced to 225 community service.

He was declared bankrupt that same year with tax debt of £383,000 and official documents stated he had “zero assets”.

In 2010 Quaye had a charge of assault for allegedly biting another band’s tour manager dropped after a Crown Prosecution Service blunder.

He was previously convicted in of assault in 2003 after he admitted kicking a woman in the chest during a row with his ex-girlfriend.