April 2008
Music Networking Minutes
Present: Jake Dubber, Zak (Miss Higher Productions), Gary Seeney (Plug and play pomo, melting ice management, Birmingham Yamaha Music School), Andy derrick (Musicians Union), Mark Badger (The Music Network), Raymond Clarke (Singer Producer songwriter), Nick Dunn(horus Music), Emma Nouriel (Scratch Radio), Kevin Moore (Scratch radio), Les Hutchins (Composer performer), Marc Bhatti (TIC student), Damian Jennings, Jenna Varndell, Nzinga (Queen of the Crop), Natasha Whalley (BCU), Lee Phillips (Cornerstudios / Rebellion Records), Adrian Kimberlin (Exit Recording), Stephen Markham(Sempre Entertainments Ltd), Mike Mcdonagh (Independent), Andy Blakemore (Creative launchpad)
Apologies: Anthony Hughes, Andy Ward (Musoplex.com), Issi (TIC), Paul Spicer (LNP), Andrew Dubber (BCU), Clare Edwards.
Note: Next Meeting 29th May in room 360 on 3rd floor of TIC
Andy Derrick – Musicians union
Talked about Soweto Kinch and forthcoming Creative Networks event upstairs from 6pm.
Musicians union provide coffee and biscuits for the network meetings.
Recent MU events in Stoke on trent and Kettering big success. Events dealt with Royalties and Copyright. Mention of Andrew Dubber’s presentation and how inspirational it was for those attending the event.
MU will be launching “Network Musician” in September in partnership with The Music Network.
Tues 2nd september Burslem College, stoke on trent
wed 10th sept the musician leicester
wed 10th oct confetti studios, nottingham
tues 21st oct cox’s yard, stratford on avon
tues 4th nov the flowerpot, derby
wed 19th nov the drill hall, lincoln
Gary Seeney
Plug and Play – mentioned Sue Buckler(Radio Plugger / PR) and how hard she has been working on Ocean clour scene and other local bands in recent weeks. Sue covers all genres from rock to reggae to acoustic. Find her at www.myspace.com/suebuckler
Gary talked about issues of interest which he requested to remain unminuted pending legal action and also spoke about how well things were going with Birmingham Yamaha Music School.
Kevin Moore and Emma Nouriel talked at length and in detail about Scratch radio and handed more informatio round. Scratch radio based at students union building of perry barr campus of Birmingham City University. Info from website: The Students’ Union wanted something different than a normal Student Radio Station, so they came up with the idea of a Student AND Community Radio Station – something that student’s of the UCE and the local community could be apart of. From that, Scratch Radio was born – Student & Community Radio At The Community’s Heart.
Our first broadcast was in May 2003 and we nicked the Kic FM truck to do it (we gave it back afterwards in a reasonable condition…). Following this, the brain trust at Scratch Radio came to the conclusion that we needed our own studio. Personally, I would have loved to have been at that meeting when this was decided.
We cleared out an old closet space on the second level of the UCE Birmingham Students’ Union building, built a studio and that became Scratch Radio’s new home. We had our first broadcast from the freshly built studio via the web in November 2003 (so freshly built, that equipment was still being installed during the first week of that broadcast).
Following the success of the November 2003 broadcast, we had our first simultaneous FM and Webcast in May 2004. This was followed by simultaneous FM and Webcast’s in February 2005 and February 2006, with the most recent broadcast being a Webcast in April 2007.
But it’s not all about the broadcasts. We do many things in between, like projects with various community organisations – for example, Scratch Radio has been working very closely with the Birmingham’s Youth Offending Service and together, we have been training young people in the studio and they get to present their own show. We also hold events throughout the year, and many of these events are fundraisers where we always raise a significant amount of money for whatever charity we are holding the event for.
So what now? Well, new volunteers, new website, new committee and new ideas. These are certainly exciting times for Scratch Radio, and the future is looking bright.
You better get involved and be apart of it, hadn’t you? The Radio Station is looking for Volunteers to get involved and plans to link up the university magazine, and the tv station with the radio station.
Tel: 0121 331 6818
email: studio@scratchstudio.co.uk
Zak – Talked about the benefit gig for Sophie Lancaster campaign coming up at Dudley JB’s 25th May. Bands playing include Abigails Mercy, Deviant UK, Beautiful Deadly Children. Raising money to raise awareness of issues surrounding te brital murder of Sophie lancaster.
www.myspace.com/sophielancaster
Steve Markham talked about the entertainments agency he runs. he runs a booking agency and is looking for bands at all levels in all genres to work with. INterested bands should supply an info pack to include photos, cd, dvd etc. Phone Steve on 01902 842720
Company called sempre Entertainments ltd.
email scmsempre@aol.com
The fee charged by Steves company is 25% but this fee is collected from the client and not the band.
Andy Blakemore talked about Creative launchpad. helping people to start a business, help can run for up to the first 12 months of trading. Can offer signposting to funding, help with business plan and based at custard factory.
Question Asked about cd pressing and costs involved. nick Dunn suggested trying www.edcllc.com
Nzinga – runs public relations and event planning company. Looking for bands to work with.
Nzinga 07858 444913 www.queenofthecrop.co.uk
queenothecrop@gmail.co.uk
She mentioned a show coming up at the Alexander Theatre 31st May 2008
Lee Corner Studios mention saturdays at wolverhapton university. Gigs organised by Stuart mills and cheap beer available.
Emma Nouriel – Discomonkeyrecords
www.myspace.com/discomonkeyrecords
Putting on a gig at the Flapper & Firkin in Birmingham. The artists playing are Metrognome, The Vehicles, Deeds of the Nameless and Lipstick Gypsies. Entry is £4.00, and you must be 18+ to enter the venue. Doors are from 7PM. The gig is happening Sunday 18th May.