Tag: musoplex (Page 1 of 7)

Musoplex film opinions on Music in the West Midlands

Musoplex, a rehearsal and recording studio based in Oldbury, is looking for opinionated creative residents of the West Midlands e.g. promoters, bands, artists and management, to have a chat on video about the state of music in the region.  They have posted a few of their pilots online, filmed and edited by Musoplex Director Andy Ward.

Andy said “Musoplex as a studio and rehearsal rooms hears a lot of opinions as to the good and bad going on in music in the area. We have decided to do something about it, we are documenting views and opinions on film. If you want to offer your own opinions or comments to camera, in no more than a 10 minute interview e-mail andy@musoplex.com.”

Watch the videos for yourself, and if you have something to say, get in touch.

March 2011 Music Network Meeting Minutes

Music Network Meeting Thursday 31st March 2011

TEE, Millennium Point, Curzon Street, Birmingham

In attendance

Saurab Thomas (bcu graduate), Sheryl (student acces to music, starting ) Robin Valk (radiotogo), Clare Edwards, Simon Howes, Abi , Adrian Kimberline, Katy Jay (photographer musoplex),  Colin Tippin (musicalechanges.com), Peter Marchant (student), Matt Marchant (student musician, presenter on scratch radio), Alex (accounting and finnace student), Sean (student), Liam (composing and producing music, comedy script writing) Keisha Thompson (singer songwriter poet). Ann Sulaiman. Spence Cater.

Apologies

Nicola Toms – Oxjam, Martin Mullan – Changing Horses, Anthony Hughes – Musician, Andy Ward – Musoplex, Vince is touring with 10cc, Kevin Moore – Scratch Radio, Andy Derrick – Musician. Continue reading

January 2011 Music Network Meeting Minutes

Present:

Mark Badger, Richard Mitton, Adrian Kimberline, Marcus Taylor, Gary Heywood, Kevin Moore, Nigel Right, Germaine Roberts, Jimmy Davis, Saurab Thomas, Raol, Rob Heaton, Richard Skelding, Clyde Mckenzie, Mart Mullan, Yannis Yfestos, Keisha Thomapson, Elisha Baptiste

Apologies:

Andy Derrick, Anthony Hughes, Clare Edwards, Kate Southall, Andy Ward

Announcements:

Mark Badger Continue reading

October 2010 Music Network Meeting Minutes

Present:
Andy Derrick, Adrian Kimberlin, Darren Roberts, Gary Heywood, Colin Tippin, Vince O’Malley, Iona, Robin valk,

Apologies:
Anthony Hughes
Clare Edwards
Kate Southall
Andy Ward

Announcements:
Andy Derrick, Mark Badger

New Points:
Darren Roberts, Robin Valk, Ioana, Mo Hawk, Colin Tippin,  Andy Derrick,

Andy Derrick:
Andy would like to acknowledge and thank Dave Taylor at BCU for help and support given to The Music Network and of course for supplying Teas and Coffees for the meeting.

Andy lead a discussion about #quitmyspaceday blogged about by Andrew Dubber and the Issues surrounding Myspace both For and Against.

Andy made the point that Myspace is still valid for many people but wanted to ask who else still uses myspace? A lively conversation followed.

Against:
Agreed that it is a terrible interface.
Myspace appears to be in decline.

For:
Still a useful resource to find out about stuff.
Some bands still find they need to use myspace as many people they wish to engage are still to be found on myspace.

If you google a bands name at present….usually first result is myspace.

Suggested alternatives: bandcamp, reverbnation, build your own wordpress site,

Concensus of opinion: Think, be independent, do what you think is suitable for your needs. Andy has invited people to add comments at: www.andyderrick.co.uk

Robin Valk:
The Pilot Project
www.pilot-project.co.uk
Bristish Library New Music Network
Website goes Live on 18th November, Project is working with The British Library.
There is an Audio Restoration project already going on but Robin is interested in targetting contemporary music and had an idea to start an experimental  project on a regional basis to assemble a project.

This will be a curated site as opposed to a band nominated site.

Clare Edwards, Katy Jay, Richard Elms, and many others have been invited to be involved.

Idea is to run the project for five years.

Nick J Townsend:
Made an interesting point that if you live in Kidderminster you can get airplay on Radio Hereford and Worcester but if you live in Brierly Hill, Dudley, Stourbridge then West Midlands Radio doesn’t seem to recognise those areas as part of their geographic catchment area and so does not prioritise playing or engaging music produced in those areas.

Ioana:
Uncle Jeb events
Bristish Bands to Romania
Ioana based in birmingham, she takes rising Birmingham or British bands and organises gigs for them in Bucharest Romania, covers their expenses.

Ioana is looking for indie, guitar based rock, post punk, punk bands

She is looking for bands with a unique selling point

Contact: Ioana Epure
www.unclejebediah.co.uk
Uncle Jebediah Ltd Trading as UnkleJeb Events,
Aston Cross, 6 rocky lane, Birmingham, West Midlands, B6 5RQ
(+44) 0755 476 5967 / (+40) 0724 249 379
She is also a photographer and journalist

Mo Hawk
Artist fusing African music Styles and Hip Hop
Looking for words of wisdom about how to market and promote their music in Birmingham. Suggestions made Giles Petersen
The Block Studio
Mo Hawk
Gambia tel: 220-9983980, 220-4371508
Sweden mobile 46736465996
Mohawkk1@yahoo.com
http://www.theblockstudios.com

Programme called “rooted” about promoting African languages
If anyone can help with a Birmingham gig and help marketing and promoting the record.

Try carlos www.birminghampromoters.com

Suggestions: rhubarb radio, shelley atkinson, brumcast, musicworldradio,

Darren Roberts:
Working on research to include local people involved with music in local government and politics
he has spoken to Councillor Martin Mullaney
suggestions made of Ernie Hendricks, Ed Vasey, David Furmage,
Also playing a gig: 20th november: the void at the actress and bishop
contact Darren: dxr827 at bham.ac.uk

Colin and Vince:
www.musicalexchanges.com
Recruit area where people can find each other, auction area on there
online shopping center for anything music related.
The website is coming together, has a social networking tool
A flyer was given out with more info

Nick J Townsend:
Provided feedback on the Dudly jbs situation. The gig he organised was very successful and the publicity that the venue has had has helped bring in a lot of interest

Next meeting thursday 25th November.

September 2010 Music Network Meeting Minutes

The Music Network Meeting Minutes 30th September 2010

Present: Mark Sampson, Darren Roberts, Clare Edwards, Adrian Kimberline, Andy Derrick, Andy Ward, Kate Southall, Simon Howes, Chris Whiting, John Taylor, Nick J Townsend, Saurab Thomas, Parminder, Chris,

Apologies: Robin Valk Radiotogo.com, Anthony Hughes Screen WM,

Andy Derrick:
Midlands Jazz Network, trying to build a community of Jazz Musicians. A hub online of Jazz musicians, venues, promoters. Anything from rag time piano right up to modern jazz fusion, funk, fusion etc.

On the website, place for Jazz Musicians to try and secure more work, news items, promoters from Leamington Spa, Coventry, Warwick, Black Country,

It is helping musicians get more gigs, more promotion, perhaps some advice and guidance.

 http://www.jazznetwork.wordpress.com
email: midlandsjazznetwork@gmail.com please send in content, press releases, news, gig dates, anything from the midlands area. The Midlands Jazz network is a resource network for audiences, musicians and promoters of jazz music in the Midlands.

Band directory, festival lists, latest news posts and more

Initially mostly Andy Derricks contacts but now it is becoming more diverse.

Donations are welcome
Promotion by word of mouth, personal recommendation

Andy also is involved with Sostenuto, runs Black Country Music Network.
Black Country Music Network are currently looking for a new venue to meet.
http://www.blackcountrymusicnetwork.wordpress.com

Andy Ward – Musoplex.com:
First releases coming out now on Universal
Musoplex have joined prs and ppl
Katy Jay did photography for indian artist called Mehsopuria album called  “Fearless” available on Universal in UK
Musoplex Filmed second video for the album

Musoplex.com is a Recording Studio, it has 4 Rehearsal Rooms, a Publishing arm, a Record Label, Photo Stage, Video Stage, and supplies and prints Merchandise.
Short runs of tshirts £5 a picee for minimum run of ten shirts.

Simon Reeves is producer and Engineer at Framework Studios
http://www.musoplex.com
email: andy@musoplex.com

Kate Southall:

Kate has been a Radio DJ for 11 years and has been much more in public eye since 2007. Kate Launched “Freshly Picked” in 2008 but due to radio and broadcasting changes Katy decided to pick from a group of volunteers a new presenter to take over the show.

Kate plans to operate as Katy Jay doing a new regular podcast called “Scene and not Herd” available for download through iTunes. Katy has left WCR and will be developing a hub or hive for unsigned music aimed at local community radio stations.

Clare Edwards and Katy Jay were picked for having access to diverse music in loads of different styles by Robin Valk who is heading up a Music Archive Project. The project is called “West Midlands Music Pilot” and will be working with the likes of Brumcast, Godiva, and many more. There is a website on the way.
For more info contact Robin@radiotogo.com (ask robin for press release.)

Contact Katy Jay: scene.and.not.herd@live.co.uk
There is a blog on its way going up on typepad soon.

Nick. J. Townsend:
Nick writes a column for Ryans Gig Guide, runs a Night at Basement Studios each week on a friday, Plays and sings with a his own band called weak 13 and runs Basement Sound Radio.

Nick talked at length about Dudley JBs. JBs is going into administration. Nick has approached JBs to find out what can be done to help. JBs are struggling and needs peoples help and support.

Nick is putting on three good nights between now and Christmas starting on Oct 22nd, all the money goes to the club. Nick suggested that if JBs goes down, it will affect the midlands as there are so few clubs left that can support good touring bands. Nick wants to try and get 1000 people through the door.

Nick wants peoples help to try and market and promote the club by any means to try and help them out.

Jbs needs help with marketing and promotion, it needs people to support the shows, it needs promoters to take on nights and organise shows, it needs people with ideas to come forward and suggest new ways it can move forward and avoid going bust without compromising the sorts of bands it has been working with up to now. A lengthy discussion followed…..

www.jbsdudley.co.uk
Sam and martin at jbs are the people to talk to. Their email and contact number is on the jbs website.

or contact: Nick J Townsend: www.myspace.com/Weak13music
tel: 07898 181574

Ryans gig Guide now going out to Birmingham, black country, bromsgrove, tamworth, nuneaton, walsall.

Ryans gig Guide is not online, only available as a publication.

Clare Edwards:
Soweto Kinch: “new emancipation” new album is out.
www.soweto-kinch.com

Clare said if you look up bbc music website…it has review with clips from each track.

Darren Roberts
Darren is at Birmingham University and doing research, talking to people in the music industry, still trying to get stories and voices and opinion on the local music industry.

Some of his research has involved some performance and he has been to base studios, bluewhale studios, exit recording. Musoplex was also suggested.

Darren has a gig gig coming up at actress and bishop 6th november, The Void www.myspace.com/voidd and the show itself is part of his research into what is actually going on in local venues and what bands have to go through to get a show.

Darren has been involved in collaborations too. If anyone is still interested in talking to Darren email Darren dxr827@bham.ac.uk

Darren wants to talk to people who have experience and some degree of understanding of what they do and etc in the music industry for example
music promoters, venue owners, musicians, labels etc

John Taylor

Black Sheep Records: John runs a small independent label based in Worcester called Blacksheep records, currently email is: john@blacksheeprecords.co.uk
John has been involved in the Worcester Music Festival and has just done third year. This years festival included 230 acts in over 30 venues across the city. The event was all voluntary, all genres, raised money for charity, in excess of £5,000 raised.

www.wmf2010.co.uk

Site gives details…will be inviting artists for 2011 to submit applications for playing.

Off the back of the first festival from a few years ago, John set up Blacksheep Records to provide a service for artists with limited budget to try and help artists raise their own profile. John provides everything from artwork, design, wesbite, cds, digital distribution etc.

John has a huge love of music and wants to help local artsist get their music out there.

John also works as a business partner with Loungetree, Chis Whiting.

John also trying to organise gigs swaps

Marrsbar, Keystones, a lot of cafe and bars do acoustic music acts, guildhall,

Adrian Kimberline
www.AdrianKimberline.com
Latest release is act called : heatseeker feat Jackie baker track is called (u r my) inspiration

Next Music Network Meeting will be Thursday 28th October 4pm

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