We are a Music Networking organisation, leading the way by working with the local music community to stimulate growth, inspire, and share knowledge. We offer practical based industry experience and are not genre specific.

The Music Network is a voluntary, not for profit, social enterprise organisation seeking charitable status. “we”, “our” and “us” means The Music Network. We are working for the benefit of the wider music community and encourage others to do the same.

Since 2000, The Music Network has pulled together a community of independent music organisations, based in the West Midlands. We offer access to some of the most innovative and exciting new contemporary music being produced today.

The aims of The Music Network are:

To provide and facilitate Networking Opportunities through meetings and events. You are all invited to these meetings so sign up for our newsletter and get instructions on how to participate.

To bring together all strands of the West Midlands music industry, and to encourage creative partnerships to achieve stronger representation through working as an intentional community.

To maintain a point of contact that offers a gateway to the local music community.

To promote the West Midlands Music industry to a local, national and international audience.

About Mark Badger:

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I look after the updates on this website and I run an independent record label called Iron Man Records based in Birmingham England. The record label has been running since 1996 and in 2000 I set up the Birmingham Music Network which is also known these days as just The Music Network.

I’ve organised in excess of 1,000 gigs in and around Birmingham since 1994 as Badger Promotions. I’m a musician and I play in a band called Last Under The Sun and I’m also playing guitar in Police Bastard and Bass with another band called Cain.

I earn money as a Tour Manager and I spend a lot of time taking bands all over the UK and Europe. I offer basic press and pr help to new bands and event organisers and I can help with simple online strategy and social media. I write and maintain several music related blogs. I have lectured at Birmingham City University as part of their Music Business degree course and I run an online shop selling all sorts of good alternative music on cd or vinyl. I have an ongoing interest in the region’s music development strategy, and how much money appears to get wasted that could be used to help struggling musicians and creatives.

About Anthony Hughes:

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With a commercial background which spans creative sectors from commercial art & fine art, design and multimedia to video production, music and performance, his in depth knowledge sets him apart from others working in and advising the public sector. He brings a creative workers informed perspective to project development, management, consultation and strategy development.

Anthony’s wide knowledge and experience across the spectrum of the creative industries, coupled with his commercial background, has enabled him to develop a meaningful  business engagement with companies across the region. He has successfully developed their investment in skills development, business strategies and inward investment planning levering in public funding to help aid this commercial growth. His thoughtful, dynamic  and informed approach to his work has led to some successful sector specific training programmes and buy in from the sector, and his commercial acumen has helped them translate creative product into commercial business models with revenue potential.

He has been a working musician for over 20 years, artist and writer. He is also co-chair of the music network.

About Andy Derrick:

Andy is an award winning and active professional across the creative industries with a particular interest in the music industry.  As a gifted communicator and armed with a positive belief that everyone can achieve the highest professional standards, the last few years have seen him engaged as a dynamic programme leader, training manager and guest speaker.

Andy has delivered talks and speeches to musicians and music businesses from those studying at schools and colleges to professionals at large industry events such as Gigbeth, the BBC Radio 2 OnSong Festival and the Shrewsbury Folk Festival.

“Andy’s breadth of knowledge of the industry from inside, combined with his relaxed style of delivery made for a great learning experience for my Music Technology students.” – Dr. Simon Hall, Birmingham Conservatoire, BCU

“He has a great knowledge and command that you would expect from a professional musician…very knowledgeable and experienced in all areas of the music industry and he is in a unique position to be able to understand the issues on all sides of the table as well as give accurate, candid and unbiased opinions.” – Nick Dunn, Managing Director, Horus Music Ltd.

“Andy Derrick gave a guest lecture on his perspective of the Music Industry. His knowledge and approach was fresh and challenging, and welcomed by the students. So much so, we asked him back…” – Mark Thorley, Programme Leader, Coventry University

Please note: “The Music Network” and “Birmingham Music Network” used with our speaker logo is our Trademark. We do our best to only operate under the Name of “The Music Network” or “Birmingham Music Network” and we try to use the speaker logo wherever possible so you know who is involved with our events. If you want to organise your own networking events and work with musicians, please be creative and think up a name that is not the same as, or similar to, ours. Please try and use your own logo where possible so there’s no confusion.

Birmingham Music Network 2011 Logo