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
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.
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
The Music Network Meeting Minutes 27th May 2010
Chaired by Mark Badger
Present:
Mark Badger (Iron Man Records, The Music Network), Robin Valk (RadioTogo.com), Jenny Tate (Violet Sky Music Management, Saturday Rock on Rhubarb Radio), Saurabh Thomas (Student at BCU,) Rich Mitton (Mitton Audio, Audio Engineer, front of House, Vinnie and the curse), Darren Roberts (University of Birmingham), Bernadette Markantonakis, Olivia Markantonakis (at University in Lincoln and doing drama, also singer & actress), Colin Tippin (Musicalexchanges.com), Rob Heaton (Pathway productions, music production and video production), Andy Watt (Base Studios, rehearsal studios and venue with streaming internet) Spence Cater (Writer photographer, musician, mentor),
Apologies: Dusky edwards, Clare Edwards, Anthony Hughes, Andy Derrick.
Rich Mitten:
One man operation, he’s a front of house and monitor engineer, also does studio production.
He can offer advice and guidance from putting on an event to any element of production.
Rich is working as an engineer for Vinnie and the Curse.
mittonaudio@gmail.com
Rob Heaton:
Looking to get into music and video production. Recently been doing some training on music creation software. Interested in doing some remixing work. Currently doing a documentary for a competition “two weeks to make it” its the first time the competition has been run. the idea is take two weeks to make a music video.
07858 520318 bert@wonderful.plus.com
looking for musicians and others to get in touch.
Darren Roberts
From University Of Birmingham. Writing a project focused on power relations in birmingham, how music works in the west midlands. wants to hear from people about their views in the music industry. There are a series of quesions
“Your experiences of both the commercial world of music and the public world (as in public funding bodies), and the different challenges to be faced or benefits to be gained, the impact on creativity, and the relationship/contrasts that exist between both spheres””Where do you see different forms of unity (stability, hierarchy, power) and division (exclusion, illegitimacy, segregation) within Birmingham’s music industry”
If anyone is interested in contributing: Dxr827@bham.ac.ukThere is also a small piece “musicism in birmingham” to be posted on the blue whale blog.
Robin Valk:
Is talking about local radio and its relationship with local music.
Focus is where radio has been, where it is going and where the new opportunities lie and some of the things you can do with radio. Also looking at audio with pictures. Its not a positive picture for radio but it is positive for creativity.
Robin is involved with Project x presents: a multi media event, with music, dance, performance artists, builds to a climax of mark wreck dj set. next event will be informal possibly in november and wants to make it more music based.
wants to get musicians collaborating and getting ideas together.
Robin is pushing to get people djing
suggestions welcome, expenses will be paid but thats about it. if you want to get involved please get in touch: robin@radiotogo.com
Jenny:
(Violet Sky management launching a band “Hope Order truth”)
duskyedwards@live.co.uk
band looking for support slots, band have new stuff in production, website, facebook, looking for sponsorhsip for the album launch and also collaboration from anyone who can help the launch go sucessfully
looking for any platform to help the band. Looking for people to come in for the show on saturdayrocks@rhubarbradio.com
www.rhubarbradio.com
Olivia:
A singer who is looking to work with bands, producers, studios, anyone who is making pop music and requires a good female singer. oliviamarkantonakis@hotmail.com 07958 225864
Colin:
www.musicalexchanges.com
It is a website resource for musicians, still under construction. Site has networking section, recruitment section, mini traders section for people to sell to each other, also shop section for people to find good deals.
Trying to build an ebay style or facebook style dating.com and an online shopping center
Should be launched very soon. Website has been two years in the making
Colin is inviting people to get involved, register with the website and take part in testing still taking place.
Colin is looking for two more web developers enquiries@musicalexchanges.com
Andy:
Base Studios
Near Stourbridge Railway Station, 200 capacity live venue, basic lighting rig, 5k rig, good sound desk, bar and six rehearsal rooms.
Theres a green screen behind the stage backdrop
Get a Gig: Warren@basestudios1.co.uk if you want a gig
website: myspace.com/basestudios
basestudios1.co.uk
Andy looking for people that would be interested in employing someone who can source and sell merchandise, experience working with label, licensing and running the label, interested in finding out more about online and digital sales.
Andy Watt: andy.watt@ssp.uk.com
Saurabh Thomas
Is aiming at being a composer, wants to get into television and advertising, wants to know how to get into the business
discussion followed, do your research, find people already successful, find out how they operate, try and approach some independent filmakers, perhaps look at screenwestmidlands,
myspace.com/saurabhft
Spence cater:
Moseley in bloom is a few weeks away. the garden area is open to the public. Looking for a jazz trio
anyone who is interested get in touch with spence cater
oakland road, up past the patrick kavanagh
spencecater@hotmail.com
The Music Network is open to all on Thursday 27th May 2010 4pm til 6pm at Millennium Point, Curzon Street, Birmingham, B4 7XG. The Meeting will be lead this month by Mark Badger
The Music Network organises a NETWORKING EVENT on the last Thursday of each month, for the benefit of music related businesses in the West Midlands region. If you have any involvement in music, come and talk about what you’re up to and meet some new people.These Networking events are about all things music in the region. They’re about helping you to teach yourself how to do it, by yourself, for yourself and encourages you to share the knowledge with others so they can do the same. If you are a musician, a student, someone who works with musicians, represents musicians, has involvement with the music industry, or are looking to make new contacts…..the meeting will be useful.
If you have news to report, a presentation to give, an event to promote, any new points for discussion, a pitch to make, business cards or flyers to hand round, an appeal for help, advice or guidance or even if you just want the free tea and biscuits and some serious discussion…you are invited.
You can also post in by email any news or gig dates or press release information for inclusion on the website and for distribution through the mailing list and RSS feed. More details on the website.
There will be luxury chocolate biscuits and good coffee for all. There’s food and drink afterwards supplied by the creative networks too. Please pass this invite on to Musicians you know or anyone else who you think may benefit.
https://birminghammusicnetwork.com Come and Join us.
About Mark Badger:
Mark runs Iron Man Records, based in Birmingham England. The record label has been running since 1996 and in 2000 he set up Birmingham Music Network which is also known as just The Music Network.
Mark has organised more than 1000 gigs in and around Birmingham since 1994 using many different identities but most of them used the name Badger Promotions until 2002.
Mark plays in a band called Last Under The Sun and another called Police Bastard. He works as a tour manager and driver helping bands out on the live circuit and when he finds time he writes and maintains several music related blogs. Mark has assembled simple online strategies for established bands, like the The Orb, and countless other new bands who have asked for help.
Mark has done some lecturing at Birmingham City University as part of their Music Business degree course, and bits and pieces for the Musicians Union, Birmingham City Council, Learning and Skills Council and Advantage West Midlands.
Mark also operates a shop on ebay selling all sorts of good alternative music on cd or vinyl.
Midlands Calling?…the new opps and apps for audio broadcast
Speaker – Robin Valk www.radiotogo.co.uk
Robin Valk is a broadcast and software consultant whose career started in the 60s at the very first Student radio station in the UK. In the 70s he worked in US Rock Radio before becoming the first DJ hired at BRMB, and in the 90s at BBC Radio 2 at Pebble Mill.
When not consulting in the UK and Europe, teaching, podcasting or blogging, Robin works on radio and music projects. He is currently working on a documentary project about the music and musicians of Handsworth, Birmingham, as well as leading a pilot project for the British Library. He is one of the most experienced Selector music programming software operators in Europe and has a ten year association with RCS New York as help author for their flagship products.
A Panel Discussion will follow Robin’s keynote presentation. We’ll be looking at the status of Radio today, where the talent that’s needed is to be found and how the digital age affects production yet offers new opportunities. We’ll examine the expanded horizons for audio broadcast platforms and how to capitalise on the perfect synergy of local music with local radio.
To join us for this FREE event, please call Dave Taylor on 0121 331 5400. Alternatively, register online at www.creativenetworksonline.com
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