Northern Exposure: Getting Started in Music
We ask some industry regulars from Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester for their tips on getting started in music
As you’ll no doubt be fed up of hearing, university presents a time for new beginnings. New friends, new responsibilities… maybe even a new city. Perhapsyou've been packed off to the other end of the country (or further) with visions of honours scrolls and prosperous careers; maybe you’ve even told yourself that you just want to knuckle down and ignore the various temptations that the student lifestyle offers in excelsis. Or, more likely, you’re ready for a minimum-three-year piss-up.
It’s also a great opportunity to fully immerse yourself in music: the one time of your life when your housemates are less likely to ask you to turn it down than to suggest an experiment in cross-hallway crowdsurfing.
Whether you’re in Leeds, Liverpool or Manchester, you’ll swiftly come to realise that there’s no shortage of gigs, clubs, venues, record shops or festivals – so why not go one step further and get involved yourself? Whether you’ve got your eye on playing shows, spinning sounds that set the dancefloor alight or even operating in some sort of shadowy behind-the-scenes role, throwing yourself into the scene is a piece of piss. But don’t just take our word for it; we asked these local heroes for some insider tips…
Starting a band: Jen Hingley, False Advertising
False Advertising, photo: Alexander Bell
How did False Advertising get started?
We’d all played in a band together a few years ago, but that ended after about three gigs. Shortly after that Chris and I decided to form a new band that was 100% DIY – where between us we would self-produce and self-release all of our music, as well as create all of our own artwork and music videos. Oh and we both wanted to play drums.
We didn’t realise how long it would be to get good enough at all of these things though – there was about a year and a half between us coming up with the idea for False Advertising and the day we shared Wasted Away online. But having all that time to craft, rehearse and record really helped us figure out what kind of band we were and get confident.
What were your early experiences of playing live like?
We’ve had a lot of great live experiences, our first gig being one of them. I could tell you about how much we’ve improved since we played at Deaf Institute last year [a gig co-promoted by The Skinny] but I stand by that performance – we were ready for it! The biggest issues for me have tended to be related to not being able to hear myself.
Has the scene in Manchester changed since you started out?
It’s become smaller and friendlier, but just because we know more people I suppose! In reality it’s probably become bigger and more daunting, but you’ve just got to put yourselves out there and talk to people.
What advice would you give to someone starting a band in 2016?
Wait until you’re totally ready before sharing anything. If you’re not playing gigs yet or releasing music, then why would anyone follow you on Twitter or Facebook? Wait until what you have is 100% finished, then launch everything on the same day alongside some nice photography (all of our first press shots were done on a self-timer, by the way!). If it’s good and you’re strict with yourself then doing it that way will excite people.
DJing and club promoting: Balraj Samrai, Swing Ting
Balraj Samrai (left), photo: Preston is my Paris
How did you first get involved?
I started collecting records and DJing at house parties in sixth form. This continued into university before I started playing at other events around the city. I didn’t really plan to get into promoting but felt I picked up a few pointers from other promoters, like-minds and DJs in the city so decided to give it a go with friends who shared my enthusiasm for music.
Tell us about Swing Ting.
[Fellow Swing Ting DJ] Platt and I wanted to start a party where we could play music like garage, grime, dancehall, rap and bassline in an accessible environment. We kicked this off in 2008, in our final year of uni. This then built up to the point where we were doing monthly sessions at Soup Kitchen (our current home) and playing lots of new and unreleased music. Joey B, Fox and Murlo joined the fold, and in 2014 we decided to start the label wing of Swing Ting to give an outlet to fresh sounds.
What were your early experiences like?
There were ups and downs. Sometimes we were too ambitious – trying to put a party on midweek or overspending beyond our budget, but we learned from these mistakes; I still see this as part of the journey. Super-positive nights that spring to mind are the first session – a massive success, which featured Jon K, Illum Sphere and Joey B. Having Seiji play at Charlie’s Karaoke Bar felt like a pivotal night as it brought a lot of different people together from around the city, and our seventh birthday bash in December featuring The Large was an extremely lively affair from start to finish.
What are the most important factors for a good club night?
A good club night should flow, feel welcoming and be accessible to people whatever their background, but also look to challenge expectations. Logistical essentials are great sound, door staff, bar staff and security.
What advice would you give to someone starting out as a DJ in 2016?
Be individual and uncompromising in what you choose to select. Dig deep and work hard to make sure you're on people's radar. Don’t get drawn into doing gigs just for ‘exposure’ as this can be a slippery slope. Promoters should invest in you, so be patient and wait for the right gigs to find you. Good luck!
Promoting gigs: Gem Prout, Fancy Claps Promotions
Gem Prout
Why did you start promoting?
I first ventured into putting on gigs when I was living in Cornwall at the age of 16 – I helped my friend put on punk bands at a local pub. When I moved to Leeds in 2007, I decided to do it myself! The DIY scene is something I really wanted to be part of – it’s just really exciting being able to get bands that you love to play, and letting others discover music they may not have heard before.
Did you know much about putting on shows at first?
When I first started, I knew it would be a learning curve by going alone. It wasn’t easy at first, simply because I was new to Leeds and I was taking a chance by putting on mainly out-of-town bands, but the Leeds scene is extremely welcoming and encouraging, so had it not been for that I might not have kept putting on shows for this long.
Were there any mistakes along the way?
The first gig I put on in Leeds was a little scary, particularly when I realised that I had to set up the PA myself, run the bar, organise the bands and man the door all on my own! The gig actually went well in the end, but I should have communicated better with the venue so that there were no surprises on the night. I also remember that part of the band’s rider included ham sandwiches and because of the venue’s vegan/vegetarian ethic, they had to take them outside. I definitely learned a lot that evening!
Tell us about promoting in Leeds.
In Leeds we are absolutely spoilt with the amount of DIY promoters, putting on all sorts of musical endeavours: Cops and Robbers, Night Fortress, PLS TXT, Scene Better Days, Bad Owl, Tally Ho, Queer We Go, Bomb the Twist, Le Petit Machines and Keri Morgan, just to name a few! It rarely feels like people are in competition with each other. I feel that it's important to be supportive – rivalry is not conducive to a scene.
What advice would you give to someone promoting their first show in 2016?
Hurry up! 2016 is nearly over and you want to give yourself plenty of time to promote the gig properly. Oh, and enjoy it!
Starting a record label: Philip Rourke, EDILS Recordings
Philip Rourke
How did EDILS get started?
EDILS was originally a booking agency which started out in 2003 – I basically started it to try to get my band on the DIY touring scene, and two years down the line I was booking some of my favourite bands. The label started in 2011: my best friend James and I thought some of the established bands I had made links with over the years could do one-off releases to coincide with tours.
Tell us about the label.
The philosophy is simple and I daresay the same as most labels: release and work with bands we love. We do small runs of products, in-house PR, and try to book shows for bands we work with. If bands are happy with that then it’s all cool. Bigger labels can offer loads more, obviously – perhaps DIY labels are a good starting point to get in with the right scene, and get your release pushed to people who will genuinely take an interest in it.
How did you find the early days?
We found it really easy at first, to be honest. The first three physical releases sold out quickly due to the bands being on tour – we got lucky. We've made mistakes, of course. They're a learning curve. We mistakenly got over 100 Double Echo CD cases made with the wrong track order on the back! We lost a lot of money on that, but the album was a big success.
Recently we've worked with Flying Nun Records on a release, and we receive submissions all the time from bands who are fans of our back catalogue. In particular I'm very proud of the UK bands we've worked with: Death Masks, Zola and currently Ice Baths, Slushy Guts and Day Flower. All amazing bands.
What should a good label do?
First of all, a good label will put in the effort for the band. Go the extra mile and put in as much effort to pushing the release as the band have writing it. I've learned a lot from Bleeding Gold Records over in the US. It’s such a beautiful label; Roger who runs it is super-organised and just wonderful to work with. I think they have a perfect model for a DIY label – their products are amazing.
What advice would you give to someone starting a DIY label in 2016?
Make sure you have endless amounts of time. Don't do anything you are not 100% sure of. Be prepared to lose money. Make sure you have endless amounts of time.
Working in a recording studio: Rob Whiteley, Whitewood Recording Studio
Whitewood Recording Studio, photo: Matt Thomas
How did you get started with studio work?
I went down the less traditional route of forming a band, learning about live sound, and then started recording my friends’ bands and mine. It's a very competitive part of the industry – everyone has a mate that will record for free.
Tell us about getting set up at Whitewood.
I started out borrowing a friend’s 16-track Fostex tape machine (computers were not powerful enough in those days) and desks, and treated the recording as a live gig. I used to work in venues as a sound engineer and toured with bands, but I was always drawn to the studio. I got a degree in sound technology from LIPA in 2003 and then in 2008 decided to go for broke with Whitewood, losing out on more regular live work but ultimately letting me do what I wanted to do and being my own boss.
Were there any other studios, engineers or producers that you looked up to?
My favourite records at the time were made by Ryan Green, Bill Stevenson, Steve Albini and Mark Trombino; it was mainly their sounds (which I often had no idea how to achieve) that I was looking to emulate.The whole idea of production (as opposed to engineering, two very interlinked areas) came later – I sat down with one of my favourite producers, J. Robbins, when his band played in Manchester and learned a lot. Today there’s an incredible amount of information on the net, and streaming services make it easy to listen to a wealth of music/production. The only way to learn is to record though.
Has the industry changed since you started out?
The cost of really decent recording equipment is a lot less these days, though we at Whitewood still believe that some of the classic sounds are linked to certain (usually pricey) equipment. This means that bands can make perfectly decent recordings for very little money (compared to the pre-computer times).
What advice would you give to someone starting out in sound recording in 2016?
Try and get an internship at Abbey Road. Think about whether you have the same dedication as any artist needs to have for their discipline (no spare time or cash to speak of for the first ten years). Put the 10,000 hours in and hopefully you'll have a very rewarding career. Make recording your focus over everything else... or get a real job and have fun with your mates instead.