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Music industry/business questions


Jim Stax

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:up: Throwing a large general question out to all for some feed back... :cheers::up:

Beleive it or not but there is an increase in cultural activity going on in Aberdeen! Much of it behind the scenes at the moment but happening all the same. Off the back of this I am, for the sake of ease at this point in time, asking around about what may be required in Aberdeen with regards to professional development within the music/creative industries.

Over and above the recent events what sort of information/seminars/advice sessions would you feel may be of use? I refer to all aspects of the business: Music promotion, starting a label, PRS, MCPS, legal represention etc...

Fire away with your answers and recomendations and I'll get my notebook out!

Much obliged to anyone that bothers

Jim

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There is a great booklet out at the momment that I received yesterday from a member of The Foyer Music Staff.

Basically detailing EVERYTHING that bands need to know about the music industry.

I should be receiving a box of them tonight and will have them to distribute in The Bassment as of tommorow lunchtime. They will be by the door on the left hand side as you enter the building.

This booklet is ESSENTIAL... I cannot stress this enough. AND it is FREE.

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Just found this written in my notebook from years ago. Still stands it would seem.

'Ian should' date=' get out more...' :D[/quote']

That's funny, the girlfriend always tells me I should stay in more.

I was serious about backline techs though, how many drummers do you know can actually tune a drum? Maybe I'm asking the wrong person. :D

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Apparently so. I hear there are great and powerful mages from the land of NotAberdeen who have mastered this arcane art.

I must visit this great land you speak of one day... I have read often of mystical feats taking place on a regular basis, where the great one they call 'Professional' passes wise wisdom to all who wish to learn and be so...

:ding:

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i kinda agree that things are on the up in the deen

the single biggest factor in my opinion, is the opening of a really cool medium sized music venue run by people not afriad to try something new....namely The Tunnels

its ideal for the developing bands in the area who can move up from the small pub gigs and its good for punters to have regular nights of new music and generally good quality bands in a cool place with no neds or drunk wee kids in it ...its also big enough to stage bigger events and attract national bands on the up, and manages to avoid painting itself with one style of music and audience ala Kef (Kef also suffers from being uncool in general....more to do with the fact that its a dump than anything else I think)

the problem in the past was there was some weeny venues and then the next step up was the Lemon Tree or the Music Hall, neither of which are known for providing regular and consistent line ups of good new bands, usually playing safe with has-been touring bands on their way down or tribute acts (although the melon tree seems to be getter a bit more quality control of late ....LCD Soundsystem!!!!)

anyhow, I think the Tunnel could be the key to whats happening in the town, and it would be a travesty if the place was to struggle cos of lack of interest....we would all deserve to rot in a cultureless hell forever if that happened

if theres gonna be a decent culture in the deen, then the live venues (primarily the Tunnels) will be at the core of it imo

Flash will prob kill me for not mentioning The Moorings, but I think the Moorings has its place as a fantastic and established rock venue, and will be successful at being that....but rock is always there and never goes away.....Im talking about things moving forward culturally and I honestly think diversity is the way to go....he who dares etc

I also totally dig Snafu as a late nite club, and def hope its band nites take off, although theres work to do if its gonna get up there with the Tunnels in music venue terms

spunkmuffin

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I must visit this great land you speak of one day...

Be careful Jim, I've heard that the only way to reach this mystical place is by undergoing a terrifying journey surrounded by precariously balanced equipment and being force fed something called garijfood. I would urge you to take some trusty fellows and the Drumsticks of Destruction to fend off any evil spirits (just for the record, Jack Daniels isn't evil).

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i kinda agree that things are on the up in the deen

the single biggest factor in my opinion' date=' is the opening of a really cool medium sized music venue run by people not afriad to try something new....namely The Tunnels

its ideal for the developing bands in the area who can move up from the small pub gigs and its good for punters to have regular nights of new music and generally good quality bands in a cool place with no neds or drunk wee kids in it ...its also big enough to stage bigger events and attract national bands on the up, and manages to avoid painting itself with one style of music and audience ala Kef (Kef also suffers from being uncool in general....more to do with the fact that its a dump than anything else I think)

the problem in the past was there was some weeny venues and then the next step up was the Lemon Tree or the Music Hall, neither of which are known for providing regular and consistent line ups of good new bands, usually playing safe with has-been touring bands on their way down or tribute acts (although the melon tree seems to be getter a bit more quality control of late ....LCD Soundsystem!!!!)

anyhow, I think the Tunnel could be the key to whats happening in the town, and it would be a travesty if the place was to struggle cos of lack of interest....we would all deserve to rot in a cultureless hell forever if that happened

if theres gonna be a decent culture in the deen, then the live venues (primarily the Tunnels) will be at the core of it imo

Flash will prob kill me for not mentioning The Moorings, but I think the Moorings has its place as a fantastic and established rock venue, and will be successful at being that....but rock is always there and never goes away.....Im talking about things moving forward culturally and I honestly think diversity is the way to go....he who dares etc

I also totally dig Snafu as a late nite club, and def hope its band nites take off, although theres work to do if its gonna get up there with the Tunnels in music venue terms

spunkmuffin[/quote']

Two amongst many factors... Dr Drakes closing/Tunnels opening etc etc... And I will add that most of the promoters and bands that are now loose in the city and working hard started in our 'wee' humble venue. Just needed to address that! Tunnels is most definately a factor but much had begun before it opened... (It is pretty fab though)

Back to the thread please or this will desolve into another 'are we, arent we' debate that should now be rested in favour of YES WE ARE SO LETS ALL FUCKING WELL GET ON WITH IT! :up:

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Two amongst many factors... Dr Drakes closing/Tunnels opening etc etc... And I will add that most of the promoters and bands that are now loose in the city and working hard started in our 'wee' humble venue. Just needed to address that! Tunnels is most definately a factor but much had begun before it opened... (It is pretty fab though)

Back to the thread please or this will desolve into another 'are we' date=' arent we' debate that should now be rested in favour of YES WE ARE SO LETS ALL FUCKING WELL GET ON WITH IT! :up:[/quote']

Drakes was sooooo essential I doubt a lot of bands in town would even exist without it.... it was the only place to play (or that you could play) for a long time *salutes* :cheers:

.....which is my point really, the whole quality of musical culture in the deen revolves around and pretty much depends on its live venues *cough* (I almost said 'scene')....otherwise bands ands promoters are kinda fucked

from a personal point of veiw I think a few more entrepeneurial band managers would be dead cool....(anyone fancy a job attempting to manage TV?!...apply by PM please)

dunno if a record label in the deen is essential though....a few people have picked up the baton but no ones really ran with it ifyouknoworrameanlike

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from a personal point of veiw I think a few more entrepeneurial band managers would be dead cool....(anyone fancy a job attempting to manage TV?!...apply by PM please)

Surely we should write out a criteria?

1) Must like my shoes.

2) Must be able to tell Dan on a daily basis that he has sculpted guns.

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Certainly the Tunnels is quickly becoming a very welcome string to the local scenes bow. It certainly strikes me as a place which has had money thrown at it so I hope it is around for a long time.

The Moorings is quality, the sound system along with MTA (Mark) doing the sound makes it a venue which is hard to beat. The staff are friendly and it has a great atmosphere. I do agree with Betamax that it is best at being a rock venue but I have seen some decent non-rock gigs there too. Mainly Jo McCafferty, Baby Karma and The Real Shocks.

Moshulu has really done a great job at getting decent acts up to the Deen, well done Ross.

As for bands, there really is something positive going on. I do wish that the bitchyness calmed a bit though, some folk are wayyyyyyyy to serious. Anyways, good thread :cheers:

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Certainly the Tunnels is quickly becoming a very welcome string to the local scenes bow. It certainly strikes me as a place which has had money thrown at it so I hope it is around for a long time.

I'd like to know where you think the moneys been thrown at. There's certainly money been spent but it's hardly been thrown.Most of the PA FOH gear is pretty much bottom of the range and powered speakers with the inevitable passive crossovers may be the cheaper short term option but I suspect it'll turn round and bite them when the first real problem raises it's head.

Not to say I don't like the venue though, if I can't have Drakes I'll settle for the tunnels.

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