Getting Started: Keith McIvor (Optimo)

February 25, 2014 by michael lambert

Ahead of next Off The Record event at Platform, Glasgow on the 1st March, we spoke to Keith McIvor (JD Twitch) from Optimo about life in the music business...

Q: How did you get your start in music?

A: I started off by chance really. Knowing I had a lot of records I was asked to dj at a night in Edinburgh that went on to become very successful and next thing I knew that was what i was doing for a living. I had always wanted to work in music but had thought I'd probably get into it from working for a record label rather than as a performer.

Q: What is best thing about your work?

A: That my work is also my passion, being my own boss, getting to work on lots of great projects and going to lots of different places.

Q: Give us one tip for anyone looking to work in music...

A: Perseverance!

Off The Record takes place at Platform in Easterhouse, Glasgow on Saturday 1st March for 14-25 year olds. Tickets are £2, and include free lunch and a release with EmuBands worth £25! Find out more & book tickets here.

Getting Started: Hannah Currie (MILK Glasgow)

February 25, 2014 by michael lambert

Ahead of next Off The Record event at Platform, Glasgow on the 1st March, we spoke to Hannah Currie from Milk Glasgow about life in the music business...

Q: How did you get your start in music?

A: A mixture of luck and persistence... I was pretty distracted throughout school and uni dreaming of a career in the media industry, and spent most of my time writing music reviews and interviews for various newspapers and websites.

By going to lots of gigs I met bands, managers and promoters, and when I left uni a local promoter asked me (and my friend Aileen, who also did music journalism) to come up with a concept for a clubnight.

I guess it was an experiment on his behalf but I don't think anyone could have foreseen that we'd still be doing this 3 years later. Aileen and I went to town on it, designing logos and posters, flyering and postering every weekend, booking bands and DJs and hounding the music press to come along to our event and write about it. MILK is our live music and club night at Glasgow venue Flat 0/1 and we love it!

Q: What is best thing about your work?

A: Running music events is a hobby - or rather a labour of love - for both of us, as we have full-time jobs in other media industries throughout the week. But despite the full-time work getting busier and busier for us since we left uni, we haven't been able to give MILK up. It's too much of a buzz - there is no feeling in the world like seeing an event packed with people all having fun - or when a band tells you how much they've loved the show, it's amazing! If you've had a bad start to the week, MILK on a Wednesday is guaranteed to make you smile and get you through the rest of it...

Q: Give us one tip for anyone looking to work in music

A: Do it for the love of it - being passionate about music is the most important thing; if you're in it to try and make money, you're off on the wrong foot!

Wide Days Acts In Action

October 16, 2013 by michael lambert

This week sees another burst of activity from the select bunch of acts who played our Wide Days music industry convention in April.

*Roman Nose at Wide Days 13. Photo by Jannica Honey*

In Glasgow fearsome electronic trio Roman Nose will be shaking up Stereo on Thursday [October 17] night for the release of their new EP, which features the amazing tracks Bombers and Coming For You. The gig is being filmed for a video so everyone is being asked to bring a mask.

Support is courtesy of our friend Shona McGuire, aka Plum, and Ladytron's Marnie on DJ duties.

*Saint Max at Wide Days 13. Photo by Jannica Honey*

Also on tonight are Saint Max & The Fanatics, who are playing a free gig at Henry's in Edinburgh to launch their debut album, Saint Max Is Missing And The Fanatics Are Dead, which is released on Armellodie Records on Monday. The band play Glasgow's Old Hairdressers on Friday night.

On the subject of Wide Days acts and new releases, we made Honeyblood's debut single Bud track of the month in The Scotsman and were pleased to see that The List agreed. And listen out for the second half of Washington Irving's Palomides album, which is out on November 4 and is titled Palomides II.

Next week check out Siobhan Wilson supporting Sam Amidon at Glasgow's Mono on October 23. Here are some pictures of her amazing gig at the Pleasance Sessions last weekend.

Getting Started: Gavin Fort, Verden Studios

October 03, 2013 by michael lambert

Ahead of our first Off The Record event at The Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh on the 5th October, we spoke to Gavin Fort from Verden Studios about life in the music business...

Q: How did you get your start in music?

A: The studio work was a lucky break, I was doing data entry work in an office for extra cash at uni and the girl next to me asked what I was studying and what I wanted to do when I graduated. Turns out her pal was just in the process of setting up a studio, Verden as it turns out, and she hooked me up, but it was college then uni before then.

Q: What is best thing about your work?

A: There's an element of freedom that is good (but can also be dangerous) and being a part of realising an artist's or band's creative vision can be very rewarding.

Q: Give us one tip for anyone looking to work in music

A: Enjoy your work but be professional.

Off The Record takes place at the Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh on Saturday 5th October for 14-25 year olds. Tickets are £2, and include free lunch and a release with EmuBands worth £25! Get your tickets here.

Getting Started: Vic Galloway, BBC Radio Scotland

October 02, 2013 by michael lambert

Ahead of our first Off The Record event at The Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh on the 5th October, we spoke to Vic Galloway, BBC Radio Scotland presenter about life in the music business...

Q: How did you get your start in music?

A: I left school and started a band with friends. I worked at it and other bands for around 8 years, before I started working at record labels and behind the scenes in music. I then got a break and secured a job as a presenter at the BBC on Radio 1... I took it and the rest is history!

Q: What is the best thing about your work?

A: I'm a music obsessive, so the best thing about work is that I get to listen, watch and be immersed in my favourite thing all year round. It's certainly not the money!!!

Q: Give us one tip for anyone looking to work in music

A: Know your subject, stick to your guns and be polite and friendly to people... OK, that's 3 tips!!

Getting Started: Tallah Brash, The Electric Circus

October 01, 2013 by michael lambert

Ahead of our first Off The Record event at The Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh on the 5th October, we spoke to Tallah Brash - booker and marketing manager of Edinburgh music venue The Electric Circus - about working in the business...

Q: How did you get your start in music?

A: I always loved music growing up – I started learning to play the Cornet when I was in primary school and played in all bands, orchestras and choirs in High School, becoming the Music Prefect in my 5th year. I started taking it seriously as a career option after joining Fresh Air, the Student Radio Station at Edinburgh University – I went back to college in 2006 and have been putting on gigs ever since!

Q: What is best thing about your work?

A: The best thing about my work is that I get to do loads of different things, I’m always learning new skills and no two days are ever the same – it keeps me on my toes and means there’s never a dull moment. Also, I am surrounded by music, which is great!

Q: Give us one tip for anyone looking to work in music

A: Be prepared to start at the very bottom of the pile – work for free if you have to and network network network – for some people, myself included, this can be hard and a somewhat tedious task, but it’s really important and the only way you can make valuable contacts for future endeavours!