ACCESS TO INDUSTRY

Educational input from industry artists and players

Atom Events is proud to team up with top music consultants 1917 in providing exciting opportunities to gain input from industry artists guest speakers and as part of a new Access to Industry initiative.

Working with a number of major and independent labels, 1917 has been taking artists to music students through free downloads and material distribution, free college visits and by providing real-time case studies for lesson plans.

They have made strong inroads into the UK music industry and more and more people are coming on board. Recently they worked with Atom Events in bringing the band Dorp into the successful national Atom Live tour, while also promoting visits to colleges by other artists including Island's Yoav, EMI's Captain and EMI's Sonic Hearts.

In the coming months there is a strong line up of activity planned for Access to Music centres and colleges, including some highly integrated activity with Make Model, a priority signing for EMI and hopefully a year-long campaign with a major label.

For more information on booking Access to Industry events and other aspects of Access to Music’s National Events Programme please contact: events@accesstomusic.co.uk.

BASEMENT JAXX

The UK’s foremost dance duo, Basement Jaxx, visited students at the British Academy of New Music in October 2007.

Felix and Simon took students on a journey from their small Brixton studio in the mid-1990s, where they worked predominantly as DJs/re-mixers, through to the now legendary live and recording act, famed for number one albums and singles across the globe with headline performances at many major festivals.

Basement Jaxx are renowned for their festival appearances, which sees the DJs joined by an array of musicians, vocalists and dancers in a Rio carnival-style explosion. The presentation will focus on the many complex creative, technical and practical considerations involved in scaling up their performances to work at major festival level. The talk will also feature footage from the band’s live DVD and tracks from their last studio album Crazy Itch Radio.

Watch a video of highlights:

GOLDIE

February 2008 saw drum 'n' bass star Goldie visit Kensington & Chelsea College to talk about his 18 years in the music industry.

Famed for his seminal 1995 Timeless LP and his high-profile acting roles, including James Bond, Goldie is also the founder of the genre-defining Metalheadz record label. He talked about the need to be business-aware in a fast-changing industry. Read more >>

In May 2008 Goldie returned to his native Birmingham to talk to ATM students at the ATOM Festival held at the Custard Factory. Read more >>

SNAKE DAVIS

International saxophonist Snake Davis is widely known for his solos on tracks such as Lisa Stansfield's Change, M-People's Search For A Hero (currently the 2012 Olympics theme) and Moving On Up and Take That's A Million Love Songs. He has played and recorded with artists ranging from James Brown to Paul McCartney, The Eurythmics to Amy Winehouse ñ having recorded on more than 400 tracks in recent years for over 60 artists and played live with dozens more.

He will share career advice with students studying on ATM's new Popular Music Practice (Session Musician) Foundation Degree, which launches this September at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester.

About the course, Snake says: 'Back in my younger days there was nothing like this! It was generally assumed that if you were outside of classical music you had to sort it out for yourself. Searing rock guitar solos, sensitive sax fills, just how to make that rhythm section groove like they were joined at the hip: those things couldnít be taught. Nonsense!'

'The business side of music was a dark mysterious impenetrable black hole; no advice was to be had. I slipped and fell a few times. I was lucky, I somehow eventually made sense of it all, figured it out and landed on my feet, not without making many mistakes along the way though.

'I firmly believe that this stuff can be taught and that all musicians going into the music business should receive business advice. Therefore I whole-heartedly applaud and welcome the arrival of this course'.

YOLANDA CHARLES

Yolanda Charles delivered a series of workshops to Access to Music students as part of AtoM Events Music Master Roadshow 2007. She also performed at the Access to Music Education Festival at the London International Music Show and at the RNCM in Manchester.

Her first big break came at the age of 19 when she received a recommendation to play for Jimmy Sommerville who wanted a female bass player to be in the band promoting the single To Love Somebody. They shot a video for that single and did a few TV appearances such as TOTP and The Word.

She went to an audition and got the gig playing in the house band for the Jonathon Ross TV series Saturday Zoo. It was here that she met Paul Weller, a guest on the show.

He later called when he was looking for a new bass player and she went on to tour with him during the Wildwood tour and record the single Hung Up and a live album Livewood. She also recorded a few tracks on his album Stanley Road and returned to work with him again on his Heavy Soul tour.

In 2000 she joined the Robbie Williams band and worked with him up until December 2003, while also working for other artists including Incognito, Shaznay Lewis and BBMak.

Her own project MamaYo has produced an album, The Game featuring a range of vocalists including Carleen Anderson and poet/rapper The Liegman.

More recent collaborations include providing use of a MamaYo track Born to Love for the Roger Christian film American Daylight and recording bass for the soundtrack of the Jude Law film Alfie with Mick Jagger and Dave Stewart

PRODIGY/PITCHSHIFTER

In January 2007 students from ATM Lincoln and ATM Brighton met with musicians from the Prodigy & Pitchshifter. Jim Davies (who has worked with Pitchshifter and Prodigy) and Keiron Pepper (Prodigy’s live drummer) gave workshops on guitar, drums and programming.

Jim & Keiron are also took the opportunity to promote their new band Victory Pill.

ATM’s Nathan Clark, who organised the workshops, says: 'It’s valuable for our students to meet people like Jim & Keiron. Their visit will give students a fascinating insight into life as a professional musician'.

On 30 August 2008, Jim will be delivering a free masterclass to promote the Foundation Degree for session musicians at the RNCM in Manchester.

SCISSOR SISTERS

Scissor Sisters' keyboard and bass player John Garden popped into ATM Bristol to tell students about life on tour.

The Bristol-based session musician joined the Scissor Sisters tour in February 2004, shortly after the release of their debut album. The album won them 3 BRIT awards (Best International Breakthrough, Best International Artist and Best International Album).

They performed at Live 8 in 2006 and their second album Ta-Dah rocketed straight to number 1 in the UK charts in its first week of release with their single I Don’t Feel Like Dancing simultaneously hitting number 1 in the UK singles charts, a first for the band.

Before joining the Scissor Sisters, John played locally with Tammy Payne's band Dukes and recorded sessions for Alison Moyet and Alpha (a Bristol band signed to Massive Attack's label).

John Garden says: 'Being a successful musician is not just about playing an instrument.You need to develop social skills and learn how to network so that opportunities come your way. I've also learned that everyone you meet on the way up you'll meet again, so it's really important to be professional'.

DERRIN NAUENDORF

Derrin Nauendorf is quickly gaining the reputation as one of Australia's most exciting new artists.

Derrin Nauendorf first developed a taste for music after picking up a guitar in high school. His unique talent for the instrument developed quickly and soon led to him playing in many rock and blues bands in his native Australia, followed by a tour of North America by the age of 21.

Self managed Derrin recently released his fifth album The Rattling Wheel and is promoting it on a UK radio before returning to tour Australia this summer.

BJ COLE

Renowned pedal steel guitarist BJ Cole has had a career spanning 40 years and worked with some of the world’s leading musicians including Sting, Elton John, Shania Twain and Groove Armada.

He shared some of his experience with students at ATM’s Summer Band Factory: 'Back when I started out there was no popular music education. You had to be a classical player to go onto anything. I always thought that was very unfair, so it’s fantastic that organisations such as ATM are springing up. If I can pass on some of my knowledge then all the better'.

LAMB

Andy Barlow of respected band Lamb visited ATM Brighton in May to deliver a workshop to students. Students also got to try their hand at remixing a Lamb track with feedback from Andy.

Martin Rossiter, front man of 90’s chart-topping band Gene, tutors at ATM Brighton. Having enjoyed his time in the spotlight, Martin understands the importance of visits from professional musicians.

Martin says: 'It’s valuable for our students to meet people like Andy. The world of music, like all creative industries, is highly competitive. His visit will give students a fascinating insight into life as a professional musician'.

FEARGAL SHARKEY

Former member of The Undertones (whose hits include Teenage Kicks) and Chairman of the government's Live Music Forum, Feragl Sharkey gave a speech to students at Access to Music's annual Award Ceremony, held at BAFTA.

TONY BRISCOE

Producer Tony Briscoe is probably best known for co-writing Craig David’s smash hit Re-rewind, and producing soul diva Beverley Knight’s pivotal single Shoulda Woulda Coulda. Tony also wrote the Aaron Soul top 20 single Ring Ring Ring, which featured on the film and platinum-selling sound track to Bridget Jones’ Diary.

Other projects have included works for Jamelia, South African R&B star Loyiso Bala and Def Jam/Def Soul artist Musiq Soulchild.

TV appearances include Top of the Pops, CD:UK and C4 (Channel 4).

A wiz in the studio, Tony has shared his production and music business tips with numerous ATM students.

DAVID LAUDAT

X Factor vocal coach David Laudat put aspiring vocalists through their paces at a special one off masterclass at the British Academy of New Music.

David is one of the UK’s premier vocal coaches, having worked on two seasons of the X Factor. He has sung with artists such as Lionel Richie, Take That, George Michael and Beverley Knight, and coached the likes of Jamelia, Spice Girls, Liberty X and Westlife.

David Laudet says: 'In 20 years as a professional singer and vocal coach I’ve learnt a lot about the music industry and about singing, and I know what faces the young singers of today. I want to share some of this knowledge, help them to avoid some of the pitfalls and be the best artist they can be'.

ALBERT LEE

Guitar legend Albert Lee was a fantastic host when he invited Bristol students to hear him perform and talk about his career. The students got a chance to see behind the scenes at his gig and see that the great man still changes his own strings! Centre Manager John Douglass said 'Albert was very down to earth, but also a great inspiration to the students and we appreciated his time very much'.

COLIN RUEL

Students at ATM Norwich were visited by Colin Ruel, guitarist with folk wonder Willy Mason. Colin gave advice to bands rehearsing for their gig at the Waterfront that evening.