MND for Cheltenham

WEEK 30

Lots done again. Off to see my Mum in France tomorrow, so much going on it’s ridiculous.

In the last 7 days I have met with:

Martin Horwood (MP, Cheltenham)

Cheltenham Borough Council (big meeting about exciting project)

George Moorey (GMF man for Gloucester)

Ian & Phil (Cheltenham Jazz Festival)

Stu Phillips (The Nightowl)

Clara Hambling (CBC)

Ian Pain (Head of UoG SU)

and have been exchanging emails with so many more people than I can really list here. Things are hotting up and I’m becoming very aware that the more serious stuff I do, the less fun this blog is becoming…

Tired Andrew x

WEEK 29

Hello.

Short post this week - too much to do.

Meeting local MP Martin Horwood tomorrow to tell him what’s up.

Got a meeting the the executive director of Cheltenham Borough Council coming too.

More writing things as stuff happens - but tired now, need early night.

*yawns*

x

WEEK 28

Hello all,

Week 28 is done and so am I. I’ve been out every night this week watching live music, except for Wednesday when I went for a curry. Tonight I’m having a night at home with the wife and tomorrow I shall be fully absorbed in the Walk The Line proceedings, although I’m not feeling too well…

Group recording, panel discussion AND a gig all in one day - I’m rather excited and the pre-fest istf party last night was an awful lot of fun, Bentleys makes for a nice acoustic space.

Well, in the last week you’ll see that I met Justin Box (Mr AfterDark) and we’ve only gone and made a fanzine! It’s a little 8-page introductory one to start off with, where we’ll be improving on content and format over the next couple of months as we push it.

I’ve got a meeting with Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood next week where I’m going to tell him how awesome everyone is at EVERYTHING! Also let him know that his town and county are doing things that are a first for the UK and something we should be shouting about. I’ve had loads of questions submitted to ask him - and I’m happy to pass on anymore if you send them my way:

andrew@glosmusicforum.co.uk

I’ve also been doing some pre-mixes of the Midnight Mile album this week which is turning out rather nicely. I even recorded some voiceover work for the Army as well as some compositions for the council. I had six gigs last week (hence the slyly reduced pictoral post) and have had so much to co-ordinate it’s been difficult to juggle.

Also had a nice long chat with Clara Hambling (welcome back!) about meeting up to discuss the next six months, plenty on the horizon and some great opportunities ahead that I am STILL unable to post here until we have it all confirmed… I will stop teasing you soon though!

Had a good email exchange with both Pat & Jo (Gloucester & Cheltenham Councils respectively) as they are after local musicians to play spots on the streets over Xmas, which I think will make a nice piece to illustrate yet another practical way in which our local councils are directly supporting local music and creating paid opportunities. More please!

There’s loads more I should probably write, but I’m not well today and I have so much to do before I go home and spend my night taking a break with some nice honey-ale I bought at Sainsburys (other supermarkets are available) last night.

Have good weekends!

x

WEEK 27

See below : )

WEEK 26 - HALFWAY!!!

Cel-e-brate good times COME ON!!!

Yup - six months down and six months to go. Awesome. I feel like doing a sort-of written clips show (a cop out, to be sure) of the first half of my employment but when I tried writing it (which took the last quarter hour of my life) I instantly deleted it as it looked arrogant and read like the scrawlings of a brain-dead turnip.

Instead I’d just like to say a big thank you to the following:

1. George Moorey - you put me onto this position and have been a fantastic help. We’ve worked on some trying projects in the past (I don’t need to mention by name…) so I can’t avoid coming across sycophantic when I say I’m so happy and grateful to be working on this one with you.

2. My fellow Music Network Developers and “The Board” - what a lovely bunch of people to work with. Everyone’s been kind, supportive and have helped give me good ideas about what I can do in my area. I try and use all of our blogs/news/updates to push me harder and get the most out of the short time we have in these positions and am so pleased that the work I’ve been helping people do in Cheltenham is now stretching outwards from the town and into the county.

3. istartedthefire, Jim Lockey, Rob Kimber and the istf family - All quality people with a true passion for all things sexy and great. Fab music, awesome attitude and a lot of fun when it comes to Jagerbombs and pints. I have a lot of faith in what you guys do and will always do whatever I can to help make things work for you. Jim Lockey & The Solemn Sun, Midnight Mile, Joe Summers, Ruth Bewesy, The Cadbury Sisters - if you see these names on posters, for God’s sake go and see them!

4. Kiss My Face - Stefan, Becca and your army of volunteers! Great gigs, the right ideas and a music business head as strong as a steel ox. Getting big bands in and local bands in support - what more could I want from office mates?

5. Rob Champion/BBC Radio Gloucestershire - a half hour local music show every Saturday at 5.30pm? Features and interviews? Reviews and production pieces from students? Groundbreaking work between the BBC, GMF and University the likes that the UK have never seen before? Our backs should be sore from patting, you fine champion (sorry) of the Gloucestershire Music Scene…

6. Robbie Pert/Tone Radio - Often known as my work BFF, I can say unequivocally that this man has almost always turned up to work over the course of the day. Okay, so we’ve now got a student radio station playing across the campuses which looked it was never going to happen when you started. We’ve done Wychwood FM and are doing it next year. Looks like we’re covering the Jazz Festival on an RSL next year as well. And that’s just the stuff we’ve organised on our coffee breaks.

7. John Madden/Loz Apperley @ Cheltenham Underground & Monkeyjam. Great music nights and an original approach to bookings in Cheltenham. I can only see things getting better for you guys and it’s a pleasure to help out wherever I can.

8. Chip/Tommo/Stu/Ben/Simon/Al and all the other venue owners in the town who I’ve met, chatted to and had a free drink from. The fact that everyone wants to work together to improve the local music scene and really sex things up is probably the most important thing that is happening in Cheltenham right now. If you book them, they will come…

9. The Frog & Fiddle - Thanks for the office, thanks for the support, thanks for the Jagerbombs, thanks for the love and I’m working my ass off to get some sweet install done for you as a big thank you!

10. The University of Gloucestershire - students/staff everyone who helps me with just about anything. Believe me when I say this would be a long list. Joe, Simon, Jason, Tom, Mary, Rose, Claire, Sue, Glo, Jude, Rob, Roger, Dave, Andy, Ab are just the staff I can think of just off the bat. Rob, Tim, Adam. See - it’ll just keep on coming. Ben, James, Martin. You get the idea? So I’m not going to go into students. Dave.

11. Mike, Ryan, Marcus (my intern) and all the soundmen plying their trade across town. You are the silent heroes of every music scene across the country. Primadonna kiddy bands. People telling you how to do sound - from stage. Being at a gig and not being able to get drunk. Knowing that you are first in and last out - every time. Gaffer, Duck and Electrical. Loosing your Sharpie. Dead tie-lines. I’ve done my time behind the desk and I know that the sound-man makes the vocalist heard, the guitars thick and the drums pound. Stupid musicians for not understanding the finesse and balance of our art!!!

12. Amelia - my PR assistant, where would I be without you? I’ll tell you. No listings, shit press releases and no opportunity to get all my paperwork in order. Thanks for the sarcasm that keeps me on my toes and stops me becoming a self-absorbed twat.

13. Paul McKee/Clara Hambling @ Cheltenham Borough Council. You guys! What can I say? Music around the CBC places in town? Support for student promotions? Assistance with funding and sign-posting? Constant love? May a shower of fine, sweet cake rain down on you for eternity.

14. The UoG Music Society/Attic Records/Mardyfish promotions - you keep music live within the university and tie things in and around town. Kudos and respect to your collated efforts - muchly appreciated.

15. Ian, Jemma, Gaby, Phil and all @ Cheltenham festivals - great getting to know you, especially with so many of the sexy secret projects we’ve discussed in the pipeline…

16. All the bands and artists. Because I wouldn’t have a job without you.

17. Elle Cooper. You needed rent badly and I offered you £250 for a double-bass that was worth so much more… I don’t feel bad though and will never apologise. I’ve not enjoyed playing music for a long time, but now I have an upright it’s opened up a whole new world to me. Okay - this world may include carrying it up awkward staircases, almost constant blisters and the best joke in the work (Oi mate! Bet you wished you learned violin!) Hilarious. In fact, I’m glad I never learned violin - it’s a girl’s instrument and the upright looks cool, plays better and is just about the sexiest thing I’ve ever had the pleasure of making notes on. Thrill Collins, AJL Quartet, Dan, Chris and all the other people I’ve started playing with. In all this time I’ve been making money by doing music/sound/production stuff I completely forgot that I can do the same playing an instrument and have a great time, every time.

18. Everyone I’ve forgotten. Email me at alansley@glos.ac.uk and I’ll put you in the next blog and say how awesome you are.

and finally…

MY WIFE! You lot probably don’t know her but simply put, without her I would most likely be dead. I know that sounds a little dramatic but those of you who know me know how busy my life is and how I don’t have time to eat/sleep/sit etc. This woman is the sexy and understanding glue that sticks my head to by body and my feet to the floor. I literally couldn’t live without this woman. You see so much TV, advertising and pointless, gutless shit spewn around our various media trying to sell us a ‘soulmate’ or ‘perfect partner’ or ‘Gutterdogs.com - free membership, $19.95/month’ and it makes my heart cry…

I found mine almost eight years ago and married her last September. Believe me when I say she has a pure heart of gold, striking eyes of steel (that are both soft AND scary…) and sense of responsibility that puts the entire efforts of my life to shame. Without her I wouldn’t get to work in the morning. Without her I wouldn’t eat lunch. Without her I would go cold and hungry and could have never formed opinions on soft furnishings.

No wife = no me, it’s a simple equation. Her effort in the whole music development thing is unspoken but critical. She doesn’t read this blog, she only complains when I’m sat here writing it at 22.45 on a Sunday so I’m off to look after the most important person to me, and by proxy my job.

Goodnight! x

WEEK 25 - Pittville Special

nb This is my own personal belief and in no way represents the thoughts of my colleagues, students, employers and friends. If you like this particular post, please feel free to share it however you wish.

RIP PITTVILLE?

A lot of people have called me over the last couple of days to ask how I feel about Pittville campus closing in 2011. For those of you who are unaware it was announced that Pittville (the arts & media campus) would be closing in summer 2011 and moving to different campuses ending speculation over silly rumours and whispers that have circulated for over a year now.

To my mind certain members of management have taken the brave (and fully necessary) step and made some very tough decisions - if the consultation process they’ve outlined into ensuring the students needs and staff/facilities balance are met in our new homes then I’d argue there’s a very bright future for all those involved. We will lament the unavoidable loss of jobs, but considering the internal and external factors facing the University not to mention the financial mess the country is in as a whole I would still have to say that we’ve got off lightly when all is considered; I’ve read/seen/heard a lot of knee-jerk nonsense in the last few days. Bad things happen, no one will ever be happy about everything and it seems professionally destructive to romanticise the loss when it is already inevitable.

Firstly, I think that (erroneously) a very negative interpretation has been cast by (in my opinion) a poorly constructed press release. It seems to be that people are making the mistake of thinking the the University in closing the campus and all of the courses - this in untrue. Secondly - and remember that I’ve been in and around Pittville Campus for the last ten years (I even lived on the same road for two years!) - I find it very difficult to agree with the traditionalists over the University’s position on the sale of the campus being a mistake.

Now, before I continue I need to make this clear:

I love Pittville and will miss it dearly, along with all those who sailed within her 1970s comprehensive mismatched and decrepit bowels. A lot of commentators I’ve read who are making wild and inaccurate accusations have never known the pleasure of working in this beautiful character. Pittville is great, real, gritty and sexy. It smells a bit funny, there are strange corridors and bridges, it has extremely odd buildings and within a couple of minutes walk you feel like you’re somewhere completely different - a bit like “Ken Loach does Hogwarts”. We have a genuine community spirit as a campus (that ironically this announcement has only reinforced) and walking around it’s difficult not to get excited by the sense of creativity and genuine goodwill to every aspect of the place.

You only have to spend ten minutes sat in reception to hear ideas being spouted about all manner of subjects and see wonderful art being dragged too an fro; the sounds of Caroline, Mary & Rose answering questions from lost and scared freshers about anything. Sit in the atrium with its five second reverb time and have an airy chat with Sue at the coffee pod. Go to the SU building and you’ll see Robbie sat designing/running a radio station with his door always open - explaining why he knows nothing of the snack machine on the right that has swallowed someone’s change. Again. Gail in the bar, Glo & Jude in the refectory, bellowing Dave from estates along with the best comedy double team there is - Shaun and Mike. Rob from ICT who appears to be in a hundred places at once; I’m not even going to get into the academic and support staff! You really have to be here to understand what a wonderful place it is to work in.

Yes - I am in love with Pittville and still think moving is the best idea in our circumstance.

Why?

I take full pride in saying that I personally believe (along with many others) that, without detriment to the rest of the University, we have the best staff, the best courses and - most importantly - the best students. It won’t be a case of Pittville losing something special, it will be the fact we have a chance to share what we have with the rest of the university.

Whatever happens I genuinely believe that Pittville won’t lose it’s character or spirit or strength to the ether of obscurity on another campus - the spirit will change the rest of the university and we will all be better for it.

Call me a romantic fool but, like ‘that’ song, I’m Pittville till I die.