Self-belief is important and a desire to succeed. You need to be able to keep going as you’re only as good as your last job
What is your job?
I'm a Singer Songwriter, Music Teacher and a Music Producer.
What does your job involve?
I’m now more or less working as a musical director and will be starting at Shiny New Trinkets in April 2010. This will involve working with 10 – 25 year olds, nurturing new talent and signing new artists. I also play in a Beatles tribute band and teach guitar, and I’m still writing and performing my own material.
How did you get to this point in your career?
I’ll always feel like I’m still getting there, always thinking about where I’m going next. Along the way I’ve been playing in different set ups, including doing functions or playing in tribute bands. I’ve also done music teaching and been a songwriting tutor to earn money and have always enjoyed songwriting and performing.
What training did you do and where?
I had private music tuition as a kid but ended up at university studying something I didn’t want to pursue. I realised that music was my passion and have played in a lot of different bands over the years - on drums, keyboard, harmonica and singing. I also wrote songs, solo and in partnerships. In 2009 I completed an HNC in Music Production at Point Blank which has given me the necessary technical skills to get involved in the production side of the music industry. It’s been a great stepping stone in the process of becoming a self-sufficient musician.
Which piece of work are you most proud of?
A piece of music called ‘Turbulence’ that I made while at Point Blank. It’s a piece of mood music with a strong sense of melody that required a new way of working for me, like starting again – I needed to use a technical approach to establish a mood without a narrative. My previous work had always started with the words and then building a sound around them, whereas this piece was based on a theme without spoken content. I started with an effects loop and used cut and paste to build on it – a kind of musical graffiti where there’s no agenda or set approach, just creating ideas and not relying on existing themes. It was draining but exciting to use a different way of working and I was proud of the end result.
What do you need to succeed in your industry?
Self-belief is important and a desire to succeed. You need to be able to keep going as you’re only as good as your last job so you need to maintain an unrelenting attitude of looking forward and seeking new ideas. You must have confidence in your own ideas and get your ideas out in the open – talk to people and get feedback but stay true to what you consider right. It’s also crucial now to use the internet as a resource to get people to hear what you are doing. It’s expected now that musicians will use this medium to market their work to as wide an audience as possible.
Who’s your work hero / heroine?
There’s no one specific who stands out, for me it’s more a question of self-belief. The people who have influenced me most are the ones you’ll find in my list of creative inspirations. What I most admire are people who are skilled but retain human qualities and are attainable.
What inspired you to do this type of work?
I remember being at university and experiencing independence for the first time – that was when I got into music again, started listening to it more, started writing again and realised that this was what I wanted to do. It wasn’t until then that I found the self-belief to do music as a job – it was all about having the space to realise that you could make a living by doing this.
What do your family/friends think of the work you do?
They would probably like me to have a job with more regular hours so they could see me more! They accept what I do now and see it as a proper job but they still regard it as a risky business – and then when they come and see me perform live their attitude changes and they think it’s great!
What are your tips for anyone wanting to do your job?
Trust your instincts – listen to others but filter out the crap and just use the good stuff!
Creative inspirations
New Decade
A great track by The Verve
Javier Mariscal
He’s a Spanish painter and designer. I recently saw a mural of his at an exhibition which was stunning. He works in doodles and sketches to make a profound statement – his work is immediate, there’s no procrastination or considering what to do, he just gets on with it.
Paulo Coelho
He wrote ‘The Alchemist’ which I found a very spiritual book advocating that everything happens for a reason, that you should follow your path even though all the voices are telling you it’s impossible.
Tracey Emin
Not so much for her art but for her trademark spelling mistakes. She always sticks to her own way of doing things and what she thinks looks better rather than the accepted way.
Smoke Fairies
An amazing voice-led band, they sing Tudoresque melodies over the blues.
Chuck Berry
A great showman who really made me want to play guitar. He was a childhood inspiration and I loved his lyrics, the way they tell a story.
Kenneth Williams
Just his way with words, his storytelling and his saucy postcard humour.
Steve Marriott
He was lead singer with The Small Faces and Humble Pie and had great vocal ability.
Sunscreen
An incredible track by Baz Luhrmann, it sounds like someone preaching over a loop of music. It’s a realisation check that puts all the everyday stuff into perspective.
My Father
My old man – enough said!
If you would like advice on creative careers and courses, contact a Creative Way Careers Adviser - either Matt Ball on m.ball@uel.ac.uk / 07889 001764 or Sarah Comerford on s.comerford@uel.ac.uk / 07515 051509