Generator and Transmit Consulting have produced three Music Business Development units for delivery as one day, bite-sized workshops, to run throughout the North East.

Appointed by The SUSTAIN Strategic Partnership to deliver a music business workshop programme, these short courses offer a practical solution for small music businesses, having been assembled by people with extensive experience of working within the music industry and has been funded under the One North East Higher Level Skills programme.

There will be seven units in total with the first three being:

Strategic Music Marketing - Promoting Your Own Music
Digital Music Distribution and Sales - Selling Music Online
Finance and Funding for Music Business

Delivered in Newcastle at Dance City over the 8th, 9th and 10th of December. There will be more confirmed in Sunderland and Teesside for delivery in January 2010. See our Events page for more details.

These courses are free to attend but will be restricted to 12 people per unit so please register interest as soon as possible. This is a one-off opportunity for music businesses in the region and the workshops are targeted at record labels, music managers, live promoters, DIY Bands and other music businesses.

For more information and to register for the workshops please email Martin or call 0191 245 0099.

SPEAR: at Middlesbrough Town Hall Crypt

SPEAR: has been created to offer support to young people, music students, musicians and small music businesses by furthering their careers by means of advice-based information and gig opportunities at one of the finest venues in Teesside.

SPEAR: is a two-tiered programme produced by Generator
and funded by Working Neighourhoods Fund, Middlesbrough through Middlesbrough Town Hall.
• SPEAR:TALK - a seminar series using music industry professionals to help fast-track the careers of your career.
• SPEAR:LIVE - a monthly live event, featuring the most talked about bands from the region.

SPEAR:TALK

Thursday 19th November
Middlesbrough Town Hall Crypt

Management Seminar

This seminar will look at the multiple roles of an artist manager – they are hired to help with determining decisions related to career moves, bookings, promotion, business deals, recording contracts etc and the assembled panelists will speak about their experiences and the crucial part they have to play in an artist’s career.

Stuart Green – manager of Patrick Wolf
Bruce Craigie – manager of Idlewild
Dave Wallace – Wildlife Entertainment / Glasvegas

FREE Entry / 6-8pm
Middlesbrough Town Hall Crypt, Albert Road, Middlesbrough, TS1 1EP

SPEAR:LIVE

Friday 20th November, 2009
Middlesbrough Town Hall Crypt

Jimmy & The Sounds
Like the Gaslight Anthem with a distinctively North Eastern twist, Jimmy & The Sounds play heartfelt Indie rock and create a whirlwind of melody

O’Messy Life
True believers of the DIY ethic, O’Messy Life have self-released two highly acclaimed EPs this year. Their intense and passionate live shows demonstrate why they have quickly become one of Newcastle’s most talked about bands.

Wheretoland?
Comparisons to early Bright Eyes are not far off - These Stockton alt: Rockers share the same mix of fragile innocense and sense of urgency to keep the listener guessing

FREE Entry / Doors: 8.00pm / 18+
Middlesbrough Town Hall Crypt, Albert Road, Middlesbrough, TS1 1EP

Get Involved: Generator is looking for people to assist with this programme on a voluntary basis; if you are interested in getting a foot-hold in the industry, please use the contact information below to make enquiries.
Get a slot at SPEAR:LIVE Generator will be looking for bands and musicians from the area to book into its live shows at The Crypt – either send in CDs to the address below, or contact Generator.
Admission is FREE but seminar spaces are limited and subject to advance booking through Generator.

Generator
2nd Floor Black Swan Court
69 Westgate Road
Newcastle
NE1 1SG
Joe Frankland: 0191 245 0099 ext.4,

North East Beat Unsigned is a celebration of North East music presented by Generator in association with Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums on Saturday 14th November in the Great Hall of The Discovery Museum, Newcastle upon Tyne

Entry is FREE and the event is open to ALL AGES from 12.00 - 5.00pm

Featuring two of the best new bands in the region:

Brilliant Mind

Let’s Buy Happiness

and introducing five emerging bands and solo artists from the North East, showcasing to a panel of music industry professionals and fans:

Black Cab Casino
The Anglo Form
Vacation Pioneers
Pink Lane
Illustrators

Tom Robinson will be taking a break from his influencial BBC 6Music radio show to be one of the industry guests offering advice to the bands.

Peter Brewis of massively influential Sunderland band Field Music will be joining him, along with Claire Dupree, editor of the region’s best monthly, music magazine NARC. All are well placed to advise the array of talent performing.

North East Beat Unsigned coincides with the final weeks of museum’s North East Beat exhibition, an exploration of the North East’s popular music scene from the 1940s to the present day.

Museum entry is free and we encourage everyone to check out items of memorabilia from the likes of The Animals, The Police, Maximo Park, The Futureheads, Field Music, and legendary music show The Tube.

Discovery Museum, Blandford Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4JA

Tel: 0191 232 6789

More band and panellist details will be announced in mid-October.

For more information on North East Beat Unsigned please contact Joe.

SPEAR: at Middlesbrough Town Hall Crypt

Generator is pleased to announce a new programme of work in Middlesbrough.

SPEAR: has been created to offer support to young people, music students, musicians and small music businesses by furthering their careers by means of advice-based information and gig opportunities at one of the finest venues in Teesside.

SPEAR: is a two-tiered programme produced by Generator
and funded by Working Neighourhoods Fund, Middlesbrough through Middlesbrough Town Hall.
• SPEAR:TALK - a seminar series using music industry professionals to help fast-track the careers of your career.
• SPEAR:LIVE - a monthly live event, featuring the most talked about bands from the region.

SPEAR:TALK

Thursday 22nd October
Middlesbrough Town Hall Crypt

A&R Seminar

Faced with shrinking profits, record labels are adopting a new approach, so do bands and artists now need do the same? How do artists generate interest from record and publishing companies, to begin with? What are the terms of a deal likely to be these days? This panel will discuss what record and publishing companies will want in return for their investment. An ever-evolving media requires that bands keep ahead of the game – this seminar will look at the holistic approach to artist development.

James Endeacott – 1965 Records.
Ollie Jacob – Memphis Industries
Matthew Rumbold – Freelance music consultant (formerly at EMI)

If your music requires attention, bring a CD for direct/individual feedback – get there early, spaces are limited
FREE Entry / 6-8pm
Middlesbrough Town Hall Crypt, Albert Road, Middlesbrough, TS1 1EP

SPEAR:LIVE

Friday 23rd October, 2009
Middlesbrough Town Hall Crypt
Our Secret Sins
With their brooding pop underpinned by a real sense of urgency, they’re the alternative soundtrack to an Irvine Welsh novel; lines about casual sex, violence and feverish drug consumption are lovingly offset with wit, warmth and a feeling of youthful naivety.
B>E>A>K
Sunderland supergroup featuring bird-masked members of This Ain’t Vegas, Field Music and Written From Negative. Intelligent instrumental fun from the North East’s finest party band.
Be Quiet. Shout Loud!
“Middlesbrough’s answer to The Rapture, The Music or The Infadels will take you by the scruff of your neck and shake you around like ragdolls.” Ten Feet Tall

FREE Entry / Doors: 8.00pm / 18+
Middlesbrough Town Hall Crypt, Albert Road, Middlesbrough, TS1 1EP

Get Involved: Generator is looking for people to assist with this programme on a voluntary basis; if you are interested in getting a foot-hold in the industry, please use the contact information below to make enquiries.
Get a slot at SPEAR:LIVE Generator will be looking for bands and musicians from the area to book into its live shows at The Crypt – either send in CDs to the address below, or contact Generator.
Admission is FREE but seminar spaces are limited and subject to advance booking through Generator.

Generator
2nd Floor Black Swan Court
69 Westgate Road
Newcastle
NE1 1SG
Joe Frankland: 0191 245 0099 ext.4,

The art of producing and mixing music
A free 12 week DJ skills and production course

Courses will run throughout 2009/2011
Spaces are free but limited
Get in touch NOW to secure your space

The next courses begin on 15th September, 2009

Candidates must be aged between 16-24. All styles of music catered for.

The Cold Blend course uses first-rate producers and DJs to teach skills including beat-matching, beat juggling, turntablism, CD mixing, FX, editing, sequencing and sampling with access to the latest equipment and software.

If you are starting up, keen to develop existing skills or making first forays into production, get in touch with us to secure your space.

For more information email Joe Frankland phone (0191) 245 0099 (ext.4) or check the Generator website.

The month in music- Our soundtrack to July for you to enjoy. The heat-waves, the tragic musical deaths, the mega gigs, the festivals, the reunions, the hottest new tunes- Its all here if you listen carefully.

If you haven’t already, you’ll need to download the Spotify software for free and then simply click this link: THE GEN- JULY 2009

Enjoy it and don’t forget let us know what you think by commenting below and send us your suggestions for the August edition. Why not compile your own and send us the link?

Twitterati

Five to follow this July. Keep in the loop with the most entertaining and informative sites from around the North East on Twitter.

Follow Generator at: twitter.com/GeneratorNE

The Futureheads: twitter.com/thefutureheads For prolific updates on recording sessions.

The Cluny: twitter.com/thecluny Find out what is coming up at one of the North East’s best venues.

Northern Stage: twitter.com/northernstage To the theatre, darling!

Tyneside Cinema: twitter.com/tynesidecinema. The best cinema in the region.

Can you recommend anymore for next month? Post your links below or e-mail us.

The art of producing and mixing music.

A FREE 12 week DJ skills and production course.

Newcastle Arts Centre, Westgate Road.

Courses will run throughout 2009/2011.

Spaces are free but limited. Get in touch now to secure your space.

Candidates must be aged between 16-24. All styles of music catered for.

Newly equipped studio for Cold blend this year.

Our young person’s steering group recently made an application to the Youth Opportunities Capital Fund and were successful, drawing down funds to update the current Cold Blend studio. Mark Lowry, tutor for Cold Blend, tells us a little more about the gadgets.

Can you list just a few of these items, and what it is they do?

Mark Lowry: “On the DJing side, we upgraded the course with 2 sets of CDJ400’s and 2 DJM 400 mixers from Pioneer, on top of these 2 new digital setups we added 2 brand new laptops both running Traktor Scratch Pro. This means that our attendees are able to experience the most current digital DJing set ups.

Our production side also benefited from huge upgrades, mainly on the software side, with all of our systems running Cubase 5. The addition of 2 laptop production units also adds great flexibility to our production training.

A new Adam monitoring system and Synergy PC now means that the training we can offer is bang up to date.

All of this plus Reason 4.0 and Recycle 2.1 upgrades means the studio is running at full spec”.

What are the direct benefits this equipment will have for the production training you will deliver?

Mark Lowry: “The benefits are huge, we can now offer up to date training on one of the worlds best production systems. It really means Cold Blend is now offering training on state of the art equipment, which for a free course really is something special”.

How does it improve what Cold Blend can offer to those enrolled?

Mark Lowry: “To put it into perspective, for the same kind of training on this type of equipment at a specialist school you would be looking at paying around £1000 a course.

The Cold Blend course uses first-rate producers and DJs to teach skills including beat-matching, beat juggling, turntablism, CD mixing, FX, editing, sequencing and sampling with access to the latest equipment and software.

If you are starting up, keen to develop existing skills or making first forays into production, get in touch with us to secure your space.

Contact: Joe Frankland
(0191) 245 0099 ext. 4 for more information.

Also- see our new Facebook page for further information.

Generator and NARC. present 25 of the best bands from the region across 6 venues in the Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle on
Friday 22nd May

Doors open 7pm with bands on until 10.30pm

All gigs are FREE ENTRY

Please note important changes / additions to line-up!

Moleck have been replaced by Widows at Retreat and Leagues are replaced by Manila Chapter at the Tyne show.

The Artworks Galleries

Stepney Bank, Ouseburne, Newcastle

The Week That Was
Richard Dawson
Jeans goes POP

Trev Gibb
Wolves at the Door

Plus Facemelter DJs throughout the night and until 1am

The Round

34 Lime Street (next to the Cluny), Ouseburn, Newcastle

B>E>A>K
Spies In Limbo
Waiting For Winter
Dog Years

Star and Shadow Cinema

Stepney Bank, Ouseburn, Newcastle

Warm Digits
The Cornshed Sisters
Balao
Nathalie Stern

The Tyne Bar

(outside)Maling Street, Ousburn, Newcastle

Karoshi Bros
The Small Screen Light Show
Manila Chapter
Night of Sevens

Retreat @ St. Dominics

Crawhall Road (at the top of Stepney Bank), Ouseburn, Newcastle

Ever Since The Lake Caught Fire
Widows
Razmataz Lorry Excitement
The Blitz Evra

Tanners

Crawhall Road (at the top of Stepney Bank), Ouseburn, Newcastle

Brilliant Mind
Maps Are Fiction
Our Imaginary Friends
Pioneers of Mediocrity

Facebook Event (to be updated regularly with special announcements)

EVOLUTION - Generator - NARC.

EVOLUTION 09

GENERATOR PARTICIPATORY PROGRAMME

THE KNOW HOW 2009

May 18th – 21st from 6.00 – 8.00pm

Events take place at Northern Stage 2 (Northern Stage),
Barras Bridge
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RH
0191 230 5151.

This programme has been created to offer support to musicians and music businesses by furthering their careers by means of advice-based seminars and events.
Utilise the experiences built up by established music professionals to clarify your career objectives or define direction.

Admission is free but places are limited and subject to advance booking

Dance and Electronic Music seminar

Monday 18th May : 6.00pm – 8.00pm
Stage 2: Northern Stage, Barras Bridge, Newcastle

This panel will discuss the current state of the dance and electronic music market in 2009.
How can you DIY your own projects? Do you still need a record label? How can club promo get your project moving? Is dance radio as relevant as it was? How can you access the key players at national radio? Can you break a record being based in the North East? Has online marketing and digital distribution made the world a smaller place?

Ross Allen – A&R Domino Records, DJ & Broadcaster
Terry Marks – Managing Director of Power Group (UK’s No.1. club music promotions & marketing company)
Lord Fader – The Loose Cannons (Kiss FM / Island Records)
James Pitt – Your Army (promoter who has worked with The Chemical Brothers, Daft Punk, LCD Soundsystem, The Prodigy).

Digital Music and Retail in 2009

Tuesday 19th May : 6.00pm – 8.00pm
Stage 2: Northern Stage , Barras Bridge, Newcastle

This panel will look at new music marketing and distribution channels and consider the future for retail and physical product.

How can artists digitally distribute and market their own music? Is the mobile phone going to take over as the main sales channel for music in the future? How can artists and labels use new technology to their advantage? Is physical product important in 2009? Is there a future for record shops and music retail?

Seth Jackson – Indie Mobile
Stuart Stenhouse – Emu Bands
Simon Singleton – Pure Groove Records
Steve Mayall – Music Ally

Setting up large-scale live events and festivals

Wednesday 20th : 6.00pm – 8.00pm
Stage 2: Northern Stage, Barras Bridge, Newcastle

Anyone who has ever promoted a live show, or wanted to, should be at this event. Our speakers have promoted live music at every level. From pub gigs to club nights, and from arenas to outdoor festivals, this panel has done it all. If you want to gain an insight into how the world of concert promoters and agents work, this is your chance.

Jim King - Director of Loud Sound, Promoter for Rockness & responsible for Bestival & Creamfields production
James Barton - Founder of club-night ‘Cream’ and Director of Creamfield brand
Jim Mawdsley – Director of Evolution, CEO of Generator

This event will be chaired by Dave Stone - Talent Booker & Marketing Director – Evolution Festival

The Rough Trade Story

Thursday 21st : 6.00pm – 8.00pm
Stage 2: Northern Stage, Barras Bridge, Newcastle

An exclusive ‘In conversation with Geoff Travis’ - founder of Rough Trade

Tony Wadsworth, Chair of BPI, and former CEO at EMI will be asking the questions and offering his own views.

Over the last three decades Rough Trade Records has earned a reputation as one of the premier independent record labels in the UK, an artist-friendly company known for signing trailblazing acts such as Arcade Fire, Cornershop, the Fall, Kleenex/LiLiPUT, the Smiths, and Lucinda Williams.

Geoff Travis will discuss the current state of the music business from an artistic as well as a business perspective, and will explain why he decided to expand his company’s retail presence at a time when dozens of record stores across the country have been forced to close.

Tony Wadsworth spent 26 years at EMI overseeing the success of Blur, Radiohead, Coldplay and Kylie Minogue. Tony is among 20 names competing for the honour of the Music Week award to recognise the most influential UK-based industry executive of the past 5 decades.

If you care about the future of the music business in the UK, you won’t want to miss this exclusive conversation with two of the industry’s most important figures.

To book individual/group spaces or for further information on this programme email joe @ generator.org.uk including all your contact details.

Generator, 2nd Floor, Black Swan Court, 69 Westgate Road,
Newcastle, NE1 1SG
T. 0191 245 0099 ext.4
joe@generator.org.uk

Generator - Evolution Festival - Northern Stage

Generator will be producing two HEAD2HEAD events in Barrow-in-Furness and Sunderland, aimed at musicians, bands, DJ’s & producers and promoters.

Crucial to the success of these events is identifying suitable collaborative partners and Generator has successfully identified the Barrow-in-Furness music cooperative and the Sunderland Music Forum. HEAD2HEAD provides people with industry- endorsed information and advice on careers, both in music and ancillary occupations.

HEAD2HEAD has traditionally drawn a panel of A&R representatives and/or publishers to help throw light on the industry from the front-line and give musicians the opportunity to get on-point information about gaining exposure for their music, developing profile etc.

The Barrow-in-Furness music cooperative, recently established, was identified as a partner for the event in Cumbria and The Canteen put forward as the appropriate venue.

Caroline Elleray is the A&R head at Universal Publishing and will be travelling up with her close friend and colleague, Debs Wild who was integral to the early success of Coldplay.

Bands from the North-East arguably experience a whole different of obstacles with their music relating to their position in the UK, and distance from London – this panel with look at strategies bands can employ to overcome these problems. Bands will receive direct feedback on their music with a demo jury (spaces are limited).

HEAD2HEAD seminar: Free, spaces are limited.
Wednesday 6th May
The Canteen, Barrow-in-Furness
6.00pm – 8.00pm

• Caroline Ellery (Universal Publishing)
• Debs Wild (Epitaph)
• Craig Pennington (Deadyoung Records)

Sunderland Music Forum

The Sunderland Music Forum’s mission statement is to support:

“Musical creativity, participation and enterprise in Sunderland
through effective communication, cooperation and inclusion”.

The Forum’s members, who include the Bunker’s Kenny Sanger and Field Music’s Peter Brewis, are committed to developing the resources and facilities available to the regions musicians and bands. With aims and objectives so well aligned with Generator’s broad programme of work, it was clear that we had to produce the HEAD2HEAD in partnership with them. This event will also accommodate The Forum’s Annual General Meeting and a live gig will follow a daytime seminar with the following guests:

HEAD2HEAD seminar: Free, spaces are limited.
Wednesday 13th May
The Place, Tavistock Place, Sunderland
6.00pm – 8.00pm

• Hannah Overton (XL Records)
• Gerard Phillips (EMI)
• Joe Etchells (Universal)

Middlesbrough

Thursday 7th May
Uncle Albert’s (formerly Bar Sumo)
Middlesbrough

Our Secret Sins

Ever Since The Lake Caught Fire
Gullich

BERWICK

Friday 8th May
Barrels Ale House, Berwick upon Tweed
Free, Doors: 8.30pm.

Espionage of the Loc

Ambience Brother

Nine Pins

Thursday 21st May
Northern Stage, Newcastle upon Tyne
6.30pm-8.30pm

The legendary Geoff Travis, founder of Rough Trade Records will be answering questions about the label, Rough Trade shopsand the state of the music industry and the independent sector in particular.

Over the last three decades, Rough Trade Records has earned a reputation as one of the premier independent record labels in the UK, an artist-friendly company known for signing trailblazing acts such as Arcade Fire, The Strokes, The Libertines, The Fall, The Smiths, and Lucinda Williams.

Geoff will discuss the current state of the music business from an artistic as well as a business perspective, and will explain why he decided to expand his company’s retail presence at a time when dozens of record stores across the country have been forced to close. If you care about the future of the music business in the UK, you won’t want to miss this exclusive conversation with one of the pioneers of the independent music industry.

Please keep checking Generator for panel additions and details of any other sessions that will form part of these events.

Please email joe to secure a free space at either of the HEAD2HEAD sessions.