Tag: music managers forum

  • 100 Days to Change // Day 32 – 59

    100 Days to Change // Day 32 – 59

    100DaystoChange32-59

    100 Days to Change // Day 32 – 59 // Feb 1 – 27 2016

    I kinda realised somewhere along the way that if I was actually trying to do stuff properly that I probably wouldn’t be able to keep updating this every day. But, even though I haven’t updated this, it doesn’t mean that I haven’t been a busy bee.

    As I write this, the temperature today was 6 degrees so even though there might be a few green shoots on the trees it’s still winter. It’s too cold for me. Hats, scarves and frost covered cars seem to have dominated more for the past week than all of winter so far. The seasons are shifting, winter is starting later and going on later.

    Even though this makes me want to go hibernate, I have been putting a decent amount of effort into changing things, and doing things to make that happen.

    I’ve been continuing doing the modules in Music Publishing from the Music Managers Forum. Lots of information, sometimes nearly too much to take in at once. I’ve registered for a day course next week which has been described as ‘a three year degree in one day’. I’ll need my sleep the night before!

    I also was at February’s RIG Train night which was entitled ‘Loving the sound of Breaking Glass’. I really enjoyed it. One of the best of their nights I’ve been to in a while. It was basically all based around sound and how it can be cleverly used in radio, in tandem with foley sounds, library music and when scripting.

    There was one part of the night which was delivered by Mat McKinley of Hotwiredmusic.co.uk . I love how upbeat and motivating he was when speaking about making your own music (even if you don’t know much about music). Biggest thing really to remember is that you’re being creative, nothing can be wrong. Mat runs some courses and things. Definitely going to investigate more about doing them. You’ll be buzzing after listening to the man.

    Other things that have been taking up some of my time are writing and voicing some pieces for The Irish Times, which is pretty cool. I’ve never really thought of myself as political, I just believe that everyone is equal. Everyone should be given the same opportunities and chances. You look after those less fortunate, make sure everyone has a bed to sleep in, a school to be educated in, a hospital to get better in and hopefully, let them know that someone loves them. There’s a lot of religions actually based on less. If I can raise awareness about matters I feel are important at home and for emigrants abroad who would like to eventually move home, I’m glad I can. Thanks to The Irish Times and Generation Emigration for giving me a platform.

    The biggest thing for me has been working on a new London based website which I hope to launch next week. It could actually be done by tomorrow evening. Once it’s done, I’ll let you know. Once I get that up and running I hope to launch a UK version of the same site. I’m looking forward to seeing if it will all work. I think it can, I just need to remember that it will be a bit of work for a while.

    If it works, it would be a big step towards a lifestyle change, which is really what we all want. Anytime I feel like I need a little inspiration, I think of what Johnny Ward, (onestep4ward) has done and I say, I want that!

  • 100 Days to Change // Days 18 – 31

    100 Days to Change // Days 18 – 31

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    It can be hard to keep this updated all the time, especially if you’re actually trying to do stuff every day. Here’s a recap:

    I went to the first module of the Music Managers Forum Music Publishing nights. The first night was great, lots to take in and I left there buzzing. There was lots of technical ins-and-outs about publishing and over the rest of the nights we will delve into these a bit deeper. Can’t wait for the next one on February 8th.

    Last week’s radio show went down really well. I recorded the show with Goldenplec writer, Tara Joshi via Skype and was really happy after the broadcast when people mentioned online that they thought we were in the same studio, not chatting via Skype. Score! The entire show was dedicated to Goldenplec‘s Plec Picks for 2016.

    I also had the opportunity to speak to Johnny Ward last week for this week’s show. He’s such an inspiration, travelling and running a business from this laptop. Mega impressed, delighted I could chat to him.

    I also had a bit of a brainwave last weekend. I thought it was good idea so I bought some domain names. Over the next week or two I will be able to get things up and running and hopefully, it will help the Irish music community in London and then later the UK. That will give me something solid to get my teeth into.

    The longer I think about things, the more I believe that you have to give things a go, you have to try, even if you fail. You have to strive for something more than what this world just hands you, you have to fight for what you want, the only barriers are the ones you give yourself.

    This week I had to overcome a dodgy back, thanks to new chairs at work. We’ve had them for a while and my shoulder had been a bit sore but I didn’t put it down to chairs. Doing nothing, just sitting in my chair on Monday afternoon, my back gradually got sorer and sorer until it was tighten up. Yay for having to lie flat on my bed for a couple of evenings once I get home!

    That made this week almost a write off. However, yesterday I did manage to get up, go for a nice walk to Lewisham, go to Brixton Academy and interview Wyvern Lingo for next week’s episode of The London Ear.The ladies are opening for Hozier on his UK tour. Really nice people, I enjoyed our chat and thanks to their Tour Manager Anne for all her help.

    On Wednesday I also went to Rigtrain‘s Pitching Tips for Radiomakers. It was good but in the UK if you pitch an idea to the BBC, the majority of times you need to go through an approved Indie production company. Now, call me thick, but if a production company was going to pitch your idea to the BBC, I don’t think you’d be going into a room with the Commissioning Editor of BBC Radio 4 on your own. I reckon there would be at least one week’s prep. Am I wrong?

    So today is the last day of January, I’m glad to see the back of it to be honest. The past few days have been colder again so hopefully a new month and longer evenings will lead to less hibernation.

    Nessy out!

    IFOPPORTUNITY

  • 100 Days to Change // Day 6 – 9

    100 Days to Change // Day 6 – 9

    100DaystoChange

    January 6/7/8/9 2016

    I was right. Turns out the main aim of this week was just to get through it. Have to say the first week back at work was a bit of torture. Horrible commuting, trains being diverted and being unable to kill this cold contributed to the outcome. Once Friday evening came, I was fit to sit on the couch, watch some telly and veg.

    I did manage to get this week’s episode of The London Ear recorded on Thursday evening, so the second part of the week wasn’t completely lost.

    Saturday 9th January 2016

    Unable to shake cold or not, today is Saturday, I wanted to make the most of it. I kinda miss working with music on a daily basis and decided a while back that I wanted to do more with music, whether it’s working with some artists again, running a night somewhere, maybe even proper management, which I haven’t done in a few years.MMF

    Today I joined the Music Managers Forum and have signed up to do their Music Publishing Programme. It’s always good to update the knowledge you have and learn new things. I love all this so this is right up my street. Can’t wait for it to start.

    If I was into canoeing, today would have been perfect! Despite the deluge from the sky, I decided to brave the conditions and head into town even without an arc. Just went for a walkabout really, just to get out, get a bit of fresh air and exercise. Even though there were reports this week that London exceeded the pollutant levels already for 2016, it’s good to get out for a little while.

    Tomorrow marks Day 10 of 100 Days to Change, that’s one tenth of the way through. I better make it count!