Midge Ure

An artist who has received Ivor Novello, Grammy, BASCAP awards along with a flotilla of gold and platinum records, really needs very little introduction.

Musical success is seldom measured in time spans of more than a few years, if not Andy Warhol's oft quoted "fifteen minutes", so the fact that by the time Midge's single "If I Was" went to No1 in 1985 he had already crammed several musical lifetimes into a 10 year professional career speaks volumes - Slik, The Rich Kids, Thin Lizzy, Visage, Ultravox and of course the most famous one off group in musical history Band Aid had by then all had the guiding hand of his musical navigation.

Then you have to take account of Midge's musical directorship of a series of rock concerts for The Prince's Trust, Wicked Women for Breakthrough and in honour of Nelson Mandela; a Lord Provost award for services to Scottish music; record production for Phil Lynott, Steve Harley and countless others; his video direction of memorable hits by the Fun Boy Three, Bananarama and others, or a whole swathe of landmark singles by Ultravox; TV, theatre and film music credits ranging from 'Max Headroom' to stage and big screen.

 
Jon McClure (Reverend and The Makers)

He may have been bestowed with a title of the religious order, but Jon McClure ain’t no man of the cloth.   He’s a preacher, sure - giving sermons to thousands of converts at gigs in his hometown of Sheffield – but his urban street tales have fuck all to with the word of any God.   Ask any of his flock about this strapping, mad-eyed 24-year-old and, Lord, they will tell you: he’s the don of the Sheffield music scene. A passionate punk poet.  The Reverend.    “It’s a nickname my mates gave me.  They said to me ‘you’re like a teacher man, you’re like a preacher man’” he explains.  “It comes from the way I talk and get right passionate about things.  It just sounds like…respect”   After spending his formative years playing music with people who would go on to form some of Sheffield’s most important bands of the decade, McClure assumed his new moniker in mid 2005 and set about a new musical direction.   But he wasn’t going it alone.  First, he set about assembling his backing band The Makers – a talented crew of Sheffield musicians.  Next, an array of eager collaborators - the likes of Alex Turner, Bromheads Jacket’s Tim Hampton and his hero, punk poet John Cooper Clarke – were sought and a clutch of demos recorded with “Sheffield’s Martin Hannett”, producer Al Smyth.   “In white guitar music there’s a real pride thing - like ‘we can’t have anyone else on our records, it’ll take the shine off’ and it’s bollocks,” he frowns.  “But in reggae or hip-hop it’s not like that – for example, on ‘Still DRE’, Dr DRE thought nothing of having Snoop come in and drop a line.  He’s like ‘that’s cool, that’s wicked’”.  The results, put up for download on Reverend’s website, were a clutch of tunes influenced by the funk,  reggae and 60’s psyche he grew up with (Sly & The Family Stone, Bob Marley, George Clinton, Count Five, 13^th Floor Elevators) – and his modern day heroes (James Murphy/LCD Soundsystem, Klashnekoff) – but sounding like nothing else but Reverend & The Makers.   Urban street tales inspired by the ebb and flow of life itself, played out by a motley cast of recognisable characters.  Songs about local tittle-tattle (‘What The Milkman Saw’ - sample lyric: “Johnny reckons that he saw her in the chemist buying oral contraception/Can’t be for her husband coz he can’t get an erection”), blowing all your hard-earned on fruit machines (‘Bandits’) and boozy package holidays (‘18-30’).       “Everyday I meet different people and that’s real.  You don’t listen to one person all day, or only talk to one person, or hear one sound or smell one thing.  You’ve got to reflect what life’s like.  That’s how a record should be - different sounds, different voices.” By January 2006 fans were rabidly swapping these tunes on internet message boards and even turning up in their droves for a glimpse of rehearsals.   By the time summer swung round, the buzz had grown to such a degree that the band had sold out the thousand-plus-capacity venue The Plug in Sheffield.  Buoyed by the success, the band embarked on their debut UK tour, supporting fellow Steel City guitar slingers Arctic Monkeys.  Jon then spent the rest of year curating his Reverend Soundsystem clubnight, before signing to the Wall Of Sound label then disappearing into the studio with The Makers and producer Jagz Kooner (Primal Scream, Kasabian ) to fully realise his musical vision.   And so here were are.  There’s plenty more to tell about Jon McClure and his Makers, but that’s for another time.  For now, all you need to know is this: he is the Reverend, and he’ll tell you about the state of things. 

Mark Jones - Founder, Wall of Sound

Born under a bad sign in Hayes, Middlesex. Football crazy, well, still.

Left school with the bright idea of going to Art College ‘cos he was the only bloke who went to Townfield Comprehensive who owned a synthesizer, a Kraftwerk album and drunk Pernod and Black. Left after one day

Hooked up with Mick Speechley to form visuals company ‘Pop’ after numerous local gigs and rare groove jams was accosted by Nicky Holloway to work with his ‘special branch’ Mafia down The Royal Oak, Tooley Street. Went to work three years freakin’ the punters and DJ’s alike. Do’s at The Zoo, Rockley Sands, Mambo Madness and many other seminal acid house parties; trip, sin and more importantly shoom…..

Rock and rolled (literally) for 5 years in a Prock (pop/rock) band called ‘Perfect Day’ (swung his pants with Trevor and Simon on BBC TV, played at Wembley, graced the cover of Just Seventeen/ Jackie Magazines!)

When the dream finally faded, hooked up with Marc Lessner (who used to sell records at special branch parties) after a chance meeting in flying records in Kensington Market. Was offered a job at Soul Trader Record distributors one day a week, which soon turned into a full time occupation. Started pressing and distributing deals for many small labels and acts, helping Kruder and Dorfmeister, Basement Jaxx and Larry Heard among others.

A compilation of these artists was made, entitles ‘Give ‘em Enough Dope Vol. 1’ and Wall of Sound was officially born…now fifteen years, well over 100 albums and singles later…the label has since shunned the megabucks, sold a few million records and partied to hell and back…now three years clean and serene, a father of two bouncing boys and the life partner of superstar DJ Lottie there’s a whole new world out there….

http://www.wallofsound.net/

Steve Purdham - CEO & Founder Investor – We7 Ltd

Steve is CEO and founder investor in We7, the new ad funded Music phenomenon. He has a passion for music, but apart from early days as a DJ, his real success to date has been in the computer industry, an industry he has been in since age 14 (when PC’s were science fiction). 

Prior to We7, Steve was Co-Founder and CEO of SurfControl, where he developed the company’s vision and architecture.  He took the company public on AIM, EASDAQ and the London Main market from which he generated hyper-growth creating a successful global operation with profitable revenues exceeding $100m. SurfControl was sold for almost $450m in 2007. Steve has been recognised by many prestigious business awards including IOD director of the Year.

Brent Grulke - Creative Director, SXSW

Brent Grulke has over 25 years music business experience working variously as a journalist and editor, live sound and recording engineer, tour manager, and independent record label manager. Since 1994 he has acted as Creative Director at South by Southwest, the largest music industry event in North America, held each March in Austin, Texas.