Manchester Music Seminars
MMS Weekly Picks - 19/12
A little later than scheduled owing to the MMS Staff desperately scrabbling around among the rest of the Christmas shoppers, we’ve still found time to present to you ten tracks and videos based on our favourite albums of this year.
- Atlas Sound - The Shakes
- SBTRKT - Pharaohs
- Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie XX - I’ll Take Care Of You
- Frank Ocean - Swim Good
- Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers (The Magician Remix)
- The Field - Then It’s White
- The War On Drugs - Baby Missiles
- Death Grips - Lord Of The Game (ft. Mexican Girl)
- Zun Zun Egui - Fandango Fresh
- The Horrors - Moving Further Away
MMS Weekly Picks - 09/12
With winter fully onset in Manchester, what better than to huddle down and listen to the tracks that the MMS Staff have been shivering through this week!
- Gnod - Tron
- Teen Daze - Let’s Fall Asleep Together
- Gui Boratto - Beautiful Life
- Lower Dens - Rosie
- Autolux - Supertoys
- Black Lips - Raw Meat
- Dr Syntax - Fresh Meat
- Nina Nesbitt - Glue
- Spector - What You Wanted
- Azealia Banks ft. Lazy Jay - 212
MMS Weekly Picks - 2/12
Here be the tunes that MMS have been listening to the most this week!
1. Walls - Into Our Midst
2. Drake ft. Rihanna - Take Care
3. Emeli Sande - Heaven
4. Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs - Dream On
5. Grace Jones - Pull Up To The Bumper
6. Konono No.1 - Fula Fula
7. Deerhunter - Cryptograms (Live)
8. Gorillaz - Tomorrow Comes Today
9. The Oscillation - Future Echo
10. I Like Trains - Last Christmas
MMS Weekly Picks - 25/11
It’s the return of the MMS Weekly Picks!
- Hudson Mohawke - Thunder Bay
- Major Lazer feat. The Pary Squad - Original Don
- Factory Floor - Two Different Ways
- The Maccabees - Pelican
- Little Boots - Shake 6. Hookworms - Teen Dreams
- Hookworms - Teen Dreams
- Tribal Fighters - Babes vs. Hunks
- Speech Debelle feat. Roots Manuva and Realism - Blaze Up A Fire
- The Field - Over The Ice
- DRMCNT - Ballin’
Record Of The Day Music Journalism & PR Awards
Nick Kent and Murray Chalmers were among those awarded for their long-serving contribution to music journalism and PR as the annual Record Of The Day Music Journalism & PR Awards were held at The Red Gallery in Shoreditch, London on November 23rd.
Kent was one of the leading music journalists of the 1970s following a spell in the USA under the tutelage of the much-revered Lester Bangs; Kent wrote for the NME during its boom period under first Alan Smith and then Nick Logan as editor - gaining unprecedented access to the likes of Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones among others. Murray Chalmers received recognition for his work in PR after 24 years working as Director of Publicity for EMI Records which saw him work with artists including Radiohead, Coldplay and Kylie Minogue; he has since gone on to set up his own hugely successful PR company. Completing the Outstanding Contribution category wins was photographer Gerard Mankowitz who snapped many of the leading artists of the 60s and 70s including The Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix, indeed his exhibition sale at The Richard Goodall Gallery here in Manchester was his most successful in 2004, with over 40 pieces of his work sold.
In other awards news, Alexis Petridis took home the ‘Record Reviews Writer of The Year’ for the 9th year in a row, with The Independent’s Simon Price retaining his Live Reviews crown. MMS were particularly delighted however to see The Quietus - whose editor John Doran came up to appear at our event last month - take Digital Publication of The Year. Clash Magazine took ‘Magazine Of The Year’ and Mark Ellen of The Word took ‘Editor of The Year’, whilst in the PR section of the awards, Purple PR had plenty to celebrate in taking the ‘Best Independent PR Company Award’ and ‘Best PR Campaign For An Established Act’ for their work with Bjork.
The full list of winners can be found at Recordoftheday.com
Take A Little Look At What We Got Up To On 14th October
For those of you who were there, it’s a time to think back on lessons learned and good times had, for those of you who weren’t there, it’s time to see what you missed out on!
MMS’ Weekly Staff Picks - 07/10
The end of another week means it’s time for the MMS Staff to let you know what we’ve been listening to in the office all week - in Youtube format!
Manchester Music Seminars Line-Up Complete
Manchester Music Seminars have finalised their line-up for October 14th’s day of keynote speeches and panels due to take place at Umbro Design Studios, with the addition of three long-respected Mancunian music luminaries.
John Robb to interview Steve Levine
Talking to Chair of the Music Producers Guild Steve Levine will be non-other than writer and punk-rock stalwart John Robb. A man with a no-holds barred attitude to everything he does in music – whether that be front man of 80s group The Membranes and current touring outfit Goldblade or author and journalist for national newspapers including The Guardian, The Sunday Times and The Independent – his conversation with Levine is likely to be among the highlights of the day.
Dave Haslam and Johnny Jay announced as moderators
Alongside John, MMS can also announce esteemed DJ and writer Dave Haslam as moderator of the music journalism panel ‘Critiquing The Melody Makers.’ Birmingham-born but Manchester-bred, Haslam’s heart has belonged to this city ever since moving here in 1980, going on to become a regular fixture as DJ at the legendary Hacienda through that decade. He’s also a respected writer, appearing in several national newspapers and is the author of Manchester cultural touchstone ‘Manchester, England.’
In addition to this we can also reveal producer, A&R and artist Johnny Jay whose remixes defined the sound of the Urban Cookie Collective back in the 90s. He’ll be moderating the panel ‘Songwriting From The Artists Perspective,’ where he’ll be joined by Dave ‘Murkage Dave’ Lewis - club promoter and member of fast-rising group Murkage – and Duncan Wallis, front man of critically-lauded indie five-piece Dutch Uncles.
Panels Round-Up
Finally, we can reveal the line-up for ‘Take The Hit To Make The Hit,’ a panel concentrating on how a new artist might best invest their money in order to further their career. Sentric Music’s Simon Pursehouse moderates a panel that includes promoter Jay Taylor (Ruby Lounge,) booking agent Dave Bassinder (Loomer Agency,) Tim Thomas (Blueprint Studios) and Owain Kelly (Fanfare Media)
These join a line-up that already includes a keynote speech from Mary Anne-Hobbs – in conversation with Liverpool Soundcity CEO Dave Pichilingi - and panellists from Muse, Xfm, PRS for Music, The Quietus and Un-convention among many others. There are a limited number of tickets still available at just £37.50.
Manchester Scenewipe Relaunch Site
Bastions of the local scene, Manchester Scenewipe have today gone live with their revamped website as they move further away from their blog origins towards something more substantial.
Initially set up by Sam Alder and Toby Potter to capture both local unsigned acts performing acoustically in unique locations within Greater Manchester, Scenewipe has evolved massively already 18 months or so since its creation, taking in performances from the likes of Badly Drawn Boy, Bombaby Bicycle Club and Everything Everything as well as a slew of international touring acts. The pair also filmed specials for Manchester music festivals In The City and Sounds From The Other City.
The site introduced a reviews section a couple of months ago, taking on a number of new contributors, and has now changed completely - though keeping the videos at the forefront of its front page interface. The most prominent new addition is a comprehensive listings section of gigs in and around Manchester as well as a music player featuring tracks from some of the site’s favourite up and coming regional artists.
To celebrate the launch, Scenewipe are hosting a gig at Kraak – one of the buildings being used by MMS on the 14th – featuring Driver Drive Faster, the much-tipped Ghost Outfit, ethereal indie-poppers The ABC Club and The Louche FC.
MMS’ Weekly Staff Picks - 30/09
Hurrah! Another week, surely this one will be better than the last. It’s MMS’ quite frankly mind-defying weekly staff picks featuring Factory Floor, Hudson Mohawke and, erm, Mansun.
