Nottingham Music Scene Round Table 2005

The Band - The Magic Heroes
The finest exponents of what The Kids are calling ‘Notts Rock’, the Heroes – Stav, Ian and The Bass Rooster – are one of the best new bands in town. 

The Promoter - Anton Lockwood
As part of Daybrook House Promotions, Anton plays a very major part at what goes on at Rock City, The Rescue Rooms, Stealth, and The Social. Consequently, if he can’t tell us what’s what in Notts, no-one can.

The Insider  Guy Elderfield
If you don’t know Guy, you don’t really know the local music scene. An engineer, producer and studio owner, Guy has worked with and advised most Nottingham bands, been involved with the Libertines (in a musical sense, we hasten to add) and has just come back from a six-month tour with The Donnas.

Compared to cities like Sheffield and Birmingham, Nottingham has a shocking track record musically. What have they got that we haven't? 
Guy: There are some very talented people in Nottingham, but I feel that other cities have a more united approach. Things have improved in the last few years, but Nottingham still seems quite fractional - maybe because Nottingham is a small city, which results in people being more guarded with their knowledge.
Heroes: Until recently, we feel other cities have had more of a passion for live music. It used to be really hard to convince people just to give your band a chance and come and see you in Notts. No one wanted live bands - it wasn’t ’cool’ for some reason.
Guy: I also feel that there are very few people with direct links to the industry. Nottingham will always suffer from “big fish in a small pond” syndrome. It’s a nice comfortable city where ten years can pass in the blink of an eye!
Anton: I’m not sure that they’ve got anything different nowadays. You just need one band to put the town on the map, and the media and A&Rs become interested in what else is about. Nottingham isn’t that different from Bristol, Leeds or Sheffield these days, it just hasn’t been as lucky.
Guy: I’ve have always thought that there is a link between how hard a city is and their musical output; Sheffield and Birmingham are prime examples of that. I think what I am trying to say is that it’s easy for people in Nottingham to meander through life expecting everything to come to them - and it very rarely does! Is there a direct ratio between struggle and ambition?
Heroes: Maybe because these other cities are known for producing successful bands, locals will go and see new bands to try and catch the Next Big Thing and brag that they were there. No-one in Notts believes that it could happen here because it hasn’t for years. 

How easy is it for a band to be based in Nottingham and be self-contained? 
Guy: Very easy, to a certain extent. Bands like Earth The Californian Love Dream and Six. By Seven are self-contained, they write record and put records out in Notts.
Heroes: It’s quite easy to start up a band. You rehearse and play to your mates on occasions in random pubs - but taking it to the next level is very difficult without a little help. If you go to a venue and try and convince them to give you a chance to prove yourself, they don’t believe you, because there are so many shit bands who say they’re the best thing since sliced bread and then let the venue down.
Guy: I still believe, though, that you need an agent and a press officer to really make inroads nationally.
Anton: Obviously, you can’t operate solely in Nottingham and expect to be noticed by A&Rs, but there are enough people and facilities about in order to make a decent start. I suppose the nearest we’ve come to a true scene in Notts was when the Narrowboat was in operation; not only was it a venue, it also had very cheap rehearsal rooms. Then it was knocked down for the new Post building…

The common attitude is that people in Notts would rather dance to a record than listen to a band...
Anton: I disagree with that. When you put on a band that people want to see, the locals will turn out.
Heroes: It seemed most people just wanted to go out to get pissed, dance to shit music, try and pull, then get into a fight or two. There was no point in seeing a band ‘cos they weren’t interested in music. That’s slowly changing; people have realised that bands are cool again. All of a sudden townies are wearing t-shirts saying “I’m A Rocker” and actually getting into bands.
Guy: Let’s not forget that Nottingham is a tiny city, with a lot of bars and clubs and other distractions. Most people don’t go and see bands without knowing about them in advance. Having said that, nights like Liars Club (at the Social) have tried to address that and marry the club/band issue, so maybe things are changing.
Heroes: A lot of students are into bands right now, hence the success of Club NME at Stealth and The Rescue Rooms. It’s deemed cool right now to listen to Indie bands and copy their style. Or is this just the underground going mainstream again?
Guy: We need more people like Ricky Haley and Anton, who take the responsibility and put on nights/bands that they themselves would love to see. If more people followed the lead of Liars Club, NightWithNoName, Damn You, etc, then we wouldn’t be having this conversation! 

Live venues in Notts. Too many? Not enough? Or just right...
Heroes: The more the merrier - but the problem is getting people in to see the acts. People in Notts don’t go and see random bands for the sake of seeing live music; you have to make a name for yourself before they’ll even consider it. And if they do come they don’t believe you’re gonna sound like a ‘real’ band; they expect you to be shit because you’re not signed.
Anton: It’s definitely better than it used to be. We see the Rescue Rooms as the natural venue for bands who have outgrown places like The Social and Junktion 7 but are not yet big enough for Rock City.
Guy: I would like to see a venue that is has enough PA, in a room that sounds nice and where you can actually see the band whilst retaining the intimacy of a small venue.
Heroes: We’d love to see a good number of live venues for unsigned bands with no risk for the bands. Obviously, the venues have to cover their backs – they’re businesses, after all - but even if the band are good, they might not get another gig because they didn’t bring a big enough crowd. But how are the band supposed to get a following if they can’t get out and play? It’s a vicious circle.
Anton: I’ve just got back from the South By Southwest festival in America, and there were over 60 proper music venues. So there’s always room for more, as long as they’re not competing for the same audience. We could definitely do with more acoustic venues; now The Maze has shut down, there’s a whole genre of music that’s not being catered for.

Is it hard for Nottingham musicians to gain recognition in the local and music media?
Anton: We get an amount of interest in what we do from certain writers in the Post, and I know some people there are always pushing to do more, but at the end of the day it’s an old people’s paper, just like all local papers.
Heroes: They’re not exactly the hippest outlets, let’s put it that way.
Guy: It is not hard for Nottingham bands to get recognition in the local media, but in real terms, what good does that really do anyone?
Anton: Publications like LeftLion definitely help, and we need more of them.
Guy: To get exposure in the national/music media is a different story. Bands have to be moving in the right circles for that to happen usually, and that normally means spending a fair bit of time in London.
Anton: We’re starting to get there. We’ve getting a reputation for being one of the better towns in the country for music, and things like Club NME at Stealth (which has been going for a year now) are signs that things are improving. Punish The Atom got themselves on a covermounted NME CD the other week, so things are picking up.
Guy: Lets face it, most national journalists don’t believe that life exists outside London. Bands have to play the game and hang out with journalists - get drunk with them, actually! The ability to handle the media is just another part of being in a band these days…

How long is it going to take for someone from Notts to really make a dent in the charts?
Heroes: You tell us.
Guy: It’s getting harder for any band to make an impact on the charts. To really make it happen, you have to have the full weight of the industry behind you.
Anton: Well, this time last year Bloc Party were playing the Social. Now they’ll be selling out Rock City. The music industry has an incredibly fast turnover these days, so the right band that fits what the labels and music press are looking for could make it in a year.
Guy: I feel that the UK will become more like America and only really push safe, homogenised acts. In any case, it’s possible to make impact on the national music scene without battling for the number one single with Natasha Beddingfield!

What are the advantages of being based in Nottingham?
Heroes: We’re reasonably close to London. We’re starting to gain a following there...
Anton: We’re also reasonably placed to other major cities, and there are advantages to not being in a place where you’re constantly scrutinised by A&Rs and the press. So we can operate comfortably in Nottingham without being isolated, but the bands also get the chance to develop.
Heroes: Notts is a blank canvas; there are many venues, all the recording studios and rehearsal rooms you need, and a large student population. A Drop In The Ocean helped a lot of local bands out and opened a lot of eyes. It proved that we have enough talent in depth to provide a blinding day of entertainment no matter what kind of music you are into, and if we all work together and drop the attitude then we all benefit.
Guy: It shouldn’t matter where you are based really, as long as you make things happen. If you really want it you can achieve it wherever you live, but you have to put the work in!

And the disadvantages?
Guy: The Nottingham comfort zone…
Heroes: Not enough decent management companies, and record companies with cash. Inter-band slagging is a problem as well. We used to think that Notts bands were well cliquey, but when we started playing out of town we realised very quickly that it happens everywhere. But it makes the creation of a unified scene difficult. Little clusters of groups pop up, but more often than not it’s because they were mates in the first place. It makes things difficult when you’re starting up – less so when you’re more established.
Anton: None really, but I do rather envy Brighton. They have half a dozen bands who are either established or about to be, loads of venues, and plenty of media interest. It’s not surprising, seeing as most of the music press live there, and some of the journos are sharing flats with band members…

What advice would you give to anyone in Nottingham starting up a band?
Anton: I must have been e-mailed and called by every local band that have ever existed, and the moment they say “We’ll support anyone”, I immediately switch off. Trying to sound like this band or that band is fine at first, but you’ve got to be original and exciting. Develop your own style, play to your mates in a pub, encourage a following at Junktion 7 and the Old Angel, and approach us whenever you’re good enough. If you’re not, keep playing to your mates and don’t bother us!
Guy: Practise hard. Learn the art of stagecraft - people want to be entertained and not just sit through another hour of bland indie tunes. You have to leave an impression on them. If you do that, more people will come and see you next time. Oh, and be nice to engineers!
Heroes: Be unique. Don’t just churn out more Nu-Metal! Be polite and courteous to everyone you meet, because they’ll be more willing to help you out in the future. Try and promote yourself without claiming that you’re the best band in Notts ever. Be persistent with venues, but not pushy. No-one likes to be hassled by someone they have never heard of.