Make Your Mark Blog

A young man from Lowestoft has been chosen for the prime minister’s Global Fellowship - having found success during the Make Your Mark Challenge.

19 year-old Richard Miner from Lowestoft, is one of 100 young people chosen for the prime minister’s Global Fellowship - a programme designed to encourage and nurture oustanding talent and enterprise.

Depsite his obvious hard work and talent, Richard credits his success to the Make Your Mark team and his participation in the Make Your Mark Challenge whilst at school. During the challenge,  Richard and a group of friends established ‘UnHeard Entertainment’, a music management and PR company and as a result of their success, went on to attend the Make Your Mark in Music networking event in london, with Richard also becoming a founding member of YELP (Young Enterprising Lowestoft People) - a local network set up with the help of the local Make Your Mark team.

Richard says:  I believe strongly that getting on this chance of a lifetime, is in part due to the huge amount of support you and the whole Make Your Mark collective  gave myself and ‘UnHeard Entertainment’. It certainly allowed us to all become more knowledgeable about the ways of business and helped greatly in building a self-confidence in ourselves. The experiences that I have had due to ‘Unheard’ were priceless and I personally have a lot to owe you for those and the contacts made from Make Your Mark.”

As part of the fellowship programme, Richard is due to spend six weeks in India including two weeks in a school or college working as a language assistant and two weeks as the guest of a global company to get an understand of international business.

In November, Richard and the other fellowship members, will join the prime minister Gordon Brown to take part in ‘Global Entrepreneurship Week’ as part of the Make Your Mark campaign.

The Eastern Region Make Your Mark Team would like to congratulate Richard on this fantastic achievement and highlight how participating in Enterprise Week can really help young people to make their mark!

Make Your Mark has teamed up with live music promoters Curious Generation to offer aspiring young music promoters across the UK the chance of a lifetime. 

When Make Your Mark in the Music Business launched earlier this year we heard from young people who were passionate about boosting the live music scene in their local area but didn’t have the financial backing, contacts or support to go it alone. 

Curious Generation is a live music promotions company that has worked with some of the best breaking artists in today’s music industry (including Scouting for Girls, Dirty Pretty Things and The Guillemots).  They want to offer their experience and infrastructure to enterprising young people who love music, know their local music scene and want support to set up and run a regular, live music night in their home town or city.  

Did you know..?

The live music sector is the fastest growing part of the music industry yet there isn’t a single training course in the UK that provides specialist skills in the promotion of live music.  This means the live performance sector will face a shortage of up to 10,000 people by the year 2017 (Live Music Forum Findings & Recommendations 2007)

Paul Latham, President, UK Music and Venues at Live Nation, said: ”This is an exciting time to be involved in live music. With income streams dwindling from recording contracts there has never been more demand from artists to tour. Therein lies the conundrum for any aspiring, or indeed established, promoter; how to deliver the artists aspirations both technically and financially.

“Talent is not just what appears on the stage, there is also an art to understanding and developing the potential for those performers. I look forward to seeing the progress of those who take part in Make Your Mark in the Music Business.”

If you are aged 18-30 and think you have what it takes to be a live music promoter, visit www.makeyourmarkinmusic.org

As we turn the corner of a new era, we need new people to help us continue with our enterprise message - As the new HR manager I am excited to have some great opportunities available to continue the enterprise message through our people. We are looking for people ready for new challenges and passionate about what we do - whether you are a self confessed enterprise junkie or want to embark on an amazing new journey you might just be in with a chance - so who’s in?

Vanessa

Enterprise Junkie - and - Make Your Mark HR Manager

Was good to see Make Your Mark ambassador Carrie Grant on Eurovision on saturday reading out the UK vote.

Carrie is also a judge in the Girls! Make Your Mark Awards, which we have recently launched with handbag.com.

You can find out more about the lovely Carrie in her inspiring story.

Not so good to see - the UK limping into last place with a lowly 14 points…a pop travesty?!

Arriving hot on the heels of the government’s forthcoming response to January’s select committee report, Music Tank are hosting a think tank which will explore the conflicting viewpoints of managers, resale agents, promoters and the general public, asking whether effective self-regulation is desirable or even plausible in the murky world of secondary ticketing.  Date:   Tues 18th Mar ‘08Time:   18.30 - 21.00 hrsVenue:  MCPS-PRS Alliance, 29-33 Berners St, London, W1T 3ABPrice:  £20 MT members | £25 Ind. concession | £30 Full.  Tickets incl. drinks Tickets MUST be booked and paid for in advance - no walk-up on the day.

Shirley Bassey, Madonna, Duran Duran, the bloke from Soundgarden…A fairly random group of musicians I’m sure you’ll agree, but they all have something in common and that is Bond…James Bond. You can’t beat a good Bond theme tune, and now you have the chance to write one!

Musicians and James Bond fans across Britain have the rare chance to be a part of 007’s iconic history as Penguin searches for the theme tune to Devil May Care, the new Bond novel written by Sebastian Faulks.

Visitors to uk.myspace.com/devilmaycarebook have the chance to create an original piece of music for the new Bond book which is published on 28th May, the centenary of Ian Fleming’s birth.

The winning track will become the book’s official theme tune and will be featured on the Devil May Care audio book, published on the same day. This will be the first theme tune to accompany a James Bond book and will later be available as a free digital download.

A shortlist of five entries will be selected by a high-profile judging panel, which includes the book’s author, Sebastian Faulks along with respected figures from the world of literature and music, including cult music producer Jazzie B and Matthew Fleming, great nephew of original Bond author Ian Fleming. Dom Cook, Director of Marketing and Content for MySpace UK and Alex Clarke, Penguin Editor of Devil May Care will also judge.

The competition is open to all musicians - both amateur and established artists - with the deadline for entries on 25th February. All entry criteria, including guidance on the style required, can be found on the Devil May Care MySpace page. As well as the exposure, the winner will also pick up the overall prize of £1,000 worth of music equipment.

Once the shortlist is chosen, the final vote will be opened to the public on Monday 3rd March, with the winner announced on Monday 17th March.

*insert Bond-style quip here*

Sandi Thom attended the Make Your Mark in Music launch on monday and had a very nice time! She wrote about her evening in her blog: http://www.sandithom.com/blog/2008/02/05/make_your_mark_on_music

West London based world music record label seeks a bright and enthusiastic individual to undertake varied office and ware house tasks. The job entails distribution and marketing and all applicants must be willing to get ’stuck in’. Jobs include packing and shipping CDs, updating social networking sites, answering the phone and general admin tasks. A commitment to the industry and a sense of humour is a must!

We can pay for all travel and expenses.

Please email CV and a short explanation of why you should be picked for an interview. duncan@faroutrecordings.com

The launch event is going to be huge tonight. What a panel line up (see below) and these people will be asked questions by young people.

Jenna G from BBC’s Radio 1 Xtra is hosting the event at House of Commons.

We will let you know how it goes!

Panelists

• Guy Holmes - CEO of independent label Gut Records
• Raye Cosbert - Manager to Amy Winehouse and live promoter for Metropolis
• Peter Robinson - Founder of the music website Popjustice
• Mervyn Lyn - Vice President of A&R at RCA Records
• Sway - MOBO award winner, rapper and entrepreneur
• Sandi Thom - Multi-million selling singer-songwriter who launched her career with an innovative webcast campaign
• Feargal Sharkey - CEO of British Music Rights and was the Lead singer of indie cult band The Undertones
• Dave Laub - Founder of Darling Artists, the management wing of successful independent company Darling Department

Janet Edwards is a renowned voice coach who has worked with the likes of Leona Lewis and Mel C. Janet is also a successful composer, arranger and musical director.

We asked Janet how she made her mark in the music business:

I was passionate about music and had a formal musical education which covered playing piano, early keyboards, synths, organ, violin, composition and singing. This set me up well for a professional career as a performer working as a soloist and also helping opera singers learn roles and accompanying many other performers in concert.

When I needed more work in the early days, I went to London and literally knocked on the doors of several music agents.

This broad, all-encompassing background eventually led to a dual career with my own one woman 2 hour show singing and playing at a mic’d up grand piano; also helping other singers to find the best of their own unique sound.

I have never stopped searching for better ways to help singers. I am qualified with a Masters in Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) where I can fast-track the process of developing a client’s voice.
What advice would you give to someone trying to make their mark in the music business?

Be both passionate and disciplined.

Set targets of levels of accomplishment.

Be inspired by those who are masters, don’t be put off or daunted by them.

Commit yourself 100% to whatever you do.

The glamour of the music industry is only on the surface, to succeed you must be the best you can be – communicate this to the industry.

Don’t be put off by negative responses, don’t cling to your own compositions, but let them be heard and keep a good, easy and appreciative communication with those who might help you.

Get used to rejection; the Industry is full of it. You will be stronger for it and it will make you even more determined.

First and foremost, as musicians we are there to inspire with our art rather than become a ‘famous person’, whatever the style of our music. Let the ‘fame’ follow naturally.

You can find out more about Janet at: www.janetedwards.co.uk

Janet is an ambassador for Make Your Mark in the Music Business - www.makeyourmarkinmusic.org - which launches tonight!

Melody, an ambassador for Make Your Mark in the Music Business, tells us a bit about herself…

Hello everyone

My name is Melody and I am a singer-songwriter from west London. I released my song ‘Boytoy’ myself last year with electro and garage remixes to great acclaim, and my vinyl sold well in Ibiza, Sweden and England. Inspired by Madonna, Roison Murphy and Donna Summer(to name a few) I am currently in the studio recording an album with an eclectic group of new producers and Dj’s.

A connoisseur of pop music, my passion for music led me to become an ambassador for the Make Your Mark Campaign, which I’m very excited about! I have been involved in all aspects of making music since graduating with a commercial music degree from Westminster University, and I am keen to promote and encourage any opportunities for better access to music and new business in the industry.

With the demise of Top Of The Pops, Top 40 Charts and music sales in general, it is crucial for young people to have instant access to music via the internet by downloading, blogging and online communities and forums. Instead of being negative towards this technology, I believe the industry needs to invest in live music, and the development of artists. Record companies may have lost contact and touch with young people (or perhaps not… it’s my assumption). Make Your Mark in Music is awesome because it can help to inspire, and connect music fans and entrepreneurs with the record industry and highlight the huge opportunities available during this time of industry change.

The site went live today, so check it out www.makeyourmarkinmusic.org and don’t miss the chance to play THE GAME and win 5,000. And there’s another comp coming online soon where you can win 1,000 worth of musical instruments and equipment if you come up with the best idea of how this cash (and the instruments)would help you to make your mark in the music business. Don’t think about just being a performer - get creative and use your ideas for business in the music industry!

www.myspace.com/melodycouk‘Boytoy’ Remixes now available on vinyl at UDM, Uptown Records (Soho), Blackmarket Records (Soho), Htfr.com, Beggars Banquet (Kingston) H2fr.com, Rhythm Division (Bow), DnR Vinyl (Croydon)Mixing Records (Croydon), Swagg (Croydon) Juno.co.uk

Garage, Bassline and Afro-House mixes from Cocoa Butter Beats, 4KLUBBZ, Tera Blanca and Dj Beckett’s Big Boy Mix Ft Entyce and MC Dan.

Hey people for those of you who don’t know me, I’m Oggie, I’m a singer songwriter mostly known on the UK Garage scene, I had my first Garage hit in 2004 with Danny C on a track called ‘Follow Me’, I then released a solo track called ‘YOU’, and last year released a single with Ed Case called ‘All I Wanna Do’. This year ill be releasing a new version of YOU with Agent X, I’m currently recording an album and just put a band together so look out this summer cos we will be everywhere! (Lol).

I am absolutely honoured about being an ambassador for Make Your Mark In Music, mainly because right now I feel that the music business is going through a major transitional period, with music becoming instantly accessible via downloading. Everyone seems to be up in arms on how to promote and sell music to a mass audience. The Make Your Mark In Music Campaign is the first step into finding out some of the answers. The site will show today’s emerging talent how to manoeuvre within the music industry, introduce you to roles within the industry that are vital to the business and give you the opportunity to network with major labels and build the bridge between major labels and up and coming musical entrepreneurs. This campaign is not just about musicians; it’s about people with a passion for music and desire to be part of the business. With new fresh ways of accessing music you need new fresh ideas from the people who love it the most, the ones who still go clubbing every week and have music as the main topic of conversation. Do you save all of your money to go and see live shows and still get that incredible buzz every time you see your favourite act? Are you someone who can not consider doing anything else in your life that does not involve music in some way shape or form? If this sounds like you, then check out Make Your Mark in Music. It’s going live really soon with a great virtual game competition and you could win £5,000. And another competition giving 3 people under 30 £1,000 worth of musical instruments and equipment simply by writing 100 words on how you’d make your mark in the music business (with £1,000 worth of equipment).

Hurry up, get on board and Make Your Mark In Music! J