Wednesday 6th June sees the culmination of On Top of The World: Tameside, a very special musical project that has been running for over 8 years and has seen performances at venues such as Contact Theatre, Lowry Theatre, Bridgewater Hall and Band on the Wall. This year sees On Top of the World returning to Band on the Wall for a 2nd year for a performance that will not disappoint.
Brighter Sound have been working a group of around 20 young musicians and artists, aged 11 – 18 and from a variety of backgrounds and cultures, once a week for the last 6 months, helping them to create & compose their own brilliant original music.
The group are on a massive high going into this performance, having recently recorded their tracks at Blueprint Studios in Manchester, where acts such as Elbow, Snoop Dogg & Gorrilaz have all recorded. These tracks showcase the wide range of influences and talent within the group; the live versions of these are going to be something special!
This performance takes place at Band on the Wall on 6th June, 7.00pm and is FREE. Please come and show your support for all the hard work these young people have put in over the last 6 months!
Brighter Sound is pleased to announce the 2nd phase of Get Up, Stand Up. We’re very excited to be taking this project forward into a new venue. We will be moving into North Manchester, working with new participants to create a great mix of music and drama.
Our team of musicians, including Joe Botham & G-Kut, as well as theatre director Marcus Hercules, will be working with recruits from North Manchester, helping them to write & develop their own material based around issues and events that really mean something to young people in Manchester. Earlier this year, sessions in Moss Side focused on thoughts and feelings around the 2011 riots in Manchester & London, government cut backs and the increasing pressure on young people to become involved in gang related activity.
Having already delivered two very successful taster sessions at the brand new Factory Youth Zone in Harpurhey, we’re positive we can recreate the work that was developed in Moss Side, which culminated in fantastic performances on Contact Theatre’s main stage and at the launch of Peace FM’s Peace Week.
The North Manchester phase of Get Up, Stand Up will begin at the end of May at Factory Youth Zone in Harpurhey and culminate later in the year with both groups being united to share their ideas and create one big piece of music and drama.
There will be a taster session 6 - 8pm on Monday 28th May at Factory Youth Zone.
The project will start properly on the 11th June 4 - 6 pm and will culminate in a live performance at Band on the Wall in late August.
Get Up, Stand Up is funded by The Home Office as part of the Communities Against Gangs, Guns & Knife Crime Fund.
Name:
Charlie Morrison
Band / Job Role within Brighter Sound (GMMAZ):
Bands (a long time ago): Space Monkeys, RSL
Job at Brighter Sound – Head of Operations and Finance
What projects are you currently working on (or recently worked on) with Brighter Sound (GMMAZ)?
I’m involved in most of the company’s projects… As I deal with finance, company management and marketing, I’ve normally had something to do with everything, in some way somewhere along the line…
What instruments do you play?
Drums, Piano, Bass.
How old were you when you started to play an instrument and be a musician?
I played piano as a kid and hated it. It wasn’t til I was 12 that I got a drum kit and that was it. Then I taught myself piano as a teenager and got into that a lot more.
Why did you first get into music?
There was always music on in the family car – Talking Heads, Beach Boys, Eurythmics, and my dad is a musician, so he used to play me Kraftwerk and I’d watch his bands rehearse. If I was to be totally honest though, the first time anything went “click!” was the guitar riff on Money for Nothing by Dire Straights. I think I was 10.
What bands/artists have influenced your own personal style?
I know it’s cheesy, but everything – I’ve been through so many phases, from metal, to experimental hip hop, indie, rock, reggae, film soundtracks (I used to be obsessed!), Cuban and everything elso pretty much. Currently, The Drums, Arcade Fire, Stooges and Eagles of Death Metal.
What advice would you give to any young people learning to play and make music?
Finding like-minded people is amazing – there’s nothing better than forming a band with your mates. Start writing your own material as soon as possible, be brave with ideas, don’t be lazy, and play gigs.
What advice would you give to any young people wanting to make a living from music?
It’s very difficult. When I was 18 my band was signed. We had an album out, singles, US and European tours and videos on MTV in the states and Japan. I was on £150 per week throughout, and when we split up, I was 21 and left with nothing.
If it’s recording / releasing / touring music that is your plan, being a named writer is important.
And “getting signed” in whatever sense isn’t the only way to earn as a musician. Session work, teaching, music for theatre / film, even setting up your own label can bring in cash. As with anything though, it’s about hard work, being very good, and making contacts. Generally, have your wits about you, know where the money is coming from but don’t do it just for that reason. Be unique. The love of the music you’re making is key.
What has been the highlight of your music career so far?
Playing the Las Vegas Hard Rock Cafe, headlining the Azzurro Festival in Italy to 20,000 people, and winning track of the year on Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Show.
What inspires you to make music?
Whether you’re on stage, in the studio, the rehearsal room, or in your bedroom, there’s no sensation like nailing that rhythm, or harmony, or sound, or song that just makes you go… “!!!”
A massive congratulations to all of our young artists and musicians from On Top Of The World: Tameside, who, for the last 6 months have been hard at work making & composing their own original music. The music they’ve made showcases the wide range of influences and talent within the group, and we’re very proud to have captured the magic at Blueprint Studios in Manchester, where acts such as Elbow, Snoop Dogg & Gorrilaz have all recorded.
The tracks will be mastered in just a few weeks, which will serve as an excellent taster for the live performance at legendary Manchester Music Venue, Band on the Wall on the 6th June, 7.30 pm. Be sure not to miss it!
Name:
Laurence Boot
Band / Job Role within Brighter Sound (GMMAZ):
Trainee
What projects are you currently working on (or recently worked on) with Brighter Sound (GMMAZ)?
Brass Roots
What instruments do you play?
Guitar, Bass, Mandolin, Percussion, Didgeridoo…
How old were you when you started to play an instrument and be a musician?
14
Why did you first get into music?
I heard a Jimi Hendrix cassette tape when I was on holiday and thought it was amazing. My older brother already played guitar, so he got me started.
What bands/artists have influenced your own personal style?
My taste has always been very eclectic, and I take influence from all sorts, even if it’s not directly reflected in what I play. If I had to name some of the more influential artists to me, it would be people like Tortoise, Juan Martín, Tom Waits, Radiohead, Miles Davis, Aphex Twin, Shakti, Talking Heads…
What advice would you give to any young people learning to play and make music?
Keep an open mind, and don’t be afraid to experiment.
What advice would you give to any young people wanting to make a living from music?
Get really good at your instrument(s); be confident in what you do; make good use of opportunities to network; it will take time, so stick at it.
What has been the highlight of your music career so far?
It’s difficult to pinpoint one particular moment, especially as the best bits often happen when nobody is there to hear them. I would say though, that generally over the last year I’ve really enjoyed working with so many different artists. Playing such a wide variety of styles has been really fun.
What inspires you to make music?
The feeling you get when you play something that just sounds great (and it’s even better when other people think it’s great too).
Laurence is currently working on our ‘Brass Roots’ & ‘Get Up Stand Up’ projects. Helping to create, inspire and make original music with young people aged 11 - 15 on from the Greater Manchester area.
