The Current State of Music Season 3 Ep 2 - Matt Ingram

The Current State of Music S3 Ep 9 - Chip Wickham

Back last year, possibly November, Chip came to Brighton to play a show, we'd had a few online conversations before then, he was a guest on my show "Jazz For People Who Think They Don't Like Jazz (listen here) which was a real pleasure, and Chip was really enthusiastic. So fast forward back to this gig, I'd told Chip I was going to be there, and was nearish the stage to the side, and I was pretty surprised when he clocked me and gave me a nod...

After the show, he came into the bar where I was hanging out and we got chatting, really just to say thanks for a great show, and it was a great show, the music just blew my mind and took me away to that place you hope you'll find when listening to live music... anyway, we got chatting and he told me he was a big fan of my radio show and thanked me for the support, which wasn't really what I was expecting to hear! I'm his fan, not the other way around! So yeah, that was a bit of a moment. but suffice to say, Chip is a lovely, talented beyond belief, down to earth guy, making his way in music, who has done a few laps of the park so to speak, so I knew he'd be a good guest.

We also have a couple of other random connections, one being my good friend Fred who lives in Manchester and the second being Chips nephew who taught my son in Primary school!,

Small world innit?

So, yeah, a real pleasure to chat to Chip, which nearly went off the rails due to a power cut on his road in Madrid where he currently lives, but in spite of this, we managed to chat for a long while and it was a real pleasure.

If you want to find out more you can find his work here:

https://www.gondwanarecords.com/artists/chip-wickham

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The Current State of Music Season 3 EP 8 - Idris Ackamoor

So stoked to have had the opportunity to talk to a proper legend in the game and find out more about his journey. one of the original DIYers and still hustling, putting out his best work yet (IMHO) with a new album incoming on Strut Records.

Idris did a piece for a me a couple of years back, after chatting to him online a little bit. He is a warm, welcoming, generous person and obviulsy has such a unique voice, both musically and in the music business, he has seen most trends come and go and is still on it, partnering with Bandcamp on his latest album launch, which, sadly I don't have the details of just yet, so I can't post them here for you.

Please do take the time to listen to his work, its not quite like anything else out there, his 2018 album An Angel Fell is what drew me in, and I would say a masterpiece, but early listens to the new album show that Idris is not resting on his considerable laurels, pushing forward all the time, developing new skills and keeping the Pyramids hard at it.

I could have listened to Idris' stories for hours, we did talk for over two, and I keep thinking of things we could have gone into, but I hope you find this conversation as interesting as I did, from diving back in time to talking about the industry today, and some sage advice at the end.

Enjoy

https://idrisackamoor.bandcamp.com/

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The Current State of Music Podcast S3 Ep 7 - Adam Scrimshire

This was one of my favourite conversations so far, and I know I probably say that about all my guests, but really, I get so much out of the connections I'm having with my guests, and it feels like something meaningful to my life. I wonder how you, the listener, are feeling about them?

Adam is a kind soul, you can tell that he is compelled to be in music, in many different forms, maybe to his detriment, or maybe not. he certainly feels the weight of looking after others, whether that is band mates or artists on his label, I imagine he is a good friend because he genuinely cares and feels it. He has been part of the industry for a long time now and I feel our paths may have met, had I gone to Alchemea (a music school in London) because it was probably around the same time that I looked round it, but decided it wasn't for me, which to be honest, was probably imposter syndrome and low self asteem kicking in more than anything (and maybe money!)

Adams label has come on my radar through working with Amanda Whiting on a remix of one of her tracks and its Adams label Alberts Favourites that is putting it out, so its funny how these connections have come around and then yoou look back and see the threads running through your life, but it seems to make sense to me now and I don't feel like a complete outsider or imposter, which is a good thing...

So, yeah, I hope you enjoy this episode, we cover a fair bit of ground, from shit haircuts to mental health (all the same thing to me) so hold tight... Cx

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The Current State of Music Podcast Season 3 Ep 6 - Tom Gray

Tom Gray is someone you probably don't know, but you may well know the band he is in, Gomez, who lit up things with music that seemed to be on the verge of falling apart and won a Mercury Music Prize for their debut album Bring it On in 1998. and we talk about what that means to Tom, then and now. Which kind of sums up Toms character, always looking forward and relishing the chance to be creative in whatever guise he happens to find himself, of which, he has many guises, but really it is all the same to Tom.

So you may know Toms music, but you probably don't know how he is changing the landscape for the better for millions of musicians and songwriters around the world, starting a movement called #brokenrecord which has already seen most major record labels write off atists historic debt, which means artists might now stand a chance of making some money from their back catalogue. I am clearly not knowledgeable enough about the music industry, but I've spent quite a bit of time with Tom this year (helping him build his new studio) and I"ve learned so many tings I wasn't aware of, and most of it isn't good, but Tom is working tirelessly for change and, its no surprise given his outlook, and the fact he is very hard to argue against, that he is making real progress.

Tom has also recently been diagnosed as ADHD, which we didn't have time to go into, but mirrors my own mental health journey and currentlly being diagnosed with autism, maybe we'll get a chance in the future to revisit this subject, There was a load of things we could have got into, but didn't have the time for, hsi work for The Ivors, his work with the PRS, UK Music, as well as his songwriting and his work with the Roald Dahl Foundation.

Tom is a really fascinating person and I enjoy being in his company, he is funny, intelligent and engaged, often absolutely knackered, but a genuinely warm and caring person who gets it done...

Here are some links you might look at if you want to find out more about Tom:

Gomez: https://www.gomeztheband.com/

Ivors Academy: https://ivorsacademy.com/news/tom-gray-is-the-new-chair-of-the-ivors-academy/

Broken Reocrd: https://mixmag.net/feature/brokenrecord-music-industry-streaming-labels-artists-exploitation-equitable-renumeration

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The Current State of Music Podcast Season 3 E5 - Tamar Osborn

So, i fucked up... I talk about it in this episode. I forgot to press record on the second half of this interview with one of the most talented musicians I have had the fortune to chat to. Proper podcast error 101, however, through that failure we ended up going in again a couple of weeks later and chatting about all sorts we didn't get to in the 'lost episode'.

So there is a joy in that failure, and I learned quite a bit from it...

I hope you enjoy this episode, Tamar is quite the indivicual and I'm glad I got to spend s much time with her, as well as seeing her on stage with Sarathy Korwar (S3 E1) here in Brighton.

Enjoy

Cx

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