If you are interested in music production, radio production, social media and creative writing, we have the perfect workshop for you this September.
Music course is a 2-week programme with a focus on music production and creating a radio show that showcases your original creations. Funded by Manchester Adult Education Service, the project runs from Monday 3rd – Friday 14th of October, with a taster day on September the 29th.
See the flyer below for further details & contacts to get involved.
Manchester’s first city centre park in over a century opened its gates today. Described as an urban escape, the 6.5-acre park that lies along the banks of River Medlock is now open to the public.
In recognition of the ongoing launch of Mayfield, we teamed up with the National Lottery Heritage Fund to explore the past, present and future of the site.
Produced by one of our very own, Jamie Green, the three-part series is now available to listen to on all streaming platforms. Get listening now and if you love it as much as we do, you can even leave a review or rating on Apple.
We caught up with Jamie to find out more about the production process, the themes explored in each episode, as well as his journey with Reform and beyond.
Please could you introduce yourself and explain your current occupation.
Hey, my name is Jamie Green and I am a freelance Audio Producer for Reform Radio. I work within Reform’s Podcasting team and assist with recording, editing, and producing podcasts and audio content.
You joined Reform Radio in January 2022 as a Kickstart Studio & Podcasting Assistant. How did you hear about this opportunity and what made you decide to apply?
I first saw the opportunity as a Studio & Podcasting Assistant posted on Reform’s Instagram page. I had decided over the coronavirus lockdown that I really wanted to pursue a career working with audio and so this role just seemed like the perfect opportunity. Having previously participated in some of Reform’s audio-based courses, I also knew what an incredible company they were and was keen to work in such a creative, inclusive environment.
Please could you describe your responsibilities/projects that you worked on?
I have worked on a fantastic variety of projects, from editing interviews for BBC 6 Music’s The People’s Party with Afrodeutsche to travelling around the UK recording a road trip style podcast about British vineyards. I have also led the production of our ‘Park Life’ podcast which has involved interviewing photographers, archaeologists and event organisers. My day-to-day responsibilities have included anything from recording autobiographical audiobooks for clients such as Liz Taylor to editing podcast series for ‘The Life & Death Podcast’ for Ashgate Hospice.
After Kickstart, you continued working with Reform as a freelancer, how are you finding it now?
The transition to becoming a freelancer has been really exciting, I have loved working across numerous projects and utilising my audio skills in different ways to deliver exciting content such as the ‘Park Life’ podcast.
Have you had any opportunities arise as a direct result of Reform?
Definitely, I think one of the key opportunities that I have gained through my connections within Reform is being booked for regular DJ work which has really helped build my confidence as a DJ and also provided financial support.
You have been working on the Mayfield project for some time. Please could you briefly describe what this project is and what your involvement has been?
With Manchester building its first city centre park in over 100 years, we have produced a three-part podcast series that captures and explores the heritage of this area of Manchester known as Mayfield.
My role has been to lead the creation of this podcast, which has involved everything from interviewing archaeologists and photographers to sourcing archive recordings from the Manchester Central Library, designing soundscapes and capturing field recordings to accompany the podcast.
How has the experience been producing this podcast? Any highlights?
Producing the ‘Park Life’ podcast has been an incredible experience. I have loved discovering the forgotten stories of this unique area of Manchester through speaking with so many fascinating people. Their passion for the heritage of Mayfield has really rubbed off on me, and so I feel really fortunate to have been given the creative freedom to shape the format of this podcast and how we tell the story of this site.
During the project, you touch on themes including The River, The Park and Culture. Can you talk a little bit about the creative process here?
The River
The first episode of the podcast is themed around The River Medlock. The episode tells the story of how the Medlock was transformed from a beautiful meandering river into an industrial sewer later covered over with concrete to make way for expanding industries. After being hidden for over 50 years the river Medlock in Mayfield has now been uncovered, so we really wanted to focus on how the river has intrinsically shaped the history of this area and reflect on the importance of protecting and valuing our waterways.
The Park
The theme of the second episode was inspired by Manchester opening its first city centre park in over 100 years this month! We wanted to learn about the site’s transformation from a derelict wasteland into a lush haven in the city centre, and also explore the importance of green spaces on our mental health and well-being.
Culture
The Mayfield district in Manchester is becoming a cultural hub in the city, with it being home to The Warehouse Project, Escape To Freight Island, and hosting events such MIF, Pride and numerous art exhibitions. So it only seemed natural to theme an episode around the culture surrounding the park today. However, we also wanted to dig a bit deeper and explore the unique cultural heritage of the site and investigate how this has also developed over time.
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Take the plunge and move up to Manchester, it will be worth it!
What do you want for the future?
Working on the ‘Park Life’ podcast has really reinforced my desire to continue working with audio and sourcing work that integrates my passion for sound design, recording audio and producing music. In the future, I would love to continue producing audio content across different formats and using my creativity to shape the listening experience.
Do you have anything upcoming that you would like to shout about?
I’m super excited to have my first track released over the coming months as part of a compilation album on Martyn’s record label, 3024. Keep an eye out for that!
Stepping up to the mic for this rendition of Raise The Bar, it’s the voices behind Super Secret Club, Stay Safe and Layton.
They’ve been in the scene since 2005 and now they make a comeback on the Jorgy and Cheech show, joining the hosts with their brand new alias’, as well as plenty of briefcase chat to follow.
Listen back to the full show down below to find out more about their incredibly secret, not-so-secret club that’s taking the Manchester rap scene by storm.
WATCH STAY SAFE’S FREESTYLE NOW.
WATCH LEYTON’S FREESTYLE NOW.
Join Jim Ottewill this October to celebrate the launch of his new book ‘Out of Space | How UK Cities Shaped Rave Culture’, published on Velocity Press.
The event will feature a live Q&A in conversation with a number of DJs and fellow creatives from Manchester such as aalice (Meat Free), Ruf Dug (Rüf Kutz), Mix-Stress (RebeccaNeverBecky) and more TBA.
If you’re not familiar with Jim or his special guests, keep reading to find out more about them.
Jim Ottewill
Jim Ottewill is a music journalist with more than a decade of experience writing for Mixmag, FACT, Resident Advisor, Hyponik, MusicTech magazine and more. Jim’s dalliances in dance music include partying everywhere from cutlery factories in South Yorkshire to warehouses in Portland, Oregon.
Jim has recently published his first book with Velocity Press, ‘Out of Space | How UK Cities Shaped Rave Culture’.
aalice
Best known for being one-quarter of the female-led techno party Meat Free, aalice has taken her sound across the UK and further afield playing parties and festivals from the infamous AVA Boiler Room to Field Maneuvers, Festival No. 6 and Innercity Electronic. aalice currently holds a residency at Hidden in Manchester – one of the UK’s most famous clubs.
In the game for 20 years, Ruffy has never been one to rest on his laurels. In the last year alone he’s been nominated for Track Of The Year at Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Awards, been made one of the hosts of NTS’s flagship daily Soup To Nuts show, resumed his DJ schedule in fine style, launched an audiophile rave that’s already attained legendary status and had releases and remixes on a host of top-shelf labels.
DJ Mix-Stress is a firm favourite on the Manchester music scene and beyond, pleasing crowds and ears alike with her soulful and uplifting sets.
Mix-Stress is also the founder of the art collective, RebeccaNeverBecky, which platforms LGBTQ+ creatives, performers and DJs. Outside of music, she works towards strategy and policy change within the fields of creative culture and the night-time economy in Greater Manchester.
Our last book launch went down a treat. Watch the video down below to see what went down and a little taste of what to expect.
If you can’t make it down in person, don’t worry – we’ve got you covered. Just like last time, the event will be live-streamed on our website for your viewing pleasure!
It’s all fun and games being a fellow creative until the inevitability of funding pops up. Are you pondering the idea of freelancing? Have you just had a groundbreaking revelation for a new project?
Don’t worry, we have you covered! Our Head of Development, Jo Warmington, has kindly set up an amazing database of resources full of funding opportunities, particularly for artists and freelance creatives.
It’s completely free to access and has a bunch of beneficial resources that could help you out on your next creative venture!
To access it, please click here.
It’s been a hot second since Alienvert dropped by the studio. Back in January, they blessed our eardrums when they made their Raise The Bar freestyle debut.
But, the fun didn’t stop there. Alienvert came back to join Daisy Adams for round 2.
Since January, the young rapper has been playing a host of live shows, including shows catered towards their audience of 18 and under.
Listen back to the full show down below to hear some exclusive music from the artist and find out more about their creative ventures this year.
Watch the performance now.
Our two-week digital broadcasting course kicked off last month, inviting young people across Manchester to learn about all things producing, presenting, scripting, live broadcast and more. This programme was kindly made possible by Manchester Adult Education.
Participants came together to learn how a working radio environment functions and equip themselves with the skill set to pursue their dreams of finding careers in digital broadcasting.
We caught up with one of the participants to chat about their experience. After studying Film at the University of Central Lancashire, 27 year old Zack Khan from Manchester has since aspired to work within the TV or Film industry. We had a chat to find out a little bit more about Zack, why he joined Radio Course and his goals for the future.
Please can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
My name’s Zack and I’m from Manchester. I’ve been back and forth between Manchester, Preston and Pakistan over the past ten years. After moving to Preston for University and then dropping out, I decided to come back to Manchester and live in Oldham.
Film has always been a huge part of my life and my childhood dream was always to grow up and work in the film industry. That’s partially how I ended up here!
How have you heard about Radio Course and what prompted you to get involved?
My work coach at University had received a call out about the course and reached out to me asking if I wanted to get involved. I never expected to be doing anything in radio but I thought, why not!?
If money wasn’t a thing, what would you like to be doing full time?
As a kid, it was always film and TV. During lockdown, I tried podcasting for a couple of months. It was mainly about films and entertainment, such as what’s going on in the industry and film news. It was called the Mad Bat Podcast which was a mix of our two favourite films: Mad Max and Batman.
Is there anything you were involved in before joining Radio Course that you would like to share?
After I finished college, I took a gap year before University and went back to Pakistan for a year and did a couple of months of work with an independent film-maker who mainly made adverts.
I think he was shooting an advert where my dad worked at the time. My dad had spoken to him and said something along the lines of ‘my son is really interested in this, could you potentially take him on as a volunteer?’. It was pretty cool and he got me really involved in it.
When and how did you realise that that is the thing you wanted to do?
I used to have one of those old TVs that had a built-in VCR player, my mum got me loads of VHS tapes so a lot of my childhood was spent in my room watching movies. Seeing what you could do in those worlds, the possibilities and the lack of restrictions really excited me. I never imagined that I would be doing radio or podcasting but I’m glad I have some experience in these things now.
I remember getting into podcasts during my gap year when the app showed up on my phone after an update and I was like ‘what’s this?’. My go-to podcasts are The NoSleep Podcast which is an anthology series of horror stories, and ‘The Last Podcast on The Left’ which is a dark comedy, true crime podcast.
Let’s throw it back to your first day at Reform versus now, tell me a bit about your first impressions/feelings/emotions in comparison to how you feel now. What has changed?
Before I walked through the door, it was a very tense and nervous experience. I’m usually not the type of person that does well in social situations, especially after the last couple of years of Covid and lockdown. Essentially, the moment I walked in there was a very calm, inviting and supportive environment which easily set those fears aside.
Anxiety popped up here and there, mainly from doing creative writing exercises. I would worry in my own head ‘I don’t know if I can do this’, but I largely managed to overcome these feelings thanks to Alex and Naomi who were really supportive and patient. They got involved and offered help. It was a very cohesive environment.
What is one thing you have learnt from the course that you will take home with you?
I learnt a lot of technical stuff such as operating the equipment, recording and monitoring mic levels on the drops. I feel like I will carry these skills on with me even if I don’t get into film. They are great skills to know for editing Youtube videos, which I have some experience with.
What are your goals after the project?
One goal is to work on areas that I have personally struggled with over the past two weeks. For example, the anxiety that I talked about. I have a habit of second-guessing myself and stopping myself from doing stuff.
Something that caught me off guard was that when doing creative work, it often requires you to be vulnerable to some degree. That’s something I’ve had in mind and thought maybe I should let myself be vulnerable and not be so closed off.
When Covid started I was living on my own. A few years of living by myself and then lockdown made me really closed off and I didn’t have much opportunity to go out and interact with people. Being on this course has taught me I really do need to start opening up again, especially in this line of work it’s really beneficial.
To listen to the full show that the group worked on together, please click down below.
If you would like to get involved or find out more about any of our projects, please drop us an email at projects@reformradio.co.uk.
As part of #BeeWell Week we are proud to partner this year with the #BeeWell Festival and contribute to the digital programme of content, which focuses on young people and mental health.
Take a listen to some of the content we’ve been creating in the past few years in support of young people’s mental health.
Next Tuesday we’re taking over Band on The Wall for the Soundcamp Showcase, bringing 12 exciting up-and-coming talents to the stage for a night of live performances and celebration of our most recent artist development programme, Soundcamp.
12 weeks ago we partnered up with Youth Music Charity and Thirty Pound Gentleman to curate a mentoring scheme for up-and-coming musicians aged 18 – 25.
The project kicked off with a two-week bootcamp where participants were invited into the space to work on songwriting and creative collaboration. 12 finalists were then selected to stay on and receive mentoring from industry professionals such as Werkha, Jenna G and Anna Mcluckie.
Get yourselves down there on Tuesday 13th September to hear the magic for yourselves.
Grab your free tickets here.
Every week we select our favourite tracks and share them with you. This week we’re taking a look at Rock bands coming out of Manchester, the obscurities of synthesizers and beatdowns.
SOUR HONEY
Rock band Sour Honey hailing from Manchester have just released new single ‘Cold Coffee’ and it’s getting us excited for their new album drop. The track is produced by Joe Chiccarelli, who has worked with some stars such as Elton John, The Strokes, The Killers and Morrissey to name a few.
ISMATIC GURU
Steak and Cake Records meets Swimming Faith with the return of Ismatic Guru. Their ‘Part II’ EP is rich in vocal grunge, infectious rhythms, warped speed and a general air of over-the-topness. With an incredibly fast pace and sarcastic lyrics that tell the tales of self-improvement, going to the dentist, existential nervous breakdowns and an annoying bug, this New-Wave, Post-Punk revival is one to check out.
WOLFEY
Get your pre-orders in now for this synth-heavy retrograde that goes by the name ‘Crab Park Sunrise’.
“DJ Wolfey makes his debut on Seb Wildbloods and Church UK with a three-track EP full of ever infectious grooves and rich nostalgic synth work. Closing track ’Sunday Drive’ signs off with a darker, more acidic aura as the tempo climbs for a peak energy offering” – Mixmag.
DANVERS
If you’re looking for dance-floor-ready stompers, Danvers‘ latest album ‘Gently Ascending’ is your best bet.
Titled after the technical intricacies that make up the 9 track album, Danver comments on the technical approach he took when producing: “All of the tracks have an upwards barber pole phase on the main sounds (sometimes it’s super prominent and sometimes it’s more buried in the mix). This makes all the tracks sound like they’re gliding upwards… It turns tracks that might otherwise be considered pretty heavy or aggressive and turn them into something more ethereal and dreamy.”
GALAKTIC ROGUE VS. SPECTACULAR DIAGNOSTICS
“This is the first release in a series that sees two label mates going head-to-head in a beat tape beatdown: Galaktic Rogue VS. Spectacular Diagnostics. A beat tape space opera extravaganza crammed with mind-exploding beats, cult movie samples, and villainous loops” – Bandcamp.
Last year we announced our first ever Artist In Residence, Melissa Dean. Helping others get into creative spaces has always been at the core of what Reform is all about. Through this programme, the artist received a small bursary and free space, as well as support into paid work, both within and outside our organisation.
We caught up with Melissa to see how her time being the Artist In Residence at Reform has been and what highlights or challenges she has faced.
To find out more, keep reading…
Please introduce yourself and briefly describe what the Artist In Residence is and what it means to you.
Hey! My name is Melissa Dean and I am a multi-disciplined artist; actress, voice-over, producer, writer and radio show host. The Artist In Residence was an opportunity I was given by Reform to offer me various types of support, granting me full access to Reform’s space. I have also been offered three paid opportunities throughout my year here and a bursary of £300. I get to work alongside the most beautiful team and have access to a mental health advisor.
I was producing a film at the time that I wrote to Reform to ask if they would have any desk space I could use. I was finding working from home difficult and it was expensive going into cafes to work each day. Within 6 weeks, Jemma called me to discuss the Artist In Residence role.
It goes to show that if you don’t ask for support, you won’t get it. What is there to lose other than a bit of pride? We need to get better at asking and feel more encouraged asking for things from organisations within our communities. I’ve spent years sending my acting work to casting directors and never hear a response. Had I let those rejections crush me, I never would have written to Reform and I wouldn’t have had this life-changing opportunity.
That is really what it has been for me. I am 34 now and have been working in the arts since I was 21. Reform is the first organisation to offer me support. To believe in me. To say yes. To give me the artistic space I needed. I’ve been able to record my voice-overs in a professional setting. I’ve had space 24 hours a day to do audition tapes. I’ve had the space to work late when people have left to lay out my manuscript on the entirety of the floor and cut and edit it. I’ve been so welcomed into an artistic team which I’ve never had before.
What have the last 6 months brought you personally and/or professionally?
Personally, my confidence has grown wonders. People think that because I’m an actress and I can be extroverted that I must be the most confident person in the world, which is not the case. I have my own fears and anxieties and I’ve often struggled within workplaces to fit in with rules and regulations.
I’ve been able to take part in the various free courses Reform runs. The facilitation course, DJing, Soundcamp; all of which taught me brand new skills. I’ve always wanted to try DJ’ing and I finally got to learn that skill for free with some aftercare too. I just got offered my first DJ gig, led by my facilitator at Reform. Soundcamp came for me at a time when I was having a tremendously hard time in my personal life. The course offered the space I needed to not feel trapped in the room, to be able to leave the room when I needed to but to also be as present as I could. It was exactly what I needed at that time and I really wanted to face my fear of singing; a goal and fear I’d had since I was a child. I sang for the first time in public at Drop The Mic after doing Soundcamp and I’ve gone on to write music with a producer and a musician.
What have been your highlights?
Honestly, number 1 is the amazing team at Reform. It wouldn’t be Reform without them all. The DJ course, Soundcamp (25 artists shoved into a room for 2 weeks to jam together). Having the space early morning and at night time for auditions tapes and a writing space has been so useful.
What have you learnt during this process? Were there any challenges?
I think the biggest challenge for me has been learning how to use my time daily and keep to a schedule. When you are a full-time artist and work across different projects and are your own boss, for me the hardest thing is having a daily routine to stick to.
How does it feel to be a part of Reform?
It feels so exciting. There’s so much scope for possibility. If you were to look at the space, the courses and the paid opportunities and put them all in front of you at the start of one’s time there, it’s just a gigantic pool of hope and excitement. It really is an exciting opportunity that can be taken anywhere!
Is there anything that has happened as a direct result of being the Artist In Residence?
I’ve been doing voice-overs for 8 years now. When I was offered the opportunity to do VO’s for The Guardian Newspapers Podcasts, I didn’t have the soundproof space at home. Having that space at Reform let me take that work on and offer professional recordings.
Would you recommend it? Who do you think this kind of residency will be most beneficial for?
Of course, I would recommend it! I think the residency would best suit someone that may need various types of space such as studio, DJ facilities, room or desk space. Someone who needs an artistic team around them, who would like to delve into the opportunities of the free courses.
This is a difficult one to answer – I just wanted desk space when I wrote to Reform, they were the ones that offered so much more. I wouldn’t want anyone to read the above and think that’s not me. I think a person coming into the space and hearing one of the directors, Jemma, talk about the possibilities was what woke up my creative mind.
What advice would you give anyone who was in your shoes before the Artist In Residence?
I just looked at the project I had going on at that time. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I wish I had been more present which may have come from better planning. I also allowed a bad relationship to distract me from giving my all to the courses and to my time here. I wish I could start over and re-do some of it. I’ve got to take it as a lesson moving forward, that I and my career come first.
What are your hopes and goals for the next 6 months?
I don’t really have any projects going on but I do want to up my DJ skills and I would like to sing much more before my time is up. I plan to record an EP with the rest of my time and practise my DJing. If I come up with any more project ideas, I’ll also take advantage of the wonderful opportunity to talk to Reform’s funding lead, Jo. Another, once in a lifetime opportunity. I really have so much gratitude to Reform, I will forever be thankful for what you’ve done for me.
This was made possible by the Hope Continues Project. A partnership between Curious Minds, Hope Streets and The National Heritage Lottery.
Bandcamp Friday was initiated in March 2020, when Bandcamp waived their revenue share in order to help artists and labels impacted by the pandemic.
The initiative is still ongoing and for this month’s Bandcamp Friday we would like to shout about the latest releases from our residents.
Joey T and Levi Love are back with another set of cut-ups and reworks. 80s Synth Pop meets Funk in this Housey re-work of ‘Linked With Wolfsburg’. Funky basslines, tin-like drums and summery synths fill up the track, showing how eclectic the two are as musicians when paired together.
Graphics by Rachel Evans at Little Lion Studios.
Imaginary Part’s remix of ‘Billy Bogus & Federico Bologna – Yor’ is available to purchase now on the Italian record label Screaming Cockatiel Records.
Brilliantly atmospheric and Ambient, this rendition of ‘Yor’ explores versatility through the use of ominous synth slurs and looming percussive patterns.
FRONT & FOLLOW / GATED COMMUNITY
Front & Follow and the Gated Canal Community present ‘RENTAL YIELDS’ – a multi-release collaboration project raising money to tackle homelessness in Manchester.
Inspired by our current housing system, the project encourages artists to steal (or borrow, nicely) from other artists to create their own tracks.
New one ‘The Singles Club’ from Mali Hayes released on Band On The Wall Recordings.
Side A opens with ‘Forgive You’, a wonderfully warm, fuzzy, composition of Neo-Soul. Gliding into the blissful acoustic guitar of Side B with ‘Come Closer’.