The holiday season is in full swing and to celebrate Christmas and the fast approaching 2k23, our hosts Yelena Lashimba and Dan Owens-Cooper (who also happens to be our lovely Well-being Manager) have prepared something special for you.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, right? … well, not exactly. For many, the holiday season can present challenges to emotional well-being – a fact that is often drowned out by seasonal greetings, festive tunes, and incorrect assumptions that ’tis the season to be jolly (…regardless of how we might actually feel!). On Xmas Eve at 2PM Dan is bringing you‘A ‘Mental’ Year’, a show offering an important professional take on mental health and the holiday period, season survival tips, and a helpful reminder of how we covered mental health at Reform Radio in 2022.
Xmas Day will see the special edition of Reform’s first ever daily morning show The Get Up, hosted by yours truly Yelena Lashimba. In the final Get Up of 2022, Yelena will be going through Reform’s highlights of the year, plus playing some of her all time favourite tunes. A perfect soundtrack to opening your presents whilst munching on those Brussels sprouts.
The last Podcasting Course of 2022 has just wrapped up and what an amazing 2 weeks it has been. For those not familiar with this programme, it’s a 2-week course in which participants learn the ins and outs of podcasting, focusing on audio, scriptwriting and recording, ultimately working towards creating their own live radio show. We caught up with 2 participants Dani and Astrid to chat about their journey at Reform and their future plans!
ASTRID
Describe yourself in 3 words.
Dani: Informative, efficient, and quiet.
Astrid: Dedicated, adaptable, friendly.
Please can you tell us a little bit about yourself? What are your interests? What are your hobbies?
Dani: I am a multi hobbyist myself. I like to learn new things whenever I can. Keeps my brain active. I am fascinated with audio, character design, mixology, writing, video production, especially films and everything about fashion.
Astrid: I just graduated in English Literature from University of Manchester. I’m interested in Film, TV and want to break into this industry. Ideally, I’d eventually write but I am happy to do research now and learn behind the scenes. Maybe even factual shows. So yeah, this is part of the reason I started this course.
When and how did you realise that you want to be in media?
Dani: I started wanting to make media back in year one. Year two, when my school sort of introduced me to the idea of acting and stage performing, it hooked me immediately. It was then that I spent the rest of my life working either in some form or another with media creation. Growing up alongside YouTube from a young age, that sort of opened the doors for the whole idea of media creation and it all just branched out into many media formats. It’s interesting to me, specifically voice sightings really interest me. I want to get back on the camera whenever I can, live broadcast, stage shows etc.
DANI
How did you hear about Reform & the Podcasting Course? What prompted you to get involved?
Dani: I heard about Reform through my work coach at a Job Centre and they all said: “Hey, we saw you were a creative mind. And there’s this radio taster session happening in September. Would you like us to sign you up for it?” And it’s during this, I heard about Podcasting Course and thought, yes, this is more me and aligns better with my interests.
Astrid: I actually found out about this course through a Facebook runners group CV page. Upon reviewing other people’s CVs and seeing their experience etc, I noticed Reform listed as a creative course. Once I looked into it, I was like, this is perfect for me to get started. Not only can I learn creative skills, but also for free as well. I was excited to get started.
What were you working on in particular for these past 2 weeks?
Dani: We’ve spent a lot of time preparing for our live radio show. My segment focuses on the culture and history of drinks, mixology. I think it’s important to respect this.
Astrid: My project is a bit of a weird one! I decided I would do a word a day but change it, so I would do a dialect a day. I wanted it to be fun, light hearted and not too serious. And yeah, looking at how people know about it, relate to it or feel about it.
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?
Dani: I came in and expected to be a lot more quiet than I’ve been because normally in a lot of temporary education settings, there’s very little for someone like myself to really be outspoken. But since the course, I have made a couple mates and we’re going for a drink tomorrow after the course. I have gelled well with the participants and everyone else and this is rare for me. Socialising can be hard for me, but in a weird cosmic twist it has really worked out!
Astrid: To start with, we didn’t get into the content making part as we were learning theory, which now, makes so much sense because everything has fell into place. It’s nice to have someone over my shoulder as I create because the pointers are helpful. I’ve enjoyed being creative in Reform. It feels like a very safe environment. I’ve struggled with anxiety around my own creativity. I am working my way through this though and finding ways to feel comfortable and confident in my own work.
What is one thing you have learnt from the course that you will take home with you?
Dani: I can’t expect to be so quiet all the time. It’s important to vibe with what is in the room, and most of the time, it will vibe back.
Astrid: I have learnt how easy it can be to make your own podcast. And software required to do this, is free! And has reminded me how possible things are even on a smaller scale. Like, I can make a podcast with just an iPhone and my own laptop.
What are your goals after the project?
Dani: Find a job. Mostly to keep up studies in different fields, keep in contact with people on this course and make a podcast, maybe even just for myself.
Astrid: Leave my waitressing job and get working creatively. I want to sit down, when I have time, and write either a film or play, I’m unsure what it will be yet, but it’s been a goal for a long time so I will begin that soon.
You can listen to the full project show 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.
Every month we spotlight our lovely residents’ events. Here are a few ways to get into the festive spirits in Manchester this December.
GOOD CUSTARD X RAMONA TAKEOVER
Good Custard are back this month, taking over Ramona with all resident line up. The entry is free, however the spaces are limited, so come down early, to make sure you don’t miss out.
NOT BAD FOR A GIRL
On Saturday 3rd of December catch our residents Not Bad For A Girl at Old Abbey Taphouse w/ Syntax, Kisa + more…
ANDREA TROUT
Sundays just got much better… On the 18th of December Band On The Wall welcomes our resident Andrea Trout for Soulful Sundays session alongside Ruby Swallow.
BUILDING:BRIDGES
Real cowboys never run….. …..they just ride away….
Buckle up buckaroos, looks like we got ourselves a hoedown. The notorious Semi Peppered & Building:Bridges Outlaw Federation is pardnerin’ up with one of the baddest bronco posses, She Will Provide. Together, this hair-triggered triarchy is running the hardest barn dance this wild wild North West desert ever did see. 🤠
First up on the rodeo roster is no stranger to knee-high boots and a buccaneering attitude, it’s Ambient Babestation Meltdown. The London-based DJ and producer has spent the last few years cooking up gunslingin’ EBM, techno & electroclash topped with trademark sultry spoken word, culminating this year in her debut release on Optimo – a 4 tracker tighter than Yosemite Sam’s keks. 💥
Up next is absolutely NO yeller belly, up on that there saddle is Mama Char. One of the quickest draws in the county! She’ll be bringing the percussive pressure to our saloon stick up, guaranteed to get your booties square dancing til the devil bitin’ your ass. 👹
Together, we’ll be kicking down the barn doors of Lurid Ultra Hybrid – a lawless landscape in the Islington Mill desert, where cowboys, townsfolk, bandits and do-gooders forget the day’s toils, swig moonshine and make merry ‘til high noon
Raised in Mancunian streets of Newton Heath, MOWAVEY graces Reform’s airwaves with a slick freestyle on the latest instalment of The Daisy Adams Show.
MOWAVEY is a versatile artist; both a vocalist and rapper. His art reflects on his diverse upbringing and channels his musical narratives through his Nigerian & German background. His track ‘Gyal‘ featured on BBC Radio last year and has proven itself to be a nightlife favourite.
His freestyle performance showcases a natural rhythmic ability that is paced, flows well and takes the listener alongside on his sonic journey. Check out the video below to catch the magic for yourself.
Listen back to the full show to find out more about MOWAVEY and all that went down with Daisy in the studio.
We attended the Manchester Culture Awards on the 24th November for a night of fabulous food, awards and fun with other local creative organisations. The event was held at the Vermilion restaurant and featured the highest number of nominations since the awards first began in 2018, with 466 nominations across 13 categories.
The evening was hosted by Nazia Mogra alongside three young hosts Hans Wiener, Ahtasham Akhtar and Kao Hove. We were nominated in 2 categories: ‘Promotion of Health and Well-being’ & ‘Promotion of Culture and Education’ – the first was awarded to The Edge and the latter to MADE.
Congratulations to all of the winners and nominees! You can check out the full list of winners below.
Full list of winners.
Best Business Partnership: Barry Bennett Ltd and Venture Arts
Best Event: HOME – HOMEground
Best Exhibition: Science and Industry Museum – Cancer Revolution: Science, Innovation and Hope
Best Performance: Manchester International Festival – When The Birds Land
Independent Creative of the Year: Sharon Raymond
Made in Manchester: Manchester Young Carers Music Project
Promotion of Culture & Education: MADE
Promotion of Environmental Sustainability: Roots and Branches
Promotion of Equality & Social Justice: Uncertain Futures
Promotion of Health & Wellbeing: The Edge
Promotion of Talent & Leadership: Brighter Sound Leadership Programme
Young Creative of the Year: Yandass Ndlovu
The Manchester People’s Culture Award: Ed Wellard
Special Recognition Awards
Dave Moutrey OBE
Lemn Sissay OBE
Kate Day
The work being done by those in our community continues to amaze and inspire us. What a fulfilling event, to come together in one place and celebrate each other’s achievements, hard work and missions to better our city and our culture.
We thank everyone who helped put together such a special evening.
November 2022 welcomed the first ever instalment of DJ Sessions for experienced DJs. Last Friday the course finished with a bang, bringing together and shining a light on all the artists with a high-energy showcase!
This two-week advanced course invited seasoned Disc Jockeys to take their craft to next level. Learning advanced digital & vinyl DJ techniques, getting support on their promo assets, and strengthening their network. All working towards grabbing more gig opportunities!
We spoke to Omar, a participant from this session who started their DJ journey with our beginners DJ Sessions course!
Please introduce yourself…
My name is Omar Bala. I’ve been going through this DJ course, which is massive. I studied sound engineering and over the past few years, I’ve been mostly spending my time doing hospitality work. I met lots of musician friends through that, and they introduced me to a lot of new genres I’ve never heard before, which excited me about DJing.
What are your hobbies and interests?
I’ve always been interested in arts. I studied interior design for three and a half years, a year of industrial design, then three and a half years of graphic design. My biggest passion was photography since 2008. I became obsessed with it. I participated in a lot of workshops, exhibitions, and facilitated a course on graphic design and photography while I was living in Malaysia before moving to Manchester.
I paused [creatively] due to a lot of reasons. I kind of disconnected from myself for a very long period and couldn’t really get creative in any way until very recently.
Describe your personality in 3 words!
Fluid, dynamic and ever changing.
If money wasn’t a thing, what would you like to be doing full time?
I’d be making art. Also helping people to be more in touch with themselves and fitting with what they want to be.
What prompted you to get involved with DJ Sessions?
A friend of mine knew about this course and mentioned it. He took a Radio Course before and told me about what kind of an organisation Reform is and what kind of courses they do. It seemed really interesting and suitable for me.
DJing is something that I never imagined actually getting into but I’m so glad that I did.
How did you first get involved with DJing?
Reform Radio! I DJ’ed for the first time [at the beginners DJ Sessions course]. It was the first time I ever touched a deck. I was nervous throughout, to be honest. But, as I learned more, my confidence built up slowly. The facilitators helped me massively in this department. They gave me constant guidance and also some encouragement and validation, which really helped.
What’s your favourite thing about DJing?
Lifting people’s emotions up with the music that you play. It just connects people. It’s similar to why I love cooking for people. It brings them together, connects them, puts them on the same level, and good things happen.
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?
I still experienced some anxiety today at the final showcase. It’s something constant for me. I struggle with making mistakes even though I know everybody makes mistakes. First day I was astronomically nervous. Today I was much less, like 5% of that. But yeah, I gained a lot of confidence. I also was socially a bit more open today in comparison to my first day where I was completely shut.
What was the most memorable moment from the course?
I would say the showcase. The beginners course had a bigger group with music that varied to a ridiculous degree. This time the group was a bit smaller, which helped with the flow of learning.
I also learned a lot more than the beginners course, even though I didn’t know anything when I attended that one!
But the most memorable moment from the advanced course, I’d say were the tips and guidance from Gregor and Niall, and the two sessions where musicians came to show us their skills, like the fundamentals of vinyl scratching and the basics of music production.
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.
We are so excited to launch a series of new programmes in partnership with Greater Manchester Combined Authority – ‘In Focus’ in Radio, Content & Social Media, Mind & Planet.
Independently focusing on audio, content creation, Carbon Literacy and well-being, all delivered by industry experts. The course is fully funded and has been made possible with the Skills for Growth & European Social Fund. Get in touch at projects@reformradio.co.uk to find out more.
The courses were designed through consultation across the creative sector with freelancers, artists, organisations and employees, to meet current demands and skill gaps.
Individuals will learn a variety of skills ranging from music production to podcasting, social media and marketing strategies to filming and concept production. There will also be bespoke Carbon Literacy training, stress management and tailored well-being workshops.
In Focus: Radio
A 7-week course to learn all the skills required for music radio production. Led by Reform’s award-winning Podcasting Team with experience in national BBC strands, independent production companies, online radio and music related podcasts. During this course you will learn about audio production, presenting, music sequencing, research and interview skills, recording, editing & sound design, industry advice and knowledge on BBC systems.
In Focus: Content and Social Media
A 7-week course delivered by Reform’s experienced Content & Marketing Team, featuring exciting guests from the creative industry. In this programme you will learn the ins and outs of digital content creation with hands-on experience in video & photography. You will develop a social media strategy and deliver a live event, all whilst gaining knowledge about pre & post production.
Covering the following topics, as well as looking at tailored content for you or your team: Communicating without conflict, Overcoming Impostor Syndrome, Active Listening and Coaching Skills, Confidence Building, Improving Motivation, Stress Management & Avoiding Burnout, Facing your Fear of Failure, and many more.
Part 2 – Planet
Carbon Literacy Training developed and delivered by award-winning Head of Production and sustainability expert, Dan Jackson, this programme will provide a deep-understanding of the science of climate change and how our everyday activities contribute to it.
Through group learning, discussion and practical workshops, individuals will learn how to develop creative strategies to maximise their influence and minimise their negative impacts on the climate. With bespoke content specifically tailored to production companies, digital content producers, gamers, designers and the media industry.
The programmes are free to attend and eligibility for these courses are those 16+, who live or work within Greater Manchester, and are employed or self employed. If you would like to get involved in any of these courses, please email projects@reformradio.co.uk.
Meet Farwa who is Reform Radio’s Operations Coordinator and Women’s Safety Lead, as appointed by ‘Women’s Night-time Safety Charter’ programme. We caught up with her to take a look at her journey from day one at Reform to her elevation into her current position.
Please introduce yourself and tell us one fun fact about yourself?
Hi, my name is Farwa, I’m Operations Coordinator at Reform Radio & I love making fresh flower jewellery and balancing that out by training Muay Thai.
Describe yourself in 3 words?
Upbeat, grounded and straightforward.
How did you get involved with Reform?
Funnily enough, during an old job my manager told me all about Reform. I saw that they had a few courses that could really help me develop my skills and confidence over lockdown so I just dived in.
What were you up to before joining Reform?
Before I joined Reform, I was studying Literature at a university and was a Culture Editor of the Arts & Humanities magazine ‘aAh!’ – A big focus for me during this time was diversifying the content by writing reviews & interviewing zine-makers from across the world about their passions and inspirations.
How did you get into literature and what are your inspirations for the future?
I actually got into literature because I thought it would be a good stepping stone into traditional journalism. Since then, I’ve been exposed to so many different ways of sharing stories, through audio as well as writing, so I’m excited to see what’s next for me creatively.
You’ve been appointed Reform’s ‘Women’s Safety Champion’ – can you tell us a bit more about this?
I put myself forward for this position because I wanted to make sure we’re prioritising the safety of all women, creating safe spaces and encouraging organisations and people to become active bystanders, and stepping in in the case of any unwanted advances or harassment.
Why is the topic of women’s safety important to you?
The topic of women’s safety is really important to me because unfortunately women have become used to identifying potential threats or attempts of intimidation, and now sort of expect it when out, and I’d like to help be a force for change when it comes to women feeling safe at work and otherwise. While we hope that we wouldn’t have to monitor our safety, it seems there are some unwritten rules that we all live by; like faking a call in a taxi or crossing the road at night when around big groups.
Manchester City Council held an open information and training session detailing what the ‘Women’s Night-time Safety Charter’ programme is, what’s on offer and what businesses can do. We chatted to Candi Wallace, who is part of the Safety Team at Manchester City Council.
Please introduce yourself?
My name is Candi Wallace. I work for the Safety Team at Manchester City Council and I’m the Violence Against Women and Girls Lead for the City Council. I’ve been leading on various initiatives that we’ve launched over the last few months for women’s and girls’ safety across the city.
Can you tell us a bit more about the training sessions?
The training is a free offer for all organisations that pledge up to the Women’s Night-time Safety Charter. The Night-time Safety Charter was launched officially about four weeks ago. It’s based on the London model, which we have adapted to suit Manchester.
The training is just part of it, it’s really around raising awareness of what sexual assault and harassment is, across all of our sectors. It’s an offer to those who pledge to try and upskill staff, give them a bit more time to understand how to respond better to situations or scenarios they may enter and even consider their own policies.
When you say ‘women’, is this inclusive of non-binary & trans people?
We are including all women, LGBT community. Absolutely. We have specialist services to the LGBT community. We’re very fortunate in Manchester that we have got a really wide range of services that represent all our communities. If we have men who are victims, we have services that can pick that up and can refer, signpost or support them too.
What are the future goals for this programme?
We are really just trying to make sure we skill up as many people as possible from across all of our organisations so that they can help their own staff and customers. We are trying to create awareness for everyone, which we hope will create more safe spaces across the city. Giving people the ability to help identify what sexual assault and harassment is. We all have a lot to learn from each other. Over the next few months we hope to only upscale our efforts and to reach everyone.
Mancunian artists Mimi & Kay Rico team up for a live performance of their recent R&B single ‘Replaceable’ on the latest instalment of Jorgy & Cheech show.
Mimi exudes a calming and assured presence throughout her performance in the music video for Replaceable. This is then contrasted with lyrics like “If you disrespecting me, then I’ll be disrespecting you” to remind audiences she’s not to be played with.
Kay Rico, ‘Rap Game UK’ alumni, features on the track, bringing his own original flow and personality to the song and video.
Listen back to the full show down below to find out more about Mimi & Kay’s new track and all of the behind the scenes action on the shoot.
We thought it was about time we updated you on our flagship, all female and non-binary MC project HERchester, as there have been some serious developments over the last few months.
Firstly, massive congratulations to Prinny Moni, who’s just had her track signed to Red Bull. Prinny was straight on responding to a call from OneDa, who then put her name forward and the rest is history. This exemplifies what HERchester is all about, females pushing other female rappers forward in the industry.
Next up, after seeing last year’s HERchester cypher, Frequency was chosen to take part in an all star, Manchester cypher to celebrate the launch of Snoop Dog’s new wine brand Cali Red. Watch below.
In other news, work is well underway on a new podcast project that will pair a member of the HERchester fraternity with a scientific researcher, with the aim of making the academic work more accessible through the medium of rap. The first few collaborations have been recorded, including a trip to Cambridge with Soundcamp graduate Karis Jade.
This work has been funded by the HDBI and is due for release in 2023. The Human Developmental Biology Initiative (HDBI)is a Wellcome-funded group of researchers at Institutes across the UK who are all trying to better understand how humans develop before birth.
We’re also thrilled to announce the next iteration, HERchester Up North, has been kindly funded by Arts Council Englandand is launching very soon. More news on this this to follow but the project has been built of a successful, North West wide pilot last year. Check out what went down behind the scenes in our short documentary below. It brought together women, non-binary people, transgender women and those that identify as women from 4 different cities: Manchester, Morecambe, Blackpool and Sheffield teaming up with RiteTrax, House of Wingz and More Music who accommodated and guided participants in their respective cities.
If you want to get involved in our next instalment of HERchester Up North, drop us an email on projects@reformradio.co.uk.
Every month we spotlight our lovely residents’ events. Here are a few ways to spend your weekends in some of Manchester’s most adored night-time spots this November.
DOCTORS AT WORK WITH RUBY SWALLOW [FREIGHT ISLAND]
Reform resident Levi Love will be playing along side Douglas McConachie, Yadava Campbell and curator of the night Ruby Swallow.
Catch the crew at Freight Island on Saturday 12th November.
Great Danes are back with another instalment! Showcasing the people behind the collective, with the sounds of residents CONE, Lucian and MBB, as well as DJ Shuttlecock making his long awaited return.
Hit up XLR on Saturday 19th November for an energetic fusion of Leftfied Bass, UK Techno and all things 140.
BASEMENT BOOGIELAND X ALEX VIRGO
Coming in extremely hot off the success of last years event, Good Custard bring in demand London DJ, Producer & Remixer, Alex Virgo to YES Basement!
On support is groove merchant, Hodgey who has had recent success with hits on RePlay Records and Late Ninety. Josh has since relocated to Manchester to showcase his funky inspired grooves and we can’t wait to see him in the booth.
Head down to Brew Tang in Manchester November 26th to enjoy some of the cities best vocalists including acts like Ten23, Via, Prima, Mo Othman, Soul31 & Dj Squal will be dropping 90’s RNB classics.
Tickets are only £9.05 and are available on the link below.
New for 2022, we are delighted that our work on environmental sustainability has copped us a nomination for The Sustainability Award. This has been several years work, namely from Lewys Stocks and our advisory board member Dan Jackson, but importantly engaging everyone across the organisation.
Congratulations to everyone and massive thanks to all our staff and community for engaging so positively in this work. Last week we had the pleasure of hosting a panel discussion focusing on creative sustainability, hosted by Dan. You can watch it back below.
To follow on from this success and to continue our work in this area, we’ll soon be launching free Carbon Literacy training, delivered by Dan, designed specifically for content makers and creatives. To sign up or find out more information email projects@reformradio.co.uk.
With The People’s Party being the first across the UK commission for BBC Radio 6 Music, we’re delighted that show’s host Afrodeutsche has been nominated for the Best New Voice award at this year’s APAs. Basically the Oscars for the production side of our industry, it’s great to see a concept that we’ve developed and produced has been recognised in this way. Massive congrats to the team and especially Henrietta, a born broadcaster who has brought her wealth of knowledge and passion to Friday nights on 6 Music.
We’re extremely honoured to be announced as an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation today – since the early days of broadcasting from the basement in Manchester, we are so proud of what Reform Radio has achieved.
We understand however that today will be extremely tough for arts organisations doing important work across the country and we stand with you in solidarity. We hope our resources can also be of benefit to others, as we continue to abide by our values; community, creativity and collaboration.
We are extremely thankful to the Arts Council and all our funders, young people, supporters, DJs, artists, colleagues, friends and listeners who have contributed so richly to this achievement. You make this community the incredible cultural force and agent for change that it is.
Congratulations to all who have received good news today, we are proud to stand with you ❤️
Climate change is complex and often terrifying but it can also be a rich source of inspiration. Whether it’s through creative placement and storytelling or transitioning to more sustainable practices, if you work in the creative industries you have more power than you realise.
Join us at Reform for a live, audio industry focused panel discussion, led by Dan Jackson, about how you can influence change through your editorial and creative practices. We will be discussing the increased importance of net zero, not just for the future of our planet but the acquisition of new work.
Dan has two decades of experience working across production and broadcasting. His credits span a broad range of programming including The South Bank Show, Coronation Street, and Beyond Belief and he’s produced content for ITV, the BBC World Service, BBC Radio 2 and 4 and the indie podcast sector including Spotify and Audible. Dan has won a number of awards for Sustainability in Production and combines his editorial, production-management and technical experience to support Reform Radio as an advisory board member.
Hosted by Reform’s Assistant Producer, Aisha Williams who has worked with Dan in the past to produce and present the station’s C-Change round table discussions. She is the perfect person to talk about how Reform have put Dan’s teachings into action.
Also joining them will be Reform Radio director Sam Oliveira to discuss the launch of a new carbon literacy training program, designed specifically for producers and content creators. This training will be free for anyone living in Greater Manchester and is accredited by the Carbon Literacy Project. Come along to find out more.
Launch: Saturday 29th October 2022, 12.00-13.00 Bound Art Book Fair, The Whitworth, Manchester, M15 6ER
Created by global majority and marginalised communities,SEEN was conceived in 2021 with a bold anti-racist manifesto to counter the London-centric narrative that often dominates music journalism. Celebrating unheard voices, it hopes communities can narrate their own stories and heritage, while connecting with global scenes linked to Britain’s colonial history.
SEEN was founded by three music industry professionals living in Manchester with funding from Arts Council England and Manchester Music City.
The SEEN founders are: Tunde Adekoya, the Artistic Director of Big People Music and Big People Community CIC, who is of Nigerian – British – English – London – Mancunian descent.
Kamila Rymajdo, a journalist and academic, predominantly writing about music, the creative industries and popular culture, who was born in Poland but grew up in the UK.
Balraj Samrai, a musician, facilitator and co-founder of Swing Ting from the Midlands, UK, who has been based in Manchester for over 15 years, working in both the music and education sectors.
HMD shot by Daniel Oyegade
The first issue celebrates Manchester music, spotlighting the migration journey of Somalia hailing musician HMD who’s settled in Moss Side via Denmark and DJ Paulette, who’s written about the need to unionise DJing. The magazine also explores musical scenes such as the feeling of belonging and joy that Manchester’s fledgling amapiano movement has provided for the city’s South African community and a reflective account of the UK’s South Asian undergrounds.
DJ Paulette shot by Daniel Oyegade
For Bound Art Book Fair SEEN present a panel discussion with the founders and writers Tayyab Amin and Santina Robinson, whose work features in Issue One.
The latest instalment of our free Music Course has just wrapped up and what an interesting two weeks it’s been. Participants have worked hard for the last while, trying their hands on creative song making, learning and preparing a radio show and putting these new found abilities into action, live on the airwaves of Reform Radio.
If you haven’t heard of Music Course, it’s a two-week programme generously funded by Manchester Adult Education Service, which focuses on radio and music production, including songwriting and creative writing.
We had a chat with some of the young people who took part to find out their most memorable moments, musical inspirations and goals for the future. Keep reading to find out more.
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF…
My name is Jake and I’m 23 years old.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF. WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES OR INTERESTS?
I have been studying music, well, since I was 16 – I went to Music College and then went on to study music at University level. In college I was able to get out there and play with live bands and things like that.
I made some really good friends and we made music together as well and from that point on, I just sort of realised that music was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life really – there’s a level of excitement to it. I never thought of doing anything else.
HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT MUSIC COURSE AND WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO GET INVOLVED?
So I heard about Reform Radio through the Job Centre, my work coach referred me to Reform Radio, who signed me up. I met Naomi and Conall, they were really great and knew I wanted to get into music production roles.
IF MONEY WASN’T A THING, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING FULL TIME?
I would love to just make music and play my music for people to hear, share and just spread the love.
WHAT IS ONE THING YOU HAVE LEARNT FROM THE COURSE THAT YOU WILL TAKE HOME WITH YOU?
One thing I’ve learned from doing this course is that no matter where you come from, what background you have and your level of experience, music production is attainable.
WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS AFTER THE PROJECT?
Well I want to get back into making music. I want to just keep going for it because this is what I was meant to do. So I’m not too sure where I see myself in a few years, but I do know I’m going to carry on trying to improve and get better at music.
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.
Wordsmith sensation and Manchester bred Argh Kid, aka David Scott, joined Jorgy and Cheech for this rendition of Raise The Bar.
Performing to sold out shows across the country, he is the official poet for the NSPCC, UEFA and Manchester United and his work has reached television screens across the globe. He graces our airwaves with a few performances, including his thought provoking ‘Tear Aways’.
Listen back to the full show down below to find out more about Argh Kid’s inspirations, future ambitions and reflections on the Manchester cultural scene.
We’re thrilled to announce that Reform Radio have been commissioned to produce BBC Sounds, curated music mix, Focus Beats.
For the next year we’ll be releasing a new mix every week via BBC Sounds. Focus Beats does exactly what it says on the tin, a curated mix of beat tapes and instrumental tracks designed to help you focus on work, study, do domestic chores or more importantly, chilling out.
Over the course of the year, we’ll be working with some key talent to join us as guest curators on the series; news on those names to follow. The other episodes will be curated by us and what is exciting about this commission is it’s big on supporting new music, especially from new producers.
If you’ve got any beats or instrumental hip hop tracks you want to submit for potential inclusion then please email focusbeats@reformradio.co.uk.
What excites both us and the BBC Sounds team about this series is the opportunity it gives us to bring new talentinto the BBC and showcase some of the people we’ve been working with and have access too. This philosophy also applies to our production team, with producer Olivia and assistant producers Aisha, Jamie and Mike having all come through our outreach projects. For Jamie and Mike this will be their first BBC credit.
In other news, we’ve been commissioned to produce another year of The People’s Party with Afrodeutsche, which goes out live every Friday night, 7pm on BBC Radio 6 Music. Focus Beats will also get a live transmission on 6 Music as part of their overnight schedule.
Tonight at 8PM we welcome the author Jim Ottewill alongside a bunch of local legends – aalice (Meat Free), Ruf Dug (Ruf Kutz) and Reform’s very own Mix-Stress (Rebecca.Never.Becky Collective) for a live discussion exploring the nightlife of Manchester. You can join the discussion by clicking the link below and dropping your thoughts in the chat.
The book plots a course through the different UK towns and cities club culture has found a home. From Glasgow to Margate via Manchester, Sheffield and unlikely dance music meccas such as Coalville and Todmorden, ‘Out Of Space’ maps where electronic music has thrived, and where it might be headed next…
Every month we spotlight our lovely resident’s events. Here are a few ways to spend your weekends in some of Manchester’s most adored night-time spots this October.
GOOD CUSTARD PRESENTS: MOTORWAY DISCO W/ JET BOOT JACK
Good Custard will be joined by London DJ, producer and remix juggernaut Jet Boot Jack. Further support from AJ’s Dance Party curator Busby and Infusion host Pint Can Papi for a boogie under the A57. Secure your free tickets now!
MAS O MENOS RELEASE PARTY: LOVE LANGUAGE WITH LEVI LOVE, JOEY T AND LADY LADY
Mas O Menos celebrates their release at Band On the wall. As a DJ, producer and person, Mas O Menos founder Levi Love is larger than life. As anyone who’s been swept up in the raw energy of one of his many Manchester-wide bars or club residencies knows, the South African-born, northwest-based crate digger picks and makes music that celebrates the fulness of our existence. You don’t want to miss this one!
YOUR DISCO NEEDS YOU WITH JAEGEROSSA
YDNY is back with another spectacular line up. This time running, Jaegerossa A.K.A Mr Phil Rose, joins them for a night of pure Disco. In addition, to assist on deck duties will be your usual suspect residents Rob Jones & Neil Craven.
This October, Manchester’s iconic record store and venue, Eastern Bloc, will be hosting a number of events. Kicking off with EB Selectors on the 15th, for just shy of a fiver you can witness some of the city’s finest selectors at work, including Mica and Antoine Kiim.
Stay tuned for what’s going down at EB this month by looking at their schedule below. From live sessions to label showcases, there’s so much to check out!
On October 23rd, Supernature will be teaming up with Chris Massey, for the ultimate Sunday session. Celebrating their seventh birthday, the DJ collective specialising in everything from House to Disco will be taking over Joshua Brooks. Oh, and it’s free!
Drop the Mic takes over the Band on the Wall bar stage on October 27th. Expect eclectic sounds from the flourishing local scene, from the wider UK scene, and the world beyond. Nab yourself a free ticket and head down to catch resident vocalist DJ Lawal, alongside Feazilla on decks, as well as Nameka, Karis Jade, BOA, SAF-S2E, Hairy Dominatrixx and Caesar.
NOT BAD FOR A GIRL X MAINROOM: A FOR ALPHA AND LILY HUU
The Not Bad For A Girl crew team up with award winning, Greater Manchester-based streaming platform StreamGM, as part of their grassroots clubbing series: MainRoom. The pink bally bandits will be live streaming their event on the 29th October, with co-headliners A For Alpha and Lily Huu. Make sure to head down to YES or tune in via streamgm.co.uk.
