Up until May, 2011, I hadn’t picked up a guitar in around two years. But on hearing Hallock Hill‘s debut, The Union, I finally felt musically inspired enough to pick up the instrument again.

The nine pieces that make up The Instrument are layered, one-take pieces recorded in my living room using just two guitars, various bits and pieces lying around the flat, and feature everyday, unedited sounds from my surroundings. This, twinned with the fact that I didn’t note down any of the tunings, means that I can never replicate any song on the album.

Since then, the album has been picked up by Runningonair Music and is scheduled for a March release. It will be available on limited edition vinyl and as a download.

A press release is available here. 

This month’s class has already been one of the best I’ve attended. An openness and unity within the group that has previously been absent has magically appeared. Whether that’s because regular class members are gaining a greater understanding of what ‘method’ is, or whether that’s down to more recent, tangible events is up for debate, but there is something more emotional and more challenging in the ether.

On the run up to the UK release of Self Made, I’ve been contacting acting agents in the hope that someone will come and see the film and consider putting me on their books. Sadly, the answer is primarily ‘No’, or – worse still – no acknowledgement at all. I understand that this is all part of industry and being an actor, yet it is also terribly demoralising. So whereas on the one hand, there are the joys of work in the studio – actually finding a place to put that practice to work has become the greatest challenge. It’s not as though I was ever ignorant enough to think this moment wouldn’t come, but it doesn’t change the feelings of rejection.

Sending out each CV pack reminds me of sending out demo CDs to record companies, recalling those follow-up phone calls that usually had a tired exec blunty stating, “Oh I didn’t like it. I didn’t like it at all.” It’s utterly disheartening, and yet I – for one – carry on. I’m no masochist, I don’t particularly enjoy having to sell myself and though there are hundreds of books written to aid the plethora of aspiring actors, the only person that can really make anything happen is the individual. But how? By making creative choices and taking actions that positively inform their work and thus their career. 

But that alone can’t change an industry built for financial wealth and the attainment of a celebrity lifestyle. It’s not like having an acting agent, or even a manager for your band will necessarily change things either. I know plenty of actors that have simply had no work from their agent, desperately seeking work themselves. There has to be a willingness on the individual’s part to take risks in order to bring about the change they seek – and that’s not easy; nor does that  just apply to the arts.

What is success and how do we define it? I feel like a success and failure most of the time. Sometimes I feel like I will never escape the shadow of an office, with moments of creative freedom coming fleetingly in and out of my life. That’s not altogether a bad thing. How many people can expect to live a life fully free of dutiful responsibility, wrapped in a world of their choosing? Few. There isn’t a market for everyone, and that’s a good thing because – somewhat perversely – that gives us our own unique selling point.

Feeling disheartened and full of malcontent is the standard, so it’s getting beyond there where the creative individual can find the space to excel.

A band formed from the ashes of Birmingham band Chromium Hijack, I found this unmastered CD when I was having a bit of a clearout today. It’s me on guitars, Billy on bass, Shay on drums, and Sky on vocals. The date on the disc is 01/02/02. I suspect two of these tracks were CH tunes after guitarist Jabulani Robbins left the band.

Anyway, we recorded these tracks in a day down at Sandwell College’s studios (thanks Pete and Craig – wherever you are), and there was some post production editing by Jupiter Collision‘s Marcus Cornall.

I can’t remember why the band split up: I think Sky had childcare issues or something. Anyway, have a listen, and a download if you want.

Mezzoblast – Sandwell Demos. by Sheq

What I cannot do, so PLEASE STOP ASKING, is get your band reviewed on Drowned in Sound. DiS do not review unsigned material. If you’ve spent any length of time on the site this year, then you will know that.

So with that in mind, here’s lesson #1:

DO YOUR RESEARCH.

Seems a bit harsh, doesn’t it? Well, tough. If you’re going to go cold calling booking agents, PR, labels, managers etc. then the first thing question you should ask is, “Is this (insert person / organisation here) suitable for my music / band?”

Yes, they may all be waiting for the next big thing, and you might be it, but you need to check these simple things before sending out CDRs willy-nilly, wasting your time, money and opportunity. Think and target your approach, strategically!

So, if your band make fierce drum n’ bass or grime, would you send your CD in for review to Mojo? I should hope not. Stick to what you know; who you know; and the people that influence the genre you work in. If you want your stuff reviewed by a website online, my recommendation is God Is In The TV. Also, the friendly and funny podcasting of Bren and Sophie Jones is worth submitting to: check out This Reality Podcast (100,000 subscribers).

This is the first of many posts I’ll be writing to try to create some kind of guide to the tricky world of the unsigned, and I will also include some reviews of stuff people have sent – just bear with me as it takes a while.

And, please, no opera CDs…