graded unit

Index

Action Plan/Planning Stage

Title and Interpretation of the Brief……………………………………………………Page 2Information Gathered in Response to the Brief……………………………………...Page 3-4Project Issues and Solutions…………………………………………………………..Page 5Aims of the Practical Assignment (SMART)…………………………………………Page 6-7Personal Goals and Targets…………………………………………………………..Page 7Suitable Ways of Working to Achieve Goals & Reasons for Choices…………….Page 7SWOT Analysis and Intended Approach to Potential Employer…………………..Page 8-9Materials & Resources Used and how they will be assessed……………………..Page 9Stages Involved & Timescales for Each (Gantt Chart)……………………………..Page 9-10Information Sources to be used……………………………………………………….1Explanation of how Project will be conducted……………………………………….Page 11

Development Stage/Log Book

Core Subjects:

Cultural Studies/History……………………………………………………………..Page 12-13Digital Communications……………………………………………………………..Page 13E-Commerce…………………………………………………………………………Page 14, 15, 16Finance 2……………………………………………………………………………..Page 14-15Marketing 2…………………………………………………………………………...Page 16Management 2……………………………………………………………………….Page 17Stage Management/Touring………………………………………………………..Page 18Law 2………………………………………………………………………………….Page 18, 19, 20Running a Record Company……………………………………………………….Page 21, 22, 23

Research into other companies…………………………………………………….Page 24-25Risk Analysis…………………………………………………………………………Page 26

Explanation and Justification of actions including Analysis & Description of portfolio preparation process

Digital label……………………………………………………………………………Page 27Showcase Event……………………………………………………………………..Page 28Artwork………………………………………………………………………………..Page 29, 30, 31Name………………………………………………………………………………….Page 31Venue…………………………………………………………………………………Page 32Aggregator……………………………………………………………………………Page 33, 34, 35Bandcamp…………………………………………………………………………….Page 34-35Artists………………………………………………………………………………….Page 36A&R……………………………………………………………………………………Page 36-37Funding………………………………………………………………………………..Page 38-39Merchandise………………………………………………………………………….Page 39-40Mastering……………………………………………………………………………..Page 40-41Ideas Relevant to Interview…………………………………………………………Page 42

Cold City Cuts. Graded Unit 2. Page 1

Evaluation

Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………....Page 43-49Evidence………………………………………………………………………………Page 49-71

Stage 1: Action Plan/Planning Stage

Title & Interpretation of the Brief

What.

I have been given a brief in which I am required to produce a project consisting of a portfolio to be used as a business proposal to gain employment within the music industry or onto a course of further study. I will do this by releasing a new EP on the digital record label I set up last year, Cold City Cuts, which focuses on electronic house music, and hold a label showcase event at a city centre venue to coincide with the release.

The release will be from a new local producer, in keeping with the ethos as outlined last year of championing and developing home-grown talent, and contain a remix by the first artist I released last year. The showcase event will feature artists on my label either playing live sets or DJing and will provide equal opportunity for them and the label to gain a different and perhaps more effective form of direct exposure.

I will also develop the image and credibility of the label with new artwork and utilise social media and e-commerce further in order to gain wider awareness.

Cold City Cuts. Graded Unit 2.

Information Gathered in Response to the Brief

How

In terms of the release, I have an artist in mind who came to my attention and who I spoke to last year, Matt Harris aka Sirrahttam. I will agree with him which tracks will be on the EP and which track last year’s artist, Alex McVey aka Alex-Ander, will remix. I will once again use the digital aggregator, EmuBands, in order to make my release available on each of the household online retail outlets but also set up a Bandcamp page. Once the tracks have been mastered I will send out electronic press kits (EPK’s) and promos to various contacts within the industry including DJ’s, press and radio stations and blogs for their feedback, air play, interviews or features prior to public release.

For the showcase event, I will find a suitable small to medium-sized venue in Glasgow city centre where there is no hire fee or very little hire fee, agree a date to coincide with the release and have my artists play DJ or live sets. I will send details and press releases of the event to various print and online outlets to build up awareness.

I will use existing social media accounts and also create accounts on other platforms not yet in use for Cold City Cuts and promote both the release and the gig. Promotion will be done almost entirely through social media but also through physical posters and stickers.

Before I do any of this, however, I will update my artwork and rebrand the label due to a period of inactivity since my debut release and the basic need for a new logo.

Although I plan to further develop Cold City Cuts, my business plan will still be that of a Sole Trader as I will be continuing to work alone. I will need a contract in place between myself and Matt which sets out the main points of the agreement and I will need to keep track of the financial information relating to both the release and the gig.

I have also been lucky enough to have been accepted onto a work placement at Glasgow’s Soma Records, which I will speak about in greater detail in Stage 2: Development/Log Book, and will look to take any helpful tips and advice from a globally successful contemporary label in order to find ways of maximising awareness and income.

I will also look into areas of funding suitable for a project of this scale.


When

All being well receiving completed demos back in time to be mastered and made available for purchase on the various online retail outlets, as well as allowing adequate time for promotion, it is my hope to release the EP the Monday before or after the gig around the middle of May.

Why

I will be releasing the EP together with a showcase event because I wish to continue progressing the credibility and status of my record label and doing what I can to discover and nurture new talent. I believe, even in its current status as a micro label, Cold City Cuts can be an important vehicle in raising the profile of these artists, who may well come to the attention of larger, more established labels and even club promoters who wish to book them for DJ sets and live performances. As the label grows I hope to start releasing vinyl and continue to further promote my artists through club events, the end result of which, ultimately, is wealth to the economy and perhaps even the creation of jobs should the label outgrow its current sole trader business model.


Statement of Project Issues/Solutions

The challenges I may encounter are likely to come from a financial or timing direction. This could set the project, or various stages of the project, back if I am unable to pay for artwork or get tracks mastered when I aim to or need to. I will, however, look into areas of funding best suited to a project such as this and also effectively project manage in order to keep on top of any issues to prevent them running over time.

One such source of funding could be the Bridge 2 Business plan, as made aware to me by Music Finance tutor, Graeme Neilson, which makes between £100 and £200 available to help entrepreneurial students make their business ideas a reality, as well as offering mentoring and advice. I will speak further about funding in Stage 2: Development Stage/Log Book.

With regards to timing, I will draw up a detailed timescale when each task should ideally be completed. This will be in the form of a Gantt chart which will follow.


Aims of the Practical Assignment including personal goals and targets

Specific:

To combine knowledge gained in the core subjects in 2nd year HND Music Business as well as those relevant from 1st year and my own personal experiences and strengths to sign a new artist to my roster with a view to releasing a new EP. The main points of the agreement in a legally binding contract which will see ownership of the music transfer to the label for the agreed period of time in order for me to effectively and exclusively release and promote the new EP while protecting the rights of the artist. I will also organise and promote a label showcase club night in order for my artists and label to gain even more exposure and hope to make the event free entry in order to create a favourable bond with my target market. It is my aim to utilise social media and e-commerce platforms to their full potential in order to reach and engage my intended target market and to raise the profile of artists and label, thus generating more sales.

Measurable:

This will be an on-going project but it will contain clear goals along the way that I hope to achieve and I will judge my success on these targets being met when expected. Success will be measured by an increase in awareness ie. Followers on social media but ultimately it will be measured on the success of the label showcase event and on the number of EP’s sold.

Achievable:

As there is no need for producers to book studio time like there would be with a band, no need to wait on the process of having vinyl cut and distributed and the probability of hiring a venue for free, I believe it to be an achievable goal to implement a successful marketing and promotional push and to have the release and event out within the estimated time. My own experiences from starting the record label last year combined with the high standard of education from each of my lecturers and the knowledge gained from each core subject mean I am very confident this project is achievable.

Realistic:

It is realistic for me to achieve my goal of releasing an EP and organising and promoting a gig within the timeframe I have set out as I have the knowledge gained from the core subjects as well as contacts built up from my time as a promoter/DJ. Also, the costs involved should be well within my budget.

Timed:


I believe I can have the EP out in May, in conjunction with the event. Turnaround, once the A&R process is finalised and the tracks are mastered is generally very quick with regards digital output and I will have artwork ready soon after a venue, date and full line-up is finalised.

Personal goals and targets

It is my personal goal to keep developing Cold City Cuts long after I have left college. I aim to continue to seek out, develop and champion, not only home grown talent, but any new talent from around the world where I feel the music fits the label. I aim to progress one day onto releasing vinyl, build my roster and the label’s credibility and reach. I hope to continue to arrange label showcase events to give my artists greater exposure and to further secure a bond between label and fans. Ultimately, it is my aim to see Cold City Cuts succeed in selling quality records as far around the globe as possible and if I can have even a fraction of the influence on up and coming DJ’s, clubbers and music lovers right here in Glasgow, or even further abroad, as Soma Records have provided then I will feel I have played my part at passing on a truly remarkable Scottish tradition of punching above our weight on a cultural level.

Statement demonstrating suitable ways of working to achieve goals & reasons for choices

In order to achieve my goals I believe a suitable way of working will be to think of and draw up a list of the tasks I will need to do and when I expect they should be done, in chronological order. I believe this concise visible timetable will not only provide me with information of the tasks I have to complete but will ensure I stick to the timescales to prevent me running over time or forgetting any important tasks or details.

I will also keep a log book of every task completed and all correspondence, not only as evidence of my work, but to keep track of all business dealings should I need to refer back for any reason such as contractual disputes or financial queries.

As my project will be a combination of an EP release and an event, I believe the date of the event will have to be decided before I know the date of my release as it is important to make sure I have a venue booked. If I wait until the tracks are completed and mastered before booking a venue I will probably find all possible venues are booked such is the demand and nature of the business here in Glasgow as well as the often unpredictable nature of getting completed tracks and remixes in time.


SWOT Analysis, mapping of personal strengths to the job opportunity and statement of intended approach to potential employer

There will be many factors that could both help or hinder my attempts at releasing the new EP and holding a label showcase event, however, the factors which may hinder me will largely be out of my control as I believe I have the knowledge, experience, enthusiasm and drive to succeed. I believe having weaknesses is only a hindrance if you are unaware of them. I am aware of the weaknesses and threats and so have prepared in order to tackle them as best I can should they arise.

Strengths:

Communication and good interpersonal skills Knowledge, confidence and exposure gained setting label up last year Previous experience with promoting and marketing a club night Good relations with contacts within the industry Knowledge of the competition (both from release and gig perspective) Determination to see the label succeed and be respected Commitment to helping promote the artists as much as the label Understanding of various classes in college and where they can be used

Weaknesses:

Lack of finances potentially resulting in delayed artwork, mastering or release Working alone without any other creative input/ideas from others Time management

Opportunities:

To use placement at Soma Records to gain further knowledge and hints on how to maximize brand awareness & maximize income

See where competitors are going right or wrong and learn from them Bring together experience of running own club night to put on a launch night

for the label, featuring guest DJ’s on label Ability to grow into a successful business Gain more contacts Business opportunities if I can show I have been successful To provide a platform to my artists to gain more exposure and more exposure

to the label. Learning from any mistakes from previous year

Threats:

Competition Saturation of similar music and gigs Time constraints Personal finances Economy affecting sales


Proposed mp3 VAT rise New steaming platform, Tidal Finding suitable music/artists Other college work and job hindering progression

Identification of materials and resources required and how they will be assessed

Much of the materials and resources needed will be internet based. Sites such as Soundcloud are where I first discovered Matt’s tracks and where I began dialogue with him regarding the next Cold City Cuts release. I will also use social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter to connect with fans and various online blogs. I will use email to contact Broadcast, mastering companies, a graphic designer, press contacts, DJ’s and merchandise companies for quotes for stickers. I will also research different sources of funding and look at contemporary record labels.

Identification of the stages involved and the timescales for completion of each stage

The Gantt chart below outlines the various stages involved in the planning of the new EP release and showcase event as well as the month(s) in which each task should be completed.

Dec-14 Jan-15 Feb-15 Mar-15 Apr-15 May-15Task

Research/ideas to develop labelWork placementPlanningFundingNew artwork/rebrandUpdate social media/new social mediaChose tracksSign contractMaster RecordingsEmuBands/release dateMarketingArrange gigHold gigRelease PromotionEvent PromotionMerchandiseReleaseEventEvaluation


Timescale

December

Research other contemporary record label logos with a view to rebranding due to period of inactivity

Contact Matt regarding my continued interest in one or two of his tracks Search Soundcloud for new local talent

January

Consider other e-commerce platforms in place of Juno Download Research affordable, realistic forms of branded merchandise Begin dialogue with Matt regarding a date for finalised demos

February

Begin work placement at Soma Records with view to gaining hands-on experience with the various aspects of record company structure and operation

Look into areas of funding Contact graphic designer for new logo Consider possible venues for showcase event

March

Update social media pages with new artwork Arrange venue and agree date for showcase event Finalise line-up Have posters designed Send press releases and gig info to print and online media Receive finalised tracks for mastering

April

Sign contracts Master tracks Send EPK’s to DJ, radio and press contacts for feedback, radio play and

coverage/features/interviews to generate awareness & hype Research merch companies for best price/quality stickers

May

Continued promotion of gig and forthcoming release Showcase event New EP release Evaluation


Identification of information sources to be used

The internet will be a massive source of information in relation to this project. I will use Soundcloud to source and promote music and my artists, social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter will also be used in much the same way but perhaps more effectively at building a rapport with existing and new fans and I will use the internet to source a graphic designer, merchandise companies and to search for and advertise/promote on blogs and gig guides, many of whom will be contacted by email.

I will use my own experiences gained from over a decade of running club nights and being in and around the Glasgow club scene and hope to use any valuable knowledge I gain from my work placement at Glasgow’s famous Soma Records; one of the longest-running and most influential independent electronic labels in the world.

Furthermore, I will draw information relating to each step I take from the core units of 2nd Year HND Music Business; Running A Record Company, Law 2, E-Commerce, Stage Management, Cultural Studies, Music Industry Finance, Music Industry Marketing and Music Industry Management which will be integrated in Stage 2: The Development Stage/Log Book.

An explanation of how the project will be conducted, including reasons for the choice of methods used

The project will be conducted using many of the main principles any other successful record label would use. I will go through the whole A&R process to find artists and music I wish to release and will help them develop if needs be. Using knowledge gained from first year law, I will draw up a legally binding contract and deal with any issues of copyright infringement if encountered. My time at Soma Records will enable me to see exactly how a large independent deals with issues of such a nature. Ownership of the music will transfer to Cold City Cuts on payment for the masters and I will exploit the music through all relevant means of promotion. I will send out press releases and electronic press kits to DJ’s, radio stations, blogs and press contacts alike to maximize awareness and arrange features, reviews & interviews.

Similarly, in terms of the showcase event, I will draw upon my experience, contacts and successes as a club promoter and use many of the same methods I used in my days running Inner City Acid. These will involve finding a venue, agreeing a date, getting the desired line-up agreed and then having posters designed and press releases and info given to various blogs, websites and press. Classes such as Running A Record Company will be essential for both parts of my project and Marketing & E-Commerce will be important in order to understand my target market and ways to engage them.


Stage 2: Developing/Log Book

Action Plan (See Stage 1: Action Plan/Planning stage)

Research evidence of appropriate texts read showing integration

In order to develop my business idea I will use knowledge gained from last year’s core subjects but focus more on information gathered in each of the core subjects of 2nd year HND Music Business, showing how they were integrated into my label release and event.

Core Subjects

Cultural Studies/History

The Cultural Studies unit refers to the role of music in the development of various cultures and can be tied in with History which looks at the factors which contribute to the development of a musical genre.

At the turn of the century Scottish folk singer, Harry Lauder, became the first globally known “celebrity”, and first placed Scotland on the map as a culturally significant player on the world stage. This arguably influenced subsequent Scottish artists and labels, either aesthetically or commercially such as Postcard Records & Bay City Rollers. As attitudes changed, ignited by the Punk movement, so did the practice of DIY and the knowledge and confidence to set up independent record labels in order to bypass the majors and retain control over output and finances. Suddenly Scotland, as well as producing major talent influencing all corners of the globe, began to have increasingly forward thinking record labels themselves, thus showing there was no longer the need to up sticks and move across the border.

In the middle of the early 90’s acid house days, which influenced a new powerful subculture across the UK, the now world famous Glasgow label, Soma was born. Their punk-inspired DIY blueprint laid the foundations for many other contemporary labels, not just in Scotland, but across the globe. As a subsequence, Glasgow’s electronic music scene is one of the most cutting edge and influential in the world and its followers among the most knowledgeable. The money generated from club nights, festivals, music releases and other associated arts and creative industries plays a hugely important part to the Scottish economy as realised in 1st Year Creative Industries Infrastructure.


Scotland's creativity is recognised throughout the world and we have a strong international reputation for excellence. In 2010, the creative industries in Scotland had turnover of £4.8 billion and contributed £2.7 billion of GVA to the Scottish economy. – The Scottish Government, Scotland’s Economy: The Case For Independence.

With the above taken into consideration, I know how well regarded and influential the scene is here in Scotland due to its past and that I can succeed going down a similar DIY route to appeal to the many music lovers, clubbers, DJ’s and consumers in this country and beyond.

Digital Communications

Digital Communications teaches of the impact, importance, benefits and pitfalls of new technology in this digital age. Despite the many benefits to the record label, artists and consumer that digital music can be transferred from one device linked to the internet to another in a matter of seconds, through a plethora of legal services, thus attaining global reach and the prospect of increased sales, exposure and fan base, the threat of piracy from illegal sites continues.

As reported by BPI’s chief executive, Geoff Taylor in 2010 “Many music fans have enthusiastically embraced these services. Since 2004, more than 500 million single tracks have been bought legally from digital retailers in the UK. Digital albums have also proved themselves a hugely successful format, passing the 50 million sales mark much faster than the CD and now accounting for almost 20% of all albums sold. These achievements are dwarfed, however, by the continued widespread availability and use of illegal services and the ongoing challenge of digital piracy on a huge scale. During 2010, three quarters of all music tracks digitally acquired in the UK were downloaded illegally.”

As a digital label, the threat exists of my music being stolen with no money rightly going to me or my artists for the time, money and effort we have put in. With the knowledge gained in this subject, however, combined with my work placement at Soma Records, I aim to devise tactics to limit theft or at least deal appropriately with any such violations.


E-Commerce

E-Commerce is essential as it refers to the commercial opportunities available in this digital age and relates to platforms that exist where music can legally be sold and streamed. It highlights ways to get your music out to a wider audience and how to build brand awareness with the ultimate view of wider exposure and record sales.

The dawn of the digital age has seen many high street retailers struggle or go out of business as more and more people are finding the ease and convenience of shopping online more appealing. As well as digital only outlets such as iTunes there are also many internet-based retailers such as Amazon which deals with physical formats of music, other commercial items, as well as music in digital format.

Streaming sites such as Spotify allow the user to play their desired tracks or albums at no cost at all, yet generating some income for the labels and artists, and YouTube exists where anyone can upload their favourite track or album for anyone to playback anywhere in the world.

As a digital label, the knowledge gained from this subject will be invaluable as I will be relying solely on e-commerce methods to raise awareness and ultimately generate income. I already have a YouTube channel in place from last year and will once again be going through the digital aggregator, EmuBands, to get my new release on all well-known legal sites such as iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and Spotify.

I will also open a Bandcamp account which allows you to set up an artist or label page, upload your music for people to purchase at a price you determine yourself.

Finance 2

Finance from 1st and 2nd year, along with E-Commerce, also teaches the importance of drawing up ways of keeping accurate financial information. This is so I can keep an eye on what I’m spending and what I have in the bank to avoid running into trouble, but also should Cold City Cuts grow and begin to make serious money so I can provide any relevant bodies with accurate financial information relating to tax. At the moment, however, with the finances required for my business as is, I have drawn up the following spreadsheet detailing my income, expenditure and how many units I’ll need to sell before I break even before being able to pay Matt 50% of royalties.


Income

Bridge 2 Business grant £100.00

Expenditure

Masters £60.00Promo £40.00Bandcamp £14.00Aggregator £35.00Artwork £75.00

Total Expenditure £224.00

Average cost for EP £1.90

Number of units to be sold to break even 118

E-Commerce is also integrated into Marketing 2 as both speak of my intended and emerging target markets and audiences.

Market research: From starting up the label last year I know I will typically be selling to DJs and fans of electronic house music of both sexes between the ages of 24-35. Analytics provided on my label’s facebook page confirm this data but it’s also the rough age range expected and aimed for. My music will sell to DJ’s who use the now standard Serato and Traktor programs which allow the playing and mixing of digital audio files that can be converted to analogue signals and played on turntables via official Serato and Traktor control vinyl.

Customers: As well as the sex and age range mentioned above, my customers will be people who also enjoy many other contemporary labels of similar genre.

Competition: Some could say the market is saturated with many labels such as mine springing up. Also, much of my competition will be more established, have larger, more established artists signed to them, be richer and have a more constant online presence due to prolific or more regular releases. However, as a DJ and music lover myself who knows the market and the demand for new quality music, particularly by DJ’s of all levels, I believe true quality will always shine through as long as the music is promoted correctly and cleverly.

Marketing schedule: Despite holding back from much online presence prior to the rebrand, gentle yet informative and hype building posts have been made on Facebook announcing the new release and the party. I have set up a Twitter and linked both to Soundcloud, Instagram etc and have had listings in various press such as The Skinny and Whats On Glasgow to make as many aware of the event and forthcoming linked release as possible. Once the EP has been mastered, I will send promo packs to various DJ contacts for feedback which will be used to generate


more hype and will send press packs to media contacts in the hope of being featured in print or online media and even perhaps air play on radio or internet radio stations.

Marketing 2

This core subject will be helpful to understand the consumers who I will be reaching out to and touch on the psychological and social influences regarding their decisions. It taught about consumer perception and how a product can be marketed to give off a certain idea or ethos which appeals to a specific target market.

We again touched on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory from 1st year and how it might be applied to digital marketing in the music industry.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs could apply to digital marketing in the music industry as many sites on the internet now give people the ability to relate and connect to each other and their favourite bands or groups, which creates the feeling of belonging or self-esteem.

Maslow believed that once basic or Physiological needs such as food, water and shelter were met, the next stage would be Security and the need to feel protected and safe. Once these needs are met we then look for love and belonging and then look for self-esteem. Social media sites such as Facebook can be used to promote a band or music and gives an artist or label the chance to connect with their fans and for the fans to connect and feel close to their favourite bands, artists or label.

People have the ability to join groups which make them feel part of something or even make them aware of music or a band they would not have previously known about, resulting in sales for the band and increased self-esteem for the consumer.

I will also implement the 7 P’s of the Marketing Mix which detail what it is I’m trying to sell (product), where I have decided to sell it (place), what it will cost (price), how it will be best promoted (promotion), who it will appeal to (people), the way in which they can access it (process) and finally evaluating its success (physical evidence):

1. Product: Exciting new label, new EP, new producer & event.2. Place (Release/Event): Online: iTunes, Amazon, Google Play,

Bandcamp/intimate, popular venue3. Price (Release/Event): Standard cost on each platform. £1 on Bandcamp/free4. Promotion: Facebook, Twitter, Soundcloud, Promos & EPK’s5. People: Consumer perception, satisfaction6. Process: Immediate download, free entry. Helpful?7. Physical Evidence: Satisfaction with music and free event. Feedback.


Management 2

Management 2 further developed the idea of negotiating and communicating from 1st

year but also in dealing with change and the effects it can have.

Sticking with my natural democratic (or Participative) management style from last year, I will once again continue to have a good working relationship with my artists through open dialogue where everyone has the opportunity to negotiate for the ultimate goal of what is best for the label and artist. This allows me to tell my artists what I’m looking for in terms of musical output and for them to throw back alternative suggestions or demos for consideration prior to final selection.

Change can come internally due to a change in management or personnel or even in the form of a takeover or merger but it can also be affected by external factors.

Changes in the external environment need to be managed as they often come about due to changes in the law, advancements in technology or for political and social reasons. For example, the Criminal Justice Bill was introduced on the back of the acid house explosion of the early 90’s to make it illegal for large groups of people to congregate and have raves in fields or anywhere else without a license.

Changes in health and safety laws mean anyone running festivals or club events need to adhere to specific regulations in order not to be shut down or for organisers to risk prosecution and the risk to anyone’s health or life.

The digital revolution and changes in technology over the past 20 or 30 years required record labels to change in order to stay in the game and saw companies such as personal computer company, Apple Macintosh, branch out into the mp3 and digital download world as iTunes. One company guilty of not changing to embrace the changes in technology in time are HMV, who were at the forefront of music retail but who never took the change from physical formats of music, such as cd and vinyl, seriously enough and were overtaken by the likes of iTunes and subsequently almost went out of business.

Many view change with apprehension as it can often come with job losses, an upset in routine or the development of bad feeling and so, should any decisions or changes need to be made for any aspect of running the record label or in regards to the showcase event, I will endeavour to keep my artists and anyone I deal with up to date and well informed, explaining the reasons for any alterations.


Stage Management/Touring

These subjects will also come into play when running the showcase event as I will need to plan the running order of the guest DJ’s, arrange for them to be at the venue at a certain time and to set the stage up in a way that caters for all individual needs and preferences with regards equipment to be used. This subject also highlights the need to be aware of, and abide by, Health & Safety laws and conduct risk assessments and so I will be extra vigilant for the well-being of my artists and guests on the night.

Touring will teach of the importance of any band or artist going out on the road or to different territories in order to reach new fans with the end result being increased income. Although no actual touring will be done, I will interpret the showcase gig as an opportunity to reach out to the public in a more personal way than just by promoting my music over the internet. I believe the event to be further opportunity to get the name Cold City Cuts to the masses which will further increase the possibility of sales.

Music Law 2

This subject will be vitally important for me as a record label as I will have to agree the major points of the agreement, as per 1st year Law, between myself and my artists in order for us to know our obligations to each other to ensure mutual success and a good working relationship. To this end I have drawn up a legally binding contract (presented on the next page) stating the Term, Territory, Royalty Rate and Advance if any. The contract will be read, understood and signed by myself on behalf of Cold City Cuts and Matt Harris (Sirrahttam) on behalf of the artist and will allow me to exclusively exploit the new EP in the formats agreed by all relevant means for the agreed term of the deal.

Knowledge of a typical recording contract was also gained in the core Subject, Running A Record Company and Publishing from 1st year which stated the differences between the licensing and assigning of rights to the music.

Assignment: Straight forward transfer of ownership of rights from the first owner of copyright (Matt) to Cold City Cuts upon the label paying for the tracks to be mastered. Cold City Cuts then exclusively owns the copyright and is free to promote, lend and sell as per terms and length of the agreement, after which time, copyright will revert back to Matt.

Licensing: when copyright owner retains ownership to the copyright but allows a company (Cold City Cuts) to do certain things such as make copies or commercially exploit for a specific purpose (ie. Compilation) or for the duration agreed.

I will therefore be assigned the rights to the music on payment of the masters.


Cold City Cuts2/1, 61 Daisy Street, Glasgow, G42 8HG

Tel: 07870643034Email: [email protected]

New EP Contract

Date: 12/05/2015Deal memo between:

Matt Harris aka Sirrahttam (“Artist”)AndDavid Fleming on behalf of Cold City Cuts (“Label”)Masters: Sirrahttam – Grind EP (3 track EP)

This agreement is between David Fleming on behalf of Cold City Cuts (Us) and Matt Harris aka Sirrahttam (You) and sets out the terms on which you will deliver and we will master and exploit your musical works and sound recordings through the means of internet service providers which makes musical works and sound recordings available to the public via digital transmission over the Internet and via other digital media such as television, radio and other cable and broadcast media.Term: The term of the agreement shall be 2 years from date of release after which time copyright will revert back to the first owner of copyright (You)Territory: You grant us exclusive worldwide rights during the term to use, reproduce, distribute, display, publicly perform, exhibit, broadcast and transmit the Works. To copy the Works and issue, rent or lend those copies to the public.Royalties: We will pay you a royalty of Fifty percent (50%) of Net Income where Net Income is equal to gross income from sales less all costs and fees payable for manufacturing and distribution, technical charges and micro payments and payments to Copyright and/or Performing Right Societies and/or any other copyright owner, all VAT and other similar sales taxes. Advance: £0Authorised Formats: Digital download (WAV, MP3)Release Date: TBCNumber of tracks to be delivered: 2 (3rd track to be delivered in form of remix by Alex McVey aka Alex-Ander with royalty split decided between Matt Harris and Alex McVey)You warrant that you will abide by the terms stipulated in the agreement or be in breach of the terms.

I/we have read and agree to be bound by this agreement


………………………………………(Artist) ……………………………………………………(Label)

Law 2 also looked further into Trademarks and the law of Passing Off.

As covered in 1st Year Core subjects such as Creative Industries Infrastructure and Working in the Creative Industries we looked into ways of protecting your Intellectual Property.

Intellectual Property is a legal term used to refer to an original creative idea that has been granted exclusive rights once it is a tangible, physical manifestation of that idea.

Intellectual Property is important in the music industry as it is the very foundation on which the industry is built. These ideas, whether in the form of a melody, lyrics, an idea for a band, record label or tv talent show ensure there is always an opportunity for jobs to be created and money to be made.

Design: Protects the visual appearance of a product Copyright: Protects many types of works including literary, dramatic, musical,

artistics, typographical, recordings and broadcast works Patents: Protects new inventions and covers how things work, what they do,

how they do it, what they are made from and how they are made. Trademarks: Protects signs or logos which distinguish your goods or services

from those of your competitors.

Taking last year’s information into account, I used the method of sending the name of Cold City Cuts to myself by recorded delivery in a postmarked envelope which has not been opened. Although not a full proof way of proving I came up with the name for my digital label on a certain date in 2013, this, along with the visible association of Cold City Cuts and my activities online should be enough to dissuade anyone from claiming it as their own.

Law 2 described how a trademark, such as the logo, can be protected by registering with the UK Patent Office. The process of registering your trademark can take up to 9 months but would comfortably protect you in the event of anyone else having a similar logo where they also offer similar services. This would clearly cause confusion between the two companies.

In instances where someone has clearly taken the logo of a successful or established company with the possible view of using it to further their own agenda, the law of Passing Off can be applied.

Despite me having not registered my logo as a trademark, I believe I would be able use this law if necessary to prove someone had passed it off as their own.

The three basic elements which need to be established in order to bring a passing off action to court are:

Damage to reputation and goodwill Misrepresentaion Loss or damage to goodwill


The law off passing off gives the owner of a trademark certain rights in order to prevent another party from operating under a similar logo, or in other words, misleading the public by using a recognised image or logo.Running A Record Company

Finally, the knowledge and experience gained in this subject will hit on all the main functions followed by any successful record company of any size, including A&R process, signing of artists, and the implementation of marketing and promotional strategies leading to the exploitation of the music. Being involved with this year’s Electric Honey activities, from the signing to releasing of music by Finn Le Marinel, Megan Early and last year’s Schnarff Schnarff has been invaluable and I will adopt many of the methods used when, as a class, we each wrote up press releases and sent out electronic press kits (EPK’s) to various contacts in radio and media.

Obviously, acting alone on Cold City Cuts means I myself will be making all the decisions based on musical output and methods of promotion and marketing but, working as a class and each having input and opinions on the artists and their music was yet another fascinating look into the world of negotiating and democracy that will be required if I go on to work at a larger label or indeed if and when Cold City Cuts outgrows its current business model.

A press release, as the title suggests, contains all information – in my case information relating to the showcase event – and will be sent to contacts at print media including The Skinny, The List and The Metro for possible features in their gig guides.

This information typically needs to be sent to print media 4 weeks in advance in order to ensure it will be included in time.

Many print media also allow the very basic information of your gig to be sent for their listings and often simply require you to follow the format -

Name of Night:Venue:Date:Doors:Cost:Line-Up:

I will send information in this format to online sites such as The Skinny and The List, What’s On Glasgow etc.


Electronic Press Kits or EPK’s can be very similar to press releases but, as the word “electronic” refers to, contains links to the music, links to websites and YouTube or video links. These will be sent out prior to official public release to radio contacts in order for play on selected stations and also to DJ contacts.

Any air time, DJ feedback or features will be excellent for encouragement but will also be used on social media to generate more hype and will let people see what respected people are saying about the new release.

As learned in 1st Year Record Company & Structure, there is an important symbiotic relationship between the press and record labels as each need the other to survive. Information regarding gigs, new releases or even the private lives of people in the music industry sell copies and, in turn, the further the news is spread through sales, the better it will be for the label or for ticket sales or increased awareness in an artist.

As a class, we got together to come up with the flowing press release/EPK for Finn Le Marinel’s EP, “Love Is Waves” and coinciding gig.


For Immediate Release

David FlemingElectric Honey Records (Glasgow Kelvin College)Tel: [email protected]@glasgowkelvin.ac.uk

“Love is Waves” By

Finn Le Marinel Debut EP on Electric Honey Records

Available from all digital outlets and groovy record shops from 18th of April 2015

Electric Honey, the student run record label now based at Glasgow Kelvin College, are proud to announce the release of “Love is Waves”- the new four track E.P. by Glaswegian virtuoso troubadour - Finn LeMarinel.

“Love is Waves” will be released 18th April 2015 for Independent Record Store day and showcases a mature and sonically expansive sound developed and produced at Barne Studios in Clydebank alongside Guru and friend Brian Docherty. The two amigos met while working on a community music workshop, for the Depot Arts Centre in Possilpark, Glasgow.

A likeable and soft spoken gent - Finn provides us with hushed yet intricate songs that manage to emotively grab the listener in a peaceful but surprisingly dark way. The lyrics provide an insight into the songwriter's thoughts and help elevate Electric Honey into a new realm of experimentation with the label's musical output. The minimal instrumentation and arrangement on this recording creates a wholly tangible, atmospheric setting to compliment Finns haunting vocals.

A beautiful video for lead single ”Become” by director Ant Dinham explores different liquids and gases reacting to each other on a petri dish. This treatment creates a nuanced additional creative layer to the track.

Finn will be featured on STV’s Riverside show on the 21st of April and he also has a slot at the prestigious SAMA award Event in Glasgow on the 22nd of April.

“Become” (the lead single from “Love is Waves”) has been well received with plays on both the Vic Galloway and Roddy Hart shows on BBC Radio Scotland and has been championed by Jim Gellatly at XFM and Amazing Radio.

The launch gig is at the CCA with support from Kathryn Joseph and Special Guests on Wednesday 29th of April.

“Exquisite centrepiece ‘Known Voices’, meanwhile, is a reminder of all that we have in life, and is one of the year’s most beautiful songs.” (The List)

https://soundcloud.com/electric-honey-music/sets/finn-lemarinel-love-is-waves-ep

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWHo7gXRnZE&feature=youtu.be

“Love is Waves” by Finn Marinel - out on Electric Honey on the 18th of April 2015.


Research into Other Companies

As part of my research I will look at 2 contemporary Glasgow-based record labels; Soma & Numbers.

Soma are one of the world’s leading dance music labels. Formed just as the acid house revolution was kicking off across the UK in 1991, their DIY ethos has arguably been the biggest influence on all subsequent Scottish electronic music record labels, either through their releases or their association with clubs such as The Arches and T in the Park. Their place and influence on a cultural level in Glasgow is undoubted and their standing in the world at such a fledgling point in the electronic movement saw them so much the label to be on that a young French duo calling themselves Daft Punk went out of their way to hand their first demo to original Soma artists and co-founders, Slam, at an event in Paris in 1993.

I was lucky enough to have been accepted onto a four week work placement at Soma where I got to see first-hand how the different departments of such a successful independent label operate. I also gained insightful knowledge of the scale of the problem with piracy and illegal download sites but also the effectiveness, albeit a constant, daily struggle, of copyright violation warnings leading to the removal of unauthorised content. As a digital-only label, this information will come in very useful should I encounter websites allowing my music to be freely downloaded.

I also picked up on methods being used in order to stem the flow of cash lost through the free streaming or downloading of music by only having short clips of forthcoming or newly released tracks on sites such as Soundcloud. Sadly, the royalty rate for plays on streaming sites such as Spotify are extremely low per play, however, by putting up a teaser of the music the consumer is prompted to follow links to Spotify or Beatport where the streaming of the full tracks will generate at least some income. In addition to this, links will also be available where the music can be purchased. With this in mind, it is a method I will look to adopt.

Numbers are a collective of 9 members who initially started off running a small club night in Glasgow around 10 years ago. In their ranks were DJ’s, designers, promoters, web developers and members who were working in the highly respected Rubadub record store and in their distribution centre, Black Hole, in Hillington. Utilising their individual skills and contacts they were able to work together to bring a vast array of eye-catching local and international DJ talent to Glasgow which was backed up by stylish and effective promotional campaigns by way of flyers, posters but also various online initiatives. In my opinion Numbers were the game changer, not only in Glasgow but in the UK as a whole, as they seemed to be the first


collective to take full advantage of the digital revolution and the possibilities presented by the internet to take their love of underground club music and plant it firmly overground while maintaining maximum credibility and sticking to their roots. Not content with arguably creating the most exciting and fresh vibe the city had seen since the emergence of the heady days of the acid house revolution of the late 80’s, they amalgamated a handful of record labels ran by individual members of the group into the Numbers imprint and now have a global presence with stages at various high profile music festivals around the globe and a roster of artists, ranging from some of the pioneers of the electronic scene to some of the biggest new trend-setters.

Knowing I will be acting on this project alone with limited finances and technological ability means I will not be able to scale the same heights and have the same impact as Soma or Numbers, however, taking hints and tips from the way they have utilised the internet to promote their events and music has given me reason to feel positive about reaching out to and building up a fan base in Glasgow, the UK and potentially further afield.

I also used each label’s logo as an example when deciding on my rebrand. This will be discussed in the following section.


Further Research

From Entrepreneurship in the Creative Industries from 1st year, I learned of the importance of conducting a Risk Analysis before setting up a new business so as to be aware of potential problems before they arise and have plans in place to tackle any such problems.

These risks can appear from a variety of different sources;

Human: individual errors, illness, death Operational: disruption to supplies & operation, failure in distribution Reputational: loss of business partner, employee or consumer confidence Procedural: organisational fraud, system failures Project: over-running costs, jobs taking too long, poor product or service Financial: business failure, stock markets, interest rates, unemployment Technological: technical failures, caught out by advances in technology Natural: threats from weather, natural disasters, accidents, disease Political: changes to tax, public opinions, government policy, foreign

influence

Potential risks I was aware of before continuing my label were:

Financial: Although not expensive to start digital label at basic level, there is potential for costs to outweigh income as there is no clear guarantee of number of sales

Political: Proposed VAT rule overhaul could see cost of mp3’s increase, putting consumers off and resulting in less income per unit sold

Technological: For all the benefits the digital age has created the threat of piracy still looms. Music could be illegally downloaded for free resulting in loss of earnings.


Explanation and justification of actions including Analysis and description of the Portfolio preparation process.

Digital label

I decided to once again focus on the digital record label I set up last year as it is a project I wish to nurture and expand on in the coming weeks, months and years upon leaving college. The response from various friends, respected DJ’s and followers on Facebook and Soundcloud regarding the debut release was very encouraging and so gave me a lot of confidence it was a project that could continue to grow. For me, starting a record label always seemed a logical progression from DJing and running club nights but it wouldn’t have started when it did, and perhaps not even at all, had it not been for the mentoring and help from my tutors and the various classes at Glasgow Kelvin College.

Having my own personal tastes, knowledge and contacts within the Glasgow club scene gave me an insight into the kind of aesthetic I’d want for a label. It also gave me the knowledge that the digital format, despite a degree of market saturation, (largely down to a plethora of mediocrity as a result of the ease to which just about anyone can now produce and distribute electronic digital music) is still an area where people, particularly DJ’s, are constantly looking for new material. Therefore, by focusing on quality rather than quantity, I believe Cold City Cuts can emerge as a respected outlet.

Despite the continued and unavoidable threat of piracy, digital download sales continue to outstrip all other formats due to their low cost and convenience.

Since the birth of the digital revolution, digital download sales have become universally popular and have overtaken physical sales due to their low cost, convenience (allowing people the ability to purchase at any time of day or night via laptop, pc or tablet) and immediate playability once downloaded.

A recent study added weight to my belief that starting a digital record label which focusses on this genre of music would be a worthwhile cause when I read that despite an “overall fall of 13.3% in digital downloads, partly due to piracy and streaming sites this year, electronic music has seen an increase of 2.7 percent, from 1.32 million units to 1.45 million.” – Digital Music News

Initially, I did toy with the idea of progressing onto vinyl for this project as it continues to be my end goal, but very quickly, and under the valuable advice and mentoring of Douglas MacIntyre, I decided it would be too ambitious at this stage due to the increased levels of finances required to produce and distribute the physical product. Therefore, I decided I would hold a showcase event in a club with the purpose of


coinciding with the release as well as increased awareness of the label and my artists.

Showcase Event

The reason I decided to run a showcase event in conjunction with the new release first came about after my initial idea of progressing from digital to vinyl for this project looked too big a financial risk and so, with my background of running my own club night, I thought it would be a good idea to organise a label showcase party. Here I knew there was an opportunity to use my skills and experience to arrange and promote an event which would increase exposure for the label and my artists.

Choosing the line-up was relatively straight forward. I wanted new signing Sirrahttam to play, Alex-Ander to play and thought I would stick myself on the bill too, complete with new alias, DJ Cold City Cuts. I also initially asked another friend, Darren McMillan, to DJ for me too as he had been sending me demos for Cold City Cuts in the few weeks previous. He is also fairly well-known on the club circuit from his time running a night called Disco X at the sadly now demolished Soundhaus venue. From running my own events I knew the importance of a carefully selected line-up in order to appeal to a wider audience, and so, thinking of Darren aka Big Daddy Daz, decided he would potentially pull in some of the older school clubbers from the heady days of the 90’s. Sadly, due to his wife having to go for an operation a few days before the date of the gig I had to think fast to replace him and so used similar thinking to approach another friend, Jamie Thomson, who is very much respected and still active every week DJing in Max’s Bar.

In terms of billing on the promotional poster (of which artwork will be covered shortly) I decided, despite the event being in conjunction with Sirrahttam’s release, Alex-Ander should have top billing due to him being the most known on my label with his output on his own label, Ander-Traxx. Sirrahttam’s name came next, followed by Jamie then myself. From an aesthetic and, for want of a better phrase, order of importance of each DJ, I decided this was the best way to set the bill out.


Artwork/Logo

Despite it perhaps being bright and clear, I knew the logo I designed last year wasn’t a logo in the true sense and, after a period of inactivity since my last release, wanted to wait until a new strong logo was in place before starting to build up interest and momentum again. Referring to 1st Year core subject, Graphics, the importance of having a strong image or label logo cannot be overstated as it can convey a certain perception before anyone even hears the music. I looked at some well-known logos from other contemporary electronic labels and saw that often something very simple was the most effective. I wanted something similar to that of Soma Records, Numbers or even Warp and was already thinking of it being of circular shape with a vision of it on stickers or perhaps t-shirts in the future.

I approached one or two people initially who I knew were graphic designers and one contact agreed to take on the job. With my basic thoughts on it being similar to the afore mentioned contemporaries, he began to work on the following ideas.


The only image which appealed was the logo which wrapped the text in the three circular rings or letter “C”’s as it also looked like it depicted a vinyl record but I felt that the text font could perhaps be more original. Over the next few days I unfortunately heard nothing back from him as he was on holiday. After still receiving no reply a few days after he returned I decided I could not afford to wait any longer and was put in touch with Jonathan Stevens at graphic design company, Anti-Matter.

My good friend, Claire Collins, at The Skinny told me he designed flyers for her colleague, Tom, and so both put a good word in for me and let Jonathan know I was going to contact him. Immediately, Jonathan was on board with my idea for a logo and by now I was also thinking about a flyer for the event, which Jonathan also agreed to do. Within three days Jonathan had designed a logo which fit the criteria perfectly and designed a poster for my event, complete with a banner for the Facebook event page. The cost for all this was a very reasonable £75 and I am very


pleased with all artwork. The logo is strong, simple, clear and depicts three letter “C”’s in the style of a vinyl record, which was inspired by my preferred design from my first choice designer. It allows me to update all social media accounts, makes the possibility of a strong relaunch a reality and the poster now allows proper promotion of the gig online and in print media. I also didn’t want to announce the revival of Cold City Cuts in dribs and drabs and so updating the artwork, followed by details of an upcoming gig and new EP release almost at once definitely created more hype and received much more attention than previous posts.

Name

As for the name, Cold City Cuts, it refers to Glasgow’s famous climate most of the year but also draws inspiration from one of my favourite “buy-on-sight” labels, Clone Classic Cuts from Rotterdam, Holland. I believe the name has a good underground feel to it and trips off the tongue easy. Also, as the label has been in operation since last year and built up a fair amount of awareness and social media followers, it was logical to keep the name despite any rebrand.


Venue

Venues I considered included La Cheetah Club, where I once worked as PR Manager, the basement at the Brunswick Hotel and Broadcast, based on a friend’s recommendation. I wanted to look at venues with a capacity no bigger than 150. Oddly enough, despite my history with La Cheetah Club, the first and only venue I contacted was Broadcast as I heard it was free to hire and which was steadily building a reputation for hosting live and club events. This was obviously a huge appeal as I am aiming to keep costs to a minimum where possible. I was also aware, due to La Cheetah’s ever growing popularity and stature, there was every chance it was fully booked by their many steady resident nights.

With this in mind, a friend advised me to speak to their booker, Gerry Blythe, who knew of me from my time running my club night, Inner City Acid between 2004 & 2009, he was sold on my idea of a Cold City Cuts label showcase event and a date of Friday 15th May was agreed. I believe this date will provide ample time to receive completed tracks back from Matt and a remix from Alex in order to be mastered and released around the same time.

During a meeting with Gerry it was made clear to me that I could either charge money on the door, which I would be able to keep/split between my DJ’s, or make the event free entry, with me being given money, to that same end, from any profits made from sales at the bar.

In order to entice as many people into the gig as possible, with the ultimate aim, in this instance, of increasing brand awareness, I decided to make the event free entry. As well as seeing this as an effective way to compete against other similar events that same evening or weekend to get people through the door, it is my hope this move will also result in a degree of brand loyalty and a consumer perception that Cold City Cuts gives the people something they want. However, to avoid the unwanted association of free entry cheapening the image of my label, I will rely on my marketing and promotional campaigns as well as my confidence and knowledge of the DJ’s and musical output on my label and on the night.

After this meeting, I went down to the venue to see the space for myself and felt it was an ideal size that would either look very good if full to capacity or not too bad, if worst case scenario, it was close to empty. The prospect of organising a gig in a venue I had never been in before, in an area more accustomed to younger, indie types did not phase me as I was aware of there being one or two other club promoters there and also that next door, in Nice & Sleazy, club events such as Wrong Island, had been changing the somewhat traditional ideas in that particular area of Glasgow for a number of years previously.


Aggregator

In terms of the release, the reasons for once again opting to go through EmuBands include the fact you are assigned your own account manager who is on hand to answer any queries you may have relating to any aspect from initial set up right the way through to contacting all online retailers and making the music available for sale.

EmuBands are what is known as an aggregator, in that they approach and supply various online retailers, such as iTunes, Amazon or Spotify with your music once you have sent over your audio files and artwork. Each track is assigned a unique catalogue number, International Standard Recording Code (ISRC), as learned about in last year’s Creative Project, and all copyrights are in place. As there is no publisher as such, both tracks are protected by Copyright Control. Once you create an account with them, their website talks you through the very easy to follow steps of adding your tracks, their names and the artwork and issues you with all the codes needed to proceed.

I found them to be very professional and they take much of the hard work away from you which allows more time to implement effective marketing and promotional campaigns, and in my case, organise and promote a club night. The associated costs are also very reasonable and once you pay a one-off payment to have your single, EP or album on as many of the available platforms as you wish, your account on their website keeps track of all transactions and details exactly where the money has been made and how much has been made.


As their website clearly details above, the cost for me registering, uploading and having my 3 track EP on my desired retail sites will be a one-off fee of £34.95.

100% of all royalties will be made to me at regular intervals over the calendar year and will go directly into my personal account which will then make it simple to be divided, as per terms of the contract, between my artists on recoupment of my initial costs. Information of which sites the money has been made from is also detailed and so allows me to see which sites are generating most money.

On average, the typical cost of a single track download on each of these sites is around 70p with the full release costing around the £2 mark.

I also decided not to sign up with Juno Download as I did last year. The decision to sign with Juno was to give the label and debut release more credibility as Juno are a globally recognised online outlet for physical and digital releases specialising in the genre of music I will be releasing. However, the terms of the contract stipulated a certain amount of sales needed to be made before Juno began to pay royalties back to me. Due to the current frequency in which I am releasing music, combined with my micro label status and likelihood of selling enough units to cover these costs, I decided it would be counter-productive. Instead, I will set up a Bandcamp page, which is free to do, where I can make my releases available to be purchased at a


cost of my own choosing, potentially undercutting the retailers I’ll be listed on through EmuBands but maintaining 100% of all money made through sales.

Some may argue why then pay to go through EmuBands at all, but I believe giving people more options where they can buy my music is better than one single platform which they may not be used to. Besides, EmuBands make my music available on household platforms such as iTunes, Amazon and GooglePlay, which people, more and more these days, have vouchers for.

Bandcamp is an online music store, opened in 2007, which exists predominantly for independent artists and labels for promotion and to make sales. Users can open an artist account or a label account, customise their page and upload their music. They can set their own price for their music, allow people to pay whatever they wish or make it free to stream and download.

A person’s Bandcamp page allows linking to their various other social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter and information released by Bandcamp earlier this year announced that artists using the website had officially received total of $100 million from music sales.

My current release from Alex-Ander is up on Bandcamp at a price of just £1 for the whole single, although my settings allow anyone feeling generous to pay more if they like.


Artists

My reasons for choosing Matt’s (or Sirrahttam’s) tracks were because they exactly had the feeling I envisage for my label. There is a strong sense of an appreciation for a raw, analogue sound found in the pioneering sounds of Chicago Acid House and Detroit Techno yet, contained at the same time, something futuristic. Also, ideally, Matt is local, unsigned and as yet unheard of so ticks all the boxes for the job I wish to do for him as an artist as well as fitting the ethos of my label. The prospect of being the first label to recognise and exploit his undoubted talent is a very exciting one. I believe I will provide an easy-going, helpful, professional first experience of working with a record label which will be of mutual benefit.

Furthermore, to have Alex McVey agree to remix one of the tracks sounds a great idea as it will provide something of a continuation or link to the first release and gives the idea of a tight, family-like roster at Cold City Cuts.

Sirrahttam & Alex-Ander

A&R

The A&R process for this release was relatively simple. I had heard one of Matt’s tracks as far back as last year on his Soundcloud page, which I believe Alex put me onto. The track, “Hoe Foil Us”, which Matt claims to have been an anagram of something he can’t remember, stood out immediately. After a few listens, ensuring I was casting a proper A&R ear over it to detect if it needed any tweaks, I decided it was ideal as it was and registered an interest in releasing it, to which Matt was very happy.

A few months passed until I was ready to consider releasing Cold City Cuts’ 2nd EP and with Matt still eager to be on the label I trawled through his Soundcloud page again to check out any other tracks which could accompany Hoe Foil Us and stumbled upon “Still I Grind”. This track seemed the perfect counter to Hoe Foil Us as it was deeper and darker than the more upbeat former. Again, I decided there


was no need for it to be tweaked and we agreed in principle these would form the basis of the new EP.

I then approached Alex with a view to him remixing one of the tracks which he happily did and both Matt and I were incredibly pleased with the outcome as it gave Still I Grind a more dancefloor vibe, complete with acid bassline.


Funding

In 1st Year’s Creative Industries Infrastructure class we learned of the many bodies which exist to offer funding in order to assist entrepreneurs into the world of business.

Creative Scotland is a national organisation which exists to fund and support the development of Scotland’s creative industries and distributes funds given by the Scottish Government and the National Lottery. They encourage innovation and growth and provide strategic leadership to anyone based in Scotland who requires a certain level of assistance who is eligible to apply. However, individual students who are in fulltime courses are not eligible and so this avenue is not one I would be able to go down just yet.

Scottish Enterprise offers training and support to high-growth companies in Scotland. They offer a range of funding and grant options to companies of all sizes with the aim of helping Scotland become more globally competitive, particularly in the research, development, co-investment and technological innovation fields. Again this is not an option available to myself as a micro label.

The Prince’s Trust is a charity founded in 1976 by Charles, Prince of Wales which helps unemployed and or disadvantaged under 25’s into business and offers funding and practical support to help develop key skills, confidence and motivation with the aim of progression into work, education or training. Again, this is not an option I could apply for.

Bridge 2 Business, as mentioned previously, is an interactive and engaging programme to inspire, connect and support college students into business.

Their service aims to provide entrepreneurial students with relatively small financial grants (ranging from £100-£200) as well as mentoring support in the form of meetings and workshops. A funding idea such as this seemed perfect as the costs of mastering a 3 track EP and getting it on EmuBands is relatively small and would not be required to be repaid. Finance tutor, Graeme Neilson, advised I should contact Bridge 2 Business Entrepreneurship Executive, Andrew Tomkins and outline my business idea, giving as much information as possible into how a grant of that size could make a big difference in enabling me to get the next Cold City Cuts release off the ground.


Andrew promptly responded to my email where we arranged to talk over my idea in more detail over a coffee in order for him to gain a better understanding how their money could be of benefit to me. At the meeting I was asked to create a profile on the Bridge 2 Business website and to upload my idea in order for it to be assessed. Within a few short days I had a grant of £100 in my account which was promptly spent on artwork and stickers.

Merchandise

I knew from the off what my idea would be in terms of merchandise. With my limited budget, but also in terms of thinking of a permanent physical product which could be transferred in guerrilla-esque fashion around Glasgow but also given away free at the Showcase event, it had to be stickers.

Taking inspiration from contemporary labels again such as Soma and Numbers and seeing their logos stuck on DJ’s laptops and record bags and also on lamp-posts and pub walls, I knew this could be a cost-effective way to get the name Cold City Cuts out to an even wider public.

I researched printing companies such as Glasgow-based Push Print and the Leeds-based Awesome Merchandise but eventually opted for awesome Merchandise as their website clearly stated their products, prices and easy to follow steps on how to upload your images, whereas Push Print required calling up for quotes. The cost for 100 gloss paper stickers was a very reasonable £20 which sounded ideal to me as I had an estimated figure between £30 and £40. Unfortunately, however, with the date of the Showcase event drawing ever nearer, I had to pay a further £20 for express


delivery but the quality of the stickers and the friendly, professional service I received was excellent and I would recommend Awesome Merchandise to anyone.

Mastering

One receipt of the two completed tracks from Matt and the remix from Alex I will need to have them mastered professionally in order to bring the recordings up to standard and to make sure the different parts of each track sound as crisp and clear as they ought to be.

Through last year’s Creative Project and this year’s Running A Record Company classes we learnt the need for this process as often some parts of a recorded track can drown out the other eg. guitars drowning out or being too strong to properly hear the vocals. For both Schnarff Schnarff and this year’s signing, Finn Le Marinel, in-house sound producer, Calum Walker was given the job and a fee of £150 was agreed.

For my debut release last year I used a contact of Alex’s, the DJ/producer, Paul Mac, however, I knew he was putting his price of £20 per track up and so I thought it wise to shop around to see if any better deals could be on offer.

EmuBands also have a link to recommended Alchemy Mastering services and offer a 20% discount, however, at £72 per track this is going well in the opposite way of what I’m after.

I then sent out a message to a friend and past guest I booked when running Inner City Acid, Phil Klein, as I knew he would either be able to provide this service himself or point me in the direction of someone he uses to master his own tracks.

He put me onto a guy called Richy at Binary Mastering who, after receiving my initial email, responded with a very detailed and professional email, outlining specifications and costs.


As a student, looking to keep costs to a minimum, I respectfully chanced my arm and asked if he would be willing to do any deals for a 3 track EP to which he kindly responded could be a possibility. As soon as I have all 3 tracks from Matt and Alex, I will send them to Richy who will then be able to tell me how much work they need and if a discount will be possible.

Ideas Relevant to the Interview


In terms of the interview, I will calmly, clearly and confidently state the nature and aims of my business, the tasks involved and how I am going to tackle them using the knowledge gained from each of the core subjects from 2nd Year HND Music Business as well as those from 1st Year. With this being an on-going project from last year, I aim to show ideas to further develop the label and how I will and have achieved that.

I aim to be knowledgeable enough in my own business idea to be able to present all relevant facts and figures, being able to answer all and any questions when asked.

With the ultimate view of progressing into a career in the music industry or onto a course of further study, I will highlight my strengths and state why I believe I would be an asset to the company or course and will do all the above, backed up by a professional and informative presentation to a standard acceptable post college.

Evaluation


Initially, I considered the idea of stepping up a level from last year’s project by releasing vinyl. However, owing to financial restraints, as well as the vastly different timescales involved than that of producing the music digitally, I decided to release a digital EP backed up by a label showcase event, which my mentor, Douglas MacIntyre agreed would be more realistic and achievable.

The first objective was to rebrand the image of the label after a period of inactivity by way of a new logo, before announcing any new music or event, so as to project a strong, exciting relaunch to my many followers and friends on social media pages such as Facebook or Soundcloud. Despite being let down by my first graphic design contact I was fortunate enough to be put in touch with Jonathan Stevens at Anti-Matter Design who came up with the goods to allow me to update the new logos on social media and produce a fantastic poster with just enough time to spare to effectively promote the showcase event. I am also grateful to tutor, Ken McCluskey for agreeing to print out some of these posters for free in order for me to put them around college and in bars around town.

Unfortunately, the issue of chasing up artwork contributed to me taking my eye off the ball in terms of sending a press release to print media in time, as it has to be submitted four weeks in advance. Despite missing out in a mention in physical print, the delay did however mean the last-minute changes to my DJ line-up did not differ from any advertising. Also, the artwork supplied by Jonathan is of an extremely high standard which I am very pleased with as I now feel there is a genuine and classy visual foundation which can be projected to my target market via social media and through current and any subsequent merchandise.

The objective of obtaining funding from Bridge 2 Business was successful upon ruling out the alternatives and the whole process from my initial email to Andrew Tomkins to receiving the money in my account to help pay for artwork was extremely smooth. I am very grateful to Andrew and Finance tutor, Graeme Neilson, for putting us in touch.

The selection of Matt’s tracks and my dealings with him and Alex were as easy and relaxed as expected, however, Matt moving from Glasgow to London just when I wanted to progress with the release in tandem with the showcase event was an unfortunate and unavoidable situation. I had agreed with Matt by this point which tracks were going to be released but he still had to send the parts of “Still I Grind” to Alex to remix and so the third and final track was behind schedule.

I also encountered some financial difficulties by the time all three tracks were ready to be sent for mastering and as a result, they have yet to be sent to Richy at Binary and subsequently still to be sent to radio and DJ contacts by way of EPK. This is by no means a disaster despite failing to meet the objective of being released the same week as the event as the I believe the release is much stronger than last year’s debut and will really stand out when finally given a release in two to three weeks’ time. Also, on the back of the recent social media campaign and success of the


showcase event, I believe more interest, awareness and momentum has been generated for Cold City Cuts.

Staying true to my management style, I kept Matt and Alex up to date with the news the release date would be delayed and included them in my idea that clips of the forthcoming release could be posted to social media to keep followers in the loop and to give them a sneak peak. However, with the tracks yet to be mastered, it was democratically decided to hold off until they were of a credible quality.

As for the showcase event, the objectives to find a venue with free hire, arrange a date, promote it and execute it successfully went according to plan, despite the venue initially double-booking me on the original date of May 21st. My dealings with Gerry Blythe were smooth, the venue was ideal and once promotional material and details of the gig were up on various online sites, all that remained to do was have my guests and artists in the venue in time to sound check then put on a performance, which they did exceptionally well. I believe the main objectives of the event - to bring the label and the artists closer to the public and to raise awareness and credibility of both – were very successfully met.

I am also happy to have set up a Bandcamp page where I can substitute Juno as an alternative platform for my consumers. However, in my haste, I initially set up a Bandcamp “label” page which cost £14 when an “artist” page is free and presents the same opportunity for people to buy direct from me, with the option to pay more than the £1 I have set my releases to. I believe this will represent better value for money to my consumers should they chose this over any EmuBands retailer and could result in more people being persuaded to use Bandcamp, thus generating more sales with the hopeful prospect of being able to pay out to my artists over the term of the agreement.

Aspects of Action Plan and Development which worked effectively.


As touched upon earlier, the aspect of the rebrand was successful as, not only does the new logo look much stronger and more easily identifiable, but it coincided with a fresh re-announcement of Cold City Cuts and breathed new life back into the label.

As a result, the promotional campaigns over social media built up momentum which resulted in an excellent feature in The Skinny’s Club Highlights for May section in their online gig guide and saw me being invited to take part in an interview and record a DJ mix on Radio Magnetic and Regal Radio by Vicky Troup and Davie Kelly from Hometown Social Club. Due to technical difficulties in the Radio Magnetic studio, it was agreed we’d do the interview over Skype and I would record a mix at home and send it via Dropbox prior to the show going out on June 1st and being added to their blog straight after the show, which was fantastic.

I have also been in contact with Ronan Martin at The Skinny and electronic music blog, Synth Glasgow, who are eager to run features on the new EP when it’s ready.

The announcement of the gig and forthcoming release using measured strategies interpreted from E-Commerce and Marketing resulted in a noticeable increase in attention and interest in the label, as shown by the analytical information provided by the label’s Facebook page, and saw an increase in interest from other producers to be on my roster.

The idea of having the logo printed onto stickers in order to be circulated around the punters at the gig and around the city was also an effective strategy as I believe it will gradually engrain the image into people’s minds and perhaps encourage more people to go online to find out about Cold City Cuts and discover the music and my artists.

I believe drawing up a timescale and Gantt chart were effective ideas too as it provided a firm, visible plan of action. Often, with so many tasks to do, it can be difficult to know what to prioritise and what still has to be done and so, for the most part, I found it extremely helpful to refer to the chart and attempt to work through it chronologically.

Clearly, two of my main weaknesses and threats, Time Management and Finances, turned up to knock me off schedule. However, with a clear plan in place and the knowledge of how to effectively execute the tasks which remain, I believe the new EP, “Sirrahttam – Grind It EP”, will be met with some very favourable feedback and hopefully some radio play prior to its official release.

I believe the strengths of the first two stages of the project really came from knowing exactly what my idea was and having the knowledge and enthusiasm to complete each task. Having already set the label up last year, I was determined to make the changes I saw fit in order to develop and progress Cold City Cuts and to make the public and my artists feel I intend to run it professionally. Having a knowledge of the competition, or as I see it, a knowledge that real quality will always shine through the


mediocrity to appeal to the vast numbers of people in this city and beyond who appreciate it, is a core strength and I believe my communication skills, ability to convey my ideas and the contacts whose experiences and information I can count on are also strengths.

Recommendations for Future Projects

As Cold City Cuts is very much a project I intend to continue to build and develop after college, I am hopeful the same time and financial restraints won’t persist as they have done throughout much of my time at college. That said, however, I will learn not to spend too much time on one aspect of the project if it appears it will hold back any others. Despite the delays with artwork and mastering, I am confident I have built up yet more useful contacts in the form of Jonathan Stevens and Richy at Binary Mastering and so I will look to make them a permanent fixture in all subsequent Cold City Cuts activities as I believe building and maintaining strong working relationships is key to any business.

Personal Development

Having dealt with all aspects of initial dialogue with artists, the A&R process, the agreement of the main terms of the deal and signing of the contract last year definitely helped on this project as I was equipped with most of the hands-on knowledge already. The addition of the club night also helped develop skills in multi-tasking and it was much fun being involved once again organising and promoting a club night. I believe this has opened my eyes to the possibility of combining both skills again for the effective mutual benefit of artists and label. I believe, despite the setback of not having the release ready to coincide with the showcase event, the experiences from last year’s project of drawing up Gantt charts, mapping of personal strengths & weaknesses and generally knowing all the tasks which need to be carried out has been invaluable. I have felt much more confident and relaxed over the course of this project as a result of this combined with the high standard of education on the core subjects delivered from each lecturer.

Conclusion


I was given a brief in which I was required to produce a project consisting of a portfolio to be used as a business proposal to gain employment within the industry or onto a course of further study. It was my intention to do this by releasing a new EP on the digital record label I set up last year from a new local producer, in keeping with the label’s ethos of discovering and championing home-grown talent.

I also decided to organise a free label showcase event at a city centre venue to coincide with the release in order to gain more exposure for the label and my artists in the hope of building up a favourable consumer perception as well as generating increased awareness and ultimately sales.

And, due to a period of inactivity prior to the announcement of the new EP and gig, I also decided to rebrand the image of the label by way of a fresh, new logo which I decided I would have printed onto stickers to be given away free on the night of the event as well as plastered around the city to raise intrigue.

It was my hope all of the objectives above, combined with effective marketing and promotional strategies and new e-commerce methods would culminate in a heightened level of awareness and credibility.

To the most part, these objectives were met successfully as the artwork was in place in plenty of time to update social media and begin the hype over the release and gig. My activity over platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Soundcloud was met with a vast increase in attention from last year and the gig itself was a roaring success with the venue busy the moment doors opened to the feedback received in the days after. The dialogue between my artists and I was smooth, with each of us aware of the obligations we have to each other in the form of a legally-binding contract and I have completed tracks in my possession ready to be sent for mastering and, shortly after, onto EmuBands and my Bandcamp page for public release.

I have an EPK ready to go out to DJ, radio and blog contacts and believe the release is a step up from the material on the debut single and will appeal to a wider audience and be more commercially successful without any compromise to its ethos.

Unfortunately, I did not meet my objective of releasing the EP in time to coincide with the event. This was a combination of unavoidable circumstances including Matt moving to London and misplacing the parts of the track at a time I needed him to send to Alex to remix and my own lack of finances to send the tracks for mastering when I eventually received them. Had I foreseen this delay, I could have had a contingency in place, such as having another release ready, but this is something I will take from this experience and could implement in future should similar issues arise.

However, at no point did I panic and I was conscious enough to keep my artists and social media followers updated with the news there would be a delay as communication and maintaining perception is paramount.


With the knowledge learned in each of the core subjects from the previous 2 years and the experiences drawn from my activities on the label last year, I am confident of effectively selling the release, my artists and my label when a release date is finalised.

I believe I have developed the skills learned last year and, taking setbacks into consideration, have come up with contingency plans should they arise again. I believe I will continue to learn from every experience as the label progresses and the hope remains that Cold City Cuts will see its first vinyl release in the very near future.

I will maintain my ethos of releasing quality over quantity from local, unsigned producers and hope to continue to build a reputation as a respected outlet in Glasgow and beyond, backed up by many more label showcase events.

Evidence


Initial aims of the label and basic terms being made aware to Matt during dialogue last year.

A&R process

Sirrahttam – Hoe Foil Us (demo)

https://soundcloud.com/sirrahtamm/hoe-foil-us


https://soundcloud.com/sirrahtamm/hoe-foil-us

Sirrahttam – Still I Grind (demo)

https://soundcloud.com/sirrahtamm/still-i-grind

Speaking with Matt again a few months ago to see if he was still interested in having a release on Cold City Cuts.


https://soundcloud.com/sirrahtamm/still-i-grind

Initial email to Alex regarding plans for the next release

The moment it was decided Alex would remix one of Matt’s tracks.


The finished remix is delivered from Alex.


Preview clips of the three track EP “Grind It” by Sirrahttam

https://soundcloud.com/cold-city-cuts/sirrahttam-grind-it-ep-preview


https://soundcloud.com/cold-city-cuts/sirrahttam-grind-it-ep-preview

Initial dialogue with Gerry Blythe (Broadcast booker)


Announcement of the change of date.


A friend, Ronan Martin, is the Scottish Clubs Editor for The Skinny Magazine and so I began dialogue with him regarding coverage in the mag.


He kindly featured the Cold City Cuts label showcase event as one of the upcoming highlights of Glasgow’s club calendar for May.

http://www.theskinny.co.uk/clubs/highlights/clubbing-highlights-scotland-online-may


http://www.theskinny.co.uk/clubs/highlights/clubbing-highlights-scotland-online-may

Coverage in The List online

Coverage in What’s On Glasgow

http://www.whatsonglasgow.co.uk/event/020539-cold-city-cuts-label-showcase/


http://www.whatsonglasgow.co.uk/event/020539-cold-city-cuts-label-showcase/

Details also added to the listings in clubbing authority, Resident Advisor

http://www.residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?710001

Initial email to Glasgow clubbing blog, Synth Glasgow, with a view to any reviews, features & interviews

Reply from Synth Glasgow editor, Colin Brownbill, stating an interest in covering the release when ready.


http://www.residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?710001

Facebook page which has been the main connection with fan base and the source of most hype-building.

https://www.facebook.com/ColdCityCuts?ref=hl

Facebook event page for the label showcase party, detailing all relevant information.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1606151169671482/


https://www.facebook.com/events/1606151169671482/

https://www.facebook.com/ColdCityCuts?ref=hl

Analytic information from Facebook page highlighting statistics such as age and location of people who like the page and details of which posts received the most reach or likes.

To increase awareness and hype of Sirrahttam, the gig and the forthcoming EP, Matt provided number 3 in my Soundcloud Mix series which was posted on Facebook & Twitter.


New Twitter account to increase online social media presence. Twitter also allows any Tweets made on this platform to be shared on other mediums available to me such as Facebook and Instagram.

Instagram page.


Example of the DMCA copyright violation notice sent out during my time at Soma Records and which will be adapted and sent out by Cold City Cuts should any illegal content be found online.

As an employee of Soma Records I am authorised to act on behalf of the company to notify you of the following copyright infringement. The following link on your site contains audio album Soul Slap by Funk D'void copyright of Soma Recordings Ltd 2015:

http://novafile.com/o3uf1ohi3vcd

Such use and sharing of this material has not been authorised by ourselves at Soma Records, any of our agents or artists, or by law. Unauthorised copyright, public performance, broadcasting, hiring, rental or sharing of this recording is strictly prohibited.

This information is accurate and under penalty of perjury I am authorized to act on behalf of the owner, Soma Recordings Ltd. Full contact information is below.

Regards,

David Fleming

Soma Records

342 Argyle Street

Glasgow

G2 8LY

UK Tel +44 (0)1412296220


Initial email to Richy at Binary Mastering.

His initial informative response.


Setting Up. (Left to right: Jamie Thomson, Matt Harris, Alex McVey, sound engineer and myself. Photographs by Kasia Pierczhala


Sirrahttam.


Initial invite to be a guest on Hometown Social Club’s radio show.


Hometown Social Club blog featuring a piece on Cold City Cuts, a link to my guest mix and interview.

http://hometownsocialclub.com/2015/06/02/hometown-social-club-radio-cold-city-cuts-hot-gem-paul-murphy/

https://soundcloud.com/hometownsocialclub/guestmix_coldcitycuts


https://soundcloud.com/hometownsocialclub/guestmix_coldcitycuts



https://soundcloud.com/hometownsocialclub/guestinterview-coldcitycuts


https://soundcloud.com/hometownsocialclub/guestinterview-coldcitycuts

Electronic Press Kit

David FlemingLabel ManagerCold City CutsTel: +44 (0) 7870 643 034E: [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE“Grind It” EP by Sirrahttam

The debut digital EP from Sirrahttam on Cold City CutsAvailable from all digital outlets from 29th June 2015

Glasgow’s Cold City Cuts are delighted to announce the arrival of the mysterious Sirrahttam to the roster with the thumping warehouse style-inspired Grind It EP.

The Grind It EP, released on 29th June 2015, sees two raw house tracks of the finest quality from one of Glasgow’s most exciting new talents, and certainly one of the most modest, complete with a typically accomplished remix from stablemate Alex-Ander. Displaying an undeniable appreciation for the pioneering sounds of Chicago House and Detroit Techno with the floor-filling lead track “Hoe Foil Us” and the deep machine funk of “Still I Grind”, Sirrahttam has made a clear statement of intent. With Alex-Ander supplying the “He Still Grinds Remix”, complete with brooding acid bass line, this three track follow up to Cold City Cuts’ debut highlights the label’s ethos of quality over quantity.

“Hoe Foil Us” has already received air play and glowing praise on the Hometown Social Club show on Regal Radio and Radio Magnetic and Sirrahttam’s debut live performance at the Cold City Cuts Label Showcase event at Broadcast, Glasgow, on May 15th received a worthy ovation.

https://soundcloud.com/cold-city-cuts/sirrahttam-hoe-foil-us-promohttps://soundcloud.com/cold-city-cuts/sirrahttam-still-i-grind

https://soundcloud.com/cold-city-cuts/sirrahttam-still-i-grind-alex-anders-he-still-grinds-mix-promo

Sirrahttam live at Label Showcase, Broadcast: http://youtu.be/WSpE0EQfFJY

“Grind It” EP is out on 29th June 2015 on Cold City Cuts.


http://youtu.be/WSpE0EQfFJY



https://soundcloud.com/cold-city-cuts/sirrahttam-still-i-grind

https://soundcloud.com/cold-city-cuts/sirrahttam-hoe-foil-us-promo

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