Blog

yes after months of inactivity its a new years so we thought we should return

On the show...

* BBC Sounds list (Little Boots)
*Gary Numan discussion
*Julia Swarbrick artist exhibition in open centre
*Celebrity Big Brother - Coolio is he mean ?, seans favourite is terry christian,
* Derren Brown - lewis and his letter / pack of cards
*Kate Winslett acceptance speech
*Stupid American shooting the toilet
* Lewis and his comedy gig
*Kaka his new single !!!
*Noise limiters petition
*Eddie Izzard Clip

This week’s playlist...

Bloc Party - One Month Off
People in Planes - Last Man Standing
Little Boots - Stuck On Repeat
The Asteroids Galaxy Tour -
Cage the Elephant - Back Against The Wall
Starsailor - Tell Me It's Not Over
Empire of the Sun - Walking On A Dream
et Cape. Wear Cape. Fly - The Chronicles of a Bohemian Teenager
Paramore - Misery Business
Karima Francis - Painting The Morning Light
KAKA - what a frame
The Glove Puppets - Don't Want you can't Have you
Martin Luther King i have a dream (to music)
Little Fields - Costa nova (remix)
Oasis - I'm out of Time
The Bulls - The Tightrope

If YOU want to get involved just email us here at sean.mcginty@bbc.co.uk or myspace us! www.myspace.com/seanmcgintyintroducing

On the show...

Hola BRYAN peeps!

Sean, Shelley and Charlie were all sat in the studio, tummies rumbling, when (from a mist of BBC radio presenters who had assembled sheep-like in the open centre to look at exciting things on a screen and listen to a man talking) BIG food arrived…yummy!

There was a first for radio, too. Gerald Jackson (he of the Monday night classic music programme) popped in to tell us about Morning Call. Sean had been filling desperately while he tried to work out what on earth he was on about when the legend that is Gerald Jackson swept into the studio like a knight on a white charger to put Sean on the right track again. He walked among us. He told us stuff... thank you.

After we had been fed, we made a naughty stereotypical joke (om om om…) but were just kiddin'! Just to clarify, Liverpudlians are NOT thieves, well some might be, but the vast majority exude love and kindness. So to confirm then, "Scouse-house" is not when you come back home and your most treasured possessions have been taken away in a stolen van. It's a kind of dance music.

The lovely students from Blackburn College found some real gems of people talking about stuff for us, 'I like Arctic Monkeys' and 'there's no where to go in town that cheap… and good', awww they're a nice lot, aren't they? We thank them for their efforts and look forward to more groovy radio stuff from them over the coming weeks.

REVELATIONS IN THE STUDIO! A technological stride in CD cases, the lever operation is almost organic (Ed: tut, tut sean!) the CD just pops up ready to play from the plastic case and Shelley shows off her brand new sexy nails.

Trappist, right, gave an interview, and in the cool fashion, discussed the subjects of the variations of the word Trappist you can get just by taking out letters, rap, trap…etc. There were others but BBC values prevented us from speaking of them. They also said some mega cool things like 'higgledy piggeldy' and 'we have twelve songs'. And oh how they chuckled when Sean played them Barry Manilow, that was until they succumbed to his charms (that's Barry's musical charms btw).

Shelley songs were all the rage today, somehow. She brings new, fresh, unsigned talent from all over the North West, and bloody good they were too! She played Burn by The Forge, which we all agreed sounded like California… although only Sean had been and he thinks Mama Cass IS California or she ate it... or something.

If you walk just past house 666, you get to an even more sinister place, and today we met Norman and Maureen, the residents of 668, they are the NEIGHBOUR OF THE BEAST. The elderly couple don't mind living next door to Beelzebub, although they do think the dead body's are occasionally a bit of an eyesore. Check out Steve Royle on a Saturday morning from nine o'clock on BBC Radio Lancashire for more of this kind of nonsense.

If YOU want to get involved just email us here at sean.mcginty@bbc.co.uk or myspace us! www.myspace.com/seanmcgintyintroducing

Adios until next time,

Charlie and Sean
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This week’s playlist...


Armrug – Car Trouble
Fox Cubs – You Never Learn
Kings of Leon – Sex On Fire (ooooohhh what a track!)
Morning Call – A Little Late
Sky Larkin – Fossil
I Call Shotgun - two tracks from one band
The Hot Melts – (I Wish I Had) Never Been In Love.
Cage the Elephant – In One Ear
The Forge – Burn
Sons and Daughters – This Gift
The Street Light – Just Give Me
The Glove Puppets – Wouldn't You
Trappist – Alcoletch, Derrogator, Terrortears
Sound Marshals – Where No One Knows Me
The Young Knives – Rumour Mill.
Johnny Foreigner – Eyes Wide Terrified
Music by Numbers – Static
A Silent Film - Two Days

This Week's Playlist...

Primal Scream - Can't Look Back
The Torrents - These Things To Bring You Down
Maria Jordan - Crazy
Elbow - The Bones of You
Guillemots - Annie, Lets Not Wait
Late of the Pier - Bathroom Gurgle
30 Seconds to Mars - Beautiful Lie
Funeral for a Friend - Beneath The Burning Tree
The Joy Formidable - Austere
The Rascals - I'll Give You Sympathy
The Xcerts - Do You Feel Safe
Oasis - The Shock Of The Lightning
The Maybes? - Turn Me Over
Morning Call - A Little Late

On the show...

How's My Pop are in the studio to play a couple of acoustic numbers and talk about their Barnbox Records label. Labelmate Mike Kenny of One Chip Potato is also on hand to join them on a song and belt out a track of his own live in the studio. He also talks about his Otter's Gear multi-instrumental project.

Discussions and debate. Is Mike Skinner (a.k.a. The Streets) an overrated inner-city simpleton whose tracks are just talking and brand placement? We also discuss LastFM which has launched a royalties scheme and weigh it up as an option for emerging bands looking to get attention and audiences.

Demos Do's and Don'ts

Iain from I Call Shotgun is also in the studio lending a hand and presents a useful list of "do's and don'ts" when it comes to making a demo. Check out the full guide in its own journal.

Whats Top of the Pops?

Marit Larsen - If A Song Could Get Me You.



Read James's full breakdown

Because Katy Perry is still looming large with I Kissed a Girl at the top of the UK chart, once again we wander off to look at what’s Top of the Pops elsewhere in the world. Because we’re all bored of Perry’s attention-seeking pseudo-homoerotic posing, it’s off to Norway; a land of nice people who like cross-country skiing and luxury skin-creams. This week, we discover sweet singer-songwriter Marit Larsen who is number one on the nation’s VG-lista with a gloriously childish ditty called If A Song Could Get Me You.

Norway apparently likes young acoustic guitar-wielding women singing heartfelt songs of soppy romantic longing. Formerly half of pop duo M2M, Larsen is now a solo artist succeeding with personal pleading lyrics, light strumming and catchy cutesy kindergarten pop. The first single off the 23-year-old’s upcoming album The Chase, If A Song Could Get Me You is the aural equivalent of whale prozac. Even the angriest, most hateful hard-headed grouch doesn’t stand a chance against the woolly nursery rhyme knocked out by Miss Larsen here. Larsen’s lyrics are all appeals that she’ll go all out to get her ex-lover back and it’s an irritatingly insipid tune but - dammit! - it’s just so sweet! You can feel all the traumas of the world dissipate as Larsen’s dopey little song dumps you back in a primary school world of innocence; totally the opposite of Perry’s perverse antics at the apex of the UK chart.

Marit also has the DIY ethic going and has innovatively established something of an internet cult by making several budget videos for the single and sticking them on YouTube. Playing live and unplugged, Larsen plays at a greengrocer’s stall, in a tube station and on a moving train doing what are sort of underground guerrilla gigs on the go. She’s accompanied on her travels by an airy-fairy band of followers who provide additional harmonies and extra instrumentation on glockenspiel and tambourine. All the vids have a lovely homemade feel of friendship and snug sentimentally and absolutely none of the onlookers bat an eyelid. There are no ASBOs and unsavoury buskers here - just a woman sincerely expressing her emotions in song and getting her groupies together for impromptu jams. To think this land gave us the Vikings; that country’s gone soft in the space of the last thousand years...

All in all it looks and sounds like one of those idealistic phone adverts, except it’s not trying to sell you extra talk time and a text package. Instead Marit Larsen’s mission is to dissolve every single mean-spirited shard of negativity in your stony-cold heart and have you sigh “aaaaw, ain’t that nice” along with her plinky-plonky toy piano and acoustic chords. It’s her and her happy YouTube troupe in their Scandinavian utopia at the summit of the Norwegian chart this week - Marit Larsen is Top of the Pops...

The Bryan Awards...

This week's Bryan Award awarded to Liam Gallacher. The Oasis frontman receives "The Bryan Award for Displaying an Outstanding Degree of Job Satisfaction" after commenting that being in Oasis is better than being God.

This Week's Playlist...

The Locals - Twiddling Thumbs
CSS - Move
Myth of Unity - Red Light
Myth of Unity - Therapy
Morning Call - A Little Late
Harrison Drive - About Love
Boy Del Mundo - Mountains
How's My Pop? Feat. Mike Kenny (a.k.a. The Barnbox Collective) - Soil
The Subways - I Won't Let You Down
One Chip Potato - Falling Down
The Torrents - A Certain Girl
How's My Pop? - Square Circles
The Xcerts - Do You Feel Safe?
Harrison Drive - Let Go
The Adventures Of Loki - Feminine Side
Dirty Pretty Things - Tired Of England
The Asteroids Galaxy Tour - The Sun Ain't Shining No More
The Streets - Everything Is Borrowed
The KBC - Poisonous Emblem
The Dickensies - Deep Seat
Sinister Footwear - Finger Pie At The Roller Disco
The Whip - Trash
The Bergeracs - Coming Down
I Call Shotgun - Indie Sweat
Funeral for a Friend - Beneath The Burning Tree
The Locals - Can't Even Explain

Want to get your music heard? Iain Bolton gives his dos and don'ts for getting your demos noticed...

Iain has seen and produced thousands of demos through his time working at radio stations and playing in bands...so offers his top tips on producing demos.

A&R people, Radio DJs/producers and music venues are sent hundreds of demos weekly...so make sure yours stands out from the crowd!

Below are some helpful hints on how to get your all important big break...

1. First impressions

Make your demo look professional - there are loads of different software packages for making CD labels and covers. Using a standard CDR and writing the band name and track listings on the CD by hand looks sloppy and will often result in your CD being binned.

Look at your favourite albums to see how their covers/labels have been designed and try to mimic that.

You don't have to be an expert in graphic design to produce a professional looking CD label...often simple designs are the most effective.

When it comes to applying your designs to the CDs or cases you can buy CD Label stickers which can be printed on any standard printer or buy printable CDs that can print direct to CD. These will give your demo a professional looking finish and will help it stand out against any hand written ones.

Even if you have agreed to send someone a demo CD either on the phone or via email, still make the effort and don't send out a rushed job. The person you're sending it to will be more impressed and it will give you the edge from the rest of the pile on their desk.

2. Give the necessary information

When designing the CD label and cover make sure you put the following information on both; band/artist name, working contact details, working myspace/website address and track listing. THESE ARE MUST HAVE PIECES OF INFORMATION! Often CDs are separated from their cases so having this information on both means that the person listening always knows who you are and what they are listening to.

3. Get noticed

Make the cases interesting and standout - a lot of demos are submitted in clear plastic wallets and in the standard CD jewel cases. They might be practical, cheap solutions but are very boring and dull unless accompanied with professional looking covers to make them stand out. An easy way to grab the attention of someone who is flipping through a mass of CDs is to use interesting and quirky packaging. Use clam shell cases, metal CD tins, anything that isn't the norm but is eye catching. These don't cost the earth and help distinguish you from the others.

4. Structure

Demos shouldn't consist of more than 3 tracks, use your three strongest tracks with the best track first. If you aren't sure how to order them ask friends, family, anyone really and get their opinions on your best songs. Often when you're surrounded by your own music you can lose perspective on it; outside opinions and criticisms are very useful and also help you progress and expand.

The reason for having a maximum of 3 tracks is people just don't have the time to listen to much more and having your three strongest tracks is enough to showcase your sound if you are the next big thing.

5. Quality

The standard and quality of the recording DOES MATTER. If your demo receives a listen and is up against well recorded and produced music, it has to compete and match it for quality. A very good way to analysis the quality of the recording is to compare it to similar artists who are signed and have professional recordings in the shops. This will give you a source of reference and enable you to gauge the audio quality of your demo.

You will need to play the tracks so they sound like they are at the same volume, as professional CDs are mastered which increases the overall loudness compared to many home and studio recorded demos.

6. Follow up

After submitting a demo ring the person you sent it after a few days or a week. Make sure you've given them plenty of time to have listened to it. Be polite and chatty!

Here's an example of a good follow up call.

'Hi is that [Joe Bloggs]... my name is [John Smith] from [Band Name]. Is now a good time to talk? I was just wondering if you received our demo we dropped in the other week and if you've had chance to give it a quick listen?'

They will either say yes or no (obviously!), if they say yes they will probably give you some feedback on it and if they haven't had chance yet they are more likely to dig it out and give it a listen.

What ever you do, DON'T pester them by ringing them up everyday, they won't like it and you're sure to give your band a bad rep.

If you haven't heard anything a week later then give them another quick call back because they will have probably forgotten!

Summary

- Make your demo look awesome...if you think it looks bad then it does and you are wasting the time of the person who you are sending it to.
- Make the effort - if you make the effort to give it a professional look then the person your sending it to will more likely make the effort to listen to it.
- Give all the needed info - make it as easy as possible for the person you are sending it to; they want to know who you are, how to contact you and what the tracks are called. Make sure the details are correct as there is nothing more frustrating than contact info that doesn't work!
- Comparisons and feedback - compare the quality of your audio against professional products and ask the opinions of your friends and people who you know will give you honest and constructive feedback.
- Follow up the submission - don't be afraid to ring up a record label or radio station to see if your demo has arrived and been listened to, but don't stalk them.

On the show...

Maupa stop by the BBC open centre to talk about their latest activities. The band - who take their name from the Polish word for 'monkey' - also discuss their involvement on Jamie Holman's course at Blackburn Media College. Jamie, head of the college's media department, is also in the studio tonight to give us info about the college record label On Song records and the opportunities they provide to aspiring musicians.

Terry from 10 X Better music is another man with experience and huge insight into the music industry. He joins the discussion and puts forward his thoughts, especially with regard to band promotion and plugging. All in all, there's a lot of good advice for fledgling musical talents to listen to tonight.

We play a package of Leeds and Reading live tracks from the BBC Introducing stage including The Maybes?, The Joy Formidable, We Are Scientists, Attack! Attack!, Biffy Clyro and Tripwires.


What's Top of the Pops?

Lady GaGa feat. Akon & Colby O'Donis - Just Dance



Katy Perry still reigns supreme at number one on the UK chart, so it’s over to Canada this week where Perry capitulated after nine weeks at the top of the Hot 100 to Lady GaGa. Lady GaGa’s real name is Stefani Gabriella Germanotta and she’s decided to put on some lightning-bolt eye makeup and make her own career after serving time as a songwriter for the likes of Pussycat Dolls and Britney Spears. Her mantra? Just Dance. Does it matter that you can’t remember how your shirt got inside out, that you can’t remember the name of the club you’re in and that you can’t control your “playboy mouth”? Not if you’re body-popping along to the mechanoid beat it doesn’t.

Even though she claims she “can’t see straight anymore”, things are alright now that Lady GaGa is bustin’ her moves to this electronica bilge. The video features the Lady laying into the grooves at a lo-fi robo-disco houseparty with a bunch of other bedraggled ravers and wasters. Amongst the guests is producer Akon and upcoming R&B smoothie Colby O’Donis, though the most interesting of these strung-out synth freaks has got to be the dude crashed out on the toilet wearing a fluffy wolf head. This looks like a real drag of a party; it needs a giant mascot to shake things up.

There also appears to be someone who’s got a toy drum on their shoulders where their face should be. Should we be concerned? Hey, relax... “just dance”. Lady GaGa clearly isn’t interested in her guests and gets on with roughing up an inflatable whale in the backyard paddling pool. Interestingly enough, GaGa recently performed this track at this year’s Miss Universe finals in Vietnam. Who the hell decided that having the plastic humpback-humping Lady blast out her “half-psychotic synth-hypnotic” sounds would be the ideal half-time entertainment at a South East Asian beauty pageant?

We knew that Canadians liked fetishistic action and giant-headed fluffy things, but who knew that the way to score a hit on their charts was to blend ‘em all together in a bad video for a tech-heavy dance track? Ah well, I guess they can only take so much Rush and Bryan Adams. In the absence of a new number one in the UK, looking across the Atlantic it’s Lady GaGa, Colby O’Donis and her fellow anti-social anthropomorphic freaks who are Top of the Pops...


The Bryan Awards...

This week, legendary pop icon Neil Diamond picks up the "The Bryan Award for Being Diamond by Name and Diamond by Nature" after offering fans in Columbus, Ohio a full refund and a heartfelt personalised apology when laryngitis interfered with the concert.


This Week's Playlist...


High Contrast - In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
Elbow - The Bones of You
The Futureheads - Walking Backwards
The Young Knives - Up All Night
Beth Ditto's Big Christmas Dinner Party - The Gallows Are Too Angry In My Opinion
Gallows - In The Belly Of A Shark
Goldblade - Jukebox Generation
Weezer - Troublemaker
Maupa - Big Pig
We Are Scientists - Impatience
Maupa- What A Mess
The Joy Formidable - Austere
Maupa - Toy Trains
Blood Red Shoes - This Is Not For You
The Maybes? -
The Joy Formidable -
We Are Scientists -
Attack! Attack! -
Biffy Clyro -
Tripwires -
Oasis - The Shock Of The Lightning
Gone til Winter - Nameless Cry