Launchpad Connect

Lins settled in for a proper chat with some of the people behind Faux Pas. Ru is the frontperson of Faux Pas and Joe manages the indie-punk trio.

Taking influence from the Riot Grrrl movement; along with bands like Placebo, they have brought their own twisted brand of Indie Punk to stages all across the UK, landing support slots with LIFE, The Blinders, Embrace, Dry Cleaning, Strange Bones and Hands Off Gretel and performances at Reading & Leeds Festival, Kendal Calling, Humber Street Sesh, Live At Leeds and airplay from Radio 1 under their belt.

Follow Faux Pas on @faux_pas_official on Instagram, @fauxpaz_UK on Twitter and faux Pas on Facebook. Be sure to check out their 2020 single ‘Gorilla Man’ on all major streaming platforms

Thanks to:

This episode's guest - Ru and Joe of Faux Pas

Facilitator - Lins Wilson

Production and editing - Ash Doherty and Lins Wilson

Podcast Artwork - Jon Foulger

Links:

Faux Pas

In the dark evenings of winter Ash from the Launchpad Team had a sunny conversation with Leonie, singer and driving force behind Sheffield based alt-pop group LIO. Born in the Netherlands and based in Sheffield, LIO creates ambient alt-pop. Her music has tipped by BBC Introducing and Amazing Radio with her live set taking her to the stage at Tramlines, Sound City, Y Note and Long Division

Listen in to hear about the support LIO has received from Yorkshire based music organisation Higher Rhythm, her successful Do It Differently application to Help Musicians and a little natter about the region’s music industry.

The Help Musicians funding that is mentioned in this episode is now available on a rolling deadline, so if you’re looking for support check out helpmusicians.org.uk

Find out more about LIO at liomusicofficial.com or on @liomusicoffical on Instagram and Facebook and @liomusicoff on twitter. Check out her music on all streaming platforms too.

Thanks to:

This episode's guest - Leonie aka LIO

Facilitator - Ash Doherty

Production and editing - Ash Doherty and Lins Wilson

Podcast Artwork - Jon Foulger

Links:

LIO

This episode features Tyron Webster - a singer/ songwriter whose sound is rooted in soul, pop and R&B. Singing songs about heartbreak and love, Tyron hopes to bring a fresh stamp to the UK R&B / Pop scene that brings light to all the talent that is in the North and not just in the South.

Tyron spoke to us about looking after your mental health, how important it is to look for and accept support where you can find it, including Launchpad support, and his experiences with performing. We talked about his performance at Live in the Virtual Square and his song ‘Love Ya Pt 2’ which has been released by Come Play With Me on their Side by Side compilation.

Follow Tyron on @tyronwebster on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and check out his music on all major streaming platforms ESPECIALLY ‘Love Ya Pt 2’.

Thanks to:

This episode's guest - Tyron Webster

Facilitator - Lins Wilson

Production and editing - Ash Doherty and Lins Wilson

Podcast Artwork - Jon Foulger

Links:

Tyron Webster

In this week’s episode, Ash Doherty from the Launchpad team spoke with Jed, who is 1/3rd of the band Galaxians; a group making music described as ‘pre digital dance music’ who taking much inspiration from the party lineage of their hometown in Leeds.

We talked extensively about making it as an independent artist outside of London, the benefits and hardships to releasing independently, maximising your music income via sync and royalties and the support they have received from organisations and funds such as Help Musicians Do It Differently, Launchpad and Momentum.

You can find Galaxians online at supergalaxians.com or on @GLXNZ on Instagram and Twitter and at Galaxians on Facebook. Support their music, including their 2020 album ‘Chemical Reactions’ on Bandcamp.

Thanks to:

This episode's guest - Matt from Galaxians

Facilitator - Ash Doherty

Production and editing - Ash Doherty and Emily Marlow

Podcast Artwork - Jon Foulger

Links:

Galaxians

In this episode, Lins caught up with Josh and Hannah of Team Picture. We discussed their new album ‘The Menace of Mechanical Music’ and how Do It Differently funding was instrumental in helping their ideas come to life. We also talked about how best to approach funding applications and they shared some hints and tips that they’ve picked up along the way.

Team Picture are a 6 piece music outfit based in Yorkshire. Their personal brand of alternative art rock takes inspiration from eighties pop music and new-wave influences.

Thank you to Josh and Hannah from Team Picture for joining us in this chat. Be sure to check out their album ‘The Menace of Mechanical Music’ on all streaming platforms and to check out their merch including vinyls, t-shirts and tote bags on their bandcamp. You can follow them on Twitter and Instagram on @teampictureband

Thanks to:
This episode's guests - Josh and Hannah of Team Picture
Facilitator - Lins Wilson
Production and editing - Ash Doherty and Emily Marlow
Podcast Artwork - Jon Foulger

Links:
Team Picture

James Mabbett aka Napoleon IIIrd joined us in October 2020 to talk to us about his ever-evolving career as a musician, sound artist and all-round creative. Napoleon IIIrd first received Launchpad support in April 2020 and performed at a Virtual House Gig in May that year.

We mainly focused on the intricacies of applying for the Developing Your Creative Practice fund from Arts Council England, which supports individuals who are cultural and creative practitioners and want to take time to focus on their creative development. We talked about his experiences applying for the fund and the freedom that it allowed him to work on his creative practice.

Thanks to:

This episode's guest - James Mabbett AKA Napoleon IIIrd

Facilitator - Lins Wilson

Production and editing - Ash Doherty and Emily Marlow

Podcast Artwork - Jon Foulger

Links:

Napoleon IIIrd

In this episode, we talked with Nicole Raymond aka DJ NikNak. An Oram Award-winning and history-making storyteller in her own right, NikNak is devoted to developing her unique practice as a DJ and turntablist, sound artist, composer, producer, tutor, sound engineer and radio presenter. She is a strong advocate for diverse representation in the music industry, especially within DJ, turntablism and music production realms, and for musician wellbeing and mental health.

We discussed the mentoring support that she received through Launchpad, her experiences applying to funding and opportunities and other opportunities that she has taken part in.

This episode was recorded in September 2020, when NikNak was in the run-up to the release of her debut album ‘Bashi’. The first single ‘solo’ was released in September 2020 with the album coming out in November 2020. You can listen to this via your favourite streaming platforms and purchase it on Bandcamp, with all vinyl copies now sold out.

We also mentioned Opera North’s Resonance Programme which is a workshop programme for minority ethnic professional musicians and composers, working in any genre, and based in the north of England. NikNak’s Work with Khadijah Ibrahim ‘Dead N Wake’ can be listened to on Opera North’s Soundcloud now.

TC and the Groove Family’s single “let’s start” is on all major streaming platforms now.

Thanks to:

This episode's guest - Nicole Raymond

Facilitator - Ash Doherty

Production and editing - Ash Doherty and Emily Marlow

Podcast Artwork - Jon Foulger

Links:

Lucy from Dead Naked Hippies joined us to talk about the support that the band have received. Dead Naked Hippies are alt-rock outsiders. The trio, fronted by force-of-nature front woman Lucy Jowett, will lull you in with subtlety before taking your head off with their wall of sound. They are a force to be reckoned with live with huge guitars, booming drums and Jowett’s banshee-like approach hitting hard, with freneticism and attitude to boot.

In this episode, we discussed Help Musicians ‘Do It Differently’ fund, as well as support from Come Play With Me and Launchpad. Lucy spoke really honestly about resilience, learning curves and recognising and appreciating the hard work required to be an independent artist.

Thanks to:

This episode's guest - Lucy of Dead Naked Hippies

Facilitator - Lins Wilson

Production and editing - Ash Doherty and Emily Marlow

Podcast Artwork - Jon Foulger

Links:

Dead Naked Hippies:

Instagram - instagram.com/deadnakedhippies/

Twitter - twitter.com/DeadNkdHippies

Facebook - facebook.com/deadnkdhippies

Music - smarturl.it/DNH-Curiosity-Dawn

Website - musicglue.com/deadnakedhippies/

Resources:

In this episode of the Launchpad connect podcast, Ash Doherty spoke with the wonderful composer, keyboardist and vocalist Jemma Freese. Jemma’s Project ‘Freese Trio’ was supported through Launchpad in 2019 with 1-1 mentoring and funding towards recording. For those who aren’t familiar with Freese Trio’s sound, they are a heavy triphop electronica post-punk band whose compositions explore inner demons and difficult truths.

We recorded this episode in September 2020, and since then Jemma has gone on to release music with multiple bands including the album ‘Cut Throat’ with J Frisco, ‘Someone New’ with DOMI and ‘Nature Always Wins’ with Maximo Park.

In this episode we talked about the benefits of mentoring, taking all the opportunities you can get your hands on and confidence.

Thanks to:

This episode's guest - Jemma Freese

Facilitator - Ash Doherty

Production and editing - Ash Doherty and Emily Marlow

Podcast Artwork - Jon Foulger

Links:

Jemma Freese:

Instagram - instagram.com/jemmafreese

Twitter - twitter.com/jemma_freese

Freese Trio - freesetrio.bandcamp.com

J Frisco - jfrisco.bandcamp.com/album/cut-throat

DOMI - youtube.com/watch?v=No0F0_Hythw

Maximo Park- open.spotify.com/artist/048FBwXjFYBWxSggPDipic?si=Gy5dU9kFReeyHLMWhGyPYg 

Resources:

The first conversation in this series was with composer and pianist Simeon Walker and was facilitated by our project coordinator Lins Wilson.

After a decade working as a musician, Simeon Walker has quickly emerged as a leading light in the burgeoning Modern Classical scene, following the release of his EP Preface, and two albums Mono and Winnow, with Winnow being released in November 2020.

In recent years, Simeon has performed & toured across the UK and Europe, including supporting S. Carey, Sebastian Plano & Loscil, also appearing at Latitude Festival, Q3Ambientfest, FAN Festival and a range of concerts shows and live music events.

His music is regularly played on BBC Radio 3 alongside BBC 6Music, BBC World Service & BBC Introducing, KEXP and NeoFM, his music has been streamed 10 million times across platforms.

In this episode, we discussed the support that Sim has received through Launchpad, Help Musicians and how he was one of the first awardees of the new ring-fenced Momentum Accelerator fund for artists in Yorkshire. We threw in a dash of love for Leeds and Yorkshire and the importance of perseverance and constant learning.


Thanks to:

This episode's guest - Simeon Walker

Facilitator - Lins Wilson

Production and editing - Ash Doherty and Emily Marlow

Podcast Artwork - Jon Foulger


Links:

Simeon Walker:

Instagram - instagram.com/simeonwalkermusic

Twitter - twitter.com/SimeonWalker

Facebook - facebook.com/simeonwalkermusic

Bandcamp - simeonwalkermusic.bandcamp.com

Spotify - open.spotify.com/artist/5jEGjnI2WdRyJSUICQQIrK?si=A4o-IePHTo-vsYWOHtFdug

Resources:

Artist level of support infographic - instagram.com/p/CDg3ep3BFd5/

Launchpad resources page - launchpad-music.com/other-resources