С уважением Сеньчик

Shawn humanzi – “if a scientist wants to buy..i dunno.. test tubes…” :D

I’ve been following the music industry in the North very closely (NIMIC seem to have been charged with doing a similar job as the Music Board and FMC combined) but it’s shocking to see the kind of neglect portrayed here. Even when I lived in Belfast, going south was never an option and even bands who did (Downpatrick’s Relish, who signed to EMI in Dublin) seemed to vanish altogether.

That said, there’s been some exciting rumblings up North which address a lot of what was mentioned as lacking in the film – notably the Oh Yeah Center in Belfast’s cathedral quarter – providing recording & rehearsal space, a music venue as well as being an artistic nexus for the city. Derry’s Nerve Center performs a similar function.

I do feel, however, that these brave moves by private individuals in large part came about due to a feeling of support and encouragement from government bodies (such as NIMIC) over a number of months and years. That, coupled with strong individual leadership in the music business (individuals such as Gary Lightbody, Stuart Bailie and Tim Wheeler) gave a sense of confidence and legitimacy to the efforts of improving the status of independent music in the north.

I do hope that similar leadership, both at a governmental and private individual level, can be found in the Republic of Ireland and soon. My company and I, for our part, are committed to participating in this most important discussion and helping to find sustainable solutions.

But would you listen to Shaun Mulrooney?
“If someone wants to go to New York to record an album they should be able to do that.”
Musicians should receive funding for Irish endeavours on Irish soil. THAT I agree with.

it’s interesting how anything critical like this can be kept out of the public eye here. may this get plenty of exposure online. i will give it a push.

Mark