Hey! New talent! Come to this workshop and bow down to the old guard... Our department of contrived, shitty post-modern ideas have tied what might have otherwise been a worthwhile afternoon in with meaningless history - wheeling out Ian Curtis in the name of progress has never been so much fun!'Cutting edge' meets well, the really fucking predictable. Destroy this cuntery.
Here's the itinerary, try and stay awake!
Un-Convention Factory – 15th May, 2010
As part of a larger event called Unknown Pleasures, celebrating the life of Ian Curtis on the 30th anniversary of his death, Un-Convention has been commissioned to develop a very special version of the event.
In just one day 8 bands, 60 invited creatives and music industry professionals and 200 participants will embark on an experiment – to create, record and release a new record, while exploring the challenges, ideas and debates within the music industry.
The invited creatives and music industry professionals will be those at the cutting edge of music, from past and present. The participants will be anyone connected to music – from fans, to labels, to promoters to bands.
This is not a conventional conference. It is an event where the experienced connect with young talent and create a record, whilst debating and networking along the way.
Macclesfield Football Stadium will be transformed into a factory containing all the elements and processes involved in creating a record. Participants will be free to explore the factory, interact with the invited creatives and ultimately make all the decisions along the way.
At the end of the day, the record will be available for people to download, hear or buy (depending on what is decided by the participants). 8 new and un-conventional bands/collaborators will cover a track from Iggy Pop’s ‘The Idiot’ (the record Ian Curtis was listening to at the time of his death) and write a new track inspired by Joy Division/Ian Curtis. Each band will perform the songs, in front of an audience, while the songs are recorded for the album.
The stadium will be split into different areas – a graphic design studio, a performance and production area, a digital space, a mix studio and an idea/debate area. The graphic design studio will be occupied by designers, who, once given a brief on the day will produce a sleeve for the record. The digital space will be occupied by bloggers, new digital businesses (such as Music Glue, Sound Cloud and Spotify) and digital strategists who will all explore the best way to release and promote the record. The production area will have experienced producers who will record and mix the tracks.
The event will involve invited experienced participants such as Peter Saville, MPs, legendary record labels and some high profile bands.
Documentation
The whole process will be documented with podcasts and video and made available on the Un-Convention web hub after the event. We also have good links with BBC 6Music and expect they would broadcast live from the event – featuring the bands on the show.
IDEAS SPACE (capacity 300 people) – inspired by Ian Curtis and Factory Records:
9am – 9:30am
Introduction and keynote speech (Mike McNally, Andrew Dubber and Ruth Daniel). The session will address how the day will work, introduce the bands and talk about the idea behind the day.
10am – 11:15am
Music As Culture – ‘Some people make money and some make history’ Tony Wilson
Joy Division and Factory Records are inextricably linked. From the music, to the sleeve designs, to the look and imagery to the philosophy of both the band and the label and of course both had strong, identifiable front men in Ian Curtis and Tony Wilson.
Much has been said and written about Tony Wilson and Factory but it is undeniable that music was a passion for the founders, particularly music that originated in and around Manchester. While there is no doubt that they wanted the label to make money, or at least break even, history shows us this was not their primary concern.
As Dave Haslam has written 'They were never 'great businessmen' in the classic sense; they were flakey, inspiring, music enthusiasts who got entangled in the manacles of the business world'.
Both Joy Division and Factory however have left an indelible mark on music and popular culture in this country, the fact we are here today is tantamount to this. And it is this idea, that music is much more than merely an economic pursuit, that it is part of our culture, that we are interested in discussing.
Music as culture is not represented at any policy level and so important decisions are being made without consideration for the cultural aspect of music itself.
When commerce is the only consideration, we believe the cultural, social, intellectual and artistic life of the citizenry suffers. Innovation suffers and the creative economy is hamstrung as a result.
Panelists – Andrew Dubber (New Music Strategist), Jez Collins (Birmingham City Music Archive), Steve Lawson (Artist), Sion Simon (The Minister for Culture), Alan Erasmus (Factory Records), Jarvis Coker, Denis Jones.
11.15am – 11.45
Break and networking
11:45am – 1pm
Death of the Rock and Roll Star
Curtis was the classic rock and roll star. Years after his death, critics and fans continue to write and discuss at length Curtis's music, as well as possible motivations and inspirations for his work.
As websites like MySpace, Twitter and Facebook allow fans to connect directly with bands, is there room for the rock and roll star anymore?
Panelists: John Robb, Mark E Smith, Jon McClure, Guy Garvey (Elbow), Liam Frost, Al Farquhar, Sumit Bothra, Dave Bianchi
1pm – 2pm
Lunch and networking
2pm – 3.15pm
The Aesthetics of Music – a study of Factory Records
The panel will explore how a music scene or band can be defined through visual creative arts - such as video, sleeve art, fonts, images.
Increasingly finished recorded formats such as CD albums and singles play a decreasing role in the fan's engagement with a label. Artists/labels nowadays publish a steady stream of content (digital & physical) - things like blog posts, event flyers, videos, iPhone apps, t-shirts, posters etc. This panel will explore how Factory pioneered this rather unique catalogue approach and how artists/labels should take inspiration from that.
Panelists – Peter Saville (Factory), Mark Brown (Mark Brown Studios – record sleeve designer), Pedro Winter (Ed Banger Records), Chris Cunningham, Steve Beckett (Warp Records).
3.15pm – 3.45pm
Break and networking
3.45pm – 5pm
‘Successful DIYers’ – Something From Nothing
Case studies of the most innovative DIYers in the UK and internationally.
Moderator: Mike McNally (McNally Consulting), with Fabricio Nombre (Brazil), Vijay Nair (Only Much Louder, India), Martin Giraldo (Colombia) and Jay Taylor (The Ruby Lounge), Enter Shakari.
PRODUCTION AND PERFORMANCE SPACE (capacity 50 people in each)
10am – 5pm
Recording, mixing and production process of 8 bands
Participants: Reverend and The Makers,
Producer: Youth
Engineer and space manager: Dan Thomas
DESIGN SPACE (capacity 40 people)
10am – 5pm
Design of album sleeve, posters and digital creative content for the website
Participants: Stanley Chow, Peter Saville, Mark Brown, (plus 4 young local students studying graphic design)
DIGITAL SPACE (capacity 60 people)
Upload area
An upload area, will be available for those documenting the event with flip of phone cameras to download content, that will immediately be available to view on the website.
Website and blog creation
Websites can be created on Macs during the event to promote the process and release.
Platforms
Music Glue, SoundCloud and BandCamp will have the opportunity to showcase their platforms and compete for the participants vote on which platform should be used to release the record.
Blogspot
This area will have 2 dedicated computers for bloggers to post their commentary on the event.
Roundtable Sessions
These sessions will define the release strategy for the record and will be presented as part of the closing session (6pm – 7pm). Each roundtable will have space for up to 15 participants to ensure constructive discussion. Participants can sign up to these sessions before the event on the website.
10am – 11.15am
Release strategy roundtable led by Mark Meharry, Music Glue – a sales/release strategy for the record
11.15am – 11.45am
Break and networking
11.45am – 1pm
Digital Marketing roundtable led by Karen Piper, Radar Maker – building the campaign.
1pm – 2pm
Lunch and networking
2pm – 3.15pm
International approaches led by Martin Giraldo, La Capsula (Colombia) – building international strategy. Participants: Fabricio Nombre, Lykle De Vries, Wolfgang Senges, Keith Wallang
3.15pm – 3.45pm
Break and networking
3.45pm – 5pm
Zero outlay marketing strategies led by Andrew Dubber, New Music Strategies.
CLOSING SESSION – IN IDEAS SPACE
5pm – 6pm
Break for participants
6pm – 7:30pm
Presenting the album, artwork and promotional campaign. Feedback from all sessions. Release of the album.
Un-Convention Factory – 15th May, 2010
As part of a larger event called Unknown Pleasures, celebrating the life of Ian Curtis on the 30th anniversary of his death, Un-Convention has been commissioned to develop a very special version of the event.
In just one day 8 bands, 60 invited creatives and music industry professionals and 200 participants will embark on an experiment – to create, record and release a new record, while exploring the challenges, ideas and debates within the music industry.
The invited creatives and music industry professionals will be those at the cutting edge of music, from past and present. The participants will be anyone connected to music – from fans, to labels, to promoters to bands.
This is not a conventional conference. It is an event where the experienced connect with young talent and create a record, whilst debating and networking along the way.
Macclesfield Football Stadium will be transformed into a factory containing all the elements and processes involved in creating a record. Participants will be free to explore the factory, interact with the invited creatives and ultimately make all the decisions along the way.
At the end of the day, the record will be available for people to download, hear or buy (depending on what is decided by the participants). 8 new and un-conventional bands/collaborators will cover a track from Iggy Pop’s ‘The Idiot’ (the record Ian Curtis was listening to at the time of his death) and write a new track inspired by Joy Division/Ian Curtis. Each band will perform the songs, in front of an audience, while the songs are recorded for the album.
The stadium will be split into different areas – a graphic design studio, a performance and production area, a digital space, a mix studio and an idea/debate area. The graphic design studio will be occupied by designers, who, once given a brief on the day will produce a sleeve for the record. The digital space will be occupied by bloggers, new digital businesses (such as Music Glue, Sound Cloud and Spotify) and digital strategists who will all explore the best way to release and promote the record. The production area will have experienced producers who will record and mix the tracks.
The event will involve invited experienced participants such as Peter Saville, MPs, legendary record labels and some high profile bands.
Documentation
The whole process will be documented with podcasts and video and made available on the Un-Convention web hub after the event. We also have good links with BBC 6Music and expect they would broadcast live from the event – featuring the bands on the show.
IDEAS SPACE (capacity 300 people) – inspired by Ian Curtis and Factory Records:
9am – 9:30am
Introduction and keynote speech (Mike McNally, Andrew Dubber and Ruth Daniel). The session will address how the day will work, introduce the bands and talk about the idea behind the day.
10am – 11:15am
Music As Culture – ‘Some people make money and some make history’ Tony Wilson
Joy Division and Factory Records are inextricably linked. From the music, to the sleeve designs, to the look and imagery to the philosophy of both the band and the label and of course both had strong, identifiable front men in Ian Curtis and Tony Wilson.
Much has been said and written about Tony Wilson and Factory but it is undeniable that music was a passion for the founders, particularly music that originated in and around Manchester. While there is no doubt that they wanted the label to make money, or at least break even, history shows us this was not their primary concern.
As Dave Haslam has written 'They were never 'great businessmen' in the classic sense; they were flakey, inspiring, music enthusiasts who got entangled in the manacles of the business world'.
Both Joy Division and Factory however have left an indelible mark on music and popular culture in this country, the fact we are here today is tantamount to this. And it is this idea, that music is much more than merely an economic pursuit, that it is part of our culture, that we are interested in discussing.
Music as culture is not represented at any policy level and so important decisions are being made without consideration for the cultural aspect of music itself.
When commerce is the only consideration, we believe the cultural, social, intellectual and artistic life of the citizenry suffers. Innovation suffers and the creative economy is hamstrung as a result.
Panelists – Andrew Dubber (New Music Strategist), Jez Collins (Birmingham City Music Archive), Steve Lawson (Artist), Sion Simon (The Minister for Culture), Alan Erasmus (Factory Records), Jarvis Coker, Denis Jones.
11.15am – 11.45
Break and networking
11:45am – 1pm
Death of the Rock and Roll Star
Curtis was the classic rock and roll star. Years after his death, critics and fans continue to write and discuss at length Curtis's music, as well as possible motivations and inspirations for his work.
As websites like MySpace, Twitter and Facebook allow fans to connect directly with bands, is there room for the rock and roll star anymore?
Panelists: John Robb, Mark E Smith, Jon McClure, Guy Garvey (Elbow), Liam Frost, Al Farquhar, Sumit Bothra, Dave Bianchi
1pm – 2pm
Lunch and networking
2pm – 3.15pm
The Aesthetics of Music – a study of Factory Records
The panel will explore how a music scene or band can be defined through visual creative arts - such as video, sleeve art, fonts, images.
Increasingly finished recorded formats such as CD albums and singles play a decreasing role in the fan's engagement with a label. Artists/labels nowadays publish a steady stream of content (digital & physical) - things like blog posts, event flyers, videos, iPhone apps, t-shirts, posters etc. This panel will explore how Factory pioneered this rather unique catalogue approach and how artists/labels should take inspiration from that.
Panelists – Peter Saville (Factory), Mark Brown (Mark Brown Studios – record sleeve designer), Pedro Winter (Ed Banger Records), Chris Cunningham, Steve Beckett (Warp Records).
3.15pm – 3.45pm
Break and networking
3.45pm – 5pm
‘Successful DIYers’ – Something From Nothing
Case studies of the most innovative DIYers in the UK and internationally.
Moderator: Mike McNally (McNally Consulting), with Fabricio Nombre (Brazil), Vijay Nair (Only Much Louder, India), Martin Giraldo (Colombia) and Jay Taylor (The Ruby Lounge), Enter Shakari.
PRODUCTION AND PERFORMANCE SPACE (capacity 50 people in each)
10am – 5pm
Recording, mixing and production process of 8 bands
Participants: Reverend and The Makers,
Producer: Youth
Engineer and space manager: Dan Thomas
DESIGN SPACE (capacity 40 people)
10am – 5pm
Design of album sleeve, posters and digital creative content for the website
Participants: Stanley Chow, Peter Saville, Mark Brown, (plus 4 young local students studying graphic design)
DIGITAL SPACE (capacity 60 people)
Upload area
An upload area, will be available for those documenting the event with flip of phone cameras to download content, that will immediately be available to view on the website.
Website and blog creation
Websites can be created on Macs during the event to promote the process and release.
Platforms
Music Glue, SoundCloud and BandCamp will have the opportunity to showcase their platforms and compete for the participants vote on which platform should be used to release the record.
Blogspot
This area will have 2 dedicated computers for bloggers to post their commentary on the event.
Roundtable Sessions
These sessions will define the release strategy for the record and will be presented as part of the closing session (6pm – 7pm). Each roundtable will have space for up to 15 participants to ensure constructive discussion. Participants can sign up to these sessions before the event on the website.
10am – 11.15am
Release strategy roundtable led by Mark Meharry, Music Glue – a sales/release strategy for the record
11.15am – 11.45am
Break and networking
11.45am – 1pm
Digital Marketing roundtable led by Karen Piper, Radar Maker – building the campaign.
1pm – 2pm
Lunch and networking
2pm – 3.15pm
International approaches led by Martin Giraldo, La Capsula (Colombia) – building international strategy. Participants: Fabricio Nombre, Lykle De Vries, Wolfgang Senges, Keith Wallang
3.15pm – 3.45pm
Break and networking
3.45pm – 5pm
Zero outlay marketing strategies led by Andrew Dubber, New Music Strategies.
CLOSING SESSION – IN IDEAS SPACE
5pm – 6pm
Break for participants
6pm – 7:30pm
Presenting the album, artwork and promotional campaign. Feedback from all sessions. Release of the album.
I think I'm picking the right time to move away, aren't I?
ReplyDeleteHosting a event to allow people to be creative is OK, but why do they have to mention Ian Curtis and all that other stuff?
ReplyDeleteAnd is it even possible to create, record, and release a record in just one day?
It's a good way of getting a finished project that's not bogged down with over-egged ideas - quick decisions mean anything overly pompous or musically grandiloquent doesn't get much of a chance.
ReplyDeleteThere's the potential for something fresh and snappy - and then you tie it in with Ian Curtis and 30 years ago and it starts looking fucking pointless - a waste of time.
I think that there are some interesting ideas within this but agree that having it all hinge on some boring, supposedly Year Dot moment makes it 5,000,000% more dull.
ReplyDeleteHowever one thing that I am especially curious about is Un-Convention's stance re: Factory. Maybe I've got this wrong, but their own conference ran as an alternative to In The City - the most successful of Tony Wilson's latter projects. Which was a little bit political, wasn't it? Setting up a project that ran alongside ITC and seemed to argue its independence and 'alternative' standpoint? And now it does this which is evidently cosying up to Factory.
Makes you wonder whether Fuc51 will end up running a Spike Island reunion at Peter Hook's club.
We agree, there are some interesting ideas within this - which is why anchoring it to a particular 'Year Dot' moment seems so pointless - it would succeed without it, and be more credible in the eyes of non-Mancs.
ReplyDeleteWe also remember UnConvention being a more 'fringe' event, which claimed to offer a voice to more than just the officially-sanctioned conference pieces.
Don't get us wrong, we're not rubbishing the event in its entirety, there are some good, creative people in amongst the lineup. The fault seems to lie within the organisers, struggling to find anything to peg it on - which surely should be easy enough?
A Fuc night at Fac251 would be the ultimate entire-world-eats-itself gesture, actually. We might look into it.
I think the event was supposed to be in conjunction with the (now largely shelved/postponed/whatever) Joy Division festival, hence the Ian Curtis link and Macclesfield.
ReplyDeleteAh.
ReplyDeleteThat would have been a real hoot.
I think we should look at what this innovative conference will achieve - which is a total restructuring of music as culture. Your negative armchair criticism is misinformed - I can only attribute your passive aggressive vibes perhaps to frustration with your own failure to influence discourse around such key debates. Hey - why not book a place, and tell your 43 followers on Google Friend Connect to pop along too.
ReplyDeleteFactory records were a very innovative label in their day and I have been saddened by the way it's good name has been attached to some very dubious projects throughout the last few years (There is a 'Factory' cafe at the end of my road). But Unconvention Factory is the first time in a long time that the Factory name is being used in a truly inventive manner, the day has potential to be quite spectacular. Just look at the list of names involved: Mark E Smith, Guy Garvey, Chris Cunningham, Pedro Winter, Peter Saville not to mention a whole host of talented industry bods. If you do not learn anything from these guys then your ears need chopping off.
ReplyDeleteI've read Fuc51 on occasion and chuckled, but come on. Where do you go from here? Keep having a pop at Peter Hook? If you don't like it, go and do something else. Hate only breeds hate.
Looks good to me. Maybe FUC51 should actually DO something instead of just moaning?
ReplyDeleteFuc isn't dismissing the entire day. But come on -
ReplyDelete"8 new and un-conventional bands/collaborators will cover a track from Iggy Pop’s ‘The Idiot’ (the record Ian Curtis was listening to at the time of his death) and write a new track inspired by Joy Division/Ian Curtis."
What is this achieving? Do we really need to encourage more Manc bands than already do to do this? For fuck's sake.
Fuc isn't dismissing the entire day. But come on -
ReplyDelete"8 new and un-conventional bands/collaborators will cover a track from Iggy Pop’s ‘The Idiot’ (the record Ian Curtis was listening to at the time of his death) and write a new track inspired by Joy Division/Ian Curtis."
What is this achieving? Do we really need to encourage more Manc bands than already do to do this? For fuck's sake.
"I think we should look at what this innovative conference will achieve - which is a total restructuring of music as culture"
ReplyDeleteBlimey
So you've started a blog to tell us how annoyed you are about ONE aspect of an event that you think seems potentially exciting and innovative?
ReplyDeleteMaybe you should start a blog about how annoying it is when your straw falls all the way in your carton of Ribena. Or how you love small dogs, except for Jack Russells.
YAWN
"So you've started a blog to tell us how annoyed you are about ONE aspect of an event that you think seems potentially exciting and innovative?"
ReplyDeleteThat one aspect being the way new things in MCR are constantly framed in terms of the old (and a very few old things at that). Which is the central topic of this blog. So yeah they've blogged about it.
Seems fair enough to me.
'meaningless history', as you so apathetically put it, is a dangerous oxymoron, making this blog wrong in both form and content.
ReplyDeleteFrom a regional development perspective & speaking as someone who has edited a forward thinking progressive music magazine, it is RIGHT that we draw on our past occasionally and stop striving for something solely NEW for the sake of it.
It doesn't hurt to educate the youf dem musically...if we take electronic music, try explaining the hardcore continuum to the new generation of musicians & gig goers.. theyve got no idea of the history..or their message, who they are, what they stand for, or their relationship to the people who are buying their records.
Please show some respect for those of us who like to think in more than 140 characters.
Let's hope you get that 2:1 in Media Studies, we're all rooting for you.
ReplyDelete"Hardcore continuum": you're referencing Simon Reynolds theory regarding the relationship between drum & bass, UK garage, dubstep etc. Which is fair enough. But, really, that has nothing to do with this which is basically saying Manchester + marketable music project = a Joy Division reference (again).
ReplyDeleteAnd, echoing what has been said, there is some great stuff within this project but it's that pivotal point: the bit that will ensure that it gets the coverage. The element that makes it workable media-wise. The exact same reference that has become so formulaic that it has little real cultural currency anymore. And all this great stuff hinges on that one aspect.
In any case I think "meaningless history" possibly relates to history that has had all meaning extracted from it. The kind of stuff (regardless of how revolutionary it once was) that becomes so gift shop/tea towel - with sentimentality and (over)familiarity replacing actual 'heritage'.
I also think you'll find that music WAS culture. And there's definitely nothing wrong with that past. Nothing at all.
Iggy Pop does insurance adverts now. That's what the "youf dem" knowz.
funny- the person who seems most obsessed with the past is the person who does this blog droning on about it ll the time!
ReplyDeleteBe good to hear about some 'cutting edge' stuff from the host of this blog?
what new stuff are YOU pimping Fuc51???
you really need an editor. just regurgitating stuff you found online does not make for a good blog post. it's not hard to pick out the relevant bits and add a few lines of commentary. this itinery IS a load of shit but you're not addressing it properly. buck your ideas up kid, this blog is important and necessary but you've got lazy, self-satisfied and smug, hence all the 'not as good as it used to be' posts which are making my head spin in a whirlwind of irony
ReplyDeleteHey Chonty, we'd LOVE an editor... if you're feeling up to the task we'd love to have you on board. there's plenty more to say.
ReplyDeleteFailing that please feel free to submit contributions - we often miss stuff.
Fuc - not as good as it was in January.
This is charity for the publicly funded: quango wallies and third rate academic chunts like Andrew Dubber, whose never been near a music 'business' in his life.
ReplyDeleteWho think having a Twitter account is cutting edge Noo Media.
Don't let up on these clowns, Fuc51.
Emma Dilemma - I don't agree that Factory is part of 'meaningless history' - quite the reverse. But drawing on the past in the context of Factory isn't 'occasional', it's all the bloody time.
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of the time it's down to lazy media, generally from outside Manchester - and the old Manchester villains that are prepared to endlessly regurgitate their past for material gain.
There's plenty going on here - take Sounds From The Other City - just some people priorities are badly skewed.
saw this and thought of you guys. i would rather drink warm piss. look at him with his goon army mini. total cnut.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.manchesterconfidential.co.uk/Food-and-Drink/General/Boon-Army-Ale_10734.asp
Looking at tweets on Twitter, some who were at the event were claiming that the '8 bands recording' blah blah wasn't done---that there wasn't any mixing or demonstration done on the site.
ReplyDeleteYes the album was done cos i did it! How you could miss the 8 bands recording on the main stage through out the day is beyond me. Oh yes,,,you weren't there IDIOT.
ReplyDeleteFUC51. Have you actually read what was planned for Un-Convention on the day before spouting your uninformed, unqualified shite. Read the reviews, read what was planned on the day, there was a lot more to it than Joy Division. In fact, it was fuck all to do with Joy Division. Think before you type on your shite little blog you fucking MORONS. That's... See More all you can do?....moan about other people doing something FUCKING GREAT? Do me a favor.....Get a real job or something you lazy fuckers. You'll get my respect when i see you do something worthwhile. Until then, you're just pricks with a blog.