Born To Be Wide Announces Off The Record

Born To Be Wide, the organisation behind Scotlands Wide Days music business convention, is set to host a series of events for young musicians and those who want to work in the industry. Off the Record is open to anyone aged 14-25, and will take place in five locations in Central Scotland over the next nine months.

Supported by the Scottish Government’s Youth Music Initiative (YMI) programme, which is administered by Creative Scotland, it will feature key figures from the music business taking part in seminars, workshops and advice sessions – all geared to demystifying the industry and providing the basic knowledge to get started.

The first Off The Record will be staged at Musselburghs Brunton Theatre on Saturday 5 October, in partnership with East Lothians Youth Music Forum, ElJam.

Topics include:

Organising & Getting Gigs
Recording - All About The Studio
Promotion - Radio, Press & Blogs
Releasing Music - Online, On CD, On Vinyl
For full panel details click here


Participating speakers include: Vic Galloway (BBC Radio Scotland), Olaf Furniss (Born To Be Wide Director/The Scotsman), Michael Lambert (Born To Be Wide Director/artist manager), Scott McDonald (KFM Records), Steven Milne (musician/booker at Aberdeens Lemon Tree), Tallah Brash (musician/booker at the Electric Circus), Stuart Stenhouse (EmuBands) and Gavin Fort (Verden Studios).

Admission is two pounds and includes lunch. As spaces are limited, booking in advance is strongly recommended. Ticket are available online from www.offtherecord.me or in person from the Brunton Theatre box office.

All attendees will receive a free release worth £25 from Scotlands leading digital music distribution company EmuBands. It specialises in placing songs in iTunes, Spotify and all other digital stores and streaming services.



Born To Be Wide Co-Director, Michael Lambert said: “For young musicians and those interested in working on the business side, getting a foundation into the many areas of the industry can be very daunting. The Off The Record events are designed to give an introduction to how the key strands work and will help people avoid many of the most common mistakes.”


Born To Be Wide Co-Director, Olaf Furniss, adds: “We noticed at our Born To Be Wide events that emerging musicians and managers were missing out on opportunities because nobody had told them about the basic steps. All the speakers taking part in Off The Record have been hand-picked because they are still active in their fields and will be able to give the most current advice.”


Vic Galloway, BBC Radio Scotland said: "Off the record is an excellent opportunity to start learning more about the music industry behind the scenes. Often a new artists music is excellent but their business sense is non-existent. With these talks, seminars & workshops young musicians can find out some tricks of the trade from working professionals, and enjoy an organised networking session in their local area. I think its a great idea & Im glad to be involved!"


Leonie Bell, Acting Director of Creative Development at Creative Scotland, said: “For young musicians, and young people who want to work in the music industry behind the scenes, the Off the Record events are an unmissable opportunity to meet, learn from and be inspired by experienced music professionals working in Scotland. They’re also a great place for the young people to share aspirations and ideas with each other. These connections will prove invaluable as they take the next steps in the music industry.”


East Lothian Strategic Music Partnership Co-ordinator, Iain Bruce said: “We are delighted that East Lothian has been chosen to launch this exciting, new initiative. Through ELjam, East Lothian Youth Music Forum, a great deal of work has already gone in to supporting young people’s journeys through the various stages of music education and onwards towards the industry. This event represents a fantastic opportunity for young people to come together and gain a further insight in to the realities of the business from those who have been there and done it."


Ally Gray, Managing Director, EmuBands said: “Were delighted to be supporting Off The Record, its great to be involved in an event that will help aspiring musicians achieve their ambitions.”

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