Reflections On 2009
2009 was a mixed year for me personally and consequently there was a knock on effect with Fatea the magazine. There have been some real positives this year and in many respects I think it was one of our best years ever. Where things weren’t quite so positive, I think we’ve learned some valuable lessons that we’ll take into 2010 and the next decade, what ever the marketing people decide to call the successor to the noughties.
During the course of the year, the various members of the Fatea team have covered more festivals more extensively then we ever have before. These have varied in size from Cambridge to smaller far more local festivals. For the first time we featured festivals north of the border, notably a small part of Celtic Connections as well as the whole of Moniaive.
Moniaive was the first festival we covered this year, starting off our festival season in May. It was also the first time I’d been to the festival, one of a number of events organised in the village by Hugh Taylor and friends, that has lead to it being described as one of the most happening villages in the country. With community involvement and a real can do attitude, Moniaive could easily be the template upon which local festivals are built.
2009 was also the year Fatea got involved in live events of it’s own. We were contacted early in the year and asked if we wanted to put on some gigs at a new venue, The Bourne Beat Hotel, in Bournemouth. The hotel is full of music memorabilia and is worth a look around on that alone, if you ever happen to be in the area. It’s got plenty of built in atmosphere, which combined with good acoustics and a great soundman in the guise of Andy Stone(also a member of 4 Hand Reel & Tuppenny Jack) lead to some really great gigs.
The events were tailored to further support artists included in our on going Fatea Showcase Sessions The format was more gig orientated than folk club with a long support slot followed by the main band. The gigs were well received, but in all honesty needed and deserved a bigger audience
Aimee Newsome-Stone was the artist that opened the Fatea Showcase Sessions Live! on the last Tuesday in March, part of a year that saw her continuing to grow in confidence and really spread her musical wings. Aimee was supporting Belinda O’Hooley and Heidi Tidow, who have their debut album as a duo ready for release in February 2010. Music and personality filled the room on the night.
As well as featuring two artists, the Fatea Showcase Sessions Live! sought to mix the best of the local scene with an artist travelling in, many making their Bournemouth/Poole area debuts. Consequently Lou Brown and Robb Johnson played a real singer/songwriter double header in April. Robb had a couple of releases during the year, whilst Lou played with the likes of Clive Gregson and Boo Hewerdine, had a track recorded live in a tepee by Johnnie Walker featured on Radio Two and will have a new album out in 2010.
The May gig was originally intended to be a triple header, but unfortunately flu downed the Douglas Firs just before the gig. The silver lining was that we got to hear a lot more of Kim Guy. Kim had a number of releases during 2009 as well as having a number of her arrangements of songs adopted by other artists. Somehow she also manages to find time to co-host Liskard’s Barleysheaf Folk Club with the inimitable Steve Hunt. The second act that night were Red Shoes, normally a duo, but accompanied on the night by third musician, Busby. It was a really great night. Red Shoes released an album this year, played at the Dave Pegg birthday bash and have just signed a new distribution deal which should make it easier for you to get their “Ring Around The Land” album.
What turned out to be the last Fatea Showcase Session Live! kicked off with local band Fearne, in their duo configuration. Fearne have been playing further and further afield as their growing fanbase gives them the ability to take their quirky sound to wider and wider audiences. Singer/songwriter and guitarist Sean Taylor closed the night with a set that will stick in the minds of those fortunate enough to see it for a very long time. 2009 has been a momentous year for Sean, his third self released album “Calcutta Grove” opened a number of doors for him. Glastonbury’s Acoustic Stage beckoned as did a new management deal, gigs in Europe and a new agent. Sean is in the process of recording album number four in Dublin, expect a release in 2010.
We are currently reviewing what we are going to do in the live arena during 2010, but rest assured that as soon as we come to a decision, we’ll let you know.
2009 also saw our Fatea Showcase Session download go from strength to strength. The Fatea Showcase Sessions started in 2008, but 2009 was the first full year of the project. The quarterly downloads are designed to get greater attention on artists that deserve wider exposure and recognition for their work a full listing of the artists on each download can be found at the end of this review of the year.
All the front covers for this year’s Fatea Showcase Sessions were designed by David Owen and compiled into a single piece of artwork when joined together. The Fatea Showcase Sessions wouldn’t be possible without the help and co-operation of the artists involved. Thanks to all that took part. We’re already planning our 2010 releases, please continue to support musicians by taking the opportunity to download a sample of their works at www.fatea-showcase-sessions.co.uk and if you like what you hear go out and buy their albums.
One of the downsides of the year was that due to pressures elsewhere, I was slightly less organised than I perhaps should have been. This brought about the occasional delay in getting some albums reviewed or getting back to people as quickly as I should, for which many apologies.
On the upside, the Fatea team reviewed more albums, attended more gigs and carried out more interviews than ever before. We welcomed a number of new writers and reviewers into the team which allowed us to feature even more great music.
There was a lot of really great music to enjoy in 2009. I think it was a truly vintage year, regardless of whether it was recorded or live, it seemed like a year where the quality just kept on coming. It wasn’t just superb albums by established names on indies and majors, 2009 genuinely seemed to be a breakthrough year for so many newer bands releasing their own material on their own labels.
There is a Fatea mantra that goes “It’s easier than ever to make an album, but harder than ever to get it heard.” The quality of what came through the office and hands of the Fatea team was stunning. The tragedy is that much of it will never reach the audience it deserves to.
Part of the ongoing reason for that is there is more and more media in a similar sized pool. For example locally we now have seven radio stations where we used to have two. Each of which has a smaller share of what is essentially the same size of audience. In order to be heard by the same number of people artists are having to deliver more for less.
The time artists need to spend on promoting themselves also continues to build, with many acts having to cope with the competing demands of MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, the band’s own websites, messageboards etc. Remarkably many still find time to actually write and produce great music.
As with many publications and organistations, Fatea recognises many of these artists with our own annual awards, but this year was genuinely the hardest I could remember as part of the decision making process.
There’s a case that says that music isn’t a competition, that it’s impossible to compare music, there’s some truth in that. There’s also some truth in saying that you can’t come up with an awards system that’s fair to everyone. Fatea features a significant number of new and unsigned acts as well as many more recognised names and likes to take the opportunity to thank all the artists that support our magazine and recognise the cream of a really rich vein of talent.
That 2009 was such a great for music is down to the hard graft and dedication of literally thousands of musicians. Whilst Fatea is there to try and give a helping hand to as many artists as we can, we recognise that without the support of those self same artists, Fatea could not be the magazine that it has become and hopefully will continue to be. So it is with heartfelt thanks that I raise a glass to all musicians, singers, promoters and venues out there.
I’d also like to thanks the contributors to Fatea in 2009, without the team that support the magazine, give up their free time to not only listen to the artists, but write down their thoughts and words, take photographs, carry out interviews, we would not be able to provide the extensive coverage that we do. In no particular order thanks to, Helen Mitchell, Allan Wilkinson, John Hawes, Pete & Calli Bradley, Alice Ralph, Gary Rose, Mark Evans, Pete Fyfe, Mark Winpenny, Phil Carter, Nick Elliott, Cat and Martin Finnigan for their contributions during the year. Also Steve Bull and Dave Robinson for their help with the Fatea Showcase Sessions Live!
Finally a big thank you to the increasing numbers reading Fatea Magazine and listening to the Fatea Showcase Sessions downloads. It’s your support of music that allows the creative fires to keep burning.
Thanks once again and here’s to a great new decade.
Neil King
The 2009 Showcases
One
Jackie Oates - James Ragbone - Maggie Council - Bob Burke - Rachel Taylor-Beales - Jinski - Aimee Newsome-Stone - Ivor Game - Becky Syson - John Fairhust - Tina Taylor - Simon Jackson - Patsy Matheson - Tessa Bickers - Diana Johnstone - Henry Clements - Lizzie Nunnery
Two
Barber & Taylor - Katriona Gilmore & Jamie Roberts - Brother Crow - Sean & Robyn Gray - Susie Ro & Ayla - Corncrow - Maclaine Colston & Saul Rose - The Nocturnal Flowers - No Fixed Abode - Hollyann & The Katie Winter - Sarah MacDougal with Tim Tweedale - Nick Wyke & Becki Driscoll - The Rosellys - Damien Barber & Mike Wilson - Fran McGillivray & Mike Burke - Shona Kipling & Damien O'Kane - Pillowfish
Many
The Dodge Brothers - The Simon Hopper Band - Fearne - My Last Mistake - Morton Valence - Feldspar - The Mountain Firework Company - Black Bart - Sundy Driver - Onr String Loose - Divided Opinions - The Clay Faces - The Visitors - Whalebone - All The Fires - Tinkerscuss
All
Andi Neate - Rob Metcalfe - Marina Florance Band - Bob Meyer - Zac Harris - Mirrored Shower - Cole Stacey - Avant Gardner - Lauren MacColl - Life And Times - Kiss The Mistress - Moon Hill - Tim Arnold - JB Newman - Thinker - Gregg Cave - Nancy Elizabeth