Features

Stoke –On-Trent has always had a number of local bands to its name. But with only big cities being noticed, will there be much hope for our lads 'n' lasses who want a big break in the music industry?

Dreams into reality

Everyone dreams of that moment, up on stage in front of a packed out crowd, with them chanting along to the lyrics you scribbled down on scraps of paper. To most this is just a hairbrush moment in front of your mirror (me!) but some are more determined to make this a reality.

Mark Deaville - local music guru!

Even if the Staffordshire scene loses a band, another two are just picking up their guitars, ready to become the next big thing. But will Staffordshire ever be put on the music industry map, as a place full of raw talent?

Question Time

I wandered down to Music Mania in Hanley, an independent record shop and grabbed a quick chat with Mark Deaville. Not only does he work in Music Mania but his band, Ox Scapula has just come back from a European tour AND he regularly puts alternative gigs on around the city.

I asked what he thought of the local music scene. “I think it’s pretty strong at the moment. There are loads of different kinds of factors of it. There’s more bands than ever.”

He began to discuss the problems that local bands face. “There are not a lot of venues at the moment, there used to be more. The Glebe closed down, then The Bandstand closed too. There is a couple of smaller venues left and then you’ve got The Sugarmill and The Underground, which are a little bit bigger."

So, I was intrigued to know the smaller venues he mentioned, as I’m sure you are too. “You have Fat Cats; a good place in Stoke called The White Star, that only holds about 70 or 80 people in the upstairs room. That is where I’ve been putting gigs on. And then there’s a new place in Shelton called The Norfolk Inn, which I haven’t been too yet but I’ve heard it’s pretty good.”

Ones to Watch

Amateur Assassins were in Marks recommendations for ‘ones to watch’ along with Herzoga, MS Thomason and Andy Robbins, who is a psychedelic folk artist.

I asked him look into his crystal ball and predict the future for the local music scene and whether he thought Staffs bands would get more national attention.

“Hopefully there will be a few more venues that will open, just smaller ones where you can put a gig on and not have to worry about having to pull in 200 people. As for more bands becoming more national, New Education have just signed to a major record label and they’re all over NME at the moment. Amateur Assassins are going on tour as well. We’re all doing our own things at the moment, and things are looking good.”

Music Mania has its own section for local bands CD’s and EP’s, like The Rivercard, Andy Gower, Exhibit A, Livid and more. I wanted to know if the discs were flying off the shelves.

'Music Mania' - local music section

“It does pretty well, we’ve actually just moved it and it seems more present than before. We’ve probably got more in now than we’ve ever had before. Bands send an email and we ask them to bring it in and also if any bands release anything through a distributor we usually get it through that way as well.”

Looks like Staffordshire could be set for stardom.