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| Is there a north-south divide in England's music industry? | Is there a north-south divide in England's music industry? |
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| It is fair to say that the battle lines in the north-south musical divide were firmly established in June 1985 when the Housemartins signed their record deal with London-based label Go! Discs onstage at the New Adelphi Club, a small backstreet venue in the band's hometown of Hull. A two-fingered salute to the capital, it was followed up a year later with the release of their provocatively titled album London 0 Hull 4, a thrill-a-minute Top 10 debut. | It is fair to say that the battle lines in the north-south musical divide were firmly established in June 1985 when the Housemartins signed their record deal with London-based label Go! Discs onstage at the New Adelphi Club, a small backstreet venue in the band's hometown of Hull. A two-fingered salute to the capital, it was followed up a year later with the release of their provocatively titled album London 0 Hull 4, a thrill-a-minute Top 10 debut. |
| The last high-profile north-south musical tussle took place in the mid-90s when Oasis and Blur went head-to-head in the singles charts during the highly orchestrated, "Battle of Britpop". But nearly 20 years later, relations between regions remain strained. | The last high-profile north-south musical tussle took place in the mid-90s when Oasis and Blur went head-to-head in the singles charts during the highly orchestrated, "Battle of Britpop". But nearly 20 years later, relations between regions remain strained. |
| "Hull is great for live music, there is a really good local band scene here, lots of activity, and any band who plays this city always enjoys it," says Paul Jackson, owner of the New Adelphi Club. "The thing about Hull, though, is it gets a lot of very bad publicity." | "Hull is great for live music, there is a really good local band scene here, lots of activity, and any band who plays this city always enjoys it," says Paul Jackson, owner of the New Adelphi Club. "The thing about Hull, though, is it gets a lot of very bad publicity." |
| Jackson cites the case of the Paddingtons, a Hull act who were under pressure from the industry to airbrush the city from their background when they started creating what the music business is fond of calling 'a buzz'. | Jackson cites the case of the Paddingtons, a Hull act who were under pressure from the industry to airbrush the city from their background when they started creating what the music business is fond of calling 'a buzz'. |
| "The Paddingtons were told, 'Just say you come from London, don't mention you're from Hull'," he says. "That type of thing is just something we have to deal with, although the band, quite rightly, stuck to their guns, and told everyone who would listen that they were a Hull band. | "The Paddingtons were told, 'Just say you come from London, don't mention you're from Hull'," he says. "That type of thing is just something we have to deal with, although the band, quite rightly, stuck to their guns, and told everyone who would listen that they were a Hull band. |
| "But there is still an anti-Hull press that exists today within certain sections of the southern media and that will continue relentlessly. It really affects how bands from the city are perceived by the industry." | "But there is still an anti-Hull press that exists today within certain sections of the southern media and that will continue relentlessly. It really affects how bands from the city are perceived by the industry." |
| It's not only Hull-based acts who often find themselves under pressure from the music industry. On a trip to US industry convention SXSW in 2010, NME favourites the Chapman Family found themselves touted as a London band - by their own (then) management. It was a move that didn't go down too well with the staunchly proud Teessiders. | It's not only Hull-based acts who often find themselves under pressure from the music industry. On a trip to US industry convention SXSW in 2010, NME favourites the Chapman Family found themselves touted as a London band - by their own (then) management. It was a move that didn't go down too well with the staunchly proud Teessiders. |
| "There is a similarity between Hull and Teesside in that they are both industrial ports, both largely forgotten areas, and both economically disadvantaged, which attracts negative publicity from some sections of the Southern press," says the band's frontman, Kingsley Chapman. | "There is a similarity between Hull and Teesside in that they are both industrial ports, both largely forgotten areas, and both economically disadvantaged, which attracts negative publicity from some sections of the Southern press," says the band's frontman, Kingsley Chapman. |
| According to Chapman, however, there are advantages in bands being based 200 miles outside the capital. "What I find boring about a lot of London scenes and bands from the capital is it all becomes very generic and fashionable," he says. "Suddenly a thousand Londoners latch on to it and make into a big thing and it gets into the NME, and it instantly becomes dull, whereas in the north we're not that accessible; you have to seek out the bands and know what you're looking for." | According to Chapman, however, there are advantages in bands being based 200 miles outside the capital. "What I find boring about a lot of London scenes and bands from the capital is it all becomes very generic and fashionable," he says. "Suddenly a thousand Londoners latch on to it and make into a big thing and it gets into the NME, and it instantly becomes dull, whereas in the north we're not that accessible; you have to seek out the bands and know what you're looking for." |
| It is easy to be dismissive of Teesside – and some tend to be sniffy about an area that was the original stomping ground for soft rock troubadours Chris Rea, Paul Rodgers and David Coverdale – yet that is far from the whole story. Despite its relatively small population and proximity to Sunderland and Newcastle, Teesside still manages to punch above its weight in the contemporary music industry, recently producing artists such as Maximo Park frontman Paul Smith and acts including the Chapman Family, Serinette, Cherry Head, Cherry Heart, Cattle & Cane and Young Rebel Set, all of whom are making thrilling music. | It is easy to be dismissive of Teesside – and some tend to be sniffy about an area that was the original stomping ground for soft rock troubadours Chris Rea, Paul Rodgers and David Coverdale – yet that is far from the whole story. Despite its relatively small population and proximity to Sunderland and Newcastle, Teesside still manages to punch above its weight in the contemporary music industry, recently producing artists such as Maximo Park frontman Paul Smith and acts including the Chapman Family, Serinette, Cherry Head, Cherry Heart, Cattle & Cane and Young Rebel Set, all of whom are making thrilling music. |
| Teesside has also suffered more than most as a result of the government's austerity programme. Unemployment now tops 11.5% while the cuts resulted in the withdrawal of the council-sponsored Intro Festival in Middlesbrough in 2012 due to budgetary restraints. | Teesside has also suffered more than most as a result of the government's austerity programme. Unemployment now tops 11.5% while the cuts resulted in the withdrawal of the council-sponsored Intro Festival in Middlesbrough in 2012 due to budgetary restraints. |
| Previously known as Middlesbrough Music Live, Intro cost Middlesbrough council £195,000 but, with the council's budget being slashed by about £14m for 2012-13, it decided not to run the event last year. In the past, the festival has attracted crowds of up to 60,000 and has seen early performances from Kaiser Chiefs, Razorlight and the Zutons since it started in 2000, as well as giving a platform for emerging local acts. | Previously known as Middlesbrough Music Live, Intro cost Middlesbrough council £195,000 but, with the council's budget being slashed by about £14m for 2012-13, it decided not to run the event last year. In the past, the festival has attracted crowds of up to 60,000 and has seen early performances from Kaiser Chiefs, Razorlight and the Zutons since it started in 2000, as well as giving a platform for emerging local acts. |
| Tees Music Alliance (TMA) is a not-for-profit organisation that runs the Georgian Theatre in Stockton-on-Tees and also promotes the Stockton Weekender festival and the multi-venue festival Stockton Calling, which is to be expanded this year. TMA also advises emerging Teesside bands. TMA director Paul Burns is optimistic, but pragmatic, about divisions between north and south in the music industry. | Tees Music Alliance (TMA) is a not-for-profit organisation that runs the Georgian Theatre in Stockton-on-Tees and also promotes the Stockton Weekender festival and the multi-venue festival Stockton Calling, which is to be expanded this year. TMA also advises emerging Teesside bands. TMA director Paul Burns is optimistic, but pragmatic, about divisions between north and south in the music industry. |
| "There have certainly been anecdotal instances of [local] bands being told to say they are from Newcastle or even London, on the grounds that no-one will have heard of Teesside," says Burns. "Disguising provincial roots isn't new but if they were asked to pretend to be from another part of the UK by an industry professional, for example a management company, we would question the reasoning behind such advice and advise artists to be wary." | "There have certainly been anecdotal instances of [local] bands being told to say they are from Newcastle or even London, on the grounds that no-one will have heard of Teesside," says Burns. "Disguising provincial roots isn't new but if they were asked to pretend to be from another part of the UK by an industry professional, for example a management company, we would question the reasoning behind such advice and advise artists to be wary." |
| Burns also believes the changing nature of the music industry in the digital era, the increasing importance of live music – not to mention the rapid advancement of the internet and social media – are all irrevocably altering the business relationship between artist and industry. | Burns also believes the changing nature of the music industry in the digital era, the increasing importance of live music – not to mention the rapid advancement of the internet and social media – are all irrevocably altering the business relationship between artist and industry. |
| "The laws of probability would say that to make that initial contact with an agent, label or manager an act may need to engage with the industry in London," he says. "But, once a relationship is built, it can be conducted from the other end of the country quite well." | "The laws of probability would say that to make that initial contact with an agent, label or manager an act may need to engage with the industry in London," he says. "But, once a relationship is built, it can be conducted from the other end of the country quite well." |
| There is, also, something to be said for emerging acts taking the time to develop away from the prying eyes of London-based agents and managers on the hunt for the next big thing. According to Sarah Howe, manager of Doctor Brown's pub in Middlesbrough, the recent explosion of local bands on Teesside is helping foster a growing confidence in the town. | There is, also, something to be said for emerging acts taking the time to develop away from the prying eyes of London-based agents and managers on the hunt for the next big thing. According to Sarah Howe, manager of Doctor Brown's pub in Middlesbrough, the recent explosion of local bands on Teesside is helping foster a growing confidence in the town. |
| "There are definitely a lot more local bands coming through," she says. "It seems every other day there are bands in here with gear on their back looking for somewhere to play." | "There are definitely a lot more local bands coming through," she says. "It seems every other day there are bands in here with gear on their back looking for somewhere to play." |
| So, 30 years after the Housemartins took to the stage at the New Adelphi Club to sign with Go! Discs, are Northern promoters and the London-based industry more accepting of each other? Jackson remains unconvinced. | So, 30 years after the Housemartins took to the stage at the New Adelphi Club to sign with Go! Discs, are Northern promoters and the London-based industry more accepting of each other? Jackson remains unconvinced. |
| "Whenever I've been managing bands and had to mix with the industry in London I've quite enjoyed it, but it's a bit of a pit, a bit of a swamp, really," he says. "There's a lot of dead wood in London." | "Whenever I've been managing bands and had to mix with the industry in London I've quite enjoyed it, but it's a bit of a pit, a bit of a swamp, really," he says. "There's a lot of dead wood in London." |
| Allan Glen is a writer and journalist. His book, Stuart Adamson - In A Big Country, is published by Polygon. He lives on Teesside | Allan Glen is a writer and journalist. His book, Stuart Adamson - In A Big Country, is published by Polygon. He lives on Teesside |
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