What is your first musical memory?

I was three or four. My mum was big into pop music... she used to buy musical singles all the time. I remember throwing one of her singles out of the pram and ruining it. There was a lot of music in the house, with records always being played. When I got a bit older, I used to make my own ‘radio shows’ by recording them on to cassettes. I did play the drums, but only in an awful garage rock group. It never went anywhere!

Why did you want music to be part of your career?

Well, I didn’t start out that way. I started as a teacher of American Studies. There was a module in the degree course called ‘American Popular Music’. It was all about the role and significance of music in American history. It was always a popular module with the students and so that slowly led to writing a whole degree course.
 

I hear you’re also a published author...

Yes, so far I’ve written two books. The first is called British Invasion and it’s about the success of bands like The Beatles as they broke into America in the 60s. The one that came out last year is called Glam Rock. Academics often publish books, but not necessarily with much commercial success. I’m lucky because I’m writing in a field with crossover appeal.

Do you think we’re a musical community?

Yes, I think there is loads going on in the area. From my involvement in a local station, it is clear that there’s a lot of local music and new music to enjoy. We’re also well served for opportunities to hear live music. There’s even a member of the rock band The Leisure Society living in Crich!

by Andrew Auld

What is the course?

It’s called ‘Popular Music in Society – Exploring Pop’s Power and Place in Our Lives’ and it runs at the University of Derby. Film and television studies are wellestablished courses and I found myself asking why there wasn’t a degree or course for popular music in the same way. If you’re studying music, there are typically only smaller modules on the wider subject of music’s place in our culture. That was the gap. Music is possibly more important in people’s lives than film. So I started to write the course. It isn’t about making music, it’s about thinking about popular music as a cultural and social thing. It’s the only course of its type in the country. Understanding more about music’s role in people’s lives is important. Music does have a power.

Who generally signs up for the course?

It’s actually got quite a wide appeal – from 18/19 year olds to 50/60 year olds. This is the third year it has run, so the first finalists start their final year in September. In a way it bucks the trend, as it gets some people back to a degree education despite the current fee structures which have resulted in a reduction in numbers of ‘mature’ students.

What have you learned about changes in attitudes to music?

There seems to be a prevalent view that music is of lesser importance to young people than it used to be. We have more distractions and people say we have a shorter attention span. However, there are now so many different ways of consuming music – streaming, downloading on YouTube. Perhaps young people are simply less ‘tribal’ in the way they listen to pop music. Maybe the accessibility leads to people feeling less strongly about music. There’s less physicality in how we listen and we don’t necessarily appreciate the album as a ‘piece of art’ any more because of the ability to shuffle and skip tracks. However, in one sense that is about empowering the listener.

Have the technology changes been good for the music industry?

Some of the technology actually enables more access and involvement in music-making and consuming. The students on the course get to talk to a local band about how they get their music out there. It’s now pretty easy and costeffective to get your music heard. You simply upload it to one of the streaming services. It’s never been easier to listen to all kinds of music. But royalties are so low from streaming services that it’s really tough to make a living from those channels. Live music is where bands and artists can make money – that’s why it costs more to see live gigs nowadays.

Talk to me about your DJing...

Actually, this is something that is made possible by the technology, too. Last Christmas, I came across an online radio station called Radio Free Matlock (radiofreematlock.co.uk). I just contacted them and said I’d be interested in doing a show. So I now record one show a week from my home studio – it’s called Children of the Revolution and it goes out on Thursdays at 8pm. It covers all genres, but it’s all music from the 70s to very early 80s. From The Clash and Steely Dan, to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and The Wombles! It’s available to listen again on mixcloud.com, so give it a try! There are also two other Crich DJs who host shows for the station.

What kit do you need?

Not much really, just a laptop to ‘record’ the show – I use an app called Garageband. Then I have a tablet, which has the music on it, a mixing desk for fading and cutting between voice and music, and a microphone. It’s pretty straightforward and I have got so into it that I also do a show called The Sweet Spot for a New York broadcast radio station, strangerradio.com. Powerpop is the theme for that one. That particular radio station only has two DJs based on this side of the Atlantic.

Listen to Simon on Radio Free Matlock and Stranger Radio

I hear you’re also a published author...

Yes, so far I’ve written two books. The first is called British Invasion and it’s about the success of bands like The Beatles as they broke into America in the 60s. The one that came out last year is called Glam Rock. Academics often publish books, but not necessarily with much commercial success. I’m lucky because I’m writing in a field with crossover appeal.

Do you think we’re a musical community?

Yes, I think there is loads going on in the area. From my involvement in a local station, it is clear that there’s a lot of local music and new music to enjoy. We’re also well served for opportunities to hear live music. There’s even a member of the rock band The Leisure Society living in Crich!

by Andrew Auld