DUMA

As a big fan of Simon Cowell and the X-Factor I was delighted when Richard Stannard from Devil’s Music telephoned and offered me an invitation to judge the first semi final of the Dorset Unsigned Music Awards (D.U.M.A).

Now many people find Simon Cowell too blunt but I love how he tells the truth when judging the merits and faults of the artists on the show.

It maybe true that he embellishes his comments with a certain amount of showmanship, and encourages the role of pantomime villain, but Cowell is not often wide of the mark and his honesty is respected through the music industry. It might not be liked, but it is respected.

His attitude has helped me when informing bands their music isn’t yet ready to go on the radio. Apparently they appreciate my honesty, which is a relief, as the feeling in my stomach before making the phone call isn’t a pleasant one.

So it was with a happy heart that I accepted Richard’s offer and prepared to travel the 70 odd miles to Weymouth and step in for a last minute cancellation in the judging department.

In the back of my mind I was wondering why that person had cancelled but as usual the front of the mind was working overtime and painting a rosy picture: the venue was a hotel, so the gig must be in a function room! There’’s bound to be table and chairs where we can hold court and sit and ‘judge’. The audience would listen to our every word! What more could I want?

Even though I was running late, and even though I took the wrong turning adding ten miles to the journey, and I also received news about an A&E incident back home… I arrived in good shape.

Only to discover that the Queens Hotel in Weymouth is more pub than Travel Lodge. The grand function room I was expecting was a graffiti decorated space ideal of a night of sweaty rock. There were no chairs.

It looked like the kind of place in which the considered thoughts of a judge would not get much friction no matter how truthful.

Richard introduced me to Heidi and Ian, my fellow judges and then filled me in on all of the other details I had declined to inquire about in our previous conversation.

The first bit of good news: we wouldn’t have to give the audience our opinions. The second: our decision will be made a few days after the second semi-final. The third: we wouldn’t be judging the final.

This might seem a strange piece of good news but Devil’s Music have devised a very interesting way of awarding the excellent prizes and arranging the competition.

Crowd and band in the Queen's Hotel, Weymouth

Each semi-final has five acts and all we have to do is agree on the best five of the ten hopefuls to go through. However in the final the judges will be the people giving away the prizes; awarding it to the act that suits them the most.

As there are five prizes one band could walk away with all five, or each band could receive one. I’m sure you can work out the other variations.

On offer is a slot at one of three top Dorset festivals: Larmer Tree, Camp Bestival or Endorset In Dorset.

There is also a recording session with Room With A View Studios or a photo shoot with Seeker Photography. Five excellent opportunities for these acts to grab by the proverbials.

This really is a great way of dishing out the rewards which will no doubt make the final an even more tense occasion yet, in some respects, fairer.

The conclusion of D.U.M.A is being held in Bournemouth at the very plush Royal Bath Hotel, which is maybe why I was expecting a little more from the Queen’s Hotel in Weymouth.

Still onwards and upwards and, in this case, with a clipboard that Richard kindly provided, which now marked me out as either someone from the brewery or a judge.

However in the gentle environment of Weymouth people seem to accept this fact and avoided giving me hassle although there was one incident featuring me, the clipboard and a member of the audience.

His name was Rob and he approached me holding a bottle which I guessed must have been the third or fourth he had held that day. He had seen me composing my views and approached with the kind of bonhomie drink encourages demanding to know what I was doing.

“Judging the bands,” I informed him. “Ah!” He exclaimed, “Simon Cowell?”

It was at this point you have to sum up various options: Is it good to be a fan of Simon Cowell? Will ‘Rob the Merry’ appreciate your arguments in favour of the man of truth? Or will he loathe the X-Factor judge and heap upon you the frustrations that a week of work can build up in a man?

I decided to stick with my convictions and declare my allegiance to the House of Cowell. Rob seemed delighted with the news, shook my hand and a happy five minutes was spent discussing music and radio until he seemed keen to find someone else to chat with.

The night continued without incident and I really enjoyed the process of judging. It uses parts of the the mind rarely stretched as you have to picture these acts playing to an audience of ‘relaxed’ souls, soaking up the festival vibe in the summer sun, rather than the seemingly vandalised front room of this particular venue.

As we are half way through the competition my views about the music or musicians will be saved until after the judges have judged.

The second semi final of the Dorset Music Awards is on Saturday 11th April at the Puddin and Pye
Wimborne Minster

Since Original 106fm stopped broadcasting I’ve been giving this expression a fair amount of use: “When one studio door shuts, another opens”.

Although when it comes to continuing the Showcase, which puts unsigned and independent music on the radio, people seem to be cowering behind the studio door, fingers in ears, exclaiming the idea to be “dangerous”.

Well, dangerous might be a small exaggeration, but what I’m finding is that playing “new music” on commercial radio is seen as a bad idea because, the theory goes, listeners want familiar songs. Songs that they know and love and have heard many times before.

If they don’t hear a familiar song they’ll change channel.

And that’s even with the new music put into a “new music show” with a presenter telling you that there is “new music” about to come on.

It’s surprising the ‘familiar’ theory is so prevalent because pop radio has been with us for over 40 years and by now we should be used to hearing the occasionally different song.

The only person widely associated with broadcasting new music the late BBC broadcaster John Peel and bizarrely enough he became popular before joining the BBC playing new and different music on a pirate radio station.

So even in the late 60’s pirate radio fell into the trap of playing safe.

The message is loud and clear: commercial radio plays music you already know and new music is the BBC’s remit.

Commercial television doesn’t have a problem with untried talent. If you went to ITV chief Michael Grade and suggested he should drop “The X Factor” and “Britain’s Got Talent” I am sure he’d suggest you did something unprintable.

These two shows are their biggest ratings winners and although the format maybe familiar the acts aren’t. It is a sure bet that radio wouldn’t have discovered Leona Lewis or Will Young.

I’ve recently been reminded that “radio is a village”. A great analogy to be sure but, to my eye, commercial radio’s current attitude appears more like local gentry, living on a big hill near the village, with a loud speaker on the turret, expecting everyone to love them because of the familiar songs they broadcast.

The only time these gentry visit the village is to collect money from traders, or hand out prizes when ratings are being counted.

If, on these rare visits, they were to collect a few new songs from the village and then expand on that interaction, they might engender some respect, loyalty and more importantly for the traders – show they have a connection with the community.

Advertiser’s current worry is their message falling upon deaf ears because, if people are listening to familiar songs on the radio, are they really “listening”? Are they just treating it as background music?

Of course the other question radio should be asking is “How many times do people switch when they hear a song they are familiar with?”

Commercial radio is an excellent medium for musicians, listeners and advertisers to co-exist but for me the current trend of safety will widen the distance between the station and the community.