News
NOVEMBER 2009
SHERIKA SHERARD RECEIVES COVETED SONGWRITING AWARD
Born and raised in South London, singer-songwriter Serika Sherard walked away with the main award of £5,000 at the Musicians Benevolent Fund’s annual Songwriting Awards Final. Sherika has been songwriting from the age of 14 and will use the award to buy new songwriting equipment and tour the UK next year.
Sherika said, “I just to say a big thank you for Thursday night - it was amazing! I am so happy to be part of such a great award and to be linked to your charity as an artist”.
This year’s high profile panel was chaired by songwriting legend, Guy Chambers, best known for his collaborations with Robbie Williams on five hugely succesful albums. Guy was joined by Alison Clarkson (Betty Boo) and Eg White. Also on the panel were Tony Moore, the man responsible for creating the Kashmir Klub and the Bedford, where the showcase was held, and David Stark, founder of Songlink International.
FREEDOM ADDRESS CHANGE
As of 23rd November Freedom Management have a new London address and phone number. They are:
Freedom Management
2, King Street Cloisters
Clifton Walk
Hammersmith
W6 0GY
Tel - +44(0)20 8237 5520
Brighton details remain as before.
SHOW ME HOW TO PLAY SHORTLISTED FOR BETT AWARDS 2010
We are very pleased to announce that Show Me How To Play has been shortlisted for the BETT Awards 2010. These awards are the most prestigious awards for educational technical excellence. You can find out more about the BETT Awards at http://www.bettawards.com
OCTOBER
FLIGHT OF KITES
With our brand initiative now in full force, Flight of Kites have secured co-operative branding with the OASIS high street retail chain featuring 3 songs and Easyjet’s campaign for flights to Tel Aviv.
JEWELS & STONE WIN ASCAP AWARD
We are proud to announce that for the 6th year running Jewels & Stone have won and ASCAP Award for their theme to Pop Idol.
TIM WOODCOCK SONG WITH JLS
Tim Woodcock has co-written a new song on the new JLS album called “Only Making Love”. Written with Paul Meehan and the band it will be released on 9th November by Sony Music.
SEPTEMBER
SHOWMEHOWTOPLAY.COM
SMHTP have now confirmed a long term strategic partnership & campaign with Roland incorporating all Roland Champion Schools and Academy’s across the UK.
FLIGHT OF KITES
First signing to the Freedom/Arnon Woolfson partnership are the very exciting Flight of Kites. Quite simply, this band write hits and are the only band in the UK to host their very own weekly Student TV show called Little House TV delivered via Freewire directly to UK Halls of residence with over 800k students already signed up and growing fast.
www.myspace.com/flightofkites
www.flightofkites.com
www.littlehousetv.com
www.freewire.tv
NEW SHERIKA SHERARD DATES
Sherika will be performing live on the following dates:
21st October - The Bedford, Balham
6th November - Cafe De Paris, W1
FREEDOM FORMS EXCITING NEW STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH BRAND EXPERT ARNON WOOLFSON
Recognising the increasing importance of connecting artists, campaigns & music to brands internationally, Freedom has formed an exciting new Artist Management Partnership with brand expert Arnon Woolfson of Howling Wolf Group. Arnon has more than 20 years experience spanning the TV, music & entertainment industries and has provided brand entertainment expertise to some of the leading broadcasters, record companies and rights holders around the world!
AUGUST
The AMORPHOUS ANDROGYNOUS PRESENT ‘A MONSTROUS PSYCHEDELIC BUBBLE EXPLODING IN YOUR MIND’ ALBUM LAUNCH
This London live event will mark the launch of Vol. 2 of the psychedelic compilation: “Pagan Love Vibrations”. The psychedelic supergroup will be joined onstage by Noel Gallagher for a special one-off live performance, and original space-rockers Hawkwind also feature on a huge live line-up.
With one of the most mind-expanding line-ups of this year, and after curating a 12 hour show at GREEN MAN festival, ‘A Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble Exploding In Your Mind’ unveils a legendary line-up in celebration of their second compilation album under the Monstrous Psychedelic banner entitled “Vol 2 – Pagan Love Vibrations”, released on 26th October 2009 through Porcupine/Platipus Records. Compiled by Amorphous Androgynous the psychedelic project of Future Sound of London’s Garry Cobain and Brian Dougans – it is the follow-up to the rapturously received Volume 1, released last year to what can only fittingly be described as rave reviews.
“Quite simply the best compilation album ever!” Time Out
“…the strongest argument to turn on/tune in etc since Lennon thought naming a song after a children’s home might be a good laugh” 9/10 NME
“Brain-melting…you’ll be wigging out until daybreak” Esquire
“Album of the year or any other year… f***ing mindblowing” Noel Gallagher
‘A Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble Exploding In Your Mind’ gathers together monumental talent and gives a voice to the uprising of the psychedelic scene, headlined by a live set from Amorphous Androgynous, who will be joined onstage by Noel Gallagher for a one-off performance of their reworking of Oasis single ‘Falling Down’. Also featuring on the line-up will be Hawkwind - one of the earliest space rock groups, who’ve been recording and touring since the late-60s - and the legendary and recently reformed 70s prog-folk outfit COMUS.
Practice-a-Thon
We are pleased to announce that LD Communications will be driving the PR campaign for Practise-a-thon 09. The media launch is confirmed for Thursday September 3rd at the Hard Rock Cafe in Piccadilly, London.
Amorphous Androgynous Live Dates
6th September – Electric Picnic Festival, Dublin, Ireland
26th September – Earthdance Festival, Athens, Greece
JULY
SMHTP/Practice-a-Thon
Many thanks to Gary Barlow, Jamie Cullum, Nicola Benedetti & Dani Harmer for their filmed interviews in support for Clic Sargent/Art Council’s Practise-a-thon 09.
Sherika Sherard Live Dates
8th September – Halo Bar, Battersea Park Road
25th September – Ronnie Scotts, Frith Street, London
Sherika Sherard
We are very excited to announce new signing Sherika Sherard to the Freedom family. At only 18 Sherika is already an exceptional talent both as a songwriter & performer.
www.myspace.com/sherikasherard
JUNE
SMHTP Is Proud To Announce An Exciting New Longterm Partnership With BBC
Showmehowtoplay.com will be working on a ground breaking joint software development with the BBC. “This is a fantastic opportunity for both parties and a real statement of Showmehowtoplay’s continued growth and driving force developing new interactive software for use both on line and the educational market.”
Josh Osho
As part of Freedom’s rapid expansion we are very proud to add the outstanding singer/songwriter talent, Josh Osho, to our roster. He will be playing at Ronnie Scott’s on 28th July.
“A boy in appearance, a man at heart. At 18 don’t let his youth fool you, his songs are bursting with the experience and maturity you would expect to find at the heart of a well seasoned musician. His performances will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions, as your tears turn from those of sadness to joy and mirth. Josh Osho is an undeniably original artist and his passion for his first love is expressed in the wholesome honest music he creates in his musical furrow.
Hold on to your hats…”www.myspace.com/joshuaoshomusic
Garry Cobain To DJ At Parklive Festival
Garry Cobain (FSOL/AA) will be doing a DJ set at the Parklive Festival in Bulgaria on 20th June.
MAY
FSOL To Play Life Festival
FSOL will be bringing their ISDN live performance to the Life Festival in Ireland on 29th May.
“A Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble..” Event At Green Man Festival
The Amorphous Androgynous are curating 7 hours of live performance and DJ sets at the the Green Man Festival 23rd August under the “A Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble Exploding In Your Mind” banner.
APRIL
Show Me How To Play Sign Deal With Sony Music
In a deal similar to their existing agreement with Universal, Showmehowtoplay.com have now inked a contract with Sony Music giving them rights to use original Sony Recordings in Multiplayer format as part of their innovative teaching system.
“Right Round” Passes 2 Million Downloads
Flo Rida’s “Right Round” has now passed 2 million download sales in the US. The album entered the US chart at number 8 and number 4 in the UK.
MARCH
“Right Round” No.1 In The UK
Flo Rida’s adaptation of Tim Lever & Mike Percy’s classic track “You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)” has entered the UK singles charts at No.1. It has also held the top spot in the US Hot 100 for a 3rd week. It is also now No.1 in Australia as well as Canada.
“Right Round” Passes 1 Million US Downloads
Flo Rida’s adaptation of Tim Lever & Mike Percy’s classic track “You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)” has held on to No.1 in the US Hot 100 and Hot Digital Songs charts and has now passed 1 million US download sales in just 3 weeks. It also tops the Pop, Hot Digital Tracks and Canadian Hot 100.
FSOL To Play Bestival Festival
FSOL will be playing the Bestival Festival over the weekend of 11th-13th September.
FEBRUARY
“Right Round” No.1 on Hot 100
Flo Rida’s adaptation of Tim Lever & Mike Percy’s classic track “You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)” has moved 58-1 on the latest US Hot 100 chart. It also debuts at No.1 on the Hot Digital Songs chart with sales of 636,000.
SMHTP wins Arts Council tender
Show Me How To Play.com is proud to announce that it has won the tender to deliver an exciting new digital project in collaboration with Arts Council England’s Take It Away scheme.
Mary-Alice Stack, Development Manager for Take It Away at Arts Council England said “We chose SMHTP as they presented an unique package of services that have great potential to extend the reach of the Take It Away scheme to people of all ages and abilities, whether they are learning to play individually or as part of a group.”
We are all very excitied by this fantastic opportunity and collaboration.
Full details will be announced at the London International Music Show in June 2009.
Amorphous Androgynous Remix Oasis
FSOL, as their Amorphous Androgynous project, have remixed the next Oasis single “Falling Down”. It will be released on March 9th. Noel recently had this to say about it on the Oasis blog:
By the way, there’s gonna be a very special release coming your way soon. Remember that “Amorphous Androgynous” lot I was telling you about? Well, they’ve done a “Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble” mix of “Falling Down”. It’s 22 mins long. I’ll repeat that, TWENTY-TWO MINUTES LONG!! I fully expect 50% of you not to have the attention span to deal with something like that but the rest of you, I hope, will be blown away. It’s a staggering piece of music. Monumental even. All superlatives will apply.
JANUARY
“You Spin Me Round” Adapted By Flo Rida
Tim Lever & Mike Percy’s classic track “You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)” has been adapted by Flo Rida on his upcoming single “Right Round”. You can hear the track on his website here.
Jewels & Stone Remix “Mighty Real”
Jewels & Stone have remixed the classic Sylvester track “Mighty Real” for Universal. Currently going to clubs, it will released to radio soon.
DECEMBER 2008
Tom Nichols’ Juicy Musik Signs Dani Harmer To Decca
Tom Nichols has just completed the signing of Dani Harmer to Decca through his production company Juicy Musik. Dani is the star of her own CBBC series “Dani’s House” and also part of the cast in the BBC series “After You’ve Gone”.
Amorphous Androgynous - “A Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble Exploding In Your Mind” mix album released
“It’s f*****g mind-blowing. That would be my album of the year or any other year. It’s a double CD of the most obscure psychedelic tracks I’ve ever heard in my entire life and I’ve got a lot of psychedelic music.” - Noel Gallagher in Rolling Stone
“Quite simply the best compilation ever” - Time Out
“The strongest argument to turn on/tune in etc since Lennon thought naming a song after a children’s home might be a good laugh” - NME 9/10
“Faultless” - Uncut 4/5
“Chock-full of more sitar-laden pop than you can shake a joss stick at” - Clash 8/10
“A cracking double CD of what used to be called head music… it’s a funky upbeat trip” - Q 4/5
“Compilation of the Year by a light year. It’s gonna blow your mind out so bad that you’ll be picking bits of your brains outta the carpet for the rest of your days” - The Electric Roulette
“It’s a trip… a really well put together mix album charting the progression of all things psychedelic, cosmic and tripped out over the last four decades” - DJ 4/5
“How the hell has someone got license to release such a diverse collection of songs on a single release. An incredible selection of music wildly diverse” - Subba-Cultcha 4/5
“A reinterpretation of psychedelic music tracing the dots from its birth in 1967 to the present - a dj trip through over 4 decades of genre busting, sonically diverse music a true sonic trip” - Rough Trade
“The band is fusing classic rock with epic freeform roll… merging the sounds in such a way that the result is always stunning an absolute trip to the psychedelic world” - Purebeats