15/01/2009 [Services]
The Yamaha Download for Jan 2009 is the usual mix of the biggest names talking about the best music gear, this month focused on home recording. And so Radio 2’s Richard Allinson is joined by one of Britain’s hottest new pop acts Little Boots, Ultravox star Billy Currie, Epson based ’The Theory Of 6 Degrees’, and musician and comedian Bill Bailey.
As well as being the keyboard player in Ultravox, Billy Currie’s career spans a huge range of music. After 4 years at music school he turned down a place at The Royal Academy of Music in favour of exploring new musical ground. Since then he’s played with various acts including Gary Numan and Visage. As well as announcing details of a new Ultravox tour in 2009 Billy talks about preparing for Live Aid and synthesisers, past and present, playing a Yamaha CP300 piano to illustrate as he goes.
The Yamaha STAGEPAS PA system us put under the microscope by Marketing Manager Peter Peck and singer Martyna in a conversation culminating in a live session recorded through the STAGEPAS to a Yamaha POCKETRAK.
This month’s ‘Band For A Grand’ made the final 10 in the Xfm ‘Rock School’ competition. They’ve recorded an album, including 6 original songs since they got together in early 2008. They’ve also already appeared on Radio 1 and came very close to supporting Bon Jovi at Twickenham. With an average age of 12 they are Scott (Lead Vocals & Bass) Joe (Lead Guitar & Backing Vocals) Jack S. (Rhythm Guitar & Backing Vocals) and Jack T. (Drums) collectively know as ‘The Theory of 6 Degrees’.
Musician, actor and comedian Bill Bailey started out in a relatively unsuccessful four piece called ‘The Famous Five’. He ended up with several TV series, stand up shows, tours, theatrical roles and appearances on shows like ‘Never Mind The Buzzcocks’ and now talks exclusively to the Yamaha Download about how he makes music on stage and at home.
DIRETORS CUTS – And we continue our ‘Directors Cut’ series. Full length uncut interviews with Little Boots, Billy Currie and Bill Bailey can be found as individual downloads at Yamahadownload.co.uk, as can all details about how to listen to, vote for and enter Band For A Grand.
BAND FOR GRAND – FURTHER BACKGROUND
We’ve set ourselves the challenge of creating a full band set up, using only YAMAHA equipment and keeping to a budget of just one thousand pounds. The kit involved is, a Gigmaker drum kit with Cymbals, a YAMAHA Pacifica 012 guitar, an MM6 Keyboard and an RBX170 bass guitar. It all comes in for under a thousand quid and it’s all available to our ‘Band For A Grand’ artists.
Each month, we select a new band from the MP3’s sent in via our website – and invite the chosen group to the ‘Artist Suite’ at Yamaha HQ to record a song. We’ll then feature it in the download and post it on-line, where a public vote will help choose a winning band. The lucky group will get to spend a full day in a top UK recording studio and you could win all the ‘Band For A Grand’ gear just for voting.
So - if you fancy having a go just hit http://www.yamahadownload.co.uk and send us an MP3.
