Demo Fund

Independent Music Making - Demo Fund
In the studios
The bands

The Demo Fund is funded by the Scottish Arts Council's Youth Music Initiative through the Informal Sector.

Independent Music Making - Demo Fund

Currently there is very little financial assistance for young musicians who wish to record a high quality demo in a professional recording studio.

Some of Scotland’s promising young bands are being given the chance to work with professional recording studios to take their music careers to the next stage, thanks to a pilot scheme funded by the Scottish Arts Council’s Youth Music Initiative (YMI).

During 2008 the YMI has been exploring the role it can play in supporting young people who are making music on their own or together in bands. The Demo Fund, which aims to allow young musicians to record a top quality demo, is part of a broader scheme that hopes to develop young musicians and create pathways towards the professional world. 

Many bands and young musicians start their career in their garage or bedrooms. Throughout 2008 the YMI is test driving a range of other initiatives under the Independent Music Making banner, such as mentoring, rehearsal spaces and touring opportunities for young musicians.

It is becoming more and more difficult for talented young musicians to present themselves to the wider music industry. Through the demo fund, the Youth Music Initiative will help them to introduce their music professionally to the industry.

In the studios

The YMI has given awards to five professional recording studios across Scotland to work with young musicians aged 14-25 to record their demo:

1. Watercolour (Fort William)
2. Hastie Retreat (Dundee)
3. Chem19 (Hamilton)
4. Park Lane (Glasgow)
5. Sub Station (Rosyth, Fife)

Twenty bands have been taking part in the project and for some of these the adventure has already started! Panels of studio representatives and music industry professionals have been selecting the bands, including Manor Park Elite, an energetic three piece from Stornoway, Dan Against the World, a Scottish Indie-rock five piece from Stirling, Fit to Fly, a jazz and blues trio from Fife and The Floor a four piece band from Dundee.

The bands

Manor Park Elite and Dan Against the World have recently finished recording with Watercolour Music and the Scottish producer Nick Turner.

Ewan Watson, singer of the Dan Against the World commented: “Working with Watercolour was an absolute joy. Having recently forked out most of our money to record and release our last EP, we were delighted to have the opportunity to record some fresh songs as part of the Scottish Arts Council demo initiative. Having our own in-studio living space was fantastic!”

Innes Morrison, Manor Park Elite’s Manager was really enthusiastic about the experience: “Working with Nick Turner was great: he guided the band through the process in a relaxed and encouraging atmosphere, capturing the sounds and textures the band had set out to achieve, whilst also letting them loose on some of the various instruments housed in the studio”.

The pilot scheme, which will run until December 2008.

Who knows if we might see one of these bands in a Tune Up tour in a few years time!

List of the selected bands:

1. Chairman Wow
2. Forget Yesterday
3. Gems McAdam
4. Taylor Kayne
5. Kon-Tempt Fest. John Keenan
6. The Dirty Violets
7. The Dirty Hepburns
8. Black Rat Death Squad
9. The Strand
10. Copy Haho
11. The Servant
12. The Floor
13. Fit To Fly
14. Sorren Maclean Band
15. Manor Park Elite
16. Dan Against The World
17. Kotchka

For more information about Demo Fund and Independent Music Making, contact the Scottish Arts Council Youth Music Initiative.