MEET THE SPEAKERS
For DMC 2020, we hear from a wide range of experts working across the music industry in Scotland right now. From panel discussions to online workshops, these industry professionals are providing an insight and sharing their knowledge on the ins and outs of the music biz.
MEL REEVE
Mel Reeve is an archivist, writer, and zine-maker living in Glasgow.
Her prose and narrative non-fiction writing has been published by 404 Ink, Monstrous Regiment Press, Knight Errant Press, The Skinny, and Autostraddle. She’s written for music publications Podcart, GoldFlakePaint and more. She is part of the zine distro Fear of Making Art Press and has created and published several popular zines. She runs the Bi History project, celebrating and preserving the history of the bisexual+ community. She makes DIY music as Adult Stories.
Mel is leading the Zine Making Live Workshop' - more details here.
NOVA SCOTIA THE TRUTH
Nova Scotia the Truth is a rap artist unafraid to challenge stereotypes and annihilate assumptions. She experiments with solo and collaborative works to create tracks with an independent sound. Her new single ‘Status Quo’ provides a commentary on the way we live our lives: layered vocals harmonise over an indie electronic beat produced by Yesha, as they critique the ways of our world. Her repertoire boasts features on BBC Radio Scotland, Mix mag, Red Bull Music, The Skinny amongst others. She released her debut solo EP ‘Re-Up’ in January2020.She also produces electronic music under the moniker Nova Scotia, DJs as DJ Scotia and has a regular radio show on Clyde Built Radio called The Litness Test.
Nova is speaking on the Scottish Hip-Hop & Grime panel - more details here.
DAVE HOOK
Dr Dave Hook is a rapper, music producer and hip-hop academic. Winner of Best Hip-Hop at the Scottish Alternative Music Awards 2018, Dave has toured extensively throughout the UK and around the globe with critically acclaimed alternative hip-hop group Stanley Odd, and as a solo artist under the name Solareye. His research focuses on hip-hop, rap lyricism, identity, culture and performance, through creative practice. He also works in prisons, schools and the community in hip-hop and song-writing workshops.
Dave is speaking on the Scottish Hip-Hop & Grime panel - more details here.
STEG G
Steg G is a Scottish Hip Hop artist, music producer, media personality and teacher.His involvement with Scottish hip-hop culture began with a pioneering role in the mid '90s, In 2019 he was awarded as Best Hip Hop artist at the Scottish AlternativeMusic Awards.
Steg G is speaking on the Scottish Hip-Hop & Grime panel - more details here.
ALANA HEPBURN
Alana Hepburn is a Glasgow based Hip Hop and Grime promoter, who has organised numerous live events in Scotland. Alana has continuously smashed the barrier on event promotion, artist liaison and stage management while upholding her diligent yet empathetic work ethic. From independently running her own events to working with Live Nation, Academy Events, PCL and DF Concerts and Events, Alana is known for being at the forefront of pushing and developing Hip Hop and Grime music within Scotland and beyond.
Alana is the moderator for the Scottish Hip-Hop & Grime panel - more details here.
LIAM TEMPLETON
Liam is a freelance creative practitioner with a particular interest in sonic art and sound design. Through his practical workshops, he aims to demystify basic principles in electronics in an attempt to foster technological resilience among the artistic community and work towards building a more democratic model for music technology.
Liam is leading the ‘DIY Synth Build’ Workshop - more details here.
OLAF FURNISS
Olaf Furniss is the founder and director of Wide Events, which hosts the award-winning Wide Days convention in Edinburgh every April, the Born To Be Wide seminar/social evenings and Off The Record youth events. He is also behind the Music Tourist consultancy which he founded in 2016 to host the world’s first music tourism summit and has worked with a range of public agencies in both Europe and Australia. Moreover, in 2018/19 he collaborated with Newcastle University on a study exploring how to foster closer ties between the music and tourism sectors. Olaf started out as a journalist and has worked for titles including Billboard, Music Week, IQ, Music Business International and The Guardian, as well as appearing on Radio Scotland and the World Service. Since 2006 he has been co-writing the Under The Radar column published in Scotland and Sunday and previously, The Scotsman.
Olaf is speaking on the Post-Covid panel - more details here.
NATHON JONES
Nathon Jones is Project Co-ordinator and Festival Director for Trad Music Trust, a Scottish charity that encourages, supports, develops and promotes traditional music & dance learning, composition and performance in Dumfries & Galloway. He is the founder of the annual Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival which has been running since 2014 and in 2019 also helped the charity secure The Vault Arts Centre, an exciting new performing arts & live music venue in Newton Stewart.
Nathon is speaking on the Post-Covid panel - more details here.
CAMMY BLACK
Cammy Black is the frontman ofthe local heart on your sleeve rock ‘n’ roll band, 13 Crowes. Signed to the German record label, Homebound Records, Cammy and the band have released a steady stream of honest new music, hitting a milestone mark with their debut album, ‘Young Poets’, in 2017.
Cammy is speaking on the Post-Covid panel - more details here.
KAYLEIGH MCLAUGHLIN
Kayleigh McLaughlan currently works as label manager at 23rd Precinct Music, looking after Limbo Records, First Run Records, and is also event-coordinator for Resonate Music Conference. Kayleigh started her career in music from a young age playing in bands. In her final year of high school, Kayleigh decided to start promoting her own metal shows in Glasgow under the name Brotherhood Promotions. Joining 23rd Precinct in 2016 as an intern, Kayleigh gained experience across all areas of the music industries including music publishing, synch, label management, event planning, artist management, social media, marketing and artist bookings to name a few.
Kayleigh is speaking on the Post-Covid panel - more details here.
MARTIN O’NEILL
Martin is an artist and producer, working with people to realise new projects, artworks and spaces employing an eclectic range of styles and disciplines from theatre, graphic design, film, music, poetry and installation. Martin doesn’t think of his practice as individualistic or self-seeking nor as an artist with a set discipline, working toward the pre-destined outcome – the rulebooks are never the same. It’s only in conversation and play do new projects emerge with the communities and people he works with. It may be a film, a play, a sculpture or a light installation – it doesn’t matter. As a curatorial member of the Stove Network and Doonhamer, he has always tried to bring the voice of Dumfries into the room, whether that be in the Stove or further afield. Martin’s practice is rooted entirely within the town – consistently trying to weave a new picture of Dumfries in a transitional phase of its history.
Martin is the moderator for the Post-Covid panel - more details here.
HALINA RIFAI
Halina is founder of music site and podcast Podcart which focuses on new music from Scotland and beyond. She has led podcasting workshops with a range of organisations, charities and institutions including Glasgow University, Stirling University, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Dardishi Festival, Glasgow Zine Library and more. She is also a regular contributor to BBC Radio Scotland. In 2017, she founded mental health online and offline safespace A Sonic Hug and has recently launched a mental health podcast series for Scotland’s newest Podcasting platform, The Big Light, which was founded by broadcaster Janice Forsyth and producer Fiona White. In 2020 Halina was commissioned to produce a 4-part series for Barclays as part of their Buchanan Wharf launch in Glasgow and has just finished producing Scottish Women Inventing Music’s new podcast The Culture Dive which is due to launch in late September.
Halina is leading the Podcasting Workshop - more details here.