We last spoke to the producer and engineer Andy Bell back in 2016 as he was getting ready to launch his own Record Label Hudson Records. Andy is by far the best-known and in-demand producer on the Folk and Acoustic scenes today and I’m still not sure how he manages to find the time to do what he does, nevermind juggle all that with family life. Despite this, he still manages to keep all those plates spinning and champion new artists. Now, with his Hudson Records hat on, he is to curate Folk on the Tyne festival at the Sage in Gateshead on Saturday 27 July.
A glance through the lineup shows some well-known names sat alongside those that are gaining greater exposure. The lineup includes Billy Bragg, Karine Polwart, Hannah Read, M G Boulter, Jack Rutter, The Furrow Collective, Brighde Chaimbeul & Aidan O’Rourke and Jock Tyldesley & Vera Van Heeringen (and more…read on to find out). I caught up with Andy recently to talk about the festival, the music industry and what if any surprises he may have in store for us in the future… it turns out he has quite a few.
After noticing the mix of big names alongside the newer for Folk on the Tyne, I asked whether the festival felt like an extension of what he was trying to achieve with Hudson Records?
Andy Bell: Absolutely, running a record label isn’t anything new but I hope our approach to helping develop new artists alongside more established ones helps to refresh that long championed idea of growing and supporting the music scene from the bottom up. When we were asked to curate Folk on The Tyne’s acoustic stage and some of the foyer activities, this idea was definitely at the front of our minds, making sure artists that don’t always get the best exposure on the festival circuit will get it on this occasion. As an example, the partnership we’ve been able to build with the Sage has helped promote the likes of M G Boulter, I have been working with him for years which developed in to the ‘Blood Moon’ EP released on Hudson Records last year, there’s a new album next year too, in turn this has led to Matt featuring at FOTT and also he was awarded a place on the Sage’s amazing ‘Summer Studios’ artist programme after Folk on the Tyne.
How did this partnership with the Sage come about?
It came about really because myself and others at Hudson Records had been working alongside the Sage on various projects. I got on really well with the team thereafter working on the Modern Fairies project with Amy Leach and they were keen to just sit down and have a chat about the folk scene, how the different ends of the music industry actually work and how we might be able to help each other.
In terms of helping each other, what did you focus on?
I guess one of the main things we chatted about was how to support and encourage new developing artists. As a label you might need to invest a lot of time and money to help develop an artist, it’s risky especially if they don’t fall within the criteria the various funding bodies want to help with, venues and promoters are in the same boat, they need full venues to be able to give good artist fees and large audience numbers are hard to guarantee for anyone now not just for the developing artist.
That’s quite a big area to tackle, did those discussions lead to any solutions?
The conversation didn’t really come up with any concrete solutions other than us all agreeing for the need to help artists, I suppose the only conclusion was that in working together, the labels, distributors, agents, promoters, media etc… can maybe reduce risks and help grow artists fan bases more strategically, which can only be good for all of us.
It’s great to have such a forum to talk about these issues, maybe something we should do more of?
It’s far better to talk about the various problems openly and honestly, it’d be great if we could have some more conversations around those things with other people in the industry and artists. It’s something I talk to artists a lot about when I’m out recording records, I do think working together, being honest and transparent will help to identify what artists and the industry really need in order for us all to continue making music!
In terms of support, I know that funding can be quite a challenge for many artists and it can be daunting for those with no experience of how it works.
I reckon there needs to be a lot more support for artists trying to access funding. I personally have benefitted indirectly from loads of funded projects although I have never applied for funding directly myself. But I know there are artists out there that just struggle with an application form or simply don’t have the funding chops to put in an effective application. Most people who receive funding are thoroughly deserving of it but it’d be great to see some better support for all artists trying to apply. To be honest I am no expert on funding, it’d be great to see some support though for organisations as well as individual artists, lots of organisations sit right on the fence of survival and surely as the industry changes the way to fund it should as well, it’s good to keep checking in on how we achieve a more sustainable system especially in an era of changing consumer habits.
Turning to the festival, I see you’ve got a number of workshops lined up being run by Hannah Read, Lucy Farrell, Rachel Newton, Emily Portman, Jack Rutter, Alasdair Roberts…
Several of our artists are doing workshops, some instrumental and other song based ones, there’s also an introduction to folk for anyone who might be coming to see some of the more ‘indie’ artists and doesn’t actually know what the folkies are all on about. The workshops are free, you just need to register your interest at the website so we know numbers.
You’ve got a great line-up, are there more names still to be announced?
Rather excitingly I can announce that Jon Boden will be performing a short solo set in the Sage foyer after Billy Bragg and The Furrow Collective’s shows have finished, so be sure to get your Hudson Records stage tickets now to be able to see that. M G Boulter is also going to be doing a set in the foyer just before the evening stages startup so get there early, have a drink and enjoy him. Helen and I are having a baby imminently, in fact, it is due the weekend before Folk on the Tyne, if it has arrived by then maybe it’ll experience its first festival and be the most exciting guest of all! I’m hoping to bring the wonderful Hudson, the dog, to entertain the masses next to the record shop in the foyer as well, pats are free no ticket required. We have been really lucky to have all our Hudson Records artists being so supportive in wanting to be part of this festival, I’d really like to thank them all massively!
That’s great news about the baby, you’ll be even busier! Looking forward, can you share with me what Hudson Records may be bringing our way soon?
We have a few things in the pipeline, the big one is a new album from Jon Boden & The Remnant Kings. We recorded it as the full band live at the legendary Rockfield Studios in Monmouth, in the very room Bohemian Rhapsody was recorded in! The album features some of Jon’s songs as well as some new versions of Traditional songs and tunes, it should be out in time for Jon’s tour in November! Past that we are working on the new M G Boulter album, a recently recorded Salthouse album and a few other interesting things yet to be confirmed! Actually, one of those I can mention is from an old friend Petter Fadnes, he is part of the Kitchen Orchestra from Stavanger in Norway, who have produced a wonderful album with several Slovakian Romani musicians entitled ‘Agrusori’ it’s a pretty crazy album so keep an ear out for that one.
We most certainly will!
To close, watch Hannah Read performing Moorland Bare with Kris Drever and the video for Karine Polwart’s Cassiopeia:
Folk on the Tyne takes place on Saturday 27th July 2019.
