Hiya Marcoussimo, thanks for joining us in the virtual RGM lounge today. Grab a brew and take a seat.
What was life like for you before you got into music?
I can’t remember a time when I haven’t been making or been involved in music if I’m honest – it’s part of me.
I guess the last couple of years were pretty tough, with lots of changes. I had lost a lot of confidence and wasn’t sure where to take things with my music. I built my studio last year and then started writing and recording with some amazing artists.
What’s the live music scene like in Manchester right now? Is anyone we should be looking out for (bar you, of course)?
There is so much going on in Manchester – just getting into an artist called B-Shaf from Bolton – he’s amazing, check out his song Dream, he’s getting a lot of play on the BBC Asian Network and BBC Introducing.
I’m working with a singer-songwriter called David Stone who used to be in a Manchester band called Prose, his style is a cross between Mancunian Northern Mike Skinner and David Gray – his songs are amazing, painfully honest and beautiful.
Also, really into Pan Amsterdam and Frank the Phre$h as well at the moment.
It seems like being a social media curator has become added to the many jobs of a musician, how do you feel about this?
To be an independent musician in 2025 you have to be MULTIFACETED!! a PR person, content creator, video editor, lawyer, agent, website developer and a pretty good hustler!
When I was in my first band it seemed very simple – you recorded demos and sent them to record companies whilst getting gigs – we were lucky enough to get signed back in the day after playing a couple of times.
Some musicians hate doing social media, but I think it’s a necessary evil as there is so much music released each day and so much noise! To release music independently and build a following people must hear you, see you, and understand you a lot more to then start following, streaming and buying your stuff.
So, personally, I that it’s essential – you need a plan to follow. For me, it is essential to have boundaries and not overshare your life too much.
How do you manage engagement on your socials?
I am still learning – my engagement is growing – I guess the key element is to start posting and sharing reels, it’s super hard at the front end but it becomes more natural as you go. My advice would be to be authentic; my approach is to tell stories and ideas alongside sharing my music. You will also find work works and doesn’t work as you go along.
I think good lighting and a decent mic go a long way also.
What’s your view on the Music industry today?
From a making art and creativity perspective, I think it has never been easier to make amazing music with access to amazing hardware, software, plugins and resources like Landr. At the moment I really love Fiverr, you can find incredible freelancers and musicians from around the world – for instance, I just hired a Nigerian Choir to sing on a drum and bass tune I am working on.
I guess the hardest thing is trying to make a living from your music – PRS did a survey and only 11% of musicians make enough money from streaming, playing live etc to do music as a full-time job which is shocking.
Do you know how much musicians get paid for streaming services – it’s tiny!! around £3 per 1000 streams, £300 quid for 100,000 streams a month – is scary. This really needs to change.
I work with a community called The Label Machine and Nick Sadler the founder and the community are striving to find ways to deliver independent artists and record labels that can diversify through other avenues to ensure you can make music and earn a living. Nick has taught me techniques to build my brand with a focus on building organic fanbases that connects with you in a real way.
We have to find a way to bring back grassroots community music venues that people can access and immerse themselves in music, arts and culture.
When I was a teenager, I used to hang out at an amazing venue in Harlow called the Square which is now gone and replaced by apartments!
It was a live venue, had a recording studio and also a place to hang out and meet like-minded people. It played a pivotal role in the beginning of my musical journey. Many local bands performed there, and it also drew in touring acts. I remember seeing bands like Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine, Blur (when they were still called Seymour), Slowdive, and, most memorably, Pavement on their first UK tour.
Where do you feel you currently sit within the music industry?
I am building my brand and getting my name out there. I sit in a place of optimism, embracing as many opportunities as possible with artists and labels. Being an independent musician/producer right now is exciting.
What’s the biggest thing you have learned recently as you progress with your music?
I guess I see myself primarily as a songwriter, as I become more and more immersed in dance music I now understand the importance of quality production values – for instance, I never really paid much respect to the humble kick drum until I did a remix for the Swedish record label Snow N Stuff, I sent an early version of my remix of Matrix Glitch to the producer Style Da Kid and he pointed out that my kick was shite. He was right to say it – he was super generous and explained the intricacies of the kick drums – finding the right kick in dance music is super important – who knew that there are three components to a kick drum? Mind blown.
What was your best experience on stage?
I have been lucky enough to share stages with some amazing acts. I guess as I started to DJ more, lately, it has to be sharing the stage with Artbat last year at the Game4Ukraine charity event at Stamford Bridge in London.
What was your worst experience on stage?
Ha ha – I remember once that the band I was in had created a Nasa style space station on stage – Dat tapes, 2 samplers alongside a live band and string section – within 2 minutes into the first song the samplers went haywire – the whole thing broke down and the drummer ended up kicking over his drums and running out of the venue screaming. The lesson learnt was to ensure the songs work with or without the bells and whistles.
Tell us something about you that people would be surprised about?
I used to be a doorman for the England football manager Terry Venables at his nightclub Scribes West in Kensington. At the time I had no money, I used to buy second-hand suits from Oxfam and rock up to the club every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. We used to close at 2am and had to wait until the tubes started running again at 6am. I remember going to dingy slightly illegal Spanish gambling bars of Tottenham Court Road where you had to knock on the door and had to give a password, which was… I am friends with Dennis The Piano Player.
I hear you have new music. What can you tell us about it?
I have always loved pub culture and watching sports in my local pub. My song Energy (I hope) captures that feeling you get when you’re with all your mates on an all-day session, drinking pints, taking the mickey out of each other, placing bets and watching the results on the TV. I wanted to create a track that gets people into that vibe. musically, I took inspiration from artists like Fred Again and The Streets.
What was the recording process like?
I wrote the music whilst on an amazing train journey from Edinburgh to Aviemore in the highlands of Scotland – I found an amazing drone and melody for the song – it made me cry when I was listening to it – it made me feel something. I then worked with the rapper Fabien Myles to create the concept and the story which I love – I am super proud of the tune. It’s weird because I recorded the song over a year ago and then did the Beckham & Littler mix last month – I felt like it needed a catchier straightforward hook and I have learnt a lot more about dance music since last year.
What was the biggest learning curve in writing the new tunes?
You should write songs without adding automation etc to the session – once you have the song in a good place then the next stage should be mixing etc.
Also, another thing that blew my mind was that radio edits/mixes now are 2 minutes long! We live in an era where if you don’t engage someone in a very short space of time then they right-swipe you to the next thing!
Would you change anything now it’s finished?
Once the song is mastered, it’s done, it’s a diary entry to my life and it’s perfect with all its imperfections – like life.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the world?
Be yourself, do your thing, and don’t worry or give a fuck what other people think – if you can truly live by these rules, it will set you free. The end!
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