The Flat Fourum: Recent Episodes
Adam Rowley
The creative industries are some of the most punishing to enter as a new-comer. They involve long working days, no weekends, low funds and very little idea if you're doing the right thing at all. The Flat Fourum talks to some of the biggest and best in the creative industries about their journeys and how they do what they do.
Chances are, you've heard of Hannah and Annie of 'HANNIE'. Chances are you've caught their videos on Instagram. Chances are you were jealous of their dress sense and talent too, like me. HANNIE are a two piece girl pop duo. They are super authentic, great fun to hang out with and really honest people to talk to. But they're also immensely good at what they do. Both knowing their instruments inside and out, they are in demand as session players constantly, but prefer to play and self produce their own music instead. They have their hands in the business game too. Organising brand deals, sponsored posts, and receiving equipment from every major manufacturer going. Chuffed to have pinned these two down for an hour, thanks so much to Hannah and Annie
Luna Bay contains four of my favourite individuals. Meeting at BIMM London, kicking off their career with label meetings after one show and only writing one song. Since then they've gone on to tour extensively, headlining a sold out Scala the week prior to this recording. They are endlessly humble and a really good bunch of guys, Thanks to Alex, Connor, Sammy and Rye, and enjoy the final true episode of Season 2.
I don't love name dropping, but it's inevitable with Sam. Stormzy, Dave, Fall Out Boy, The Spice Girls, Ella Eyre and Take That have all relied on this guests abilities as a set carpenter and lighting technician. He has toured extensively with bands capturing their shows and filming their music videos. And travel isn't just a hobby for Mr Lees, it's basically his job. Taking time to head to some of the most heartbreaking conflict zones in the world of his own volition, Sam makes it his job to photograph and share the stories of some of the most vulnerable people on the planet. Oh, and he's still in his twenties.
Jonny and Mack are prolific, and have become absolute staples of the London pop scene. They both started as session guitarists before moving into writing and production. These days, Jonny is sporting a platinum record to his name in Sweden, with Mack assisting some of the biggest producers in the game. This was a real laugh and a pleasure to record, these guys are absolute champs
From music videos, to the Beckhams, to dangling out of the back of a chinook with a camera, this weeks guest has done it all. After dropping out of Film school after just a year, he started his company, NiftyFiftyFilms and has since had huge success filming for Superyacht companies, luxury watch brands and Harry Kane. I can't sum up this artists work in a paragraph, but that gives you a sample. Aside from this, Mike is incredibly creative elsewhere, writing poetry and photographing seemingly insignificant scenes in the most beautiful ways. His view of the world and of life is admirable, and I learnt a lot about myself and my priorities while recording this.
Oli and Bow are new to the pop music scene this year, but both of them are so well known in the industry, people ask me about their career's more than my own. Oli is now an independent artist but has been signed to Island Records, published, managed by Gravity Management and toured Europe with Sigrid, Not bad at all in just over a year for someone with a handful of singles out. Bow has signed something of an unusual deal. Split three ways between Interscope, Virgin and Universal, she has spent years writing and recording with very literally the biggest writers and producers on the planet. Her first single was written in her first session with Jamie Scott (Story of My Life, Cold Water, These Days).
Both of these guys know huge amounts about the industry for new comers, and neither could be doing much better in their fields after such a short space of time.
Today's guest is world renowned as being the top of his game in his field. Tour managing the biggest acts on the planet for his entire career, Craig Duffy know's a thing or two about running a tour. He has taken 55 feature artists on a year long tour with The Gorillaz (A band that doesn't physically exist), run tours for artists such as The 1975, The Sex Pistols, Blur and Natasha Beddingfield's possible and still manages to support up and coming managers and engineers that are willing to put the graft in.