Helping to put bands in spotlight

JASON PALMER-DAWSON

MORE exciting times could beckon for Oldham bands should they grab a link-up with Flick of the Finger online magazine's new record label - and live showcase nights later in the year.

Flick of the Finger was created early last year by Manchester-based editor-in-chief Jason Palmer-Dawson ­- an unsigned band-loving freelance photographer.

Now working closely with PR partners, record labels and event organisers, geographically FotF cover live shows in Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, London, Surrey, Hampshire and Denmark, as well as in the USA.

Next month FotF will release "Soundcheck", an album featuring between 15 and 20 top unsigned acts, including Oldham outfits Ok Broken and Feed the Kid, as well as the Blinders, the Slow Readers Club, the Seagulls and Atmospheric, amongst others.

Jason said: "I just thought that I've got a good branding now, so why not give it a try.

"I thought it a good thing to try and get a revenue stream going for the magazine, but also it will hopefully give unsigned bands a platform to get their music out there.

"It can be a daunting. There are a lot of unsigned bands out there who are great but just don't get heard.

"Therefore it's a bit of a two-pronged attack. I say that because the flip side is that hopefully some of the bands on the label will become part of our live shows next year. We've nothing firm planned for the live nights yet, but we're bouncing ideas around now."

Flick of the Finger, which is now affiliated to more than 200 online download streaming and ticketing sites, is also hoping to get Mossley stars-in-the-making Cabbage to feature on "Soundcheck".

After that, some of the focus will switch to regular FotF live showcase events, hopefully before the end of the year.

"The end goal is live shows on a regular basis," added Jason. "The magazine will carry on as well as the album releases, and that all does lead organically to the showcases of course.

"There's masses of talent out there, and that was one of the frustrations for me initially - many of these great bands simply weren't being heard.

"If they haven't got the connections or maybe they don't know the right people it can be a shame. Some of this great music can go to waste, but I'm here to try and give them a lift."