BANDS CAN BATTLE - FOR A PRICE

20-05-2008

The Walsall-based organiser a national “battle of the bands” competition, has defended the decision to ban groups from progressing unless they can attract 25 supporters willing to pay £6 admission to the gig.

Surface Unsigned – sponsored by Kerrang Radio amongst others – has been the butt of criticism in the blogosphere after Pete Ashton’s Created in Birmingham site revealed that getting through to the later stages of the competition wasn’t only dependent on ability, but also the size of an act's fanbase (http://peteashton.com/2008/05/surface_unsigned_are_fools/).

When Pete printed details of the contracts performers were asked to sign he was threatened with legal action on the grounds of breach of copyright.

The row then migrated to other sites including The Stirrer, where poster Simon Gray commented on our Forum, “operating a pay to play [policy] is bad enough, but at least the bands have chosen those terms & conditions of their own free will - stoopid as they might be for doing so.”

Attempting to get the original post removed, on the other hand, “can only be described as a PR own goal.”

Keen as ever to get both sides of a story, The Stirrer contacted the Surface Unsigned Festival, and managed to track down the individual who runs it.

For some reason, he asked not to be identified, and as a courtesy we agreed – although as the organisation is registered at Companies House, it doesn’t take a genius to find out who's behind it.

He explained that he was keen to distance the event from traditional battle of the band shows and defended the limitations placed on poorly supported bands.

"It's the financial state of the music business" he said.

"If you go to any venue you have costs - bar staff, door staff, security, rates, electricity.  They all have to be paid for.

"If you haven't got 25 supporters you should say, 'Surface is not for us.'

"We help bands to develop their brand, it's not just about music.  We're trying to provide an opportunity for them, and take them on to an international scale.

"We help them understand that they've got to create revenue.  If they're only bringing along two people, how are they ever going to get success?

"If you read Music Week, you'll realise how commercial the business is.  It's driven by product and brand awareness, and this is the only thing we ask them to do."

He pointed out that bands weren’t forced to sign the contract, but was angry that having done so, one or two of them had decided to go public on a confidential agreement.

"There's too much focus on the negative.  They don't look at what we can do for them.  We can get them recording contracts and heard by people in the industry, but we're just asking them to meet us halfway."

Find out more about Surface Unsigned at www.surfaceunsigned.co.uk