Conversation Killer

Steve Sidelnyk is a drummer, percussionist, programmer, record producer, musical director, deep sea diver and a member of the board of the Musician’s Union. 

Steve Sidelnyk is one of the most ubiquitous musicians in pop culture. As a drummer, percussionist, musical director, programmer and producer he has recorded and toured with most of the biggest artists in the world, including Madonna, Ed Sheeran, Tina Turner, The Style Council, Richard Ashcroft, The Rolling Stones, Kylie Minogue.....the list goes on and on. Multi-genre, multi-instrumentalist, a career spanning 50 years....if you want to make your way in the music industry long term, you need to do what Steve Sidelnyk does: deliver time and time and time again. 

Steve and I discussed his beginnings in Bradford in the 70s, how he got his first gig, moving down to London aged 17, how to stay ahead of the game and more, so much more.

I met Daniel Stepin at a BBC Introducing event. My job was to listen to young artist’s demos and advise them on what they should do next to grow their career. Daniel particularly struck me, as he was immaculately dressed, quietly well-spoken, and had a natural charisma that really made an impression on me. We briefly touched on his story, how he had to leave Russia and live in London, and his personal journey into and through music. 

Daniel and I explore his influences, the full story of how he came to be here, how it has affected his life and what is next for him both personally and musically.

Enjoy Daniel's work here.

Neil Treloar was Catfish and the Bottlemen’s manager during their debut album and tour. He now has a company called Touchpaper Music. 

One of the most optimistic and enthusiastic people I had ever met was Neil Simpson Treloar. He was the manager of a band I worked on with JIm Abbiss - Catfish and the Bottlemen. Neil and I are pretty much the same age, have a similar outlook on life and have been on a very similar personal and professional journey, almost in parallel. 

We have a really quite rambly chat that covers many subjects, but the main themes are: What Do You Want out of life, and how you go about pursuing that, and what do you do when you get there? This will be a very illuminating chat for prospective managers, producers and artists, to appreciate some of the pitfalls, high and lows of building any kind of career in music. 

Matt Colton is one of the world’s most in-demand mastering engineers.

Matt Colton is a byword for quality and musicality in mastering. He started at Porky’s Mastering in 1997, learning vinyl cutting from some of the masters, and through that skill became the engineer of choice for a generation of dance producers. Between then and now he has been resident and some of the best mastering studios in Europe: AIR, Alchemy and Optimum. He broadened Now at the iconic Metropolis Studios and established as one of the most in-demand mastering engineers in the world,his client list includes Michael Kiwanuka, James Blake, Christine and The Queens, Flume, Thom Yorke and Arctic Monkeys. 

Matt and I sat down to clear up some mastering myths, debate human vs. algorithmic audio services, and then a diversion into the future of AI generally. No shit.

If you had to write a fictionalised book on one man’s travel through the music industry, you could do worse than base it on the experiences of Arthur Delaney. His is a story of extreme highs and extreme lows, with a good redemptive ending. It’s a story of persistence, talent, dealing with personal issues and collaboration that anyone embarking on their first steps as an artist into music and the music industry should listen to. 

Arthur and I cover his twisty journey through music, the music industry, addiction, spirituality and much more.

We all want people in our professional lives that we can look up to. Ideally one gets to work closely with such a person and develop a long-term working relationship. That person in my life is Jim Abbiss. I was a fan of his work before I ever met him, and when we did meet and started working together it was exactly where I wanted to be. Working on big records, in various countries and studios with someone who I both liked and respected immensely. Most of what I’ve learned has been under his tutelage (whether actively teaching or just being a great example) and I’m very happy and proud that we continue our relationship today.

Jim and I talk on and around quite a few subjects, including mentorship, record production approach, education in record production, and a lot more besides.