Creative Minds Podcast

Josh Wilson was, and will forever be remembered as a Birmingham legend. As a respected promoter, most notably as founder and owner of Foliée, he orchestrated countless undeniable strokes of genius by mobilising the ravers within Birmingham's underground scene to get behind him and push the brand since its inception in 2016. Josh gave so many opportunities to up and coming DJs, members of the wider music community, took his residents to new heights & touched the lives of everyone that he came into contact with over the years.

I am humbled and privileged to have been approached by Andy Bell for a very special episode of Creative Minds, as we reflect on the positive impact Josh made, and the legacy that will continue even though he has now sadly left us.

Andy was Josh's main right hand man at Foliée and worked tirelessly behind the scenes on the brand alongside Josh, and will be carrying on Josh's legacy alongside the other crew members. Andy has an abundance of knowledge and experience in the music industry, achieving great success over the years as a key player at the iconic Rainbow Venues, he previously co-owned Portal, has DJ'd alongside some of the most respected artists in the game, and is also an integral member of Steve Lawler's Viva Warriors team.

We paid tribute to everything Josh accomplished, touched upon the importance of removing the stigma from men's mental health, what plans are in the pipeline to ensure the legacy continues, and at the end I was joined by Foliée residents Shakti, Juran Jones & Josh Gregg.

If you are suffering with anxiety, depression, or any kind of mental health problems - then please know that you are not alone.

Mind: 0208 215 2243 / https://www.mind.org.uk

Samaritans: 116 123 / https://www.samaritans.org

Get Well Together: https://www.facebook.com/BrandonBlockGetWellTogether/

GoFundMe link to continue donations to secure a positive future for Josh's son Jaiden: https://uk.gofundme.com/f/im-loving-memory-of-josh-wilson

Will Power is one of the founders and co-owners behind Lab11, a club that was voted as Skiddle's best UK club venue in 2019. He is also owner and partner of legendary Birmingham brands such as TRMNL, AFTA DARK & GLAS.

Have you ever wondered how the Lab11 movement started? What risks were taken to develop the venue into what it is today? What was the partying culture like before social media and smartphones changed the culture? The realities of being a venue owner? How relationships were built with the likes of East End Dubs and Sonny Fodera? What Lab11 means to the owner, team and clubbing community as we find ourselves fighting to #SAVELAB11? Well look no further, as Will Power provides the real low-down here with a straight up open and honest conversation about the journey so far.

This podcast is part of the #SAVELAB11 campaign, so please follow the link below to read the story and find out what your donation will go towards.

Crowdfunder link: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/save-lab11

Dan Edwards is founder and co-owner of Me Myself And Mind, a wellbeing and mindfulness organisation that focuses on both corporate and community wellbeing. Dan is a respected Personal Trainer with a degree in Strength & Conditioning, a diploma in Neuro-linguistic programming as well as being trained in mental health first aid. Dan is also currently working towards becoming an Instructor in mental health first aid as well.

With the way Covid-19 has impacted all of us in one way or another, whether that be with loss of employment, businesses, loved ones, lockdowns and restrictions - the conversation around mental health has never been more important.

I wanted to have an open and honest discussion with Dan man to man, mainly due to the historic stigma attached to mens mental health.

We discuss our past experiences with battling mental health, how the lockdowns have impacted us, our flaws, British culture, the rise of social media & Dan provides some great advice on ways you can improve your mental health.

Never feel like you're a burden by reaching out for help, but we also need to make sure we're checking in on those around us too.

Website: https://memyselfmind.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/memyselfmind/ & https://www.instagram.com/danedwards_fitness/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/memyselfandmind

Dan Edwards is founder and co-owner of Me Myself And Mind, a wellbeing and mindfulness organisation that focuses on both corporate and community wellbeing. Dan is a respected Personal Trainer with a degree in Strength & Conditioning, a diploma in Neuro-linguistic programming as well as being trained in mental health first aid. Dan is also currently working towards becoming an Instructor in mental health first aid as well.

With the way Covid-19 has impacted all of us in one way or another, whether that be with loss of employment, businesses, loved ones, lockdowns and restrictions - the conversation around mental health has never been more important.

I wanted to have an open and honest discussion with Dan man to man, mainly due to the historic stigma attached to mens mental health.

We discuss our past experiences with battling mental health, how the lockdowns have impacted us, our flaws, British culture, the rise of social media & Dan provides some great advice on ways you can improve your mental health.

Never feel like you're a burden by reaching out for help, but we also need to make sure we're checking in on those around us too.

Website: https://memyselfmind.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/memyselfmind/ & https://www.instagram.com/danedwards_fitness/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/memyselfandmind

Graham Sahara is an award-winning DJ, producer, label owner, label manager & Ibiza veteran who has lived on the island since 1998 and has been a long-standing resident DJ at the globally recognized superclub Pacha since 2001.

In this episode, Graham reveals what it's been like adapting and evolving during the pandemic as a resident DJ who graces the decks of most respected venues during the season, amusing tales from over the years on the island, playing for award-winning Jazz musician Jamie Cullum's after-party in Paris, new years at the Cavalli Club in Florence, common mistakes he sees as a label manager and advice for up and coming artists who produce music that are looking to devise a solid strategy for releasing their music.

Graham is undoubtedly one of the most respected figures in electronic music, and his role as a label manager sees him look after the likes of Do Not Sleep, Sidney Charles's Heavy House Society, Mele's Club Bad, Seb Zito's Seven Dials, his own imprint Seamless Recordings & more.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grahamsahara/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grahamsaharaofficial

Leo Gregory is a respected British actor who has starred in BAFTA-winning films such as The Mark of Cain, Out Of Control and has appeared in Hollywood movies including Green Street alongside The Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood and Sons of Anarchy's Charlie Hunnam. 

Leo joined me live & direct from his gaff in Ibiza as he reveals what it's been like living on the island during the strangest year to date, missing DC10, being expelled from school and his drama class to becoming an established actor, how he gets into character for his roles, his forthcoming signature collection with Weekend Offender that drops on October 29th and any words of advice he has for up and coming actors and actresses who are honing their craft.

Weekend Offender x Leo Gregory Signature Collection: https://weekendoffender.com/pages/the-leo-gregory-collection

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leogregs/?hl=en

Olli Ryder is the one of the co-creators behind the Animal Crossing movement, a brand being championed by some of the industries finest as "one of the most exciting brands to come out of Manchester and the scene as a whole in recent years." He also heads up the promotions and marketing for The Warehouse Project and Parklife group, and has previously DJ'd at both too.

Here we discuss what it's like to grow up in the heart of Manchester's vibrant musical culture, his musical influences, what inspired him to take a career in music, working his way up in The Warehouse Project team, the success already experienced with Animal Crossing, how him and the team have adapted and evolved to put on socially distanced events throughout the ongoing pandemic and his long term plans in a post Covid-19 world.

There's some really wise words here from a really positive individual who has achieved a significant amount already by the age of 26.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalcrossing_music/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalCrossing-383694672102848

Alex Mills is one of the most prolific, successful, and talented singers and songwriters to grace the electronic music scene.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blamealexmills/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blamealexmills

Beatport: https://www.beatport.com/artist/alex-mills/70217

Brandon Block is the original Ibiza superstar DJ. A resident on the legendary Space terrace in the early 1990's, and a man who by all accounts brought an energy like no other.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrandonBlockGetWellTogether

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandonblock/?hl=en

Website: https://www.happydaysforeveryone.com/brandon-block/

Sorley is a DJ, producer, and promoter from Sunderland and another shining star who has joined the next wave of talent to break out of the North-East of England, a breeding ground for talent that has produced the likes of Patrick Topping, Richy Ahmed & many more over the years.

We discussed everything from playing it tactically as a promoter when booking headline artists for his brand Haze, clever ways of getting signed to your target record labels, taking the leap to quit his full-time job to focus solely on developing as an artist & building a relationship with Danny Howard that has resulted in numerous BBC Radio 1 peak-time plays.

Sorley is without a doubt one of the hardest working and most humble young artists on the scene, and he is definitely a name to keep a close eye on with the bright future that lays ahead of him.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sorleymusic/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sorleymusic/

Beatport: https://www.beatport.com/artist/sorley/746236