This is not about the Beatles. I actually used that line when trying to explain to someone what Merseymusic was all about. They found it hard to comprehend why a site about Liverpool music was not centred around those cheeky scouse skamps, the fab four.
2008 was indeed the Capital of Culture for Liverpool, like a slap across the face it came and now has left us smarting. When I heard Liverpool had won the accolade 'Capital of Culture', I was one of those people who punched the air like Sylvester Stallone in that memorable moment in Rocky when he ran up all those steps. Full of hope and joy I felt music within Liverpool would really push on.
With music being the heartbeat of the city surely now was the time to get naked and exposure ourselves to the watching world. Wave our bodily parts and shake our tush to the world and show everyone we have moved on. However, as I watched crying as Ringo waved from the top of St Georges Hall and the token Liverpool band, the Wombats were given airtime all hope was sucked out of me quicker than a tourist in a Bangkok gentleman's club.
The signs were there, I just didn't want to acknowledge them, I'm just a hopeless romantic you see. My first meeting with the 2008 Culture team should have given me some indication. Sat in the newly decorated offices in Victoria Street amongst the shiny new desks and fancy water coolers, I was 'pumped' about Liverpool music. In a rapid fire manner and techniques that wouldn't be out of place in a Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp, I was grilled "so what bands would you say are good" and "where is the Cavern". I had gone to the meeting with high expectations that we at Merseymusic (a non profit company) could offer our many years experience of Liverpool unsigned music.
We maybe could give an insight into where some of the sacks of cash could go to help the nonexistent infrastructure within the city. To help with promoting Liverpool's unsigned talent to the people of Liverpool and beyond, alas it never happened. I left the meeting downbeat and headed for the nearest McDonalds and comfort ate for hours.
Sure we had some good events, like a massive spider and fireworks and.... some other stuff. I wanted it to work so new music could come out of the city and help other bands fly the flag for Liverpool. It just seems to me that the culture team didn't embrace the resources which were right in front of their nose when it came to promoting music in Liverpool and raising awareness, even on a local level. Simple ideas, showcase unsigned gigs every month in the city, streamed live through local stations, a bit of razzmatazz would have got the public vote. 12 gigs would have been a small dent in the budget but would have impacted many including venues, bands, and the public.
From what I can see, we stand at the same spot. Virtually no promotion channels for bands to promote gigs, no extra resources, not even a music wall in the city where bands CAN post flyers. It's as you were ladies and gentlemen, business as usual. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe it is about the Beatles?
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