In this episode, we’re honoured to welcome 80s pop icon Nik Kershaw, whose four-decade career spans chart-topping hits like “Wouldn’t It Be Good” and the massive number-one single “The One And Only” which he wrote for Chesney Hawkes.

We explore Nik’s upbringing in a musically rich family, channeling teenage angst into dramatic lyrics, and journeying through prog-fusion and jazz bands before launching his solo career with agent Micky Modern.

Nik reflects on his whirlwind rise to fame, culminating in his iconic Live Aid performance alongside legends like Queen and David Bowie, sharing the nerves, out-of-body moments and the one artist who left him starstruck…

But fame wasn’t the end of Nik’s story! Beyond the 80’s spotlight, we discuss his pivot into a sought-after songwriter for icons like Elton John, writing tracks for commercials, TV and Film, and how imposter syndrome and creative hunger still fuels him today.

Chapters
00:00 Intro
02:27 Nik’s musical background
09:09 Early songwriting
19:53 Joining bands
24:32 Becoming a solo artist
33:00 Performing at Live Aid
40:50 Writing ‘The One and Only’ for Chesney Hawkes
50:41 Writing music for Film, TV and Adverts
57:09 Collaborating with Elton John
1:04:19 What’s next for Nik?

#nikkershaw #80spop #80smusic #liveaid #eltonjohn #chesneyhawkes #composer #songwriting

We’re taking you behind the scenes of our recent trip to Nashville, where we recorded an album of sizzling soul grooves designed for use in Film & TV.

This time, we’re skipping the writing process to focus on the recording sessions at the iconic Sound Emporium Studios, complete with it’s rich musical history and quirky tiki-bar studio charm!

From a horn section with lips of steel to the slightly humbling moment the rhythm section rewrote all our charts using the Nashville Number System, we share the stories, surprises and lessons from the sessions. We also look at how recording in different cities across the world can shape the feel of the music, comparing London’s precision with Nashville’s soulful behind-the-beat groove.

This episode is perfect for composers, soul music enthusiasts, and anyone curious about the world of production music!

You can listen to the finished album here (and it will be available on streaming platforms soon!) - https://www.audionetwork.com/browse/m/album/soul-control_4829

Chapters

0:00 Intro

2:21 The brief

5:06 Sound Emporium Studios

8:45 The recording process

10:47 The Nashville Number System

15:27 The way brass and rhythm players interact

19:00 Recording styles across different cities

24:25 How we record - linear vs in chunks

26:56 Our thoughts on Nashville

29:17 How did it turn out?

#nashvillemusic #recordingsession #composer #tvcomposer #soulmusic

Are you new to composing for sync, but overwhelmed by the jargon? In this episode, we sit down with Emmy-winning composer and sync expert Brad Hatfield to cut through the confusion.

Brad teaches Songwriting for Film & TV and Music Supervision at Berklee, drawing from decades of experience in the industry. From understanding contracts and ownership to knowing what to expect once your track is synced, this episode provides a thorough breakdown of sync licensing, publishing, royalties, and beyond.

We define essential terms such as ‘master recording’, ‘writer’ and ‘neighbouring rights’, and explain why getting your splits and agreements in order can make or break a placement…

We also explore what ‘useful music’ means for Film and TV, and how AI is reshaping the future of sync.

Whether you’re a songwriter, composer, or musician looking to break into sync, this episode will help you confidently navigate the production music world!

Chapters

0:00 Intro
3:38 What is Sync Licensing?
5:55 The three T’s: Term, Territory & Type of Media
9:14 What is a Publisher?
12:43 What is a Writer?
15:14 What is the Master Recording?
21:49 What is a Producer?
25:57 What are Mechanical Royalties?
31:01 What are Neighbouring Rights?
36:25 What is a Needle Drop?
38:45 What actually happens when a song is licensed for use in Film?
45:55 Writing ‘useful’ music and the importance of Outros
50:10 Why you should provide stems
54:00 AI and the future of Sync Music

Brad’s website - https://www.bradhatfieldmusic.com

Brad Hatfield Music Collective - https://www.bradhatfieldmusiccollective.com

#sync #syncliensing #syncmusic #synccomposer #composer #songwriter #productionmusic #librarymusic #filmcomposer #tvcomposer #filmmusic #tvmusic #synclicensing101 #productionmusic101 #neighbouringrights #royalties #publisher