The biz's brightest new talents tell their stories. This week it's the turn of Hanglands director Harry Ridgway...
How long has Hanglands been up and running?
“Hanglands launched in September 2018 as a communications and events agency based in Leeds that looks after press, social media, events management and more. We work with exciting new bands like Low Hummer, through to established acts like The Pretty Things, as well as labels including Secretly Canadian, Kscope and Dance To The Radio, plus everything from music festivals to comic cons and a select number of food and drink clients.”
How is the indie scene right now?
“If the last few weeks are anything to go by, massively supportive, if a little precarious. As the coronavirus situation has worsened, you can see this far-reaching community of artists, labels, managers, festivals, publications, promoters and others reacting quickly and compassionately to see each other through. I’ve had so many emails and calls from people checking in and offering help – I think that is largely reflective of things as a whole. There are of course a lot of very motivated people trying to do different and sometimes conflicting things, and I don’t want to idealise anything, but I do feel there is an undercurrent of support and care running through the more independent parts of the industry.”
There is an undercurrent of support running through the more independent parts of the industry
Will it emerge differently?
“Inevitably, but I’m not exactly sure how. I do hope we can hold our own and avoid the buying up of struggling smaller companies en masse when this is over.”
What’s your dream music job?
“To be honest, working with Secretly Canadian on their Jason Molina projects and helping to share the music he made is one I’m already doing. I would love Hanglands to grow to allow us to support more people and offer stable music careers in Yorkshire. I’ve got a pretty long list of artists and festivals it would be a dream to work with too, of course.”
Tell us the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far...
“No one is doing as well as you think they are. You can manoeuvre this industry in a much healthier way if you remember that no one has the mythologised perfect and constantly satisfying career. It can be easy at the beginning to feel like people have these amazing, creative and interesting lives at work and ought to have an endless capacity to help others out – sometimes they just have to look after their own stuff. You’ll do better if you have the empathy and awareness to know when to push and ask for help and when to leave it alone and remember that it’s just a job.”
HARRY'S RECOMMENDED TRACK:
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