Imelda May and her strong Mill Hill connections

For some reason, Mill Hill Music has developed a strange knack of helping great female artists get off the ground. Ami Winehouse spent many hours rehearsing at our studios before she got a record deal. When she signed, the first thing she did was buy a blue strat guitar from us. Then there was Kate Nash, who we sold her first guitar. Kate got her band together in studio ten and returned to the room to write her second album.

Another great singer who has strong Mill Hill Music associations is Imelda May. On the train home tonight it was great to read an interview in the Guardian - http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/feb/03/imelda-may-rockabilly-revival?INTCMP=SRCH - well worth a read. I've known Imelda and her husband Darrel for years. Darrel is an iconic rock and roll guitarist. Amongst his many claims to fame, he designed the Peavey Rockingham Guitar. One of the things I've always tried to do with the business is put something back into the local scene. One way has been to sponsor the Mill Hill Music Festival and help put on up and coming artists (paying a few quid, unlike many other promoters). Imelda has graced the stage a few times for us. It gives me great pride to have done the sound for her at a few of these gigs. Sometimes work is a pleasure. She also appeared on the Mill Hill Jazz Club Cd, which the studios helped to put together, in the early days of her recording career.

Many people wrongly assume I'm really into Jazz, given the strong jazz content of the festival. This isn't the case at all (I don't mind it, just not my favourite genre). I was actually really pleased when Imelda developed the more rockabilly sound. She had the faith of her musical convictions and this has started to pay dividends. I have a feeling that the last time she played at the festival was one of the first times Darrell played with the band. I thought it really gave the set a lift to have Darrells guitar on the songs. What I love most about Imelda is her sheer joy of singing. She still goes to mass on a Sunday at the Sacred Heart when she can and she still sings with the musicians. Imelda deserves her success and it gives me great pride that the festival and the studios have played a part in the story.

Aspiring musicians need all the help, support and exposure they can get. Last week at the BAPS Rally at the Arts Depot, as well as featuring superstars The Foundations and Boz Boorer, we put on three local bands. These were the Hamptons, 13 Riots and Connie A (backed by my band The False Dots). It was great to give these musicians the experience of playing in a big auditorium and to a large crowd. As long as there is a Mill Hill Music Complex and a Mill Hill Music Festival, we will do everything we can to support local music, musicians and people who love music. Can't say fairer than that, can I?