BIMM GUESTS

Check out the latest special guest musicians and music industry professionals who have visited BIMM to talk to students and sign our Wall of Shame!
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Huw Stephens - BBC Radio 1 On the 25th November we had the pleasure of hosting BBC Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens for a music industry masterclass in our live room. Huw talked about the ways to connect with radio as a career path and how to get started within broadcast media. He discussed how new bands can get their music heard through BBC Introducing and how important it is to upload your material via the BBC website. He also covered the perils of over styling your demos. Huw commented on the fact that BIMM tutors are teaching the actual realities of the music industry and said that he was very impressed by both the students and staff.

		Steve Smyth - Shred Guitar Masterclass Steve Smyth (Testament) visited BIMM Bristol to give an incredible afternoon masterclass. Steve jammed through tracks and also invited BIMM’s very own guitar master Jamie Hunt onstage. Steve talked about his extensive career touring the world and performing with artists such as MEGADETH. The packed out live room audience were also treated to some amazing new material featuring our very own BIMM Bristol drum legend Jason Bowld.

		Ralph Salmins - Masterclass Legendary session drummer Ralph Salmins (Elton John, Madonna) visited BIMM Bristol to give an inspiring afternoon masterclass. Ralph played some of his work showcasing his stylistic diversity including an insane Latin piece. Ralph went on to discuss realistic session careers, playing to a click and timing. After the masterclass Ralph took time out to have his photograph taken with some of our students and signed our wall of fame.

		Soundcheck with Two Door Cinema Club Indie rock band Two Door Cinema Club (Kitsuné Music) welcomed BIMM Bristol musicians to their soundcheck ahead of their headlining gig at O2 Academy. BIMM graduate Ben Thompson who provides drums for the band spoke to our musicians about the transition of student to professional musician, and what it is like being a session player with the band. Ben outlined the ways in which being at BIMM helped him secured the slot with 2 Door Cinema Club. He explained how persistence and hard work were key reasons for his success. BIMM musicians asked questions about the bands record company - Kitsune Music -who are a label based in France and a subsidiary of Universal. Ben explained how the label gives them great artistic freedom. He also discussed sponsorship deals. After the talk BIMM musicians were treated to a soundcheck and saw the band perform a few of their tracks, alongside a new song that Ben had only heard the night before! BIMM musicians were then offered tickets to the gig that night too. Awesome!

		Steve Gadd - Exclusive Q&A Masterclass Drummers from BIMM Brighton, BIMM Bristol and Tech Music Schools (part of the BIMM group) were treated to an intimate Q&A session with the legendary Steve Gadd. The exclusive event was held at Dingwalls in London’s Camden Town, where students were given an up-close-and-personal insight into the great man and his many achievements. Steve, in town for the UK leg of Eric Clapton’s world tour, was asked various questions relating to a drumming career spanning 5 decades, 600-plus albums and countless live shows with some of the world’s greatest artists including Sir Paul McCartney and Paul Simon. Humble as ever, Steve was blown away by the students’ eagerness to hear him speak. Asked after what he thought of the day, he replied “I just couldn’t believe it. They’re all such great guys, and all so into it!” Steve was happy to stay on for autographs and pictures, and he enjoyed the event so much, is keen to come back to BIMM again soon. BIMM Brighton drummer Seb Laverde said “"It was an incredibly surreal experience to meet and see the legendary master of groove! The fact that I got to see one of the most influential drummers of a generation was certainly a lifetime goal accomplished!"

		BIMM Special Guest Masterclasses BIMM have an unrivalled reputation for exclusive special guest artist masterclasses which take place each term. BIMM guests at both Bristol and Brighton have included Roger Daltrey, Jeff Beck, Lemmy, Paul Weller, Nate Watts (Stevie Wonder’s bass player), Scissor Sisters, Ronan Keating, Billy Sheehan, Chad Smith from the Chili Peppers, Newton Faulkner, Keane, Mark Knopfler, The Hoosiers, Guthrie Govan, Gus G, Imogen Heap, Beverley Knight, Ian Matthews from Kasabian, Greg Howe, Karl Brazil, Franz Ferdinand, Kate Nash and The Kaiser Chiefs to name a few! Please note that the BIMM masterclasses are not open to the general public. Imogen Heap is pictured at BIMM Bristol.

		Eternal Vocalist & BIMM Brighton Tutor Kelle Bryan Eternal vocalist and BIMM Brighton tutor Kelle Bryan delivered an engaging and interactive vocal masterclass at BIMM Bristol. The afternoon focused on various areas such as stage freight, tone and delivery. She gave advice on how to captivate and communicate with the audience, and shared guidance on stage presence. Key tips for audition success were also shared! BIMM vocalist Charlie Evans said, “It was amazing! There was so much information. There are so many people here who are nervous about their singing, and Kelle has really helped them learn how to think about singing with their emotions”.

		Drum To The Beat With Geoff Dugmore A list session drummer Geoff Dugmore took time out of his busy schedule to drop into BIMM Bristol for an awe-inspiring masterclass. Geoff shared his thoughts and advice on the session world and spoke about a number of high profile artists he has worked with including James Morrison, Robbie Williams, Tina Turner and Rod Stewart. Full of enthusiasm for his job, Geoff opened the session by playing along to Danny Wilsons ’Mary’s Prayer’ one of the many tracks that he’s recorded (Geoff has over 50+ number one albums to his name)! He discussed many aspects such as sound, approach and attitude, and played out a track that he recorded with Bristol bass tutor, Damon Minchella. With so much wisdom and information to impart, Geoff’s encouragement to learn and write your own songs, left many positive thoughts with our musicians. Geoff’s words to appreciate every moment were very inspiring!

		The Wombats Meet and Greet The Wombats took time out from a hectic promo schedule for their second album to meet BIMM Bristol musicians at the soundcheck for their O2 Academy show. The band talked through the technical challenges of recording, and how their music has development since their chart topping debut. Singer Matt Murphy chatted about computer sequencing technology, in-ear monitoring and tips on how to achieve a great sound on stage. Matt reflected on such subjects saying “bands forget that the lower the onstage volume the higher the amount in the PA. With the new album it’s essential that we could bring that bigger sound to the audiences. We had to stop thinking like a 3 piece punk pop band and start raising our game.” Drummer Dan Haggis gave an impromptu solo techno set using only his kick drum and his pitch shifted voice, whilst Bassist Tord demonstrated how the keyboards can be used to control the whole show, including the synched computer systems running the audio and click tracks. Our musicians were shown around the crew stations and were given back stage passes to the show! All this plus the support act for the gig that night was BIMM Bristol graduate Steve Sparrow’s band Morning Parade.

		Greg Howe Guitar Masterclass Guitarist Greg Howe who has worked alongside Michael Jackson Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera and P Diddy, delivered an awesome guitar masterclass to a packed out live room at BIMM Bristol. He played tracks that spanned his entire career - including the first instrumental track he ever wrote. During the session he explained some of his approaches to songwriting and how his compositional ideas have inspired him to create unusual applications of tapping and legato technique. He also included tips and approaches for playing jazz phrases within rock music. Throughout the session Greg shared tour stories and experiences from his work with Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake. The session allowed us to see his jaw dropping technique and musicianship up close. This fuelled our musicians with plenty of fresh ideas!