2000 Trees Festival - Off The Stage with Chris & Jack (The Wasting Time Podcast), Nick Street (Marshall), Dave Stuart (The Noise Cartel) & Jessica Rönnblom (Marshall)

[00:00:14] Hello and welcome to Fandomentals, the podcast that explores pop culture, one conversation at a time. I am your host, Harley. Every episode, I interview different people from around the world to discuss a variety of topics within the world of pop culture. Thanks for joining

[00:00:30] me on this journey and I hope you enjoy the episode. Hello and welcome to the Fandomentals podcast. If you've been listening to the recent episodes of the podcast, you'll know that I was fortunate enough to attend the 2000 Trees

[00:00:51] Festival and interview a number of bands on the stage at the festival. Those episodes have been absolutely fantastic, two of them are already and there are plenty more on the way. But as I have said in previous episodes, I also wanted to explore life off the

[00:01:07] stage at a festival. If you ever get the chance to go to a festival and have a look around backstage, you'll notice that there are so many incredibly hardworking people that contribute to the atmosphere and the goings on at a festival like 2000 Trees. So I

[00:01:22] wanted just to capture a little bit of that in this series. So on today's episode, I bring you five fantastic guests to give you a brief glimpse behind the scenes at 2000 Trees. Today I am joined by Chris and Jack from the Wasting Time podcast Nick Streets from Marshall,

[00:01:43] Dave Stewart from the noise cartel and Jessica Rumblam also from Marshall. These interviews were absolutely fantastic. I cannot thank them all enough for giving me their time at what was an incredibly busy event. As always, I've left links in the show notes we can

[00:01:59] find out a bit more about each person's company and what they do. Right, that's enough from me. Let's get on with the episode. This is off the stage at 2000 Trees with the Wasting Time podcast, the noise cartel and Marshall. Hello Chris and Jack and welcome to

[00:02:25] the fundamentals podcast. Thank you for having us pleasure. My pleasure. And yeah, you guys are here with your podcast, the Wasting Time Podcast and as I've said before, we started like, yeah, part of my aim here is to chat people behind the scenes at festivals.

[00:02:39] So I want to know what was the first festival that you guys got to do as press? What was your first experience? It was actually this very festival. Just last year, yeah, we

[00:02:49] brilliant. Yeah, we were taking care of and giving press passes. We got about six or seven interviews done. That was our first experience of doing it. I'll feel like this. Awesome. Yeah, how did that go for you? I'm sorry. How did they go? Yeah, one really well. Yeah,

[00:03:05] like kind of gotten the flow of doing, because you know that festival, we kind of get the 10 minute interviews. Yes, I don't know how it works with your podcast, but like we tend to do an hour interview on the podcast. Yeah, same. They're very different

[00:03:18] format, but we got a felt that we adapted to that quickly and the bands. I feel like because they're here on the festival there in the good mood and stuff, they're very

[00:03:28] chatty and it was just yeah, it was easy. I had too many beers by the end of that. We were going the downside. The episode of the interviews gets slightly more slurred as it

[00:03:36] comes on. If you hear him on his own, yeah, if you go and let's touch out with bad nerves from last year, listen to my voice, your hearing. Yeah, it was luring. I love it.

[00:03:49] I love it. That's awesome. I rease yourself, Jack, as well as your hearing. This is my first actually funny enough, I was pressed. Yeah, so I'm just helping Chris out, but it's funny. I've been on the other side, but I've been a listener of Chris' podcast for

[00:04:01] the past. And even a fan, and then just as I know him, related to he's kindly offered this for me to fill in, and it's just been an incredible one-off experience and happy

[00:04:13] to help him in support. Because I've seen his podcast grow and grow, you know, he's got that and then he's ever since that, those got bookings this year for Slumdunk, for Reading and Leeds. I'm sure you'll mention a festival in America, which is a pretty

[00:04:26] amazing story where she would tell you all about. Oh, please do. Yeah. Thank you for the fine words first. I'm in payin' to say that as well, so that's... Yeah, the festival in America is a four-court festival that happens in Pittsburgh every year. Okay, we kind

[00:04:42] of befriended, Rishi, who runs out festival, and he kind of had us out there as the only media at the festival, and that's very well and incredible experience. That is an amazing experience. All Australian Shring World, again, for me, personally to be here, amazing experience and

[00:05:00] then for Chris to be out in Pittsburgh speaking to bands these love music years. Yeah. As a Brit abroad, you know, in Craigville experience. I'm sure you'll have the same heart of a fundamental as on your journey. Hopefully. You never... Yeah, you already...

[00:05:14] You're already here, mate. You're making it. It's not lost on me. I can be wrong with you. I think it's when you least expect it. I think that's when it comes from Chris, Chris

[00:05:22] been doing this, as to say what almost 10 years? Yeah, that's probably only in the last couple years. That he's picked up these festivals and been able to speak to some amazing exact names at the festival. So yeah. So what's your aim when you come to a festival then

[00:05:36] with your podcast? I want you looking to do. As a cliche, as it sounds, it's just to get as much content as possible, you know? Obviously very well wanted interview the bands we like

[00:05:48] the best slash the biggest bands on the build. So we'll try and book as many of them as we possibly can. Lovely. And then we'll just try and, you know, a bit like what you've done

[00:05:58] with us, like, thank grab people and just get very short clips and interviews and stuff and just yeah. But I feel like social media. Yeah, but I think for me it's the other side of also is to

[00:06:09] have an interesting experience. Right. Have an interesting, like, random conversation with yourself as struck up to this and now we're here on a podcast. And we'll find all about, you know, your podcast and your journey and similar, like say some of the conversations we had for

[00:06:23] example of Dylan from Spanish Luxemes or to be honest, all of the people interviewed. Yeah. It wasn't yes there was, you kind of standard questions about, you know, favorite festival and all that kind of stuff. But we also had some really random interesting left-field conversations

[00:06:38] about, you know, authors or about, you know, travel and all these kinds of stuff. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. So yeah. And there's that side of it I think as well. I love that.

[00:06:49] I love that. Do you got to be passionate about what you do? You can't be a hinder person for a cynical reason. So yeah. Yeah. That's true. That's very true. Yeah. I'm curious though. So I mean,

[00:06:57] this is the early days for you guys obviously, but still like, I want to know what your favorite experience has been a festival so far. I mean, I feel like traveling to America feels like a

[00:07:07] pretty high bar. That's clear. Yeah. I mean, for me it's a bit crazy if I didn't pick something from four-hawed. So yeah, we had some amazing experiences there. Like one that jumped out for me

[00:07:21] so one of my favorite vases were lying in K. And they had to my knowledge they've never been to Europe. They were playing the festival. They didn't want to do the press with us. I mean,

[00:07:29] but we didn't take it personally. They don't do press with anyone. I don't think sure. But we got to watch them side stage like me and like one of my best mates who I co-host this

[00:07:37] with. And that was a special moment. And then yeah, I feel like just kind of we felt like part of the family at four-hawed. Yeah. That whole thing was just easily the best experience for me.

[00:07:51] Yeah, for me it's obviously as a punter. But I remember back in, it's crystal correct me because he was great with dates. Oh, oh, oh, oh, nine. I went to Glassenbury Festival

[00:08:03] and at the time, Gaslampen. It's so nine by the way. Yeah, we can. It's so nice. Oh, no. Yeah. And Gaslampen, who we've just had an awesome interview with Benny from the Gaslampite,

[00:08:13] they were playing and maybe the, I saw them at Reading Leeds which was very much their kind of home turf big turnout. The Gaslampite it was maybe especially at the time,

[00:08:22] Glassenbury is a little less kind of rock or turn it if so. It was in a huge crowd and we're about halfway through the day and halfway through the search, I should say. And they started playing

[00:08:33] the 59 sound and the Gaslampen Bruce Springsteen randomly came on and collaborated with them in the form of 59 sound which yeah, I'm a massive Springsteen fan. So to see him, he was headlining

[00:08:45] that night but to see him in that relatively small stage with one of my favourite bands, you know, as well as the Gaslampen. Yeah, I'm from, um, yeah. It was just incredible. And I remember

[00:08:56] I don't know Brian, Brian Balans about five years. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That was quite surreal. You actually tell this story. But there's a game of spring, it's rather a little kid who's just,

[00:09:08] you could tell it's his first festival who's on his own at the time, Gaslampen. He nudged me. He was going crazy as well just because everyone wants to. He nudged me at the end, he goes,

[00:09:17] who is that? Is that? He's Springsteen, I was like, yes, maybe. I just loved that fact. Like, Joye for, he was so buzzing and so happy to see him. Despite the fact that he didn't know

[00:09:26] who was just infectious. So for me that really sticks out. Oh, that's awesome. Absolutely love that. I was so magic if festivals as well as you know. Definitely. Yeah, there's no what's going to happen

[00:09:35] absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. So I wonder what your sort of plans are for the podcast and festival. I guess just do as many as possible then. Yep, that's that's a set of the show

[00:09:45] answers. Yes, just to keep growing it by being present. Yeah, present as many festivals as we can be. Just keep it going with the regular podcast which they're taking a back seat recently,

[00:10:00] we've been so busy on the festival. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, yeah, so your podcast is exploring like the music scene and the industry as a whole. So it kind of makes sense this time of

[00:10:10] years when most people are out. Yeah, yeah, and we can see it like just being there something like this. I can see so many other podcasts. Oh, so recognize you always are these things. It's kind of

[00:10:21] nice to see you know. It is. Yeah, I got to say this ends the community here. I think it's very nice. So we were just talking before we started recording and like, that was filled different entries. There's not a couple of clichés thing to do with listening,

[00:10:33] but there is something that's different. There are 100% yeah. Yeah, it was really struck by that last year. Little things like, you know, how you can bring booze in to the general site. There's no

[00:10:47] no bugs, no massive bug search or limit. But they just say, you know, use a bit of common sense. We're an independent festival, come up by their support us. And I think, by them showing

[00:10:58] the respect to the punters. The punters reciprocate that. And you see people, you know, my bring in a couple of kinds here and there. But then they're buying beers, they're supporting the festival. And I think, yeah, it just creates an incredible kind of atmosphere that, you know,

[00:11:14] is kind of, I guess, increasingly missing in the music industry and particularly the live music industry. I don't think there's a cancel as always. No, no, no, no, no. Yeah, yeah, no, I think that's nicely put. Nicely put. Yeah, something for others to learn from maybe, you know.

[00:11:31] Sorry, sorry. There's something from other ones to learn from maybe. Yeah, yeah. What we'll leave it there, not just a great. A question I've been thrown into a lot of artists, but I want to ask you guys as well. Okay. If you would have your own festival,

[00:11:46] yeah, I want to know what would you call the festival? Oh, God. And who would your three dream headlines be? You're going to say, anyone you like? It's a great question. So a great question.

[00:11:56] And so the three headlines today have to be like current bands that are active. No, you know? We were dead or yeah, I've just said anyone because yeah, people look at me also.

[00:12:06] Or bands is okay. Yeah, I know it's big. It's big. Yeah. I think I think I have all my joint answer first. You think I'm struggling for the name it. Well, firstly, I think

[00:12:20] you know, if I had more time, I'd come up with a better name, but I'll take the easy one. It'll have to be the wasting time festival and like, that's fine. I'm tired in with our brands.

[00:12:28] It's a good name, no. I genuinely, you know what I mean? Thank you. It's okay. What was all they did in the States? So it was like in a style journal or something. Oh, when we were

[00:12:38] we were young. Yeah, yeah. That's what I mean. Yeah. Okay. And then so my three headlines are going to be MXPX, you could probably guess it. I got a bit good Charlotte and Sam Cook. Sam Cook will

[00:12:52] be difficult because obviously died in 1964. Yeah. But just the other two, you know, both still active so that'd be a little easier. And that's my little set up. Lovely. You've had time to think of yours now, Julia. I think with a name, I think it's quite tricky

[00:13:13] come up with something kind of original that's just like the not the name or the play show. It was respect bands. Sorry, festivals who were able to do that but I don't have a creative

[00:13:23] burn in my body. Things like say, you know, like outbreak festival in Manchester, which is amazing like DIY hardcore festival. And again, it kind of, I think the name kind of captures the essence.

[00:13:35] Or say even here like 2,000 trees or which has now been abbreviated to trees a lot. I think that again, it kind of does what it says in the tin. So again, because I'm not creative,

[00:13:45] I'm not going to be able to come up with. In terms of line up again, I'm really bad at thinking of things off the cuff. So what I would say instead is I would just copy and paste from

[00:13:58] my favorite festival line up I've been to gone and that was that glass of really that I refer to which was Bruce Spring's Dean Neil Young, Amblah. Oh, that was an incredible thanks for being safe. Oh, go with that. Nice. There you are. Nice little diverse. Yeah.

[00:14:13] Hey, that line is between us. Honestly, that's what I love about this is every single person is giving me completely different. Yeah, for sure. A lot of variety. I got to say

[00:14:22] a lot of variety in every single one. I love it. Thank you. Thank you for giving me that. That's awesome. Well guys, thank you so much for coming on the podcast. Thank you for chatting to us really appreciate it.

[00:14:30] Yeah, thank you. Cheers, honey. That was awesome. Thanks, honey. Welcome to the Founder Mentals podcast. Hi nice to meet you. Like what is my friend? Like what? It's like you're taking time at your busy schedule to come and chat with me.

[00:14:45] As I explained before, I'm looking to explore a bit of behind the scenes of what people do at festivals. So what do you introduce yourself? Who you are, what you do at

[00:14:54] the festival we can go from there? Yeah, I'm Nick Street and I'm the CMO for Marshall. Awesome. So I look after the marketing globally for the brand. Awesome. Awesome. So yeah, what brings Marshall to a festival like this? Our artists.

[00:15:13] I mean we obviously make the amps, we're with Marshall. As part of Marshall Group, we also have drum company called Natal. So we make drums as well. So for that, we have quite a few artists that we endorse support, obviously creating playing on stage.

[00:15:29] And then we also have a record label as well. And we've got quite a few of our bands playing the festivals as well with a label. Awesome. And then we also are trying to bring a bit of an experience

[00:15:40] to the consumer to the back with the bands but also print some t-shirts and experience a bit of the brand, you know? Yeah. That makes a lot of sense. I mean Marshall, I feel like it is a household name.

[00:15:55] But yeah, that's easy to get. The last I suppose in this day of the age, right? With a so much stuff available. So yeah, makes sense. You want to show your face events like this and

[00:16:03] build those artists for relations. Yeah. Yeah. I noticed you guys got the band as well over the main stage. I imagine that's also quite helpful. Yeah, it's quite an organic thing actually.

[00:16:15] All right. Okay. The band on the main stage, I think that Rob needed some new banners and we helped him live it. So yeah, it's a partnership here that we have with 2000 trees is something we really

[00:16:28] value because it's it's it's it's really a partnership. It's not a logo slamp per se, you know, it's a how can we support each other on the mission, you know? We have a lot of shared values and we care

[00:16:40] about a lot of the same thing. So it's sort of a natural, you know, a partnership that comes together helping each other out. Lovely. Oh, I like the sound of that. Yeah. So how do you find

[00:16:51] them coming to festivals and doing events like this sort of in your job role? Do you find it quite enjoyable being able to do this? I imagine it's a bit between gay. Yeah, I love it. I mean that's

[00:17:01] why I do the job. Yeah. You know, for every hour you sit behind the computer, I think this is this is for me at least why I do what I do and I'm very privileged to be able to to do that.

[00:17:14] You know, how did you get into this line of work? I was in a band many, many years ago. I also used to skate. Yeah. But I was not really good at either so I ended up organizing

[00:17:31] most of the things. Right. So I was always sort of on the, you know, who drives the band who puts on the show. Yeah. And yeah, I made that essentially my job. I started a company for East Pack.

[00:17:44] Then I worked at a company called Vans for many, many years and then I joined Marshall. So yeah, it's a really less of a market here and more, yeah, organize off of things and bring

[00:18:00] bringing things together, you know? Yeah. Yeah. Awesome. Yeah. I imagine you got to be quite an organized guy to do that then. It was quite a busy job. But I imagine behind the scenes

[00:18:09] for most of the year, because I think most people were turtable, fastable and just assumed that, you know, oh yeah, you may be a busy for the weeks leading up a lot of months leading up by

[00:18:17] imagine you have in a job like yours. It's all year round, you're constantly looking at events like this and all that stuff. Yeah. There is a, there's a lot, there's a lot going on with a brand

[00:18:27] like Marshall, right? We just make, we make products. Yeah. So that's products, the products of different, the different channels all around the world were global brand, right? So we of course. We're in representative globally and then yeah, we obviously have the label side,

[00:18:49] we have a recording studio. Yeah, that's quite new, isn't it? Or am I making a video for some of the... It's a million teens, yeah. It's actually in the back of where the factories and

[00:18:58] mountain teens. Oh wow, okay. Build the studio there. Yeah, so you've got the factory, we make the amps. Yeah, yeah. And then we've got the studio as part of that. Also. Do you get to go down and visit?

[00:19:10] Yeah, we're there a lot. Yeah. And a lot of people come through, a lot of bands come through, a lot of artists come through. Lovely. So yeah, it's, it's very varied. I think that's what's

[00:19:20] exciting about it. You know, you go from one minute talking to maybe a new band for the label to talk into an artist to try a product out or get feedback on that, you know, to

[00:19:32] figuring out how to launch a campaign for a new headphone or speaker. You know, right? It's really sort of high low and it's not a huge company either. It's a pretty small team and we're very...

[00:19:46] we're very open as a team and creating a very open environment so we're trying to be very, very collaborative. So, you know, an idea can come from anywhere, you know, in the company and we

[00:19:59] we listen a lot to what our artists have to say, we're sure he's have to say and yeah, trying to do our best to sort of make something of make something happen out of all of that, you know?

[00:20:10] I make some awesome, you know, you're making tools for artists. So yeah, you're going to want to take on board what they've got to say. And I imagine again festivals events like this

[00:20:19] we meet in more people. That's probably where you get some good ideas, right? Or at least an idea of what people are after. Maybe what they can find useful and yeah, my understanding particularly

[00:20:29] is I'm a guitarist as well. Like the the amp world, obviously what Marshall's primarily known for, yeah, is changing so much isn't it the last couple of years like it's the digital side of things.

[00:20:39] As it's I imagine there's a lot of people who just kind of keep up with and spinning plates. Yeah, the world's the world is changing. Right? That's the one thing that's going to

[00:20:48] for sure. And yeah, technology changes with that and you know as a company as a brand, you have to keep up with that, you know, and you have to again, you have to listen,

[00:21:00] you have to sort of understand who you are as a brand and what your place is and the role you play there. And you know, we see a lot of us see ourselves as stewards of the brand, you know? Right. Okay.

[00:21:12] Terry, Terry Marshall and the family, they're still very much involved, you know, with the company and we're really there to steer the brand through, you know, it's survived over 60 years and we're here to make sure that happens with the next 100, you know? At least. Yeah, yeah,

[00:21:30] I remember going to the 50 years of loud the Marshall gig and that was, yeah, obviously was not long ago so yeah, it's quite a legacy to hold on to. Yeah, absolutely, absolutely and, you know, sort of one of those brands that's really been when you think about

[00:21:46] culture more generally, it's been in a lot of moments and there's been present and it's sort of been there. It's true, part of that, you know, whether it's, you know, rock against racism

[00:21:58] or if you go further back, you know, we look at you me Hendrix and you know, I really think about some moments when you, when you look into the background and you look at what was on stage at

[00:22:07] some of those moments, you know, Marshall was there and I think yeah that's a, it's a huge honour and it's a privilege to be able to sort of carry that forward, you know? Yeah, of course.

[00:22:19] Yeah and events like this are a perfect opportunity to do that, right? And I think especially events like this. This is a festival that's really all about new music, emerging talent, you know,

[00:22:29] grassroots. It's, I was saying to someone earlier it's like there's not many places where you can walk from one stage to the other and you sort of hear something, you know, in the corner that

[00:22:40] you might not have heard before a band and you're like oh that sounds great and you pop in and you find and you band, you know, and find out about that. I think you walk around and it really feels like a

[00:22:50] community, you know people that have an interest in music, you know? Yeah, obviously it's a great time as well on top of that. Yeah, there it is. Is there anyone in particular looking forward to seeing here actually?

[00:23:02] Well, I have no returns about to play so they are not anything else. You know, definitely looking forward to seeing them. We had a King Nun played this morning who was in the label, you know,

[00:23:13] they did well, Gallus played yesterday, those are the label bands and then yesterday there's a bank on knives that played which, right? Yeah, I really like. So yeah, movements were great. You know,

[00:23:30] it's, yeah, like I say there's just too many to mention. Yeah, it's funny, I guess you have a privilege of speaking to some of the bands that you mentioned and yeah, I find that interesting

[00:23:40] that the label, the martial labels, like, seems to be picking on quite a few diverse acts and like especially the up and comes younger ones, not really interesting. Is that something that

[00:23:49] he feels quite important to the brand in the old job role? Yeah, yeah, we're a label, but we're not a traditional label. Yeah, that sense, you know? We, you know, our mission is really to support

[00:24:04] up and coming musicians, you know, and it's, the label is there to help them give them a leg up, give them a platform and then really see where it goes, you know? And then we've structured the

[00:24:16] label in that sense as well where it is really artists first, you know, we're not, we're not a label in that sense. That's sort of building a catalog for years to come to exploit that, you know,

[00:24:27] like a lot, you know, our own music, their music back, the way that we structure the the royalties and the deals is really all about artists and artists first, you know, because it's hard, it's hard being a musician. It is. I think if we can do

[00:24:46] our bit to show that you can also do it differently, you know, and then that for us also, you can pay back and support, that's really, really important. Of course, yeah, especially with a big

[00:24:57] brand name, like a known name like Marshall doing something like that, imagine that will help sort of show, as you say, show other other labels, other people in the industry, like you

[00:25:07] said that a better way of doing things rather than what's been done before. Yeah, and I think that's if you were, if you were going to speak to anyone on the team, you could do the same interview with

[00:25:16] anyone on the team. And you would hear the same, it is there is still a lot of change that needs to happen and we're in a really great, great time right now where you can try things differently

[00:25:28] and you can break things. And, you know, for us it's really comes back to that listening thing, it's, you know, I always ask our artists, what do you want to do? You know? Right, because it's,

[00:25:38] it's really, it's really about taking that, that idea of partnership, you know, and supporting artists in a way maybe having them experience something maybe that's not as easy to experience, you know? And

[00:26:00] we're very open to that. You know, if someone has a crazy idea in the studio where like, cool, let's make an happen and see what that can look like, you know? I love to hear that genuinely

[00:26:10] because that's how art made. I just did a whole series on songwriting and I was like a common theme with every artist I spoke to is having the freedom of expression. So yeah, for label gives them

[00:26:19] that permission. Yeah, who knows what you're going to do. And you know, there is no rulebook, really it is, no label. Right. Yeah. And I think even that's changing and has changed so much as well,

[00:26:30] you know? And I think a lot of people when you're playing music, you're figuring it out, right? But the nature of playing music, you're always figuring things out and of course. And I think, you know, what's important for us is without without having whether it's brands or community

[00:26:44] or network that sort of cares about that. You're not going to get the headlines at the festivals, you're not going to get the stadium bands down the line, you know? So for us that emerging grassroots, the independent venues, you know, the independent festivals, that's really,

[00:27:01] really important for us to support that spirit, you know? So we do that at the same time, you know, we have icons that have been playing martial and we support them as well, you know?

[00:27:11] So for us, it's really making sure that we can help on the entire journey as a musician all the way through. I love to hear that awesome. My final question to you, so I just been told you got to go,

[00:27:24] I've been asking everybody if they would have had their own festival, I'd love to know what they would call that festival and who their three dream headlines would be. So you have anyone you like? It's a, if I look at a nice way of understanding people's music taste.

[00:27:38] It's a big one, I know, especially if you love music as well. It's so hard to have hundreds of names coming to mind. That is a really, really good question. I mean, I've helped organize festivals in the past, you know? It's, I've helped organize a

[00:28:00] a festival on the Hackney Marsh's called volcano festival, which was fantastic. If I could, I would do that again. They've built a massive Olympic stadium in the place where it was I would love to do that again and for me, it's really not about the headliners. For me,

[00:28:23] I would love to have, I would love to have maybe a festival of opposites, you know? Yeah, yeah, yeah. You can bring someone in who could curate maybe a stage or a tent, you know? And maybe have the, the obvious, the sort of opposite of that, you know?

[00:28:43] So for me it's really not about, it's not about the headliners, you know? But I would love to have an over-twins come in great, dear favorite stage, you know? And have a kit bookie on the other side,

[00:28:54] you know, great that and then maybe have a, you know, a sound system come in and do a sound system clash of sorts, you know? And nice. And have maybe the guy's some a paddle or something come in

[00:29:04] and curate that side of things. So for me it's really, and then the other corner would be great. I've had an NTS maybe come and do, you know, to live radio show for the entirety of the festival.

[00:29:14] So for me it's much more about how do you, how do you break some of the genres and curate that? So I like to fail to answer your question. No, no, no, no, no, no.

[00:29:21] So you can be a very unique one. I already, I really appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you, your time as well. Thank you. Hello Dave and welcome to the Find A Mental's Podcast. Nice to meet you.

[00:29:34] Hello. Hello. This gets me, you mate. Yeah. So thank you so much for coming on. Especially as part of the often stage series. So I'm just going to why I want jump straight in

[00:29:44] when I introduce yourself and who you work for what you do here at the festival. Yeah, sure. So I'm Dave. I am a radio pluger for the company called The Noise Cartel. We are a press and radio

[00:29:56] agency that deals with bands ranging from like ice, nine kills, papa roach, parquay drive, architect and when I'm at a festival like 2000 trees. I'm just booking interviews, making sure the interviews go ahead connecting band with media and yeah running around. Run it. Yeah,

[00:30:14] it sounds like an incredibly stressful job. It has its moments. Yeah, yeah, it's festivals like 2000 trees because a lot of our roster tends to be a little bit heavier than the typical 2000 trees

[00:30:26] line up. Sure, but when we're at a festival like download, you can have it where maybe you've got four bands that are in the press 10 at the same time. You're splitting bands up so that they

[00:30:34] can make the most out of their interview time or so if you've got four bands that can then become like eight different groups. Yeah. Yeah. And the juggling can be a little bit mental. But generally

[00:30:46] I think adrenaline just sort of takes over and then it kind of just does itself times lows down and you're like just in a zone. Yeah, time to time becomes kind of irrelevant and you just

[00:30:56] kind of show you just kind of plow on and just what happens happens. So yeah it's fun. I would I'd say it's more fun than stressful. It does have it stressful moments don't get me wrong,

[00:31:07] but I think that generally it's just yeah it's quite fun. Awesome. How did you find yourself in this job? So I used to be in a band back in the day, I say back in the day about 10 years ago

[00:31:18] yeah and we got to a point in our career where we'd done an album and we decided that we wanted to push it. So we hired theologists to do that. Yeah and I mean we were a very generic

[00:31:33] metal core band. So we didn't expect to get a lot of attention but then we started getting some reviews from like rock sound and like metal hammer and corang and yeah got some good like radio air play

[00:31:46] and I had this kind of eureka moment of I could do this for a job. Yeah, I could do this for a job. So I spoke to our publicist, our publicist was whole tight and spoke to the lovely Hannah Gillica

[00:31:59] who I basically owe me being in this job where I said how do I get into this? She laid out a roadmap for me and I sort of followed it and then now I also have this job. So yeah that's fantastic.

[00:32:13] It's amazing how many people are spoken to you behind the scenes that often start like that. You know they have some sort of foot in the door with industry like usually being in a band

[00:32:21] like having that passion for the music and then you know just sticking around and just finding jobs that they enjoy and suit and yeah it's great and I genuinely believe that that I think

[00:32:31] translates into events like this where you get these amazing festivals that are put on by people that love music and have either been in the scene or you know just have such a deep appreciation

[00:32:42] for it. Yeah, you're happy to take on like several interviews, lots and move things around do that because you're like I care I want this to work. I want people to you know experience these

[00:32:52] things and have a good time. Yeah, I don't think that there's anybody that you would speak to that it's on this side of the tent that wouldn't be passionate about yeah about any of this.

[00:33:01] Passion is what gets everybody into this music is so integral to so many people. I mean you just walk around the site if that's what was like this and the connection that everybody has with

[00:33:13] with the bands that they're seeing and with each other is just so so deep and we all share that back here as well. It's not just like this is it's not just a job for us. This is sort of like a way of life.

[00:33:24] So it's okay. Yeah, I think that's how it feels for me and I think if you spoke to anybody backstage here I think they're probably telling you something similar that it's just sort of like

[00:33:32] you know to part of us doing all of this. So it's never feels like a chore. It's fun. It's good. Yeah, we have it. You mentioned to me earlier that you were reviewing the festivals. That right?

[00:33:41] I'm also reviewing the festival. Yeah, so in in classic taking on too much fashion. I'm also an assistant editor for punktastic which is a webtoon. And I am also in between doing bits and

[00:33:57] bobs for bands running around and watching and reviewing bands over the course of the weekends. So getting my steps in? Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. So what do you look for when you review bands

[00:34:10] then for a festival? What is it that you're paying attention to and like what you're writing about? I'm genuinely curious. I'm trying to pay attention to a lot of things. What was being objective

[00:34:21] of course. So I'm looking at the bands and how they're performing, how tight it is, interaction with the crowd also just generally the vibe. So like how the crowd are feeling. I try and get a

[00:34:33] couple of different perspectives so if I can push forwards to the front and be a little bit closer to where the energy is, get a feel for it. It's like their in comparison to like the back of the

[00:34:42] tent. For outside the tent if there's a band that are like that popular that they filled out that much of the space. And I'm just trying to, you know, the flow of the set, how it feels,

[00:34:55] any band that with the crowd, how it's received. Yeah and then sometimes there are some bands that I've seen this weekend that we're standouts that I wasn't expecting something to be standouts

[00:35:07] and it's just like, but it's difficult to put a finger on what that thing is. It's just something, sometimes something magical happens. It just connects with you in a certain way and

[00:35:19] yeah just as a fan of music and I like going in blind as well and trying to check out as many new bands as I can. Yes. So I think that it's easier to be on bias to be on checking out about the

[00:35:27] you know nothing about. Yeah. So massively so. Yeah definitely. Any standouts from this weekend? One of my sets of the weekend is it's earlier today, Press Club. Right okay yeah phenomenal, Australian 4 piece who I'd seen the name about. I know that Dan Piair has played them a few

[00:35:45] times on the rock show. Yes but new very little about the music and I just thought that the show they put on was just so energetic, they got the crowd involved but just their energy. It was

[00:35:55] almost like the crowd would be like feeding off it. So they just created an atmosphere just by having a good set. Yeah. It was just yeah. The connection that I felt with it was just really

[00:36:07] powerful. It was just really good set and then palm read a last night who did they? The final ever show. I was emotional. It was it was a lot. Yeah. There was I've never seen

[00:36:18] more grown men crying. Right. It was myself included. I was one of them. And it was just yeah, it was just really special. Really sad but really like meaningful end for them to do it here too.

[00:36:32] Definitely. Yeah. It was funny chatting with them and Emma who looks after them and she was saying the same way this place means so much to them. It's like one of the festivals that brought them up

[00:36:43] and yeah like you say, well it's a shame that things have had to come to an end at least it's but he said they did it on a high they did the mutual side of it and like I was chatting with

[00:36:51] Mark who was into you in a earlier and he said yeah they all felt the same way like it was just the time to call it but as you say that doesn't make it any less bittersweet does it but no you know

[00:37:00] I don't know about you. I was just a towards the back watching it and like the crowd man the crowd was so behind them and it was beautiful to watch yeah definitely a highlight definitely.

[00:37:10] Yeah it was stunning just like the love and support that was in that tent for them. We were just kind of radiating throughout the tent it felt like and he'd like Josh spoke a lot

[00:37:24] on stage about community and the feeling of connection. And I think that especially for the back end of that set everybody was feeling that for sure we all kind of collectively more than I guess

[00:37:39] yeah with the band who were also in tears it was yeah I think that was stick with me for a while I've seen them so many times over the years very stages in their career but

[00:37:49] the fact that they also got a sound back on stage to come and do some stuff. It was kind of close things out really nicely with palm reader past and present sort of like closing the book which was

[00:38:01] really beautiful especially definitely definitely my final question to you Dave is if you had to put your own festival together I'd love to know what's it called and who are your three dream headliners you can have anyone you want better alive. God what would I call there

[00:38:19] usually either not with the word this right people either have an answer straight away because they thought about it or they get stuck on it because be fair is it is a difficult question. I know who my

[00:38:28] headline is would be but I don't know what I would call it let's go with the headline as then for now yeah let's do that. Jordan Buckley and Keith Buckley would be conference again

[00:38:37] in every time I die with headline nice yeah favorite band of all time really I'll set that I didn't get to see the newest record played because they split up before they came to the UK of course yeah

[00:38:48] so they would headline one day under oath with headline another day. Okay and then the final headlineer I said I knew I'm sorry I was just a couple of third one I don't know

[00:39:14] kill switching gauge oh yes they were phenomenal when they had line blood stock last year yeah so nominal um they're one of those bands where you watch them and you don't realize how many

[00:39:24] of their songs you know. Yes yeah just play bangar after bangar after bangar and yeah I have to come back to me on a name okay I'm not kidding man sure again I do think it's the it's uh yeah it's the worst one I could possibly ask but

[00:39:39] I was seeing a theme actually with the audience because it's kind of like a hardcore thing yeah something that vein yeah yeah you can always text me and I'll edit it in post if you want that's absolutely fine

[00:39:52] yeah yeah I'm gonna be around in editing for the next week so yeah I'll message you about it and I'll message you that's absolutely fine no problem Dave thank you so much for coming on man

[00:40:04] thank you for having me cheers pleasure hello Jessica and welcome to the fan of the Bental's Podcast thank you so much happy being here oh it's my pleasure so lovely to love you to meet you actually back here in the Marshall 10 this bit a highlight for me actually

[00:40:20] this festival genuinely like hanging out here meeting people like yourself and Nick and the rest of the crew it's really cool yeah we're really happy to hear that we're really excited to be here especially

[00:40:29] this year and showing up as one brand yeah with both our recording artists being on the stage just we've got our Amazon display and our tall drums showcasing all the features available

[00:40:43] with our design store we've got our friends from Gordon Smith and real to sound their on side without as well yeah it's been an amazing amazing year awesome I love it I love it so Jessica what

[00:40:53] what's your role here at Marshall so I work with our ambassadors and brand partnerships that kind of includes everything we do of festival activation wise on vinyl partners musicians beyond the guitarists bits and pieces like that awesome yeah see hey they can't leave a isn't just keep

[00:41:12] everybody happy and do whatever they need to get everybody happy instead of the partnerships everyone down there we live in carry there I'm some stuff as well though it's right now but that's

[00:41:21] the beauty of the job really yeah absolutely well how did you start in this job role where did you begin so I actually started off I almost had a massive love from music started guitar when I was

[00:41:31] younger so for me I really always had a very special connection to the Marshall brand from a very young age then it was quite random actually so I was out meeting up with some friends for friends

[00:41:45] birthday and I was working in music at the time as well but was looking around for some different opportunities basically just to see see what's out there one of my friends she was working at

[00:41:57] Marshall with the headphones speaker range at the moment oh yes yes and literally you scrub my arm I said like jazz jazz you need to apply yeah and two weeks later we're kind of viewing

[00:42:09] to a few years later we we work together amazing yeah it's been really cool yeah and then I guess from there you just kind of find different jobs and roles in the company right yeah and I think it's

[00:42:20] it's a really unique company to be at as well because there's so much opportunity for you to explore and find what you are passionate about and then kind of go into that direction along

[00:42:29] with the Professor Dora amazing team everyone works there's truly amazing and it's cool because I would say that a lot of people will work with like I consider them it's not just co-workers

[00:42:40] we're actually friends yeah yeah and I think you can really I think you can probably feel let us well as co-workers yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah no it's true it's you can get the vibe and

[00:42:50] as we were saying just before we started recording like it does feel like that's something that fits quite nicely into 2000 trees right because being an independent festival and yeah the people

[00:43:00] here the team is sort of what's like family vibe that you get here I think yeah make sense that you guys kind of pair up with that quite nicely yeah and I think it's especially as festival

[00:43:09] 2000 trees for us it's very unique in that sense that it is a showing incredible community vibe and it's you get you know the artist mingling out there watching their friends on stage with

[00:43:22] their families we got a really cool screen printing activation on this year as well yeah yeah where we also pulled a few of our both-end was to not just be worked but also a few of

[00:43:34] you know used a friend of the brand to come and meet their fans yeah give them an incredible unforgettable experience that they can take along with them from 2000 trees as well so amazing yeah

[00:43:44] I got to say yeah and it was showing me around backstage here like some of the stuff you guys are doing like the t-shirt printing thing I thought was brilliant so if anyone listening doesn't know like you guys have fresh prints available and yeah different artists coming in

[00:43:56] and out who are like signing them or putting paint on them and just having a bit of fun and yeah I've never seen anything like that at a festival like usually it's just like you squeeze into

[00:44:05] a booth say hello you know sign something or whatever in the new route but yeah really nice to see kind of like fostering that environment and sort of trying to bridge the gap between artists and

[00:44:15] fan yeah because I think that's why everyone everyone's kind of like here and everyone from the music lovers to the musicians you know it's the passion and love from music that brings everyone to this festival doesn't matter if you're on the stage behind a stage if you're watching

[00:44:33] you know you know we just want to make it louder for the people in the back yeah right honest yeah I like that and it's I think that's one of the most important things for us here with Marshall

[00:44:44] so to really show up for the music community as a whole and I think yeah this festival it's a it's a really special place for us because we really feel like we managed to do that and not alone

[00:44:57] obviously but together with you know the rest of the potency around the festival attend to themselves and the artists on stage and yeah it's a truly special place it really is yeah so I want to give

[00:45:06] a little bit back for yourself your personal history we go to music festivals just to go I'd love to know what was the first festival that you went to the first festival I don't know if you can

[00:45:19] close it as the first of all the first festival I ever went to was a bit of the iY project okay that I feel my friends sad and I think it was like 14 something like that yeah yeah

[00:45:35] and it was literally just all of us out you're building the stages and you know get the band saying everyone's called everyone they know we only show us enough for tickets or if we give

[00:45:47] us a cover to train tickets for all our friends in bands playing and their friends because you know it's like a community so everyone kind of like you spilled it up on their own and then the first

[00:45:57] proper one I would say it was peace and love which is a small festival in Borleying in Sweden oh awesome okay okay do you remember who was headlining that uh I can't remember but I do remember that I was all about bringing with the rice and

[00:46:14] ah yeah okay it's really cool as well we work with them right you could also type of things to show so same thing it's been a bit of a cool journey to join the company and

[00:46:26] every non-danny have to paint yourself and you think about you know the 14 year old version of you yes and how of course incredibly lucky I'm to to be and working with Marshall today

[00:46:38] yeah totally I mean what she what was the first festival that you got to go to with Marshall in this in this job role so with Marshall we actually did two-and-a-row so when I started it was three and a

[00:46:50] half years ago approximately and we went off to do Hamilton he who did which is same thing very much like a community focus festival that actually started off in honor of Jim Marshall the

[00:47:02] the Marshall family was basically part of bringing that together and then that one was followed up straight off the way to greatest gap so we've been over there for a few years now well now as well

[00:47:13] brilliant really yeah that was quite the experience yeah it's definitely some memories oh for sure I bet I bet yeah it's um yeah again I just signed a genuinely quite fascinating just seeing the roles

[00:47:27] that are here and what people do behind the scenes as I said you before like this is part of what I want to do it's shed a bit of light on it because I'm sure most people come into the festival they

[00:47:34] might see the Marshall banner somewhere on a stage and just think oh yeah that's cool there's some ants in the background you know but yeah so much work that goes in behind the scenes and

[00:47:43] when I was speaking to Nick yesterday I got the impression that like as a brand it's very important if you guys keep thinking about the future right and like not just kind of think yeah do you know

[00:47:54] what we've got I mean behind you there's a picture of like slash for example you know you can kind of go yeah we got the big artist yeah we're good you know but instead looking at people like you know

[00:48:02] keep looking and can't know and go last night these guys sort of up and come and can you know how can we pay it forward and you know keep things relevant because I think in a problem it's

[00:48:12] brilliant thank you much that yesterday so yeah we have an incredible heritage of 60 years in music yes and first it's so important to also look to the future figure out how can we bring that incredible

[00:48:24] heritage and showing up from music community as a whole and how can we build that for the next 60 in a way that we really you know support both like the music lovers the artists how can we bring

[00:48:40] all those conversations and insights on what they are actually after gear wise it's a product development to get them the right gear that actually makes sense for them on the stages but also how can we support you know everything from education and the young generation who might not

[00:48:57] be playing in bands yet but are still out exploring and really not sure not sure yet generation how can we show up forward in the pennant venues where you usually start off playing yeah before you go through everything else because without the independent venues and without a young

[00:49:12] generation we're not going to have the next big bands we're not going to have the next slash no that's it yeah exactly yeah it's important to do that I totally agree so yeah it is nice again

[00:49:23] on Saint Nick it's lovely that a big name brand like Marshall's doing that genuinely and even the stuff you're doing with the labels sounds really cool and like you know the sort of doing things

[00:49:32] like making sure the artists get the royalties and you know helping them set up for success rather than failure right which is sadly been the case a lot of the time the music industry is you hear

[00:49:42] horror stories of bands getting you know ripped off and having anything so it's nice to see like a big brand just doing it right and just sort of paying that forward and saying no this is how you

[00:49:53] do it and I'll say in ten it you kind of hope that then inspires other brands to do the same right and you're like you can do business honestly and you can treat people well and it will pay off

[00:50:02] in the long run yeah because we know we know that too and then we know that you know Marshall's one brand and are going to be able to change the entire industry on her own but we really we really

[00:50:13] want to make sure that we do our part and do it as well as possible and really support a young especially the young generation talent because it is very tough and artists aren't always getting

[00:50:25] fair pay for what they do and it's really important for us both to nurture with everything from education to providing them opportunities to take part of events or activations when we have them and give them the extra wellness and there are three six different perspectives and not just

[00:50:43] we show up for artists and sure you know just give some gear to us school but actually maybe have like an educational program behind it or yeah tell me a bit more about that educational

[00:50:52] programs they're like courses or stuff you sort of give give artists yeah so this year since we have met with you into Marshall group a year ago this year has kind of been the year where we

[00:51:03] was loads such a build on laying a new music strategy right from which we then gonna have you know community strategies education all of that coming from this foundational strategy so it's super super exciting we started to have a look at it and what can do and

[00:51:20] you're going here to all these festivals it's really helpful you're still getting insights on what would actually add value what's missing how can we help yeah so that we do it in the right way

[00:51:33] so I would say there's just plenty of more to come on that we already do some bits and pieces but we're actually working through putting on a proper proper strategy for it to really

[00:51:45] focus the way we show up and make sure it's the right way of giving you know younger generations right tools or the options stations right tools and knowledge as well yeah no it is just so important

[00:51:58] absolutely because yeah there's so many different sides of it I was chatting to a band yesterday and one of them said he was did uh I think he said he did a managerial course you know

[00:52:07] had a manage bands and put on shows and do things and it's like oh that's really cool I thought yeah that's smart you know making sure you understand how the industry works not just

[00:52:16] like you say having nice gear or like you know where to turn up and play but actually understanding how to make your dreams happen and make those connections and make them last is really again really

[00:52:26] awesome to hear that there's like a brand behind that pushing it forward yeah and I think it's something really special here as well because since we do quite a few business entities we do have

[00:52:34] sure a label with Marshall Records yeah yeah yeah we worked with you know within music in guitar for 60 years so I'm both the outside of things we have a tall drum drum label headphones and speaker range and a ton of really great partners

[00:52:51] would in anything from venues to you know independent record stores so I think you're still also together all the information like all the insights from all these partners and figure out

[00:53:02] how can we work this entire ecosystem yes yeah to really maximize what we can do for both our days to music industry makes a lot of sense I love it and a personal question for you so I've

[00:53:15] been asking everybody this at the festival and I love the variety of answers I've gotten so far but if you Jessica would put on your very own festival yeah I'd love to know what would you call it and who would your three dream headlines be?

[00:53:33] well would be college that is the one that's stomp to most people yeah if you're at a band it's like you can maybe lean on something there's a it's a bit of a cop out but yeah yeah I've gone

[00:53:47] hmm and that's the thing I'm overthinking the question as well if you want to do the head manners and then come back to it some people find that happens think my three dream headlines you can have anyone you like as well yeah yeah

[00:54:03] that are live yep go for it um they can like maybe mix a bit of the old they would make sounds together for those of you but I'd love to have I think Jimmy Hendrix we're going to get them

[00:54:18] in there nothing I would love to see Simoa that's come up that was a bit yeah I would probably say maybe get a bit of refused in there as well oh okay like Swedish hardcore vans there yeah yeah

[00:54:39] don't know the as well no honest Jimmy Hendrix but kill a band if you haven't thought it makes I'd shake them out yeah no they're great yeah and number three hmm I've had people go all

[00:54:54] over the map right I've had all sorts of weird mixes so there's no wrong answers yeah maybe I'm also leaning into um I'm actually gonna yeah a bit of deftones for the last one

[00:55:13] yeah there we got him I think that's the third time deftones have come up and I personally one of my favorite bands yeah yeah I have to give you a full lot of questions as I've

[00:55:23] asked other people is favorite deftones album I don't think there's a wrong answer personally I think they're all pretty solid it's almost more difficult than the other one isn't it I was gonna learn into it and like literally if you haven't thought of you listen to all of

[00:55:41] them starting the beginning of work yeah after it's up it depends on the day right yeah yeah yeah yeah there's so many memories across those albums yeah awesome now I love it

[00:55:52] thank you so much Jessica for your time yeah coming on the podcast yeah thank you so much for having me it's been a pleasure and everyone listening if you haven't been to the 1000s festival

[00:56:02] really make sure to go and check it out did something special happening here every year totally agree a massive thank you there to Chris Jack Nick Dave and Jessica for giving me your time at a 2000 trees festival as I said up top I've left links in the

[00:56:17] show notes we can go and check out each and every person's work you can find out more about the wasting time podcast what marshals doing with their record label and of course check out

[00:56:26] the noise cartel and all the amazing bands that they manage I've also left the link in the show notes we can find out more about the 2000 trees festival as I have mentioned in previous

[00:56:34] episodes for this week only the week that this episode comes out you can get 30% of tickets for the 2025 lineup it really is something you don't want to miss out on so again make sure

[00:56:46] you head into the show notes and check that out thank you so much for checking out this podcast I really do appreciate your time I am a one man band this is a completely independent podcast so

[00:56:57] anything you can do to help support it really does go a long way and of course the best thing you can do is support a podcast is just to listen to it and look you're doing that so thank you sincerely

[00:57:07] if you want to go that extra step though I would really appreciate it there are a few things you can do such as sharing it on social media sharing it via word of mouth even leaving a five-star

[00:57:17] review on your favorite podcast if you do and its five stars I will read it out on the next episode because it really is the least that I could do you can also head into the links in the

[00:57:27] show notes and check out the donation pages or the merchandise featuring the wonderful artwork designed by one Alex Jenkins if you head over to the social media pages for this podcast linked in the show notes specifically Instagram and Twitter you can find out more about a

[00:57:41] giveaway that I'm doing with some martial goodies I've just put up the details on Instagram and Twitter to make sure you head into there and find out a bit more and see what you can win it's some really

[00:57:53] cool stuff and again I'm so grateful to those guys for donating some things to the podcast and speaking of people who have helped make these episodes possible I of course want to give a

[00:58:02] massive thank you to Haley Holly and Matt from a good as goal group because without them this wouldn't have been possible and I also want to thank friend of the show Mark would jack if you're

[00:58:11] not already familiar with Mark's incredible work with Mark and me make sure you go and check that out because he was absolutely killing it at 2000 trees as he always does and finally I just want to say

[00:58:22] thank you to you dear listener thank you so much for checking out this episode I really do appreciate it I cannot stress that enough it means the absolute world to me that I get to have these opportunities

[00:58:32] to go and have these fascinating conversations with people and have these experiences it's not lost on me so thank you thank you for giving me your time it really means the world I will be back

[00:58:43] next week on Monday the 20 second with my next series of interviews featuring some wonderful bands that got to play on the stage at 2000 trees so yes on the stage continues Monday the 22nd

[00:58:58] I'd around midday so make sure that you follow subscribe whatever it is you have to do so that you do not miss out on those fantastic interviews trust me the next series of interviews

[00:59:09] are brilliant and I'll also be doing one more episode off the stage featuring a fantastic guest with some incredible stories and insights to life backstage at festivals so make sure that you're here

[00:59:21] for that I've yourselves a great weekend and I'll see you back here very soon with a whole lot more from the 2000 trees festival