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Students get 'Skint' at City College
2 March 2009
As the UK music business tries to cope with a massive slump in album sales and the fact that 19 out of 20 digital downloads are illegal, Andy McKirdy, the A & R Manager of Brighton’s legendary Skint record label, has been giving Music Production students at City College Brighton and Hove an insider’s insight into the true state of the industry. Despite the gloomy economic picture, Skint seems to have retained the upbeat attitude exemplified by its most famous artist, Fatboy Slim. Andy says:
"It’s tough in the industry but at Skint, we're coping fine. We’re adapting and just finding different ways to make up the income we used to get from record and CD sales which are much smaller than they used to be. Some of the ways we can do this is by getting our music placed in compilations and used for adverts and ringtones."
Skint's Andy McKirdy with City College students Alex Ensoll and Claire Carrington
Andy also found meeting the students to be a valuable experience:
"It was great coming to talk to the City College students because in the business, we can be quite inward-looking and have our own fixed ideas on how the music industry is perceived. Talking to the students, you get their views and experiences of it which are very valid too."
Student Claire Carrington says:
"It’s really interesting to get a professional’s insight rather than just what you might read on the internet. It’s better to hear it first hand and get the perspective of someone who has had as much experience in the industry as Andy has."
Student Alex Ensoll says:
"It’s nice to hear positive views instead of just doom and gloom. It’s good to know that even though the industry’s changing, they’re constantly working on ways that could reverse the downward trend."
For media enquiries, please call Brian Bell, Marketing Communications Officer, on 01273 667788 Ext. 488, email bb1@ccb.ac.uk or see website www.ccb.ac.uk
About City College Brighton and Hove: Situated in the heart of Brighton, City College Brighton and Hove has become an international centre of vocational excellence. Every year 2,000 full-time, 10,000 part time, over 500 Higher Education and 250 14-16 year old students as well as many international and European students choose City College as their place of further and higher education training. In addition, the College provides training to over 2,000 businesses via its ‘City Business Skills’ department which focuses on employer training needs. Offering over 700 courses from basic level right through to business and postgraduate training, City College is working with its partners to develop the workforce of the future.
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