Working as a musician
I have been writing songs for four decades and have worked with many musicians, as a live performer, bandleader, co-writer and in the studio. I regularly supply material to artists and in recent years have worked with a number of respected producers, focusing on lyrics, song structure and top line melody.
Playing live
I have sung, played guitar and performed as a solo artist, plus led a series of London-based live acts since the 1980s. Notably with the Birdcage live four-piece, alongside the excellent trio of John Park (drums/vocals), Dave Williamson (bass/vocals) and James Hawkins (kbds/vocals). Landmark venues played include The Borderline, Mean Fiddler, Ronnie Scott’s, Bush Hall, Marquee and the Troubadour.
Recording
I have recently recorded 14 tracks for an album (‘Waterloo Sunrise’) of original material for independent release on vinyl and online in partnership with the highly-respected pairing of Kent-based producer Greg Fitzgerald and mastering engineer Mike Thorne. Please visit the Music page for news about this album, currently set for release in early 2025.
For more details of my connections in the music industry, please visit my LinkedIn page
Working for the MU
I was employed by the Musicians’ Union for 25 years, from 1999 to January 2024.
Recognising my extensive industry experience I was appointed the Union’s first dedicated PR & Events Official in June 2022, following four productive years as PR & Marketing Official.
Previously I was MU Communications Official from 2004 to 2018, plus a London Officer with responsibility for serving over 2,500 musicians in west and south-west London for my first five years with the organisation.
The Musician
I was editor of The Musician, the flagship print publication of the MU, for seventy-five issues from 2004 through to the winter 2023 edition. Distributed quarterly to over 33,000 working musicians in various formats, each 52 page edition contained a contemporary mix of interviews, features and advice.
The magazine was winner in the Best Journal category at the TUC Comms Awards on three occasions in my time as editor.
See pages 10 and 11 in the December 2023 edition for an editorial overview of my MU career.
PR
I have been involved professionally in PR since the early 1990s and was responsible for developing the MU’s profile in national, regional and trade media in recent years. In that time, the organisation has been featured in print, online and broadcast media, including on the BBC, ITV, and Sky News. I continue to generate productive contact with journalists, editors, broadcasters and writers from all sections of the media.
Industry events
I have organised numerous events, from chairing MU seminars and booking bands, to organising national conferences for the MU and receptions at the Houses of Parliament. I have also been responsible for trade stands, seminars and workshops at Olympia, Wembley, ExCel, the Barbican, the NEC, ACC Liverpool and many other UK venues. In addition, I have been co-organiser of several International Federation of Musicians (FIM) Conferences, notably in Glasgow and London.
Party Conferences
In 2023 I was responsible for the management of the MU’s presence at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool and, in 2022, the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham. Pre-pandemic, our stand at the 2019 Labour event in Brighton proved particularly successful and won the Organiser’s Best Stand Award, which was presented to the team by comedian Suzy (Eddie) Izzard.
Artist liaison
My MU responsibilities have included establishing strong, mutually beneficial relationships with musicians, writers, composers, producers and educators at all levels of the business. From music teachers and rising stars, through touring and recording bands, to session players and featured name artists across the UK.
Industry
Over the last two decades I have also developed significant relationships with numerous contacts across the music business and the trade union movement, especially within the MU’s sister organisations such as PPL, PRS for Music, UK Music, in addition to the TUC and the Labour Party (to which the MU has been affiliated since 1943). I am a long-standing member of the Brit Awards Voting Academy.
Finance
I was involved in the setting and managing of significant budgets for the MU for over a decade. Most recently alongside my former colleagues in the MU Communications Department. I remain acutely aware of the importance of implementing and matching financial controls. In addition, I am currently Chair of the Trustees of the MU Permanent Officials and Staff Pension Fund.
Advertising
For twenty years I negotiated and bought and sold advertising space, for both print publications and websites on behalf of the MU. In addition to matching budgets and deadlines, I have worked alongside artwork designers, ensuring adherence to briefs and technical specifications.
Branding
I was responsible in 2010 for the implementation of the existing MU logo, when a complete rebrand of the organisation was implemented and brand guidelines published. This followed the approval, by the Union’s Executive Committee, of the thirty-five recommendations in my ‘MU Communications Strategy 2009 – 2011.’
Delegate Conference
The MU’s biennial Conference, the key policy-making event in the Union’s calendar, demands a considerable commitment by MU Officials. This involves both the preparation of the Conference Report, for which I acted as the collator and co-editor of the approved content from 2005 through to 2023, plus the vital logistics of the event itself. The 2021 Conference called for an online provision and this was successfully organised and broadcast from a central London venue.
Political representation
I was a member of the Licensing Advisory Group for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in 2004 – 2005, plus a National Campaign for the Arts committee delegate in 2004, when the legendary Dame Joan Bakewell was in the Chair.
Promotion
The MU has generated significant respect across the music industry and trade union movement for its merchandise and promotional materials. Under my supervision items were ordered, designed and delivered in keeping with contemporary ethical and environmental policies.
Research
In partnership with dedicated research analysts, I established and distributed the first MU ‘State of the Nation’ member research in 2008. Surveys of the Union’s membership are now regularly scheduled as a vital resource for strategic decision making.
MU archive
The creation and cataloguing of the Union’s records has blossomed in recent years, with the publication of the official book by the University of Glasgow, the MU history website, and the archive at the University of Stirling. I aim to maintain regular contact with the excellent team at the University to ensure the collection is kept up to date.
Sound Advice
I was Chair of ‘Sound Advice’ in the early 2000s, the music business committee consisting of representatives from major music trade bodies including PRS, the BPI, AIM, PPL and Radio 1, set up to work alongside the Sector Skills Council in generating industry employment opportunities.
Partnerships
Over the last two decades I have successfully built partnerships with an array of agencies and third parties. These include publishers – such as Future Fusion with whom I have worked on several award-winning publications – designers, writers, printers, merchandise suppliers and advertising agencies.
Communications Awards
Since 2005, the MU has won 18 TUC Comms Awards, of which 6 have been as Winners, 6 in the category of Highly Commended, and 6 Commended. The winning productions have included The Musician magazine (2005, 2008 and 2013), the Members’ Handbook (2008, 2011) and the MU website (2008). Also recognised with commendations have been our videos, magazine features, reports and campaigns, in addition to work in communications for visually impaired musicians.
Video and audio
In 2015 I was Executive Producer of the MU’s first promotional video, created with the respected ‘This Is Tommy’ agency. I have also interviewed a number of high-profile session musicians for video and in audio, including jazz guitarist Martin Taylor, session guitarist Adam Goldsmith and bassist Geoff Gascoyne. Particularly memorable was having the opportunity to interview for audio the cellist and Holocaust survivor, Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, on her experiences as a musician both during and after the War.
Reviews
I have reviewed numerous CD albums and single download tracks since 2005 and over one thousand of these have been published in print or online. Each issue of The Musician journal included a cross-genre series of reviews and many of these were subsequently reproduced in national and industry publications.
MU London Branch Officer (1999 – 2003)
Prior to my appointment as Communications Official in January 2004, I worked full-time for the MU as Secretary to both the West London and SW London Branches.
In the first three years, total membership of the Branches increased by 10%.
The role encompassed the delivery of:
- Member liaison, support and advice
- Legal, career & contract advice
- Dispute resolution
- Member representation, with court hearings securing over £100,000 in unpaid fees
- Presentations to college students
- Provision of benevolent aid
- Event administration (specifically in partnership with Ealing Council for their Jazz Festival)
- Administration of Branch and District meetings
- Quarterly reports and minutes
- Plus account handling and development of branch income.
Prior to being employed, I was involved in the MU as a West London Branch activist and Committee member from 1988 to 1998, as an MU London District Council member in 1996 and as MU Conference Delegate in 1997.
In addition to being a member of the MU, PPL and The Ivors Academy, I have been a PRS for Music writer member since December 1998. For many years, as an MU Official, I also belonged to both the NUJ and the GMB.
Further experience
In addition to working as a musician, and my lengthy career with the MU, I worked for several years in sales and marketing in financial services and hospitality. Gaining valuable in-depth experience in management, sales negotiation, marketing campaigns, dispute resolution and the delivery of people-focused services.
Management
In 1995 I was employed as an Area Sales Manager by Schroder Leasing, achieving a personal annual sales target of £1.8m in London and a combined £3.9m of new business in partnership with a sales executive.
This led to my appointment as a Business Development Executive, responsible for the maintenance of new and existing accounts. I managed a team of five, which achieved a set target in 1998 of £18m at an average return of over 11%.
Training at the University of Westminster 1991 – 1993
Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) – Advanced Certificate of Marketing:
- The Practice of Sales Management (Grade A)
- Fundamentals of Marketing
- Economics
- Behavourial Aspects of Marketing
- Principles & Practice of Selling
- Practice of Marketing
- Quantitative Studies (Statistics).
I studied with the CIM whilst working in Marketing Communications for Schroders, where I was allocated an annual budget of £300,000 for PR/advertising/promo materials and sales liaison.
Other business courses
- Structured Training Ltd: ‘Selling – The Essentials for Success’ 1995.
- P & P: ‘Effective PR’ 1993.
- Chartered Institute of Marketing: ‘Practical Writing & Planning for Print’ 1991.
Personal life
I was born in Bournemouth in 1959 and left home at the age of 18 to live in London.
My wife Julie and I married in 2002 in Florida Keys and our home is in Beckenham, Kent. (The link leads to a list of my previous homes). Our son Ben was born in 2006 and is currently studying public services at Bromley College, playing cricket for Beckenham CC, and has just completed a year as lance corporal in the army cadets.
I have also been stepfather to Julie’s daughter, Lisa, for over 25 years. Lisa was born profoundly deaf and currently works as a London representative for the Royal Association for Deaf People.
Sport
Golf: Dorset County player 1977 and Bournemouth area representative 1976. Meyrick Park GC committee member, 1976-1977. Competition and tournament winner: The Berkshire 1997, Walton Heath 1997, 1998 and 1999. Member of Farleigh Golf Club, 2024.
Supporter of AFC Bournemouth and Kent cricket.
Coda
Wrote and directed ‘Scrooge’, a satirical pantomime for Schroders, at London’s Tara Hotel 1992. Plus wrote and performed show entertainment for the company at the Gloucester Hotel in 1991, 1995 and 1999.
Outward Bound course, Cumbria, completed 1993.
Royal Marines Endurance Course completed for charity, Commando Training Centre, Devon 1996.
Master of Ceremonies at the Amnesty International 40th anniversary party, Trafalgar Square 2001.
The following domains all direct to this site:
keithames.com / .uk / co.uk / .net / .online / .org / .info
(Set for an update in 2025)
