My Name is Marty McCloskey and welcome to my work experience at the Making Music Workshop

I decided to come here to the Making Music Workshop for my work experience to give something back to the company and see what it is like to be behind the scenes in Ireland's Unique Music Workshop Organization.

I first heard about the Workshops from John Wilson, he asked me one day would I be interested in going to a music workshop and recording a track or two, so of course I jumped at the idea of being in a real recording studio. Meanwhile, the rest of my band was sending off forms, which they got from school, to go on the same workshop, which was to take place in Hamilton House in Bangor.

After that workshop experience I asked John was there any more workshops this year? He laughed and told me that they held workshops like that every week all over Northern Ireland.  He said he could fit me into one coming up in Ballyearl Courtyard Theatre. There I met a guitarist with the same enthusiasm and personality as me called Ciaran Sloan.  Here are two of the tracks that we wrote and recorded together:

Then in January me and an amazing drummer called Matt McCabrey got the call to do a gig for Orange Mobile Telephones. There was going to be a CD and DVD made at a concert to be held at the Burnavon Theartre in Cookstown County Tyrone , the whole shebang! There I met an amazing singer song writer called Niamh O'Hagan who Matt is currently playing gigs with.

After that, Matt and I got the call again to do the NEELB FAME ACADEMY which was held in Bushmills, County Antrim. It was a one week residential Workshop where the whole week was just writing and recording and learning a new skill-DANCING!! It was heaven, all the singers and musicians were at the top of their game for their age group. Here is a track that I wrote for a girl who was on that workshop called Kirsty Cord:

Ode to a girl

By the way, you will never guess who was playing Lead guitar on that track?  Clive Wills (Course Leader) and ………. CIARAN SLOAN from the Ballyearl workshop.  The first night of Fame Academy,  Ciaran and I just sat up all night jamming and talking about old times, so we decided there and then that we were going to get our act together and get a band sorted out, so we did! Linley named us B4Time and we have played at The Kings Head and Clarendon Dock open air festival (End of  August 2004) with Niamh O'Hagan and Blue Disgrace. The band consisted of myself on Drums, Ciaran on Guitar, Claire Kelly on vocals and Luke Devlin on Bass. The bassist and singer seemed to have to much on their plate to be able to commit to a band so they made the decision to leave (on good terms off course) and I wish them the best of luck with whatever they do because they are class musicians and spot on people. So, Ciaran and I are still practicing regularly and we seemed to have found a bassist that works well with us, but we have yet to find a singer. Here is a song from B4 time

You

So I've already told you about the joys of Fame Academy, lets move on to Whitehead. I only joined this workshop half-way through the week and there wasn't much point in me participating because there were already five drummers there. All the drummers there were just 'starting out', so Matt and I again used whatever knowledge we had to try and help these drummers on their way by for example, just giving them tips on how to tune their drums, and how to set their kits up so that it feels comfortable for them. They held a gig at the end of the week. Matt played on a few of the songs and I did drum and stage technician and just made sure everything on the stage ran smoothly. Matt and I were basically just repeating everything that had came out of John's mouth and using whatever experience we had to try and help the drummers.

Newcastle was much the same as Whitehead; all the drummers were basically just starting out except for one. So Matt, Hammy (Paul Hamilton) and I gave all the drummers a bit of a lesson because John was unable to make it that day. I laughed when Linley introduced us to the students as "Pro Drummers" because I did not see myself in any way as a 'pro player'. Later in the week John held one of his master classes for the students, and they were all blown away.  This workshop also held a gig at the end of the week where the students were put into two bands and each band played a song that they had written and two cover songs of their choice.  Again, I did drum and stage technician

Which brings me on to Belfast. There were two workshops of the same idea, One in Belfast and one in Derry.  This was a workshop for three weeks spread over a period of three months, but I was only involved in the writing and recording week of each.  The one in Belfast is were I met Luke and Claire (B4Time).  Yet again, Matt(Monster) and Me(Monkey with Sticks) were brought in to play on peoples recordings and help them write.  Matt was not available to do the workshop in Derry so I had to take care of all the drumming myself.  Here are a few of the tracks from Belfast and Derry

Now on to the last workshop of my summer.  This was held in Belvoir Players Theatre. Here,  I met the 9^th wonder of the world 'JANIS' Shes a absoulute Monster on the Guitar, reminds me so much of Ciaran,  so I just had to get her into my band (B4Time) but her sound didn't quite work with ours so I decided to make another band with her. Its going quite well.  Anyway, the workshop at Belvoir went well.  This was a performance week with a recording session in the middle of it. The students got split up into Two Bands, each band learnt Two Cover songs, and written one.

Well I thought  that was an end to my summer but I was very wrong.  Thanks to the Making Music Workshop I am gigging regulary with the best musicians this side of the atlantic.  Here are a few of there names Linley Hamilton, Nicky Scott, Clive Wills, Neil Everett, Foy Vance, Dusty Hagan, Barry McCrudden, Simon McBride, Robin Martin,  Kahuna, The Big Kahuna, Fiona Trotter, Todd Gorden(Edinburgh), Dave Patrick(Edinburgh) and Alan Niblock..

I have also had a chance to play at the following venues, The Kings Head, Friday (Acoustic) Saturday (Party night) and Sunday(Jazz night),The Bureau, The Errigle Inn, The Front Page, Live At The Warehouse, & Various Church halls around the province.

My longest running band is called THE SUSPECTS.  I don't like putting boxes around bands but I would describe us as a fast, energy fuelled PUNK band with some Heavy Guitar Licks more associated with metal. This is probably the band I have most fun with because the music is just so fast and chaotic.  We have just recorded a new album at Studio Monkey recording studios. A track from that will be on the site very soon.

Most of the gigs I have taken part in with these people have been Jazz , this is completely different to the kind of stuff I usually play but I thoroughly  enjoy learning and playing new styles of music. I've been told when I'm doing sessions for people I should just keep my head down, nothing fancy, I just try to play what's right for the music. So that's what I do and it seems to be working well for me.

Here are some of my favourite Drummers(Not in order)

John Wilson(session) Travis Barker(Blink) Steve Gadd(Session) Dave Grohl(Nirvana) Abe Laboriel JR(session) Joey Costillo(session) Tony Williams(Miles Davis) Buddy Rich(Buddy Rich BB) Dave Weckl(session) Dennis Chambers(session) Steve Smith(Journey) Thomas Lang(session) Paul Hamilton(Leya) Dave Lombardo(Slayer) Rick McMurray(ASH) John Bonham(Zepplin) Bill Ward(Sabbath) Mike Bordin(FNM) Joey Jordinson(slipknot) 

That's all for now..........so long suckers!!

Check my page for regular up-dates!! Cheers