Perth Voice Interactive

THERE’S more to making it in the dog-eat-dog music industry than picking up a guitar, and Leederville Tafe is ensuring its music business students are industry savvy.

The course has been around since 2008 and is the only one of its ilk available in WA, says coordinator Scott Adam.

West Perth singer/songwriter Will Parker saved for a year to put himself through the course.

“Just to find my dream. I’ve always been passionate about music,” the 33-year-old tells the Voice.

Berni Law plays piano, “and other instruments”, but his real passion is the production side of things.

The 27-year-old is already getting work, thanks to what he’s learned over the past year.

“All the teachers are from the industry…they teach us about the proper work flow,” he says.

Lecturer Terry Copeland (of Richmond Street, Records), uses his industry knowledge to help students (aged 16–40) put together an end-of-year CD, Blender 2014, which will be released at the Rosemount Hotel, next Thursday.

The hotel is also hosting the music students’ awards night with wall-wall-music.

Just who will be playing is in the lap of the gods—or at least the music industry judges, who have been sitting through a series of heats scoring the results of “bands” formed at the start of the year.

Students arrive as a diverse bunch of strangers “slapped together”, and leave having formed a working “band” Copeland says.

“They’ve got to learn what is required, and to work with people with different personalities, different bands and different genres.”

“Hence the name Blender,” chimes in Parker, from alternative rock/metal band Lung Capacity.

Students/bands are asked to produce three original songs for the heats “[and] to play one cover, but interpret it to make it your own” Parker explains.

Get on down to the Rosemount Hotel, Fitzgerald Street, North Perth, November 27, 7pm–midnight and listen for yourself.

Entry is free and you’ll get the CD thrown in as the students celebrate the end of their course.

by JENNY D’ANGER