Franz Ferdinand Rocks
The final item of business is a members' business debate on motion S2M-2425, in the name of Pauline McNeill, on Franz Ferdinand rocks.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament congratulates Franz Ferdinand on winning the Best British Band and Best Rock Act awards at the 25th Brit Awards; welcomes the First Minister's view that Scotland should be a future host to the Brit Awards; notes that Scotland has an abundance of talented musicians, demonstrated by the fact that 11 acts are to appear at the international music festival in Texas, South by Southwest; believes that Scotland has a strong contemporary music industry which makes a significant contribution to the Scottish economy, comprising of small, medium and large companies; supports the work of the Cross Party Group on the Scottish Contemporary Music Industry which brings together virtually all strands of the music industry; recognises the commitment of the Scottish Executive to the industry and the funding of research into the feasibility of creating a music industry forum; further recognises initiatives such as Music Works, funded by Scottish Enterprise, and the need for the enterprise agencies to promote a distinct music industry strategy so as to encourage further development of Scottish-based musicians and related business activity, and sends its good wishes to all bands who are participating in South by Southwest.
Thank you, Presiding Officer. I was looking forward to hearing you say that.
Tha Franz Ferdinand mìorbhaileach. I believe that that is Gaelic for Franz Ferdinand rocks, and they certainly do. That is the verdict of the Brit awards, those in charge of the Mercury music prize and many music fans throughout the world, and now our Scottish Parliament agrees. I almost think that we should have been allowed to have background music for the occasion, but I know that one has to get permission for that.
I thank all the members who signed the motion and I thank Tommy Sheridan, who lodged a similar motion. However, although the title of the motion captures the mood in the country of a Franz frenzy, it is just the lead-in to a much bigger and more serious debate about the significance of the popular music industry in Scotland. Franz Ferdinand is the current big success and there are many others, but I want to highlight the many up-and-coming bands and musicians, the emerging talent and the potential that we have to sustain our home-grown talent. I will argue that investment in a specific music policy would bring improved economic success and, at the same time, would enable us to tap into the passion that is felt by the many thousands of young Scots who listen to and make music.
I have been pleasantly surprised by the level of interest in the debate, and I put on record my thanks to the Parliament's broadcasting office for initiating on the Parliament's website a public forum on the subject, which I hope will continue.
Scotland is taking its place in the world as a home for contemporary music. We are contributing to the renaissance in live music. Biffy Clyro, Idlewild, Belle and Sebastian, Aberfeldy—the list is endless, but unless we take a conscious decision to support the industry more it will fade as quickly as it has arrived.
I know that music lovers come in all shapes and sizes. Even MSPs have been known to attend the odd live gig, and I believe that someone who is sitting not so far from me has the biggest vinyl collection in Glasgow—we will hear from him later.
My own experiences are not unusual. I supported my brothers, Brian and Lawrence, whose band trailed the Glasgow gig circuit with little or no support, to take their talent to the next stage. It was the most soul-destroying experience in the world, and I know of many young musicians who feel the same. In a tribute to my brothers, I set up the Parliament's cross-party group on the Scottish contemporary music industry. Ken Macintosh has been a solid supporter of the campaign for such a group since 2000, when 12 people in King Tut's nightclub in my constituency hatched the idea of a music forum to take the ideas forward. Four years on, I can honestly say that the interest has been overwhelming.
The cross-party group represents a number of sectors of the industry. Its membership includes the Performing Right Society, the Musicians Union, the Scottish Arts Council, songwriters, broadcasters, DF Concerts, Riverside Studios, CPL Entertainment Group, showcase Scotland, colleges and universities, Teenage Fanclub, Del Amitri and too many others to mention. The group is a force to be reckoned with, and its main message is simple: we have a music industry in Scotland and we want recognition from the Governments in Scotland and at Westminster that it matters.
The Labour Government of 1997 was the first Government to take an interest in the music industry in the United Kingdom, the value of which is believed to be about £3.6 billion. A recent Scottish study found it difficult to estimate the economic worth of the Scottish music industry, but many observers believe that it accounts for about a tenth of the total for the UK.
A controversial aspect of the debate is the one that Alex Kapranos, the lead singer of Franz Ferdinand, raised last month: whether the commercial industry can justify support from public funds. Countries such as Holland, Denmark and Sweden have developed state music policies and use state funds to support touring and recording, and they have reaped the benefits of that. Recently, the Welsh Music Foundation was set up as an enterprise agency with a dedicated board drawn from those in the industry. Peter Hain MP was so shocked to learn that the economic activity that a rock concert in Wales generated did not benefit Wales directly that he set about changing that immediately. The Irish have set up a similar music board and I believe that we in Scotland must have a plan to do that too. It must recognise that there are thousands of small businesses in the music industry that could be larger with the right support—that is the message that we get from all businesses, small and large.
We should enshrine popular music in our definition of culture. Rock and pop are a legitimate choice of culture. We should stop talking of the high arts and the low arts, because there is nothing low about rock and pop. The plan should incorporate the brilliant work of our education sector and its drive to connect directly with the industry to ensure a quality standard for courses that are taught throughout Scotland. Jewel and Esk Valley College, James Watt College of Further and Higher Education, Napier University and others are dedicated to that.
We can capitalise on many successes. Soma recording school in my constituency brought to the Arches 700 young people who were considering a career in DJ-ing and the potential of electronic media. The next time that members see the new BMW advert, they should know that a Scottish company supplied the background music.
A new recording classroom in Lourdes Secondary School, which the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport visited with me, has ensured that the number who enrol for the music standard grade in that school is much higher. The number who are taking a qualification at King's Park Secondary School has trebled because those who were prone to exclusion from the classroom saw something interesting in which to take up a qualification.
Scottish Enterprise pioneered MTV Europe in Edinburgh and invented the business exchange MusicWorks, but that needs to be funded for more years—the funding runs out this year. Showcase Scotland showcases Scottish talent in Scotland and to international players. I challenge Scottish Enterprise to build on its initial success, to give Scotland a more co-ordinated approach to the music industry and not simply to reduce the idea to digital platforms.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise is a model of good practice. It supports events and small record labels with a specific music policy. It has many innovative and attractive ideas.
As we speak, Scottish bands are playing their hearts and souls out to many promoters and record companies at the biggest showcase in the world, in Texas, at which Scotland has 10 bands. We should not underestimate the importance of that.
We must go further. We should be part of many international festivals. On the day of the MTV Europe awards, the First Minister said that we should argue for the Brit awards to be staged in Scotland. I urge EventScotland to take that challenge seriously and to prepare to argue Scotland's corner. We could go further—we could have our own Scottish event. What is wrong with that? Why should we not give international awards? We have started that with the tartan clef awards and we could go on.
The music industry association for which I and our group have long argued is about to happen. It has been funded by the Scottish Arts Council and was driven by Frank McAveety when he was the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport. Establishing a body to speak with one voice is no mean task. That development is important.
To keep the campaign live, I am working with members and the Parliament on the prospect of holding an event in the summer in the Scottish Parliament. I cannot confirm the details tonight, but the essential point is that the debate is not just about tonight; we want to ensure that it continues. The Swedish experience shows that giving people rights in culture and equal access make a difference.
If Franz Ferdinand are listening, the Scottish Parliament warmly congratulates them. We have more work to do. As is said on "cd:uk", keep it here. Keep the debate live. Let us see the potential that we have and support the Scottish music industry.
We move to the open debate. A considerable number of members want to speak, so I will keep them to a tight four minutes.
I declare an interest as a member of the Musicians Union. On behalf of our members and the many aspiring players out there, we celebrate Franz Ferdinand's success. Everyone should remember that theirs was not an overnight success. Through the years, it reached fruition because people were starting to put in place the means whereby musicians could play their music to the kind of folk who could book them.
The south by southwest festival in Texas has proved for Scottish bands to be a gateway to the USA, where much of our music is appreciated. That is an interesting and striking contrast to the days when people felt that they had to go to London to get ahead—I make no nationalist point. The music industry is international and reaching the big English-language markets directly is important. In the field in which I work—traditional music—the Irish found that out many years ago and tapped into the US audience and the diaspora of Irish people in the US. The Scots must learn that we, too, have an audience for our rock music and our traditional music by that route.
As Pauline McNeill said, Highlands and Islands Enterprise—perhaps because it is a slightly smaller organisation—has backed the Make Tracks project, which has developed many young bands in the area. I will say a bit about Make Tracks. A project has been developed by Channel 4's Ideasfactory and goEVENTS, which is the trade group for the music industry in the Highlands and Islands. A series of workshops and showcase events in the Highlands was delivered by Make Tracks, and 12 trainees were selected to run a virtual record label. The label had an album launched in Finland at Europe's biggest trade fair for rock music, and the album went out to an additional 10,500 industry subscribers on the cover of the main trade music magazine, Music Week. Such examples show that bands from very small communities can find a market and can play at big festivals and in places at which agents and promoters are listening.
It is essential that the infrastructure that Pauline McNeill mentioned be permanently put in place in the full knowledge that rock music and contemporary music have been among the main means of expression for younger generations since rock and roll was invented back in the 1950s. They are also part of a wider scene about which we would expect the Cultural Commission to make firm recommendations. Cultural rights are needed so that people can play and music is one of the major means of ensuring wide participation. Young people like to participate; they do not simply want to listen—increasingly, they want to play.
I have mentioned previously the value of £6 million that has been put on Shetland's music enterprises. That is an amazing figure for a small group of islands, where there are many different kinds of music. We must ensure that the Scottish music industry takes on board all the different forms of contemporary music and that facilities are put in place so that each generation has a better chance to take off than the previous generation.
There has been a great start. Franz Ferdinand have shown a particular route, but we expect to hear many more bands that we do not currently know about reaching the pinnacle of world success. To finish, I list Half Cousin, Spindrift, Raar from the Black Isle, Carson, Blue Gum Ears, Small Enclosed Area, The Cinematics and Croft No 5. I am talking about small bands from the Highlands, some of which are better known than others. Many of them will be better known in the future. They join a river of Scottish music that should be unstoppable.
I, too, thank Pauline McNeill not only for lodging the motion, but for all her work in supporting the Scottish music industry over the past five years. I also thank all the members of the Scottish Parliament's cross-party group on the Scottish contemporary music industry—many of whom have made it to the debate—for their efforts in getting us to where we are now.
For the first time, we are seeing official or Government recognition of one of the United Kingdom's most important businesses. Rock and pop music have long been dismissed as being either too trivial or too commercial for Governments to take seriously and to take an active interest in, but we are challenging that attitude through the cross-party group.
The minister has identified the cultural importance of contemporary music to Scotland, and it is gaining increasing levels of support from the Scottish Arts Council. Local authorities in some parts of the country in particular have been very supportive but they, in turn, must be helped through improvements to the licensing laws, consistency in police charging for events and improving standards to meet the standards that bands and fans expect at gigs. Schools and further education colleges are already playing a crucial role, but everything must be brought together coherently.
The live music scene is alive and well—Rob Gibson referred to the Highlands. We can see in the fèisean movement the difference that a little bit of Government support and encouragement can make. However, live music is rarely enough to allow bands to make it commercially, so I want to discuss the importance of broadcasting. Without airplay it is difficult for any band, performer or songwriter to reach out to a wider audience and to make any sort of breakthrough. Some broadcasters have a good track record in supporting Scottish contemporary music. We can all think of a few individual disc jockeys who fly the flag, but we probably think of them because there are so few of them. It cannot simply be down to the BBC to provide commitment and support for the diverse array of Scottish talent that exists. The obligation to support the Scottish music industry needs to extend beyond public service broadcasters.
I acknowledge that commercial stations must attract listeners to survive and I do not want wall-to-wall programmes of obscure indie tracks that would have us all reaching for the "off" button, but there must be commitment. In enforcing existing radio licences, the Office of Communications must ensure that current operators are committed to serving their local populations. In distributing new licences, Ofcom should prioritise bidders that will add value and diversity to the range of music that is available to us. More stations offering less choice—the bland versus the bland—is not the way forward.
I will not dwell on prescription—which is the idea that a prescribed percentage of airplay on stations should be devoted to Scottish music—because I do not believe that there is consensus on how or whether that could work. It is easy to envisage that prescription might mean that, rather than hearing more Idlewild, Travis or Teenage Fanclub, we would hear more Sidney Devine and Jimmy Shand, although I mean no offence to fans of either. Nevertheless, new opportunities are opening up in the shape of digital platforms and local TV and radio broadcasters. Through those outlets and with the support—voluntary, I hope—of existing commercial stations, we can do far more to create the broadcasting environment in which Scottish music can flourish.
It is fitting that this young Parliament and a new generation of MSPs who have grown up with rock music should find the time and the political commitment to support this vital young industry. However, we need to do more. We must move forward on a range of issues, with support from a range of public bodies for contemporary Scottish music. Above all, we must recognise that it is an industry. We need a specific music industry strategy that builds on current and past successes and on the greater potential that exists for the economic development of the sector in Scotland. If the future lies in the creative industries, it is time the Executive and Scottish Enterprise gave the music industry the support and the boost that it needs.
The Scottish Conservatives congratulate Franz Ferdinand on winning the best British band and best rock act awards. The band is an excellent example of the flourishing Scottish music industry and a reminder of Scotland's long tradition of cultural accomplishment.
Franz Ferdinand were the first band since Oasis to be nominated for five Brit awards in a year and their appearance at the world-renowned international music festival south by southwest in Texas is another indication of how music from Scotland has gained popularity around the globe. Almost 50 per cent of the Scottish acts that applied to take part in that festival were accepted, which is a higher percentage than from any other European country except Ireland. That is an indication of the strength and quality of Scottish pop music.
Franz Ferdinand is just one example of how the contemporary Scottish music industry is prospering. The list of Scottish pop heavyweights is endless and includes Alex Harvey, Lulu, the Bay City Rollers, Texas, Primal Scream, Wet Wet Wet, Travis, Belle and Sebastian and Snow Patrol, to name but a few. The success of Franz Ferdinand is a real Cinderella story, considering that most of the big labels refused the band's original demo tape. They were eventually picked up by a small private recording company called Domino and have since taken America by storm, which is normally regarded as the pinnacle of success by the industry. They also won a celebrated Mercury award and an NME award, which illustrates how good their music is, because nominations for those awards are made by musicians.
Franz Ferdinand and Belle and Sebastian are living proof that Glasgow is one of the world's most stimulating centres of music. Time magazine lauded Glasgow as the "secret capital" of pop music and described the city as having an "embarrassment of (musical) riches". Many people believe that, for years, the music scene in Glasgow has been brilliant, although it is only now getting mainstream publicity.
The Scottish music industry contributes about £110 million a year to the Scottish economy and has huge potential for growth. The luminaries of Scottish popular music also demonstrated their generosity and sense of civic duty when Franz Ferdinand and Travis headlined a Scottish tsunami relief concert that raised more than £300,000 for the victims of the Asian tragedy. Scottish contemporary and popular music still has room for growth, and many quality Scottish bands and acts are only now being discovered. The Scottish music industry is a burgeoning example of the creative and innovative nature of the Scottish people.
However, the Government of Scotland must do what it can to allow the Scottish pop industry to flourish. As we speak, it faces the threat of illegal downloads, which will cause the industry serious financial setbacks if they are allowed to continue unchecked. The Scottish Executive must support incentives such as iTunes, which allow for legal downloads and create a new revenue stream back to the label, the artist and the publisher. MP3 players such as iPods are stylish systems that produce good business, but it is important that the new systems contribute to the success of the music industry, rather than undermine the livelihoods of artists and recording companies. The Executive should encourage the industry with a lower-tax economy, which would keep our musicians and artists here in Scotland.
I have really been looking forward to today's debate. I commend my colleague Pauline McNeill not just for securing it, but for the work that she has done since the inception of the Parliament with the cross-party group on the Scottish contemporary music industry to promote the music industry in Scotland.
I do not know whether members have had a chance to look at the online debate, but it is clear that we have captured the imagination of young people across Scotland. I will read out a brief excerpt from the debate. It states:
"What a simple and great idea and good luck to everyone, including the Scottish Executive"—
that is a first. The message continues:
"I'm pleased that we have a parliament that is interested".
That is very encouraging. People see the motion as a positive step towards constructive engagement with our communities. A plethora of e-mails has been received conveying such good wishes.
The Presiding Officer knows that I have spent a considerable amount of time in Parliament speaking about the importance of language as a mode of communication. Music is a language that transcends barriers of age, class, culture and ethnic origin. It has universal recognition and can be appreciated no matter what a person's mother tongue is. In Scotland, we are surrounded by music, from traditional folk songs of struggle to classical music and Franz Ferdinand's award-winning album. Music is indelibly linked to our culture and people. It is only right that here in Parliament we recognise that intrinsic association in our roots and culture and that we take active steps to support and nurture it.
I offer my personal congratulations to Franz Ferdinand, whose achievements over the past year have been phenomenal. I really liked the title of the motion: "Franz Ferdinand Rocks". When my staff and I drove through from Ayrshire today, we played Franz Ferdinand and rocked all the way over, just to ensure that we got into the right mood for the debate.
Franz Ferdinand's achievements have alerted us to the challenges that face up-and-coming bands that have a desire for success. Pauline McNeill spoke in detail about some of those challenges. The Scottish Arts Council assisted the band financially so that last year it could perform at the south by southwest festival in Austin, Texas. We all know what happened after that. Clearly, the festival is an important springboard for Scottish talent. I am pleased that this year the Scottish Arts Council is providing support for 10 Scottish bands, so that they can play there. They include Ayrshire's own Biffy Clyro, of whom I am very much a fan. I wish the bands all success and congratulate them on flying the flag for Scotland in the United States and on cementing the partnership between the Scottish and US music scenes.
Scotland is capable of producing world-class musicians, but it is important that we identify how we can support them and the music industry as a whole. My colleague Ken Macintosh spoke about practical issues such as policing, licensing and broadcasting, which need to be addressed to ensure that the young talent that we have in Scotland is promoted in the right way.
In having today's debate, we are sending out a clear message. The connection between the industry and the decision makers has been made. It is up to us to take decisive action to ensure that the music industry—performers, teachers and promoters—has a voice on the world stage. I congratulate Franz Ferdinand and Pauline McNeill on making Scotland proud.
I declare an interest, as I am an avid fan of the works of Franz Ferdinand, as well as the works of several other groups that Ken Macintosh would no doubt refer to as obscure indie bands.
I convey the apologies of Chris Ballance, who would have liked to have been at this debate but cannot be. He sends his congratulations to Pauline McNeill on her work in leading the cross-party group on the Scottish contemporary music industry, of which he is a member.
I join other members who have congratulated Franz Ferdinand on their breakthrough and agree with those who have pointed out that there is a great deal of musical talent—much of it still untapped—in Scotland. We must provide opportunities for young people to participate in music at whatever level they choose. If they aspire to the fame of bands such as Franz Ferdinand, they should be given the necessary and appropriate support to help them to achieve that.
That is not about setting up more fame academies, but about supporting the grass-roots gigging scene that Pauline McNeill talked about, which cultivates much of Scotland's musical talent. For every Franz Ferdinand, there are many bands that do not get the same breaks. Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand said:
"I know lots of bands and groups that have existed in Scotland who have had great potential but who have collapsed because they have been unable to afford to get beyond those very basic stages of playing in the local pub, and maybe with a little bit of investment that could be a different state."
He is not suggesting that rock musicians should be handed unlimited pots of money. Rather, he is saying that, to develop the musical talents of the people of Scotland, we need a more structured and thought-out approach. We need to recognise that, quite often, an area's gigging scene depends on only one pub or publican and that, if they fall away, there is nowhere for local bands to get an opportunity to play. We need more Government assistance and more of the infrastructural support that is necessary for bands to make that jump.
Pauline McNeill has pointed out some of the current measures that the Executive is supporting, such as MusicWorks and support for bands to attend the south by southwest festival. Those measures are welcome. However, although arranging for Scotland to host the Brit awards would bring some benefits, we have to ensure that those benefits would go to those who most need them rather than to big business or the multinational companies that have a stranglehold on the music industry and that many musicians complain do not allow the new, innovative and—as Ken Macintosh would say—obscure bands to get their chance to be heard and to find out whether they can make it on the big stage.
We must support our future Franz Ferdinands, listen to their needs, draw on their experiences and learn about how they made it through the labyrinth of the music industry so that we can develop the right approach to support them.
One of my favourite Franz Ferdinand songs is "The Dark of the Matinee" and I would like to quote the lyrics, in the general spirit of this debate.
Sing it!
I am not going to sing it, but I will quote the lyrics:
"So I'm on BBC2 now, telling Terry Wogan how I made it …
My words and smile are so easy now
Yes, It's easy now".
It would be great to hear more Scottish bands saying how they made it and how it was easy for them. That would be a vision for a really rocking Scotland.
I do not know how to follow that.
Sing!
No, that would kill it.
I welcome the motion in Pauline McNeill's name. Franz Ferdinand indeed rock. I am a fan of Franz Ferdinand and tend to torment folk in our corridor in the MSP block by playing their CD nearly every day. Frances Curran does not complain because she likes the band, but Carolyn Leckie complains because she does not share our love of their music. As many will know, a complaint from Carolyn Leckie is not something that is readily ignored—in fact, I was going to get the Presiding Officer to come down and chuck her out the last time she moaned about my music.
Franz Ferdinand are another entry in the line of astonishing musical talent that has emerged from Scotland in the past decade. Scotland might be a country of just 5 million people, but its musical talent is renowned and respected across the world—often, more so in other countries than in Scotland. Belle and Sebastian should be regarded as national treasures. They have an astonishing back catalogue of musical genius and last summer held a free live gig in Kelvingrove park, which for many of us was the highlight of the year. We cannot forget bands such as the Fire Engines, Aztec Camera, the Blue Nile, Primal Scream, Teenage Fanclub, the Pastels, the Proclaimers, Aberfeldy and Mull Historical Society or, indeed, Eddi Reader, who is the best female singer ever to have come out of Scotland. As other members have said, the list goes on and on.
Many of those bands were very successful, despite the fact that the odds were stacked against young working-class musicians in Scotland. However, for every band that makes it, there are dozens that founder because of a lack of resources, of places in which to practise, of venues to play in or of outlets for that music. I want a Scotland that nurtures its home-grown talent and gives young people the help that they need to develop that talent. Our housing schemes and city centres need community music projects such as Community Music in London, which gave birth to Asian Dub Foundation, whose only Scottish date on its world tour is a benefit gig for the Scottish Socialist Party at the Carling Academy on 3 April. I thank the chamber for indulging me in letting me say that.
Setting up community music projects throughout Scotland would result in young people realising their enormous musical creativity and could play an important part in diverting them away from damaging, negative and criminal behaviour towards outlets for positive creativity that would allow them to unleash their talents.
At this point, I pay tribute to the school of sound. Since last September, Hillington Primary School, Cardonald Primary School, Sandwood Primary School and Craigton Primary School in Glasgow have been running their own record labels in conjunction with secondary 5 and 6 pupils from Rosshall Academy. The project, which is called enterprise thru music, has been developed in partnership with Stow College and has resulted in an 11-track CD compilation that has been released by Uniform Records. I look forward to the compilation's launch tomorrow night at Oran Mòr in the west end of Glasgow. I am grateful for the invitation and the indication of things to come.
There is also a wealth of musical talent in the Scottish Parliament and I have heard many a chanter here and in nearby pubs. For example, I have heard Rob Gibson; Robin Harper; Jamie McGrigor, who is actually a very good singer; Cathy Peattie, who sings beautifully; and our own Barbara Scott, who is the personal assistant of Carolyn Leckie and Frances Curran. I have even seen and heard Pauline McNeill giving it laldie on top of a double-decker bus in Glasgow. I will spare her blushes—she was not on the way back from the dancing; she was on the battlebus in Anniesland during an election campaign. I have to say that she was very good.
I congratulate Franz Ferdinand and our schools. Long may all of them—and Scotland—rock.
In order to get the remaining members into the debate, I am willing to accept a motion without notice to extend the debate by 10 minutes, if someone so moves.
Motion moved,
That, under Rule 8.14.3, the debate be extended until 6.03 pm.—[Rob Gibson.]
Motion agreed to.
I, too, offer my warm congratulations to Pauline McNeill on securing the debate, which I think splits into two parts. We are right to acknowledge Franz Ferdinand's recent and well-deserved success, but it is also appropriate to acknowledge past successes of Scottish bands and solo singers. As someone who comes from Fife, I wish to record my appreciation of all the Fifers and Fife-based artists who have made their contribution to contemporary music—and, in particular, those from my constituency. Over the years, Dunfermline appears to have produced more than its fair share of rock and pop musicians and those who know me well will know which of those acts is my favourite.
The other, more important element of the debate centres on how to nurture future talent and on acknowledging contemporary music's economic impact. Pauline McNeill was right when she refused to see a difference between high and low art. We must move away from seeing culture as being for a select few towards seeing it—particularly contemporary culture—as wide ranging and all encompassing. I argue that rock and pop music should be at the centre of that culture. For too long, such music has been dismissed too lightly. For many, it is a cultural experience. As Pauline McNeill indicated in her wide-ranging speech, it also brings real economic benefits to local communities. She listed several further education institutions that are actively encouraging contemporary musicians. To that list, I add two local colleges—Glenrothes College and Perth College—because of the excellent work that they are doing.
In the short time that I have available, I add my voice to Mark Ballard's plea that, to nurture local talent and continue the success of Scottish acts, we must have realistic venues. Although they were not a Scottish act, my seminal musical experience as a youth was seeing the Clash at the Kinema in Dunfermline. I see the minister grinning, because she has heard this from me ad nauseam. My point is not about the excellent experience that I had that night, but about the fact that that venue is no longer available to rock acts and that no other local venue in west Fife can put on the sort of music that so many young people—and not-so-young people like ourselves—wish to see.
Yes, we have to celebrate the success of Franz Ferdinand, but let us also ensure that their success is not the pinnacle of Scots bands' successes. Let us ensure that it is a platform for further success in future.
As my presence here proves, we do not need to be down with the kids or an authority on the hit parade to realise that the music industry—[Interruption.] Members are laughing. I can claim that my 30-year-old daughter is a fan of Franz Ferdinand.
Tonight, we are recognising the importance of the music industry to the economy. As Pauline McNeill and others have pointed out, we have an abundance of raw musical talent in Scotland. The question, of course, is how, in practical terms, we can harness and develop that talent. Members with an interest in the subject could do much worse than examine the great work that is being done at Greenock's James Watt College of Further and Higher Education in my constituency. I hope that the minister will take the opportunity to visit and witness for herself at first hand the good work that is taking place there. Perhaps even the members of the cross-party group on contemporary music will visit some time in the future.
In 1999, the college shared with me its vision of a state-of-the-art community music centre for Inverclyde. It wanted a centre of excellence based in the community that was attractive to and supportive of young people. It would offer music and audio technology teaching alongside business start-up support and other services that young musicians need, such as rehearsal areas, recording studios, a performance venue and a personal computer suite.
True to its word, the college has made its vision a reality. The brand-new facility—the opening of which I attended last year—will make it much easier for young musicians to take the all-important first step into the professional music industry. As many members have mentioned, the financial outlay that is required by a new band to put on its first performance makes the experience too much of a gamble. The ready-made performance venue and the gaining of some basic business skills will undoubtedly make that leap a great deal easier, releasing more of our young talent.
Back in 1999, when the college's plans were first floated, I remember fearing and discussing with the college that the usual suspects would moan about layabouts with long hair and say, "It wasn't called a job in my day." Thankfully, the response to the investment has been far more positive. It is accepted that it is not a waste of money and is not following a fad, but rather makes perfect social and economic sense.
Music is an important part of young people's lives and can act as a stabilising factor for young people who have turbulent personal or home lives. It also helps young people to develop essential life skills. How can someone reach performance standard without self-confidence? How can they stage a live event without communication or financial skills?
I am delighted that Pauline McNeill gave us the opportunity to have this debate and I am delighted that James Watt College took such a bold step and that young people will have access to the college's wonderful resource. As a near neighbour of the college, I am also delighted that the studios are well sound-proofed and that I can live in peace.
I thank Pauline McNeill for securing the debate and I welcome the work that she and Ken Macintosh have done on behalf of the cross-party group on the Scottish contemporary music industry. A challenge of a debate such as this one is that witnessing politicians who are probably middle-aged talking about contemporary music is as frightening as watching your dad dance at a family wedding—and possibly has equally fatal consequences.
Pauline McNeill identified Franz Ferdinand as a current Scottish-based band. Obviously, people from all over the United Kingdom have made their homes in Scotland and made a contribution to the Scottish music scene. This evening we should remember that Edwyn Collins, who was probably a key influence on Franz Ferdinand, is facing a critical situation in hospital. I hope that the Parliament will acknowledge the contribution that he has made over the years.
There has been a consistent debate about the relevance of popular music to music strategies in Scotland or elsewhere. Fifty years after the rather shy boy from Tupelo, Mississippi, exploded on to the scene, that debate still reverberates. Duncan McNeil touched on his youth; perhaps he was at Paisley town hall in 1957 when a fight erupted among teddy boys during a gig by the Ricky Barnes All Stars. The riot was quelled only by the intervention of a young man in the audience in Highland regalia, who stood up and sang some lovely old Scottish songs—I thank Sidney Devine for his contribution that evening.
Clearly, popular music has a role in our experiences and in those of the people in Scotland whom we serve. In my constituency we can follow a line from Lonnie Donegan, who was born in Bridgeton and influenced the development of early rock and roll, to Alex Harvey, from the Gorbals, who made a critical contribution to the Scottish music scene in the 1960s and 1970s. Franz Ferdinand's secret hideaway, the Chateau, is in Bridge Street in the Gorbals, which brings synchronicity to the debate.
Members have touched on the fact that there has been a sterile debate in Scotland about music development, which has assumed that either we support the top classical arts in music or we support popular music. It should not be about supporting either one or the other; we should support both, because ultimately the ecology of music in Scotland feeds off many different influences and experiences. When I was Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport I experienced a fairly futile, sterile argument about patronage, which I hope that Patricia Ferguson will not experience, which suggested that certain music forms should be funded by the state, whereas others should be excluded. However, we must find the flexibility to address all forms of music.
The music industry's relatively fickle nature presents a great challenge. The French use the word "transitoire" to describe the phenomenon whereby last year's the Strokes are this year's Franz Ferdinand or next year's K T Tunstall—everything depends on the mood, the emotion and the experience. People in the industry ask members in the cross-party group, "How can we develop an infrastructure that genuinely makes a difference?" Many members mentioned that challenge, which we hope informs our work with the minister.
Some 11 years ago, I was involved, as a music development officer with Glasgow City Council, in the development of the BBC's sound city event. I hope that I facilitated music developments in Glasgow, our major city.
Ministers have worked on the Executive's youth music initiative during the past few years and Patricia Ferguson will continue that work, which presents an opportunity to ensure that a generation that believes that all music matters, whether it is contemporary popular music or classical music, can make a difference. I welcome the contributions to the debate and I hope that we have a more sensible debate about music development in future, for future generations in Scotland.
I am delighted to have this opportunity to endorse what I think is our collective admiration for and delight at Franz Ferdinand's success and our support and enthusiasm for the vibrant music scene in Scotland. I congratulate Pauline McNeill on securing the debate and on leading the cross-party group in the Scottish Parliament on the Scottish contemporary music industry in the way that she has done, with support from Ken Macintosh and others, for almost six years.
The past year has been phenomenal for Franz Ferdinand. Following a highly successful appearance at the south by southwest music festival in Texas last year, they were named the most influential band of 2004 by the US magazine "Spin". From there, the group went on to pick up a prestigious Mercury music prize and, more recently, best British group and best British rock act at the Brit awards. It hardly seems possible to pick up a newspaper or magazine without reading of another award that they have received or another tribute to the band. Long may it continue. It is well deserved.
Rosie Kane may be reassured—or perhaps not—to know that the ministers who share my corridor at Victoria Quay in Leith are a little bit more progressive than at least some members of the SSP. They do not object at all when I have Franz Ferdinand's album blaring out from my office. Perhaps we can discuss that some time.
There is in Scotland today a real buzz in our music industry—not just in pop or rock music, but in our traditional music. Music is something that we can all enjoy; whether we are listening to it or taking part in it, music plays a role in all our lives. It is this enriching experience that makes it paramount that we provide the right atmosphere for music to flourish.
A couple of colleagues have mentioned the diverting effect that music can have. I think that it was Mark Ballard who said that music can often be a safety valve for people. When I was thinking about my speech, I remembered various conversations with colleagues in the chamber about our shared love of music and our shared love of particular bands. When I was Labour whip, I remember talking to Scott Barrie about bands that we grew up with—even though I am slightly older than Scott. One conversation that we came back to time and again—perhaps during our more stressful moments—was on whether the band led by Fay Fife were more creative as the Rezillos or as the Revillos. Such discussions can certainly provide a safety valve for people in stressful situations.
The Scottish Executive, through our funding of the Scottish Arts Council, is committed to making music accessible to all. Frank McAveety mentioned the youth music initiative, which has invested £17.5 million over three years, up until this financial year. The initiative's target is that, by 2006, all schoolchildren should have had access to one year's free music tuition by the time they reach primary 6. That is a tremendous undertaking. I am pleased to say that we have identified another £10 million per year for financial years 2006-07 and 2007-08. The youth music initiative reference group is in the process of drafting a 10-year national youth music strategy. One of the strengths of the initiative is that it responds to local circumstances and does not try to pigeonhole young people into one particular kind of music.
We have to build on young people's natural enthusiasm for music. As we have heard, there are many examples in schools today of music departments developing projects to foster interest and develop skills. As Pauline McNeill said, she and I had the great pleasure of visiting one such project at Lourdes Secondary School. That excellent facility is designed not only to allow the students the opportunity to learn the arts of DJ-ing, sound recording and engineering, but to provide teachers and tutors with a place to master the various arts of digital media. I would be delighted to visit James Watt College with Duncan McNeil to see the great facility that he described.
From such opportunities, we grow the seeds of creativity. There is no shortage of creative ability in Scotland. When I leave Parliament this evening, I am going to the Scottish Arts Council's creative Scotland awards, which is an annual event that celebrates and encourages the development of creative talent. This year, five of the 23 finalists are musicians.
I mentioned the south by southwest festival, at which Franz Ferdinand were so successful. Franz Ferdinand, of course, received a grant from the Scottish Arts Council towards their expenses in attending the festival. As others have said, this year another 10 Scottish bands are taking part—again with support from the Scottish Arts Council. In addition, the SAC, in partnership with members of the Scottish music community, will co-ordinate the Scottish presence at the convention's trade show. That will help to maximise the opportunity for promoting Scottish music to an international audience.
There are a growing number of events at which we are able to showcase Scottish talent. One of the many examples of which we have heard is the annual MusicWorks convention, which is the UK's leading media and business convention. It took place in Glasgow last October with support from Glasgow City Council and Scottish Enterprise.
The Scottish Arts Council, the British Council Scotland, the Musicians Union and others backed showcase Scotland during the recent Celtic connections festival, which supports traditional Scottish music. There has been a tremendous upsurge in local gatherings of traditional musicians throughout Scotland, many of which provide the opportunity to participate and to learn how to play traditional musical instruments.
When I visited the music department at the University of Strathclyde recently, I met some young people who, after playing traditional music for me in the morning, went on to take part in a jazz concert. They told me that they play in Glasgow's pubs and clubs at the weekend, in rock, pop and other contemporary music bands. That shows that having an interest in one kind of music does not debar someone from having an interest—or even a competency or proficiency—in another kind of music.
The SAC continues to consider the potential for having a Scottish presence at new events, such as WOMEX, the international professional trade fair and showcase event for world and roots music, which will take place at the Sage in Gateshead later this year. Of course, it is not just our performers who need our support. The infrastructure of the music industry—which incorporates recording studios, promoters, record labels and distribution networks—must be in place if success is to be possible. Rob Gibson was right to mention Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the excellent support that it has provided in its area through enterprises such as the music industry development and support, or MIDAS, website and the Highlands and Islands labels, or HAIL, forum.
It is evident that many things are happening that provide a base for development in the different genres or aspects of the industry. However, a joined-up approach that provides seamless support must be the goal if we are to continue to make our mark internationally. Pauline McNeill referred to the discussion paper that was published earlier this week, which was commissioned by the Scottish Arts Council and received funding from the Scottish Executive and Scottish Enterprise. The paper sets out the proposals for the development of an organisation that will be able to represent the interests of the entire music industry in Scotland. I look forward to reading the final report when it is published later in the spring. I thank Pauline McNeill for her contribution to that work.
As I said at the beginning of my speech, Scotland has a vibrant music scene. In fact, it is positively bursting with energy, enthusiasm and talent. I agree whole-heartedly with the First Minister that it would be a wonderful endorsement of that state of affairs if the Brit awards were to take place in Scotland. To deal with Pauline McNeill's point, I know that EventScotland is taking that possibility very seriously.
In the meantime, I am pleased to add my best wishes to the bands who are performing at south by southwest this year and to all our other performers who raise the profile of Scotland around the world and contribute to the richness of our musical life. If recent press reports are to be believed, I look forward to hearing them not too far from here in the near future.
Meeting closed at 18:03.