What a crazy week. This time of year is always a busy one for us in the music business. At the weekend we sponsored two major festivals, the Finchley Carnival Band Competition and the Balls Bike Club Rally, helping both out with PA & Backline equipment. As I couldn't be in two places at ones and I was a judge at the Finchley Carnival, I can only tell you what a great day that was.


We've been involved with the Finchley Carnival School band competition for a number of years. It gives young bands a chance to play in front of a decent sized audience. The top prize is a days recording in our professional sound studio. The winner of the public vote gets a stack of musical equipment for their school, hopefully to help the next generation of bands. The Times group of newspapers are also a sponsor.

Generally the quality of bands has been pretty good. This year we were also treated to a visit from two of last years winners, "The Archetypes" and "Level Headed" who have both really developed since last year and are becoming names to watch.

This year's honours went to Fiend Fatale. They are a bunch of lads from Finchley Catholic High School. I had met them before as they played at a gig for Cancer Charities that I organised in March headlined by Lee Thompson From Madness and Chris Spedding at the Bull Theatre in Barnet. Since then they've been doing a lot of hard work and it really paid off. My 10 year old daughter was especially taken with the singer and his rendition of "Show me the way to the next Whiskey bar" by the doors. They were a unanamous choice for the senior band. I really believe that they could be a massive band.

The winners of the public vote and junior section were "Odd One Out". Despite only playing together for a month they were tight and really rocked the audience. Given that the youngest member was 12 and the singer was 14, an impressive debut.

We also had the "Finchley's Got Talent" contest. The winner was Elvis impersonator Mike, complete with US army outfit (circa Elvis '57) and blue suede shoes. How you compare an Elvis Impersonator, a break Dancer and a Performing dog objectively I don't know but I think Mike was the most entertaining and he'd put the most effort in.

Anyway, back at the studio we've just seen the completion of a major Album project by Guitar genius Huw Lloyd-Langton of Hawkwind fame. Huw is a real rock and roll legend. He's been a friend of ours for many a year and he's decided to call the album "Bunns Lane Welding Blues". My brother Laurie is famous at last ! This will really put Mill Hill on the map !

Anyway if there are any of you out there want to see a decent band on friday night for free, check out Freeway at "The Adam and Eve". A class act.