"Yes, I meet absolute idols of mine now and then, but I also have to clean sick out of radiators"
Genre-wise, there seems to be an ‘anything goes’ approach at The Maze.
We have a ‘try anything at least once’ policy, which I think that has stood us in good stead. You can’t let personal taste dictate too much, when there are so many styles and tastes out there. One of the best things about working here is that I have discovered some amazing bands that have opened up my mind and – I think – have made me a better musician too.
In our band survey, The Maze came out as the favourite place to play at – which is scary, seeing as it was a hair’s breadth away from being converted into more student flats a while back.
We’ve helped a lot of local bands achieve their potential, and I’m really proud of our involvement. When we did the cover shoot for this issue, Steph Kirkup and I looked round and worked out that roughly 90% of them had played The Maze before, and about 50% had played their first gigs here. That makes me so happy.
How do you link up with new promoters?
They come to us a lot of the time, but we’re very proactive and approach people too. In the last six weeks, there hasn’t been a night where I haven’t been working, been at a gig or playing a gig. If we go to a night and we like the way a promoter has run it, we may ask them if they want to work with us.
What do you think to the Notts scene circa 2011-2?
It’s in a great state. There’s a very diverse and real scene here; I like the fact the DIY ethic is strong. People are fairly open to music in Nottingham as well; there’s a lot of crossover in genres, which makes it very special.
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