Sound Of Scotland
Up-and-coming Scottish artists on collaborating to make music for Tenement TV
ON the cusp of their 10th anniversary, the three friends behind Glasgow music platform Tenement TV are hoping it won’t be long until they can get back to doing what they do best – helping music fans discover new acts.
Until then, they’re encouraging creative connections between up-and-coming artists through the TTV Collective, backed by Creative Scotland.
Pairing emerging Scottish talent, each TTV Collective collaboration will work together, in line with public health guidelines, to co-write new music.
The results will be filmed live at four different venues across Scotland, and available to watch on the Tenement TV website and Youtube channel.
The idea, says Tenement TV founder Chae Houston, is to introduce each artist to the other’s fans while allowing them to exercise their creative muscles.
“We always wanted the chance to get more involved in writing,” Chae says. “As well as creating new music for fans, everyone gets paid – the artists, crew, sound engineers, videographers and the venues. It’s a way to give back to an industry we love while so many people working in it are struggling.”
The first collaboration – Swim Easy – is an acoustic-folk duet featuring Be Charlotte and Stuart Ramage of Vanives, recorded at the historic Leith Theatre.
Future releases include Rory James and BEMZ’S house-hip hop effort, an “upbeat track” by Medicine Cabinet and ONR, and an indie pop number from Johnny Madden of Baby Strange and Pretty Preachers Club – a teenage alt-pop duo who got together during lockdown and are riding high on Spotify without ever having played a gig.
“There were a couple of pull-yourhair-out moments – but the songs are sounding great,” says Chae.
Launched in October 2011, Tenement TV takes its name from the top floor flat in Glasgow’s West End where Chae lived as a student, with its bright bay window which is still used for live sessions.
Run by Chae with friends Jamie Logie and Nadine
Walker, it was set up after Chae’s college band played a session for Balcony TV, a similar Dublin-based project.
The flat, along with other UK venues, has since hosted more than 300 live sessions with artists including Catfish and the Bottlemen, Nina Nesbitt, Hozier, Gabrielle Aplin and Bastille – whose debut album topped the UK charts mere weeks after their low-key performance.
The team launched the multi-venue Tenement Trail festival in 2013 – hosting the likes of Lewis Capaldi, Yungblud and Sam Fender and the Cribs – and have
“Giving back to an love” industry we
filmed sessions everywhere from T in the Park to the South by Southwest music conference in Austin, Texas.
While Covid-19 has trampled on some of their 10th anniversary plans, Chae is hopeful for some in-person, as well as digital, celebrations in the run-up to October – with experiences for fans who helped Tenement TV raise more than £10,000 in the depths of the pandemic. Top tier pledgers were promised a gig in their living rooms.
“We’ve had to adapt, like everyone else, to the lack of live music, festivals and brand sponsorships – we haven’t had anyone to partner with over the past year, so that was the impetus for the crowdfunder,” says Chae.
“It was amazing to see bands, artists, managers we had worked with before pledging and supporting us – even big Lewis Capaldi gave it a wee share.
“Everyone’s in the same boat – we’re all really missing live music. Missing our people.”