PRS For Music online magazine 1
PRS For Music online magazine 2
Music Week / NME / ProSound News Europe / SoundOnSound / The Guardian / Northern Echo / Oxford Mail /Local UK News / Music News / AltSounds / Supajam/ Daily Express / Contact Music / The Guardian / Expose /NME / Female First / Entertainment / Uncut / 411 Mania / The List / The 405 / Ultimate Rock / Daily News Crunch / Digital Spy / Gig Wise / Henne Music / Hollywood / Live4ever / MSN / New-Magazine / Data Transmission / Rockol / BBC News / Music Week / PPL / Pulse / Music News / Audio Media / CMU / Record Of The Day / Audio Pro / PSNEurope / SoundOnSound / M / Clash / The Line Of Best Fit / The Music Network
THE COMPANIES ACT 2006
PRIVATE COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
of
THE MUSIC PRODUCERS GUILD LIMITED
Incorporated on 6th April 1999
Company number 3746150
INDEX TO THE ARTICLES
PART 1
INTERPRETATION AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
1. Defined terms
2. Liability of members
PART 2
DIRECTORS
DIRECTORS’ POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
3. Directors’ general authority
4. Members’ reserve power
5. Directors may delegate
6. Committees
DECISION-MAKING BY DIRECTORS
7. Directors to take decisions collectively
8. Unanimous decisions
9. Calling a directors’ meeting
10. Participation in directors’ meetings
11. Quorum for directors’ meetings
12. Chairing of directors’ meetings
13. Casting vote
14. Conflicts of interest
15. Records of decisions to be kept
16. Directors’ discretion to make further rules
APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTORS
17. Methods of appointing directors
18. Termination of director’s appointment
19. Directors’ remuneration
20. Directors’ expenses
PART 3
MEMBERS
BECOMING AND CEASING TO BE A MEMBER
21. Applications for membership
22. Termination of membership
ORGANISATION OF GENERAL MEETINGS
23. Attendance and speaking at general meetings
24. Quorum for general meetings
25. Chairing general meetings
26. Attendance and speaking by directors and non-members
27. Adjournment
VOTING AT GENERAL MEETINGS
28. Voting: general
29. Errors and disputes
30. Poll votes
31. Content of proxy notices
32. Delivery of proxy notices
33. Amendments to resolutions
PART 4
ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS
34. Means of communication to be used
35. Company seals
36. No right to inspect accounts and other records
37. Provision for employees on cessation of business
DIRECTORS’ INDEMNITY AND INSURANCE
38. Indemnity
39. Insurance
PART 1
INTERPRETATION AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
Defined terms
1. In the articles, unless the context requires otherwise—
“articles” means the company’s articles of association;
“bankruptcy” includes individual insolvency proceedings in a jurisdiction other than England and Wales or Northern Ireland which have an effect similar to that of bankruptcy;
“chairman” has the meaning given in article 12;
“chairman of the meeting” has the meaning given in article 25;
“Companies Acts” means the Companies Acts (as defined in section 2 of the Companies Act 2006), in so far as they apply to the company;
“director” means a director of the company, and includes any person occupying the position of director, by whatever name called;
“company” shall mean The Music Producers Guild (UK) Limited
“document” includes, unless otherwise specified, any document sent or supplied in electronic form;
“electronic form” has the meaning given in section 1168 of the Companies Act 2006;
“member” has the meaning given in section 112 of the Companies Act 2006 and for the purpose of these Articles a member shall be either a person paying an annual subscription fee to the company or a person who has been granted an honorary membership by the board of directors of the company (from time to time) and a so-called ‘basic member’ who does not pay a subscription shall not be a member hereunder;
“ordinary resolution” has the meaning given in section 282 of the Companies Act 2006;
“participate”, in relation to a directors’ meeting, has the meaning given in article 10;
“proxy notice” has the meaning given in article 31;
“special resolution” has the meaning given in section 283 of the Companies Act 2006;
“subsidiary” has the meaning given in section 1159 of the Companies Act 2006; and
“writing” means the representation or reproduction of words, symbols or other information in a visible form by any method or combination of methods, whether sent or supplied in electronic form or otherwise.
Unless the context otherwise requires, other words or expressions contained in these articles bear the same meaning as in the Companies Act 2006 as in force on the date when these articles become binding on the company.
Liability of members
2. The liability of each member is limited to £1, being the amount that each member undertakes to contribute to the assets of the company in the event of its being wound up while he is a member or within one year after he ceases to be a member, for—
(a) payment of the company’s debts and liabilities contracted before he ceases to be a
member,
(b) payment of the costs, charges and expenses of winding up, and
(c) adjustment of the rights of the contributories among themselves.
If the company is wound up or dissolved and after all its debts and liabilities have been satisfied there remains any money or property it shall be given to a charity or charities selected by the board of directors prior to the company being wound up.
PART 2
DIRECTORS
DIRECTORS’ POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Directors’ general authority
3.—Subject to the articles, the directors are responsible for the management of the company’s business, for which purpose they may exercise all the powers of the company.
Members’ reserve power
4.—(1) The members may, by special resolution, direct the directors to take, or refrain from taking, specified action.
(2) No such special resolution invalidates anything which the directors have done before the passing of the resolution.
Directors may delegate
5.—(1) Subject to the articles, the directors may delegate any of the powers which are conferred on them under the articles—
(a) to such person or committee;
(b) by such means (including by power of attorney);
(c) to such an extent;
(d) in relation to such matters or territories; and
(e) on such terms and conditions;
as they think fit. In the event that a director delegates the right to vote at any board meeting to another director that director shall be counted as having an additional vote.
(2) If the directors so specify, any such delegation may authorise further delegation of the directors’ powers by any person to whom they are delegated.
(3) The directors may revoke any delegation in whole or part, or alter its terms and conditions.
Committees
6.—(1) Committees to which the directors delegate any of their powers must follow procedures which are based as far as they are applicable on those provisions of the articles which govern the taking of decisions by directors.
(2) The directors may make rules of procedure for all or any committees, which prevail over rules derived from the articles if they are not consistent with them.
DECISION-MAKING BY DIRECTORS
Directors to take decisions collectively
7.—(1) The general rule about decision-making by directors is that any decision of the directors must be either a majority decision at a meeting or a decision taken in accordance with article 8.
Unanimous decisions
8.—(1) A decision of the directors is taken in accordance with this article when all eligible directors indicate to each other by any means that they share a common view on a matter.
(2) References in this article to eligible directors are to directors who would have been entitled to vote on the matter had it been proposed as a resolution at a directors’ meeting.
(3) A decision may not be taken in accordance with this article if the eligible directors would not have formed a quorum at such a meeting.
Calling a directors’ meeting
9.—(1) Any director may call a directors’ meeting by giving notice of the meeting to the directors or by authorising the company secretary (if any) to give such notice.
(2) Notice of any directors’ meeting must indicate—
(a) its proposed date and time;
(b) where it is to take place; and
(c) if it is anticipated that directors participating in the meeting will not be in the same place, how it is proposed that they should communicate with each other during the meeting.
(3) Notice of a directors’ meeting must be given to each director, but need not be in writing.
(4) Notice of a directors’ meeting need not be given to directors who waive their entitlement to notice of that meeting, by giving notice to that effect to the company not more than 7 days after the date on which the meeting is held. Where such notice is given after the meeting has been held, that does not affect the validity of the meeting, or of any business conducted at it.
(5) The minimum number of directors’ meetings required to be held in each calendar year is 6.
Participation in directors’ meetings
10.—(1) Subject to the articles, directors participate in a directors’ meeting, or part of a directors’ meeting, when—
(a) the meeting has been called and takes place in accordance with the articles, and
(b) they can each communicate to the others any information or opinions they have on any particular item of the business of the meeting.
(2) In determining whether directors are participating in a directors’ meeting, it is irrelevant where any director is or how they communicate with each other.
(3) If all the directors participating in a meeting are not in the same place, they may decide that the meeting is to be treated as taking place wherever any of them is.
Quorum for directors’ meetings
11.—(1) At a directors’ meeting, unless a quorum is participating, no proposal is to be voted on, except a proposal to call another meeting.
(2) The quorum for directors’ meetings may be fixed from time to time by a decision of the directors, but it must never be less than four, and unless otherwise fixed it is four.
(3) If the total number of directors for the time being is less than the quorum required, the directors must not take any decision other than a decision to call a general meeting so as to enable the members to appoint further directors.
Chairing of directors’ meetings
12.—(1) The directors may appoint a director to chair their meetings.
(2) The person so appointed for the time being is known as the chairman.
(3) The directors may terminate the chairman’s appointment at any time.
(4) If the chairman is not participating in a directors’ meeting within ten minutes of the time at which it was to start, the participating directors must appoint one of themselves to chair it.
Casting vote
13.—(1) If the numbers of votes for and against a proposal are equal, the chairman or other director chairing the meeting has a casting vote.
(2) But this does not apply if, in accordance with the articles, the chairman or other director is not to be counted as participating in the decision-making process for quorum or voting purposes.
Conflicts of interest
14.—(1) If a proposed decision of the directors is concerned with an actual or proposed transaction or arrangement with the company in which a director is interested, that director is not to be counted as participating in the decision-making process for quorum or voting purposes.
(2) But if paragraph (3) applies, a director who is interested in an actual or proposed transaction or arrangement with the company is to be counted as participating in the decision-making process for quorum and voting purposes.
(3) This paragraph applies when—
(a) the company by ordinary resolution disapplies the provision of the articles which would otherwise prevent a director from being counted as participating in the decision-making process;
(b) the director’s interest cannot reasonably be regarded as likely to give rise to a conflict of interest; or
(c) the director’s conflict of interest arises from a permitted cause.
(4) For the purposes of this article, the following are permitted causes—
(a) a guarantee given, or to be given, by or to a director in respect of an obligation incurred by or on behalf of the company or any of its subsidiaries;
(b) subscription, or an agreement to subscribe, for securities of the company or any of its subsidiaries, or to underwrite, sub-underwrite, or guarantee subscription for any such securities; and
(c) arrangements pursuant to which benefits are made available to employees and directors or former employees and directors of the company or any of its subsidiaries which do not provide special benefits for directors or former directors.
(5) For the purposes of this article, references to proposed decisions and decision-making processes include any directors’ meeting or part of a directors’ meeting.
(6) Subject to paragraph (7), if a question arises at a meeting of directors or of a committee of directors as to the right of a director to participate in the meeting (or part of the meeting) for voting or quorum purposes, the question may, before the conclusion of the meeting, be referred to the chairman whose ruling in relation to any director other than the chairman is to be final and conclusive.
(7) If any question as to the right to participate in the meeting (or part of the meeting) should arise in respect of the chairman, the question is to be decided by a decision of the directors at that meeting, for which purpose the chairman is not to be counted as participating in the meeting (or that part of the meeting) for voting or quorum purposes.
Records of decisions to be kept
15. The directors must ensure that the company keeps a record, in writing, for at least 10 years from the date of the decision recorded, of every unanimous or majority decision taken by the directors at meetings of the board of Directors as set out in the minutes of those meetings
Directors’ discretion to make further rules
16. Subject to the articles, the directors may make any rule which they think fit about how they take decisions, and about how such rules are to be recorded or communicated to directors.
APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTORS
Methods of appointing directors
17.—(1) Any person who is willing to act as a director, and is permitted by law to do so, and is a so-called ‘Full Member’ of the Company may be appointed to be a director by ordinary resolution as passed by simple majority vote of those members entitled to vote and who attend the applicable general meeting or who vote by proxy.
(2) At least once in every 3 calendar years (and no more than 36 months following the last such meeting) a general meeting of members shall be convened by the board at which each director of board shall resign and new directors shall be elected by the members
(3)the number of directors to comprise the board shall be decided by the board but shall be no fewer than 5 and no more than 10.
(4) In any case where, as a result of death, the company has no members and no directors, the personal representatives of the last member to have died have the right, by notice in writing, to appoint a person to be a director.
(5) For the purposes of paragraph (4), where 2 or more members die in circumstances rendering it uncertain who was the last to die, a younger member is deemed to have survived an older member.
Termination of director’s appointment
18. A person ceases to be a director as soon as—
(a) that person ceases to be a director by virtue of any provision of the Companies Act 2006 or is prohibited from being a director by law;
(b) a bankruptcy order is made against that person;
(c) a composition is made with that person’s creditors generally in satisfaction of that person’s debts;
(d) a registered medical practitioner who is treating that person gives a written opinion to the company stating that that person has become physically or mentally incapable of acting as a director and may remain so for more than three months;
(e) by reason of that person’s mental health, a court makes an order which wholly or partly prevents that person from personally exercising any powers or rights which that person would otherwise have;
(f) notification is received by the company from the director that the director is resigning from office, and such resignation has taken effect in accordance with its terms.
Directors’ remuneration
19. Directors shall not be entitled to any remuneration in respect of their service as directors of the company.
Directors’ expenses
20. The Company may pay any reasonable expenses which the directors properly incur in connection with their attendance at—
(a) meetings of directors or committees of directors,
(b) general meetings,
(c) separate meetings of the holders of debentures of the company,
(d) meetings with third parties intended to be for the benefit of the company (provided that such expenses are reasonable, the other directors’ decision in the case of a dispute being final).
or otherwise in connection with the exercise of their powers and the discharge of their responsibilities in relation to the company.
PART 3
MEMBERS
BECOMING AND CEASING TO BE A MEMBER
Applications for membership
21. No person shall become a member of the company unless—
(a) that person has completed an application for membership in a form approved by the directors, and
(b) the directors have approved the application.
Termination of membership
22.—(1) A member may withdraw from membership of the company by giving 7 days’ notice to the company in writing.
(2) Membership is not transferable.
(3) A person’s membership terminates when that person dies or ceases to exist.
(4) No refund of membership fees will be made on withdrawal and it is the responsibility of the former member or his or her estate to cancel any automated payment in respect of such fees.
ORGANISATION OF GENERAL MEETINGS
Attendance and speaking at general meetings
23.—(1) A person is able to exercise the right to speak at a general meeting when that person is in a position to communicate to all those attending the meeting, during the meeting, any information or opinions which that person has on the business of the meeting.
(2) A person is able to exercise the right to vote at a general meeting when—
(a) that person is able to vote, during the meeting, on resolutions put to the vote at the meeting, and
(b) that person’s vote can be taken into account in determining whether or not such
resolutions are passed at the same time as the votes of all the other persons attending the meeting.
(3) The directors may make whatever arrangements they consider appropriate to enable those attending a general meeting to exercise their rights to speak or vote at it.
Quorum for general meetings
24. No business other than the appointment of the chairman of the meeting is to be transacted at a general meeting if the persons attending it do not constitute a quorum. The greater of ten persons entitled to vote upon the business being transacted each being a member or one twentieth of the number of such persons being members at the relevant time shall constitute a quorum.
Chairing general meetings
25.—(1) If the directors have appointed a chairman, the chairman shall chair general meetings if present and willing to do so.
(2) If the directors have not appointed a chairman, or if the chairman is unwilling to chair the meeting or is not present within ten minutes of the time at which a meeting was due to start—
(a) the directors present, or
(b) (if no directors are present), the meeting,
must appoint a director or member to chair the meeting, and the appointment of the chairman of the meeting must be the first business of the meeting.
(3) The person chairing a meeting in accordance with this article is referred to as “the chairman of the meeting”.
Attendance and speaking by directors and non-members
26.—(1) Directors may attend and speak at general meetings.
(2) The chairman of the meeting may permit other persons who are not members of the
company to attend and speak at a general meeting.
Adjournment
27.—(1) If the persons attending a general meeting within half an hour of the time at which the meeting was due to start do not constitute a quorum, or if during a meeting a quorum ceases to be present, the chairman of the meeting must adjourn it.
(2) The chairman of the meeting may adjourn a general meeting at which a quorum is present if—
(a) the meeting consents to an adjournment, or
(b) it appears to the chairman of the meeting that an adjournment is necessary to protect the safety of any person attending the meeting or ensure that the business of the meeting is conducted in an orderly manner.
(3) The chairman of the meeting must adjourn a general meeting if directed to do so by the meeting.
(4) When adjourning a general meeting, the chairman of the meeting must—
(a) either specify the time and place to which it is adjourned or state that it is to continue at a time and place to be fixed by the directors, and
(b) have regard to any directions as to the time and place of any adjournment which have been given by the meeting.
(5) If the continuation of an adjourned meeting is to take place more than 14 days after it was adjourned, the company must give at least 7 clear days’ notice of it (that is, excluding the day of the adjourned meeting and the day on which the notice is given)—
(a) to the same persons to whom notice of the company’s general meetings is required to be given, and
(b) containing the same information which such notice is required to contain.
(6) No business may be transacted at an adjourned general meeting which could not properly have been transacted at the meeting if the adjournment had not taken place.
VOTING AT GENERAL MEETINGS
Voting: general
28. A resolution put to the vote of a general meeting must be decided on a show of hands unless a poll is duly demanded in accordance with the articles.
Errors and disputes
29.—(1) No objection may be raised to the qualification of any person voting at a general meeting except at the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the vote objected to is tendered, and every vote not disallowed at the meeting is valid.
(2) Any such objection must be referred to the chairman of the meeting whose decision is final.
Poll votes
30.—(1) A poll on a resolution may be demanded—
(a) in advance of the general meeting where it is to be put to the vote, or
(b) at a general meeting, either before a show of hands on that resolution or immediately after the result of a show of hands on that resolution is declared.
(2) A poll may be demanded by—
(a) the chairman of the meeting;
(b) the directors;
(c) two or more persons having the right to vote on the resolution; or
(d) a person or persons representing not less than one tenth of the total voting rights of all the members having the right to vote on the resolution.
(3) A demand for a poll may be withdrawn if—
(a) the poll has not yet been taken, and
(b) the chairman of the meeting consents to the withdrawal.
(4) Polls must be taken immediately and in such manner as the chairman of the meeting directs.
Content of proxy notices
31.—(1) Proxies may only validly be appointed by a notice in writing (a “proxy notice”)
which—
(a) states the name and address of the member appointing the proxy;
(b) identifies the person appointed to be that member’s proxy and the general meeting in
relation to which that person is appointed;
(c) is signed by or on behalf of the member appointing the proxy, or is authenticated in such manner as the directors may determine; and
(d) is delivered to the company in accordance with the articles and any instructions contained in the notice of the general meeting to which they relate.
(2) The company may require proxy notices to be delivered in a particular form, and may specify different forms for different purposes.
(3) Proxy notices may specify how the proxy appointed under them is to vote (or that the proxy is to abstain from voting) on one or more resolutions.
(4) Unless a proxy notice indicates otherwise, it must be treated as—
(a) allowing the person appointed under it as a proxy discretion as to how to vote on any ancillary or procedural resolutions put to the meeting, and
(b) appointing that person as a proxy in relation to any adjournment of the general meeting to which it relates as well as the meeting itself.
Delivery of proxy notices
32.—(1) A person who is entitled to attend, speak or vote (either on a show of hands or on a poll) at a general meeting remains so entitled in respect of that meeting or any adjournment of it, even though a valid proxy notice has been delivered to the company by or on behalf of that person.
(2) An appointment under a proxy notice may be revoked by delivering to the company a notice in writing given by or on behalf of the person by whom or on whose behalf the proxy notice was given.
(3) A notice revoking a proxy appointment only takes effect if it is delivered before the start of the meeting or adjourned meeting to which it relates.
(4) If a proxy notice is not executed by the person appointing the proxy, it must be accompanied by written evidence of the authority of the person who executed it to execute it on the appointor’s behalf.
Amendments to resolutions
33.—(1) An ordinary resolution to be proposed at a general meeting may be amended by ordinary resolution if—
(a) notice of the proposed amendment is given to the company in writing by a person entitled to vote at the general meeting at which it is to be proposed not less than 48 hours before the meeting is to take place (or such later time as the chairman of the meeting may determine), and
(b) the proposed amendment does not, in the reasonable opinion of the chairman of the meeting, materially alter the scope of the resolution.
(2) A special resolution to be proposed at a general meeting may be amended by ordinary resolution, if—
(a) the chairman of the meeting proposes the amendment at the general meeting at which the resolution is to be proposed, and
(b) the amendment does not go beyond what is necessary to correct a grammatical or other non-substantive error in the resolution.
(3) If the chairman of the meeting, acting in good faith, wrongly decides that an amendment to a resolution is out of order, the chairman’s error does not invalidate the vote on that resolution.
PART 4
ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS
Means of communication to be used
34.—(1) Subject to the articles, anything sent or supplied by or to the company under the articles may be sent or supplied in any way in which the Companies Act 2006 provides for documents or information which are authorised or required by any provision of that Act to be sent or supplied by or to the company.
(2) Subject to the articles, any notice or document to be sent or supplied to a director in
connection with the taking of decisions by directors may also be sent or supplied by the means by which that director has asked to be sent or supplied with such notices or documents for the time being.
(3) A director may agree with the company that notices or documents sent to that director in a particular way are to be deemed to have been received within a specified time of their being sent, and for the specified time to be less than 48 hours.
Company seals
35.—(1) Any common seal may only be used by the authority of the directors.
(2) The directors may decide by what means and in what form any common seal is to be used.
(3) Unless otherwise decided by the directors, if the company has a common seal and it is
affixed to a document, the document must also be signed by at least one authorised person in the presence of a witness who attests the signature.
(4) For the purposes of this article, an authorised person is—
(a) any director of the company;
(b) the company secretary (if any); or
(c) any person authorised by the directors for the purpose of signing documents to which the common seal is applied.
No right to inspect accounts and other records
36. Except as provided by law or authorised by the directors or an ordinary resolution of the company, no person is entitled to inspect any of the company’s accounting or other records or documents merely by virtue of being a member.
Provision for employees on cessation of business
37. The directors may decide to make provision for the benefit of persons employed or formerly employed by the company or any of its subsidiaries (other than a director or former director or shadow director) in connection with the cessation or transfer to any person of the whole or part of the undertaking of the company or that subsidiary.
DIRECTORS’ INDEMNITY AND INSURANCE
Indemnity
38.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), a relevant director of the company or an associated company may be indemnified out of the company’s assets against—
(a) any liability incurred by that director in connection with any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust in relation to the company or an associated company,
(b) any liability incurred by that director in connection with the activities of the company or an associated company in its capacity as a trustee of an occupational pension scheme (as defined in section 235(6) of the Companies Act 2006),
(c) any other liability incurred by that director as an officer of the company or an associated company.
(2) This article does not authorise any indemnity which would be prohibited or rendered void by
any provision of the Companies Acts or by any other provision of law.
(3) In this article—
(a) companies are associated if one is a subsidiary of the other or both are subsidiaries of the same body corporate, and
(b) a “relevant director” means any director or former director of the company or an
associated company.
Insurance
39.—(1) The directors may decide to purchase and maintain insurance, at the expense of the company, for the benefit of any relevant director in respect of any relevant loss.
(2) In this article—
(a) a “relevant director” means any director or former director of the company or an
associated company,
(b) a “relevant loss” means any loss or liability which has been or may be incurred by a relevant director in connection with that director’s duties or powers in relation to the company, any associated company or any pension fund or employees’ share scheme of the company or associated company, and
(c) companies are associated if one is a subsidiary of the other or both are subsidiaries of the same body corporate.
This document may be download by clicking on the link below:
A ‘guild’ operates somewhere between a professional association, such as might attract doctors or lawyers and a trade union. In other words, it has its privileges but it also has its feet firmly on the ground… key conditions for the pivotal role of the record producer. After all, this is the person who guides the music from the artist to the public.
Gus Dudgeon
So it was an apt choice of words when the founders of The British Record Producer’s Guild got to work. Blending an executive understanding of tact and discretion with an artisan’s grasp of physical tools, this Guild became everything enlightened self-interest should be: efficiently pursuing the goals of its members in a confusing world of hi-speed and hi-tech change. In fact, it’s more relevant than ever before. The founders are familiar names. The late, lamented Gus Dudgeon is especially remembered for his production of Elton John’s defining work in the 1970s. Mike Vernon’s CV is a who’s who of British blues-rock from Mayall to McVie. Quite apart from his success as a musician and performing artist, the legacy of Alan Parsons as a producer and engineer on seminal albums by The Beatles, Pink Floyd and others is a cornerstone of everything the Guild stands for.
Mike Vernon
These three luminaries were prompted by Bob Hine, a key figure in the supply of recording tape to British studios via his association with the manufacturer BASF, to establish some kind of lobby for the craftsmanship and professionalism he saw.
Alan Parsons
There already existed the Songwriters Guild, the Association of Professional Recording Studios and, in film and TV, legions of international directors’ guilds and academies that had achieved recognition for their members – something long overdue for the people behind the musical revolutions of the ‘60s and ‘70s. And so, in 1985, The British Record Producer’s Guild was born.
Almost immediately the nascent Guild was given a wilfully cutting edge, with an invitation to both Rupert Hine and Robin Millar to join the cause.
Rupert Hine
“The five of us sat around a table,” Hine remembers, “and after lengthy discussions we realized that the reasons for justifying the existence of such an organization were at least as numerous as the number of producers invited.” At the time, Hine and Millar were populating the UK and US charts with hugely successful contemporary acts ranging from Sade, Everything But The Girl and Big Country to Howard Jones, The Thompson Twins and the revitalized Tina Turner, proving from the outset that the Guild would be in touch with up-to-the-minute tastes.
Robin Millar
“Robin and I were immediately interested in the potential power of a group of independent ‘voices’ speaking for those who play a large part in defining the sound and direction of contemporary recordings,” continues Hine. “The opportunity to tackle creative issues with other relevant parties such as A&R people and radio producers were my main motivation. For Robin, other charges like a producer’s right to earn income from radio play could become viable, if launched from within an organization of strength.” The agenda duly stretched to producer royalties, A&R development, broadcast rights, digital distribution and recording technology, among many other issues, steered by a growing roster of active and committed protagonists such as Phil Harding, Peter Filleul, Nicky Graham, Mick Glossop, Mike Howlett, Steve Levine, John Leckie and Tony Platt.
John Leckie
“Speaking for myself, being a record producer is quite a lonely job,” comments John Leckie. “The MPG brings us together. We’d work with engineers, but never with other producers. This is how we find out what our peers are going through! It’s what immediately attracted me to join, round about 1986.” With a brief name-change to ‘Re-Pro’ in the late 1990s, and then to the current title, the Music Producers Guild has inspired numerous copies around the world in its pioneering wake.
Tony Platt
As a non-profit making, volunteer-driven model, its altruism is hard to replicate but, according to Tony Platt, this is exactly why it works. “It isn’t a union,” he points out. “It’s more like a support network. That does include ‘social networking’ in the online sense, but there’s much more. We British are not very good at sounding our own trumpets, so one of the most important things the MPG does is promote all of the wonderful expertise, skill and creativity that exists within our community. We’re quite prepared to stand on a chair and shout about how good everybody is.”
Names like Mark Ronson, Youth, Tony Visconti, Geoff Emerick, Gil Norton and Paul Epworth have continued to enrich the membership pool over the years, with a firm grip both on chart success and a landscape of recording technology that today balances digital methods with ‘vintage’ equipment and techniques. The recent influx of a new generation of members who embrace these hybrid methods with ease – including Roni Size, Charlie Andrew, Catherine Marks, Cameron Blackwood, Tom Elmhirst, Olga Fitzroy and Mandy Parnell – pays further tribute to the MPG’s secure future.
“It’s the support, encouragement and community that the MPG and its members provide that has been the most beneficial aspect of being a member,” says Catherine Marks, winner of last year’s Breakthrough Producer of the Year award, “knowing that we’re all striving for the same thing and all experience the same real personal and creative battles, trying to make great records through our diverse approaches and hopefully learning and growing along the way – no matter what part of the industry we work in. Our personal experiences and achievements may differ, but ultimately there is the reassurance that, in a way, we’re all in this together.”
Olga Fitzroy
“I’d been aware of the MPG for some years,” says Olga Fitzroy, “as the annual awards is one of the few music awards that focuses on engineers and producers, and I was lucky enough to win the Engineer of the Year award in 2016. Other than the awards and some social events, I have to admit I wasn’t that sure what they did – until I asked them for help with a campaign I wanted to start to bring in Shared Parental Pay for the self-employed. They’ve been incredibly supportive and invaluable in opening the doors of other industry bodies including the music industry lobbying organisation UK Music. Together we’ve managed to meet senior politicians and even see the policy included in the Labour Party manifesto. Being part of a small-ish but well-connected organisation gave me much-needed support and infrastructure for what was essentially a bit of a DIY project. We hope to continue to work together on this until the legislation is changed.”
Cameron Craig
Clearly, the MPG is more relevant than ever before. “In my few years the strength of the MPG has risen with members being able to bring issues to the table with real results being made,” says producer and MPG Executive Director Cameron Craig. “The MPG is more than ever being sought for its opinions on matters that relate to how the industry moves forward in these changing times, giving it an ever stronger position within the UK music industry. It’s your MPG… get your voice heard.”
|
The link between past and present is clear, even as the record industry evolves rapidly into forms that are increasingly hard to predict. But given the complexities of internet-based culture and media, the cool, calm heads inside the MPG are needed more than ever, embracing the realities of today while protecting the concerns of record producers tomorrow. All those who have emerged within the UK music industry with production credits deserve to support the MPG and, in turn, have its support.
“We all work in our separate boxes,” Mick Glossop reflects, “so the sense of community that the MPG creates is essential. There was a time when we’d bump into each other in a studio corridor somewhere, but today it’s the MPG that binds us together.”
(author: Phil Ward)
The Music Producers Guild has been in existence since the mid-1980’s. It is an industry organisation which represents and supports the interests of all those involved in the production of recorded music in the UK, including record producers, recording engineers and mixers, re-mixers and mastering engineers.
It is a non-profit organisation, run by volunteers from the membership, and offers services to its members which include specialist seminars, panel events, professional advice and generous discounts on legal, accounting and insurance services and the purchase of professional equipment and computer software.
The MPG presents the annual MPG Awards event, which recognises and celebrates the creative and technical achievements of those whose work is, more often than not, over-shadowed by the attention which generally falls, not unreasonably, upon recording artists. The MPG Awards, for one evening every year, seeks to re-dress the balance and shine the spotlight on those producers and engineers who make possible those iconic music productions which we all cherish. A comprehensive archive of photography, video clips and press releases from all the MPG Awards events can be found here.
The MPG represents its members to government and to the rest of the UK music industry through its presence at the board meetings of several industry organisations, including UK Music, BASCA, PRS, MU.
Credit Where Credit Is Due – an initiative to promote the inclusion of credits for the various roles of music production staff within digital music download files (or linked to an on-line database). Currently, those responsible for the artistic and technical achievements involved in contemporary music production go completely unrecognised. These credits, included as standard practice in the sleeve notes and artwork of CD’s and vinyl albums, are currently completely unavailable when digital downloads are purchased, or music tracks are streamed, by the general public.The MPG seeks to rectify this short-coming by urging all consumers and recording artists to make their voices heard to the industry which is responsible for the distribution of recorded music. In 2014, the MPG Mastering Group achieved a significant breakthrough in lobbying for, and securing, the adoption by the EBU, as a new standard of technical procedure, the inclusion of unique IRSC‘s within the meta-data of BWAV audio files. More details here…
The Sound Quality of Digital Music Files – the currently accepted standard for the “quality” of digital audio download files (mp3) falls well short of the quality which is actually achieved in the recording studio by professional producer sand engineers. Consequently, listeners are deprived of the satisfaction of experiencing the sound which the artist, producer and engineers intended. The MPG is campaigning for the highest possible quality of recorded music to be made available for the listening public. The mp3 format was introduced when digital download files first became available; their reduced size made downloading possible. Now that internet speeds have increased immensely and high capacity hard drives and mobile devices are widely and cheaply available, the reduction in file size, known as “compression”. is now longer necessary, and high quality audio files should be made more widely available.
If you would like to interview one of our members, or feature a producer in your publication or media outlet, please contact Laura Bradley, who will help you identify the right member and coordinate the arrangements.
email: laura@sproutpr.co.uk
mobile: +44 (0)7966 435026
There are four levels of membership of the MPG.
Full Membership (£120 per year) – this is open to recording industry professionals (see the eligibility conditions below) and provides a substantial number of membership benefits.
Studio Membership – (£500 per year*)is available any recording or rehearsal studio based in the UK with 5+ employees/directors/partners or more than 3 studios**
Studio Membership – (£250 per year*) is available any recording or rehearsal studio based in the UK with 1-4 employees/directors/partners and less than 3 studios**
Basic Membership – (FREE) is available to anyone. It provides access to the website and email notifications, but none of the other benefits afforded to Full and Associate Members.
**studios for this purpose includes any production space – either a dry hire room or a traditional studio where a control room and live area would count as one space.
| Access to Members Only sections of the website | YES | YES | YES |
MPG Benefits |
Full Members |
Studio Members |
Basic Members |
| Yearly subscription fee | £120 | £500 /250 | free |
| Representation through membership of UK Music and CMM, and directly, at local & national government. | YES | YES | no |
| Receive news about events, benefits, MPG developments via email | YES | YES | YES |
| Professional benefits, e.g legal advice, accountancy, equipment rental, membership of other organisations | YES | YES | no |
| Substantial discounts on pro-audio hardware and software | YES | YES | no |
| Substantial discounts on subscriptions to these magazine: | YES | YES | no |
| Substantial discounts for entry to events presented by other industry organisations including AIM, FAC, MMF, Music Tank, BASCA. | YES | selected | no |
| Free 45 minute consultation with MPG lawyer, Penny Ganz of Ganz Legal | YES | no | no |
| Free entry to MPG events (excluding the MPG Awards) Please note that some MPG events are restricted to Full Members |
YES | selected | no |
| Special rates for tickets for the MPG Awards | YES | YES | no |
| Voting privileges for the MPG Awards | YES | selected | no |
| Invitations to industry product development and pre-launch demos | YES | selected | no |
| Searchable entry in the Members Directory | YES | no | no |
| Searchable entry in the Studio Members Directory | no | YES | no |
| Access to the private Studio Members discussion forum on Basecamp | no | YES | no |
| The MPG’s social media channels: access the many followers of the MPG Twitter account (currently 10,000+) and the extensive MPG Facebook network. | YES | YES | no |
Discounts for longer term Full Membership:
Members can opt for extended membership periods of 2 or 3 years, and receive an appropriate subscription discount:
Eligibility conditions for Full Membership of the MPG:
To qualify for Full Member status, you must have a credit for production, engineering, mixing, re-mixing or mastering on 4 commercially released tracks. This can either be 4 single tracks, 4 tracks on one album or EP, or 4 tracks across multiple albums or EPs. All recognised formats are acceptable, CD, vinyl, digital download, DVD and even cassette! These tracks must have been commercially available via traditional outlets, i.e. digital download from recognised online music retail sites, record shops, mail order. (Please note – non-recognised commercial sales directly by the artist at live venues do not qualify, similarly neither do downloads from personal sites such as Soundcloud).
Alternatively, if you work in film or television and have 4 credits for production, engineering, or mixing music, which has been commercially released in film or broadcast on television, you are also eligible for Full Membership.
After completing the registration form, you will be asked to validate your credits. You can do this by supplying links to any of these websites:
www.discogs.com
www.allmusic.com
www.albumcredits.com
Supplying an ISRC or additional links to the commercial availability of the tracks is much appreciated.
Alternatively, you may send scans of bar-coded album artwork displaying your credits, or signed agreements. Please email them to membership@mpg.org.uk (and please indicate this on the submission form if that’s what you will be doing).
It is extremely difficult to describe, to those not directly involved in the production of recorded music, just how much of a valuable contribution the record producer makes to the final outcome of a recording project.
Many of those professionaly employed in recording and publishing companies and management, allowing for their appreciation of its value, would be hard pressed to come up with a short, concise description of such a varied and multi-skilled activity.
Here’s how record producers themselves describe what they do…
A record producer’s job is to realise the full potential of an artist or band, by supervising their work in the recording studio, often to an extent that the artists themselves had not previously imagined, and which they sometimes will be unable to appreciate until the producer’s work is done.
During the course of this work, both in preparation before the actual recording, and during the recording process, the producer must be supportive, challenging inspiring, demanding, and do whatever it takes to bring out the best in the artist, and capture the highest level of performance at that particular time.
A lot of artists are understandably nervous when recording new works, and lack the confidence which possible subsequent success later brings. The producer must display his confidence in their material and transmit that confidence to the artist so that they can deliver performances worthy of the songs.
Confidence, leadership, diplomacy, and of course, creative musical talent, are all qualities which a producer must possess. A thorough knowledge and familiarity with all of the technology used in contemporary and classic recording is essential.
Some producers develop from roots in musical composition and live performance while others arrive via the studio route, having spent time as recording engineers, and studying, by association, the work of the talented producers with whom they have collaborated.
No matter which path the producer follows, he or she must develop facility in a number of areas, which include musical analysis, song arrangement, technical fluency, familiarity with the latest studio techniques, and the skill to combine these factors in a skilful and creative fashion.
When it comes to studio techniques and style, no two producers work in the same way. Some are very “hands on”, in that they involve themselves in every minute detail of the musical arrangement of the artists’ songs, in effect becoming an extra member of the band. Whereas others take more of a back seat, subtlely guiding the artist through the maze of multitudinous options available when making contemporary records. Some producers move between the two roles, depending on the needs of the artist and the music.
Mick Glossop
I tend to view the record producer’s role as being similar to that of a film director. A record producer is generally responsible for co-ordinating and steering a project creatively, technically and financially to a sometimes vague, pre-planned conclusion; the desired conclusion has usually been decided through meetings, rehearsals, discussions and sometimes demo recordings.
Haydn Bendall
A record producer has to be a good politician and diplomat, a good listener and an excellent therapist. Wherever possible a Record Producer needs to have no ego and the patience of a saint. Beyond that, a good knowledge of music generally, including music practice and theory. Also a good knowledge of studio technology both past and present is vital. Some general business skills are also very useful.
Phil Harding
A record producer makes and implements creative decisions
concerning and directly affecting the overall song, be it choice of singers, instruments, lyrics, melody, samples, style, arrangement, effects etc..
Tim Sherlock-Brown
A record producer for me, is a tireless, often talented person who also acts as a major creative influence when contributing towards the process of record making and recording. The influence of a record producer should be paramount in realising the best possible recordings and mixes that reflect the songs presented and suit both the band and their ability and the music fans alike.
It is very important for bands and musicans to develop a longer term relationship with a producer to ease the process of making future recordings together. We are, at times the thankless backroom team of diplomats of the recording world helping and easing the process of great recordings with a wide variety of artists.
We all greatly enjoy the detail of our work and the contributions we seek to make. The best producers. IMHO, are also very capable and proven recording engineers.
Mark Rose
A record producer is:
a) Mother
b) Father
c) Nursemaid
d) Alarm clock
Tom Allom
Having interviewed a large number of producers for Resolution Magazine, I have noticed that there is a common philosophy amongst most producers (from diverse genres) which can be summed up as something along these lines: A good producer flies by the seat of his pants, and does and says whatever is necessary to achieve the best result in any given situation!
George Shilling
The role of a producer is to take the Artist on a musical journey. Basically speaking, developing the Band or Solo artist and getting the best out of them.
Andrew Neelands
When describing to a layman what a record producer does, I most often say that we are like a director in the movie business. We make the recording as the director in film makes the film. Of course this is simplistic, but it gets the idea across. We try to use our creative past/experience whatever it is, wherever we have come from in music, to guide/empower the artist to their best recorded performance and stay within a budget.
We attempt to stay within the budget by having input on the appropriate studio to use, at what point to go from professional project studio/pre production to the big studio, if at all these days, then through mastering. We help pick the songs to be recorded by giving an objective opinion to the artist, many times saying what the artist may not want to hear. We cast the musicians/players when needed. One thing that is unlike the movie business director is that we also many times do what the producer in the movie business does as well, which is aquiring the money/budget to make the recording in the first place.
There are many different types of producer:
1) The producer who is also a brilliant musician (i.e. Quincy Jones or Phil Ramone).
2) The producer that came through the engineering ranks and is a brilliant engineer, and Pro-Tools wizard, yet is not a musician.
3) There are those that wouldn’t know one knob from the next yet just have the golden ears to know what will work.
No matter which one anyone is, a common thread seems to be that of acting psychiatrist, and knowing when and how hard to push an artist, or pull back. This is something that takes a long time to get really good at (i.e. Imagine George Martin shepherding the Beatles in 1967 or 1968, or Quincy with Michael Jackson in 1981-1983 to really understand this).
I think even the most experienced producer learns something new on every new project, and puts that in his toolbox for the next one. One thing is for sure. It takes a village to make a great record.
George Glennon
A record producer is the person who combines all his previous expertise (it could be engineering, musicianship, managerial skills, people skills, financial skills, public relations skills or writers skills or any combinations of these) to actualize the making of a record.
Emre Yazgin
It could be a lot of things, mixed, one by one or one to a specific situation:
a “psycologist” first of all, a good musician, a fantastic engineer, an excellent composer/songwriter, sometimes an accountant.
A person who knows or “SEE” what kind of result will be at the end of the work and use and/or know the technology path to achieve the music goal.
Mario Bertodo
Music production draws on managerial and administrative skills, creative and compositional skills, psychological and social skills and technological skills. There is also a core skill base that producers often draw on, that can be a compositional and creative and/or a technichal skill base.
From my findings it is clear that music production is an extremely diverse and multi-skilled discipline and there is no one way to approach it. As much as the role is an evolving one, it draws on age-old communication and listening skills. An emerging music producer must learn from this as well as from experience.
I also found that above all, passion for music is one of the main ingredients to being a successful music producer. The production process can present many financial and emotional obstacles and it is through these difficulties that the producer’s inherent love for music will assert itself as the most vital motivational force.
Chris ‘Krik’ Young
I class myself as a music producer rather than record producer purely because the music I produce doesn’t necessarily end up on a record and globally these days it ends up in a digital format of some sort. This is me personally and doesn’t reflect the way in which other producers term themselves.
A good example of a producers role is when I produce with a band, they write all the music and come to me as a producer as an external critic who is able to understand the direction of the project, I will guide and evolve the overall sound, arrangement and performance of the songs in order for them to reach market potential. To flip this on its head, as a producer of dance music I’m at the controls and will often compose the music as well as be the main producer.
I guess the real job of a producer is to be able to work on many levels really, producing is not just specific to the music itself, I often find myself producing the vocals also, especially with vocal performances that have multiple layers i.e harmonies.
The business model of producing a record/product hasn’t really changed that much although the technology we use has, which I suppose in turn has helped to speed up the productivity of the overall process.
Nat Clarkson
I believe a record producer is the interim member of the band, or indeed the long lost friend for a solo artist. Someone with the understanding, the knowledge and the appreciation for the music of the specific project, but also with the vision, determination and craft necessary to keep everybody focused on the target, the skill to find the shortest path ahead, the endurance to ride the long wave, the cheek to always ask for the impossible and the luck to get it sometimes, the patience to get through hard times and the impatience to get some quick results. But mostly a record producer is a believer – that through music the world is a better place and its people worth listening to.
Marco Migliari
My understanding of the role of the producer was that he or she was responsible for the artistic performances, for the musicians and the overall feel and sound of the recording.
But my view has changed since I started producing and I now understand that the producer can also co-write the song or use his or hers tools to arrange and develop a sound for the specific song.
Due to the fact that the various roles in the creation of a recording can overlap, the producer has to have an agreement with the other parties that he or she is the producer.
Examples of what a producer would be:
a) Record label or the artist comes to me with just lyrics and melody under the lyrics and ask me to co-write and produce the song. They have obviously heard my previous works and they know what sound they will get. I am the co-writer and the producer.
b) Record label or the artist comes to me with lyrics, melody and basic music, in other words all the songwriting is done, and they ask me to produce the song and put my expertise to make it into a marketable product. I am just the producer.
In essence if you know the various job roles involved in the creation of a recording you will not find it hard to understand the producer’s role. A basic illustration of the chain of people goes like this:
Songwriter -> Producer -> Recording Engineer -> Mixer -> Mastering engineer -> Radio, iTunes, HMV
I didn’t put the musicians in because they can be session musicians that are getting paid a fee to just play their instrument. They would come in around when the recording engineer comes in.
In the case that the musicians are members of a band or the artist then they are probably but not always get involved with the songwriting process. That would make them co-writers.
I believe that the confusion has come with the credits on a CD. It is more fashionable for someone to have the “Produced by” credit than the “Music by” credit even if he is the co-writer. This fashion has come from the States where everyone knows that Timbaland is a producer but they don’t know that he is also a songwriter. Many record labels they would tag their new artists as producers even if they are working with a well known producer, just because it will be a selling point.
Costis Papadopoulos
CONNECTIONS Join us at our regular get-togethers and meet like-minded professionals – and some who aren’t like you at all. Seriously, it’s a rapid way to make invaluable contacts with producers who just love to share ideas and wisdom – yours and theirs!
POWER Exploit the MPG and UK Music’s powerful lobby in the Corridors of Power, which recognise music production as one the UK’s most valuable exports. Becoming a member gives you access to that lobby and adds your voice to the issues we all face
DISCOVERY Come to our regular workshops, discussions and demos that will keep you bang up to speed on the latest gear and the best techniques for using it
DISCOUNTS Get into a stronger bargaining position to get fantastic deals for our members on new equipment, services and hire – and be first in the queue for many new developments
SUPPORT Take advantage of access to legal, financial and other professional advice validated by us as relevant and reliable (Full Members only)
DECISIONS Get to vote in the run-up to the annual MPG Awards, in order to help us arrive at the shortlist of all the potential winners (Full Members only)
There’s a whole page in more detail about the many benefits you get from joining the MPG, and another about the types of membership available at various different levels. There’ll be one for you, without doubt.
Roni Size
Being a member of MPG has opens up doors for me in the world of music by being a member of the judging panel .
Whilst being on the panel I had the pleasure of meeting producers , vocalist, mastering engineers and the people right at the top who have been involved in the MPG awards from the very beginning. I am also in communications with members discussing how we could attract versatile producers from other genres. There is and always will be challenges when selecting unsung heroes of music .
Marta Salogni
It’s an honour to be part of this community of forward-thinking, talented minds shaping the future of music.
Alan Moulder
Being a member of the MPGs gives you a much needed feeling of support. It’s good to know there are like minded people out there who you can discuss any issues with and get advice from. You kind of feel part of a team.
Manon Grandjean
Being a member of the MPG is such a honour, to be part of a community of music lovers from all backgrounds from engineers, producers, artists. It is also a great way to support your peers in the music industry.
Mick Glossop
The MPG is a community of producers and engineers who benefit from contact that would otherwise be impossible to achieve. This includes strong links with its American counterpart, The Producers & Engineers Wing of the Grammy Organisation.
Tony Platt
Because I grew up in a music business that had a strong social aspect to it I have found that being actively involved in MPG has enabled me to re-connect with that aspect of the industry that I believe to be crucially important. In these days of cyberspace existence the MPG offers a tangible way to keep in touch with other like minded (and contradictory) creative people.
General enquiries: communications@mpg.org.uk
Membership: membership@mpg.org.uk
Events: backroom@mpg.org.uk
Website: backroom@mpg.org.uk
Consumer press: email Laura Bradley: laura@sproutpr.co.uk or call her on +44 (0) 7966 435026
Please note that the MPG is not an agency, but a professional trade organisation.
The MPG as an organisation, cannot answer questionnaires or supply detailed answers to research questions from students.
Anyone wishing to contact producers or engineers should use the search function, located at the top right hand corner of every page, or use the Members Directory.
All enquiries regarding music industry education and/or careers advice should be directed to JAMES (Joint Audio Media Education Services).
JAMES (Joint Audio Media Education Support) is an alliance of music, entertainment and media industry organisations collaborating in the support of education and promotion of excellence. It also represents a valuable resource for anyone wishing to find out about courses and career paths within the Music, Post-Production, Film, Television, Technical Theatre and associated industries.
Welcome to the Music Producers Guild website – here you’ll find the latest news and announcements, along with information on upcoming events.
The Music Producers Guild was started and is supported by producers, mixers, recording engineers, re-mixers and programmers who are passionate about all aspects of making and recording music. It is a not-for-profit company and is run by volunteers from the membership. Our Members’ Directory is accessible to the public and features the profiles of some of the MPG full members, whilst the Studio Membership section features the profiles of our studio members.
Our aims are to support our members in their careers, campaign for the rights of music industry workers, promote diversity within the industry and to celebrate the achievements of our members through our annual MPG Awards.
We see it as providing a community for us to share our collective experience and collaborate with other like-minded people.
Formed as a Guild rather than a Trade Association, MPG has no party political agenda, but we do represent our community to government so that our voice is heard. Individually, and through membership of UK Music and the CMM, we lobby the government on matters that affect our members, including Brexit, self-employed issues, and Covid-19 support. We also support members in their dealings with local government and devolved administrations.
We also encourage and support discussion and development within our community through various events, sub-groups such as the Mastering, Pro Tools and Logic user groups, and joint events with other industry trade bodies.
The MPG is a member of and sits on the board of UK Music the umbrella organisation which represents the collective interests of the UK’s world-leading music industry.
The MPG also is a Liaison Member of DDEX the body bringing standardisation to the digital music value chain enabling credits to flow easily in a digital world.
| Brian Eno | Steph Marziano | Catherine Marks | Ethan Johns |
| Manon Grandjean | Kirsty Whalley | Jake Gosling | Imogen Heap |
| Fraser T Smith | Nile Rodgers | Paul Epworth | John Leckie |
| Tom Dalgety | Matt Colton | Marta Salogni | Roni Size |
| Sylvia Massy | Mandy Parnell | Tony Visconti | Mark ‘Spike’ Stent |
Membership is open to all producers, engineers, mixers, re-mixers, programmers, sound designers, mastering engineers, students, enthusiasts – everyone who shares our delight in the possibilities of music and audio.
We have tried to structure membership to reflect this attitude of inclusion by offering a tier of membership to suit all levels of involvement and budget whilst respecting and honouring the commitment, dedication and creativity those at the top of the profession display.
Visit our Benefits page for more information
Join the MPG now
1. The NEWS pages – refreshed regularly, with up-to-date news from the UK and worldwide music industries.
2. The EVENTS page – news of events organised by the Music Producers Guild, which are free to Full Members, and discounted for Associate Members. Events are sometimes organised in association with other organisations and pro-audio companies, or separately organised by affiliate UK industry organisations (AIM, MU, PPL, BASCA, MusicTank, FAC, PRS) with whom the MPG fosters mutually beneficial relationships. Most events organised by affiliated organisations provide MPG members with generous discounts.
3. The BENEFITS page – an exhaustive list of generous and mostly exclusive discounts on services, including legal and insurance, and purchases of pro-audio hardware and software.
4. The MEMBERS DIRECTORY – set up as a service to help prospective clients locate and make contact with producers, engineers, mixers, etc., the Members Directory allows them to search for suitable services, based upon selective criteria, including music genre, studio facilities, etc. Assuming that members have not protected themselves from contact by setting their privacy options to “private”, their name will appear after searches in the Members Directory.
5. The FULL MEMBERS FORUM – lively discussions about subjects of interest to those working in professional audio and music production.
6. The KNOWLEDGE BANK – contains a wealth of useful and fascinating information relating to music recording. It includes links to interviews with well-respected producers and engineers, articles about the music industry, a whole section devoted to the legendary producer/engineer, Joe Meek, photos, videos and information about all the MPG Awards events, and much much more. It’s well worth a visit!
7. The LINKS page – it speaks for itself. Needless to say, it’s comprehensive!
8. The FEATURED STUDIOS page – created and maintained in conjunction with Natalie Forsyth, creator of the All Studios website, this page contains in depth descriptions of many UK studios, including photos.
9. The PRO TOOLS and LOGIC PRO User Groups – contact other Full Members (full-time professionals) if you have a problem with your DAW.
10. The MEMBERS CURRENT PROJECTS page – MPG members can promote their activities via this dedicated page, and even provide links from their own web pages for the benefit of their clients. Please note: most of the above facilities are available to all members. However, some are reserved for Full Members of the MPG. If you would like to upgrade your Associate Membership to Full Membership status, click on the link: “revise my membership” under “MY ACCOUNT”in the header bar.
