We have some short introductions outlining the roles and job specs of each judge below, so find out who holds your destiny in their hands!
Have YOU got the Traxfactor?
These guys decide!
Mercury Music Group
This is one of the UK's biggest and most successful record labels. A part of the Universal Music Group, Mercury is home to world class artists as diverse as U2, Razorlight, The Killers, Rihanna, Kanye West, Jay Z, Elton John and Metallica. As well as these established acts, the label is a trailblazer for some of the most exciting new artists emerging from the UK, with recent successes and soon to be huge artists including Amy Macdonald, One Night Only, Joe Lean & The Jing Jang Jong and Aynzli Jones.
Clive Cawley
Habbo Name: Clivevertigo
Digital Marketing Manager
Mercury Music Group
I have to oversee all digital activity within Mercury Music Group from website conception to commercial opportunities and the over all marketing strategy for Digital within the label. I have been a Senior product Manager previously, looking after such artists as The Killers, Arcade Fire, Metallica, Ryan Adams, Paul McCartney and Bon Jovi and have brought my physical marketing experience across into the digital world to integrate the two areas together.
Vicky Harnetty
Habbo Name: vickyharnetty
Digital Campaign Manager
Mercury Music Group
I am responsible for managing the Digital Campaigns for all acts signed to Mercury, primarily those signed in the UK. This covers the freshly signed breaking acts and the more established artists who already have a catalogue of releases. My involvement includes generating and maintaining the artist database, all social networking activity and promotions using digital innovation and new services to put our acts/ artists on the map.
Jonny Simon
Habbo Name: Jonnyvertigo
A and R Manager
Mercury Music Group
My Job is twofold. To maintain and develop the artists I have signed to the label(making records, managing budgets) and also, all the while, continuing to search for new talent!
The keys to success in my job is a constant desire to keeping up with any new information on potential artists, which requires a huge amount of networking (agents, lawyers, publishers, promoters) and a genuine passion for contemporary music. To find a good bands again is through networking (agents etc see above) but over the last two years obviously myspace and other online engines have become very important to my everyday search. How to nurture an artist successfully there is no single answer, as it depends on the artist, but there is no substitute for live work and getting people in the studio to practice. With regards to recording, it's important to have the band working with the correct producer. It's not just about what matches them musically but who fits their personalities and songwriting tendencies. The group must work well together to make good music.
George Craig
Habbo Name: george-craig
One Night Only
George Craig is the singer and lead guitarist from One Night Only. George joined the band when he was just 12 and they all began 'making noise' in their hometown of Helmsley. In October 2006, Steve Lamacq began spinning the demo of 'You And Me', prompting George and the rest of the band to knuckle down, write some songs and start taking themselves seriously. In March 2007, the band became subject of a fierce A&R battle and George, still only 16, dropped out of school to pursue his dreams and went on to sign to Vertigo, home of Razorlight and The Killers. They've spent the past year touring with the likes of The Enemy and The Pigeon Detectives and are about to release their highly anticipated debut album 'Started A Fire' on the 4th February 2008. Check out the picture of George Craig below!
Daniel Cross
Habbo Name: DanRecordPlay
Founder
Record-play ltd
I run a music consultancy called Record-play (www.record-play.net). We find music for ads, films, TV programmes and games. We are always on the look out for new music to place in our clients' productions. Currently we work with about 100 international Indie labels and music publishers plus loads of unsigned artists. Our clients include Adidas, Sony, Heineken, Burberry and Microsoft. I’m hoping that you’ll be producing some tracks that we can work with in the future, so good luck!
