Musicians' Co-op website pays dividends for bands

WHERE do bands such as indie-punk vixens 'Angelica', Lancaster's shyest rock stars'The Pier Group', jazzers 'The Shady Trio', acoustic rockers 'The Wisemen', metal-heads 'Seraphim', funksters 'Sprockett Launcher', the mysterious 'School- boy Whores and many more rub shoulders? The answer, of course, is the newly launched Lancaster Musicians' Co-op website. Bands and musicians from across the Lancaster and Morecambe area are finding the new Musicians' Co-op website extremely useful. The website - http:\\lancastermusiccoop.users.btopenworld.com - offers bands and musicians a huge. amount of easily accessible information. Phil Milston designed the site in collaboration with Music Co-op workers lan Dicken, Tom Myall and David Blackwell.  It's a no-frills site with a simple design. This makes it incredibly easy to use and you don't waste your time looking at lengthy intros and flashy animation. The idea for the website was first conceived around two years ago and it went live approximately three weeks ago. Simple "We wanted to make it as simple as possible and for it to be a huge information source so people keep coming back" explains Phil. In the first couple of weeks that the site was up and running it had an amazing 3,000 hits. One of the most popular aspects of the site is proving to be the news archive. It has all the latest reviews and band news as well as a few features from when the Musicians' Co-op was first opened 16 years ago. The more recent reviews mainly date back to 2000. Phil is keen to build up the archive and is asking people to email him or drop photocopies of cuttings relating to the Co-op or bands off at the front desk. "We'd like to receive anything from when it opened right up to 2000," says Phil. He can be emailed at: tribo@btinternet.com "I'm sure a lot of bands have kept old gig reviews," explains Phil. Another area of the website that is popular is the section called 'Boot Hill'. It features all the 'dead bands' which once used the Co-op. If you're into the local music scene it makes for quite funny reading and it's highly nostalgic. For example, who could forget the likes of Delusions of Grandad, Born Ugly, Carrot on the Floor, The Folkin' Eejits, Lesbian Wear, Oranges Don't Dance, Sheep Are Nervous, Spank Frenzy and Vagina Boy! The site has a large 'for sale' and  'available' section which bands are finding to be a useful resource. Guitar If you're looking for a certain kind of guitar or a new singer for your band It's the place to look. "People are sending us new stuff all the time to put on it," says Phil. "It's a free service." One of the Co-op's innovative ideas for the site is to try to set up an 'on-line live jam room' so that musicians can play music together over the internet. "Brian Eno did a similar thing a few years ago at phenomenal expense," explains Phil. "The technology is developing so fast that we should be able to do it within a couple of years."'  Resource.  The Co-op members decided not to promote up-and-coming gigs on the site as the Yorkshire House website already does that. Bands which use the Co-op get their details, contact information and photographs included in the site for free. There are also links to other sites' The Co-op often gets calls from booking agents and they are given the website details. The Co-op's digital and analogue recording facilities are promoted on the site as well as hire rates for the studio and rehearsal rooms. Phil says the Co-op is one of the few places parents can leave their kids and not have to worry about their safety "There's only been one accident in the last five years and that was when Dave cut his finger," he ,Says. "We also have a little on-line shop. We have a small stock of things like drum sticks and picks." The Co-op has many ideas for further developing the sites including 'band family trees', 'chat rooms' and games. You can access a number of other services on the website including insurance for bands and individuals. You can also spot a fair few famous names on the site such as Angelica and the Milltown Brothers who started their musical careers at the Co-op. 'A lot of these bands would possibly not exist if it wasn't for the Co-op," adds Phil. "I think the reason the local music scene has been so healthy is down to the Co-op."  Cheek out the website on: http:\\lancastermusiccoop.users.btopenworld.com