Musicians bidding for success in the Shropshire Star’s Battle of the Bands competition were today given an added incentive - a £100 cash prize for the best individual.
The money will go to the winner of the Rob James Battle of the Bands Music Award, which is being launched in memory of a former journalist, who died in October 2006.
Mr James, who was the Severn FM news editor, was found dead at his home in High Street, Shrewsbury. He was 29.
About £5,000 worth of prizes are on offer in the competition, which is being run in conjunction with Salop Music Centre, Wolf at Your Door Records, The Buttermarket and Soundscape Studios.
Today Pete Wagstaff, the managing director of MNA Radio, who is funding the prize, said it will be a fitting tribute to Mr James.
He said: “The new station had only been on air for a month or so before he passed away.
“It will be a fitting tribute to Rob’s passion for radio and live music, along with his astonishingly dedicated promotion of unsigned bands in the Midlands.
“He used to do a weekly unsigned band show on Kerrang Radio and was regarded by many the voice of unsigned bands for the Midlands.”
The £100 prize will go to the best individual musician who plays in one of two nights planned at The Buttermarket, at the end of March.
Bands have until March 9 to submit their entries. They should send music, videos, photographs and biographies to James Shaw, Shropshire Star, Waterloo Road, Ketley, Telford, TF1 5HU. Bands will be featured by Telford FM DJ Paul Shuttleworth on his unsigned bands programme.
* Employees of Shropshire Newspapers, associate companies and their immediate families are not eligible to enter. The editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
Competition sponsors:
Shropshire Music Centre - the main sponsors, offering £3,000 of band equipment www.salopmusic.co.uk
A Wolf at Your Door Records - offering 100 demo discs and advice www.wolfatyourdoor.com
Soundscape Studios - offering four hours studio time http://soundscape-studios.co.uk
The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury - venue for the Battle Of The Bands finals www.buttermarket.com
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