Matt Jacobson interviews Tom Beattie and Amy Day, hosts of the new Mersey Melody Podcast.
The world of the podcast is vast and fulfills audiences around the world with a plethora of subjects and themes and there’s no sign of it stopping as high demand constantly increases the volume button on our devices.
Podcasts can be reliable and accessibility is perfect as you can listen to them in any location around the globe, increasing knowledge, awareness and experiences. I’ve listened and loved many.
And now there’s a new podcast on the scene that caught my attention and made me interested just by the name and a recent Twitter advert (or X , or whatever Elon calls it today, probably change it again tomorrow).
Music Melody – is a new Liverpool music podcast that has set its sights on making its mark with interviews with the creatives from across the region. The hosts, Tom Beattie and Amy Day have a pure passion for music and their first two podcasts highlighted just that with a warm and engaging approach and full of insight.
I can see this being a huge success as the city is alive with a vibrant music scene and this platform will aid the audience and artists on their journey into the magical world of music. I wanted to know more about the podcast, the hosts and what we can expect from the forthcoming podcasts – so I interviewed Tom and Amy.
Prior to your podcast, did you follow and listen to other Podcasts, if so, which ones did you enjoy?
Amy: My favourite is Fantastival Podcast – another music podcast! I find it so interesting hearing what other people are listening to and what music inspires them.
Tom: I love Sodajerker, they are two guys from Liverpool and are both songwriters. They talk about the art form of songwriting and have had some amazing guests on too. Also Adam Buxton, because he’s pioneered a conversational style and that’s something we want to bring to our podcast too.
When did you feel the idea could turn into reality?
When we first put the call out for guests – we had a huge response and lots of people wanted to talk to us. We couldn’t believe the reaction, particularly from musicians in the city – we realised there was a bit of a gap for them to talk about their music away from the traditional media.
How have you found the process so far?
Tom: I think we both realised there is a bit of experience from us both. I’ve been a journalist for 4 years, while Amy has experience of building a social media following and so we knew we had a good combination of skills.
Amy: The process of recording we’ve found to be of trial and error but with musicians working with sound anyway they have been really helpful in giving us tips when it comes to our production values.
How do you select the artists to join you?
Amy: We have done a few call outs on social media as we didn’t know how much interest there would be initially and then after that, it’s been a case of seeing which artists could bring a unique perspective of the Liverpool music scene.
Which artists are you hoping to bring to the podcast?
Amy: my dream guest would be John Power. Cast is my favourite band! I went through a bit of a bad time with my mental health and listening to Cast and John’s solo stuff has really helped me through it, music’s a great healer.
Tom: Paul McCartney would be my ultimate one I think. He’s my hero and I think we’d have a very interesting conversation!
I feel you are so passionate about music in general and especially music from the city – what is it about Liverpool that breeds such exciting talent?
We think in general, there is a defying spirit in Liverpool people. There’s a grit and determination to express themselves and that’s why there’s been such a rich history in all forms of the arts. There’s a saying that in Liverpool, you either pick up a pair of footie boots or a guitar and so the path is already laid out for us in that sense. There’s an attitude of “if they can do it, then so can I.” Whether that’s football, music or any art form.
And can you name your most memorable gigs in Liverpool?
Amy: For me I’d say seeing Paul McCartney for the first time at Anfield in 2008. I’d been a Beatles fan since I was a kid, so to see him stood in front of me was surreal. Tom and I also saw Cast at Mountford Hall earlier this year, we’d been following each other on social media for a while but that gig was the first time we’d ever met. We became best mates instantly!
Tom: My first ever gig was The Coral at the O2 academy, I used to listen to a lot of classic rock and they brought indie to the forefront for me. It’s not strictly Liverpool but when I saw John Power and Jamie Webster in Kiev – one of the best days of my life, as it combined two of my loves: LFC and music.
With thanks to Tom and Amy.
Matt
Matt Jacobson
Explore Liverpool
READ MORE: INTERVIEW WITH WRITER DICKIE FELTON ON HIS NEW BOOK
