Feargal Sharkey: 'UK can overtake US to become top music nation'
UK Music chief also calls for new cabinet committee

March 30, 2010
http://www.nme.com/news/the-undertones/50452



Head of music industry umbrella group UK Music Feargal Sharkey has said that he believes the UK can overtake the US to be the world's most successful musical nation within the next ten years.

The former Undertones singer also called for a new cabinet committee that would report to the Prime Minister and let ministers focus policies for creative industries such as music, reports BBC News.

"We think can be number one," he said. "We're not far off it."

He added that he had already been been "quietly discussing" the prospect of a new committee with people already in government.

"The next step is very easy," he explained. "The government needs to say 'that's a great idea', and get on with it. We could have the whole thing in place by the end of the week."

The call came as UK Music released a new report entitled Liberating Creativity. The full report can be downloaded from Ukmusic.org.

With the crap US record companies are churning out these days, I believe it.

Wow. I never thought the former lead singer of The Undertones would be a record company exec!

Feargal's got A Good Heart.

I think it may be possible in general, but America will always be the leader in hip hop.

Yay for the U.S.A.

I find UK music to be much more diverse and interesting in general. Plus UK audiences seem a tad more sophisticated than their American cousins.

Yes. As long as he's not a Little Thief.

I've long thought that the UK put out better music in general.

This will never happen until Feargal rejoins The Undertones.

Such an Assembly: Never never.

Me too.

The main problem with Feargal's "UK can overtake US" claim is the lowest common denominator that "listens" to and consumes music. Most people like being spoon fed. I SUPPOSE not everyone appreciates music the way we do.

Me three. He must be talking sheer numbers. Units sold. In which case he and his government committee aren't really about "liberating creativity".

It's much like when he liberated himself from The Undertones in order to do wildly creative solo material.

"Teenage Kicks" was legendary British DJ John Peel's favorite song, and it was played at his funeral. It is also in my top 10 of all time.

Peel also hosted the Undertones documentary (also called "Teenage Kicks"), which was awesome.

(Sad to watch the beginning of that film now, actually. Peel mentions early on that he wants "Teenage Kicks" to be played at his funeral, adding, "Which hopefully is still a long way off." I don't think it was more than five years later that he died. ... )

Imagine what The Undertones could have accomplished if only there'd been a government committee to manage their creative growth.

Yes, I saw that at a film festival here, great stuff.

That's awesome! I never got to see it on a big screen...

(That said, if you ever have a chance to get the DVD, I recommend it. There is extra interview footage, and I swear it's as long as the actual film!)

I must buy that!

(Talking about the Undertones brings out the emoticonography in me!)

The last time British music "invaded" us, the results were pretty damn good.

I tend to like Brit rock better myself, but don't understand why they need a government committee to do it.