A former Biffy Clyro photographer and a once comedy production assistant discuss music in a quaint London pub a world away from our shared homeland of Glasgow.
Paul McCallum and Claire Lim live and breathe the stuff – and each other – and are the quietly confident couple behind the bustling hub of online music PR, management, and events that is their company: A Badge of Friendship.
A line from Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut, the partnership boasts an impressive roster of bands and artists, that take advantage of the duo's spaghetti junction of roads into the business. The two are barely beyond their first year of going it alone in the cultural royalty of the smoke.
Claire’s passion for music was carved out in a worthy Glasgow scene some years ago, a deep-set obsession that – as more the chief communicator than her other half who’s deft at operations – drives her today.
“I’ve had my fair share of jobs where I’ve been plugging things like TV programs and music that I think are a pile of … nonsense. We need to like the people we work with whether it’s managers, labels, or companies. We want to keep everything as straightforward and stressfree as possible" she says.
‘A-BoF’ (pronounced AyyBoff), as they’re known under the cloisters have had a breakthrough year cemented with the launch of their online TV station in late 2010. With the talent onside and their ability to operate across radio, online, and print – the constant vibrations emanating from iPhones 3 and 4 on the table shows a palpable demand for their services.
“There are so many great bands out there on small indie labels, or who are not signed at all, that deserve to be seen. Our TV station is just another string to our bow. We film it in as clean a style as possible – stripped back and without gimmicks. And that’s something I’m proud of.
“We filmed Enablers do a set just before All Tomorrow’s Parties and they were chosen by Pavement to play at the festival – that’s a pretty sound endorsement” Claire says.
Without wishing to ask what the bottom line on the self-assessment was, it’s clear Claire and Paul have found a rewarding shaft which elevates talent from music's basement to the ground floor. Those who get caught in the lift doors are given a distinctive Glaswegian prod.
Ex Libras, Union Sound Set, Tango in the Attic are bands that patiently harness an underground rawness. While the music industry straddles reincarnation and implosion, these bands are creating their presence and following online, not adapting to it as an afterthought. A Badge of Friendship are themselves the enablers. Their company name atop a press release means it will be opened, not moused to the delete folder.
The pair were classmates at Glasgow University’s Film and TV school but it wasn’t until later days that they met. Paul admits he wasn’t built for university and – an aspiring photographer – was on tour with Ayrshire stadium rockers Biffy Clyro before ink could hit his degree parchment.
Related to Armando Iannucci, Paul was responsible for early artwork and photos during Biffy Clyro’s ascendancy from pubs to clubs to stadia, so took the punt into the background of the music industry in which, after long stints on tour, he’d become an unwitting expert.
“What we offer would struggle to make its way onto mainstream TV." Paul says.
"Artists like These Monsters and Shield Your Eyes aren’t exactly T4 friendly. We offer a place where the public can freely learn about the band and see them in action; which is a good thing. There’s no ads, and no orange faced presenter."
The prelude to their thriving young business saw the couple promoting underground shows during down time from Claire working in production, and Paul taking freelance snaps for Fender. As confidence grew the calibre of their acts similar rose. The Twilight Sad, Sucioperro, Hell is for Heroes all rolled into town and Badge incarnate saw a future in this - taking it online.
The importance of social media in all its forms is a distinguishing feature of ABoF bands. Each artist on the roster has its wares strategically cast at the pages of the web communities that seem to dictate existence. The TV channel - built to share, sync, embed, and aggregate, seems a logical extension.
“If we achieve some sort of notoriety and manage to pull people who are interested in the various genres of music, then I think our job’s done." Paul explains.
“We hope it’ll give us the chance to feature bands that have inspired us to want to work in music. If we’re able to expand and attract acts who not only appeal to us, but to a larger audience, then I think we’d be happy.”
Their meaty roster that spans the genres hides what is in fact a rather selective recruitment and acceptance policy. There’s no get-out-and-grab approach to acquiring new talent, even to the detriment of their bank balance, Claire and Paul only work with bands they can get excited about. The press are cottoning on, and ABoF bands are taken seriously.
“We need to like them" Claire says.
“The last thing we want to do is work with bands we don’t like. I’m the one on the phone and email chatting about the bands - I need my passion to come across.”
Acts on the books are incrementally growing their stock. Blog placements turn into website interviews; turn into music press reviews and turn into features in the Observer Music Monthly. An escalation in the strength of publication reflecting the same when it comes to their live shows and venue prestige. Just one year in and ABoF's acts are taking their sound abroad.
Union Sound Set look set for a big future following a UK breakthrough tour, Talons are embarking on an American voyage, and The Unkindness of Ravens are doing stints in Germany and beyond.
Principles, self-assuredness, passion and drive is backed up by an impressive roster, and an inspiring record: exposing genres-spanning talent and getting it heart.
A Yellow Pages of industry names sit in the contacts book; a sound grey-matter understanding of the social media sphere match a passion for perfection in placing artists on the map. Bands on the books count themselves lucky, the company stamp is surely a Badge of honour.
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