High note for Morpeth-based music managers

Nov 25 2009 by Chris Knox, The Journal

A BAND set up to play weddings six years ago has grown into a talent management company and is now looking to double the amount of musicians on its roster to 200.

Morpeth-based Hip Operation has recruited two full-time and two part-time staff as it gears up for the Christmas season and wants to double the size of the business over the next six months.

The business started out as a six- piece band in 2003, playing jazz, swing and contemporary music for weddings and corporate events before band leader and drummer Steve Dolder decided to turn it into a talent agency.

What began as an informal network of musicians who would cover for each other in the event of a double booking has grown into one of the region’s largest professional music management companies.

He said: “We were getting requests that involved us finding things like a string section or a trumpet player at the last minute. The whole thing just began to swell.

“We are confident we can recruit another 100 musicians as we are a well-established outfit in the North East.”

The artists represented range from solo singers and performers, through string quartets and pipers to rock, pop and tribute bands.

The expansion has come about since Hip Operation extended its area of operations from Newcastle and South Northumberland to cover the North East from Berwick to the North Yorkshire border.

The company is run by professional musicians who have learned management skills, rather than professional managers.

Mr Dolder said: “We are expanding due to requests from musicians all over the region. Our success seems to be based on the fact that we are musicians offering professional representation to fellow musicians.

“We know what the job is like because we have been there and are still performing.

“Hip Operation started out as a sort of self-help group for musicians fed up with management who were only interested in their commission and we have tried to maintain that friendly but professional ethos.

“Now, if a client wants a particular type of music and our local guys are booked, we can find an alternative from within the region.”