Dave Cross

What is your background and experience in the music industry?

Like most of us on here, I’ve been passionate about music since I was this high (stretching arm down as low as it will go). So inevitably I started going to gigs and trying to produce new nights featuring bands that weren’t being booked to play by anyone else. That was in Scotland at first and was great fun – it didn’t seem to matter that it often didn’t make a profit at that time. I started earning more money in IT and I guess technology was my second interest, so while working with new computer designs by day, I started developing equipment and software that worked with sound and music in innovative ways too as a hobby at first and commercially quite quickly afterwards. I lived and worked in London, Brighton, Brussels and a few other places during the 80s but realised that the North’s music scene was one of the most active in the country, but only a handful of our bands were getting noticed elsewhere. Many simply didn’t seem to want to move beyond the North’s circuit.

I was impressed by the attitude of Sting, whose demo for his first publishing company I recorded - he was determined to play the game the industry wanted just enough to get what he wanted, and that attitude intrigued me. I was then invited to work on massive-scale festival productions in the South East and overseas, and a spot of radio work, all of which must have helped me to find the bridges which local Northern bands needed to engage with the National industry. I guess it was all these factors which led naturally to me being so active in getting a local network of musicians and other music workers off the ground – the network that became Generator in 1991.

What is your connection to the North East?

Well it was a short-term job that brought me here – a computer project. I made it quite clear that I wouldn’t be staying, and to prove the point, I came with a residential caravan! That was in ’73. The caravan didn’t last long.

What are you listening to at this exact moment? What are your favourite records released in the last 5 years?

EMO bands. There are several of them rehearsing in the rooms around my office most evenings – I’m getting used to them. Gradually. I was listening to The National before that and Beaumont Hannant before that –coincidentally, one’s from York and the other from New York. Favourite recent releases might include Tinawaren, DJ Shadow, DJ Cheb I Sabbah and Banda Sonora.

What are your favourite records released in the last 20 years?

Why stop at 20 years? I was doing a band soundcheck last week where the guitarist and drummer broke into ‘So What’ (Miles Davis) when I reminded them that that tune was recorded 50 years ago this year! Anyway – LTJ Bukem gets several places in my list with Logical Progression and Journey Inwards, then there’s Sigur Ros, Arvo Part, Luke Vibert, Nils Petter Molaver, and some trance and techno, Jazz and international music and its fusions (such as the 2 albums by Gotan Project).

Which projects are you currently working on outside of Generator?

Is there REALLY life outside of Generator? I guess trying to keep a grasp of the tumbling and interconnected financial house of cards is a pretty full time project, as well as keeping track of our nations’ music venues as they come in and out of flavour. I studied philosophy and try to keep up to date with my reading, but always fail. And then I’ve been doing a little guerrilla gardening in public places too – but don’t tell anyone about that.

What is your favourite live music venue in the North East?

The Cluny, in Newcastle. (I think I have to say that!)

Favourite Live Music venue in the UK?

Too many favourites – must I choose one? Okay then, The Thekla, in Bristol. Can I have a second, please? The Tollbooth in Stirling.

Best live music show that you’ve ever seen?

Spearhead with Michael Franti. It wasn’t their music that makes this my choice but that man’s combination of charisma, social awareness and defiant and impudent relationship with his audience that makes him stand out. For one brief moment he made the whole venue absolutely silent with an embarrassed shiver. Eerie and moving. I wish more bands understood more about how they can develop a stage presence.

What was the defining moment that made you want to work in music?

Hmm. More like a string of defining moments. Might have been very late at night on an old AM radio hearing the Newport Jazz Festival, live.

Best place to discover new artists?

I honestly don’t know.
I’m so grateful to my friends and colleagues for introducing me to new stuff. It’s a bit of a gamble going to hear an unknown name live, but if its possible just to dip in and out for 20 minutes then some venues can be a great way to find out what’s happening. I listen to the radio a lot – BBC Radio 3 and 6 Music are often my first contact with new names, and on-line sites like EMusic, but probably its those radio presenters who I’ve got to know and trust to bring new music to me which I can follow up later by trying to hear more. It was easier when John Peel was here to help us!