Gilles Peterson MBE and grassroots communities – the two entities feel synonymous with each other. The legendary DJ and broadcaster has long been a quintessential clog in the independent music hemisphere, helping to discover the best new talent in the UK and championing the fruition of exciting new scenes and communities. Whether through his label, Brownswood, his iconic DJ sets, or globally respected radio station Worldwide FM, Peterson is never far from the fight for independent prosperity.
It is with Worldwide FM that he makes his latest ploy. He has teamed up with Monkey Shoulder Whisky for the launch of Studio Monkey Shoulder, a new initiative aimed at empowering and support grassroots communities at the epicentre of UK music. Creatives have the opportunity to acquire a game-changing £10,000 fund to aid in the actualisation of their dream pursuits, whether that be DJing, artistry, promoting, or a record store, live venue, or radio station. The winner will be picked by Peterson himself, who is renowned for his ability to curate and champion the best and most worthy talent.
We caught up with Gilles to discuss the difficulties that grassroots communities continue to face, his partnership with Studio Monkey Shoulder, and which artists have caught his eye this year…
Check out the announcement video…
Studio Monkey Shoulder 2024 from Monkey Shoulder on Vimeo.
Read the exclusive interview…
Hi Gilles! What have you been up to this year so far?
It’s been a pretty busy year so far with my radio shows, DJ gigs, growing my label Brownswood, curating festivals and developing the next phase of Worldwide FM. I recently wrote an article about the importance of grassroots spaces which seems to have struck a chord, so I am excited to amplify and keep pushing this discussion forward.
Congratulations on the launch of your new partnership with Monkey Shoulder Whisky! How are you feeling about the announcement?
Studio Monkey Shoulder ties into my wider aim to shine a light, celebrate and help grassroots communities and those vital hubs – not just in the UK but globally – which are all such an important part of culture. I’m really excited that this is now live in the UK, US, Nigeria, Taiwan and India. We look forward to seeing and hearing what hidden communities we’ll uncover.
Talk us through the foundations of the collaboration? How did it first come about?
Discovery of new voices and spaces has always been at the heart of what I do – since I started out on pirate radio in 1980/81. So when Monkey Shoulder approached the WWFM team and myself with the idea of supporting grassroots communities, it felt like a natural tie-up and a chance to explore what we might be able to do together.
At the core, what is the ethos and idea behind the collaboration?
The ethos behind this collaboration is the shared desire to highlight the vital role that grassroots communities play as part of a wider healthy cultural ecosystem. It’s also based on the shared sense that culture only evolves when diverse voices come together to create something new and exciting.
What do you hope to achieve with the fund?
I hope that we’ll be able to support, raise awareness and give confidence to the groups pushing the culture forward in their respective countries. The fund comes with support from WWFM including broadcast and filming opportunities because we want to help them realise their vision and amplify them to a wider audience.
Take us back to the forming of Worldwide FM – what’s the story behind the radio station?
I first used the Worldwide name for my BBC Radio show and when Grand Theft AutoV came out. That’s when the idea of creating an in-game radio station called Worldwide FM was born. Then in 2016, the station grew into a real, online radio platform for lovers of eclectic international music. I’m proud of the fact it’s become a huge community where marginalised voices and alternative perspectives lead the way.
At its heart, Worldwide FM is a grassroots movement that helps develop a new generation of broadcasters plus we act as a first base in the development of many new artists.
Do you think that there is a continued lack of funding and attention put onto grassroots communities within the UK?
Yeah absolutely! Successive governments have shouted about how these communities are a shining demonstration of the country’s creativity but yet funding continues to be cut again and again. Then the spaces needed for them to flourish are converted or sold off for more ‘commercial’ uses.
What are the wider issues at play here, within the UK music industry?
Within the music industry, we’re trying to compensate for a lack of active support and funding from the government – taking it into our own hands. Consider the rising cost of living which makes it impossible for emerging artists, small venues and DIY projects to take risks and grow sustainably. There aren’t many that are able to devote their time to developing their creative practice and producing new work.
From your POV, how can we support these communities and initiatives to help them towards a path of success?
Part of it is funding – yes, but it’s also about amplifying the work these communities are doing and helping to inspire and build so more people are brought into them. It’s important for everyone to recognise that these grassroots communities aren’t isolated spaces, they’re ultimately responsible for creating and nurturing the headline talent we see on festival and stadium stages.
At our UK launch of Studio Monkey Shoulder the other day, we hosted a panel discussion at the Total Refreshment Centre in Dalston to discuss the current state of UK grassroots music and music journalist Emma Warren put it perfectly.
She said: “Grass is everywhere, grass is the most common plant around us, so it’s useful to think about grassroots as something normal and ordinary and on the high street, why not? Somewhere that’s easily accessible, affordable, and easy to get to. We should think of it like grass, because grassroots is from the ground up. ”
How have you seen the industry evolve throughout your career, especially in the last five years?
When I first started out 20 years ago, people really rallied around community spaces to share and connect over music. Pirate Radio, record stores and small venues were essential if you wanted to discover new tunes or meet like-minded people.
With the introduction of online streaming, and in the wake of COVID, there’s been a fragmentation of audiences and time that makes it much harder to bring people together. That’s why it’s so important to make spaces for that sole purpose.
Which new artists have caught your eye this year?
Okay let’s see:
* Tara Clerkin Trio from Bristol
* corto.alto – the brainchild of Glasgow multi-instrumentalist and producer Liam Shortall
* Niecy Blues from South Carolina
* H31R from NYC
* Saya Gray from Canada
Definitely check them out if you can!
We know you’ve got a busy summer lined up, what’s on the cards?
Well, I’ve got Worldwide festival in Sete in July and then We Out Here festival in August. Then lots of different gigs and my radio shows on the BBC and WWFM. Also…keep your eyes and ears peeled for a new festival announcing very soon!
Apply for the fund here!