An artist’s impression of how Liverpool Sound City 2015 will look.
Sound City’s star-studded conference line-up has just got even stronger, with Orange Juice legend Edwyn Collins announced among a new raft of speakers, Getintothis’ Patrick Clarke has all the details.
Liverpool Sound City have announced today that Edwyn Collins, frontman of new-wave favourites Orange Juice will be the latest to join a host of big names as a keynote speaker at this year’s conference at the Titanic Hotel, which takes the theme of The Unsung Hero.
The frontman, an established solo artist after his time in his former outfit, will appear in conversation with his wife Grace Maxwell, the talk also to include a screening of a new documentary about the singer, which he himself scored.
Collins will explore his long and acclaimed career, and the impact of the brain hemorrhage he suffered in 2005. The singer was left unable to speak aside from the words ‘yes’, ‘no’, his wife’s name and the phrase The Possibilities are Endless, the title of the documentary which follows the period.
Edwyn said: “I’m delighted to be in Liverpool for Sound City, I’ve always felt an affinity for the place. Back in the Orange Juice days we were regulars in the city playing at places like Eric’s. I’ve always had great support from Liverpool and I always look forward to coming back.”
Also announced to appear at the conference are Justin Young and Freddie Cowan of The Vaccines, Friday headliners of the festival itself. They form part of the ever-popular In Conversation series hosted by DJ and presenter Dave Haslam.
North West singer-songwriter Jane Weaver has also been revealed to feature in conversation alongside a live slot at the festival, recounting a long career in conceptual pop, and offering the invaluable expertise she’s acquired from a rich, creative twenty years in the industry.
Her most recent album The Silver Globe was self-produced, released through her own Manchester-based label and garnered her a nomination for this year’s GIT Award.
Also announced is the return of an expansive program of How? Sessions, a series exploring all aspects of the music, digital and creative industries.
Everything Everything, who also appear at the festival itself, are front and centre among the abundance of industry professionals taking part in the sessions, and will be in conversation with Gabby Sanderson to talk about their time in the music business, along with an audience Q and A.
These new names join an already impressive line-up for the conference, with Wayne Coyne of festival headliners The Flaming Lips, Mark E Smith, Julian Cope and James Barton of legendary Liverpool club Cream among the main speakers.
