This article was published in 2009.

Cloth Cat is a unique project providing free courses in all kinds of music-related skills in Leeds and they are inviting local musicians and music fans down to celebrate their 10th birthday.

The events also feature two Q&A sessions on 5th and 6th May. Both evenings are free to attend and take place at TJ’s in Woodhouse with live bands afterwards.

The ‘Lost in Music’ panel will allow Leeds musicians to ask successful music industry professionals anything they want to know about making it in a band. The panel is fronted by John Keenan, and alongside him will be Stewart Coxhead (ex General Manager Phonogram records), Jez Willis (Utah Saints), Steve Parker (producer for Rolling Stones, The Fall and Aretha Franklin), Kate Wellham (journalist for The Daily Telegraph and The Fly), Whiskas (of Dance To The Radio and Forward Russia) and Joolz Denby (poet and manager of NYAAA).

The next day’s Q&A session ‘One Step Beyond’ will be aimed at other musical careers, with a panel including James Coxhead (Emmy nominated sound engineer and tour manager), Al Overdrive (Rock Photographer), Steve Morricone (Wrath Records) and Connor Small (International DJ from Baker Street Recordings).

Mike Jolly, Project Coordinator said, “It’s brilliant to have been able to attract such a distinguished line up on the panel and we think it’s important that we’re still able to give practical support and advice to people through music especially when morale is low and unemployment is growing.”

Cloth Cat’s popular music courses run all through the year with the latest ones about to start. Their series of sixteen courses are free and include music technology, performance, live sound engineering and the business side of music. For more information and to book a place, please phone Mike Jolly at Cloth Cat Studios on 0113 244 2773 or e-mail mike [ at ] clothcatleeds.org.uk.

Full details of all courses and events can be found on www.clothcatleeds.org.uk.