Converse kicks off Rubber Tracks London to support local music talent

Converse, the trendy US sports and lifestyle footwear manufacturer, is taking its sponsorship of up-and-coming UK acts to a new level with Converse Rubber Tracks London.

Converse Rubber Tracks is an international initiative for which Converse selects local emerging artists and showcases their talents by offering them 10 free days’ residency inside professional state-of-the-art recording studios. Additionally, the artists perform in a series of live concerts.

The three-year-old programme has taken place in physical or pop-up studios in several cities worldwide, starting with Brooklyn, New York.

This was followed by other cities like Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Mexico City, Bangkok, Moscow, Sao Paulo and, most recently, Shanghai.

It is now in London, with the first studio session kicking off on 10 January at Snap Studios in Haringey, North London. More sessions will be organised throughout 2015 at different boroughs, including Ealing and Tower Hamlets, with each borough taking turns on a rotating basis.

In the studio, the acts will be guided by professionals, including award-winning producer/engineer Al O’Connell, who has worked with international and UK stars such as Bruno Mars, Rufus Wainwright, Duran Duran, Plan B and Klaxons.

The participating artists will retain the rights to the music that emerges from the collaborations.

Following the recording sessions, the company’s Converse Rubber Tracks Live scheme kicks in. This offers the lucky band or solo act the opportunity to be the opening act at a major concert.

Interested bands should register their applications on Converse’s website.

Their selection will be by a judging panel of industry experts. These include Harry Balazs at The Young Guns Network, a networking scheme aimed at young people aspiring to enter the music business, and Femi Adeyemi, founder of online radio station NTS.

[Juliana Koranteng]