Launch of record label is no secret

The Warren youth centre has launched its own record label – Warren Records – with help from the Channel Four TV programme The Secret Millionaire
As this magazine went to print, millions of viewers were about to watch the programme, on 26 April, in which a wealthy businessman from London donated £20,000 to the youth centre
"I didn't want Channel Four here at first, given the negative media portrayal of Hull that we've had recently," says Keith Russell, co-ordinator of the Warren
"But I was overruled by a democratic vote at our weekly parliament, 'The Thing'."
"Not for the first time it turned out the young people were right and I was wrong
I would have been left with egg on my face to the tune of twenty grand."
The 'secret millionaire', Martin Stamp, made his fortune from designing a computer programme for the stockbroking industry
Posing as a researcher looking into the impact of alternative education, he spent more than a week at the Warren where he was impressed with the young people's enthusiasm for making music
"For a young people's community project to launch its own record label is very unusual," added Keith
"The city is just teeming with musical talent and it's time to push that on
"At the moment we're organising the label and working out with young people and volunteers how we're going to maintain this project
"There is a lot of enthusiasm around and a lot of people are willing to learn the necessary skills for the label to succeed."
The first CD to be launched by Warren Records is a double compilation called 'State of the City,' which will feature 30 to 40 tracks
Music production at the Warren also received a boost last year from the British Urban Collective, a national youth music project which worked with around 30 young musicians
That project helped form the Hull Urban Collective, a group of bands and solo artists who write and produce their own music
"The Hull Urban Collective will feature heavily on the launch CD but there will be other local young artists too," said Stewart Baxter, the Warren's development worker.

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For more information about the Warren contact 218115, for its music projects speak to Stewart Baxter on the same number