Chester University: New documentary explores the power of music journalism

A documentary about a major annual music conference in the north of England featuring an academic from the University of Chester has been released. 

Dr Simon Morrison, Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for Music Journalism at the University, is interviewed in a film about the Louder than Words Festival which takes place in Manchester every year.  

Simon gives his thoughts on the importance of the event which focuses on writing about music.

The film also features the director Jack Johnson from the production company Polite Company visiting the Journalism programme’s home Gateway House in Chester city centre to meet students and explore the facilities including the recently installed Simon Warner archive, a comprehensive resource of popular music history. 

The University’s Music Journalism programme is very much involved with the event with students volunteering, attending, and also taking part in panel discussions. 

The Louder than Words Festival is the UK’s biggest music literature event and includes conversations, topical panel discussions, workshops, writing surgeries and live performances. 

Simon said: “I was really very proud to be involved with Jack’s film. I have been involved with Louder Than Words for over a decade, about the same time I have been at the University of Chester.  

“It was a pleasure to contribute to this fabulous film, and to involve my students from the Music Journalism programme, who did a fabulous job of showing Jack our magazine archive and talking about the importance of music writing.” 

Student Archie Jackson added: ‘It was a great experience being part of the documentary. As someone who has just started out to be music writing world, I really enjoyed being given a voice and to get to talk about what inspired me to start writing about music and appear alongside people within the industry I look up to.”