Alfie Cain

Tell us a bit about yourself and your background.

I was born in Newcastle. I’ve been practising music since I was 12 years old, starting with the ukelele (unfortunately, but I’ve got to start somewhere!) and now I’ve moved onto guitar and vocals. My older brother inspired me to do music, because he’s 10 years older than me and he’s been doing music since I was a one-year-old, so I’ve always been influenced by his musical style. His ‘sound’ involves a lot of Celtic or Old English folk music, which really shaped my own taste in music – but then again, I’ve got a lot of family members with very different, very specific musical preferences, so I’ve been exposed to a lot of different styles! For example, I typically enjoy country-folk artists like The Band, Bob Dylan and Neil Young, but since starting at Newcastle College, my classmates have introduced me to post-rock sounds like Pile. I think it’s really interesting how the environment around you changes what you like!  

How did you hear about Newcastle College? Did you attend an Open Day prior to starting at the College? If so, did you find it useful?

I first heard about Newcastle College through my older brother, because he took a course here a long time ago. He actually studied Music at Scarborough College, but he came to Newcastle College after finishing there for tutoring because he wanted to become a teacher; thanks to the staff here, he qualified and a teacher and is teaching now in Maidenhead, he’s doing really well for himself! 

I came to an Open Event before I started at the College, as well as an interview and audition, and I really liked what I saw! I got loads of advice from different people, both staff and current students, so it was a great opportunity to meet my tutors and classmates before starting, so it felt like a very human experience. I went in thinking it might be a bit awkward, but once we started talking to each other, I’ve ended up becoming really close friends with a few of them, which is a pretty cool experience!  

What made you decide to come to the College and enrol on your chosen course?

What I like most about my course is that I get the chance to see what’s going on behind an artist and a band, and seeing how they actually, almost scientifically form a sound, rather than just making the music itself. I wanted a good grasp on the music industry before fully committing to going into it, so it’s very interesting to me seeing the science behind the sound. 

How would you describe the advice and support you've received from the College staff and your tutors? Have you had any support from our Central Support Service?

I’ve received a lot of support and advice from my tutors. My main tutor has been really helpful in terms of helping me decide my next steps, either university or work experience. I’ve also got another tutor who gives really great advice about the recording studio, while also teaching us in a really practical way, which helps me since I’m a very hands-on learner.  

Do you have any tutors with industry experience? If so, how has this helped you?

Yes, one of my tutors has worked as a sound engineer and even songwriter for a lot of bands, including Metallica and a cover album for The Rolling Stones! My main tutor also worked for years as a sound engineer before she started teaching at the College. Another one of my tutors is a DJ, and think he spent five years in industry working as a musician on top-end cruise liners, which is really awesome to me! His attitude is also really inspiring, since he says that he doesn’t teach here for the money (since his time in industry was very lucrative) but to develop his own style for teaching students and have the biggest impact he can possibly have on young musicians. I think a lot of my tutors used to be students at The Performance Academy, actually, which I think is a great sign since they’ve all done well for themselves in the industry, but they each decided to come back and work here!  

Did you look into financial support available from the College? If so, what support do you receive and how has it helped you?

Yes – I receive a bursary through the college which helps with my travel costs to and from college, as well as cash to afford food for days while I’m on campus. 

Have you overcome any challenges while on your course? If so how has the college helped you?  

Not that many, to be honest! There were a couple of struggles last year with timetabling, as not everyone on the course could make all the classes on the programme. Curriculum switched around the days on campus so everyone could make it to classes, so it’s worked out quite well! The tutors also introduced a more structured class on Music Theory which focuses on songwriting, which means we can implement what we learn now more easily in our projects than we could at first.  

What do you enjoy the most about your course?

I’d probably say the people! The community here at The Performance Academy is really varied, it’s a really social experience and everyone is very welcoming. I’ve met a lot of people with the same interests or dreams as me, but with different visions for their musical future, so it’s been a really enriching experience for me to take inspiration from them. My time here has also been very insightful, because tutors don’t repeat lessons or content, so I always feel like I’m learning something new each day.  

How do you feel that the course is benefitting you?

Thanks to my course, I now feel like I know the route I want to follow in my life now, which is a big step up from leaving high school, when I really didn’t know what I wanted. Once I started at Newcastle College, I’ve never looked back – my course is exactly what I want to do and what I need to do to set myself up for a strong musical career, and the more I look into it, the more I enjoy the experience. I can honestly say I’ve enjoyed every second of my time at The Performance Academy. 

Have you done any work experience or a work placement as part of your course?

I did a live sound engineering gig at Little Buildings, which one of the Music Storage Team helped me to secure. While I was there, I learnt how to use a new mixing desk that I’d never used before, as well as how to multi-task with light and sound engineering. I didn’t expect to get the opportunity to work on lighting on a Music Production course, but it was a helpful experience to see that other side of the production industry in case I ever wanted to do a lighting job! 

What would you like to do when you finish your course? Would you consider studying a degree at Newcastle College University Centre?

I did consider the University Centre, but for now I think I’m leaning towards doing more practical work in industry, like music studios and live venues, so I can get a feel for the industry as a whole and what career paths it can take me down. My tutors have said that if I go into the industry and like the feel of working, I might not go to university at all, which opened my eyes a bit because I’d assumed that would be my plan in the end, but now I’m deciding to stay in the industry, I’m more comfortable with my choice since it will give me a much more practical, applied education than I think a university could. I thought my tutors might try to talk me out of it, but they’ve all been really positive and supportive with their decision, speaking about all the positives and negatives of going straight into industry from their own experiences, so I’ve got a very balanced awareness of what I’m going into.  

What are your ambitions for the future?

My end goal is to become a successful music artist and find my own sound through experimentation – I feel like I’ve got a lot of ideas, but I’m never that sure where I can put them. As soon as I find my ‘sound’, I think it’ll be a lot easier for me to do that. In the meantime though, I want to help out as many other bands as I can, either as their producer, their manager, their publisher or as a sound engineering for their gigs! I just want to learn as many skills as possible that suit the industry so I can do whatever I can to help out!  

What would you say to anyone thinking of studying a course with Newcastle College?

My main advice is to remember that, no matter what happens, you will find the course that you want to do in the end. Right now is a time to experiment, to use the College as a kind of compass to help you figure out yourself and what you want to do. If you’re like me, and you’ve found a course that you love and you’re really comfortable with, then make sure you take the leap, give your all to your passion and take the risk – you never know what might happen!