Viv Broughton
{{Short description|British studio owner and gospel historian}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox person
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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|24 May 1943|df=y}}
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| nationality = British
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| occupation = Music entrepreneur and writer
| known_for = Owner and CEO of The Premises Studios
| alma_mater =
| notable_works = Too Close to Heaven: The Illustrated History of Gospel Music (1996)
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Viv Broughton (born 24 May 1943) is a British studio owner, music entrepreneur and writer, who is CEO of The Premises Studios, described by London Jazz News as "a vitally important and popular London recording and rehearsal venue".{{cite web|url=https://londonjazznews.com/2020/04/21/rip-julia-craik-managing-director-of-the-premises-studios-hackney/|title=RIP Julia Craik (Managing Director of The Premises Studios, Hackney)|website=London Jazz News|date=21 April 2020|access-date=1 December 2020}} A one-time early member of rock group The Pretty Things, Broughton went on to help launch The Voice newspaper in 1982, as well as being a gospel historian, author of the Channel 4 book Too Close to Heaven: The Illustrated History of Gospel Music (1996).
Background
Broughton had an early career as a musician in the 1960s, under the name Viv Andrews, playing with David Bowie{{cite web|url=https://www.listennotes.com/fr/podcasts/music-talks/ep04-viv-broughton-ceo-the-4rm6G1ZQsUj/|title=Ep04 Viv Broughton, CEO The Premises Studios|website=Listen Notes|date=4 July 2019|access-date=4 February 2024}} and with rock group The Pretty Things as a drummer.{{cite web|url=https://willy-rock.blogspot.com/2009/09/pretty-things-philippe-de-barge-acetate.html|title=The Pretty Things / Philippe de Barge acetate 1968|website=Willy-rock.blogspot.co.uk|date= 27 September 2009|access-date=4 February 2024}}Simpson, W.: "Heaven in Hackney", pp. 24–25. Musician Magazine, 2008.
In 1982, he helped launch The Voice,{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/sep/29/mondaymediasection6|title=Who will revive the Voice?|first=Hugh|last=Muir|newspaper=The Guardian|date=29 September 2003}} a weekly newspaper aimed at the British African-Caribbean community, being brought in as marketing manager by founder Val McCalla, and from April 1983 Broughton wrote a column in the newspaper called "Soul Stirrings", which featured many up-and-coming artists.{{cite book|first=Steve Alexander |last=Smith|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3uUe0B0Z9noC&dq=val+mccalla+viv+broughton&pg=PT39 |chapter=Viv Broughton|title=British Black Gospel: The Foundations of this Vibrant UK Sound|publisher=Monarch Books|date=2009|pages=78–79}} He was also a mentor and manager to groups and singers including Mica Paris,{{cite web|url=https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/13366049.mica-paris-out-to-prove-love-conquers-injustice/|title=Mica Paris out to prove love conquers injustice|website=Swindon Advertiser|first=Marion |last=Sauvebois|date=2 July 2015|access-date=4 February 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/mica-paris-bankruptcy-just-means-you-made-too-much-money-1.3913449|title=Mica Paris: 'Bankruptcy just means you made too much money'|first=Patrick|last=Freyne|newspaper=Irish Times|date=8 June 2019}} who has said: "Viv Broughton has done a lot for gospel music, and there has been a total lack of recognition for his incredible contribution to pushing and contributing to its growth."{{cite magazine|url=https://www.keepthefaith.co.uk/2020/12/03/micas-journey-from-gospel-to-gospel-by-juliet-fletcher/|title=Mica's journey from Gospel to Gospel |first=Juliet|last=Fletcher|magazine=Keep the Faith Magazine|number=129|date=3 December 2020|access-date=4 February 2024}}
As a gospel music historian, Broughton is the author of the books Black Gospel: An Illustrated History of the Gospel Sound (1985) and Too Close to Heaven: The Illustrated History of Gospel Music (1996), which tied in with a Channel 4 television series.[https://www.amazon.co.uk/Too-Close-Heaven-Illustrated-History/dp/1900516004 Viv Broughton], at Amazon. According to Tony Cummings of Cross Rhythms magazine, he "brings real overview to a story populated with hundreds of major figures and as a starting off point in exploring the absorbing history of possibly THE most important musical stories of the 20th century it's unlikely there'll be a better book than this....Britain's Viv Broughton is to be congratulated for coming up with a vivid history of a music in a work that no American writer has come close to equalling."{{cite magazine|url=https://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/products/Viv_Broughton/Too_Close_To_Heaven_The_Illustrated_History_Of_Gospel_Music/17875/|title=Viv Broughton - Too Close To Heaven: The Illustrated History Of Gospel Music|magazine=Cross Rhythms|number=35|first=Tony|last=Cummings|date=1 October 1996|access-date=4 February 2024}}
Since 1996, Broughton has been owner and chief executive of The Premises Studios near Haggerston, in Hackney, London, transforming it into a musical institution that is much sought after by high-profile artistes for rehearsal space and recording, with innovative ventures including the installation of solar panels and the opening of a café.{{cite web|url=https://www.hackneycitizen.co.uk/2010/10/09/the-premises-recording-studio-celebrates-25-years/|title=The Premises recording studio celebrates 25 years|website=Hackney Citizen|date=9 October 2010|access-date=4 February 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/oct/03/popandrock|title=Rockin' in the office|first=Steven|last=Adams|newspaper=The Guardian|date=3 October 2008}} In addition, he launched The Premises Music Education Programme, partnering with other not-for-profit organisations to provide workshops and courses.{{cite web|url=https://www.hifinews.com/content/premises-studios|title=The Premises Studios|first=Steve |last=Sutherland|website=Hi-Fi News & Record Review|date=13 October 2023|access-date=4 February 2024}} Broughton once characterised The Premises as "…between a hotel and a crèche for noisy overgrown children".{{cite web|url=https://dandyvagabonds.com/playlist_premises.html|title=Indie Series: Premises Studios, between hell and heaven|first=Claudine|last=Boeglin|website=Dandy Vagabonds|date=4 July 2019|access-date=4 February 2024}}
Broughton is a trustee of jazz music education and artist development organisation Tomorrow's Warriors.{{cite web|url=https://tomorrowswarriors.org/about/trustees-and-committee-members/|title=Trustees and Committee Members
|website=Tomorrow's Warriors|access-date=5 February 2024}}
Bibliography
- Black Gospel: An Illustrated History of the Gospel Sound, Blandford Press, 1985, {{ISBN|978-0713715408}}.
- Too Close to Heaven: The Illustrated History of Gospel Music (A Channel Four Book), Midnight Books, 1996, {{ISBN|978-1900516006}}.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZmUrJ_yG0k "How to Spark Success - Episode 7 - Viv Broughton"], YouTube, 15 June 2020.
- [https://soundcloud.com/fwadventuresinsound/adventures-in-sound-bonus-episode-2-viv-broughton "Adventures In Sound - BONUS - Viv Broughton"] at SoundCloud.
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Category:20th-century British male musicians
Category:20th-century English male writers
Category:20th-century English non-fiction writers
Category:British music historians