Are you utterly obsessed with electronic music?
Are you inspired by the art of storytelling?
How important is research and fact finding to you?
Do you have an honest passion to document and amplify this culture?
Do you have more questions than answers?
Is your head fizzing over with a constant bombardment of ideas?
Can you ever know enough music history?
Are you in this for the long game?
If these questions intrigue you, or resonate with you, then you might be interested in reading on as I’m looking for two UK-based creatives to mentor at 1 More Thing.
After a year of being a one-man-army, developing a voice for the platform and starting to build a community around it, I am now looking for the right people to join the team and be part of an exciting new chapter.
For now, until 1 More Thing makes an actual tangible revenue, these will be voluntary roles. Benefits for the successful applicants include a firm foundation in electronic music journalism, full sharing of my knowledge, technical expertise as a writer and content creator, over 20 years experience full time in the music industry, guidance and an introduction to my wider network of peers and collaborators.
Still interested? Read on…
The Roles
I’m looking for two aspiring UK-based creatives who have a genuine passion for music journalism to join me and help to level up 1 More Thing to the size it needs to be.
Both successful candidates will be able to provide between 7 – 15 hours per week. During these hours roles will include creating content, writing articles, interviewing artists, brainstorming and developing new concepts and ideas, assisting with social media, A&Ring, planning, scripting and learning every imaginable skill needed to be a creative music journalist.
With this comes feedback on all tasks, weekly guidance, regular reviews and a very committed process that is focused fully on skill development.
The end result is to give the successful applicants the same freedom I have been able to enjoy, and to allow them to take their career in any direction that feels right to them. It starts with the foundation skill of solid professional writing, interviewing and news-craft, and developing the technical, creative and mental tools to do this at the best possible level. From there the rave is the limit: writing, editing, podcasting, presenting, broadcasting, event or label management. Wherever you want to take your career as a music journalist, 1 More Thing is a blank canvas and can help you do that.
The Reason
1 More Thing was always going to be much more than the voice of just one journalist. For the brand to become the success I want it to be, I need to scale up the team and focus on the business side much more and aspects such as the label, merch, events and marketing.
Creatively I will always be happiest in the trenches, getting my sleeves rolled up and practicing what I’ve spent my whole career doing. But as a brand owner I need to have space to look beyond the next news article, the next transcription or playlist in order to build a firm team and encourage a creative and supportive culture that can eventually pay salaries and have a budget for other creative individuals such as videographers, editors and artists and technical professionals at 1 More Thing events.
This is the main goal moving forward. This is what the two successful applicants will enable for 1 More Thing.
The Real Talk
Honestly? If you want financial riches or job security then this line of work isn’t for you.
If you want a shortcut to gigs or you want to grossly inflate your clout without years of diligence and graft then this line of work is definitely not for you.
However, this is a unique essential role within electronic music that’s crying out for more creative practitioners and documenters the bigger the industry gets. The more years that have passed, the more there is to document, the more dots there are to join, the more stories there are to tell.
1 More Thing is a vehicle for these dots, stories and documentaries and it needs more drivers than just one person.
I operate with complete honesty, transparency and freedom. The successful candidates will have immediate influence and input on the site’s content and output. All ideas are considered, nothing is set in stone… Besides a savage drive to make 1 More Thing a resounding, independent success and to be recognized as a beacon of authority in a chaotic and sprawling scene. The successful candidates will be updated monthly on the brand’s accounts and will be the first to benefit from any commercial achievements we experience.
The Rules
To apply please write a letter explaining why you should be mentored and provide evidence of your work or abilities and email to davecolumbojenkins@gmail.com under the heading 1 More Thing Creator Mentorship.
Applicants to be UK-based only. Being in the same time zone and being close enough for me to pay for their travel to branded events are vital to this mentorship.
Previous experience in content creation is essential.
University-level education is not essential. But a clear love for the written word, an ability to write and a respect for the technicalities of language and grammar definitely are required.
Successful applicants will be able to commit to a minimum of 7 hours per week. Schedules and working times will be developed to suit the successful candidate’s other commitments. Feedback and guidance on all work completed at the end of each session will be provided.
This is not a free leg-up into getting gigs or raising profile as an artist. If you are also an aspiring artist (which is quite understandable and highly likely) then please state this on application so we can be very clear on the ethical lines between your editorial work and your artist profile.
This mentorship is ongoing. If you’re the right person, and I’ve done what I need to do correctly, then this will lead to a paid role.
Closing date for applicants – Monday July 17
1 More Thing and Dave Columbo Jenkins has the right to cease the mentorship if the above terms are not respected and applied professionally.
