Directors

Mark Fishlock (Chair, Media Executive Committee)
Mick Leeson
Steve Levine
Gary Osborne (Chair, Songwriters Executive Committee)
Alan Parker
Patrick Rackow (BASCA CEO)
Sarah Rodgers (Chairman)
Chris Smith
David Stoll
Simon Darlow (observer)


Mark Fishlock

Mark was originally a sound engineer, working with Haircut 100, Modern Romance, Psychic TV, Juliet Roberts, Dave Ball and the film director Derek Jarman. His work includes television (Flesh and Blood, The Adventure Series, Eldorado, The Wars of the Roses), video (Heart of the Nation, Patrick Moore's Guide to Astronomy, Paul McKenna's Hypnosis series, A Thin Red Line), radio, library music and commercials. Mark also voiced the telephone-based Bizarre Jukebox for nearly 10 years and in 1998 was co-host of the Accumulator Quiz on Talk Radio. Mark is the Chair of BASCA's Media Executive Committee.

Mick Leeson

Amongst many other songs, Mick is best known for “Would I Lie To You” By Charles and Eddie, “For Your Eyes Only” from the James Bond film of the same name and “Justice” by Lemar. He is a Trustee of the PRS Foundation, a MCPS Director and Deputy Chairman of the PRS Board. Mick is on BASCA's Songwriters Executive Committee.

Steve Levine
www.stevelevine.co.uk

Steve first came to the public’s attention as one of several talented young producers to emerge in the eighties, along with Trevor Horn, Steve Lillywhite and Rupert Hine. He cut his engineering teeth at CBS under the expert eye of Mike Ross Trevor, but it was Beach Boy Bruce Johnston who encouraged Steve to move from engineering to writing and producing. His big break came when he hooked up with Culture Club, going on to produce their first three albums and the 20 million selling hit, Karma Chameleon. He has composed a number of film scores, as well as writing and producing the Honeyz platinum selling album, Wonder No 8. Steve is a Director of both PRS for Music and MCPS, he is on the Board of the Musician's Union and is Chairman of the Music Producers Guild. Steve is on BASCA's Songwriters Executive Committee.

Gary Osborne

Gary was originally an A&R man for RCA, with his own show on the BBC World Service. He went on to write and sing on hundreds of T.V. jingles including Pepsi, Ultrabrite, Shredded Wheat and Abbey National, but he is probably best known for contributing lyrics and backing vocals to five Elton John albums, which included 'Blue Eyes', 'Part Time Love' and 'Little Jeanie'. He also provided the lyrics and backing vocals for Jeff Wayne's 'War Of The Worlds' and has had songs recorded by artists as diverse as Alice Cooper, Cliff Richard, Wilson Pickett, Jennifer Warnes and The Righteous Brothers. His backing vocals credits include 'Sugar Baby Love' and 'Gonna Make You A Star'. He most recently had a hit in the charts in 2006 with “Checkin’ It Out” by Lil’ Chris, an artist from Channel 4’s “Rock School”. Gary is Chair of BASCA's Songwriters Executive Committee.

Alan Parker
www.onlineprodmusic.com

Alan is a guitarist and composer, best known for his work in the band Blue Mink. Alan trained under Julian Bream at London’s Royal Academy of Music and went on to become one of the UK’s busiest session guitarists. Much of Parker's session work has gone uncredited, but recently he has been named as the electric guitarist on Donovan's Hurdy Gurdy Man and he also played on The Walker Brothers's “No Regrets”. He was Jerry Goldsmith’s orchestrator for many years, and also worked with Howard Shore on the “Lord of the Rings” soundtrack. As a film and television composer, his credits include ITN's “News At Ten”, “Van Der Valk”, “Rhodes” and “Coast” for the BBC. His many film scores include “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?” (1993), “Up on the Roof” (1997) and “Stormbreaker” (2006). Alan has worked with Donovan, Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra, Elton John, Dusty Springfield, Tony Bennett, Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix and others. Alan is on BASCA's Media Executive Committee.

Patrick Rackow

Having previously worked as an investment manager for a leading investment bank, Patrick was called to the Bar in 1992. He started in the music industry as an in-house lawyer for a small record label and then spent twelve years working in private practice advising a wide range of clients on all aspects of the music business. Patrick ran his own legal and business affairs consultancy until September 2008, when he was appointed CEO of BASCA. He has been a director of BASCA since 2001 and sits on the Rights Committee of UK Music.

Sarah Rodgers
www.tutti.co.uk

Sarah’s professional composing career began in 1983 when she wrote the score for “Housekeeper of the Nation”, a film about the National Trust. Since then, she has completed commissions for many performers including the City of London Sinfonia, the Coull Quartet and Sainsbury’s Choir of the Year winners, Cantamus. Sarah has a longstanding interest in cross-cultural music and has composed for sitar, bansuri and shakuhachi – not all at the same time! She was a Chair of the Composers’ Guild and is a Director of MCPS and a trustee of BMIC. Sarah is a former Chair of BASCA's Classical and Jazz Executive and devised the British Composer Awards, which has developed over several years. Sarah is an MCPS Director and Chairman of BASCA.

Chris Smith
www.finaltouch.co.uk

Chris is a media composer and producer. He read English Literature at Oxford University and completed his first short film score in 1985 for then-fledgling director and old friend, Iain Softley (Backbeat, Wings of the Dove). The film was never completed, but the die was cast. Chris set up Final Touch Productions in 1988 as a creative umbrella to cover his wide range of musical interests. Since then, the company has written original award-winning music for over 400 hours of broadcast TV, theatrical productions, four films, a dozen albums, numerous large scale interactive multimedia projects and in excess of 600 television and radio commercials. Chris is Head of Industry Relations for the Society for Producers & Composers of Applied Music (PCAM) and sits on the committee of the Creators’ Rights Alliance (CRA). For the past 4 years he has sat on BASCA’s Media Executive and acted as its representative to the Federation of Film & Audio-Visual Composers of Europe (FFACE), of which he is Vice President. He is also on the board of ECSA (European Composer and Songwriter Alliance). Chris’s credits range from national, pan-European and global advertising work (including Budweiser, Coca-Cola, Expedia, Philips, Renault), through national and international theatrical productions, drama & documentary films to the theme for an animated stick man. His album, ‘Wake Up Tomorrow’ is released by KPM. Chris was elected to the BASCA Board in 2008 and sits on the Media Executive Committee.

David Stoll
www.impulse-music.co.uk/stoll

Founding Co-Chairman of BASCA, David writes for the concert hall, theatre and the media, both scored and electronic production methods. David Stoll's concert music spans orchestral, choral and vocal pieces as well as several works for chamber ensembles. He also acts as a consultant on Music and Creativity in schools, running schools workshops, lecturing to students and delivering training to teachers. In fact, David appears on Teachers' Television advising on primary school composing lessons. He conceived and acted as the first Director for `In Tune In Europe', the Seminar for European composers initially funded by the UK Government and the European Commission. David was the first elected composer representative on the Appeals Panel of the PRS. A former Trustee of the British Music Information Centre, he is also a member of the Government's working party on Music in Schools. David is BASCA's representative to the ECF (European Composers Forum) and sits on BASCA's Classical and Jazz Executive Committee.

Simon Darlow (observer)
For many years I have been fortunate enough to make my living in several genres as a songwriter, composer, musician, producer and arranger. I have written and co-written hits for Grace Jones, Toyah, Dollar, Elkie Brooks, Sir Cliff Richard, Dame Shirley Bassey, Leo Sayer, Martine McCutcheon; played with and arranged for Musical Youth, Wham, Buggles, Divinyls, Bucks Fizz, Right Said Fred and recorded 2 albums as an artist for Magnet Records. I have composed and produced over 70 TV theme tunes and scores including "Supermarket Sweep", "Hole InThe Wall", "BBC Outtake TV" and "Guilty Pleasures" for ITV with David Lowe. I am currently working on The BBC Entertainment channels idents and reworking "Going For Gold"! I have also just finished Producing and co writing the new Toyah album "In The Court Of The Crimson Queen" I'm lucky to be able to count many composers and writers as friends and am very aware of the many issues that currently threaten our livelihoods. BASCA provides a unique home for writers to address these issues. It is important to stem the gradual reduction of our worth and the erosion of the value of our copyright. Having been elected to the Media Executive in 2008, I am looking forward to the opportunity to contribute my knowledge and experience to BASCA to help communicate these issues and encourage more writers to become members so their voices are heard. Simon is also a PRS director and Director of the MCPS-PRS Allianace Board.