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MELODIC DISTRACTION


Dr. Martens are helping Liverpool-based radio station Melodic Distraction find a new home.

Faced with homelessness due to local gentrification, DM’s are bringing Melodic Distraction to a temporary space, giving them a vital grace period to secure a permanent home.

Your support is also vital: tune in to hear them broadcast from their new studio in Phase One Liverpool to support a crucial part of Liverpool’s creative scene and champion independent music when it's needed most.

WHAT’S THE MELODIC DISTRACTION STORY?

Relentlessly creative. Fiercely local. Melodic Distraction is Liverpool’s leading independent radio station, online magazine and events programmer. In a city that counts music as its proudest export, they are no different. They champion new music, herald up-and-coming artists and give a platform to local DJs ready to make their mark. In their rebellious independence, they are harmoniously in tune with the DM’s DNA.

But Liverpool is changing. Melodic Distraction, a proud member of the city’s creative and cultural hub The Baltic Triangle, has felt the brunt of this changing world. Turfed out of their studio over lockdown and facing a period of homelessness which would stop them broadcasting entirely, DM’s stepped in. Our fund has helped them set up a temporary studio in a local record shop, giving them time to find their new home.

And crucially, there will be no dead air.

DM’S CHATS WITH MELODIC DISTRACTION

We chat with the station’s founders about Liverpool’s creative scene, the city’s sounds and what a new studio means for them.
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What influences your work? Have you adapted the way that you’re finding inspiration?

Josh: We find inspiration in the people and music of Liverpool. The mentality of this city moves differently to anywhere else in the UK - everyone wants each other to succeed and there’s a real flavour of community up here that reaches every corner of life. It’s a city famous for its hard working, friendly folk; people who crack on and get the job done, often in the face of adversity.


What motivates you to unearth local sounds and provide a platform for the city’s DJs and creatives?

Josh: We’ve constantly been inspired by the independent, self-starting creatives we’ve met along the way. Everyone’s happy to give each other a leg up in Liverpool and we hope that we pay this forward by providing radio opportunities to anybody wanting to get involved in broadcasting.
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What has kept you motivated during lockdown?

James: Music, looking to the future and the resolve of those who are looking to make the best of this situation. One of our hosts formed a percussion orchestra with his entire street, drumming on bin lids and whatnot. Finding creative ways to come together and enjoy the little things is a huge motivator for me.


What does self-expression mean to you?

Josh: Doing exactly what you want creatively, never compromising! Being the person you want to be and outwardly celebrating your inner beauty.
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How important is it, both for yourselves and for the creative scene in Liverpool, for Melodic Distraction to find a new home?

Josh: Without a home, radio will stop. A new space to broadcast will keep the music playing and the stories flowing. Radio has been a personal place of solace for us over lockdown. A friendly voice in your ear, guiding you through the day. We know our listeners feel the same. Connecting with a host, reaching out in the chatroom and listening to the sounds and stories of Liverpool keeps us close in a time where we can’t necessarily be together.

None of this is possible if we don’t have a studio.

MELODIC DISTRACTION’S HEADLINE DOCS