Manchester acts get a Hepple hand

Phil says he's "a man with a CD who decided to knock on some doors"

A Mancunian music fan is opening doors for his favourite new bands by taking their songs to record companies.

Phil Hepple is "a man with a CD who decided to knock on some doors" after being frustrated by band apathy.

He says he knows "a bunch of really good bands and they make really good songs, but they're really lazy."

And his approach has gained results, as one band, Dirty North, are on the radar of a major label after being included on one of Phil's compilations.

That's something that makes Phil very happy, as his plan is to halt the process where bands "chug away for two years with all these great songs, then don't get anywhere so give up."

I'm not trying to carve myself out as the new Tony Wilson or something ridiculous like that, I just think people need to hear this music Phil Hepple

It's an admirable aim and surprisingly, one that Phil doesn't expect to get any compensation for.

In fact, he's quick to point out that he is doing this as a music fan and has no desire to become professionally involved.

"I'm not related to anyone, I don't know anyone in the business, I just thought I've got to knock on some doors and see if I can get someone with some influence listening.

"I have no framework - I listen to music and try and get it out there. I like the music and I believe people need to hear this music.

"I'm not trying to carve myself out as the new Tony Wilson or something ridiculous like that, I just think people need to hear this music."

That has meant travelling to London to meet label executives and numerous emails and phone calls - but it's all been worth it, as he has managed to get the CD into the hands of the people that matter, which means they know about acts like The Scrotes, XS.iF, Ivan Campo and Fraser King without them having to leave the capital.

Ivan Campo are amongst those included on Phil's CD

Now he's had some success with his approach of trying to "chuck it down the throats" of the people he thought needed to hear it, he's ready to make another compilation - and that means more searching for bands in the venues of Manchester.

And he really will be getting out and about, as he's more into seeing bands live than finding them online, as he's not the most technically savvy web user.

"I don't have a MySpace, I have a Facebook but I don't really do anything with it. I should set up a framework, shouldn't I?"

Perhaps, but then given how well he's done so far, maybe he should stay as Manchester music's "man with a CD".