We spoke to enterprising HND Sound Production student Cameron Simpson about his Music career so far, including Dead Sapien, a music project that focuses on raising mental health awareness. New Single ‘For all that have fallen‘ is out now!

Tell us about your past experiences relating to music and the music industry…

I started getting really into playing guitar at 12 years old when my grandad gave me his old acoustic. I used to obsess over playing along to my favourite tunes, digesting any tabs I could get my hands on, and learning about different genres to refine my pallet. Music has always been something I wanted to do and after a few years of playing I started my first band. Like most High School bands, it didn’t last long, but the experience definitely got me longing for another opportunity to join another band.

That opportunity came in June 2017 where I joined my friends band “Diswaed” playing bass. Being a member of Diswaed really shaped my mindset and work ethic to where it is today. If we weren’t playing shows, writing songs or practicing. We were contacting venues, PR companies and keeping on top of our social media to be as engaging as possible.

When it was time to track our first EP, we were met with the same harsh reality that a lot of early bands face when they first enter a studio. We weren’t fully prepared, a little under practiced and had unrealistic expectations of how it would turn out given our budget and timeframe. That being said, the experience encouraged me to delve deeper into the world of recording and in the spring of 2018 with a handful of microphones, a Focusrite Clarett 8-Pre and a DAW, we set out to record our second EP in my parents dining room, thinking we could do a better job.

The EP came out and we broke up a few months later, but I became determined to dive further into the world of audio production. I worked tirelessly for a year and a half trying to get better and in May 2019 after all that hard work I was fortunate enough to intern at Chamber Studios for a week. The insight that I learnt that week working as an assistant was immeasurable and it really solidified my goal of pursuing a career in audio full time.

In September 2019 I joined Riverside Music College and have been continually working towards my goal ever since.

Why did you want to study at Riverside Music College?

Apart from Riverside’s location being based in Glasgow, which is the heart of emerging Scottish bands, I wanted to use my time studying time to network, learn more about the intricacies of the music business and really refine the audio knowledge that I had picked up before attending the college.

How has the HND Sound Production helped you – which skills, knowledge/ or which modules have been useful for you?

“Skills for Business” and “Professional Development Project” have been some of the most beneficial subjects for me personally. Understanding copyright, contractual law, marketing and budgeting are paramount to any project that I have been working on these last couple of years and has been a huge contributor to meeting deadlines and making sure every collaborator gets their fair share of royalties/compensation.

What projects are you currently working on? 

The two main projects in my life at the moment are Dead Sapien and Cameron Simpson Productions.

Dead Sapien is a music project that launched in January 2021 that focuses on raising mental health awareness and in time aims to make a significant impact on positive mental health change. The first single “Been A While” came out in February and the latest single “For All That Have Fallen” is out everywhere from April 9th on all streaming platforms. 

Alongside the music, I have started “The Dead Sapien Podcast” where I chat to my peers about everything from music to mental health.

Cameron Simpson Productions is the umbrella in which I offer my production services. Whether it’s song writing, Engineering, Producing, Mixing or Mastering if anyone is wanting to work together, you can find out more at www.cameronsimpsonproductions.com

What are your future plans? 

Just now my future plans are invested in the growth of my two projects. With Dead Sapien, I would love to get a band together to play some live shows when we’re allowed to. With Cameron Simpson Productions, I would love to work alongside bands that are not afraid to push the boundaries a little and create some interesting art that is emotionally resonant. If this happens to be anyone reading this feel free to fire me a message.

If you’re a Current or past student who wants to showcase their work / tell us about your industry experiences, we would love to hear from you!

Contact marketing@riversidemusiccollege.ac.uk – subject ‘Student Spotlight’