The Basis: Alex Maine – Behind the Name

Posted by Alex on Jun 12, 2009 in Blog, Featured Articles | Comments

Below is the Article which is being printed in this months edition of The Basis a UK magazine. This is a draft what they sent me that they allowed me to share with you. Thanks to Chris who got it to me within less than an hour. Makes me wonder.. you must have pre prepared these images.. (Sneaky) Really pleased to have an interview that didn’t revolve around my major work with the National Variety Performance.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

On this months edition of “Behind the Name” we are looking at the incredible achievements of Alex Maine local entrepreneur who has left Somerset for Nova Scotia, Canada. Obviously I wasn’t able to catch up with Alex in person but after several hours on the phone I am happy to say we have a great interview to share with you.

So for those of us who don’t know much about you, tell us a little bit about you?
Well it’s hard to no where to begin. I am 21, I was born in Yeovil in Somerset and grew up in Glastonbury. I attended school at Crispin in Street and then went on to Strode College. I started to pull away from my college work and did lots of work in the events industry since then.

How did you get into the events industry?
Well during my final year at school i decided to take part in Young Enterprise, its basically an opportunity to earn extra credit and to be placed within what is technically a real company. Acting as a business and trying to create a product that creates profit. Well in this case we were looking to fund our school prom and selling necklaces or painted pots was not going to pay for things that the girls had in mind! So i suggested we run an event at the local theatre Strode. Crispin School is connected to Strode College and Strode theatre (literally) so it meant that we were able to get the venue for free. It seemed like a great opportunity. So we ran a battle of the bands competition called Night of the Bands. To cut a long story short i fell out with many of the board members and things got difficult. By the end many of them had daggers for me… I guess they didn’t like my style. Personally i think i was too good. They certainly couldn’t argue with the outcome. It turned over thousands which paid for a manor house for the Prom in the little village of Shapwick. We also won a Young enterprise award for the event which was followed up in our local press.

So what was your first event that you did single handedly?
That would be the Somerset Variety Performance 2004. It took place in Glastonbury and it was about 6 months after the Night of the Bands. I didn’t have a penny to run the event so it was very difficult to do anything extravagant but still i prevailed and the event broke even. Not bad for a first shot i don’t think. The show was made up of performers from across mid somerset. Things like magicians and dancers. I even played piano. I have played piano at many of my events but recently i haven’t been because i have not had time to practice.

Whats the most embarrassing moment you have ever had at an event?
I didn’t ever want to think about this moment again. I guessed it would come back to haunt me at some point.It was during the Somerset County Awards. I was controlling the sound levels via the bluetooth connection in my phone. During a speech i  wanted control of the sound on the off chance people could not hear me clearly over the backing track. (Idea worked well) Though i made a grave mistake. Following my speech and award presentation. I sat at the piano to perform and placed the phone on top of the up right piano. During my performance the phone, due the vibrations made its way across the piano and dropped onto the keys and made a hell of a racket.. i remember pausing for about 2  or 3 seconds and it was pure silence. I believe i muttered the F bomb. I then looked up to the audience and said. “I beg your pardon”.. awful!

Any favourite moments?
To many to name. I guess off the top of my head i enjoyed most aspects of the National Variety Performance. The auditions were always fun. Nothing better than listening to someone who really thinks they can sing but really they are awful in every way. The award ceremonies are always great. I have had to hold in some tears on stage sometime because some of the stories are real tearjerkers. All part and parcel of my job.

How is Canada treating you?
So far its been treating me rather well. The visa is a stressful application but all other aspects are good. I have lots of things planned for Nova Scotia. Everyone will know my name when i am finished. Lets hope its for all the right reasons. Though thats not to say i will abandon the UK. I am still doing my best to keep up with all my annual projects too. Though i could always use a few more hands so if anyone in Somerset has some spare time then drop me an email.

How do you think you will portray to our readers?
Wow what a question! Well ummm.. they will probably think i am arrogant and a control freak. Well they wouldn’t be far wrong. Though thats what makes me.. me. I don’t do failure and i don’t do good I push myself as hard as i can because i want perfection in my work. I will never get perfection but i will keep trying for it. I am always aiming to better myself and my events. That’s what has made me successful but it has also made me many a rival. I’m certainly not a “Everyone loves Raymond” character, but if everyone loved me then what would be the point of getting up in the morning. I respect those who respect me. I work on a Ill scratch my back you scratch mine basis.