Songwriters Network Qld

How SNQ started….

Melinda J Wells is the founder of the Songwriters Network Qld and is overwhelmed by the amazing response she has had so far to the creation of  SNQ, her years in the music industry gave Melinda the knowledge and courage to pursue her dream of creating a network of songwriters who could support and encourage each other through their journey as composers.  The Songwriters Network Qld was born after an unsuccessful attempt to start a Brisbane Song Group with a corporate sponsor, where Melinda decided that giving back to the creative community would take a singular commitment to the dream and the drive and determination to forge ahead without a roadmap.

With help from fellow songwriters Hugh Brown and John Rodriquez, Melinda started monthly meetings for SNQ at the Logan North Library, slowly building a small band of committed members who shared, collaborated, formed friendships and supported Melinda’s dream.  In April this year, Melinda was offered a Thursday night gig for SNQ at Kitty O’Shea’s for those in the group who were looking for performance opportunities.  Unlike other jam nights and open mic night, Melinda set up a system of feature and supports acts for each night at Kitty’s where the feature artists are paid a percentage of the bar takings.  There are plenty of venues who offer this kind of deal for bands, but there is less opportunity for soloists, duos or acoustic bands, also there are other venues and groups who have guidelines and rules about who can join or play.  SNQ is inclusive, which means that anyone of any age, genre, skill level, instrument or style can be part of the groups performances and get togethers, everyone is supported by the other members and we believe that together we are stronger than going the road alone.

Melinda has been totally amazed by the response to SNQ and can only put the success of this venture down to the fact that her motivation is genuine, truly wanting to have a positive effect on the members of SNQ whatever that may be.  Because every person is unique, Melinda understands the need for a safe place for the expression of original music in all it’s forms, where there is not a set of narrow criteria that needs to be met, this surprises and delights those who have had other experiences elsewhere.  Also, SNQ is not a competition!  In fact, the opposite is true… the success of any of our members will only benefit all of us through the sharing of ideas and experiences and this is one of the reasons for industry nights within our performance crew.  Inclusion in the SNQ family is a place where together we can form alliances, learn new ways of marketing and promotions, perfect our craft, collaborate with others, learn from those who have done it before!  This is the reason why one of our most successful members, Michael Fix, will be performing and mentoring our artists on the 29th July at Industry Night.  Michael has had great success with his craft and will field questions from the audience and share his successes and the lessons learnt throughout his long and successful career.  Melinda has nine of the regular performing artists all doing a short, three-song set on this same night and is inviting media, record labels and management companies in the hope that one or many of our artists might make useful connections to take them in the best direction for their future careers.

Who Can Join?

Open to songwriters and composers of any age, genre, experience, style, instrument or vocal, SNQ is an all-inclusive group who meet regularly for networking, collaborating, friendship, jamming, working on new material and just having fun.  SNQ also offers live gigs for it’s members through the performance arm of the group called SNQ Presents

SNQ is for anyone who is looking for a place to share their music, either in the safety of our sessions, or to perform them live on stage to an appreciative audience.  Most of our members are musicians who have had little to moderate success in building a sustainable career from their art but who wish to pursue the idea of songwriting and performance further, so the group exists to lend a hand, to build a network that makes us stronger together than striving to achieve things on our own.

We have a growing list of mentors and supporters who, in time, will offer guidance, support, advice and opportunities for our artists and the groups aim to facilitate the development of it’s members careers in the way that suits each person individually.  In today’s music world, there are many boxes that have to be ticked in order for an original artist to be accepted, heard and given opportunity – our aim is to offer an alternative way to maintain a living whilst doing what we all love to do… create original music.

Contact SNQ through Melinda:

If you are one of those people looking for a fun, accepting, inviting place to play, share and meet with other like-minded people, then joining SNQ may be for you.

How??  Join the group

So who is Melinda J Wells?

Melinda J Wells, founder of the Songwriters Network Qld (SNQ) is a dynamic, vivacious, talented composer, performer, teacher, mentor, workshop facilitator and mother.  Her long career has seen Melinda’s songwriting craft spans Christian, spiritual, children’s and mainstream music across a variety of genres and styles.  Her lilting voice and uplifting lyrics have a magnetic power over the listener, taking us on a journey of self-discovery and joy though her amazing songs.

Melinda has spent her life in and around music, creating the very successful ‘Pooki-Doos’ children’s show which toured for seven years mainly across Queensland and interstate.  Melinda wrote more than 60 children’s songs, releasing two independent CD’s and creating the most popular non-signed touring children’s group in the state.

As well as mainstream shows, Melinda developed a water conservation show and theme song for Brisbane Water and Whizzy the Water Drop, a show which toured around Qld and NSW throughout schools and council events.  Melinda spent more than 12 years managing Christian youth choirs and bands in both Sydney and Brisbane and has had four of her Christian songs released on a fund-raising CD for Kids Off The Street.  Melinda was also in a twelve-piece Christian band here in Brisbane for a short time performing her original Christian music at churches and related events.

Melinda began teaching music to children and adults in 2006 and started her own business ‘The Music Studio’ from humble beginnings tutoring a handful of children on how to play rhythm guitar.  The popularity of her classes has seen Melinda expand to advanced guitar, lead guitar, drums, bass guitar, keyboards, vocal training, songwriting and performance skills.  She has four part time teachers who offer an outstanding range of classes with the emphasis on having the most fun possible while still learning all the required skills of music.  Melinda has created and written her own guitar teaching method that she uses with outstanding results and has never even advertised as most of her clients are referred.

Melinda has also created the very successful ‘RockOn’ Songwriting/Performance Workshop Series that tours throughout western Queensland regularly and finds young songwriters, singers, performers and musicians and gives them the opportunity to learn or improve their creative skills and perform live on stage in their town.  This program is one of the highlights of her career as it has allowed her to create opportunities for young and older musicians to showcase their talents and develop their careers beyond what would normally be possible.  Melinda is a believer in a limitless universe and every persons ability to do, be and have what ever they want, her positive outlook and amazing communication skills makes RockOn a unique and amazing experience for anyone lucky enough to experience it.  She also has great empathy for all people, no matter what age, experience or background and she has learnt very valuable skills being exposed to many different people and situations over the years around Queensland.

Melinda is a working mother to two children, Breanna 15 and Harry 12 (whom she home-schools), teaching more than 50 students each week from her studio, booking and organizing RockOn workshop tours throughout the year, running and organizing the SNQ gigs and meetings, websites and correspondence, she is a very busy woman indeed.  Some call her ‘Wonder Woman’….. Apart from all of this, Melinda is continuing to write and record new material for her new album ‘Journey Songs’ plus writing for and coaching her 15 year old daughter Bree who is releasing her debut album ‘Happy Now’ this year.  And her son Harry, just 11, is learning all the family’s songs on electric ukuele to feature on the albums and at live shows.  Melinda is also blessed to work with veteran musician Russell Bayne, the two have formed an alliance and are producing a library of original music for distribution and licensing.

Her waters run deep and her magnetic personality, zest for life, love of music and joy of living make this woman a dynamic force in the local music scene – in fact she has only just begun the journey that will take her to endless possibilities.  Melinda is a genuine, caring, loving individual who has triumphed many personal hurdles to attempt to create something she felt was missing in today’s music scene – and so begins the incredible journey of SNQ…..