As one-third of seminal band Cocteau Twins, Simon Raymonde helped create some of the most beautiful and memorable albums of the ’80s and ‘90s. For the past twenty-seven years, discovering and developing globally renowned artists like Fleet Foxes, Flaming Lips, Beach House, Ezra Furman, Laura Veirs, Mercury Rev, Father John Misty and John Grant, on his Bella Union label, he has helped define the independent music scene. He will be joining us at the festival to discuss In One Ear, his new memoir published by Nine Eight in which he charts his extraordinary life and times in music: from his relationship with his father, Ivor Raymonde (the legendary producer and songwriter), his first steps as a recording artist (standing in the rain outside Broadcasting House to hand a tape to John Peel) and the glorious and sometimes turbulent times with Cocteau Twins and This Mortal Coil. In 2001 Bella Union was on the up (at least artistically if not financially) when Simon found himself totally deaf in one ear – ‘I keep waking up wondering if that desire to listen to the next demo in my Inbox will have deserted me overnight. So far it hasn’t. As long as my one good ear still works, I’ll keep listening.’