VIDEO: Melton council worker George Simpson launches pop career

A council worker who used to deal with teenage trouble-makers is launching a new career - as a budding pop star.

George Simpson’s job as anti-social behaviour officer with Melton Borough Council involved sorting out conflicts between youngsters and residents in the town.

He has now decided to give it up and hopes to achieve his lifelong ambition of entering the UK music charts after releasing his debut album.

Singer-songwriter George, 30, has set up his own record label and had his music fully mastered at the famous Abbey Road Studios in London before releasing his first album Playing for Strangers last month.

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The father-of-one said: “You get tied up with working every day and I didn’t have enough time to concentrate on my music.I had to take a bit of a gamble and do something about it.”

George, of Melton, was the council’s anti-social behaviour officer for three years.

He said: “The job was all about resolving conflicts between the people suffering from anti-social behaviour and those responsible for it and understanding why they did it - seeing things from both sides.

“I was able to give the young people I was dealing with a bit of guidance rather than just being seen as an authority figure.”

The former Holwell FC player also set up football matches between local police officers and local youngsters.

He added: “I see some of the youngsters I used to deal with who have grown a bit older who are now level headed lads who have managed to avoid getting into serious trouble - they still say hello.”

George is still employed 18 hours a week by the council as an outreach worker at the town’s three Surestart children’s centres.

The income from that, plus playing gigs with local band Maslow(c) and from solo performances is helping to finance his dream to make it big in the pop world.

Last year, George, who has a business degree at De Montfort University, found a producer in Derby and began work on the album.

He added: “I wanted to make the album something to remember so took a trip to Abbey Road and had my album fully mastered by top engineer Geoff Peshe, who only a few days before had been finishing off Kylie Minogue’s album.”

“I would be so grateful if the people of Melton could get behind me. It would mean so much to prove to other unsigned artists that there are other ways of becoming a success.

“To make it into the charts I would need in the region of three to four thousands downloads.”

His first single Never Leave You Out in the Rain played on the BBC’s The Beat radio show, broadcast across the East Midlands last month.

He has also received recognition for his album on Twitter from celebrities including, Jeremy Vine of BBC Radio 2 and Leicester City legend Steve Walsh.

George has a new single, You Make Me Feel Good due out in June.