CONFIRMED: AJ Maddah Buys Ken West's Stake In Big Day Out

Soundwave and Harvest promoter AJ Maddah has bought into Big Day Out by acquiring the stake of original promoter Ken West, industry sources have confirmed to theMusic.com.au today.

Although Maddah has not returned theMusic.com.au's call this afternoon and Big Day Out co-promoter Adam Zammit declined to comment on the matter, it is believed to be a “done deal”, with staff notified. Maddah now becomes a co-owner of Australia's most famous touring festival, along with international partners C3 Presents.

Amidst rumours this afternoon, staff have now been notified of the change in ownership.

Earlier this year AJ Maddah was named the most powerful person in the Australian music industry.

The future of Harvest has been in doubt recently, with Maddah recently claiming that Big Day Out's Harvest-esque line-up was eating into his own indie festival's ticket sales. Earlier today, Harvest's Black Rebel Motorcycle Club appeared to confirm the festival's cancellation.

Maddah is also the Australian consultant and contact for Warped tour.

The first public news of the deal came this evening as West's former business partner Viv Lees told triple j's Hack that he was “alarmed” by an offer from Maddah.

“I'm hearing that Ken is withdrawing from the situation and I'm very concerned for him," he said. “I am alarmed at what I have heard.”

West and Lees split after 20 years of promoting the festival in November 2011, opening the door for Lollapalooza promoters C3 Presents to buy in. Zammit was then installed as the festival's CEO.

Labelling Maddah – this year's most powerful person in the music industry – an “odious character”, Lees continued, “I'm a little dismayed that AJ has come into the picture. When I see the amount of work that has gone into building up the event over a 22-year period, and then to see [Maddah] come in to take it over really does alarm me. He plays fast and loose and he's quite an odious character…

“This event has been so instrumental to the careers of many Australian artists ... and AJ's got no commitment to that.”

He added, “I've seen him in action. If he doesn't like the way something's going, he'll cancel it. He'll get halfway along in one direction and turn 180 degrees in the other direction and think that nobody notices. He has skin as thick as a rhino, and he's a gambler. It's an amazing turn of events.”