Organisation: New Community Management and Roc Nation - King of the North
How did you first become involved in the music business and how did you end up where you are today? I was never a good spectator, always felt the need to be involved. So I 'managed' my friends' high school bands and promoted shows locally in the Manchester area.
What's been the biggest change in the music business you've seen over the past 12 months? It's nice to see the labels spending money again. Signing more acts, making more records. Streaming income has been hugely positive in that regard.
What do you think will be the biggest issue affecting the music industry in the next 12 months and why? It would be nice to see a fairer distribution of streaming cash to the songwriters. It's going to be interesting to see how that's achieved. It's certainly a challenge I think.
What advice would you give young practitioners in your area starting out today? Forge your own path. The exciting thing about the business now is that you can create the new paradigm - if you want to. So much opportunity, seize it.
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What will you be primarily discussing during your appearance at the BIGSOUND conference and what are you hoping that people will be able to learn from your panel? I'm on an artist management panel with some really good managers. I tend to ask questions myself when I'm on panels to get the conversation going. I'm 25 years deep but learning every day so I generally figure if I can learn something from the panel then the folks in the audience will too.
What do you personally hope to take away from your time at BIGSOUND? An understanding of Australian Rules Football. Nah, in all seriousness I wanna hear new music. I've been lucky to work on some great Aussie stuff over the years. Gimme more.
Which acts are you most looking forward to checking out at BIGSOUND? I just got sent a list this morning from those fine people at Media Arts Lawyers. They never steer me wrong so excited to dig into that.
When and where is your panel? 7 Sep, The Judith Wright Centre, 3.35pm.
