WWW.VIP-BOOKING.coM VIP- News›› ›› PREmiUM VOL. 124 APRIL 2010 McGowan’s Musings: Peter Kelly ruled that Prince had commit- ted to perform in Dublin’s 82,300-seat Firstly, I hope that you’re all located where Croke Park in June 2008, but withdrew you wish to be – home, office, the country without explanation just days beforehand, you usually live in, and if you can’t make after 55,000 tickets were sold. Prince (51) it back I hope you’re extending your time did not testify at the hearing. The artist’s on a sunny beach somewhere! Iceland has agency, William Morris, was absolved of li- not had a good time of it of late, what with ability, agent Marc Geiger testified that he financial meltdown and rising debts; this is rarely spoke to Prince directly and found not the sort of new export that they need him one of his toughest clients to under- – we said ‘cash, not ash!’ you can hear the stand or nail down – surely not? When told creditors cry. But this is a serious situation, Allan McGowan that MCD owner Denis Desmond was on and obviously our business is badly af- the warpath, Prince apparently said, “Tell fected, with many acts unable to be in the ever decreasing profit margins, more and the cat to chill. We will work something right place at the right time to fulfill tour- more health and safety obligations and re- out.” Good for Denis! However Prince is ing commitments. Please let us know if strictions, lack of support from other sec- a remarkable performer, so we hope he you have had problems, as we’d like to get tors of the business – particularly record makes his only three concerts this summer. a more definite picture of the true situa- companies, and increasing financial and On the 4th of July, he is playing at Roskilde tion. Certainly it has reminded us all in the rider demands from greedy artists. It’s (DK), on the 9th in Arras (FR), and on the UK that we live on an island, and seaborne a hard life and you’d wonder why many 10th of July he is closing off his short stay and tunnel travel has its limitations. At the continue with such an arduous profes- in Europe with a concert at Werchter’s Fes- time of writing I’m due to fly to Norway in sion, apart from the glamour of it all! But tival Park ten days time (see Bergenfest story in this there is some truth in all of this, so there issue) and I’m very aware that what at first is some justifiable satisfaction that Prince This will be my last Musings before the UK appeared to be a 2 or 3 day inconvenience may now be referred to as the Artist Cur- General Election on May 6th, so the next now seems to have no accurate estimate rently Known As the Bloke that had to pay issue may be written from a country with of a return to normal. the Irish Promoter $3 Million. On March 26, a totally new Government. The attitudes a Dublin judge ordered the U.S. pop singer and approaches of those in power will be If you listen to the talk at events such as to pay $2.95 million to Irish concert pro- very relevant to the future of the creative the ILMC, promoters are an increasingly moters MCD Productions Ltd for canceling industries, of which the music industry, put-upon sector of commercial society; a 2008 concert at the last minute. Justice including of course the live industry, is a The VIP-Booking European Live Entertainment Book Advertising in the VIP Book will make you visible to 10.000 business professionals all over Europe. You will find no better place to expose your company to the whole European Live Entertainment Industry. ›› RESERVE yoUR AD NOW ON WWW.VIP-BOOKING.coM 1 VIP-BOOKING.COM VIP- News - April 2010 very important sector, from both trade and cultural points of view. The ‘Poli- MU, MMF tics of Live’ panel at ILMC 22 in March and FAC to focused on the importance of lobby- ing for the support required to ensure Collaborate the future health of our industry. The Allan McGowan [email protected] upshot of the discussion was that the live music industry falls behind many Right, try and make a recognisable other sectors of the creative industries word from the above acronyms! Well, in fighting its own corner, for instance, if you can’t it’s still worth noting that, of all the sectors of the music industry, The Musician’s Union, Featured Artists live is the only one not represented Coalition and Music Managers Forum within UK Music (see story in this issue) – have announced close collaboration a voluntary working party of concerned on areas of common interest. professionals has set about examining ways to improve this situation – both in Both the MU and MMF are affiliated the UK and mainland Europe. Without with UK Music, as are the BPI (British doubt the live industry was shaped and Phonographic Industries) and the Mu- built by individual entrepreneurs, mav- sic Publishers Association, but there ericks basically, and the resourcefulness have been, and doubtless will be, and inventiveness of characters like this occasional disagreements between should remain at the core of how things creators and corporates, so collusion are done, but we are now a mature in- amongst the creatives seems to make dustry and we should learn lessons from sense. the way film, television, theatre and oth- er sectors have gone about establishing This alliance will see support from the their economic and cultural importance. FAC and MMF to the Music Supported If you have anything to say about our Here campaign led by the MU. This relationships with national and regional aims to encourage and enable musi- government please let us know. cians to engage directly with their fanbase on copyright issues, assum- After all, it’s a good time to get active ing that artists may be better placed – travel’s off the agenda for a few days to persuade music fans that the legal – weeks, months? Still, hopefully every process of buying or listening to music COLOPHON ›› cloud – even when composed of ash - online is the right route to take, than has a silver lining! a perceived authoritarian industry VIP-News is published by: initiative. Under this same banner is VIP-Booking 26 York Street Ladies and Gentlemen – the News! another supported campaign called London W1U 6pZ ‘Artist As Retailer’, aimed at persuad- ing record companies to automatically Managing Director: Ronni Didriksen concede the right to artists to directly [email protected] sell their own recordings via their own websites and social network profiles, General Manager: Peter Briggs and to be recognised in the same way [email protected] as retailers, enjoying the retailer cut of the download fee in addition to the Writer and editorial: Allan McGowan royalty they are due under their record [email protected] contract. This could apparently see a five-fold increase in an artist’s income Writer: Manfred Tari from a download, [email protected] The Musicians’ Union’s Assistant Gen- For advertising enquiries pls. contact Peter Briggs [email protected] eral Secretary Horace Trubridge is re- or +44 870 755 0092 ported as saying, “Our three organisa- tions basically share the same agendas, Lay-out: Pekaye Graphics, Phuket – Thailand in as much as we are about looking after [email protected] creators and performers. We want to 2 VIP-BOOKING.COM VIP- News - April 2010 deal with the big issues that we think are sation has a lot to bring to the coalition. ed featured artists, and their interests and wrong with the industry. In terms of putting All this lays the groundwork for a powerful those of musicians of all types need to be the artists directly in contact with the fans, collaboration. Coming together in this way more aligned”. and cutting out all of the people in between, has never happened before and has largely I don’t have any doubt that Music Support- been brought on by the narrowing of the ed Here will become a kind of vanguard, gap between artist and fan; a change that in what will become the industry norm in brings lots of opportunity for all those who years to come”. support and represent artists”. FAC’s Membership & Development Direc- MMF CEO Jon Webster added: “The MMF tor Matthew Brown added: “The MMF, the is delighted to be working more closely with FAC and the MU represent the interests of the FAC and the MU on items of common artists right across the board. Each organi- interest. Managers have always represent- Jon Webster UK Music Calls for Cabinet Committee for Creative Industries Allan McGowan [email protected] The music industry contributes enor- of new talent in the December issue of VIP- people still look at music and think it is not mously to the UK economy and UK Music, News, commenting on the Live Music Bill a proper grown-up profession and that has the umbrella group, which represents UK, introduced to parliament by Lib Dem Lord got to change because ironically what some labels, artists and managers is making sure Tim Clement-Jones, who also took part people in the world of finance might dismiss that this UK Government, and whichever in the ‘Politics of Live’ panel at ILMC 22. as nothing more than a couple of kids mak- party is in power after the May 6 election, Although the Bill received support from ing noise in the back of a pub on a Friday are kept aware of the fact.