1 AMA office: MBE 148/45 Glenferrie Rd Malvern VIC 3144 Ph 03 9527 6658 Fax: 03 9507 2316 AMA website: www.australianmusic.asn.au Music Makers website: www.musicmakers.org.au

MARCH 2010

It has been interesting to see the passion with which musicians AMAC provides an annual forum for music retailers and other have supported live music lately. The industry professionals to come together with suppliers to do demonstration organised in response to licensing laws business in the key final quarter and simply get together. threatening to close venues saw approximately 15,000 people It will be a big week for the music products industry. attend, bringing back memories of moratorium marches of the The AMA will be putting making music in the spotlight. 70’s in Melbourne. In a year when Live Music is a focus of Sept 30 to Oct 3 – Melbourne is the place to be! governments, enter the Australian International Music Show See you @ AMAC & AIMS 2010 or AIMS 2010 in Melbourne – a show whose focus is promoting making music. To assist in the organisation of the event the executive committee Over a long period the demand for a public music show has has appointed a Trade Show committee comprising: Rob Walker, increased – so much so that the AMA believed it was a Peter Trojkovic, Kate Whitney and Bernie Capicchiano majority view and this project has been embarked upon. We believe it will be a success. We were confident the floorplan would sell out in its first year and this has proved to be the case. We are confident that suppliers will support their STOP PRESS: AMAC and AIMS exhibition space presence at the show by presenting artists and clinicians to is now SOLD OUT! promote their brands. We think the public will attend a show that is supported by the Special guest for AIMS music products industry and its association. We will play a is American blues large part in keeping a focus on live music in Melbourne and guitar legend on the national stage. Robben Ford We also acknowledge the importance of AMAC as a national trade convention that the members value. AMAC will largely retain its key features over two days and two nights – Thurs 30/9 and Fri 1/10 • A trade only exhibit • Gala Dinner and other functions • AMA Awards • Business networking Ross’ the Boss’ Wilson will lead the world • Music Educators Day record attempt for • Training opportunities most guitars played at once with ‘Eagle Rock’ 2 YOUR AMA. WORKING FOR YOU

The financial accounts presented at the recent Annual General Meeting and sent electronically to all members in early February, show that the Association continues to be in a healthy financial state. Most importantly, the accounts demonstrate that our financial resources are sufficient to undertake the extensive range of programs and activities that the Executive Committee has on the agenda for the coming year. It is hard to imagine that it is Autumn already. So much is happening with your Key amongst these activities are the: association this year that I would need a book to try and give you all of the • Staging of AMAC/AIMS 2010 details. One solution for those who did not come to the Annual General Meeting is to please check the AMA website and download my report from the • Redevelopment of the Australian minutes. It was lengthy and took some time to prepare and to read out. So I Musician, AIMS and AMA websites really not only appreciate the patience of all who attended but also like to take • Introduction of the Musical Futures this opportunity to say how proud I am of all the work that is being currently program undertaken by the association. • New consumer brochures on buying a By now many of you would be aware of the AMAC /AIMS project for quality musical instrument September 30 through to October 3. Congratulations to all those wholesalers • Continuation of support for the who moved so quickly to book their stands. Fifty percent of the display space Australian Wireless Audio Group in went in the first day and most of the rest in the following two days. The show is defence of radio microphones and already shaping up to be more than successful. Please reserve the dates in your instrument transmitters calenders and check the website and this newsletter for more details. Of course these programs are in addition to At the Annual General Meeting a new committee was elected. We gratefully the usual range of AMA activities farewelled Graham Hoskins and welcomed Chris Cumming. Thank you to all of undertaken on behalf of the membership. the Committee members who renominated (see contact details in this newsletter). Thanks to Nick Middleton, who stepped down, for his contribution In addition to the income generated by members fees, together with the too. Also a big thank you to the Committee for renominating and voting for me Association’s other activities such as as President. I am honoured and welcome feedback on how I can serve you all AMAC/AIMS, Australian Musician, Music well this year. It was wonderful to see such a large number of members at the in Action and through Music Makers, we meeting. The support and encouragement is really well appreciated. must thank and acknowledge the NAMM Congratulations to all of the product awards recipients presented at the Foundation for their support of the Musical inaugural Australian Musician Music Gear Awards night on February 16th after Futures program in 2009/10. the AGM. Greg Phillips did an outstanding job of co ordinating some great Finally it would be remiss of me as the AMA music and presenting the night. From the excitement level, I would imagine that Treasurer if I were not to remind members these awards will become a valuable part of our annual calender too. of the business and money saving benefits Exciting projects for Autumn include the AWAG debate with the Government associated with AMA membership. These and the pilot programs for Music Futures starting in South Australia and include Commonwealth Bank EFTPOS and AON Insurance packages, as well as, the Victoria. Also there seems to be some more positive vibes in the community AFEX foreign exchange services. Each of that should help our product sales throughout the year. these services has proven cost saving A special thank you to The Morton Group (Ian Harvey, Sara Hood, Heather and benefits and members should, at the very Annette) for the excellent work over a very frantic festive season with so many least, investigate these offers. You can get major programs like AGM and AMAC to handle . more information from the AMA office. Good luck for many sales during the Autumn season. David Steedman Bernie Capicchiano. AMA Treasurer AMA President. 3

New AMA committee elected at AGM

On February 16 the Australian Music Association's AGM took place in "I was flattered that people wanted me to keep doing it. I appreciated Melbourne, where the new committee was elected. Your 2010 the trust that they put in me and that's not something to be dismissed," Executive Committee consists of (in alphabetical order) Mark Amory said Graham of the MC position. "Some of the other great memories (Yamaha), Carol Brandman (Engadine Music), Dom Disisto (Holden include working with Rob Walker in those early days on the concept of Hill Music), Andrew Lindsay (Muso’s Corner), Richard Snape (AMPD), AMAC on the Gold Coast. It was fantastic to be associated with that. David Steedman (Maton), Peter Trojkovic (CMI), Kate Whitney (Shriro) The challenge of getting Music Makers up and running and coming up and new to the committee this year Chris Cumming (NAS) and Mark with the right formula. That was a real turning point for the AMA, and I Van Der Sluis (Roland). Bernie Capicchiano remains as AMA was honoured to be involved in that. The thing I will miss mostly though President. Rob Walker is chair of the AMAC/AIMS organising is working with all the different people on the committee. committee. Stepping down is Nick Middleton (Roland/Intelliware) who An unexpected we thank for his contribution. opportunity came up to expand my retail Special thanks however, must go to Graham Hoskins, who is leaving the business and I couldn't committee after serving for 12 years. Graham also served with let that go so I felt the distinction as AMA president for 4 years and chair of the AMAC time was right to stand organising committee for 8 years. Graham felt the time was right to step down. If anything my down and concentrate on his retail business Concept Music in , parting words would be which is undergoing a major expansion. for everyone to keep supporting the music "I guess some of the most significant moments for me were being the association in the first Western Australian to be elected to the Executive Committee, and wonderful work that also I was the first retailer to be elected President. It was very humbling they do." to be accepted in that role," Hoskins told AMTN. "The reason I agreed to stand for the committee when I was first asked by Glenn Dodson of The AMA membership Roland, was that at the time there didn't seem to be any grass roots thanks Graham for his retailers there representing the smaller guys. I felt that there was also a tremendous work with bit of that whole retailer versus wholesaler mentality and I thought our industry and we maybe by being on the committee I could contribute to breaking down wish him well for those barriers." the future.

Graham leaves with many fond memories of his time on the committee and the many roles he never expected to have been invited to fulfil. Most notably he didn't expect to be towed into the water by a team of dolphins at the AMAC dinner at Seaworld! Many AMA members will recall Graham's fantastic job as the AMAC Gala Dinner MC, a role in which he was always professional and entertaining.

Bernie Capicchiano (President) Musico 0 39872 5122 Mark Amory Yamaha Music 03 9693 5111 Kate Whitney (Co Vice President) Shriro 02 9415 5024 Chris Cumming National Audio Systems 03 9761 5577 David Steedman (Treasurer) Maton 03 9896 9500 Dom DiSisto Holden Hill Music, SA 08 8266 2699 Rob Walker (Chair AMAC/AIMS) Allans Music Group 03 9695 0510 Andrew Lindsay Musos Corner, Newcastle 02 4929 2829 Carol Brandman Engadine Music 02 9520 3044 Peter Trojkovic CMI Music & Audio 03 9315 2244 Richard Snape Mark Van Der Sluis Roland Corporation 02 9982 8266 (Co Vice President, Music Makers chair)AMPD 03 8415 8000 4 YOUR AMA. WORKING FOR YOU

he local music gear industry Tgathered at the plush Blue Diamond Club in Melbourne on Tuesday 16th of February for the inaugural Australian Musician Music Jodie Archer collects 4 awards on behalf of Jands Miles Jackson excited to be collecting an award for CMI Gear Awards presentation evening. Voting for the gear awards took place over a five month period last year and readers were asked to vote on over 100 products in 25 music gear categories. Results were published in the summer issue of Australian Musician, which was guest edited by Powderfinger. Taking out the big award, Product of the Year was the amazing Roland TD9KX V-Touring electronic drum kit, which was energetically demonstrated on the night by Maton’s Linda Kitchen collects an award from AM Audio Products Group’s Rob O’Connell grabs one for the Simon Ayton. On hand to help editor Greg Phillips and Spencer P. Jones Peavey brand from Greg Phillips and Geoff Achison present awards were special guests Taasha and Tristan from the Audreys (who have just begun recording their new ), indie guitar legend Spencer P. Jones (who has several records on the way), Hunters & Collectors horn man Jack Howard, blues guitar slinger Geoff Achison and and the one and only vocal sensation, John ‘Swanee’ Swan. Nineteen year old guitar wunderkind Stephen Bowtell and Roland’s Simon Ayton excites the audience with a demo Roland’s Brendan Callinan accepts the Product of the his trio including James Bowers on of the Product of the Year, the TD9KX electronic drum kit Year award keyboards and Andrew Braidner on drums, put in a blinder of a set and were joined on stage by local bluesman Geoff Achison and Frank Zappa's former keyboard player and magazine columnist Allan Zavod. Focus now moves to the 2010 Music Gear Awards. Voting will begin in the Winter issue of Australian Musician, which is distributed in June. Results will be announced at the huge AMAC/AIMS music show occurring Special guest presenters Taasha and Tristan from The Stephen Bowtell band is joined on stage by Geoff at the Melbourne Convention Audreys with Jack Howard (Hunters and Collectors) Achison and Allan Zavod Centre in early October. Pics by Ros O’Gorman 5

YOUR AMA. WORKING FOR YOU

We received great news from Tina Broad recently that the Australian We know that, sadly, many schools have little or no budget for music. Government has once again committed to funding Music.Count Us In Getting them started with singing is a great way to create a music this year. The 'Music.Count Us In' program results in thousands of activity that costs little or no money. school kids around the nation all singing the same song at the same time Indirectly, this is Music Makers money at work. The government on the same day. Last year around half a million kids participated and relations advice that enabled us to appropriately ask for this money was Minister Garrett joined in on the lawns of Parliament House in funded by Music Makers. Canberra. Tina informs us that the government has promised $480,000 to include some new activity to further progress the program and add As the funding announcement was so early this year, it gives Tina and yet more value in Music.Play for Life’s quest to more firmly establish her team more time to make this year's event even better. Tina has music in schools, communities, everywhere. worked hard to secure this funding and it would also seem that we have a liaison person in the DEWR who sees the value in the program, hence MCUI is a key activity run by Music.Play for Life, an MCA program this early commitment.Tina is currently working on a date for this year's which receives significant funding from the AMA's Music Makers fund. Music.Count Us In, which will be announced in due course. It is designed to deliver on two levels: This is the fourth year Music.Count Us In has been run, We thank the • To raise the status of music in schools by providing a high profile, Australian Government for their continued support and of course, thank musically sound activity which schools can run cost effectively and and congratulate Tina on the amazing work she does. which can engage the entire school community Once materials are available they will be distributed to all members. • To encourage more schools to start a music program, by providing Please can you ensure your education customers know to get signed up them with an activity which is cheap and simple to run, and providing again! It's free. the teachers with the PD to make it happen. The PD can then be If there's anything else you can do to assist Tina Broad and her team applied to any singing activity thereafter. with promoting this, please email her at: [email protected]

A milestone was reached earlier this month with the closing of • The uncertainty surrounding the future use of these products be submissions to the Digital Dividend Green Paper. It is on the back resolved as soon as possible of these submissions that the Federal Government will develop its • That there is sufficient time between the determination of future plans for the future of the broadcast spectrum (520MHz - spectrum access within the 520Mhz and the proposed 694Mhz 820MHz) and in turn the future use of wireless audio products band for organisations and users to make the necessary changes such as radio mics, instrument transmitters and in ear monitoring systems. • That the right to use these products under the Low Interference Portable Devices (LIPD) licence arrangements is acknowledged The AMA presented a detailed submission on behalf of the and that similar arrangements continue into the future Australian Wireless Audio Group, comprising the leading importers and distributors of wireless audio devices. The 105 • That the Government recognise the costs associated with the page submission detailed the economic, social and cultural change of spectrum, including the decommissioning of existing consequences of withdrawing spectrum from wireless audio use. equipment and its replacement with new equipment and develop a compensatory approach together with industry on However rather than just defending our users’ interests in behalf of the tens of thousands of Australian wireless audio maintaining access to spectrum we developed a series of users proposals that could, with appropriate support from Government, achieve both the outcome of freeing spectrum for further Looking ahead the next major event will be the announcement of exploitation by the telecommunications industry as well as the White Paper. This is the document the Government will take sustaining the $34 billion worth of activity undertaken using forward as policy from 2012 and beyond. wireless audio products each year. The AMA's Digital Dividend Green Paper submission can be found The AMA submission focused on ensuring: at:http://www.australianmusic.asn.au/ClientImages • Wireless spectrum remains available to users and that the /AWAG_DD_Green_Paper_Response_FNL.pdf available spectrum is sufficient to accommodate current and or call Ian Harvey on 03 9527 6658 future use. Three options to archive this were presented within the submission 6 YOUR AMA. WORKING FOR YOU

17-18 April, 2010 Print Music Fair, Mooloolaba The specialist event for print music After more than 2 years of discussions and And what teen doesn't have an interest in music? buyers. All the major print planning the Musical Futures program kicks off this Musical Futures turns this interest in music into the suppliers are there, plus there's a month in Melbourne with an initial 10 pilot schools. making of music. It helps get students playing and social calendar including a dinner. helps sustain their interest for longer than many Musical Futures brings together a partnership traditional approaches have been shown to do." between the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, The NAMM 30 Sep- 1 Oct 2010 Foundation, Soundhouse Music Alliance, the The first teacher group, totalling around 35 AMAC Victorian Government, and the AMA and its teachers, will commence a year-long supported Melbourne Convention members. professional development program being Centre implemented by the Soundhouse Music Alliance. Musical Futures introduces to schools a new way of The first classes using the Musical Futures teaching and learning music amongst students in 2-3 Oct 2010 approach will commence in second term, following the early secondary years. AIMS the Easter break. Australian International AMA Executive Officer Ian Harvey said, "Musical Pilots programs are also soon scheduled to start in Futures has been phenomenally successful in the Music Show South Australia and New South Wales in the UK where it was originally developed. It is an Our new public coming weeks. approach to music that engages students with the music show music that is of interest and importance to them. There will be more on Musical Futures Melbourne Convention announced soon. Centre Let us have your industry dates so we can include them here and on the AMA website!

VALE SIMON LEADLEY Simon Leadley was one of Australia’s leading audio and music for film craftsmen. He was a founder of Trackdown Digital, MELBOURNE’S SLAM RALLY AN INSPIRATIONAL DAY now a world renowned orchestral recording facility in The message to the Victorian government at last month's SLAM (Save Live Australian Music) street rally Sydney. Simon was a “Computer from a 15,000 strong crowd was clear, don't mess with Melbourne's vibrant live music scene! New Whisperer” who had a sixth licensing laws which require small venues to employ additional (and costly) security, have resulted in some sense for how to do things venues ceasing to run live music altogether and others, such as the famous Tote Hotel, to close. For smarter and break through many Melbourne music fans, that was one venue too many and they took to the streets in a well organised event of the outmoded conventions in to protest the laws. It was truly inspiring to see how passionate people are about music. Many of his field of expertise. Simon Leadley passed away on February Australia's most recognised artists were there to lend their support including Paul Kelly, Clare Bowditch, 24, 2010 from cancer. Swanee, Paul Dempsey, Angie Hart, and even American artist Amanda Palmer, who praised the passion of He is survived by his partner the crowd. The morning of the protest the government signed an accord to temporarily relax the laws Kerry, his brother Philip, sister further pending discussion, which then turned the march from a protest into a celebration. Sally and father Tony. The music industry also lost a couple of respected musicians recently; Rowland S. Howard, SUBSCRIBE TO THE AIMS WEBSITE a founding member of The Birthday Party, and also passing FOR YOUR SHOW UPDATES away was Ruby Hunter, singer songwriter and wife of www.aimshow.com.au Archie Roach