State of the Industry
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METAlliance ON AI’S IMPLICATIONS FOR PRODUCTION MUSIC—PAGE 25 Desert Island Mics PAGE 27 news Volume 40 No. 10 www.prosoundnetwork.com October 2018 Recording prosoun 18 Dave Grohl’s STATE OF THE INDUSTRY Epic Play This summer, Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl released a 23-minute solo SOUND REINFORCEMENT RECORDING track, “Play,” performing all seven instruments in single, unbroken takes. BY CLIVE YOUNG BY STEVE HARVEY Engineer Darrell Thorp reveals how it all went down. ll industries are dependent on the state of the economy. ast year was the third straight year of growth for the The sound reinforcement business is no different— global record business, with music sales up from 2016 A which means it’s been going full steam ahead this year, L by over 8 percent, to $17.3 billion, according to the powered in part by low unemployment and a public in a spend- annual report released in April by IFP, which represents the thrift mood. recording industry worldwide. Streaming was at the heart of The U.S. Consumer Sentiment Index, tracked by the Uni- those figures, with digital revenues accounting for the first versity of Michigan, hit 96.2 in August, not far from the 101.4 it time for just over half of industry income around the world. reached in March—the highest point it’s hit since 2004. Despite “We’re in a renaissance now,” says Glenn Swan, man- signs of inflation starting to kick in, consumers are feeling good ager and director of music production for Premier Studios in about spending money, citing future income and job stabil- New York City. Premier, which encompasses four rooms, two ity. The university’s chief economist, Richard Curtin, observed, acquired from Quad NYC in 2010, and rents an entire floor “Consumers have not yet judged the current rate of inflation (continued on page 48) The Evil as a significant source of erosion in their living standards or as That Men 38 a cause to reduce their buying plans,” and noted that personal consumption can be expected to grow by 2.6 percent in the year Mix ahead. Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson All of this directly affects the sound reinforcement commu- teamed this summer for the Twins of (continued on page 48) Evil tour; now Zombie’s tight-knit crew shares how they made bad sound so good. THE SONICS OF SMITH—UK crooner Sam Smith is circling the globe behind his hit album The Thrill of It All with audio provided by UK-based Capital Sound. A massive d&b audiotechnik P.A., with multiple hangs of 20 J8s each, helps cover sold-out arenas nightly. For more on the tour, see page 36. soundBUSINESS [ 5 ] Italy’s RCF Group Acquires EAW BY CLIVE YOUNG ly, the deal comes some 15 years af- sold off this year, following in the ter RCF itself was divested by Loud steps of Ampeg, which was sold to Ya- WHITINSVILLE, MA—Italian pro au- Technologies, an earlier iteration of maha in mid-May, and Martin Audio, dio conglomerate RCF Group has Loud Audio, in December 2003. which was subject to a management acquired Eastern Acoustic Works EAW will remain an independent buyout in July. The remaining brands (EAW) from Loud Audio. Ironical- company, according to RCF Group under Loud Audio are Mackie, Crate, CEO Arturo Vicari. “We can look at Blackheart and Tapco. a bright future together,” he said in a Loud and Transom announced briefs statement. “Being part of our group that with the sale of EAW, they have will provide EAW with the necessary completed their planned divestitures investments and focus for a fast and of brands—a move they say will help Williams Sound, solid growth. We are very proud to the company narrow its focus to its have EAW with us.” remaining pro audio brand, Mackie. Pointmaker Now Headquartered in Reggio Emilia “While I have truly enjoyed work- Williams AV and Bologna, Italy, RCF has subsid- ing with all of the brands in the Loud minneapolis, mn—In the wake iaries in the United States and Eu- legacy, now it’s time for us to turn the of Williams Sound’s acquisition of rope, and operates under the compa- page and focus entirely on building unique partners and customers. I Pointmaker last year, the two com- nies RCF and AEB Industriale (dB the Mackie brand,” said Alex Nelson, look forward to the continued devel- panies have launched a new com- Technologies). Founded in 1949, Mackie’s president. “Our companies opment of Mackie and EAW under RCF has 500 employees and its prod- have long lived in a conglomeration new and more focused ownership.” mon brand and corporate identity as ucts are sold in more than 130 coun- of brands, and I believe going for- In a separate statement, Smith of- Williams AV (www.williamsav.com). tries around the world—an effort that ward all the brands are going to ben- fered, “For those who love EAW, it The overall organization will be called it expects to bolster on an interna- efit from newfound focus, alignment is difficult to imagine a better sce- Williams AV, while its products will tional scale with the acquisition of and investment. This last divestiture nario. From the first moment this be categorized under one of two E AW. marks a particularly exciting time for possibility started to materialize, it major product lines—appropriately, Founded in 1978, EAW was Mackie employees worldwide who has been clear that joining forces with Williams Sound or Pointmaker. The bought by Mackie Designs in Febru- are now about to embark on a jour- RCF Group is a great opportunity for rebranded company offers digital, ary 2000 to complement the latter’s ney of reinvention and revitalization.” EAW. This transaction is a true rec- FM, infrared and induction loop wire- portfolio of brands, which includ- It’s a sentiment that was echoed ognition of what the brand represents less audio, as well as video annota- ed Radio Cine Forniture (RCF) at by Dom Harter, managing director of and its potential, as well as the team tion and presentation systems. the time, acquired in 1998. In order Martin Audio, when he spoke to Pro we have built over recent years. With to differentiate between the Mackie Sound News in August about his com- gratitude to the long list of those who Hal Leonard, brand and its parent company, Mack- pany’s MBO from Loud, noting, “We built EAW over its 40-year history, we Avid Team Up ie Designs was renamed Loud Tech- can now make the decisions wholly look forward to the exciting time in burlington, ma—Avid (www.avid. nologies in 2003—the same year that for the benefit of Martin Audio rather front of us.” com) and music media publisher/ Loud divested RCF. The company than a larger multi-brand organiza- Loud Audio distributor Hal Leonard. (www.hal- was later renamed Loud Audio when tion.” www.loudaudio.com leonard.com) have entered into a Transom Capital Group purchased TJ Smith, president of EAW, five-year agreement to distribute the Loud Technologies and all its related added, “Having grown up with the EAW latter’s creative tools through the for- brands in October 2017. EAW and Mackie brands, I can truly www.EAW.com mer’s network of resellers around the In the wake of Transom’s acquisi- say that this is an exciting moment. globe. The agreement is among Avid’s tion of Loud Audio, the EAW sale Both brands are now in a significant- RCF Group largest distribution deals to date and marks the third Loud brand to be ly stronger position to support their www.rcf-group.it is said to represent a multimillion-dol- lar value to Avid annually, while pro- viding for Hal Leonard’s distribution of professional audio and video prod- ucts through authorized resellers in VER Exits Bankruptcy, Reorganizes the Americas, Australia, New Zealand LAS VEGAS, NV—VER, which provides pany, GSO Capital Partners and and selected countries in EMEA. audio gear and engineering for the PRG Management, under the new Roland Opens in music touring industry as well as corporate structure, PRG chairman equipment to the film and TV indus- and CEO Jere Harris now has roles London try, has emerged from bankruptcy for the combined company, while london, uk—Aiming to reach produc- and been reorganized. Stephan Paridaen is president and ers, engineers, instrumentalists and In April, VER entered into an COO of the combined company and music business professionals, Roland agreement to merge with Production Bob Krakauer is CEO of VER. (www.roland.com) has opened the Resource Group, bringing together As PRG already offers lighting, “We believe that this approach Roland Artist Centre London, located two of the largest event production video, media servers and staging for will bring about innovation, an excit- within Metropolis Studios in West companies in North America, but as tours, it expects to draw on VER’s ing level of service, and even more London. The center will be a hub part of the transaction, VER filed vol- tour audio gear and background in transformative collaboration with our for a variety of activities, including untary petitions for Chapter 11. order to provide complete services partners. It feels historic, not only for product support, social media initia- VER will continue to exist as a for tours, festivals and events. VER’s PRG and VER, but for the entertain- tives, interviews, sessions, streaming traditional business-to-business sub- audio division, VER Tour Sound, ment industry,” said Harris in a state- events, photo shoots, gear demos rental platform, renting to AV staging has provided audio services for such ment.