The digital revolution has changed the music industry beyond recognition, from buying tunes to connecting artists with audiences.Lars Ulrich isn’t the only person to have struggled with the move to digital content and new forms of marketing and distribution. The news that Google is launching a new music store and Spotify’s move to Australia shows that the race for market share is far from over.
Our panel bring a wealth of experience and different perspectives, and they’ll be sharing the challenges they face and how they’re overcoming them, the potential value of new platforms and ways of reaching audiences, as well as where they see the industry going in the next few years.
Before and after our illustrious panel we’ll have live music from some of Sydney’s finest musicians and DJs. Come to debate the future of music, stay to enjoy our Christmas party.
Neil Ackland and Ben Shepherd – Sound Alliance
Sam Buckingham – singer / songwriter
Gareth Stuckey – Director, Gigpiglet Productions
FBi Social is the permanent home of FBi Radio. Each week FBi Social brings you the best in local music (as well as some from further afield), plus arts events (poetry, comedy, art, performance, screenings, you name it!)
About the Speakers
Dan Rosen
CEO of the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA)
Prior to joining ARIA and PPCA as CEO, Dan was based in New York working as Head of Americas for KIT Digital, a NASAQ listed digital media company. Before leaving for the States, Dan worked as an Advisor to the Minister of Communications, Richard Alston, responsible for broadband and innovation policy after starting his career as a lawyer, specializing in media and technology, with Minter Ellison.
Dan was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to complete his Masters of International Law and Business at New York University. He holds a First Class Honours degree in Law and a Bachelor of Commerce from Monash University in Melbourne.
Neil Ackland
Managing Director, Sound Alliance
Neil is a founding partner and Managing Director of Sound Alliance – a pioneer of niche social media with a decade of experience creating category leading web brands that cater to the interests of 18-29 year old Australians. Sound Alliance media assets include; inthemix, Faster Louder, Mess&Noise, SameSame, The Hype Machine & Last.fm. Neil has a unique understanding of how to build profitable communities online, combined with the commercial acumen to attract leading brands to engage with these communities.
Sound Alliance has grown to become Australia’s largest independent online entertainment publisher with over 1 million unique browsers per month visiting its network of websites and 350,000 registered members. It employs 40+ staff and has been named in the BRW Great Place to Work Top 50 in 2009 & 2010.
http://thesoundalliance.net
Ben Shepherd
Commercial Director, Sound Alliance
Ben is the Commercial Director of Sound Alliance, one of Australia’s leading diversified digital businesses, incorporating media assets inthemix, Faster Louder, Mess&Noise, Pitchfork, SameSame, The Hype Machine & Last.fm; creative and communications consultancy Sound Alliance Agency. Prior to joining Sound Alliance Ben was the Head of Digital for media agency Maxus and in his decade long media career has held leadership roles at Mindshare and Yahoo! In addition, Ben is the author of award winning blog, Talking Digital, and a contributing media commentator to Business Spectator and Encore Magazine.
http://thesoundalliance.net
http://talkingdigital.wordpress.com
http://www.businessspectator.com.au/talking-digital
Gareth Stuckey – Gig Piglet
Over the past 13 years, Gareth Stuckey’s experience as Production Manager for A Day On The Green festival and Tour Co-Ordinator for Civil Society have seen him work with artists as diverse as: Lionel Ritchie, Crosby Stills and Nash, Sia, Death Cab for Cutie, The National and the many more.
He’s currently Front of House Engineer and Tour Manager for Tim Finn and Brooke Fraser and he’s done the same thing for bands such as george, Alex Lloyd, Thirsty Merc, and seven years with Machine Gun Fellatio.
Since establishing Gigpiglet Recordings he’s been involved in recording projects for the likes of Shane Nicholson, Thirsty Merc, The Beautiful Girls and Lyrics Born as well as managing the careers of Alex Lloyd, Pinky Beecroft, and Jack Carty.
His current focus is Gigpiglet Presents, a company producing events throughout Australia with clients including NOVA radio, National Geographic, Murdoch Books and most recently his very own LIVE!@GPHQ.
http://www.gigpiglet.com.au/
https://twitter.com/#!/thegigpiglet
Sam Buckingham
Sam Buckingham is a self managed, fan funded, independent artist that believes in artists helping artists, social networking and thinking outside the square. Using networks online built through touring and constant social networking, she has successfully fostered an online
competition to inspire fan interaction, an online series performing newly penned songs to help build her following, a 25 date national tour seeing her play in her fans backyards, living rooms & balconies and has successfully raised $10,000 through the crowdfunding platform ‘Pozible’ to record her forthcoming album. Along with these achievements she has been a finalist 3 years running in the International Songwriting Competition, Enchanted audiences at Blue Mountains Folk, Tamworth Country Music, Peats Ridge & the National Folk Festival and has played alongside the likes of Angus & Julia Stone, Washington and Lior.
http://www.sambuckingham.com
http://twitter.com/#!/sammybuckingham
http://www.myspace.com/sambuckinghammusic
Helen Perris
Growing up, Helen Perris was fed a diet of Fleetwood Mac, Leo Sayer, ABBA and Elvis Presley courtesy of regional AM radio, alongside her classical piano and violin training. Following her introduction into the world of musical theatre, it was probably inevitable that her musical style was destined to have a timeless feel with a storyteller’s bent. Helen’s music is the love child of Tori Amos and Eddie Perfect at a suburban BBQ and is largely autobiographical. While Helen’s influences include Tori Amos, Katie Noonan and Sarah Slean, she continues to be inspired by all forms of music (even Rebecca Black).
Helen spent many years teaching and performing as a musician, dancer and actor in Brisbane, Canberra and Sydney before embarking on her recording career. It took an opportunity to play for Amanda Palmer, and the resulting positive feedback, for Helen to gain the courage to make her dream a reality. She has since played support for U.S. independent artist Kim Boekbinder and Triple J’s Brendan Maclean. Helen launched her Pozible campaign to fund her debut EP “Flesh” in October.
www.helenperrismusic.com
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