Biography
Blog
May 11 2008
Just in case you thought you'd seen and heard everything in music, along comes something surprising. An 8-year old Japanese guitar prodigy has emerged on the scene named Yuto Miyazawa. Apparently Yuto is already a pretty serious classic rock fan; he does covers of Clapton, Ozzy, and more. Not only… read moreMusic 2.0: the next chapter for the music industry
February 24 2008
My long-time digital music futurist colleague (and sometime collaborator), Gerd Leonhard, has just published a book compiling some of the best of his blog writings and essays (over the past four years) on what's coming next for the music industry. It's aptly titled "Music 2.0". This book continues and expands… read moreWireless headphones experiment -- Shaw Blades & AKG
January 25 2008
I recently had the privilege of sitting in on an invite-only concert performance by two world class musicians, Tommy Shaw of Styx and Jack Blades of Night Ranger -- who between them have sold in excess of 55M albums in their careers. They are also friends of mine. So it… read moreDavid Byrne's Survival Strategies for Artists
December 21 2007
There is a fantastic, informative article in the current issue of Wired (16.01) written by David Byrne, the former leader of the band The Talking Heads. David does a great job of providing perspective (by an established artist) on the... read moreArtists Take Control -- Seismic Shifts
October 26 2007
For anyone immersed in the digital music space, the past couple of weeks have brought some shifts that are reasonably seismic in nature relative to the shifting balance of power from record labels to artists. Here's a summary of some... read moreCome out and Play -- digital media event (Berkeley)
September 23 2007
I frequently moderate panel sessions at digital music/media industry conferences. Many are regular annual (or semi-annual) events that have been going on for years. Every once in awhile, a new one pops onto the horizon. One such event is Play... read moreNational Geographic Expands its Music Initiatives
September 02 2007
At first blush, it may seem odd to learn that National Geographic is making a respectable push into music-related initiatives (as outlined in Digital Music News in early August). With the launch of a new division last summer focused on... read moreSocial Networking and Social Causes
August 21 2007
Social Networking is exploding -- that much is clear. But did you know that sites such as Facebook, Friendster, and MySpace are more than online watering holes where kids gather and socialize? They're creating social change in tandem. Facebook recent... read moreJuly 29 2007
I was speaking with an artist manager colleague of mine the other day. This esteemed colleague has represented the likes of Alanis Morissette, LeAnn Rimes, and Collective Soul among many others. He's a sharp guy. We were discussing how historically,... read moreYou Say It's Your Birthday -- Macca Turns 65
June 17 2007
Paul McCartney turns 65 tomorrow (June 18th), and his creative output and youthful enthusiasm doesn't seem to have been dimmed by age. His new CD "Memory Almost Full", marks his 21st solo delivery in a 37-year solo career. In a... read moreWhen Disaster Strikes During a Live Performance
June 10 2007
There are several big Reunion tours taking place this Summer (including The Police, Genesis, and the Smashing Pumpkins); these are bands who have sold many millions of albums each, and who have a cadre of hungry fans around the world... read moreJune 10 2007
There are several big Reunion tours taking place this Summer (including The Police, Genesis, and the Smashing Pumpkins); these are bands who have sold many millions of albums each, and who have a cadre of hungry fans around the world... read moreLive Nation Delivers Concert Video Footage
May 28 2007
Arguably the biggest concert company in the US (if not the globe), Live Nation, recently announced that they've launched a new online service called Live Nation TV. This new initiative features a vast collection of performances from a large number... read moreThe 80/20 rule - Artists Set Their Own Prices
May 14 2007
One of my clients, PassAlong Networks, offers a very robust platform for independent artists called Speakerheart. PassAlong is all about creating new digital media services that empower the connection between artists and their fans (can you tell why they're a... read moreThe Gospel According to Terry McBride (Nettwerk)
May 01 2007
The man of the hour in my book at the moment (and actually for a number of years now) is my friend and colleague Terry McBride, Founder & CEO of Nettwerk-- an artist-centric, forward thinking artist management firm that also... read more
