MUSEXPO 2008 PANEL SNAPSHOTS

MUSEXPO 2008 KEYNOTE PANEL: Preparing for their MUSEXPO 2008 keynote panel are some of the world’s top executives and influencers from the live, artist management, publishing, film/TV supervision, radio and label side of the business. Pictured (l-r) are: Harvey Goldsmith (President/Founder, Harvey Goldsmith Presents), Nic Harcourt (Music Director/Host of “Morning Becomes Eclectic,” KCRW Los Angeles), Rob McDermott (President, Collective Music Group & worldwide manager of Linkin Park), Alex Patsavas (Founder, Chop Shop Music Supervision, Inc.), David Massey (President, Mercury Records) and Ralph Peer II (Chairman/CEO, Peermusic).

GLOBAL MANAGERS FORUM: Some of the world’s top artist managers shared their insight into their evolving business at MUSEXPO 2008 with moderators Ritch Esra and Tess Taylor at the helm. Pictured (l-r) are: Tess Taylor (President, NARIP), John Watson (Owner/President, Eleven Music/JW MGMT), Ron Stone (Co-Founder/President, Gold Mountain Entertainment), Robert Reynolds (worldwide manager of The Killers), Terry McBride (CEO, Nettwerk Music Group), Doc McGhee (Founder, McGhee Entertainment) and Ritch Esra (Publisher, The Music Registry).

A PERSONAL INTERVIEW WITH DIANE WARREN: The world’s most successful songwriter of modern times, Diane Warren (Founder, Realsongs), shared an insightful and personal interview with David Massey at MUSEXPO 2008.

MARKET FOCUS: INDIA: MUSEXPO’s India forum received some fantastic response from delegates who got a true insight into the opportunities, challenges and market landscape in India. Pictured (l-r) are: Aarti Tandon (Partner, Law Office of Aarti Tandon), Mark Strippel (Head of Music, BBC Asian Network), Ritnika Nayan (CEO, Music Gets Me High, India), Savio D’Souza (Secretary General, India Music Industry), Atul Churamani (Vice President A&R, Publishing and New Media, Saregama India), Oum Pradutt (Managing Director, Phase 1 Events & Ent’t Pvt. Ltd., India), Seymour Stein (Chairman, Sire Records Group) and Safta Jaffrey (Owner/Managing Director, SJP/Taste Music Ltd.).

GLOBAL A&R FORUM: Providing some great insight into the evolving world of artist discovery and development amid the evolution of music companies at MUSEXPO 2008 are (l-r): Peter Shukat (Managing Partner, Shukat Arrow Hafer Weber & Herbsman, LLP), Nick Raphael (Managing Director, Epic Records, UK), Andrew Phillips (Media Consultant, Channel 4, UK), David Vodicka (President, Rubber Records, Australia), Mike Caren (Executive VP A&R, Atlantic Records Group), Kenny Gates (Co-President, PIAS Ent’t Group, Worldwide), John Alexander (Sr. VP Creative Affairs/Membership US, ASCAP), Martin Kierszenbaum (President Cherrytree; Sr. VP A&R/Head of Int’l Ops, Interscope/Geffen/A&M).

BROADCAST MEDIA PANEL AT MUSEXPO 2008: Sharing their insight into the evolution of broadcast media in various countries were (l-r): Max Tolkoff (Program Director, Indie 103.1FM Los Angeles), Andrew Phillips (Media Consultant, Channel 4, UK), Ande MacPherson (Programme Controller, Xfm Radio Network, UK), Chris Price (Head of Music Programming, MTV UK & Ireland), Jimmy Steal (VP Programming, Emmis Radio), Ajax Scott (Media Consultant, UK) and Erica Farber (Publisher, Radio & Records).

MARKET FOCUS: CHINA: MUSEXPO 2008 assembled a great list of panelists and provided an in-depth overview of the Chinese music market: Pictured (L-R) are: Safta Jaffrey (Owner/MD, SJP/Taste Music, Ltd), Jason Magnus (President/Founder, Beijing Rock Festival/Beijing Pop Festival, China), Jackie Subeck (President, Entertainment Group CRC Jianian, (US/China), Jason Sausto (President, Onkyo China), Jimi Wang (GM, Rongxi Ent’t Media Co. Ltd, China) and Gary Chen (Co-Chairman/CEO, Orca Digital/Top 100, China).

LEGENDS AT MUSEXPO 2008: MUSEXPO 2008 presented a legends panel which featured some of the industry’s top luminaries: Being inspired by some of the industry legends (l-r) are: Tommy Nast (MC/Advisor, MUSEXPO 2008), panel moderator Mike Walsh (Music Director, Xfm Radio Network, UK), Seymour Stein (Chairman, Sire Records Group), Peter Asher (Partner, Strategic Artist Management), Daniel Glass (Founder/CEO, Glassnote Entertainment), Steve Jones (The Sex Pistols/Host “Jonesy’s Jukebox” on Indie 103.1FM Los Angeles) and Sat Bisla (President/Founder, A&R Worldwide & MUSEXPO).

GLOBAL PUBLISHING FORUM AT MUSEXPO 2008: It’s all smiles after an insightful and entertaining forum focusing on all things copyrights and publishing-related at MUSEXPO 2008. Pictured (l-r) are: Emmanuel Legrand (Editor, Impact Music Publishing Magazine, UK), Kathleen Carey (Sr. VP Int’l, Sony/ATV Music Publishing), Justin Shukat (Founding Partner & General Manager, Primary Wave Music Publishing), Kenny MacPherson (President/Sr. Executive, Chrysalis Music N. America), Nick Robinson (Sr. Executive Writer/Publisher Relations Europe, BMI), Jens-Markus Wegener (MD, AMV Talpa GMGH, Germany), Jay Faires (President of Music & Publishing, Lionsgate Entertainment), Tim Prescott (CEO, Albert Music, Australia) and Ritch Esra (Publisher, The Music Registry).

MUSIC & GLOBAL CONSUMER BRANDS: Sharing insight into the evolving world of music and global brand marketing (L-R) at MUSEXPO 2008 were: Chris Dorne (VP, Production/Director, Connectivetissue/Mediavest, USA), Steven Stewart (Sr. Manager, Nokia Music Solutions), Gary Arnold (Sr. VP Entertainment, Best Buy), Jim O’Mahony (CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi, China/Russia/India/Brazil), Dan Diamond (VP, National Cinemedia), Mike Tunnicliffe (President, Tuna Music), Marianne Goode (VP Music, Lifetime TV/Lifetime Entertainment) and James P. Dunne (President, Inspire Entertainment).

FILM/TV & VIDEOGAMES (ART & COMMERCE VIA VISUAL MEDIA): Inspiring the audience with the changing face of music licensing in film/TV, advertising and videogames were (L-R): John Anderson (CEO, Creative Services/Lifestyle, Hunnypot Limited), Alicen Catron Schneider (VP Music Creative Services, NBC Universal Television Music), Steve Schnur (Worldwide Executive of Music & Audio, Electronic Arts), Dain Blair (CEO, Groove Addicts), Meiko (artist), Ron Broitman (Sr. VP Film/TV & Advertising Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing), Carter Armstrong (VP Music, Warner Bros. Pictures), Dan Butler (Sr. VP Business Affairs & Legal, Paramount Pictures) and Lindsay Fellows (Sr. VP Music, Walden Media & Bristol Bay Productions).

MUSEXPO 2008 INT'L LIVE ENTERTAINMENT FORUM: Sharing some insightful information about the worldwide live entertainment business and enjoying a post panel photo opportunity (l-r) are: David Goldberg (Sr. VP, Ticketmaster), kneeling upfront Sat Bisla (President/Founder, A&R Worldwide/MUSEXPO), Michael Chugg (President/Founder, Chugg Entertainment, Australia), Kevin Lyman (President/Founder, Vans Warped Tour/4Fini Inc.), Jason Magnus (President/Founder, Rock For China/Beijing Pop Festival, China), Frank Takeshita (Executive General Manager, Creativeman Productions, Japan), Folkert Koopmans (Managing Director, FKP Scorpio Konzertproducktionen, Germany) and Tommy Nast (Panel Moderator/MC, MUSEXPO 2008).

DIGITAL 360 – “LEFT TO MY OWN DEVICES”: Sharing their expertise on all things technology, digital and mobile (l-r) are: Dalton Caldwell (Founder/CEO, imeem), Ted Cohen (Managing Partner, Tag Strategic), Jay Cooper (Partner, Greenberg, Traurig, LLP), David Pakman (President/CEO, eMusic), Paul Wright (Sr. VP Strategic Alliances & Marketing, Mediaguide, Inc.), Chris Barton (Strategic Partnership Development Manager, Google), Ali Partovi (CEO/Co-Founder, iLike.com/garageband.com), Rachna Bhasin (VP Business Development, Dell-Zing) and Ian C. Rogers (CEO, Topspin).

(Photo Credit: John Gannon & Brandon Fuller)

(Photo Credit: John Gannon)

(Photo Credit: John Gannon & Brandon Fuller)

The 4th annual MUSEXPO concluded with great success last week in West Hollywood, California. The sold-out four-day event once again proved to be an engaging, productive and inspiring international music and media gathering, this year attracting hundreds of the most influential music, media and technology executives from 40+ countries on five continents--the most diverse international attendance in MUSEXPO’s history. And according to all the feedback we’ve received from participants and media alike, this was the best MUSEXPO to date. In addition, 40 artists showcased their abundant talents throughout MUSEXPO and a number are already in negotiations regarding recording, publishing and management deals as a result of these performances (details as soon as the ink is dry). Many other performing artists have received substantial international radio, press, media, film/TV supervisor, booking agent, licensing and synchronization interest from their MUSEXPO showcases. The entire A&R Worldwide/MUSEXPO team sends sincerest thanks to everyone who supported and attended MUSEXPO 2008--especially Title Sponsor PLAYINDIES, the showcasing artists and their representatives, all speakers, all of our event partners, product sponsors, media partners, conference partners, delegates, moderators, panelists, sound/lighting production, our talented art/design/editorial/photography and film staff, Hyatt West Hollywood hotel staff, House of Blues staff, City of West Hollywood, Saddle Ranch Chop House, Summit Transportation, Swinghouse, our MUSEXPO 2008 MC Tommy Nast and the support staff who made sure that MUSEXPO 2008 operations ran smoothly. We anticipate and look forward to a long, productive relationship between our companies. If there's any way at all that we can be of assistance to you, please don't hesitate to contact us. On behalf of the entire staff at A&R Worldwide, we are grateful and humbled by the many expressions of support. Initial planning for MUSEXPO 2009 and MUSEXPO Europe 2008 has already begun and we encourage your comments/suggestions. Once again, thank you--together, we are making a difference and helping shape the future of that which we love most: Music! Sat Bisla, Bob Bisla, Brandon Fuller, Monte Malone, Joe Arnold, Peter Chalmers, Sara Kinne, Casey Morse & Crystal Ortiz

MUSEXPO 2008

The 4th annual MUSEXPO kicks off on Sunday, April 27th, 2008 at the newly remodeled Hyatt West Hollywood on Sunset Blvd. The conference will conclude after a night of showcases and a very special tribute honoring one of the world’s most influential music supervisors, Alex Patsavas, Founder, Chop Shop Music Supervision (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “24,” “Rescue Me,” “Ugly Betty”) at 6:00PM on Wednesday, April 30th at the 2nd annual MUSEXPO “Int’l Music Person of The Year” award ceremony at the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd. This year’s event will host 36 artists from 15 countries and welcome delegates from more than three dozen countries on five continents.

France, Sweden, Manitoba (Canada), UK and Queensland, Australia will all host networking events for MUSEXPO delegates at this year’s event. In addition, a delegation from Norway will also participate at MUSEXPO for the very first time. Key executives and companies from India, China, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, Germany, Finland, Ireland, N. Ireland, Uzbekistan, Spain, Italy, Luxembourg, Belgium, Estonia, Scotland, Holland and many others will actively participate at MUSEXPO 2008.

TOP INFLUENCERS FROM THE U.S., INDIA, UK, CHINA, AUSTRALIA, FRANCE, GERMANY, JAPAN, CANADA, SWEDEN, NORWAY, NEW ZEALAND, RUSSIA, DENMARK, FINLAND & 20 MORE COUNTRIES TO ATTEND, NETWORK AND PARTICIPATE AT MUSEXPO 2008

Alex Patsavas

The 4th annual MUSEXPO kicks off a week from next weekend on Sunday, April 27th, 2008 at the newly remodeled Hyatt West Hollywood on Sunset Blvd. The conference will conclude after a very special night of showcases and a special tribute honoring one of the world’s most influential music supervisors, Alex Patsavas, Founder, Chop Shop Music Supervision (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “24,” “Rescue Me,” “Ugly Betty”) at 6:00PM on Wednesday, April 30th at the second annual MUSEXPO “Int’l Music Person of The Year” award at the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd. This year’s event will host 36 artists from 15 countries and welcome delegates from three dozen countries on five continents.

The MUSEXPO founder and its conference team intend to keep the event intimate, inspiring and informative as always. The event will retain a similar ethos to the A&R Worldwide networking dinners started back in 2001, which are the foundation of MUSEXPO and the inspiration for what MUSEXPO’s ideology is all about. MUSEXPO brings together executives from the music, media and technology sectors from both within the US and int’l community in a personal, interactive and forward–thinking manner. In addition, the conference has organized a stellar lineup of showcasing artists! With hundreds of A&R, publishing, booking, film/TV synch licensing executives, press/media and more from around the world attending this year’s MUSEXPO, the expectations are high for many acts to walk away with tangible outcomes, as well as post-signing success, thanks to the development foundation already in place for many of the showcasing artists. In addition, executives attending the event are in for a treat as the diversity of global attendees and companies to network and do business with are the strongest since MUSEXPO launched back in 2005.

MUSEXPO’s special focus on India and China (with attendance and participation from key influencers from both of these key markets) will be two of many very important forums that will help attendees better understand the global musical eco-system for the future.

Diane Warren	Harvey Goldsmith	Ralph Peer II

Nick Gatfield	Rob McDermott	Nic Harcourt

Confirmed speakers and guests at this year’s event include: Grammy Award-winning songwriter Diane Warren (the world’s most successful songwriter of modern times); Harvey Goldsmith, Founder/President, Harvey Goldsmith Presents; Ralph Peer II, Chairman/CEO peermusic; Nick Gatfield, President, Island Records Group; Alex Patsavas, Founder, Chop Shop Music Supervision; Rob McDermott, President, Collective Music Group (worldwide manager of Linkin Park); Nic Harcourt, Music Director, KCRW Los Angeles.

Sean Moriarty	Ali Partovi	Savio D’Souza

Steve Schnur	Alicen Schneider	Nathalie Schwarz

Sean Moriarty, Worldwide Chairman/CEO, Ticketmaster; Ali Partovi, Founder/CEO, iLike.com; Savio D’Souza, General Secretary, India’s Music Industry; Mark Strippel, Head of Music, BBC Asian Network; Mark Strippel, President, Mercury Records; Jim O’Mahony, CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi; Steve Schnur, Worldwide Head of Music & Marketing, Electronic Arts; Alicen Schneider, VP Music Services, NBC Universal TV; Gary Chen, CEO, Orca Digital/Top 100 (Google’s music partner in China); Jason Sausto, President, Onkyo China; Nathalie Schwarz, Chair C4 Digital/Director/Channel 4 Radio (UK).

Bob Lefsetz	Jay Faires	Martin Kierszenbaum

Seymour Stein	Terry McBride	Steve Jones

Bob Lefsetz, Author, The Lefsetz Letter; Nick Raphael, Managing Director, Epic (UK); Jay Faires, President of Music & Publishing, Lionsgate Entertainment; Martin Kierszenbaum, President Cherrytree/Sr. VP A&R & Head of International Operations, Interscope Geffen A&M; Seymour Stein, Chairman, Sire Records; Kenny MacPherson, President/Sr. Executive Chrysalis Music Publishing (N. America); Terry McBride, CEO, Nettwerk Music Group; Steve Jones, Host “Jonesy’s Jukebox” Indie 103.1FM Los Angeles (The Sex Pistols).

Ted Cohen	Jason Magnus	Michael Chugg

Peter Shukat	Chris Barton	Max Tolkoff

Dalton Caldwell, Founder/CEO, imeem; Steven Stewart, Manager, Nokia Music Solutions; Gary Arnold, Sr. VP Entertainment, Best Buy; Ted Cohen, Managing Partner, Tag Strategic; Robert Reynolds, worldwide manager of The Killers; Kevin Lyman, President/Founder, Vans Warped Tour and 4Fini Inc. (US); Jason Magnus, President, “Rock For China/Beijing Pop Festival” (China); Michael Chugg, President, Chugg Entertainment (Australasia); Folkert Koopmans, Managing Director, FKP Scorpio Konzertproducktionen (Germany); Frank Takeshita, General Manager, Creativeman Productions (Japan); Kenny Gates, Co-President, PIAS Ent’t Group Worldwide; Peter Shukat, Managing Partner, Shukat Arrow Hafer Weber & Herbsman, LLP; Chris Barton, Strategic Partnership Development Manager, Google; Max Tolkoff, Program Director, Indie 103.1FM Los Angeles.

Marianne Goode	Doc McGhee	John Watson

Simon Renshaw	Mike Walsh	Kathleen Carey

Marianne Goode, VP Music Lifetime TV & Lifetime Entertainment; Carter Armstrong, Vice President Music, Warner Bros. Pictures; Doc McGhee, Founder, McGhee Ent’t (worldwide manager of KISS); Andy Gould, President, Spectacle Entertainment Group (worldwide manager of Rob Zombie and co-manager Guns N Roses); John Watson, Owner/President, Eleven Music/JW Mgmt (manager Silverchair, Wolfmother, Missy Higgins); Simon Renshaw, CEO, Strategic Artist Management (worldwide manager of Dixie Chicks); Ron Stone, Co-Founder/President, Gold Mountain Entertainment (worldwide manager New York Dolls); Daniel Glass, President/Founder, Glassnote Entertainment; Mike Walsh, Head of Music, Xfm Radio Network (UK); Dain Blair, CEO, Grooveaddicts; Tim Prescott, CEO, Alberts Music; Kathleen Carey, Sr. VP Int’l, Sony/ATV Music Publishing.

Oum Pradutt	Peter Asher

Jimmy Steal	Jackie Subeck

Oum Pradutt, Managing Director, Phase 1 Live Events (India); Peter Asher, Partner, Strategic Artist Management; Chris Price, Director of Music Programming, MTV Networks UK & Ireland; Jimmy Steal, Emmis Vice President of Programming; Erica Farber, Publisher, Radio & Records; Safta Jaffrey, Owner/Managing Director, SJP/Taste Music (UK); James P Dunne, President, Inspire Entertainment; Atul Churamani, Vice President, A&R, Publishing & New Media, Saregama India; Geoff Boucher, Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times; Jackie Subeck, President, Ent’t Group CRC Jianian (China); Ritch Esra, Publisher, The Music Registry; Tommy Nast, MC MUSEXPO 2008 and many other key music, media and technology influencers. For a full list of MUSEXPO 2008’s distinguished speakers, please click HERE.

Also, just added to the Ted Cohen-moderated “Digital, Mobile & Technology 360: Left To My Own Devices” panel forum, which takes place on Monday, April 28th at 4:45PM at the Hyatt West Hollywood are Jay Cooper, Partner, Greenberg, Traurig LLP; Richard Wolpert, Managing Partner, The Mail Room Fund; Billy Dutton, CEO, Music.com; Jeremy Welt, Vice President, New Media, Warner Bros Records and Rachna Bhasin, Vice President Business Development Dell-Zing. This, like all other MUSEXPO forums, will cover important subjects affecting today’s global music business and offer key solutions and insight. Cohen’s forum will give an in-depth analysis on all things technology- and music-related with key ideas, knowledge and inspiration on how to survive and grow in the constantly evolving music and technology paradigm.

GLOBAL INFLUENCERS JOIN MUSEXPO 2008 LINEUP

Rob McDermott

Rob McDermott, worldwide manager of rock super-group Linkin Park and President, Collective Music Group, will join the esteemed MUSEXPO 2008 keynote panel, which will take place on Monday, April 28 at MUSEXPO. McDermott has worked as an artist manager for 20 years and has helped or managed White Zombie/Rob Zombie, Pantera, Staind, Static-X, Powerman 5000, Cold and, indirectly, many others while at different companies. Recently McDermott became President of the newly formed Collective Music Group, a division of The Collective Management, with new partners Michael Green, Jeff Golenberg and Sam Maydew. McDermott, who hates to talk about himself, is currently managing Linkin Park, Meriwether, Valora, Resident Hero, Chester French and Rama Duke.

Steve Jones

Legendary punk-rocker and host of “Indie 103.1FM” Los Angeles’ “Jonesy’s Jukebox” Steve Jones has confirmed his participation at MUSEXPO 2008’s “Legends: A Word From The Wise” forum. Over the course of more than three decades in the music industry, Jones has experienced both the highest of highs and lowest of lows…and that was just with the short-lived but massively influential band he co-founded in 1975, the Sex Pistols. In its quick run the group alternately exhilarated, titillated and exasperated not only its dedicated fan base, but also British society as a whole.

After the Sex Pistols imploded in 1978, Steve played with a variety of other artists throughout the ’80s, in addition to a solo career which saw his song “Mercy” featured in the hit TV series, “Miami Vice,” and the subsequent soundtrack album. In 2004 he began hosting “Jonesy’s Jukebox” on Los Angeles’ acclaimed “Indie 103.1FM,” where for two hours a day, Monday through Friday, the inimitable “Sire of Wilshire” regales radio fans with selections from his own CD collection and unique, often hilarious, interviews with diverse members of the entertainment community.

Steve Jones will join moderator Mike Walsh, Head of Music, Xfm Radio Network (UK) and the famed Seymour Stein, Chairman, Sire Records Group and the legendary Peter Asher (who amongst managing and producing many great artists was the A&R rep for The Beatles’ Apple Records label).

Martin Kierszenbaum

One of America’s top A&R executives, Martin Kierszenbaum, Sr. VP A&R/Head of International, Interscope Geffen A&M/President, Cherrytree Records, joins the MUSEXPO 2008 Global A&R forum. Since starting up Interscope Geffen A&M’s International division in 1998, Martin Kierszenbaum has been instrumental in establishing the international careers of such diverse acts as Eminem, Gwen Stefani and Black Eyed Peas. He added A&R to his duties in 2001, signing the multi-Platinum act T.A.T.U., for whom he also wrote and produced. In 2003 he inked Britain’s Keane (a joint venture between Interscope and Island UK), who went on to sell five million copies of their debut. Martin started the IGA imprint Cherrytree Records in 2005, where he’s amassed a roster that includes such buzz bands as Feist, the Fratellis, Tokio Hotel and Rooney. Most recently Martin has been working with the Police on their full-length concert film and DVD, “Certifiable” (due in November 2008), in addition to launching the pop/alternative Cherrytree Radio (www.cherrytreeradio.com).

Jason Sausto

Jason Sausto, President Onkyo China, joins MUSEXPO’s eagerly anticipated “Market Focus: China.” Sausto, a passionate fan of sound and sound businesses, helped kick off the European startup, Bookings, from which he eventually branched off to co-found and head a Japanese company of the same name. Bookings was later bought by Priceline and Jason moved on to get his MBA at INSEAD and a Masters degree in International Relations from SAIS. He returned to the business world as the Beijing-based Managing Director for Silicon Valley’s tech titan, Red Herring magazine. Currently he runs Onkyo’s operations in Hong Kong and the Pacific Rim countries and is tasked with helping to develop their international IT businesses.

Oum Pradutt

Oum Pradutt, Managing Director, Phase 1 Events& Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, joins MUSEXPO’s “Market Focus: India” forum. Pradutt and his company, Phase 1 Events & Entertainment, have been offering entertainment solutions to a corporate clientele that includes such Fortune 500 companies as Nike, Accenture, AOL, IBM, Microsoft, Mercedes Benz, 3M, Volvo, MTV and Benetton, among others. Based in Bangalore, India, Phase 1 has executed events across the UK, India, South Africa, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. In addition to his corporate clientele, Oum also produces the New Year’s themed party “Hollywood,” which now attracts over 15,000 people while providing a platform for international artists to showcase their talent. Recently, Pradutt started a new initiative with Taste Music Ltd in the UK. Supported by the United Kingdom Trade and Investment and The British Council, the goal is to bring emerging musicians from the UK to perform in India on a regular basis alongside native Indian artists--culminating with one of the largest annual music festivals in India.

Robert N. Peirce

Robert N. Peirce, British Consul General, Los Angeles will participate at the MUSEXPO 2008 “Int’l Music Person of the Year” awards, which will include a number of other dignitaries and pay homage to one of the world’s most influential film/TV supervisors, Alex Pastavas. A 30-year veteran of the British Diplomatic Service, Bob Peirce began his appointment as British Consul General in Los Angeles in June 2005. Before that, starting in October 1999, he was head of the Political and Public Affairs sections of the British Embassy in Washington, D.C., and had previously held posts in China, Hong Kong and the United Nations, as well as a consultancy in Uganda. In addition, he was Private Secretary to three British Foreign Secretaries (equivalent to the U.S. Secretary of State): Sir Geoffrey Howe, John Major and Douglas Hurd. Between 1979 and 1997 Bob was involved in the delicate negotiations between Britain and China over the handover of Hong Kong. Before going to Washington, he was Chief Executive of the Independent Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland, whose 1999 report kick-started policing reforms in Northern Ireland.

David Pakman	Justin Shukat	Frank Takeshita

Jens-Markus Wegener	Ritnika Nayan	Chris Dorne

Also added to the MUSEXPO 2008 lineup are additional key executives from within the US and international markets including David Pakman, President and CEO of eMusic; Rachna Bhasin, VP Business Development for Dell-ZING; Justin Shukat, Founding partner and General Manager of Primary Wave Music Publishing; Frank Takeshita, Executive GM, Creativeman Productions (Japan); Jens-Markus Wegener, Managing Director, AMV Talpa GmbH (Germany); Ritnika Nayan, CEO, MGMH, India and Chris Dorne, VP/Director of Production, connectivetissue, MediaVest USA. Full biographies on these executives and others can be viewed by clicking HERE.

MUSEXPO 2008 TALENT

Some of the crème de la crème of international talent has been confirmed for MUSEXPO 2008 to showcase at the legendary House of Blues Sunday on Sunset Blvd., in West Hollywood, CA, April 27th – Wednesday, April 30th.

Official MUSEXPO 2008 showcasing artists include: The Red Paintings, Farryl Purkiss, Rotating Leslie, Jensen, Story One, Ida Maria, 8MM, Jay Nash, Scissors For Lefty, Headway, Jack Savoretti, Small Mercies, The Small Hours, Marya Roxx, Meaghan Smith, Miss Li, N-Euro, The Vibrants, Grand Avenue, Ry Cuming, The Nods, Frank Turner, Mexicolas, Opshop, Capra, Poets of The Fall, LMFAO, Meiko, Justin Hopkins, Big Linda, Skybombers, Leroy Lee, The Gin Club, Astra Heights, Our Lunar Activities and Stephanie Smith, plus a DJ set with The Crystal Method and special performances by Missy Higgins, Bassboosa and The Twilight Hotel. Also added, a special international fashion show at this year’s event!

Here’s an overview of some of the MUSEXPO 2008 showcasing acts – a detailed overview of all showcasing acts is available HERE.

ASTRA HEIGHTS (Origin: Los Angeles, USA): Astra Heights is a quintet composed of four brothers and one “honorary brother” who perform lush pop tunes redolent of classic British influences ranging from the Kinks and Beatles up through Queen, T-Rex, The Smiths, Oasis and Blur. Musical influences aside, the four Morales brothers were raised in Palacios, Texas, part of a family that included 11 children. Despite both their father and grandfather being musicians, the brothers didn’t start to play themselves until their college years in Houston. They were quickly signed to Universal/Republic, which released their debut album, Good Problems, in 2007, spurring the Los Angeles Times to praise “an amalgam of hooky rock with references ranging from the Stooges to Queen to Matthew Sweet,” while a New York Newsday live review stated, “Drawing from the Clash, Beatles and classic rock, the band hammered out an exciting set of harmonious punk rave-ups.” Astra Heights will perform at MUSEXPO on Wednesday, April 30th at 11:30PM in the Foundation Room at the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood, CA.

CAPRA (Origin: Santa Clarita, California, USA): Melding vintage rock & roll with soulful funk, the SoCal quintet known as Capra has utilized an arsenal of swaggering rock tunes and funkadelic grooves to quickly build a name for themselves on the fiercely competitive Los Angeles club scene. Formed slightly more than two years ago, the group reinvents rock & roll for the 21st Century party people and gets the crowd dancing once again, drawing comparisons to such luminaries as the Doors, Rolling Stones, Kings of Leon and White Stripes. The group’s fan base has been steadily increasing, with over 300+ fans regularly attending their shows…not too bad for an act that’s self-managed, unsigned, unpublished and without a booking agent. But that’s poised to change very soon as powerful management companies, multiple booking agents and a variety of record labels are setting their sights on the up-and-coming quintet. Last fall they self-released a “mini-album,” Gypsy Jones, a collection of masterful musicianship and foot-stomping rock & roll that has received airplay on multiple international tastemaker radio stations. Capra will perform at MUSEXPO on Tuesday, April 29th at 11:00PM in the Main Music Hall at the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood, CA.

FARRYL PURKISS (Origin: Cape Town, South Africa): Born and raised on the north coast of Kwa-Zulu Natal in South Africa, singer/songwriter Farryl Purkiss has been attracting attention with his captivating, memorable music. In 2006 he self-financed the release of his debut disc, Chapter One, which received a nomination in the Best Adult Contemporary category at the 2006 South African Music Awards. He followed up that success with successive supporting slots for Australian stars Missy Higgins and Ben Lee during their respective tours, and has also toured with Donovan Frankenreiter and played with Jack Johnson (the latter resulted in a co-composition between the two). In early 2007 he performed on Australia’s Big Day Out touring festival and also supported the Violent Femmes Down Under, all in preparation for an eponymous album released in March of that year. “A great start from a promising songwriter with a voice of his own,” said South African reviewer Matthew Christensen. “He’s the kind of artist you’ll want to build a long-term audio relationship with through the collection of every album.” Farryl Purkiss will perform at MUSEXPO on Sunday, April 27th at 8:30PM in the Foundation Room at the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood, CA.

N-EURO (Origin: Tallin, Estonia): When pondering the hottest music scenes worldwide, Estonia rarely enters the conversation…but that hasn’t stopped the tattooed, spiky-haired N-Euro from putting on some of the best-received shows in Europe, giving audiences a great value while featuring “some of the prettiest and sexiest dancers in the world.” N-Euro first started performing in Estonia in 1999 and quickly made a name for himself in the electro/dance realm throughout Europe. Featuring sweeping synths, rhythmic lyrical interjections and toe-tapping beats that can’t help but make one head for the dancefloor, N-Euro’s music is a guaranteed good time. Perhaps the best example of his style is the No.1 European club smash “Lover on the Line” (which brings back memories of the global smash from Eiffel 65), a frantic number featuring a propulsive beat that’s been filling floors all over the continent since its release in the fall of 2006 and certainly lives up to N-Euro’s proclaimed creed. N-Euro is available for signing and licensing. N-Euro will perform at MUSEXPO on Monday, April 28th at 11:30PM in the Foundation Room at the House of blues on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood, CA.

OUR LUNAR ACTIVITIES (Origin: Isle of Lewis, UK): Our Lunar Activities was formed by brothers Kevin and Charles Clark on the Isle of Lewis, an island off the northwest coast of Scotland near where the Atlantic Ocean meets the North Sea. Their first single, “She Cried”/”Diamond,” produced by Mogwai’s Barry Burns and released by indie label Hatch, received critical praise and opened the door for O.L.A. to support the likes of Snow Patrol. In the winter of 2006 another support slot for Snow Patrol led to an EP from Scottish indie Neon Tetra. It Comes in Waves was released in February 2007 and again O.L.A. received journalistic praise, helping the quartet land support slots for the Buzzcocks, Shiny Toy Guns and +44. It was while touring Europe with +44 that Our Lunar Activities attracted the attention of frontman Mark Hoppus (previously of Blink 182), who was so impressed by the group’s sound that he invited them to Los Angeles to record in December 2007 and ended up producing the album himself, utilizing engineering aid from Christopher Holmes (Red Hot Chili Peppers) to capture the raw energy of the group’s scintillating live performances. Our Lunar Activities will perform at MUSEXPO 2008 on Wednesday, April 30th at 9:30PM in the Foundation Room at the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd in West Hollwyood, CA.

STORY ONE (Origin: Nottingham, England): English quartet Story One fuses rock, folk and classical music together, creating a totally fresh sound that is rapidly winning over new converts across both the UK and the world. Displaying their self-described “perfectionism,” the new group locked themselves away in an abandoned air-raid shelter and spent every waking hour synthesizing their unique sound, which they debuted to fans back in 2005 and was described as a melding of Muse, Radiohead and Keane. Story One’s sophomore effort, The Shadow Line, was produced by Chris Potter (The Verve, Rolling Stones, Orange Lights) and released in September 2007. The group has crafted a darkly compelling video treatment for the hauntingly mesmerizing tune, “Russian Dolls,” from the album, while other songs became the musical backdrop for a recent documentary on international soccer superstar David Beckham…quite an accomplishment for an indie UK act that is currently unsigned and unpublished. Story One will perform at MUSEXPO 2008 on Sunday, April 27th at 10:00PM in the main Music Hall at the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood, CA.

MUSEXPO 2008 TALENT Some of the crème de la crème of international talent has been confirmed to showcase for MUSEXPO 2008 at the legendary House of Blues Sunday on Sunset Blvd., in West Hollywood, CA, Sunday, April 27th – Wednesday, April 30th.

With over 1000 artist showcase submissions from around the world, this year, in particular, it was difficult to narrow it down to just a few dozen showcasing artists. MUSEXPO has one of the highest ratios for tangible outcomes for artists compared to any other music industry conference in the world, therefore making it a prime choice for artists from across the globe seeking an international showcasing opportunity.

Official MUSEXPO 2008 showcasing artists include: The Red Paintings, Farryl Purkiss, Rotating Leslie, Jensen, Story One, Ida Maria, 8MM, Jay Nash, Scissors For Lefty, Headway, Jack Savoretti, Small Mercies, The Small Hours, Marya Roxx, Meaghan Smith, Miss Li, N-Euro, The Vibrants, Grand Avenue, Ry Cuming, The Nods, Frank Turner, Mexicolas, Opshop, Capra, Poets of The Fall, LMFAO, Meiko, Justin Hopkins, Big Linda, Skybombers, Leroy Lee, The Gin Club, Astra Heights, Our Lunar Activities and Stephanie Smith, plus a DJ set with The Crystal Method and special performances by Missy Higgins, Bassboosa and The Twilight Hotel. Also added, a special international fashion show at this year’s event!

Here’s an overview of some of the MUSEXPO 2008 showcasing acts – a detailed overview of all showcasing acts will be presented in the A&R Worldwide newsletter over the course of the next few weeks.

FRANK TURNER (Origin: London, England): It’s rare, indeed, to find a former member of a hardcore punk band turn to the acoustic singer/songwriter gig…but then again, Frank Turner isn’t your average musician. Born in Bahrain but raised in the UK, Frank spent four years with the critically acclaimed band Million Dead before the ever-popular “creative differences” contributed to the demise of the group. Ears still ringing from four years of constant touring, Frank decided to pursue “the lighter side” of his music and began to perform solo, armed with just an acoustic guitar. However, a quick glance at song titles such as “Thatcher Fucked the Kids” and “Worthless Bastard Motherfucker” reveals that Frank didn’t exactly leave his hardcore roots behind, an observation reinforced by his signing with Million Dead’s former label, Xtra Mile. A pair of EPs and a full-length album (Sleep Is for the Week) later finds Frank creating quite a buzz in the UK, having been championed by BBC DJ Steve Lamacq, Xfm and BBC Radio 1’s Mike Davies and Zane Lowe. In 2007 Turner further expanded his musical horizons by touring the US and embarking on a tour with former Far frontman Jonah Matranga. Turner is currently available for signing, licensing and booking. Frank Turner will perform his first-ever N. American show exclusively at MUSEXPO on Tuesday, April 29th at 9:30PM in the Foundation Room at the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood, CA

HEADWAY (Origin: Hucknall, England): At the start of 2003 childhood mates David Wright, a singer/guitarist, and guitarist Joe Watts, frustrated by a lack of ambition, split from their longtime band in Hucknall, England. The pair decided to start something new with loftier ideals and aspirations, leading to the birth of Headway. They soon recruited two more members: Dave “Shaggy” Astbury on bass and Johnny Dakers on drums (who was later replaced by David Wright’s brother Jay). The material they started playing needed something extra, so keyboard player Tom Harrison was poached from another band and the lineup was complete. The Headway sound is elegant piano mixed with a driving rhythm section and swooping rock guitars, forming beautifully crafted songs overlaid with the unique voice and melodies of David Wright, who is not just a mesmerizing vocalist, but a great frontman, too--the kind the UK is renowned for producing. The group recently put the finishing touches to their debut album, which was helmed by internationally acclaimed producer Josh Abraham (30 Seconds to Mars, Velvet Revolver, Staind, Courtney Love). Headway will perform at MUSEXPO on Monday, April 28th at 8:00PM in the main Music Hall at the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood, CA.

JENSEN (Origin: Leeds, England): Tony Jensen, a.k.a. “Jensen,” started off his musical odyssey singing covers in an R&B/Soul band that played venues throughout the UK and Europe. It was during one of these jaunts that he started writing his own music and, pleased with the early results, opted to take the plunge and go solo. Now, little more than a year later, he’s still playing those same venues…but now with his own band and performing his own songs, an eclectic mix of Adult Contemporary and soft rock that can best be described as “grown-up pop.” Jensen has recently written and recorded in Los Angeles with Marshall Altman, where his soulful and honest vocal delivery was ably complemented by the expert musicianship of Michael Chavez (John Mayer), Phil Izler (Robbie Williams) and Aaron Sterling. The songs themselves, which are meditations on life, love and the feelings that affect us all, are delivered devoid of stylistic inflections or vocal gymnastics…just a natural vocal talent that showcases the songs and leaves the listener wanting to hear more. Jensen is available for signing, licensing and booking. Jensen will perform at MUSEXPO on Sunday, April 27th at 9.30PM in the Foundation Room at the House of blues on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood, CA.

POETS OF THE FALL (Origin: Helsinki, England): The trio of Finnish musicians comprising Poets of the Fall--singer Marko, guitarist Olli and keyboardist Captain--embarked upon their musical adventure in 2003, literally selling everything they owned and starting from scratch, recording in Captain’s living room and using Olli’s beat-up car as an office. This perseverance paid off in a big way, though: their first single, “Late Goodbye,” was featured on the computer game “Max Payne” and immediately went to No.1 in Finland in 2004. In January 2005 they released their debut album, Signs of Life; it too went to No.1 and remained on the charts for over a year. In fact, it was still in the Top 40 when sophomore effort Carnival of Rust debuted at No.1 in April 2006, with the title track going on to be the most played song in Finland that year and the accompanying video being voted “Best Finnish Video of All-Time” by TV2’s Musikki TV. The group, which adds three musicians for live performances, has mounted successful tours in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Russia, Lithuania, Estonia and India and is preparing to release their third album, Revolution Roulette, in March 2008. They are available for signing/licensing. Poets of The Fall will perform at MUSEXPO 2008 on Tuesday, April 29th at 11:55PM in the Foundation Room at the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood, CA.

SMALL MERCIES (Origin: Brisbane, Australia): There must be something in the water down in Brisbane, as that city has been producing so much quality music that no less an authority than Billboard magazine recently deemed it one of the global music hot spots. Certainly living up to that lofty reputation are Small Mercies, a four-piece who recently released their SonyBMG debut, Beautiful Hum, an album of uplifting, rocking anthems that was produced by Matt Wallace (Faith No More, Maroon 5) and mixed by Tim Palmer (U2, Pearl Jam’s Ten). Wallace, who discovered the band through MySpace, was particularly impressed with not just their sound, but work ethic: “They had almost 50 songs to choose from and not a clunker in the bunch,” he says of the early recording process in Los Angeles. “They certainly had enough material for a double album (no joke), which put us in a great position to have many excellent songs to choose from.” Vocalist Steve Blaik, guitarist Danny Procopis and drummer Marty O’Brien all met in high school (bassist Jeff Reeves signed on later) and their early demos quickly caught the attention of John Woodruff (Savage Garden, Evermore), who wasted no time in signing on as manager. Small Mercies will perform at MUSEXPO 2008 on Monday, April 28th at 9:00PM in the main Music Hall at the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood, CA.

THE NODS (Origin: Winnipeg, Canada): Since forming in 2003 while the members were still in high school, Canadian quintet The Nods have been developing and refining their sound while earning critical acclaim playing bars, halls and showcases in and around Winnipeg and across Canada. In early 2006 the five-piece--featuring singer Jonathan Broeska, lead guitarist Micah Braun, bassist Isaac Simonson, Serge Broeska on rhythm guitar and Jeff Bruce on drums--signed on with producer Jack Shapira to not only make its second album, but to handle management duties as well. They subsequently landed support slots for such acts as Default, Thornley and Danko Jones, in addition to playing such prominent festivals as Canadian Music Week, North by Northeast, Western Canadian Music Week and New Music West. In November 2006 the group entered the studio and emerged with their latest release, Static Pop, an incendiary 11-song collection that has helped The Nods make inroads into the U.S. college scene: they cracked the CMJ 200 two weeks in a row and are currently being spun on over 175 college stations, ranging from San Marcos, Texas to Chicago, Illinois. The Nods will perform at MUSEXPO 2008 on Tuesday, April 29th at 9:00PM in the main Music Hall at the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood, CA.

RY CUMING (Origin: Angourie, NSW, New Zealand): Born in the small coastal town of Angourie, NSW, Australia, young Ry Cuming grew up with a surfboard under one arm and his dad’s record collection under the other. He began his own musical career at age 18, when he traveled solo through Nicaragua and Costa Rica armed with only a backpack, surfboard and guitar. Embracing the cultural motto of “Pura Vida” (“Pure Life”), he was discovered while playing in the hallway of a hostel on the Pacific coast…and then his career took off, with Ry spending the next few years splitting his time between Australia and the U.S., where he worked on development deals with DreamWorks and twice appeared on NBC’s “Extra.” In addition, his music has been featured on MTV’s “Laguna Beach” and in Frontline Cinema’s “Hoot,” for which he also provided a song for the soundtrack. Now 22 and based in Los Angeles, Ry is currently recording new material and touring throughout southern California when not collaborating with LA-based musicians from Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, Incubus, Maroon 5, Rooney and Phantom Planet. In July 2007 Ry signed on with Right Bank Music for management and publishing, with his debut album scheduled for a summer 2008 release; he is currently available for touring and booking. Ry Cuming will perform at MUSEXPO 2008 on Tuesday, April 29th at 8:30PM in the Foundation Room at the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood, CA.

(To see all showcasing artists performing at MUSEXPO 2008, click HERE).

MORE INFLUENTIAL EXECUTIVES JOIN MUSEXPO 2008 LINEUP

Ian Rogers

Ian Rogers, VP Video & Media Applications, Yahoo!, will participate at MUSEXPO 2008 on the digital, technology and mobile platform with the CEOs of iLike.com, imeem.com, the business development manager for Google and other top minds during Ted Cohen’s eagerly anticipated forum. Rogers has been a pioneer in building digital media applications since 1992. He created the second-ever music-related Web site and built many of the original promotional sites for the music and movie industry. He was part of Nullsoft, an early leader in the digital music revolution and maker of Winamp and Gnutella, and also served as President New Media for the Beastie Boys’ record label and lifestyle brand Grand Royal, where he was responsible for the first same-day digital/physical album release. Rogers joined Yahoo! in 2003 with the company's acquisition of Mediacode, for which he was founder, president and CTO. As VP Video & Media Applications at Yahoo!, he oversees strategy for products and services such as the Web-based Yahoo! Media Player, which allows content to be added to any Web page, and the Web services which power Yahoo! Music Video applications on sites including Facebook and Bebo.

Dan Diamond

Dan Diamond, Vice President NCM Fathom, joins the MUSEXPO 2008 “Music & Global Consumer Brands” forum. Diamond has led the entertainment division of National CineMedia since 2002, creating strategic partnerships leading to more than 100 successful events, including concerts by Prince, KISS, Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Linkin Park and many others; comedy programs with headliners including Dane Cook and Josh Blue; major film anniversary events; children’s programs; Japanese anime; horror classics; sports events and, returning again this year, The Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD Series. Diamond, who boasts 30 years of experience in the technology and entertainment industry, oversees the company’s alternative in-theatre entertainment programming delivered over National CineMedia’s Digital Content Network (DCN)--an exclusive system of digital and satellite technology specially designed to produce unique in-theatre events on over 13,200 movie screens worldwide.

Kenny Gates

Kenny Gates, Co-Founder/Co-President [PIAS] Entertainment Group, joins the highly anticipated MUSEXPO Global A&R Forum. Since Gates and partner Michel Lambot created the company in 1983 as a distributor for independent labels, PIAS (Play It Again Sam) has, over the ensuing quarter-century, morphed into a company that currently does over 110 million Euros business per year and employs over 200 people at offices in London, Paris, Hamburg, Madrid and Holland--making it one of the biggest and most successful independent European entertainment groups. In 2004 the company set up PIAS Digital, which has rapidly become the European reference point in terms of quality and turnover of digital and mobile exploitation of music recordings. In addition, a recent significant investment in the award-winning mobile marketing and distribution agency Indie Mobile promises to continue strengthening that position. Reflecting recent forays into sports, comedy and film DVD distribution, in 2008 the company opted to re-brand from being primarily known as a music company to an entertainment group…hence, the new name: [PIAS] Entertainment Group.

Nathalie Schwarz

Nathalie Schwarz, New Business and Corporate Development Director Channel 4 (UK), will attend and participate at MUSEXPO 2008 on the Global Broadcast & Media forum. Schwarz joined Channel 4 as its first Director of Radio in late 2005 with a view to leading its expansion into the UK radio sector (while also being responsible for all radio and DAB multi-media). In this position she led the establishment of the new Channel 4 Radio division and oversaw the successful Channel 4-led bid for the second national commercial digital multiplex awarded by OFCOM in the summer of 2007. Schwarz has recently been promoted to the Channel 4 Main Board and now holds the position of New Business and Corporate Development Director, responsible for Channel 4’s development across all media platforms. Schwarz sits on various UK industry bodies including the British Government’s new Digital Radio Working Group. Schwarz was previously a main Board Director of Capital Radio plc, where as Strategy and Development Director (1998 to 2005) she played an instrumental role in leading Capital Radio’s £710m ($1.4 billion) merger with GWR in 2005.

Jimmy Steal

Also joining Schwarz will be Jimmy Steal, VP Programming Emmis Radio Properties. Upon earning a BA in Communications/Radio and TV Production from the University of Central Florida, New York native Steal was quickly snapped up by local WXXL Orlando. Rising to APD/MD while also holding down an on-air shift, he helped elevate WXXL’s ratings from a 4 share to a 12 share (12+)--the station’s highest ratings ever. Similar success stories followed at KEGL Dallas, where Steal again helped achieve record-breaking ratings as APD/MD/On-Air, and WKRQ Cincinnati, where Steal was PD and led the station to its highest ratings in five years. After another stint in Dallas as Director of Programming and Operations for Clear Channel Dallas, Jimmy relocated to Los Angeles almost nine years ago as Emmis Radio’s VP Programming, responsible for both ratings leader KPWR “Power 106” Los Angeles (which has enjoyed its highest ratings ever, across all demos, under Steal’s tutelage) and KMVN “Movin 93.9.” This year Jimmy helped return rock & roll to the airwaves of New York City with the launch of WRXP, “New York’s Rock Experience.”

GLOBAL INDUSTRY ICONS ADDED TO MUSEXPO 2008 KEYNOTE

Harvey Goldsmith

MUSEXPO has announced the addition of the legendary Harvey Goldsmith to its 2008 keynote forum on Monday, April 28th. Over the course of forty-plus years in the music business Goldsmith has produced and promoted shows featuring many of the biggest artists in the world, including the Rolling Stones, The Who, Bruce Springsteen, The Eagles and Sting, to name a few. He has also lent his time and expertise to an array of charitable causes: in 1985 he and Bob Geldof co-produced the “Live Aid” concerts, which raised more than £140 million ($280 million USD) for the starving in Africa. Twenty years later, Harvey was asked to produce “Live 8” worldwide. The event was the biggest collection of talent ever assembled, with over 225 artists performing at eight locations around the globe. Last year Goldsmith enjoyed a pair of triumphs: He served as Senior Producer for the eight “Live Earth” concerts raising awareness of global warming in July, while December saw him producing the Ahmet Ertegun tribute concert in London, featuring the first reunion of Led Zeppelin in over two decades. In 1996 Harvey was honored with a CBE in the Queen’s birthday Honors List in recognition of his work in the entertainments business.

Ralph Peer II

Also added to MUSEXPO 2008’s impressive keynote lineup is publishing legend Ralph Peer II, Chairman/CEO, peermusic. Ralph Peer II oversees a global network of music publishing companies operating from 35 offices in 28 countries. With well over a quarter of a million titles in the company’s catalogue, including songs that vary from country, blues, jazz and pop to Latin, concert and rock & roll, Ralph directs the largest privately owned company of its kind in the world. A respected authority on copyright, Ralph is VP and Director of the National Music Publishers’ Association (U.S.A.) and the Harry Fox Agency. He is a lifetime Director and past President of the Country Music Association and served for many years as a publisher/director of ASCAP. In the international arena, Peer is past Chairman and current Vice-President/Director of the Paris-based International Confederation of Music Publishers (ICMP) and was honored at MIDEM 1998 as “Music Maker of the Year.” He was also a founding director of eMusic, the first record company with a primary focus on sales and distribution through the Internet.

INDIA, CHINA, GLOBAL BRANDS AND MOTION PICTURE MUSIC PRESENCE STRONG AT MUSEXPO 2008

Mark Strippel

Mark Strippel, Head of Music, BBC Asian Network will attend MUSEXPO and participate on its “Market Focus: India.” Strippel’s multi-faceted career in music and media has seen him make the transition from behind-the-mic broadcaster to music programmer on one of the BBC’s national radio networks. He spent four years as a Presenter on digital BBC Black Music station 1Xtra before his appointment in 2006 to Head of Music on BBC Asian Network, where he is responsible for shaping strategy on music policy, programs and events for a station that provides an unparalleled platform for the best in British-Asian and South-Asian music. Strippel initially made his mark as a DJ and promoter, launching the first Asian Club Night in 1993 and going on to manage successful events throughout the decade.

Savio D’Souza

Also joining Strippel on the “Market Focus: India” forum at MUSEXPO 2008 is Savio D’Souza, Secretary General, Indian Music Industry. Since signing on as Secretary General of the Indian Music Industry (IMI) in 2003, Savio D’Souza has been involved in transitioning Indian music from a loss-making business to a profit-making industry. He has achieved these results through excellent governmental contacts with national and state policy makers and interaction with senior management of music and entertainment companies, law enforcement agencies and other Indian and international organizations. Representing 70% of all music labels in India and 60% of all content created, Savio has spent considerable time in various regions and markets, building capacities on various issues facing the industry.

Gary Arnold

Added to MUSEXPO 2008’s eagerly anticipated “Music & Global Consumer Brands” forum is Gary Arnold, Sr. VP Entertainment, Best Buy. Best Buy is a Fortune 100 company and North America’s No.1 specialty retailer of consumer electronics, personal computers, entertainment software and major appliances. He is responsible for the strategic roles of entertainment, which include music, movies and video games. Arnold joined Best Buy in 1994 as Merchandise Manager, Music. From there he moved to VP Entertainment Marketing Software and Sr. VP Entertainment Marketing Software. In March 2001 he created Best Buy’s subsidiary, Redline Entertainment, where he served as President.

Jimi Wang

Confirmed for the “Market Focus: China” at MUSEXPO 2008 is Jimi Wang, General Manager, Rongxi Ent’t Media Co. Ltd., China. Wang graduated from Beijing University Aeronautics and Astronautics program and became one of China’s earliest music critics. He was one of the founders of Tie Yu Lan (the first rock band in Shanghai), which released the first rock album in Shanghai. From 1999 – 2004 Wang became the chief journalist/editor of the influential Chinese music magazine Audio & Video World. Wang was also a judge for the Chinese Music Media Awards and was the Marketing Director of Universal Music, China. In 2006, Wang became GM of Rongxi Ent’t Media Co. Ltd., China and manages one of China’s strongest English-language music exports, The Honeys, who were selected to represent China’s burgeoning music scene by the Chinese Cultural Ministry at MIDEM 2008 (the band played at MUSEXPO 2007 and as a result of their LA showcase was chosen to showcase at the Beijing Rock Festival last year).

Lindsay Fellows

Lindsay Fellows, Sr. VP/Executive in Charge of Music, Walden Media and Bristol Bay Productions joins the MUSEXPO 2008 “Music In Film/TV, Advertising & Videogames” forum. In his role as Sr. VP and Executive in Charge of Music for Walden Media and Bristol Bay Productions (under the Anschutz Film Group umbrella), Fellows has been Soundtrack Producer and/or Music Supervisor for such hits as Ray, Holes, Sahara, Amazing Grace and a trio from The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian and The Dawn Treader, among other cinematic successes. A singer/songwriter with Gold and Platinum credits, Fellows started his music business career at RCA Records in the Film/TV Licensing division.

Carter Armstrong

Joining Fellows on the “Music In Film/TV, Advertising & Videogames” is Carter Armstrong, Vice President Music, Warner Bros. Pictures. In his role as VP Music for Warner Bros. Pictures, Armstrong is responsible for casting composers, building their deals and shepherding the score through the creative post-production process. He is also responsible for coming up with source cues, soundtrack albums and single tie-ins. Among Carter’s most recent and upcoming projects are Queen of the Damned, Constantine, Batman Begins, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Syriana, Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, V for Vendetta, I Am Legend, Get Smart, Speed Racer and Body of Lies.

MUSEXPO 2008 UPDATES

Alex Patsavas

The U.S. and international music, film/TV and artist communities, among others, will pay a special tribute to Alex Patsavas celebrating her musical passion, artistic vision and efforts in supporting and breaking both US and international artists through film and TV at a special awards cocktail party at MUSEXPO on Wednesday, April 30 2008 at 6:00PM at the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd. The event will feature an awards ceremony and cocktail reception hosted by key dignitaries, with a special performance by an international multi-Platinum selling-artist. The event will be open to all official MUSEXPO attendees. Patsavas, who is considered one of the most influential music supervisors in the world, has played a pivotal role in breaking new artists through visual media, including such performers as Dido, The Fray, Jem, Snow Patrol, Imogen Heap, Kate Havenevik and many others.

In less than a decade, TV/film music supervisor Alex Patsavas, Founder/Music Supervisor, Chop Shop Music Supervision, Inc. has become one of America’s premier hit-makers through her involvement in ratings-grabbing shows like “The O.C.,” “Without a Trace,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Rescue Me” and “Mad Men.” She’s also selected the music for the films “Happy, Texas,” “Dancing at the Blue Iguana” and “Wasted,” among others. In 2006 she was named by Advertising Age as “Entertainment Marketer of the Year,” the Los Angeles Times as one of “The West 100,” and Variety as one of 50 honorees for their annual “Women’s Impact Report.”

Alex first started promoting live shows while in college at University of Illinois-Urbana, utilizing a connection made with Marc Geiger to become an agent trainee at Triad Artists before segueing into the Film Music department of BMI. Her career as a music supervisor began at Roger Corman’s legendary Concorde Films in 1995; three years later, Alex went into business for herself with Chop Shop Music Supervision.

US & INT’L TALENT CONFIRMED FOR MUSEXPO 2008

Some of the crème de la crème of international talent has been confirmed for MUSEXPO 2008 to showcase at the legendary House of Blues Sunday on Sunset Blvd., in West Hollywood, CA, April 27th – Wednesday, April 30th.

After receiving over 1,000 artist showcase submissions from around the world this year, it was particularly difficult to narrow it down to just a few dozen showcasing artists. MUSEXPO has one of the highest ratios of tangible outcomes for artists, as compared to any other music industry conference in the world--therefore making it a prime choice for artists from around the globe. MUSEXPO 2008 and its staff would like to thank every artist who submitted for this year’s event and wish them all the very best for the future.

Official MUSEXPO 2008 showcasing artists include: The Red Paintings, Farryl Purkiss, Rotating Leslie, Jensen, Story One, Ida Maria, 8MM, Jay Nash, Scissors For Lefty, Headway, Jack Savoretti, Small Mercies, The Small Hours, Marya Roxx, Meaghan Smith, Miss Li, N-Euro, The Vibrants, Grand Avenue, Ry Cuming, The Nods, Frank Turner, Mexicolas, Opshop, Capra, Poets of The Fall, LMFAO, Meiko, Justin Hopkins, Big Linda, Skybombers, Leroy Lee, The Gin Club, Astra Heights, Our Lunar Activities, Stephanie Smith with a DJ set with The Crystal Method and special performances by Missy Higgins, Bassboosa and The Twilight Hotel. Also added, a special international fashion show at this year’s event!

Here’s an overview of some of the MUSEXPO 2008 showcasing acts; a detailed overview of all showcasing acts will be presented in the A&R Worldwide newsletter over the course of the next few weeks.

IDA MARIA (Origin: Nesna, Norway): Hailed as one of the best new live bands in the world, it’s no surprise that Sony Chairman Rob Stringer has Ida Maria as one of his global priorities. Ida Maria was touted as the breakthrough artist at this year’s Eurosonic and is already garnering support from influencers such as BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe, Xfm’s John Kennedy, BBC 6 Music’s Steve Lamacq and Indie 103.1FM Los Angeles’ “Passport Approved” (which began playing the band’s demos back in the summer of 2006 after hearing them at Waterfall’s offices in Oslo, Norway). The group kicked off its European tour recently, which will continue through March, while a forthcoming US release is rumored to be secured by Columbia President Rick Rubin. Ida Maria’s videos are getting rave reviews (check them out on YouTube). Ida Maria will perform her first-ever show in N. America at MUSEXPO 2008 on Sunday, April 27th at 11:00PM in the main Music Hall at the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood, CA.

LEROY LEE (Origin: Sydney, Australia): A&R Worldwide is in the business of grassroots discovery and Leroy Lee is just such an artist. Leroy is a good example of a talented artist rising like cream to the top. A year ago his music was so raw he was pulling inspiration from wherever he could to define his sound…now, he has a songbook. Australia’s national contemporary radio network, Triple J, was quick to spot Leroy’s sensitive and observational songwriting. “Drawing Smoke” won Leroy the Unearthed Competition to support Missy Higgins during her recent Australian tour. Now Leroy is busy supporting Lior on his national tour and has just been given the “Single of the Week” on iTunes in Australia. Leroy, who is available for signing, licensing, publishing and booking in most worldwide markets, has the potential to become a global musical inspiration a la Jack Johnson and John Mayer. Leroy Lee will perform his first-ever show outside of Australia at MUSEXPO 2008 on Wednesday, April 30th at 8:30PM in the Foundation Room at the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood, CA.

MEAGHAN SMITH (Origin: Nova Scotia, Canada): Hailing from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Meaghan Smith has moved beyond her folk-pop beginnings into a deliciously retro direction, incorporating horns, strings and big-band swing into her first official full-length album, Take Me Dancing (available in stores and online since January 2008). Inspired by the likes of both “standards”-bearers such as Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Jordan in addition to more modern songbirds such as Feist, Meaghan’s yearning, delicate vocals are ably aided and abetted with lush instrumentation courtesy of newcomer producer Les Cooper, helping to support Smith’s storytelling style of lyricism. Add an appearance by world-renowned Canadian DJ Kid Koala and the result is a sound most reminiscent of good old-time jazz laced with a shot of modern turntable manipulation. Meaghan has generated a strong amount of label, publisher and booking agent interest worldwide and recently secured management with Canada’s Nettwerk (Avril Lavigne, Sarah McLachlan, Dido, Sum 41). Meaghan Smith will perform at MUSEXPO 2008 on Monday, April 28th at 10.30PM in the Foundation Room at the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood, CA.

MEXICOLAS (Birmingham, England): Mexicolas are not, in fact, a new type of South of the Border soft drink…rather, they’re an exciting new three-piece from Birmingham, England, who are rapidly gaining acclaim in their native land, with NME hailing the band’s “super-sized Queens of The Stone Age slashing riffs and gargantuan choruses,” while Kerrang raved, “absorbing to watch and breath-taking to listen to.” Singer/songwriter/guitarist Jamie Evans’ impassioned vocals have drawn comparisons to Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme, head Foo Fighter Dave Grohl and former Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman Chris Cornell, while the sound of the band as a whole has been compared to everyone from Stone Temple Pilots and Green Day to Nickelback. Their infectious single “Come Clean” will be included in EA Games title “Burnout 5,” which will be released in 2008. Mexicolas are currently available for worldwide publishing, licensing and signing. Mexicolas will perform their first-ever show in N. America exclusively at MUSEXPO 2008 on Tuesday, April 29th at 10:00PM in the main Music Hall at the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood, CA.

MEIKO (Georgia, USA): Hailing from the humble hamlet of Roberta, Georgia--population 808--is Meiko, a gifted songbird whose intimate, confessional performances have been attracting a building buzz, both at the burgeoning Hotel Café scene in her adopted home of Hollywood and nationwide. Her first big break came when Nic Harcourt, Music Director at KCRW Los Angeles and host of the famed “Morning Becomes Eclectic” program, started placing her songs in regular rotation on both “Morning…” and “Sounds Eclectic,” the nationally syndicated version of his signature show. Then, she received an assist from cyberspace: her self-titled, self-released debut album recently reached No.35 on the iTunes Top 100 Albums chart and was the No.1 Folk album, totaling well over 200,000 downloads and netting Meiko the “Indie Spotlight” designation, as well as placement on their “Best of 2007” feature. She also played over 100 gigs in 2007, has had her music featured in such hit TV series as “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Kyle XY” and “Moonlight,” and even earned a rave review from über-blogger Perez Hilton, who wrote, “If you like singer/songwriters then you will be foaming at the mouth for Meiko.” Meiko will perform at MUSEXPO 2008 on Wednesday, April 30th at 11:00PM in the main Music Hall at the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood, CA.

MISS LI (Origin: Stockholm, Sweden): Described as Scandinavia’s answer to Amy Winehouse, Kate Nash and Lily Allen, Miss Li is the performing name for Linda Carlsson, a Swedish native who, in the course of her short lifetime, has sung in just about every genre imaginable, ranging from opera, show tunes, jazz and blues to pop, soul, electro, rock…even a time dabbling in heavy metal! Miss Li has put all those lessons to good use, releasing three albums in little more than a year that manage to reflect all her varied experiences and influences, extending from the Carter Family, Hank Williams, Bill Monroe and Edith Piaf to the Kinks, Beatles and Steve Marriott. In November 2007 she released a 19-track greatest hits album, compiling the best moments from her trio of releases. “Though we have all heard songs about loss and regret before,” stated the blog www.ObscureSound.com, “Carlsson delivers in an exquisitely unique manner.” Miss Li, who is available for signing, co-publishing and booking, is already generating strong A&R interest Stateside for what will be her first-ever performance in N. America. Miss Li performs her debut N. American show at MUSEXPO 2008 on Monday, April 28th at 11:00PM in the main Music Hall at the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood, CA.

THE RED PAINTINGS (Origin: Queensland, Australia): The Red Paintings are one of the most talented bands to come out of Australia in recently memory. The Brisbane, Australia-based quintet is well-known for its unique live performances, in which the band members dress in elaborate costumes ranging from geisha outfits to alien suits. The band also features live painters on stage who create art whilst The Red Paintings perform their dynamic set. The Red Paintings have released a debut album and six EPs since forming. They’ve also been garnering a lot of interest for their dynamic songwriting and prolific performances, which includes the Billy Corgan-esque (The Smashing Pumpkins) styled anthem, “Walls.” The five-piece has received support from Australia’s national youth radio network Triple J amongst other tastemaker radio stations across Australasia and were hand-picked by Dresden Dolls to be their support act in the US and Australia. The Red Paintings are currently available for signing, licensing, sub-publishing and booking. The Red Paintings will perform at MUSEXPO 2008 on Sunday, April 27th at 8:00PM in the main Music Hall at the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood, CA.

Seymour Stein

Seymour Stein, Chairman, Sire Records Group––who along with Clive Davis is one of the most revered global A&R minds––will attend MUSEXPO 2008 and participate actively at this years event. Widely regarded as having one of the best sets of ears in the music industry, Stein co–founded Sire Records in 1966. Stein quickly put Sire on the map with UK signings such as Fleetwood Mac, Climax Blues Band and Focus; however, it wasn’t until the Punk explosion of the ’70s that he truly hit his stride, signing such genre–defining acts as the Ramones, Talking Heads, Pretenders and Richard Hell and the Voidoids…even being credited with coming–up with the term “New Wave” to describe the music. In 1983, he was in a hospital bed recovering from open–heart surgery when he made the decision to sign a Michigan–bred singer/dancer and release her first single, “Everybody.” Enthused by what he heard, Seymour inked her to Sire for a full album––and the career of Madonna was launched.