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26 October 2009
"WHAT A SHOW" - EXCLUSIVE VIDEO
Check out this amazing new promo video for Dave >
23 June 2009
Dave on the cover of MusicWeek
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17 June 2009
Dave joins Kobalt Music Group
MUSICWEEK - Tuesday June 16, 2009 - By Paul Williams
Eurythmics co-founder Dave Stewart has become the latest big name to take his songs to Kobalt Music Group.
Under the deal the publisher will administer Stewart’s songs globally, including handling them for use in film, TV, advertising, ringtones, games and other media.
As a member of Eurythmics Stewart co-wrote with Annie Lennox songs such as Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This), Here Comes The Rain Again and Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves, while outside the duo his credits include No Doubt’s Underneath It All and Tom Petty’s Don’t Come Around Here No More.
Kobalt founder and CEO Willard Ahdritz says, “Dave Stewart is not only a member of rock royalty and one of the most prolific songwriter/producers of our time, he is a visionary thinker. He’s always been on the forefront of what is coming next in music and in the technology of music delivery. We are utterly privileged to be working with him on a global basis, both in administration and creative services.”
Stewart’s manager Dave Kaplan adds, “Dave has always been passionate and fearless about pushing boundaries and pioneering change, while at the same time writing countless smash hit songs that are still played around the world every day. After being involved in traditional publishing deals ever since he was a struggling young teenager in Sunderland, Dave has now made the bold decision to move away from the old structure, and the lure of the huge advance checks, in favour of the new, fresh approach of the Kobalt model. This deal teams Dave with like-minded people and allows him to continue to unleash his crazy-ingenious ideas for disrupting and revolutionizing the entertainment universe.”
15 June 2009
Dave on cover of July Billboard magazine
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Here's a transcript of Dave's article in July's Billboard magazine...
TRANSPARENCY - The full, accurate, and timely disclosure of information.
by Dave Stewart
I bought a new shirt in Milan two weeks ago and used my Visa card. After the merchant swiped my card the data traveled 30,000 kilometers and crossed 12 nations, contacted my bank, checked credit limits, then verified the merchant's bank account details to transfer money in 1.4 seconds.
My purchase of a shirt in Milan was one of over 160 million payments happening every day, payments that equate to over 12 billion dollars, transactions that will settle out to the last Yen, Cent and Centavo. In 1983, Visa launched it's anyplace anywhere ATM system, at the same time as "Sweet Dreams" went Number One. If I sold shirts, I would receive instant, crystal clear accounting for my business. But since I make music, I am forced to deal with some incomprehensible labyrinth of archaic accounting methods. Visa has had this system in place for 30 years and I've been selling records in one form or another for about the same amount of time. As an artist, a songwriter and a producer, I, along with every other artist, have long yearned for advanced, transparent reporting structures in order to address the entrenched and endemic problem of years of late/short payments.
The current content distribution system for artists has been referred to as a "sharecropper" system. Today, a typical distribution agency (e.g., record label or similar) collects the revenue, subtracts all advances, recording costs, packaging costs, promotional expenses, tour support, and other holdbacks, and then pays the artist their "share" at some point in the distant future. Why can't we artists be afforded the same respect as the guy from Milan selling shirts?
In the future, all incoming revenue streams will be reported in real time, with transaction costs pre-defined and competitive with the market. In the old model, content distributors have been slow and/or reluctant to adopt new media. Distributors frequently take significant portions of creative control out of the hands of the artist, placing restrictions on format, functionality, interactivity and other components. Copyright controls inherently limit the models and methods of release and distribution of artist products. Digital distribution and rights management methods have failed to leverage technological and business advancements to serve consumer, artistic and corporate interests. With many distributors, the feedback loop on consumer usage is also limited. Buyer profiles, habits and usage patterns are not shared with artists, who are then forced to use other means (surveys, focus groups) to determine how their content is being received by the fan. Especially troubling is that, in many cases, artists are not entitled to any control over precisely what happens with their creative work, or to apply some of the new and innovative ideas in the digital landscape due to restrictions from rights holders. Digital media technologies for distribution, asset management, security and monetization have matured to the point that an easy-to-use, scalable, fully featured digital media gateway and financial tracking system is now possible and should be demanded by all artists.
And why not? Nearly all forms of artistic output have migrated from analog to digital formats. When combined with innovation through media-related and other industries, the rising volume of digital media has created the potential for a significant uplift in adoption of "long tail" content from established artists. In other words, provide fans a deeper, richer experience, by giving them a glimpse into an artist’s world and work, which benefits all those with a stake in the business.
Soon, we in the entertainment industry will operate in a world with a compelling, multi-faceted user experience across online and mobile interfaces that, as I was recently quoted in the Washington Post as saying, will “drop a Neutron Bomb on current distribution models.” In fact, working alongside the innovative companies with whom I work with everyday, we are building this gateway now. Stay tuned.
[Dave Stewart, co-founder of Eurythmics, is a legendary artist, producer, author, speaker, entrepreneur and songwriter whose records and collaborations have resulted in more than 100 million album sales and numerous Grammy, Golden Globe, Brit, Lifetime Achievement, Legend in Songwriting and other awards. He has co-written with Mick Jagger, Bono, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Gwen Stefani, Katy Perry,Jon Bon Jovi, George Harrison, and many others, resulting in numerous worldwide hits that are heard everyday around the world. Recently named one of Fast Company magazine’s 100 Most Creative People in Business, Stewart serves as a consultant for Nokia, the world’s largest mobile phone company, where he was given the unique title of “Change Agent,” charged with ensuring the artists' point of view is represented in the “new world” and creating new content business paradigms for the entertainment industry.]
15 June 2009
Matthew Warchus (Ghost The Musical director) wins Tony award
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Tony Awards 2009: Matthew Warchus wins Best Direction
Mon, 08 June 2009 01:03am by Sean James Cameron
UK director Matthew Warchus has won ‘Best Direction of a Play’ for God of Carnage at the 2009 Tony Awards in New York.
Written by Yasmina Reza and translated by Christopher Hampton God of Carnage tells the story of two sets of parents who meet up to deal with the unruly behaviour of their children.
In London the play opened in March 2008 and closed June 2008 at the Gielgud Theatre; cast included Ralph Fiennes, Tamsin Greig and Janet McTeer.
On Broadway the play opened on 22nd March, 2009 and is currently booking tickets until 14th November 2009. In the role of Michael is television actor James Gandolfini, best known as Tony Soprano from the series The Sopranos.
Director Warchus was born in October 1966, studying at Bristol University in music and drama. His list of UK companies ranges from the Bristol Old Vic through to the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Royal Shakespeare Company and the Donmar Warehouse.
God of Carnage is playing at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre at 242 West 45th Street (between 8th avenue and Broadway).
Matthew is currently working with Dave on Ghost - The Musical
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