Terry McBride's Blog

Music Tank - what a great organization of people who love music and have a passion for being in the business of music. Who else would put in a lot of energy to create a truly unique event purely for others. It was a fun and fascinating event. The high light for me was 3 Millennials getting interviewed by Musician and DJ Tom Robinson. They also fielded somewhat hostile questions from the music stakeholders in the audience. These young kids held their ground, but it really showed the business reality and the fear that permeates the current music environment. The brainstorming session was great. We had the Artist "James ", his Manager, and the rest of his team which included PR, Publishing and Record Label. The further we walked along the process the more the 175 participants got into it. We managed to step out of the traditional marketing sand box and onto the beach of our imaginations. In the end those same stakeholders started to use their imaginations and the session ended with a flowing sense of optimism and passion for what we love, "music". Also, the Artist and his team had a multitude of new, fresh and unique ideas that where authentic to the artist.

Seems the press have taken a sound bite of mine out of context. It revolves around Youtube. My comments came during the Music Tank seminar and the concept of Artists creating content that fans can then mashup up with their own creativity and share on Youtube. To date Avril's songs have been used over 200 million times on Youtube with a good percentage being fan generated. Youtube has deals in place with the stakeholders of the IP (Publishers, Labels, Songwriting societies) that sees a share on a pro-rata basis in the advertising income created from these social activities. In time this will generate a few million dollars in income for all collectively involved. Thus my suggestions that Artist's engage their fans creatively.

Certain press are also trying to raise a storm with the actions of Avril's fans that have pushed the "Girl Friend" video to #1 on Youtube. To be clear we do not sanction any manipulation of any situation, its not in either Avril's or Nettwerk's DNA to do so. Any postings that fans have made on the sites that Avril controls have been immediately taken down. Lastly I enjoy shady areas, away from the harmful rays of hate!! LOL!

Happy weekend everybody

Being a manager can sometimes be challenging, especially when you see a friend who is a great human being, who has done so much to make the world a better place, dragged through the mud under the disguise of reporting. Our world has become about the negative and is so based on the lower energies of criticism and fear. Many years ago I would have gone there as well; to criticize with a sense of sarcasm. I have since discovered that doing so was simply a reflection of my own personal state, one that was poisoning me mentally and physically. I choose these days to be different, not get involved in life's negative dramas and to "let go" of what my ego desires and actively get involved in being compassionate. I hope this personal shift will in some small part make this world a better place.

The deeper the music business shifts into the hands of the consumer, the more interesting it gets as new verticals of opportunity emerge for those that are receptive to them. Nettwerk these days is undergoing an amazing resonance, with an influx of new leaders and a new sense of who we are. The shift in music consumption has allowed us to get back to our roots of releasing music we truly "love". The sense of optimism is so real, the ideas profound and the people so amazing.

Thinking of an electronic game of Clue: looking for musical stems as points/prizes to create mixes of tracks, video, or other visuals that have never been heard or seen. Engaging, authentic, new, and with outcomes that cannot be predicted. Welcome to a whimsical brainstorm.

Off to Music Tank!

t

From the reflection of images dancing on a lake's surface to where the sunlight plays on leaves dancing in the breath of wind, to dance is a conscious co-creation with the ebb and flow of life. So don't let your spirit dance alone. These thoughts came to me as I have spent the past few days at the lake, surrounded by Mother Nature. For me, it's about letting go of one's desire for control and to fit into social boundaries, in essence the removal of "Ego", and just learning how to dance with your spirit, body and soul as one.

Want to touch this sense? Well, you can do this anywhere. Just walk outside, close your eyes and listen; soon a whole new world will emerge from the noise of your mind. It is these moments of silence when I turn the volume of my mind down that I find many answers that I do not know I am seeking and many ideas just pop into existence. It's not quite meditation, but the edge where the mind is finding the space between thoughts to allow new ones to emerge.

It is amazing to hear Sarah McLachlan's voice again. There is a purity to her magic as it's from a heart that is wide open and bare in its naked emotion. The melodies are addictive, the lyrics personal to each and everyone, and the delivery is both spine chilling and uplifting. The airwaves sincerely need her energy. There will be many tears shed, many in happiness, when these songs get released. The first track will go public one month from now.

Well the kids are gone today, so its time for a day or two of silence.

Cheers

t