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(Photo Credit: Casey Morse)
SHOWCASE & EVENT HIGHLIGHTS MUSEXPO LA 2009
Photos of all showcasing artists, panels and events from MUSEXPO 2009 in Los Angeles will be available this week at www.musexpo.net. (Photo Credit: Casey Morse) INDUSTRY HEAVYWEIGHTS ADDED TO LA EVENT
Also added to the lineup are former Doors manager Bill Siddons, Guns N Roses and Motley Crue A&R executive Tom Zutaut, Spectacle Group President Andy Gould and ReverbNation CEO Mike Doernberg. KEY INFLUENCERS FROM THE U.S., SWEDEN, UK, AUSTRALIA, FRANCE, GERMANY, JAPAN, CANADA, INDIA, CHINA, NORWAY, NEW ZEALAND, RUSSIA, DENMARK, FINLAND & MANY MORE COUNTRIES TO ATTEND, NETWORK AND PARTICIPATE AT MUSEXPO 2009
The MUSEXPO team intends 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 one of the strongest since MUSEXPO launched back in 2005. MUSEXPO’s forward-thinking and proactive approach will help attendees better understand the global musical eco-system for the future and develop key insight and relationships to do so. A MUSEXPO delegate badge is required to gain access to all aspects of the conference, networking events and showcases. To register for your delegate badge, click HERE. Confirmed speakers and guests at this year’s event include:
Dave Holmes, Founder 3D Management (worldwide manager of Coldplay, Scissor Sisters, Interpol, Santogold); David Renzer,Chairman/CEO, Universal Music Publishing Group; Michael Guido, Partner, Carroll, Guido & Groffman, LLP (Jay-Z, OutKast); Simon Wright, President & CEO, Virgin Entertainment Group; Doug Frank, President Music Operations, Warner Bros. Pictures; Ian C. Rogers, CEO, Topspin; Elizabeth Schimel, Global Head of Music Entertainment & Communities, Nokia; Jay Faires, President of Music & Publishing, Lionsgate Entertainment; Julie Enzer, Sr. Vice President & General Manager, Disney Music Publishing; Kenny MacPherson, President & Sr. Executive, Chrysalis Music Group, N. America; Scott Francis, President, Warner-Chappell Music & Chairman/CEO, Warner-Chappell U.S.; Ron Fair, Chairman/President, A&M/Geffen; Archie Meguro, Sr. Vice President, Sony Music Japan International Inc. (Japan); Bruce Flohr, Sr. Vice President A&R, ATO Records/Red Light Management; Fred Goldring, Partner, Goldring, Hertz & Lichtenstein.
Jason Flom, President, Lava Records/Universal (US); Jonas Sjöström, CEO, Playground Music Scandinavia; Terry McBride, CEO, Nettwerk Music Group; Alex Patsavas, Founder, Chop Shop Music Supervision; Seymour Stein, Chairman, Sire Records Group; Glen Lajeski,Executive Vice President, Music Creative/Marketing, Buena Vista Motion Pictures Group; Nic Harcourt, DJ KCRW & Founder, SamLuna Media Inc. (music supervisor “Beverly Hills 90210”); Rachel Levy, Sr. Vice President Motion Picture Music, The Weinstein Co.; Randy Spendlove,President Motion Picture Music, Paramount Pictures; Max Tolkoff, Radio Consultant, WFNX Boston; Paul Menes, Special Counsel, Sedgwick, Detert, Moran & Arnold LLC; Bob Lefsetz, Editor, The Lefsetz Letter; Ajax Scott, Managing Director, Woodshed Media, UK; Adam Zammit, CEO, Peer Group (Australia); Alex Hackford, A&R, SCEA/Playstation; Jason Bentley,Music Director & Host “Morning Becomes Eclectic” KCRWLos Angeles; Mike Walsh,Head of Music, Xfm Radio Network (UK); Scott Igoe,Music Executive, “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC TV; Adam Mirabella,Director, Global Digital Music Retail, Nokia; Kevin Arnold, Founder/CEO, IODA.
Richard Gottehrer, Founder/Chief Creative Officer, The Orchard; Ron Spaulding, Executive Vice President/General Manager, Fontana Distribution; Jerry Heller, Founder, Ruthless Records; Greg Mack, Founder, MacKNificent Broadcasting; John Lenac, Head Of Programming & Artist/Label Relations, Yahoo! Music; Keith Welsh, Chairman Australian Music Publishers Association (AMPAL) & Managing Director Rough Cut Music Publishing; Ritch Esra,Publisher, The Music Registry; Amos Newman, Founder, GSA Music & Management (AR Rahman); Andre Recke, President, Boo Management (Hillary Duff); Larry Jacobson, The Collective Music Group (Avenged Sevenfold); Jeff Rabhan, CEO, Three Ring Projects (Jermaine Dupri); Spencer D. Proffer, CEO, Music & Media Producer, Strategist & Partner McGhee/Proffer (Crooked X); Jeff Yapp, Executive Vice President MTV Networks/Program Enterprises; Ted Chung, Chairman, Cashmere Agency & President, Doggy Style Records (Snoop Dogg); Joel Denver, Co-Founder/President & Publisher, All Access.com; Ted Cohen, Managing Partner, TAG Strategic; Scott Murphy, Founder/CEO, D:Net (Australia); Vince Bannon, Vice President, Entertainment Partnerships & Development, Getty Images; Tommy Nast, Co-Founder, Rock Band Entertainment; Ben Ralph, Managing Director, Roadrunner Records (Australia); Cybele Pettus, Music Supervisor, EA Games; Anders Hjelmtorp, CEO ExMS (Sweden); Mike Caren, Executive VP A&R, Atlantic Records Group and many others to announced in the coming weeks. MORE KEY INFLUENCERS JOIN MUSEXPO 2009 LINEUP The 5th annual MUSEXPO kicks off on Sunday, April 26, 2009 at the newly remodeled five-star London West Hollywood Hotel on Sunset Blvd. The conference will once again include participation from some of the world’s leading music, media and technology mindsets. MUSEXPO 2009 and its registered delegates and attendees will attend a tribute luncheon honoring one of the world’s most influential music and gaming executives, Steve Schnur, Worldwide Head of Music & Marketing, EA Games on Tuesday, April 28 at a special rooftop luncheon catered by the world-famous Gordon Ramsey Restaurant. In addition, there will be a special tribute publication honoring Steve Schnur; friends and colleagues wishing to participate in the publication can request additional details by contacting info@anrworldwide.com. This year’s event will host 28 artists from 12 countries and welcome delegates from three dozen countries on five continents.
Dave Holmes, Founder, 3D Management and worldwide manager for Coldplay (one of the world’s most successful artists), Santogold, Interpol and others has confirmed his participation at this year’s MUSEXPO and will join the opening keynote. This will be one of the first times that the globally respected manager has spoken publicly. Over the past decade, Holmes has built an amazing roster of management clients and has inspired many of his peers with his low-key yet very effective approach to artist management. Holmes was also pivotal in being among the first participant at the original A&R Worldwide networking dinners launched back in 2001 with Sat Bisla (Founder, A&R Worldwide), which led to the evolution of MUSEXPO four years later. Holmes will be joined on the opening keynote by fellow panelists David Renzer,Chairman/CEO, Universal Music Publishing Group; Michael Guido, Partner, Carroll, Guido & Groffman, LLP (Jay-Z, OutKast); Simon Wright, President & CEO, Virgin Entertainment Group and moderator Nic Harcourt (a leading global tastemaker) and currently Editor at Large, Music & Culture, Los Angeles Times magazine.
Also added to the MUSEXPO 2009 lineup is Road Runner Records Australia’s Managing Director Ben Ralph, Atlantic Records’ Executive Vice President A&R Mike Caren, Australia’s Peer Group Media’s CEO Adam Zammit, former Muse manager Safta Jaffrey, WFNX Boston consultant and US radio programming veteran Max Tolkoff, Impact Magazine Editor Emmanuel Legrand, ASCAP Sr. Vice President Domestic Andy Grimmett, legendary independent UK label entrepreneur Mel Medalie, former Virgin Records (US) President Ray Cooper and Export Music Sweden’s CEO Anders Hjelmtorp. For more information, log on to www.musexpo.net. The MUSEXPO 2009 conference hotel, The London West Hollywood is reaching capacity. To secure your room at the conference hotel, click HERE. For more information on registration for MUSEXPO 2009, click HERE. MUSEXPO 2009 LOS ANGELES TALENT SPOTLIGHT An array of top emerging international and US talent is set to arrive in Los Angeles (the music and entertainment capital of the world) next month for the fifth annual MUSEXPO at the London West Hollywood Hotel. This top tier of unearthed global talent will showcase at the legendary Viper Room and Whisky A Go Go clubs in the heart of the Sunset Strip. Most of the talent is available for signing, licensing, booking, legal representation and/or publishing. Here’s an overview of some of the international talent that will be showcasing from April 26-29 at the Viper Room and Whisky A Go Go – the full schedule is now available at www.musexpo.net. 
BIGELF (Origin: Los Angeles, California, USA): With the release of their Closer to Doom EP in 1995, SoCal quartet Bigelf established themselves as founding fathers of the “psychedelic doom movement” that paved the way for the Los Angeles stoner-rock scene. In the years since vocalist/keyboardist Damon Fox, guitarist Ace Mark, bassist Duffy Snowhill and drummer Froth have released two full-length albums and achieved cult status overseas, most notably in Europe and the Scandinavian homeland of Mark and Snowhill. Both albums spawned major label recording contracts that promised worldwide success, but instead resulted in the usual litany of promises broken and opportunities missed. Now, though, the group whose sound is an astounding amalgam of the Beatles, Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath has released a new album, the aptly titled Cheat the Gallows, their first for Linda Perry’s Custard Records. “The Los Angeles rock quartet creates epic and heavy orchestrations that border on bombastic musical theater and mind-blowing prog rock,” stated Artistdirect.com. “At the same time, they're catchy as all hell. Their latest album, Cheat the Gallows, is easily one of the best rock records of the year. The band conjures the classics, while imbuing a modern attitude into each and every track.” Big Elf will perform at MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood on Sunday, April 26th at the Whisky A Go Go on Sunset Blvd.
DEREK MILLER (Origin: Six Nations, Ontario, Canada): Singer/songwriter Derek Miller has been making quite a name for himself on the Canadian and international music scenes for the past decade. By the age of 25 in 1999 he’d won a Canadian Aboriginal Music Award and toured with icon Buffy Saint-Marie, who said, “Derek is like Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, Kris Kristofferson--but better--he’s got a Mohawk heart.” In 2002 he released his first solo album, Music is the Medicine, which earned him a Juno Award, a Native American Music Award (Blues/Jazz Single of the Year), NCI-FM Best Album of the Year and other US and Canadian awards. However, with success came the rigors of two years on the road, which left Derek reeling and in need of rehab; after this wrenching process, he recorded his most recent album, The Dirty Looks, which received the award for Best Rock CD at both the 2007 Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards and the Aboriginal People's Choice Music Awards. He also won another Juno Award for Aboriginal Recording of the Year. “Derek’s guitar playing and vocals really get under your skin,” stated iconic Canadian musician Robbie Robertson, while noted filmmaker Jim Jarmusch adds, “He’s like Hank Williams and Link Wray on peyote.” Derek Miller will perform at MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood on Monday, April 27th at the Whisky A Go Go on Sunset Blvd.
LOVEBUGS (Origin: Basel, Switzerland): Swiss quintet Lovebugs are celebrating their 15th year together this year, coinciding with the release of their tenth album (three of their previous efforts hit No.1 in their native land, where they routinely sell Platinum). Vocalist Adrian Sieber, guitarist Thomas Rechberger, keyboardist Stefan Wagner, bassist Florian Senn and drummer Simon Ramseier marked the occasion in singular fashion, luring Irish producer Richard Rainey into their Basel studios after Rainey had spent the previous 12 months working on the new U2 album, No Line on the Horizon. “I was struck by the Lovebugs’ quality,” says Richard. “They are fantastic musicians and they write great songs…I knew I wanted to produce this record.” The resulting effort, the aptly titled The Highest Heights, brings their sunny, dancefloor-ready take on Britpop to a new level; in fact, the title track was chosen as Switzerland’s entry for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, to be held in Moscow, Russia in May. “OK, we have upped the tempo,” notes vocalist/founding member Sieber, “but it’s not as though we’ve totally abandoned the emotional aspect. For our new album, we’ve combined our love of big melodies, atmospheric sounds and hypnotic beats with the possibilities that a rock band has at its disposal.” Lovebugs will perform at MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood on Wednesday, April 29th at The Viper Room on Sunset Blvd.
PURPLE MELON (Origin: Birmingham, UK): In the last four years the British band Purple Melon has changed guitarists three times, drummers twice and decided against keeping their keyboard player. Happily, though, they now feel they have the perfect lineup: Tom Hill (age 20) on vocals and guitar, Eric Joyce (19) on bass, Owen Barry (24) on guitar and Jason Ganberg (21) on drums. Early in 2006, shortly after the band’s formation, Hill and Joyce met a trio of young filmmakers and together they came up with the idea of filming the group’s journey (teaser snippets of the footage can be viewed on YouTube, MySpace, Vuze and their web site). In September 2006 they played their first gig, at the Barfly in Birmingham, and were immediately asked to play again--eventually becoming the first act to gain a four-month residency at the club. Afterward the group relocated to London, where Hill promptly found and fell in love with the Troubadour Club and its bohemian, laid-back and classily cool atmosphere. While in London the group attracted the attention of many leading producers, ultimately deciding to work with Paul Stacey (Oasis, Black Crowes). They recently relocated to Los Angeles to put the finishing touches on the album and begin winning over North American fans through extensive gigging and drawing comparisons to a modern day Queen. Purple Melon will perform at MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood on Sunday, April 26th at The Viper Room on Sunset Blvd.
SAMANTHA HEARD (Origin: London, England): In the buzz-and-bling world of the 21st Century, there seemingly isn’t room for those who prefer to put the song and performance first. Providing a refreshing counterpoint to that view is 22-year-old Samantha Heard, who has poured over eight years of songwriting into the 12 wholly self-penned songs on her debut album, Headsketches. She took up the piano at a very young age and quickly found a release through writing music. Her resolve was tested when offered the opportunity to front a major label-manufactured girl group rather than follow her own singer/songwriter muse; reflects Samantha, “I just realized how important it is for me to sing and perform the songs I have created. I had to be honest to myself even though it’s often a lonelier and harder road.” Samantha packed up her guitar, left school and travelled the world, utilizing her experiences in her songwriting. Upon returning to London she started playing solo shows, quickly attracting the attention of producer Robin Millar (Sade), one of Britain’s most successful record producers. Millar then brought in John Reynolds (Sinead O’Connor), giving Headsketches a production team who had between them recorded two of the most successful and iconic female artists of the last 25 years. Samantha Heard will perform at MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood on Wednesday, April 29th at The Viper Room on Sunset Blvd.
YOUNG LOVE (Origin: Austin, Texas): Less than three years ago, Dan Keyes was a member of the up-and-coming melodic post-punk Austin, Texas band Recover, which landed a major label deal, a national fanbase and gigabytes of critical acclaim. However, much as Keyes loved and respected his fellow band members, he had other songs buzzing around his brain…songs that didn’t fit in with Recover’s sound. A crossroads was reached when a New York musician offered up a vacant place to stay; having always wanted to live in the Big Apple, Keyes regretfully bade farewell to Recover and, armed with but a single bag and his guitar, moved to the City That Never Sleeps. He also had some rough demos of the new music he was hearing in his head: catchy and danceable, yet unpredictable, they would form the basis of the sound that would evolve into Young Love. However, while all the songs were written on an acoustic guitar, that instrument is only a side note in the band’s sound amidst a mesmerizing mélange of electric instrumentation. The results are already being favorably received on the New York club scene, where several leaked songs are generating dancefloor requests well before the April 28 release of new Island Def Jam album One of Us. Young Love will perform at MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood on Tuesday, April 28th at Whisky A Go Go on Sunset Blvd.
KEY EXECUTIVES FROM THE U.S., JAPAN, UK, AUSTRALIA, FRANCE, GERMANY, INDIA, CHINA, CANADA, SWEDEN, NORWAY, NEW ZEALAND, RUSSIA, DENMARK, FINLAND & 20 OTHER COUNTRIES TO ATTEND, NETWORK AND PARTICIPATE AT MUSEXPO 2009
The MUSEXPO founder and its conference team intend to keep the event intimate, inspiring and informative as always, especially for those looking to build new creative and commercial opportunities in today’s current challenging economic climate, so they have access to innovative ways of engaging with new business platforms. 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, technology companies, 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.
Confirmed speakers and guests at this year’s event include: David Renzer, Chairman/CEO, Universal Music Publishing Group; Michael Guido, Partner, Carroll, Guido & Groffman, LLP (Jay-Z, OutKast); Simon Wright, President & CEO, Virgin Entertainment Group; Ian C. Rogers, CEO, Topspin; Elizabeth Schimel, Global Head of Music Entertainment & Communities, Nokia; Jay Faires, President of Music & Publishing, Lionsgate Entertainment; Julie Enzer, Sr. Vice President & General Manager, Disney Music Publishing; Kenny MacPherson, President & Sr. Executive, Chrysalis Music Group, N. America; Scott Francis, President, Warner-Chappell Music & Chairman/CEO, Warner-Chappell U.S.; Ron Fair, Chairman/President, A&M/Geffen; Archie Meguro, Sr. Vice President, Sony Music Japan International Inc. (Japan).
Bruce Flohr, Sr. Vice President A&R, ATO Records/Red Light Management; Fred Goldring, Partner, Goldring, Hertz & Lichtenstein; Jason Flom, President, Lava Records/Universal (US); Jonas Sjöström, CEO, Playground Music Scandinavia; Terry McBride, CEO, Nettwerk Music Group; Alex Patsavas, Founder, Chop Shop Music Supervision; Kevin Weaver, Executive Vice President, Atlantic Records Group; Glen Lajeski, Executive Vice President, Music Creative/Marketing, Buena Vista Motion Pictures Group; Nic Harcourt, DJ KCRW & Founder, SamLuna Media Inc. (music supervisor “Beverly Hills 90210”); Rachel Levy, Sr. Vice President Motion Picture Music, The Weinstein Co.; Randy Spendlove, President Motion Picture Music, Paramount Pictures; Max Tolkoff, Radio Consultant, WFNX Boston; Paul Menes, Special Counsel, Sedgwick, Detert, Moran & Arnold LLC; Bob Lefsetz, Editor, The Lefsetz Letter; Ajax Scott, Managing Director, Woodshed Media, UK; Adam Zammit, CEO, Peer Group (Australia).
Jason Bentley, Music Director & Host “Morning Becomes Eclectic” KCRW Los Angeles; Mike Walsh, Head of Music, Xfm Radio Network (UK); Scott Igoe, Music Executive, “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC TV; Adam Mirabella, Director, Global Digital Music Retail, Nokia; Kevin Arnold, Founder/CEO, IODA; Richard Gottehrer, Founder/Chief Creative Officer, The Orchard; Ron Spaulding, Executive Vice President/General Manager, Fontana Distribution; Jerry Heller, Founder, Ruthless Records; Greg Mack, Founder, MacKNificent Broadcasting; John Lenac, Head Of Programming & Artist/Label Relations, Yahoo! Music; Keith Welsh, Chairman Australian Music Publishers Association (AMPAL) & Managing Director Rough Cut Music Publishing; Ritch Esra, Publisher, The Music Registry; Amos Newman, Founder, GSA Music & Management (AR Rahman); Andre Recke, President, Boo Management (Hillary Duff); Larry Jacobson, The Collective Music Group (Avenged Sevenfold); Jeff Rabhan, CEO, Three Ring Projects (Jermaine Dupri); Spencer D. Proffer, CEO, Music & Media Producer, Strategist & Partner McGhee/Proffer (Crooked X); Jeff Yapp, Executive Vice President MTV Networks/Program Enterprises; Ted Chung, Chairman, Cashmere Agency & President, Doggy Style Records (Snoop Dogg); Joel Denver, Co-Founder/President & Publisher, All Access.com; Ted Cohen, Managing Partner, TAG Strategic; Scott Murphy, Founder/CEO, D:Net (Australia); Vince Bannon, Vice President, Entertainment Partnerships & Development, Getty Images, and Tommy Nast, Co-Founder, Rock Band Entertainment and many others to announced in the coming weeks. For more information on registration for MUSEXPO 2009, click HERE. MUSEXPO 2009 LOS ANGELES TALENT SPOTLIGHT An array of top emerging international and US talent is set to arrive in Los Angeles (the music and entertainment capital of the world) next month for the 5th annual MUSEXPO at the London West Hollywood Hotel. This top tier of unearthed global talent will showcase at the legendary Viper Room and Whisky A Go Go clubs in the heart of the Sunset Strip. Most of the talent is available for signing, licensing, booking, legal representation and/or publishing. Here’s an overview of some of the international talent that will be showcasing from April 26-29 at the Viper Room and Whisky A Go Go clubs – the full schedule will soon be available at www.musexpo.net. 
ANDREW PAUL WOODWORTH (Origin: Los Angeles, USA): Legendary Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones once said of Andrew Paul Woodworth, “He’s the best lyricist I have ever worked with.” Heady praise indeed from a man who spent over a decade teaming with Robert Plant, but Jones backed up his words with action, producing the album of Woodworth’s then-band, Elephant Ride. Alas, the act didn’t catch on and was soon disbanded, with Woodworth going on to form Virgil in 2002. That group was more successful, with its music used by ESPN and the TV shows “Roswell” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” However, the singer/songwriter still wasn’t completely satisfied, opting to hit the studio in the spring of 2005 to record his first solo efforts. The result, the sardonically titled EP “I Hate Music,” is a bravely eclectic offering featuring lush, poignant poetry to offset its oft-times cynical wit. His first full-length, Eddy Ate Dynamite, was produced by Evan Frankfort (Wallflowers, Jayhawks, Rancid) and features the song that first catapulted Andrew to attention: a slowed-down, acoustic take of the Beastie Boys’ “Fight For Your Right to Party”! Andrew Paul Woodworth will perform at MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood on Monday, April 27th at The Viper Room on Sunset Blvd.
FLOOR THIRTEEN (Origin: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada):In recent years the music scene in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada has been producing some exciting new artists, but few with as much potential as Floor Thirteen. Consisting of singer Jeremy Koz, guitarist/vocalist Marc Jaworski, bassist/vocalist Aaron Vandall and drummer Billy Kiely, Floor Thirteen really started to take off after Koz joined the band in 2003. He has quite a set of pipes: he reached the Top 20 during the 2006 “Canadian Idol” competition and landed in the Top 30 (out of thousands of aspirants) on the “Rock Star: INXS” program later that year. The band’s hard-rockin’ sound has drawn comparisons to such luminaries as AC/DC and Led Zeppelin, along with newcomers like Wolfmother and Jet, helping them land a slot on Mazda’s online “Campus Joyride” game with their song “Night Train.” They also had their song “Bright Lights Rockin’ City” included in the soundtrack of the Sci-Fi Channel movie “Grizzly Rage.” Floor Thirteen has been touring extensively throughout their native Canada and last year landed a key placement in EA Game’s Need For Speed and are also featured in the brand new EA Games SIMS 3. They’ve also recently showcased in the UK and were part of a special broadcast from Xfm London, England last year. Floor Thirteen will perform at MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood on Monday, April 27th at the Whisky A Go Go on Sunset Blvd.
HEY OCEAN (Origin: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada): Hailing from the gorgeous environs of Vancouver, Canada is Hey Ocean, a four-piece featuring vocalist/flutist Ashleigh Ball, guitarist/vocalist David Beckingham, bassist Dave Vertessi and drummer Dan Klenner. Ball and Beckingham have a longstanding musical relationship and that rapport is obvious in their mesmerizing melodies and clever lyrical wordplay. The quartet released their first album, Stop Looking like Music, in 2006 and swiftly became one of Western Canada’s most popular touring acts, sharing stages with the likes of Bedouin Soundclash, Xavier Rudd, Sarah Harmer and Wintersleep, winning over fans young and old with their onstage charisma, playful demeanor and passionate music. In 2008 they self-released their sophomore effort, It’s Easier to Be Someone Else, including the tune “A Song about California,” a bouncy, jazz-inflected piece of pop that can’t help but get toes a-tappin’. In regards to the new album, the Herohill blog in Halifax, Canada, noted, “Ashleigh Ball’s great vocals and nice hooks could fuel more beach parties than a Frankie and Annette sing-along.” The sound of Hey Ocean also contains elements of several world music genres, inspired by the three years Beckingham spent in Kenya and the other bandmembers’ travels in Central America, Asia and Europe. Hey Ocean will perform at MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood on Wednesday, April 29th at the Whisky A Go Go on Sunset Blvd.
LAY LOW (Origin: Reykjavik, Iceland): Lay Low is the musical alter-ego of Lovisa Elisabet Sigrunardottir, who was born in London to a Sri Lankan father and Icelandic mother but relocated to Reykjavik at an early age. It was there that she took up the piano, advancing to guitar and bass in her teens. In early 2006 she was contacted by a local label that had heard one of her demos on MySpace. The song combined blues, folk and country music in an innovative way, and within a few short months Lay Low had released its first album, Please Don’t Hate Me, which was the best-selling original album in Iceland that year and was nominated for four Icelandic Music Awards, winning three. In early 2008 Lay Low returned to London to work on the follow-up album with producer Liam Watson (White Stripes, Pete Molinari, Holly Golightly). The resulting effort, Farewell Good Night’s Sleep (available in North America May 26), reflects Sigrunardottir’s affection for the honky-tonk sounds of such seminal artists as Patsy Cline, Lefty Frizell, Dolly Parton and Ernest Tubb, among others, while imprinting her own personality upon the songs, resulting in the music team at iTunes hailing Lay Low as one of the best discoveries of 2008. Lay Low will perform at MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood on Sunday, April 26th at The Viper Room on Sunset Blvd.
SALEM (Origin: Stockholm, Sweden): Salem is a Stockholm, Sweden native born of a Syrian father and Swedish mother whose wistful soul/pop confections are proving increasingly popular in his native land and beyond. Salem began his musical training at age four on the violin; by age 14 he was accomplished enough to perform on a solo tour of Russia, but he opted to instead start studying jazz piano upon completion of the jaunt. He then went on to perform with such Swedish artists as electro-dance diva Robyn and Snook before releasing his debut full-length, This Is Who I Am, in January 2007 to great critical acclaim: the Obscure Sound music blog stated, “Salem has to be one of the most individually talented artists I have come across, playing literally every instrument on the album…whether it is classic ’70s pop, soul, blues, or folk, Salem has the sort of musical grasp that is both easy to envy and adore.” In October 2007 he was named “Best Newcomer” by Swedish music publishers, and in January 2008 he also won four Swedish Grammis (Grammys) out of seven nominations, emerging victorious for Best Male Artist, Best Newcomer, Best Composer and Best Producer--more awards than any other act garnered that year. Salem will perform at MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood on Tuesday, April 28th at The Viper Room on Sunset Blvd.
SORGENTE (Origin: Munich, Germany): Sorgente are six guys from Munich, Germany whose music is an amazing amalgam of ’90s Lenny Kravitz and ’80s Prince melded with the soulful sounds of the ’60s-era Isley Brothers. The result, a funky stew incorporating all those disparate elements plus more, is quite unlike anything else that’s emerged from Bavaria thus far this century. Taking their name from the Italian word for “source,” the six memorably monikered band members--vocalists/guitarists Fafuu and Ojam, vocalist/saxophonist Peti, lead guitarist Mr. Jacobsen, bassist Dungee and drummer Tobsen--are all about the groove and play with a funkiness more commonly associated with Motown than Munich. Their most recent album, Let Me In, is an erotically charged concept piece about excess, destruction and the calm that comes after the storm. But when it comes to classifying their unique sound, even the band members themselves are a bit stumped. “As long as we don’t have to read the designations ‘reggae,’ ‘ska,’ ‘Latin’ or ‘world’ in relation to our music anymore, we don’t mind,” says Mr. Jacobsen, slyly adding, “‘Psychedelic Disco-Rock’ or ‘Psychedelic Groove-Pop’ could probably hit the mark best.” Sorgente is not part of any scene, nor do they seek to subordinate themselves to one; rather, they’ve created their own. Sorgente will perform at MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood on Monday, April 27th at The Viper Room on Sunset Blvd.
GLOBAL INFLUENCERS ADDED TO MUSEXPO 2009 EXECUTIVE LINEUP The list of executives and decision-makers from countries across the globe attending and participating at MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood, CA continues to grow. This year, the networking events at MUSEXPO are the most diverse since the MUSEXPO launch five years ago. Queensland Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Manitoba Canada, Iceland, Finland, Norway, UK, India and others are all either hosting events in conjunction with MUSEXPO 2009, or bringing delegations to the event to capture the plethora of new business and creative opportunities MUSEXPO provides.
More key music, media and technology executives have confirmed their attendance and participation at the fifth annual MUSEXPO in West Hollywood, CA, which takes place April 26-29, 2009. Newly added participants include Ron Fair, Chairman/President, A&M/Geffen Records; Jeff Yapp, Executive Vice President MTV Networks/Program Enterprises; Bruce Flohr, Sr. Vice President ATO Records/Red Light Management; Andre Recke, Founder Boo Management (worldwide music manager of Hillary Duff): Amos Newman, Principal, GSA Music (manager for Academy Award-winning composer AR Rahman, the composer for Slumdog Millionaire, as well overseeing management for Jason Bentley and producer Glen Ballard); John Lenac, Head of Programming & Artist/Label Relations, Yahoo! Music; influential music and technology attorney Paul Menes; Vince Bannon, Vice President, Getty Images; Ted Cohen, Managing Partner, Tag Strategic and Keith Welsh, Chairman Australian Music Publishers Association (AMPAL) & Managing Director Rough Cut Music Publishing (Australia) and former Publisher The Music Network Australia, to name just a few of the new additions. MUSEXPO 2009 will take place at the five-star London West Hollywood Hotel (formerly known as the Bel Age) and was host to the first three MUSEXPOs in LA. In addition, the hotel features the exclusive world-renowned Gordon Ramsey Restaurant, which will provide the menu for the MUSEXPO 2009 networking breakfasts and lunches and their will also be complimentary tea-breaks and cocktail & wine tasting networking parties in the early evenings for registered delegates. MUSEXPO 2009 LOS ANGELES TALENT SPOTLIGHT An array of top emerging international and US talent is set to arrive in Los Angeles (the music and entertainment capital of the world) next month for the 5th annual MUSEXPO at the London West Hollywood Hotel. This top tier of unearthed global talent will showcase at the legendary Viper Room and Whisky A Go Go clubs in the heart of the Sunset Strip. Most of the talent is available for signing, licensing, booking, legal representation and/or publishing. Here’s an overview of some of the international talent that will be showcasing from April 26 – 29 at the Viper Room and Whisky A Go Go clubs – the full schedule will soon be available at www.musexpo.net. 
ADDEBOY VS. CLIFF & ADAM TENSTA (Origin: Stockholm, Sweden): The constellation, Addeboy Vs Cliff and Adam Tensta, bodes for world class entertainment and promises high energy, danceable hip-hop and rocking house beats. What started as an artist-producer relationship is now headed up on stage in a joint effort to turn it up a notch in Los Angeles!
Adam Tensta has made dance floors from Stockholm to Dakar, from Paris to Los Angeles, sizzle with his electro/house influenced sound – Bloc Pop. People on three continents know the words to his socially conscious lyrics in hits like “My Cool” and “They Wanna Know.” As producers and artists, Addeboy Vs Cliff, have created remixes, released independent singles and have an album in the cooker. They are a rocking house duo that have been compared to Daft Punk and Justice and gotten a whole music industry chasing their beats!
Tensta, Sweden’s hottest hip-hop in 2008, is putting the final touches on an international version of his debut, and award winning album It’s A Tensta Thing. The album enjoyed great success thanks to its brand new sound, Bloc Pop, which was born under experimental circumstances. Introduced by executive producer Nils “Ears” Lundberg, Addeboy Vs Cliff played key roles in producing Tensta’s album with their uniquehybrid of electronica, urban, rock and pop. Together they have received numerous nominations and awards, including a Grammis (The Swedish equivalent to a Grammy) for It’s A Tensta Thing as the best Dance/HipHop/Soul album in 2008.
Addeboy Vs. Cliff & Adam Tensta will perform at MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood on Monday, April 27th at The Viper Room on Sunset Blvd.
BLACK ROOM (Origin: Oslo, Norway): This rising young Norwegian trio got their name from a most unfortunate circumstance: the house they rehearsed in burned to the ground, leaving little behind but songs for an album. Undeterred, singer Ole, guitarist Anders and synth-man Paal relocated to a room without windows but overflowing with guitars, synthesizers, records and computers, working on their debut album, Pop Noir--which also serves as a perfect two-word description of their music, which is reminiscent of some of Elbow’s darker moments while also containing hints of artists such as U2, Coldplay and Snow Patrol. The trio initially formed over a common passion for moody pop and electronic sounds, and their musical trademark is mixing catchy melodies with influences from more beat-oriented music. They’ve swiftly built a reputation as an engaging live act and will be releasing Pop Noir in 2009, to be followed by a tour. The group arrives at MUSEXPO fresh off of a pair of shows at Club Quattro in Tokyo, Japan. Incidentally, the team involved with Black Room originally developed Ting Tings and Ida Maria (who performed at MUSEXPO in April last year). Black Room will perform at MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood on Sunday, April 26th at The Viper Room on Sunset Blvd.
CHRIS PICKERING (Origin: Brisbane, Australia): In a mere five years Australian artist Chris Pickering has utilized his insightful lyrical sense, magical melodies and natural good looks to help redefine the alt-country genre. During that time he’s released a pair of EPs and two critically acclaimed albums and won over audiences throughout Australia and America (the latter thanks to a sensational performance at SXSW 2008 and continuing “residencies” in Nashville, Tennessee). He’s won a pair of Q Music songwriting awards and his most recent effort, Excuses Excuses, was picked by Australia’s Fuse Music Group for re-release in 2009; of the album, the Courier Mail enthused, “Excuses Excuses reveals considerable growth in Pickering as an artist who touches on a refreshing array of styles while developing a strong musical identity of his own.” In February 2009 Pickering was invited to showcase at the prestigious North American Folk Alliance in Memphis, and he plans to return to Nashville this summer to simmer some more in the city’s vibrant country scene. The attraction is reciprocated: Nashville’s Performing Songwriter magazine hailed him as “Keith Partridge in cowboy boots,” adding, “The Australian artist offers up a catchy blend of country and ’60s-flavored pop on Excuses Excuses.” Chris Pickering will perform at MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood on Tuesday, April 28th at The Viper Room on Sunset Blvd. 
REBELUTION: (Origin, Santa Barbara, California) Since initially getting together while attending music classes at the University of California-Santa Barbara in 2004, the four members of Rebelution--vocalist/guitarist Eric Rachmany, keyboardist Rory Carey, drummer Wesley Finley and bassist Marley D. Williams (who hand-selected the other musicians)--have racked up an enviable record of success throughout the state of California and beyond. Starting out in the uproarious college town of Isla Vista, their roots-reggae stylings quickly won a following not only among aficionados of the genre, but also more mainstream music fans. After three years of honing their chops both onstage and in the studio, the group released its debut album, Courage to Grow, in June 2007. The album took them to the proverbial next level, garnering Rebelution airplay on major market stations like KROQ Los Angeles, 91X San Diego and KITS “Live 105” San Francisco, where they stayed in rotation for several weeks. To top it all off, the album was the iTunes Editor’s Choice for Best Reggae Album of 2007; the album remains in the Top 10 Reggae albums on iTunes and is now the second most downloaded of the genre. After performing with Pennywise and Offspring in 2008, Rebelution kicked off 2009 by selling out seven 1,000+-capacity venues throughout California. Rebelution will perform at MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood on Wednesday, April 29th at the Whisky A Go Go on Sunset Blvd.
RUBY TIGERS (Origin: Brisbane, Australia): In just a couple of years Australian quartet Ruby Tigers has amassed an impressive array of well-connected friends and business contacts. The group, which includes vocalist/songwriter Darren Schadel, bassist Alan Stephen, guitarist Cass McMahon and drummer Phillip Lew, spent the majority of 2007 ensconced in Powderfinger’s Airlock Studios Brisbane, emerging with a collection of songs that not only pleased current fans, but garnered them new ones…including famed producer/mixer Mark Needham (The Killers, My Chemical Romance, Chris Isaak), who promptly agreed to mix their album after hearing the demos on MySpace. Thus inspired, the band went back into the studio with American producer/songwriter Marc Swersky and emerging Australian engineer Anthony Lycenko (Pete Murray) and produced an album that showcases their world-class talent alongside radio-ready tunes. Mixed by Needham and mastered in New York by Leon Zervos (Maroon 5, Avril Lavigne), the song “The Deal” is a great representation of the Ruby Tigers’ sound. “‘The Deal’ pumps straight from the outset and will weasel its way into your brain to set up permanent residence,” said Australian trade magazine The Music Network. “Ruby Tigers is a band that wears their influences on their sleeves…they have enough hints of rock gargantuans INXS and U2 to make them a must for commercial radio.” Ruby Tigers will perform at MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood on Tuesday, April 28th at the Whisky A Go Go on Sunset Blvd.
TIGARAH (Origin: Tokyo, Japan): Needless to say, the electro-dance realm isn’t exactly overflowing with political science majors who once aspired to public office…but then again, Japanese sensation Tigarah isn’t your typical poli-sci major. She was attending Tokyo’s prestigious Keio University when some Brazilian classmates introduced her to the steamy sounds of Brazilian Baile Funk music (an offshoot of the Miami Bass sound). She rapidly became enraptured with the music, eventually journeying to Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro in order to fully immerse herself in the culture. It was while in Rio that she met the mysterious Mr. D, a Swiss/German DJ/producer who splits his time between Brazil and Los Angeles. In 2003 they decided to form a duo performing under Tigarah’s name and three years later were signed to Universal Music worldwide in Japan. Despite the lack of a major label deal Tigarah (which means “girl like a Tiger” in Japanese) received quite a bit of positive press, including National Public Radio (NPR) in the US, along with such print media as Blender, URB, XLR8R and the Los Angeles Times. Her music has been featured on the American TV shows “Numb3rs” and “The L Word,” as well as the EA Sports games “Need for Speed: Carbon,” “FIFA 07” and “FIFA 08.” Tigarah will perform at MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood on Sunday, April 26th at The Viper Room on Sunset Blvd.
ASIA-PACIFIC, EUROPE, N. AMERICA AND EASTERN EUROPE TO PARTICIPATE AT MUSEXPO 2009 IN LOS ANGELES The list of executives and decision-makers from countries across the globe attending and participating at MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood, CA continues to grow. This year, the networking events at MUSEXPO are the most diverse since the MUSEXPO launch five years ago. Queensland Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Manitoba Canada, Iceland, Finland, Norway, UK, India and others are all either hosting events in conjunction with MUSEXPO 2009, or bringing delegations to the event to capture the plethora of new business and creative opportunities MUSEXPO provides. MUSEXPO Founder Sat Bisla comments, “At a time where many people are concerned about the future of their companies and artists, we’re delighted to, once again, ensure MUSEXPO provides new financial and creative opportunities for those looking to grow their business, insight and influence in the global market place. We are honored to welcome attendees from all over the world this year including countries as diverse as Japan, Australia, China, India, UK, Germany, France, Russia, New Zealand, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Ukraine, Canada, Denmark, Mexico and many others. MUSEXPO is about bringing the world together through music in a focused, qualitative, networking and solutions-oriented platform. Our focus will always continue to be quality over quantity. We want to ensure our attendees experience a home-cooked meal as opposed to a fast-food experience, as the latter tends to be a healthier and more impactful business and creative choice” MUSEXPO and its sister company A&R Worldwide have become the only event in the world that now helps other conferences around the globe with their organization for panels and/or showcases. This year alone, A&R Worldwide/MUSEXPO will assist seven conferences around the world to improve their overall impact and focus for delegates, speakers and/or artists. In addition, MUSEXPO and A&R Worldwide will host its own events in N. America, Europe and Asia-Pacific in association with One Movement Festival Perth. More key music, media and technology executives have confirmed their attendance and participation at the fifth annual MUSEXPO in West Hollywood, CA, which takes place April 26 – 29, 2009. Newly added participants include Jeff Yapp, Executive Vice President MTV Networks/Program Enterprises; Andre Recke, Founder Boo Management (worldwide music manager of Hillary Duff): Amos Newman, Founder, GSA Music (manager for Oscar-Award winning composer AR Rahman the composer for Slumdog Millionaire, as well overseeing management for Jason Bentley and influential music supervisor Chris Douridas and producer Guy Sigsworth in N. America); John Lenac, Head of Programming & Artist/Label Relations, Yahoo! Music; influential music and technology attorney Paul Menes; Vince Bannon, Vice President, Getty Images and Keith Welsh, Managing Director, Roughcut Music Publishing (Australia) and former Publisher The Music Network Australia to name just a few of the new additions. MUSEXPO 2009 will take place at the five-star London West Hollywood Hotel (formerly known as the Bel Age) and was host to the first three MUSEXPO’s in LA. In addition, the hotel features the exclusive world-renowned Gordon Ramsey Restaurant, which will provide the menu for the MUSEXPO 2009 networking breakfasts and lunches and their will also be complimentary tea-breaks and cocktail & wine tasting networking parties in the early evenings for registered delegates. For more information, log on to www.musexpo.net. MUSEXPO 2009 LOS ANGELES TALENT SPOTLIGHT An array of top emerging international and US talent is set to arrive in Los Angeles (the music and entertainment capital of the world) next month for the 5th annual MUSEXPO at the London West Hollywood Hotel. This top tier of unearthed global talent will showcase at the legendary Viper Room and Whisky A Go Go clubs in the heart of the Sunset Strip. Most of the talent is available for signing, licensing, booking, legal representation and/or publishing. Here’s an overview of some of the international talent that will be showcasing from April 26 – 29 at the Viper Room and Whisky A Go Go clubs – the full schedule will soon be available at www.musexpo.net . 
DEAD LETTER CIRCUS (Origin: Brisbane, Australia): In less than two years, Dead Letter Circus has risen to the forefront of promising Australian rock acts. In 2007 the group released their eponymous debut EP and the reaction was immediately positive, with it being deemed “Album of the Week” by Sydney’s Brag magazine and Melbourne’s Beat magazine that May, with the latter describing it as, “Epic, immeasurable and downright frightening, it is an EP which pulls a loaded gun, pushes it to your temple, forces you in the car, then drives at dizzying speeds on the freeway.” By September 2007 they were on the Triple J Presents national tour and had signed a worldwide publishing deal with Universal, which was followed by an incendiary performance at the hometown stop of the Big Day Out tour in January 2008. Last year the group sought to publicize their forthcoming 2009 debut album by allowing free downloads of the song “Reaction,” which was also added to Triple J’s national playlist. In November 2008 they released a new single, “Next in Line,” which debuted at No.1 on the AIR charts and also was playlisted at Triple J. Noted Atticus Bastow of Inpress magazine, “The sheer presence and sincerity is pulsating with so much energy you could power a small town.” Dead Letter Circus will perform at MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood on Sunday, April 26th at the Whisky A Go Go on Sunset Blvd.
DOMENICA (Origin: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada): Domenica is a hard-rockin’ four-piece from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada that is fronted by the gorgeous Bekki, a former teen model who opted for the passion of performing onstage over the cool attitude require on the catwalk. Her vibrant vocals are ably complemented by her rock-solid rhythm guitar playing, while the three guys in the band--bassist/vocalist Kurtis, lead guitarist/vocalist Josh and drummer Steve--provide suitably emphatic accompaniment on such numbers as “I Love My Gun,” “Waste Away,” “Vampires” and our favorite song title to come down the pike in a while, “Porno State of Mind.” Domenica’s song “Luxury” enjoyed heavy rotation on Canadian Active Rock stations in 2007 and in 2008 they licensed the aforementioned “I Love My Gun” to a number of primetime television shows. During the spring/summer of 2008 Bekki wrote a trio of new songs with famed guitarist Marcos Cureil (P.O.D.) and tracked these new songs in Matt Sorum’s (Guns N Roses/Velvet Revolver) Hollywood-based studio for their forthcoming full-length album. Domenica is already being eyed by a number of labels so her MUSEXPO showcase is sure to have some key industry decision-makers in the audience. Domenica will perform at MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood on Tuesday, April 28th at the Whisky A Go Go on Sunset Blvd. 
GIN WIGMORE (Origin: Auckland, New Zealand): Gin Wigmore is a precocious singer/songwriter from the southern hemisphere, having been born in New Zealand but also spending significant time in Argentina and Australia. It was while in Buenos Aires that 16-year-old Gin learned of the passing of her father due to cancer. She responded by writing a song, “Hallelujah,” to articulate her pain. Two years later, the song won the 2005 International Songwriting Contest, making Gin the youngest winner ever…and the first to be unsigned. She released an acclaimed EP, Extended Play, of which the Sydney Daily Telegraph proclaimed, “One of the most stunning debut EPs ever…a star is born.” In August 2008 Gin was signed by Motown President Sylvia Rhone and undertook her first promo tour, mesmerizing media and music industry audiences in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York before sharing the stage with John Mellencamp and Sheryl Crow during their December tour. Gin is currently working with songwriters Martin Tarefe (Jazon Mraz/KT Tunstall), Dan Wilson (Dixie Chicks), Mitchell Froom (Crowded House) and Mike Elizondo (Eminem/Gwen Stefani/Fiona Apple) in preparation for recording her full-length debut album. Gin Wigmore will perform at MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood on Monday, April 27th at the Viper Room on Sunset Blvd.
YVES KLEIN BLUE (Origin: Brisbane, Australia): Australian act Yves Klein Blue takes their moniker from the famed artist Yves Klein, whose “Yves Klein Blue” is a blue shade that doesn’t fade over time, forever appearing wet and freshly applied…and thus serving as a metaphor for the group’s goal of creating music that is timeless and won’t fade with age. The band began in high school, brought together by a common passion for Led Zeppelin. Vocalist/guitarist Michael Tomlinson and lead guitarist Charles Sale would frequently spend their lunch periods (and occasional physical education periods) ensconced in a dusty storeroom and jamming out the basics of what would become their initial songs. Joined by bassist Sean Cook and drummer Chris Banham, they released a five-song EP in April 2008, Yves Klein Blue Draw Attention to Themselves. A joyous melding of classic pop, old-school punk, gypsy-tinted jazz and indie rock, it swiftly received positive response. “Yves Klein Blue…are a bunch of 19-and-20-year-olds from Brisbane who are grabbing the chance of playing the Big Day Out by the neck,” stated Robert Forster in The Monthly. February witnessed Yves Klein Blue sharing stages with The Fratellis, The Music and Ben Lee on “The Big O” tour of Australia. Yves Klein Blue will perform at MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood on Tuesday, April 28th at the Viper Room on Sunset Blvd.
THE BLUE VAN: (Origin, Copenhagen, Denmark) Growing up in the northern region of Denmark’s Jutland peninsula, there aren’t a lot of distractions. So, one quickly tends to entertain themselves. That was the rationale of the four members of The Blue Van, who in sixth grade began jamming in the basement of a fortunately hard-of-hearing grandmother. By age 12 they’d moved on to covers of such favorites as Cream, the Pretty Things and the Small Faces. After adopting the name The Blue Van (Danish slang for the ambulance that transports patients to mental institutions), they relocated to Copenhagen and self-financed their first EP, A Session with The Blue Van, and backed it up with an acclaimed performance at the Roskilde Festival. They recorded their debut full-length, The Art of Rolling, in Hamburg, opting to record live in the studio, only adding in vocals later, in order to capitalize on the band’s live strengths.
The album landed them an American deal with TVT Records and the group started splitting time between Denmark and the Bed/Stuy neighborhood of Brooklyn while recording their second album, Dear Independence. Now with indie Iceberg Records, The Blue Van returned to Hamburg to record their third album, Man Up, which has already spawned a hit with the song “Silly Boy.” The Blue Van will perform at MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood on Monday, April 27th at the Whisky A Go Go on Sunset Blvd.
Continued… GLOBAL INDUSTRY LEADERS JOIN MUSEXPO 2009 LINEUP IN LOS ANGELES More key music, media and technology executives have confirmed their attendance and participation at the fifth annual MUSEXPO in West Hollywood, CA, which takes place April 26-29, 2009 at the five-star London West Hollywood Hotel (formerly known as the Bel Age), which was host to the first three MUSEXPOs in LA. In addition, the hotel features the exclusive world-renowned Gordon Ramsey Restaurant, which will provide the menu for the MUSEXPO 2009 networking breakfasts and lunches. There will also be complimentary tea-breaks and cocktail & wine tasting networking parties in the early evenings for registered delegates.
GLOBAL INDUSTRY LEADERS JOIN MUSEXPO 2009 LINEUP IN LOS ANGELES More key music, media and technology executives have confirmed their attendance and participation at the fifth annual MUSEXPO in West Hollywood, CA, which takes place April 26-29, 2009 at the five-star London West Hollywood Hotel (formerly known as the Bel Age), which was host to the first three MUSEXPO’s in LA. In addition, the hotel features the exclusive world-renowned Gordon Ramsey Restaurant, which will provide the menu for the MUSEXPO 2009 networking breakfasts and lunches (there will also be complimentary tea-breaks and cocktail & wine-tasting networking parties in the early evenings for registered delegates). For more information, log on to www.musexpo.net.
FORMER MUSIC WEEK PUBLISHER JOINS MUSEXPO EUROPE TEAM
In his role as Creative Director, MUSEXPO Europe, Ajax will oversee the strategic planning for the event including commercial partnerships, executive participation, marketing and media communications. The new role sees Ajax moving from a consultant role for MUSEXPO Europe to more hands-on position as Creative Director. Scott will work directly with A&R Worldwide, MUSEXPO Los Angeles and MUSEXPO Europe Founder/President Sat Bisla, and its Chief Operations Officer Bob Bisla, as well as the company’s Beverly Hills, CA-based team. In making the announcement Scott stated, “I'm delighted to be stepping up my involvement in MUSEXPO Europe. I’ve always been impressed by the passion of the team at A&R Worldwide and their commitment to bringing people together from across the business and breaking new music. We made a great start with MUSEXPO Europe last year and I’m sure that it will be even bigger and better in 2009.” Sat Bisla said, “We’re delighted to have a well-versed music and media expert such as Ajax join the MUSEXPO Europe team. Ajax is greatly respected worldwide and his vast knowledge and relationships throughout the UK and Europe compliments our existing presence in the UK and the European continent. Ajax will help us further the potential to develop MUSEXPO Europe as one of the leading music, media and technology conferences and showcase platforms in the world with a base in London, England. “The response, endorsements and overall positive outcomes generated from those who attended the inaugural MUSEXPO Europe in London last year reinforced the fact that there was a dire need for a quality, focused and results-oriented event such as MUSEPXO Europe – we’re honored that London is calling us back and Ajax is the perfect person to join our team. Bob, the A&R Worldwide and MUSEXPO team and I look forward to delivering an even stronger MUSEXPO Europe in 2009.” Bob Bisla added, “It’s rare to find a person who incorporates all the strengths that Ajax does from both a creative and business standpoint. He was a great partner for us to work with during last year’s MUSEXPO Europe and it was obvious from the feedback we received that an event such as ours was much needed in Europe. Ajax is the perfect person to help us develop MUSEXPO Europe in to an even stronger and more productive event for the global music, media and technology industry’s who have a vested creative and business interests in Europe. In addition, deliver a focused showcase platform to help artists with new opportunities worldwide.” SWEDEN’S LEADING INDEPENDENT TO CELEBRATE 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY AT MUSEXPO 2009 IN LOS ANGELES 
Playground Music Scandinavia, the leading independent label in Sweden, will celebrate its 10-year anniversary at a special industry reception to be held in West Hollywood, CA during MUSEXPO 2009. Playground Music Scandinavia is an independent record company operating all over Scandinavia, with exclusive licensing and/or distribution agreements with all kinds of music. The label represents artists like Carla Bruni, Adele, White Stripes, Ace of Base, Chris Rea, Marianne Faithfull, Raconteurs, Buena Vista Social Club, Opeth, The Last Shadow Puppets, Radiohead, Tony Joe White, Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys, M.I.A, Jeff Dunham, Deep Purple, Brian Setzer, Robert Wyatt, Nine Inch Nails and many others.The label has also signed and/or represents Scandinavian local acts (as well as international successes) like The Rasmus, Ace Of Base, Koop, Natasja, Jenny Wilson, Sofia Karlsson, Ayoe Angelica, Micadelia, Fatboy, Private Line, Matthias Hellberg & White Moose, Frida Hyvönen, Timbuktu, Von Daler & Low Pressure, Snook, Chords, Afasi & Filthy and Maskinen among others. John Cloud, Head of International, Playground says, “After attending MUSEXPO originally in 2006 and having a great experience there, as well as also making many new contacts in the industry, it felt only natural to use MUSEXPO 2009 as the conference to kick off Playground Music Scandinavia’s 10 Year Anniversary - 10 Years Of Independence! MUSEXPO is the perfect forum for us to present our new acts and catalogue to people working with synchronization in TV, film, games and advertising as well as the decision makers at record companies who are licensing music from Europe. A&R Worldwide are truly the kings of global networking and we are proud to be celebrating our ten-year anniversary at MUSEXPO 2009.” Playground Music Scandinavia also represents independent labels like Beggars Banquet, Little Steven's Wicked Cool, 4 AD, XL Recordings, Eagle, New West, Munich, Edel, Eaglevision, K7, Domino, Real World, Peaceville, Luaka Bop, World Circuit and many more and has offices in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland, as well as representation in Iceland, Russia/Ukraine, Greece, Romania/Bulgaria and the Baltic states through local partners.
GLOBAL INDUSTRY LEADERS JOIN MUSEXPO 2009 LINEUP IN LOS ANGELES
GLOBAL INDUSTRY LEADERS JOIN MUSEXPO 2009 LINEUP IN LOS ANGELES More key music, media and technology executives have confirmed their attendance and participation at the fifth annual MUSEXPO in West Hollywood, CA, which takes place April 26-29, 2009 at the five-star London West Hollywood Hotel (formerly known as the Bel Age).
The newly remodeled five-star London West Hollywood Hotel, which was formerly known as the Bel Age and was host to the first three MUSEXPO’s in LA, will be home to MUSEXPO Los Angeles 2009. The London West Hollywood will play host to all of MUSEXPO Los Angeles 2009’s daytime panels and seminars. In addition, the hotel features the exclusive world-renowned Gordon Ramsey Restaurant, which will provide the menu for the MUSEXPO 2009 networking breakfasts, lunches, tea-breaks and cocktail & wine tasting networking parties in the early evenings. MUSEXPO Los Angeles 2009 will take place April 26-29, 2009 and the special discounted hotel rates at the London West Hollywood are available to MUSEXPO Los Angeles 2009 registered delegates (subject to availability). To reserve your room at the London West Hollywood, click HERE. MUSEXPO Los Angeles 2009 15% discounted registration off the current standard rate is available for A&R Worldwide newsletter subscribers – you can receive the discounted rate by clicking HERE. As MUSEXPO celebrates its fifth year, it promises to be the best MUSEXPO conference to date. The event is already attracting top global influencers from the music, media and technology sectors. Artists wishing to submit for a showcase opportunity can apply via Sonicbids by clicking HERE (deadline to receive all submissions is Monday, February 16th, 2009). For more information on MUSEXPO 2009, click HERE. MUSEXPO 2009 RETURNS TO FORMER BEL AGE HOTEL
The London West Hollywood will play host to all of MUSEXPO Los Angeles 2009’s daytime panels and seminars. In addition, the hotel features the exclusive world-renowned Gordon Ramsey Restaurant, which will provide the menu for the MUSEXPO 2009 networking breakfasts, lunches, tea-breaks and cocktail & wine tasting networking parties in the early evenings. “MUSEXPO Los Angeles 2009 will take the standard of our world renowned conferences to a whole new level. Our globally respected and highly influential speakers, delegates as well as our partners and sponsors deserve one of the very best settings in West Hollywood and Los Angeles County to interact, network, engage and attend some of the best panel forums in the world – the London West Hollywood [formerly the Bel Age] delivers just that,” stated MUSEXPO Conference Director Bob Bisla. MUSEXPO Los Angeles 2009 will take place April 26-29, 2009 and the special discounted hotel rates at the London West Hollywood are available to MUSEXPO Los Angeles 2009 registered delegates (subject to availability). To reserve your room at the London West Hollywood, click HERE.
MUSEXPO 2009 OVERVIEW The foundation and concept MUSEXPO was inspired by the first ever A&R Worldwide networking dinner back in the spring of 2001, which was at a restaurant in the heart of the aforementioned Sunset Strip. The dinner’s concept was to bring together forward–thinking executives from the music, media and technology arenas from the US and around the world to find ways to work together for the common good and for those who had a true passion for music. “Hosting MUSEXPO 2009 in West Hollywood, California keeps the events origins in the heart of the Sunset Strip,” stated Sat Bisla (Founder, A&R Worldwide, MUSEXPO) who hosted the first ever A&R Worldwide networking dinner back in the spring of 2000 with Dave Holmes (worldwide manager of Coldplay) and a friend. “Our entire team will be raising the bar to ensure we continue to make MUSEXPO better each year. Our delegates, artists, partners and sponsors are in for a real treat at MUSEXPO 2009 – we are determined to make it our best MUSEXPO ever and one that none of the charter delegates, new delegates, panelists and brand partners will want to miss.” During the past four years some of the world’s most influential music, media and technology executives have participated at MUSEXPO. |
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