2highbehind

Thoughts on the 360 model

Next to my life as a technology entrepreneur I'm also involved in artist management or business affairs for artists. Now I have entered the music business I have learned that lots of record companies now don't want to sign artists if they don't do a so called 360 deal. Now from my point of view, where I have the interest of the artist at heart, doing a deal like that would only make sense if the company could actually add value in all of the potential revenue generating activities. Thinking of this over the last couple of years it occurred to me that the 360 model is something the 'manager' already has in place and it doesn't make a lot of sense to sign a 2nd 360 deal with a company thats not specialized in all the areas where money can be made. The argument of the record companies that they invest in artists and are responsible for putting them on the map makes kind of sense too, so what's the right way of doing business, so a win win situation is created?

My thoughts and first steps in this are that we need a new kind of management. Not the manager that takes care of business as if he/she is the center of the Universe, but more of an business angel.

My idea is to set up a company that specializes in building the business framework for creative genius / artists. Working in the global technology field, I come across Venture Capital firms all the time. My frustration with these firms is that they say they go for the entrepreneur, but in reality they just look at the numbers. Of course there are exceptions in the VC world that do base their judgment on people and ideas (they are most successful). This has inspired me to think of a new model. A fund that initiates the artist career or idea. The framework is build with 'VC' money and from that point the artist entity is connected to partners that create the required value and put the artist on the map in the specific playing field this partner is specialized in. 

Artist A inc. 100% owned by artist

Investment coming in from 'VC' and involvement of business man/woman

Artist A owns 75% of Artist A inc.
Business man/woman owns 20% of Artist A inc.
VC owns 5% of Artist A inc

Now artist A inc has lets say EURO 50k in the bank, a dedicated business manager and ready to start working on career.

50K gets invested in recordings, videos etc..

Now Artist A inc start looking for partners to commercially exploit. Product is ready and all that needs to happen is distribution, marketing and sales/partnerships.

All revenue generated by artist is received by Artist A inc and artist stays in control.

I think this is the model for the future and would love to see this fly with my portfolio. Any ideas?

Did the great firewall block access to iTunes?

Reading this article I get again the urge to say something about politics. The Olympic games have finished and all will get back to normal in China. Thousands of polluting factories will re-open their doors, Taxi drivers can stink again and the struggle in Tibet will continue. China is back to where they were before the games. My curiosity spams the post period. Will the games have the impact that we all hoped for? Will it open up this world of it's own? I don't think so. First of all because I think the Chinese politicians and those in office don't think the Western world has the best model for a prosperous society and second because it's not in their direct interest to change the situation to our model. We start to live in a world where we don't care as long as we can make more money, that is what worries me most. The difference is that the Chinese care, maybe not the caring we would appreciate, but I think it's like with love. Better to have loved and lost, then not to have loved at all.... Again a world of confusion.....>> Read 1 and >> Read 2

Pandora is slowly fading away

Almost a year ago I had big hopes for Pandora and told the whole world I loved it sooo much. Today it seems that soon Pandora will have to close up shop. For me it's hard to understand why nothing has happened. The idea behind this service is so strong that there must be a way to figure this one out. Maybe big VC money made them fight the wrong wars?? I don't know, but hopefully they will manage to survive.

Happy Birthday CD (compact disc)

Today it's the birthday of the Compact Disc. Now it's time for the CD to go away. For me it's a bit weird to think of the CD as a thing that will go away and me doing my best to make that happen ;-) My guess is that it will take another decade before the CD is something you need to go hunt for in special stores...

Politics #2

So I receive a comment from a 'Christian' plus link to Bible blog. My point is not that I am against God, but against religious people hijacking God's word in order to serve their own agenda. This is what happens if one man takes literally what the bible says, imagine if we all lived like that. No science, no tolerance, etc. So I think we should all vote for political parties and people that believe in a better world where we can all live together and where violence is not the answer to different thinking. Value the difference is the global mantra in a global economy.

Politics

Once in a while I feel the urge to write something about politics and today is one of those days. Holland was once upon a time a nation with ambition and tolerance. Today we are ruled by right wing Christian politicians that rule with the word of God in the back of their minds. I have nothing against God, but I hate the fact that our politicians and community only use that word when it suits their agenda. All of our top guys are in China to support our athletes, while at the same time all values we represent are not part of Chinese politics and society. We close our eyes for the mighty Midas. War between Russia and Georgia and we don't speak out loud. No we have to talk about a politician with a activist past that broke the law decades ago for things he believed in. Later he saw that that wasn't the way for a peaceful change in modern society and he became a politician. So my question is what is worse? Politicians that support criminal governments that do not comply with international laws (Guantanamo bay, Tbilisi, China etc.) or a man that was part of a terrorist organization in the past fighting for human rights and  a greener future?  For me it both sucks and  the hypocrite behavior of our politicians and community starts to annoy me big time. I suggest we all focus on things we can make a change at. Education, Health care, Economy, Infrastructure and a very focussed national and international security department that makes sure killers,frauds and other people that do not respect the right of others are stopped. This instead of telling people what to think, smoke, eat, do and so on. This climate we have created is the fertile soil for hate and terrorism. Am I the only one that thinks like this?

The ONE >> Great story about the future of the WEB

A few weeks of downtime, wedding and haircut

Wow, what a fantastic summer. I knew it was going to be good, but it even took me by surprise. I love it to just go with the flow for a couple of days ;-)