BIGSOUND

Co-Founder, Spunk Records (AUS)

Aaron Curnow is the co-founder and director of Spunk Records. Spunk started as a fanzine in 1993, putting out six issues before its demise in the late 90s. The fanzine was obsessed by American underground artists like Sebadoh, Pavement, Bonnie Prince Billy, Smog, Guided by Voices and Sonic Youth. Following a lengthy stint at Shock and Festival in the 90s, Aaron decided to start Spunk Records in 1999, and 12 years later has released close to 400 records. Some of those include Sufjan Stevens, The Arcade Fire, The Middle East and Spoon. Spunk is also a part-time t…

Modern Australian rock icon Adalita is best known as front woman for Australian indie rock band Magic Dirt. Spanning 18 years and 13 releases, Magic Dirt have cemented their status as one of Australia\'s best loved and highly respected live bands. In 2011 Adalita released her debut self-titled solo album to rave reviews and completed a national tour to packed houses across Australia, including a performance for His Holiness, The Dalai Lama in June 2011.

Co-Owner of The Planetary Group

Spearheading an artist development and promotions firm based out of Boston and LA that focuses on helping new and upcoming artists be heard and discovered, over the past year or so Adam has worked with such acts as The Decemberists, Bloc Party, Peter, Bjorn & John, Apples In Stereo, Kings Of Leon, The Jezebels and The Lemonheads. In addition Adam also currently handles all publicity, promotion and media buying for Great Northeast Productions. Great Northeast is responsible for producing 50 shows a year throughout New England, including Phish's millennium con…

Founder of Creation Records / Poptones

Alan McGee has been a record label owner, musician, manager, and music blogger. 

McGee is best-known for co-forming and running the independent Creation Records label from 1983–1999. Creation Records was a key label in the mid-80s indie movement having released artists such as Primal Scream, The Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine and Teenage Fanclub. Creations biggest signing was Oasis who went on to sell millions of records.

After he sold Creation Records to Sony, McGee continued to publish songs of label acts such as Oasis, Primal Scream…

Amaya Laucirica's music is driven by an inimitably beautiful voice melded with widescreen arrangements. Her latest album 'Early Summer' was Triple J's Feature Album in late 2010. Since then, Amaya has opened for Blonde Redhead (USA) and has toured nationally with Adalita (Magic Dirt).

Director of Stop Start Recordings

Andy Bryan has been working in the Australian music business for nearly 20 years. During his 15 year tenure at EMI, Andy led Virgin Records through its most successful period accumulating more ARIA awards than any other label during his 5 years as label head. After leaving EMI in 2009 Andy started his own management and marketing consultancy company Fingerless Glove Projects, which is home to Lior and Ernest Ellis. Alongside management duties, Andy also heads up Stop Start Pty Ltd, which is both a label and touring and events company.

Andy Bull is an alt-pop singer songwriter from Sydney best known for "singing like a girl" (his words) and his song "Dog" (from The Phantom Pains EP) which features the haunting vocals of Lisa Mitchell and earned a coveted place in Triple J's Hottest 100 this year.

Director of Winterman & Goldstein / Ivy League

Andy Kelly is a director of Winterman & Goldstein Management, Ivy League Records and Ivy League Music Publishing. Artists Andy has worked with across these three “disciplines” include The Vines, Jet, Sleepy Jackson, Empire of the Sun, Paul Dempsey, Something For Kate, Youth Group, Cloud Control, Josh Pyke, Sparkadia, Lanie Lane, and The Mess Hall.

Advanced Communication Solutions (ACS)

Andy Shiach is the founder and managing director of ACS Custom. Andy’s hearing was damaged in a studio back in the ‘70s, which brought his music career abruptly to an end. During the past 30 years Andy has been developing and manufacturing products that protect a musicians most important instrument - their ears!

Today, ACS custom hearing protection and in ear monitoring products are available around the world and used by many leading artists. Andy is passionate about educating musicians to the dangers of listening to high sound pressure levels and the d…

Marketing and Communications Officer at Q Music.

Music Programmer at Way Over There

Anita Nedeljkovic is a programmer for Way Over There - an independent music programming operation representing local venues and national Australian music festivals. Some of their clients include The Falls Music & Arts Festival, Southbound, St Kilda Festival, Parklife, Groovin' The Moo, The Corner Hotel, Northcote Social Club and East Brunswick Club.

Avalanche City is the epitome of lo-fi pop perfection: delicately woven chords wrapped around honest words of dedication that are guaranteed to warm the heart of the true music fan.

With an arsenal of radio tunes behind them, Ball Park Music have become known for their ruckus ways and impressive stage shows. Look a little further and you’ll find an equal dose of substance waiting in the wings. It’s pop music at its very best; spontaneous, meaningful and infectious.

As the International Manager at Liverpool Sound City, Becky is passionate about helping international acts to perform at the festival and start their careers in the UK and regularly works with artist managers, labels, promoters and agencies from around the world to enable this. She has worked with Australian artists including DZ DEATHRAYS, The Bleeding Knees Club, Dan Parsons, The Jezabels, Smudge, Deep Sea Arcade, Blackchords, All Mankind, Seekae, Little Red, Our Mountain, The Kits, teenagersintokyo, Bluejuice, Dappled Cities, I Heart Hiroshima, Yves Klein Blue and Cloud Control wh…

Belles Will Ring released their second LP Crystal Theatre in May 2011. The band nearly sold out their own national tour and will be supporting Pulp, Glasvegas and Leader Cheetah throughout 2011.

Managing Director of Archill Recordings

Arch Hill Recordings was founded in late 1998 when a bunch of musicians were all recording at the same studio. The label has signed local icons such as The Clean, David Kilgour, Don McGlashan, The Bats as well as new artists including Street Chant, Surf City, Family Cactus, Ghost Wave.

In 2006 Ben started working with touring company Mystery Girl Presents, bringing artists to New Zealand such as Pavement, Animal Collective, Sonic Youth, and Fleet Foxes.

Ben also has a publishing company, is a partner in St. Jeromes Laneway Festival Auckland, and is th…

Director of Mucho Bravado

As the owner and director of management and PR company Mucho-Bravado, Ben Preece has a background in programming, promoting, events, and band management. Created in 2005 with the mission statement to provide solid nurturing and assistance for young bands, Mucho-Bravado now boasts a roster to be proud of, managing Hungry Kids of Hungary, Ball Park Music, Tara Simmons, Edward Guglielmino, My Own Pet Radio, and Spring Skier, as well as handling PR for many more. In 2011, Preece co-founded a boutique music event called Track & Field. He continues contributing weekly to T…

Tom was a strummer. Jo was a drummer. Tom and Jo jammed in Jo\'s living room. Tom and Jo had fun and they thought their music was alright. Tom and Jo recorded a few songs, and decided they should be a band called Big Scary, even though it\'s not very big, or scary.

Since thrashing onto the scene and releasing their initial demos not more than a year ago, Gold Coast surf punk duo Bleeding Knees Club have been touted by JJJ as one of the most promising acts to emerge out of Australia at the minute.

Melbourne rock band The Vasco Era features vocalist and guitarist Sid O’Neil, his brother and bassist Ted O’Neill, and drummer Michael Fitzgerald. Hailing from the coastal town of Apollo Bay, the boys recall playing to packed out living rooms before hitting actual stages around Australia.

Director of Minnow & Co

Bonnie Dalton manages Little Red, Husky and The Vasco Era. She has worked with Little Red for the past four years, taking them from small club shows to their recent successes here in Australia, and is currently working on international plans. This will be a big year for the band, who are soon to release their third album on their very own label, Era Records. In addition to her management roles, Bonnie is the Producer of the St Jerome’s Laneway Festival Melbourne, and a key member of the Laneway Festival International management team.

My favourite live artists like Springsteen, Tom Waits, The Clash, The Who all play and played like their lives depended on it. They take you somewhere else. That\'s the kind of honesty and intensity that I\'m striving for... And anthems to wrap your voices around and pump your fists to.

Managing Director of Love Police ATM

Brian "BT" Taranto has been hanging around the music industry since 1985 – mostly involved in band and festival merchandising, but also a concert promoter, art director and publisher of musical kids books.

Having worked at Australian Tour Merchandising (ATM) for eight years, he eventually established new merch company Love Police in 1995. Love Police recently merged with ATM with BT as Managing Director, running offices out of Sydney and Melbourne as part of the Mushroom Group Of Companies.

In 1997 he started Love Police Touring which has brought out int…

Busby Marou is making a serious impact on the Australian music stage. Jeremy Marou, a proud Torres Strait Islander is a unique and rare musical talent. Combined with Thomas Busby’s distinctly Australian way of sharing stories has developed into a unique natural Australian song writing flavour.

CALLING ALL CARS were handpicked to open for AC/DC on their Black Ice Tour. Debut album Hold Hold Fire was released in 2010 and six singles received high rotation on triple j – Animal; Not Like Anybody; Hold Hold Fire; Disconnect; Run Away and Reptile from their second album Dancing With A Dead Man.

Director of Canadian Music Festival

Cameron Wright has spent the last 10 years working in various aspects of the Canadian music industry. Starting at 16 – when he organised a 30-band youth festival – he is now the Director for Canadian Music Fest (the festival component of Canadian Music Week) which showcases 800 bands in 55 Toronto clubs over five nights.

Cameron can often be found backstage in Toronto acting as a Production Manager/Promoter Rep for various promoters including Union Events, Embrace Presents, and AEG Live Canada.
He has also been part of the organising team for major events i…

Director of Catherine Haridy Management

Cath Haridy's management stable includes Eskimo Joe, Jebediah, Basement Birds, The Chemist, Steve Parkin and Bob Evans, along with music producers Gareth Parton, Jimi Maroudas, Steven Schram and Andy Lawson. She is also involved in a development label with members of Eskimo Joe. The label, Dirt Diamond Productions currently works with local Perth artist Steve Parkin, The Chemist and co-manages non-fiction writer and curator Craig Shuftan who won an ARIA in 2010 for his creation of Triple J radio play "The Blow Parade" with members of The Chaser. Cath al…