Nz Music To Benefit From World Series Exposure

The bases are loaded with talent—but can New Zealand music take the next step up to the major league? That was the key question posed by a unique industry initiative, the World Series, for which the New Zealand government spent $400,000 New Zealand ($201,000) to fly in international music-industry executives for showcases by 30 Kiwi acts during one week in November.

The World Series (Nov. 18-23) was a joint project organized by the Australasian Performing Rights Assn., the New Zealand Music Industry Commission, the Recording Industry Assn., and New Zealand On Air and funded by the government's investment and trade departments.

The response from many of the 16 international attendees was that New Zealand music is, indeed, ready to move onto a world stage, and several projects have been proposed as a direct result of the World Series initiative. Donald Tarlton, chairman/CEO of Montreal-based Le Groupe DKD—which includes the Aquarius Records and Tacca Musique labels—has begun collaborating with fellow World Series attendees David Kines (VP/GM of Canadian music TV channel Much Music) and Savage Garden mentor John Woodruff (CEO of the JWM label/publisher of Rough Cut Music). The trio is compiling an album featuring up-and-coming acts from New Zealand, Australia, and Canada; the package will be released in all three territories.

Another attendee, Rick Arnstein—senior VP at Milwaukee-based GMR Marketing—has proposed organizing an Australasian-acts concert in New York next summer. Jay Ziskrout, CEO of the College Music Journal (CMJ) Network, floated the idea of organizing a battle-of-the-bands-style promotion in New Zealand, with winning acts getting involved in CMJ's activities in the U.S.

Other overseas visitors included London-based Emma Banks, managing director of European booking agency Helter Skelter, and Bill Scull, president of Cincinnati-based radio promotion company Tri State Promotions & Marketing.

Warner Music New Zealand managing director James Southgate tells Billboard, "I am sure we will see activity and commitment from a number of individuals [as a result of the initiative], especially those from Canada." Southgate reports a strong response to showcase performances during the World Series by Warner alternative rock acts the Feelers and Evermore.

The showcases, organized by New Zealand promoter Brent Eccles, saw six bands play on each of the five nights. They ranged from local chart-toppers Che Fu and Nessian Mystik to indie artists the Brunettes, Pine, sjd, and Goldenhorse.

U.S.-based music-business lawyer Nick Ferrara, who represents Creed and the Corrs in the U.S., sees the World Series as an effective way to open international doors. He says, "If you bring the bands to the U.S. to showcase, there's no guarantee that people will come. By having people like us coming down here, you have people who want to be here."

Arnold Frolows, music director at Australian government-run youth-radio network Triple J, points out: "Having the government behind it is what drew all these heavyweights from around the world. When you get a letter from the New Zealand prime minister inviting you to come over, you take it seriously.

"I didn't hear the total smash hit that is going to change the world," Frolows admits. "But I think New Zealand is about to be besieged by talent scouts coming down, saying, 'I'm going to find something no one else has.' "

Ben Howe, head of Auckland-based indie label Arch Hill (and member of Arch Hill act Fang), says, "The big positive spin-off will be that it will help destroy the myth that New Zealand is some sort of cultural backwater. It's shown there is a whole lot of talent here which hasn't ever been mined before, and that's very exciting."

Initial indications from government circles suggest that the World Series will be held again.