koolthing

I was asked by the legendary Stuart McBride (United Digital Artists) to give a lecture in Cannes at MIDEM, it was the beginning of the world wide web, and I saw myself as a revolutionary... Breaking down the barriers between fans and bands by creating websites that allowed for a new kind of interaction between the two without the imposition of the record companies... A new kind of experiment in networks as diverse social structures now known as scale-free networks. Lots of sites connect to just a few others, but a very small number of websites have huge numbers of links that are critical to the entire network's operation. These nodes were often, in my experience, places of convergence like a band's website.... Anyways, I digress...
I was in Cannes, everything was new and exciting, I had a panel discussion with all these music industry heavyweights and it was bizarre, they didn't get it... At the time, or I was preaching what everyone wanted to hear...
The internet creating a space that an independent could succeed even within
the context of the label system because of the "level playing field" afforded to them by new technology and the internet. I know, it was a bit
nave, but there was a resonance in those words.
MIDEM and Cannes was an experience of a lifetime, I have been back numerous
times now, and traveled the French and Italian Rivieras... The Riviera di
Levante (Riviera of the Rising Sun) is where my heart lives - the beautiful
Portofino.
After the conference, everyone left Cannes, I found myself wandering the
empty streets, confused and alone and struggling to speak French and find my
way around. I finally went to the airport in Nice and begged for a ticket
anywhere that speaks English, which landed me in London Heathrow a few hours
later. I had never been to London, and know no one. I ended up calling The
Underground in America and good old Cords laughed, gave me an address and
told me to get in a black cab as soon as possible. I ended up meeting Dean
Karr who was in town shooting Duran-Duran, and the great adventure in London
began... I will save that one for another day, the rock and roll madness of Dodgy Rodger's legal defense fund party, and being with that insane group...well that trip really was second to none and the start of one of my closest friendships.

Some pictures from that first trip to Cannes
The view from the hotel suite was breathtaking, a perfect view of the boulevard de la Croisette, the Palais des Festivals, and the marina...