Face The Music 2014 Lineup Gets Incredibly Huge

Music Industry Summit, Face The Music, is stepping up its recruitment of international speakers this year to provide a global perspective on issues like the war for digital rights, the role that music needs radio to play and the changing nature of how bands break.

In keeping with previous events, Face The Music will continue to invite the “do it yourself” warriors who have etched out a space in a crowded industry, led in 2014 by Steve Albini, renowned artist, music journalist, industry commentator and recording engineer.

Jen Long, noted UK music media presenter, is the latest featured international speaker announced for Face The Music.

Widely known as the voice of BBC Three, Jen’s “go for it” attitude, hard work and ability to spot new talent has seen her labelled by Q Magazine as “one of the most influential young voices in music”.

For the past three years her BBC Radio 1 program, Introducing, has been responsible for outing the best unsigned, undiscovered and under the radar artists.

Presented as a guest of Melbourne Music Week, Jen will contribute to a number of Face The Music panels and discussions and will be in Melbourne all week to experience some great music and meet artists at this massive annual music showcase.

Jen has her own record label in partnership with Transgressive, Kissability, whose first signing was Australia’s own DZ Deathrays. Her exhaustive commitment to music also sees her manage two bands, write extensively for the UK music press and coordinate International Cassette Store Day. Jen has recently added the role of Music Editor at ticketing agency DICE.

As a gathering of the contemporary music community, Face The Music 2014 presents 40 panel sessions, keynote presentations, meeting opportunities, practical music workshops and intimate master classes.

Artists including Helen Croome (Gossling), Evelyn Morris (Pikelet), Drew Wootton (The Panics) and Stu Grant (Primitive Calculators) will talk on topics ranging from the importance of regional touring, gender in music, building the right team around you and collaborative songwriting.

More international and Australian speakers are joining daily this week’s announcement also welcomes Meredith publicist Ange Henley, Rhett McLaren (The Hills Are Alive, UNIFIED), Pete Williamson (Sabretusk), Tim Dalton (Collarts), John Wardle (National Live Music Office), Zac Abroms (Viceroyalty), Tom Harris (White Sky), Shane Wickens (The Push) and Sarah Guppy (This Much Talent).

FACE THE MUSIC 2014 SPEAKERS

FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT
Steve Albini – Artist / Engineer
Daddy Cool
Dave Batty – Custom Made / Artist Voice
Johann Ponniah – I OH YOU
Briese Abbott – Spark & Opus
Ben Thompson – Corner Presents
James Young – Cherry Bar, Yah Yahs
Antonia Sellbach – Love of Diagrams, Beaches
Harley Evans – Moshtix
Millie Millgate – Sounds Australia

Glenn Dickie – Sounds Australia
Chris Hatzis – 3RRR
Cara Williams – Beat
Chris Johnson – AMRAP/CBAA
Emma Telfer – The Office Of Good Design
Sophia Brous – Artist / Curator
Caleb Williams – Unified
Kirsty Rivers – APRA AMCOS
Yvette Myhill – AAM
Patrick Donovan – Music Victoria
Leigh Treweek – themusic.com.au

SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT
Jen Long – BBC Three / Radio 1
Helen Croome – Gossling
Evelyn Morris – Pikelet
Drew Wootton – The Panics
Stu Grant – Primitive Calculators
Ange Henley – Angela Henley Publicity
Rhett McLaren – The Hills Are Alive / Unified

Pete Williamson – Sabretusk
Tim Dalton – Collarts
John Wardle – National Live Music Office
Zac Abroms – Viceroyalty
Tom Harris – Whitesky
Shane Wickens – The Push
Sarah Guppy – This Much Talent