Magazine Archive

Home -> Magazines -> Issues -> Articles in this issue -> View

The Cannes Scam

Article from One Two Testing, April 1986

How to crash the industry's annual bash


If you want to grab the attention of the record industry's top people you need to go to MIDEM, the trade's annual South of France spree. Trapped between the free buffet and the hordes of hopefuls at this year's do was Mike Nicholls

WHILE THE rest of mankind is still trying to shake off its post-Xmas depression, the ever resilient music industry is steeling itself for a five-day binge of booze and business. The official excuse is that this is some sort of trade fair, the annual music business exhibition. But the fact that it takes place in Cannes, one of the few remaining classically elegant resorts of the South Of France, tells its own story.

Surprisingly enough, amidst the alcoholic haze of non-stop wheeling, dealing, hyping and partying a lot of business is done. Contacts are made, international licensing agreements signed and so on. Even if some of the bigger deals never get to be closed, much information is derived and at the very least one comes home better educated.

The word MIDEM stands for Marche International Du Disque Et De L'Edition Musicale. Well, trust the French to concoct such a mouthful but after 20 successful years the festival's organisation is almost faultless. These days the exhibition takes place in the spankingly hi-tech Palais des Festivals, a multi-layered steel and glass edifice virtually on the beach. It's massive basement plays host to the hundreds of stands or stalls selling the wares of everything from major record companies to such vital rock'n'roll accessories as transparent perspex brief cases.

The question is, dear aspiring muso reader, where do you fit into all this? From the start it should be made clear that you are unlikely to come back from MIDEM with a recording contract. Although WEA, complete with senior international directors and the largest stand, maintained a sky-high profile, their angle was to publicise the company's new corporate approach.

This in itself should be a source of optimism for the would-be star since this approach involves a heavier reliance upon the independent labels. An example of WEA's policy is Blanco Y Negro, home of Dream Academy and The Jesus And Mary Chain. With Rough Trade handling the A&R and WEA providing the cash, Blanco is perhaps an indication of major label strategy: to use the indies as their A&R departments. And as any muso knows, it is far easier to get a fair hearing of their demo from a small label. For a start sufficiently few people work there to make it impossible for them to be in meetings all the time!

The small/independent labels are out in force at MIDEM; Compact, Cocteau, Fiction, Desire, Cherry Red and several which I hadn't even heard of. Sometimes they have just evolved from management or production companies, or even shops like Record Shack which has enjoyed a few hits. Whatever, the chances are that you aren't likely to think of them when doing the rounds with your demo in London. And even if you don't want to do a short-term (one or two singles and perhaps album) deal with them as a means of raising the cash to make a better demo, or record more songs, they all offer free consultancy.

Take Heavy Metal Records and its spin-off label FM, for example. During the Monday to Friday their stand was easily the busiest with people literally queueing to make an appointment to have their demos heard. A&R Manager Dave Roberts listened to more than 150 tapes and by the last day was still giving such advice as "well personally I think the singer's voice is more suited towards Simple Minds rather than Deep Purple-type material." This might sound somewhat crass but at the same time it could potentially serve the useful purpose of making a hitherto unsuccessful artist totally re-assess his direction.

Publishing is the other main area of interest to the upcoming megastar. Many publishers, again mainly the indies, take a stand of MIDEM in order to flog some of their acts to a German/American/Japanese/Australian opposite number and maybe pick up a catalogue or two themselves. Signing a publishing deal is not a process to be undertaken lightly or without a great amount of legal advice (incidentally you could also find yourself a music biz lawyer or accountant at MIDEM; they too have stands). But you can play your songs to these people — always carry a Walkman and fresh set of batteries — and thus indulge in another round of free brain-picking.

Of course, MIDEM doesn't just have to be about hustling and hassling people to hear your tapes; since everyone strolls round wearing a badge bearing the name of themselves and their company, the festival can be used just to make contacts. Go up to these people, introduce yourself, get their phone number and say you'll call them next week in London. And if you want an appointment with them, make sure you get the name of their secretary, too. These girls luxuriate in the power of being known by somebody they don't know themselves; just ask them!

Away from the exhibition complex, the main event is the bar of the Martinez Hotel. For a good five or six hours each night all the leading business people can be seen there, talking, shouting, drinking, gossiping, bullshitting and so on. It is essentially a male preserve, such high-spirited bonhomie perhaps not being possible if there were more than a sprinkling of nubiles on display. Let's face it — MIDEM is a bloody good excuse to get away from the wife for a few days and briefly re-live those halcyon days of non-clock-watching bachelorhood. So take advantage of everybody's good moods and get in there and hustle!

Cost? Well I found a scheduled Air France flight for a £137 return, including Champagne with the meals, a cheapo but comfy hotel for £8 a night and checked out the cheap restaurants most evenings. In the daytime you can be a rogue and wine and dine at the cocktail parties which appear to be continuously taking place on the stands. If nothing else, MIDEM will teach you how to lig, arguably the most essential requirement for anybody coming into the industry!


More from these topics


Browse by Topic:

Marketing / Promotion

Music Business



Previous Article in this issue

Yamaha VSS-100 Sampler

Next article in this issue

Won't Get Fueled Again


Publisher: One Two Testing - IPC Magazines Ltd, Northern & Shell Ltd.

The current copyright owner/s of this content may differ from the originally published copyright notice.
More details on copyright ownership...

 

One Two Testing - Apr 1986

Feature by Mike Nicholls

Previous article in this issue:

> Yamaha VSS-100 Sampler

Next article in this issue:

> Won't Get Fueled Again


Help Support The Things You Love

mu:zines is the result of thousands of hours of effort, and will require many thousands more going forward to reach our goals of getting all this content online.

If you value this resource, you can support this project - it really helps!

Donations for February 2025
Issues donated this month: 13

New issues that have been donated or scanned for us this month.

Funds donated this month: £14.00

All donations and support are gratefully appreciated - thank you.


Magazines Needed - Can You Help?

Do you have any of these magazine issues?

> See all issues we need

If so, and you can donate, lend or scan them to help complete our archive, please get in touch via the Contribute page - thanks!

If you're enjoying the site, please consider supporting me to help build this archive...

...with a one time Donation, or a recurring Donation of just £2 a month. It really helps - thank you!
muzines_logo_02

Small Print

Terms of usePrivacy