THE ASSOCIATION OF ARTIST MANAGERS ANNOUNCE ‘MICHAEL’S RULE’ TO HELP PROMOTE LIVE MUSIC SCENE
The initiative is named after the late, great music manager Michael McMartin, who helped guide the Hoodoo Gurus for more than 40 years.
Image by Desi Mendoza
At last week’s Association of Artist Managers (AAM) 2024 Awards in Sydney, the Australian music industry’s top players came together and announced the introduction of ‘Michael’s Rule’.
Named after the Hoodoo Guru’s late manager Michael McMartin, who managed the band for more than 40 years, ‘Michael’s Rule’ is an initiative that proposes at least one local act must support every international artist that tours Australia. Not only doesn’t the rule state that a local act must be named as a support, but the Aussie artist must appear on the same stage with adequate lighting and sound and be announced at the same time as the international musician they are supporting so they can be part of the marketing and promotion.
The Australian Live Music Business Council (ALMBC), The Australasian Performing Rights Association (APRA), The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and the newly formed Music Australia are the brains behind the new rule which they hope will ensure the future of live music in Australia and give up and coming performers the opportunity to succeed.
“Everybody knows that there are less Australian songs on the charts right now that at any time since the early 1960’s. Local artists and their managers are also facing other historic challenges including a slew of recent festival cancellations,” said Maggie Collins, Executive Director of the AAM.
“These challenges have been recognised by governments across Australia in recent years. Promoters received significant public funding during the pandemic and they understandably continue to receive public support for some of their major events. We think it is only reasonable that, in return, they should ‘do their bit’ to help give Australian artists a leg up by the simple means of including at least one local act on every international tour.”
‘Michael’s Rule’ was an unofficial regulation the music industry followed in the early 00s but has fallen by the wayside over the past decade. The AAM has come out and said if promoters are not willing to follow the rule, they will lobby the government to enforce it.
“Every time this happens it is a major missed opportunity to allow local audiences to discover local artists,” added Alastair Burns and Jess Keely, AAM Co-chairs. “In memory of Michael McMartin OAM we are therefore making this public request today to every major promoter and we eagerly await their reply. If they are unwilling to reinstate ‘Michael’s Rule’ as a voluntary code then we will be making formal representations to government to use the visa system instead.”
Many industry leaders have endorsed ‘Micahel’s Rule’, with Michael Chugg saying: “Since the seventies I have been involved with Australian talent & this continues today. I have been a strong advocate for our homegrown talent being on international tours.
“Through my involvement with Michael Gudinski at Frontier touring for 20 years and as Chugg Entertainment since 2001 and in my JV with Frontier Touring present day, I’m proud to say we have helped many local acts careers in this way. There are instances where local talent can’t be involved but they are in a low percentage of tours. It’s great to see the Australian music industry standing together here and I fully support Michael’s Rule.”
“The Australian music industry has taken a huge hit since Covid and we need change at the top in order for things to improve,” says Ben Turnbull of Destroy All Lines. “Over the last 12 months 97% of Destroy All Lines tours featured an Australian act, so we know it can be done. We wholeheartedly support Michael’s Rule being reinstated.”
It’s not just label managers and tour promoters who are behind ‘Michael’s Rule’, with many of the artists represented by the AAM endorsing the reinstatement of ‘Michael’s Rule’, including Tame Impala, Sampology, San Cisco, Liz Stringer, Cold Chisel, Grinspoon, Thelma Plum, Midnight Oil and more.
To find out more about ‘Michael’s Rule’ and those involved, visit aam.org.au/michaelsrule.
