SYDNEY, NSW (CelebrityAccess) — Australia’s Association of Artist Managers (AAM) has proposed a new rule that would require international touring artists to feature a homegrown Australian act as support on tours that visit the South Pacific nation.
The touring proposal, named Michael’s Rule after the late legendary Australian manager Michael McMartin OAM, was announced at this year’s AAM Awards as part of a posthumous lifetime achievement award for McMartin.
According to the AAM, Michael’s Rule would formalize a long-standing practice in the music industry that has fallen by the wayside in recent years.
Michael’s Rule, as proposed, includes three elements:
1. Every International artist must include an Australian artist among their opening acts
2. The Australian artist must appear on the same stage at the International artist using reasonable sound and lighting
3. The Australian artist must be announced at the same time as the tour so that they benefit from all the marketing and promotion
“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.”
“Every time this happens it is a major missed opportunity to allow local audiences to discover local artists. 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.” – Alastair Burns and Jess Keely, AAM Co-chairs.
According to the AAM, the proposed rule has support from across the industry, including 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. Leading promoters such as Michael Chugg, Danny Rogers and Ben Turnbull have also already expressed their support.
“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,” stated Michael Chugg.
“The Australian music industry has taken a huge hit since Covid and we need change at the top in order for things to improve. 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,” added Destroy All Lines’ Ben Turnbull.
Artists represented by AAM members have also endorsed the proposed rule, including Tame Impala, Amyl & The Sniffers, Budjerah, G Flip, Powderfinger, Teskey Brothers, Paul Kelly, Spiderbait, Alex the Astronaut, Kate Miller-Heidke, Graace, Cold Chisel, Midnight Oil, Birds of Tokyo, Gotye, Missy Higgins, The Presets, Panama, Touch Sensitive, Ta-Ku, Chillinit, George Alice, One Four, Telenova, Styalz Fuego, Ball Park Music, Kasey Chambers, Andy Golledge, Miss Kaninna, John Butler Trio, The Waifs, San Cisco, Thelma Plum, Karnivool, The Paper Kites, Grinspoon, Electric Fields, Dobby, Grievous Bodily Calm, Ngaiire, Wallace, Eleanor Dixon, RVG, Good Morning, The Avalanches, Sampology, The Living End, Something For Kate, Paul Dempsey, Baker Boy, Vika & Linda, Liz Stringer, Vacations, Alex Lahey, Folk Bitch Trio, breathe, WALKER, Yb and hundreds more.
