Speaker biographies: The Theatre
KEVIN ARNOLD
Kevin Arnold founded IODA in 2003 with the goal of empowering the independent content community. Since then, his digital distribution and marketing company has grown to include more than 700,000 tracks and videos from over 3,000 independent labels and producers worldwide. Prior to founding IODA, Arnold guided the development of Listen.com's back-end data and royalty systems that power RealNetworks' Rhapsody music service. He alsoco-produces Noise Pop, San Francisco's seminal indie rock music and film festival.
PAT FULGONI
Pat Fulgoni is a singer and musician. He has performed in Europe, China and the USA and featured on a variety of releases and genres. These include singing for labels like Subliminal Soul (NYC), 2020 Recordings (Leeds) and drum 'n' bass label Hospital Records. He has toured and recorded with his own 6 piece dance-rock outfit Kava Kava and Festival dub favourites Zion Train, recorded a solo live blues album, undertaken session work for artists including Embrace and Nu:Tone, dabbled with jazz (Matthew Bourne) and has been involved with many projects under a variety of pseudonyms including collaborations with guitarist Gary Lucas.
Pat has been involved with the industry since 1996 when he coordinated the 2xCD compilation 'No Compromize' (Delerium Records) for student campaign group CFE which concerned itself with student poverty and featured such bands as Suede, Wedding Present, Dreadzone, Utah Saints and Chumbawamba. He went on and continues to run his own small independent record label Chocolate Fireguard. He has always been especially committed to live music, promoting his own Chocolate Fireguard events and tours and the annual Timeless Community Music Festival in his home town of Huddersfield. Under the Timeless Music Project he has been pushing music from West Yorkshire. His work there includes festival and conference coordination, lobbying and a series of regional promotional ventures designed to boost the profile of the region's independent music sector, firstly in Huddersfield and more recently the wider area of West Yorkshire for example the recent "Bradford Unsigned" and "West Yorkshire independent record labels" projects for SXSW Music Conference 2007.
Tracks from his band Kava Kava have been successfully synched to a variety of US film and TV including Golden Globe winning TV series 'Weeds', HBO's new series 'John From Cincinatti', 'LA Riding Club' and hot new independent Hollywood movie 'Boys And Girls Guide To Getting Down" to name a few. There are a few more in the pipeline.
SIMON GOFFE
Simon Goffe has a reputation as one of the UK’s leading industry executives in the dance and urban markets. Simon started work in the industry in the 1980’s as a DJ, and his early positions included label manager, promotions manager and journalist for NME, Echoes and Blues & Soul. In 1990 he formed Heavyweight Management to manage Double Trouble and Rebel MC, subsequently going on to manage Us3, Shut Up & Dance, The Ragga Twins etc.
In 1996, Simon took up the position of Senior A&R Manager at Universal Music Publishing where he was responsible for running the UK A&R department whilst continuing to manage Roni Size and Reprazent. September of 1997 saw Roni and Reprazent winning the Mercury Music Prize in the UK, and Simon subsequently left Universal Music to once more pursue management on a fulltime basis and return to the helm of Heavyweight Management. He set up Roni Size's own publishing company, Full Cycle Music, and oversaw the running of his successful independent record label. Since managing Roni, Simon has taken MOBO award winning UK hip hop act Sway to the short list of the Mercury music prize and still manages dance act the Freestylers and Kiss DJ, Fresh 40 presenter and hip hop artist Dynamite MC.
However, Simon has recently branched out into new projects including setting up two new companies with his partner, BBC Radio 1 presenter and worldwide club DJ Gilles Peterson. Brownswood Recordings is a record label focusing on signing new and exciting talent and Yes!Music is a music supervision and consultancy company that works with film and TV companies, advertising agencies and brands.
SAFTA JAFFERYA highly competent and professional individual, celebrating 30 years of experience in the top flight of the music industry. Extensive worldwide contacts and relationships and a thorough understanding of the music business both domestic and international.
WALLY VAN MIDDENHORP
Known for his dry sense of humor and a reputation of saying 'no' to any reasonable request Dutch born Wally van Middendorp has carved his path within the international music industry. From the mailroom up to the boardroom his journey has included positions at a number of independent labels such as Boudisque distribution, Megadisc Records and last but not least General Manager of Play it again Sam Benelux. In need for a new challenge he jumped the fence in 1998 from indie land to major company Sony Music to look after the international artist labels Epic and Columbia. In 2001 Wally re-activated his old new company Jupiton BV which can described as a multi-task company and includes the Detox dance label as well as offering out his management and consultancy services. Joined CNR Records in 2002 as International (A&R) manager to bring urban repertoire to the company and has been involved in setting up deals with the US based rap / hip hop labels Babygrande records, Duck Down and D3 Ent. Switched in 2004 from CNR Records to Dutch based Roadrunner Records, one of the world’s leading rock and metal labels representing artists such as Slipknot, Trivium and Madina Lake, where Wally is currently employed as VP International Marketing and Acquisitions.
MARK MITCHELLKing Harvest is a consultancy established in September 2001 by Mark Mitchell specialising in marketing support to, mainly, independent labels. Enjoying success with some of the most credible and largest selling acts of the past 4 years. Be it multi-channel marketing strategy and campaign/budget management, objective analysis of existing or ongoing campaigns, exposure to new technologies, digital asset management, market research and behavioural analysis or even just an occasional sounding board King Harvest can provide.
