While government support for the music industry can sometimes provoke criticism, the work of UK Trade and Industry in helping record labels, publishers, artists and composers to expand their business overseas cannot be underestimated, as Gordon Masson discovers.
‘I was originally in a band,’ he tells M, ‘but when I figured out I wasn’t going to be the next big pop star, I fancied getting into the business and was fortunate enough to do so as a plugger for Pye Records in the north east and Scotland; a job that took me to radio stations such as Metro, Forth and Clyde.’
Through a variety of roles, including the forementioned EMI and Chrysalis gigs, Patterson now finds himself as the music industry’s conduit with UKTI.
He prefers to borrow another explanation to his remit. ‘[Live Music Forum chairman] Feargal Sharkey describes us both as translators and that’s a very good analogy,’ contends Patterson. ‘It took a while working at UKTI to learn how to work in the government system and to get the system to work for the music business.’
Explaining the logistics behind the export promoter role, he says, ‘The position is part funded by AIM and part funded by UKTI, but we don’t just focus on the indie companies - we cover the whole music industry.
‘Initially it was a steep learning curve for me at UKTI. And working with civil servants, it took them a while to understand the business, but they are very good now. I work full-time in the department - and there are a couple of other people who work with me, and on other projects as well.’
'For about £700 a trade mission offers tremendous opportunities'
So just what does UKTI offer the music industry?
‘What we have at UKTI is expertise, both in the UK and through our network of trade commissions around the world,’ Patterson states. ‘We can tap into those knowledge banks to help UK companies flourish.
‘It’s not just record labels that we help out, it’s publishers, agents, promoters, designers - every aspect of the industry that can be exported.
‘For instance, we’re looking to take studio engineers to China to help British companies get a foothold in that developing market.
‘British companies can commission us to do a report on a particular country or, say, an area of North America. For example, we could provide someone with a list of the top 200 publishers in New York that specialise in film music or whatever.
‘Our consulates, embassies and British High Commissions around the world can help us prepare these reports using their local knowledge and with a bit of guidance from here.’
UKTI also helps the UK music industry by assisting its participation in such events as Popkomm, South by Southwest and Midem. At the latter, organisations like MCPS-PRS, BPI, AIM, PPL, MPA and MMF join with UKTI to take an active part in the British at Midem trade fair stand. Delegates are offered a central base, lockers, pigeon holes, computer access, meeting rooms and access to British music industry staff.
But one of UKTI’s key additions to what the music industry has already established down the years, is the concept of trade missions to other countries.
MCPS and PRS publisher member Peter Knight has first hand experience of exactly what such missions can do.
‘I went to Mumbai in India on a UKTI trade mission in 2004 and from a business point of view I found it incredibly useful’ says Knight, who is managing director of Catalyst Music Publishing.
‘In India, the movie business controls the music business, as Bollywood owns everything through buyouts, so the concept of copyright and royalties is alien. Our message about the need for royalties will take time to get through, but you have to start somewhere.’
Knight hopes to start doing business in India and the trade mission was a vital stepping stone towards that. ‘I made some terrific new contacts, whom I’ve met again at Midem. I’m looking to set up sub-publishing deals in India, and through the trade mission I now have a couple of companies in mind.
‘China is another market where I’m hoping to set up deals and if I had the time I’d definitely participate in a trade mission out there. Likewise Latin America, especially Brazil.
‘Before you go to these places, you tend to have pre-conceived ideas, which you usually find out are wrong. Like any kind of business relationship, you have to be there to talk to people and the trade missions are terrific at gathering the right people together so you can begin those talks.’
Japan became the first trade mission ever for the music industry a mere two years ago, and having recently returned from the latest mission, also to Japan, Patterson sees each consecutive trip as building the knowledge base of UKTI, thus bolstering the chances for British music overseas.
‘For the cost of about £700, the opportunities that taking part in a trade mission offer are tremendous,’ notes Patterson. ‘If it’s not worth your company investing £700, then it’s questionable whether you’d find it useful anyway,’ he states.
Brett Leboff of Monumental Management is another trade mission beneficiary delegate. He says, ‘they have really helped us as a new company expand our contact base abroad. Whilst not always gaining tangible success from a visit, it is a perfect way to begin relationships that will hopefully last many years in which much business is done.
‘The missions prove valuable in understanding the market, which ultimately helps in deciding which of our acts we would pitch where, and how. I found the Japanese trip the most successful yet in terms of how enthusiastic the industry there is for UK product. Both the New York and Japan missions put us in touch with key people, who I am still learning from.’
'Foy Vance got two tracks in a TV show after his SXSW showcase'
During 2006 UKTI’s music industry trade missions have so far included Midem; a two-week mission to Australia in February; SXSW; India, visiting Mumbai, Chenai and Bangalore; E3 Connection in Los Angeles; New York in June and Japan in August. Missions to Popkomm and China (both September) and to the Billboard film and TV convention in November round off the work for the year.
‘E3 was interesting because when we got there we thought it wasn’t exactly right for us,’ admits Patterson. ‘But we put on a programme for music supervisers and that turned out to be extremely successful, with at least half of our companies securing synch deals for TV or computer games’.
And citing cases where UKTI has helped break British acts overseas, Patterson says, ‘Foy Vance (pictured top) is a good example. Brent Grulke from SXSW came along to see his showcase at Midem and immediately wanted him for SXSW. On the back of his showcase in Texas, he had two tracks placed in a Fox TV show in America just through someone seeing his performance.
Another band that did well through our trade missions was The Crimea. The band played at SXSW and then in New York a couple of nights later and that helped land them worldwide deals with both Warner publishing and records.
‘This was a business that was new to UKTI, but now there is a good understanding of what the music industry is after’, he notes.
And he stresses, ‘What we achieve is the result of people working together.
‘The fact that MCPS-PRS, AIM, BPI, MMF, PPL and all the other UK organisations now share one stand at trade fairs is fantastic. The relationship between the British companies is also a lot better when they’re based in the one place and it helps project a better presence to the rest of the world.’
Patterson concludes, ‘Much of what I do is about educating the industry and individual companies about what is out there in terms of government help and what is on offer from UKTI and I’m only too happy to speak to new companies to see where we can help them.
Midem 
It’s the curse of the music industry: barely are we out of summer when thoughts turn to Midem.
What can you expect to gain from visiting Cannes’ famous Croisette?
Writer member Hélène Muddiman has used the trade fair to great advantage:
‘I’ve been to Midem three times,’ she tells M. ‘The first time was in 1995 as a singer-songwriter when PRS invited me to play there and I’ve been indebted to them ever since.
‘In 2005 I went back because I’d had hit songs with Emma Bunton and wanted a publisher to collect royalties for me around the world.
‘Beforehand we blitzed a whole list of publishers on the Midem database and we got 500 replies, so I was able to tick my 40 or so favourites and set up meetings with them.
‘My advice for anyone attending Midem is to plan ahead. The more you do before you go out there, the more you will get out of it.’
Choosing to go with Sony ATV, Muddiman returned again this year.
‘I decided it would be sensible to go back to Midem to meet with all the Sony people from around the world, so I could put faces to the names,’ she explains.
Cliff Sims, production music manager at London-based Bucks Music Group Ltd. has seven Midems under his belt and he agrees with Helene that planning is vital.
‘I use Midem to meet my sub-publishers from around the world,’ he reveals.
‘These days we do too much business by phone or email. But I find I can get things done quicker if I meet people face to face.
‘I make sure I have a series of meetings set up before I go. Sure, you can wander around and bump into people, but that’s a bonus.
‘However, the chance meetings sometimes can be important, and you wouldn’t come across that unexpected new business unless you were at Midem in the first place.’
Sims adds, ‘Midem provides an ideal setting to meet people from around the world to discuss new opportunities and issues that might take weeks to talk about via email. And, as publishers, it allows us to get feedback from people about how we can make their lives better.’
To take advantage of the many benefits of being part of the British at Midem, including attending for just £375 (plus VAT), visit www.mcps-prs-alliance.co.uk/midem
This article originally appeared in M21 published September 2006.