SONGLINK AT MIDEM 2012

David Stark at MIDEM 2011 with Cathi Ogden of APRA

LONDON, January 2012: David Stark, Editor/Publisher of SongLink and Cuesheet, will be attending his 35th MIDEM in Cannes, France from January 28th-31st, having been a regular face at the event since 1976. One of his primary reasons for going is to seek out new opportunities for subscribers of SongLink to pitch songs to international artists & labels, and for subscribers of Cuesheet to pitch music and songs to Film & TV music supervisors. He's also there to meet & greet friends old and new, and pick up new clients for the worldwide subscription-based service, which is now approaching 20 years of successful operation. Stark is extremely aware of the value of MIDEM for establishing long-lasting relationships and friendships, as he comments:

"My first MIDEM was as international press officer for Decca Records (UK) in 1976, working with such names as the Moody Blues, John Miles, Camel and 10cc among many others. It was a great introduction to the international side of the business, meeting licensees from all the various countries and establishing relationships, many of which have lasted to this day. My boss was Marcel Stellman, one of the great record men of the era, who as well as being a superb promoter was great at spotting hits from other countries which could be released in the UK. He was a great inspiration when I was a young industry rookie, as he placed so much importance on establishing and maintaining good relationships with people you do business with or happen to meet along the way, a work ethic I've followed throughout my career. Incidentally, Marcel was also a great wind-up merchant, who asked me at the end of that first MIDEM whether I still had enough per diem expenses to pay my Majestic Hotel bill!

"After working at Decca, DJM and MAM labels I moved into the press side of the business," recalls Stark, "working for a host of trade magazines such as Billboard, Music & Media, Pro-Sound News and Sound Engineer & Producer, for which as editor I wrote a quite predictive headline back in 1985 before the Internet really got going - "Taking our Modem to Midem". After a two-year spell working for Music & Media in Amsterdam and then back in the UK for MIRO/MRIB, I eventually launched SongLink magazine in 1993. It quickly became the "bible" for music publishers and professional songwriters needing all-important song plugging tips and industry news, and continues to be used by hundreds of publishers and songwriters around the world.

"Apart from featuring top names such as Christina Aguilera, Tom Jones and many others who have all found songs via SongLInk over the years, we also help many up-and-coming names in all music styles and territories to find potential hit songs and connect with some of the best writers & producers in the UK, Europe, USA/Canada and other major markets. One recent project is a lead placed by my former boss at Music & Media, Theo Roos, who went on to be a senior Universal Europe executive and these days runs the Flying Rooster management company. He's been looking for talented co-writers for exciting new US artist Loren Benjamin, and has been overwhelmed by the fantastic response he received from our subscribers, emailing to say "SongLink Rocks!"

Stark also works closely with longtime associate Ellie Weinert of Songs Wanted tipsheet in Munich, and has research staff based in Los Angeles and Nashville. For anyone wishing to contact him, Stark will be around the Palais attending some of the music publishing and creative panels, as well as taking regular meetings. "That's what MIDEM is all about for me," he says. "There's an awful lot of new things to check out in this increasingly technological age, but the most important thing is catching up with old friends, making new ones and discussing what opportunities 2012 might have to offer. Sure, MIDEM is about business, but first and foremost it's about relationships. Because my job is based around linking up artists, writers/composers, publishers and labels, I'm always excited about coming to Cannes and "pressing the flesh", whether it's at a formal MIDEM event or just running into colleagues on the stands or along the Croisette. Let's just hope for great weather which always makes the difference!"

Contact David at MIDEM:
Mobile: +44 (0)7956 270592
e-mail: david@songlink.com