Who I'm pleased to call a friend as he (and Clive and several others) phoned me within seconds of my release 4 years ago...

www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/...40252595a75a33305fb7

The interview could have been much better if the man from Billboard had known a little bit more about the music industry.

The interviewer was clearly so young... it slightly reminded me of Interview with the Vampire!

Donny tells me he enjoyed doing the interview. I'm eagerly anticipating Part Two.

Scott Muni, Rick Sklar, Paul Drew - only my generation knows how important these names were 40 years ago.

Jonathan, could you please ask him (Ienner) if he knows why Sony still employs Schmidt-Holtz and Thomas "Rootkit" Hesse?

I lived through that myself DJ when S-H fired my friend Richard Griffiths (and therefore me - I was his consultant), after we brought, amongst others, Simon Cowell and Dido to the BMG bottom line.

Dear All;

It is a must see interview this, it does show that some parts of the industry were addressing the download situation early on.

AH

Second part up now...

www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/search/article_d...ontent_id=1003931072

Good Stuff JK. What Donnie says about kids coming in without any practical experience (on the business side) and failing is overwhelmingly true. Its demonstrated that mentor ship and getting in the trenches for real is simply something that cannot be taught in a classroom. I have a real thing about tuition courses in music business. When I was a kid I wasn't siting in a classroom, I was in NY kicking down the doors at Black Rock to get anyone to listen to me, and in fact meeting many of the names mentioned in this interview.

Donnie went through it all before he ever headed a company knowing what it takes at every level of the grind, which cannot be said about many of the people at the helm in say the last eight to ten years.

Above all else it was about the music. I remember being told that Donnie, at the height of his powers at Sony had come up to a dingy club outside of Boston to see a band. Snuck in and out. That's how much he cared about music, and good for him.

I will say that the deals he talks about for the future can only happen with established acts (The Prince type deal, George Clooney etc.) that can't happen with a new artist.

Funnily enough I don't agree GG.

If I produced a smash hit with a brand new artiste (and if I wasn't a notorious Vile Pervert), I'd launch and break it as a cover mount free giveaway with the Daily Mail.

Point is, your a legend JK, and I'm still working on it.

Not many even in the big leagues that can get a CD put on the Mail.

I do believe in free BTW