What first led you into entertainment retailing?
It was somewhat accidental. I was running my own record label, Transient Records in the late 90’s. I built a website for the label in 1997 and I thought it would be a good idea to try and sell LPs and CDs to our fans globally via the website, so I asked the designer to build that for me, and he did. It was a very basic e-commerce feature that allowed the fans to buy one CD or LP at a time, but it worked and we started selling a few items a week to customers all over the world.
I realised this would probably work for other record labels too, so I started talking to various labels, they agreed, and we built basic e-commerce shops for them using the same platform. In 1998 I set up Recordstore.co.uk so we could sell all the products together in one shop, and that’s how I started on the whole journey. I sold Recordstore.co.uk to EMI in 2010.
How long have you been at Music Glue and what’s your role?
I have been working with Music Glue for 12 months. I oversee business development globally.
What do you love about your job?
The people I work with everyday.
The product itself, the Music Glue e-commerce platform. It’s the best platform I’ve ever seen for the music industry, and I’ve seen a lot.
Working with people from wide and diverse parts of the music industry globally.
Describe the Music Glue business
Music Glue is specialist e-commerce platform for Music business, used by artists, managers, venues, labels, merchandise companies and promoters. The Music Glue platform makes it easy for fans to buy music, merchandise, tickets, VIP experiences directly from the artists they love on one simple transaction.
What is the main challenge for the entertainment retail industry today?
The dominance of Amazon.
The move away from High Street shopping.
The shift to streaming and non-ownership models.
The losses being made by the music streaming services, which clearly can’t continue forever.
Apart from your own, what is your favourite entertainment retailer and why?
I love Spotify, so easy to use.
I love Amazon too, for more or less everything else.
What was the first ever film and album you owned and where did you buy them?
Film: Pretty Woman – (I know I’m an old romantic) I think I bought it in Sainsbury’s
Album: Rumours by Fleetwood Mac on Vinyl – present from my parents
Game: Tomb Raider – Our Price
What non entertainment retailer do you admire and why?
John Lewis – Love the fact it’s a partnership and the focus on quality.
You’re stuck in a lift, name the book, album, film, game and person that you would like to have with you.
Album: Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon
Film: Terminator 2 – I know, I know, I just love it, can’t help it
Book: Catcher in the Rye
Game: A pack of cards
Person: My wife