Yesterday marked the beginning of Apple’s World Wide Developer Conference, aka “WWDC.” The keynote was the best since the passing of Steve Jobs, because Tim Cook is much better in front of the camera and he let Craig Federighi, a natural, quarterback most of the presentation.

These used to be a big deal. We always waited for Jobs to tease us with…one more thing.

There was a thing in yesterday’s presentation, and you might have even read about it in the newspaper, but you’re probably unaware of the importance of said thing.

Just when I was ready to give up watching these keynotes, I was riveted by yesterday’s presentation. Well, not exactly riveted, but I did not find myself surfing the web simultaneously. In the era of Covid-19, there was no audience, it was all prerecorded and benefited as a result, it was smooth. And also populated by women and people of color, even someone physically-challenged. By seeing all these women you realized…women can do this job, be engineers. Too many boomers come from the era where women could only be secretaries, now called “assistants,” and if you had a baby you were off the career path.

There are miles to go, women still don’t get paid what men do for the same work, having children can impede your career, but Cook let the women do the talking, and when you see them, it changes your perception.

And you also saw Apple Park.

In an era where too much work is boring, you viewed the facility and got excited. This is where it all happens, furthermore wouldn’t it be thrilling to be inside? This is the way we used to think about working at a record company. Before they trimmed the budgets to the point you’ve got a CEO, always a man, making seven figures, and then a bunch of underpaid worker bees with little future. Used to be people felt record companies and the music they released were changing the world, now we look to tech, science, to change the world.

But not so much these days. Now it’s about software, people and how they employ the technical tools to achieve their goals.

Many are not aware of this change, they believe the Silicon Valley era is still our focus, still rules, but it does not. Ergo the protests around the world. Never mind the TikTokkers and K-Pop fans who requested tickets for Trump’s appearance in Tulsa. If you’re still arguing about tech and distribution platforms in the music business, you’ve been left behind, the ship sailed, it’s all been worked out, of course there are tweaks, but now it’s all about the music, even though so much of what is purveyed is empty, money-grabbing product.

Now one thing was clear, you could not get a gig at Apple unless you were one of the best and the brightest. There were no slackers on screen yesterday. You had to do the work, and you were glad to, because you felt you were making a difference.

So what did you miss in yesterday’s presentation?

Basically software tweaks to your iPhone, iPad and Watch, as well as a new operating system for the Mac, “Big Sur.”

The changes to the iPhone were pretty interesting. Not revolutionary, but they definitely add to functionality.

There is no manual in tech. And many are tech-challenged. So these powerful devices go underutilized by owners. Mostly they learn from friends. It’s fascinating, you want to know how they did it, they teach you the tricks.

And I’m sure Android/PC users will say some of these functionalities already appear on those platforms, but certainly not the efforts made in privacy. Since Apple does not make bank on advertising, it can afford to right the wrongs of surfing and the employment of apps. And one thing is for sure, the apps in Apple’s App Store rule the world, those are the ones people pay for. That’s why there’s all this hoopla about percentages paid for in-app purchases, that’s where the money is.

So, at the end of the keynote, the one last thing talked about in the press was revealed.

Apple custom silicon.

This is a big deal. Probably in ways you don’t understand. But not being beholden to Intel allows Apple to customize chips to their requirements, and not worry about being held up by third party production. Furthermore, now all Apple’s devices will run on similar custom chips, allowing further interoperability.

Watch the keynote if you’re interested. There are even detents for each topic:

june-2020

And if you scroll to the last detent, at 1:25:57, you’ll get the custom silicon story.

And, at 1:28:12, you’ll see Johny Srouji, SVP of Hardware, telling you about the breakthrough. Mr. Srouji is an Israeli, from an Arab Christian family, he was educated at the Technion.

Not anybody can do this stuff. Not anybody can be Bob Dylan or Kanye, or Kurt Cobain or Joni Mitchell. The scuttlebutt was the web would surface someone, but that turned out to be untrue, there’s just a limited amount of genius talent out there. And the key is to have the geniuses on your team.

And at 1:40:28 Federighi throws it to Andreas Wendker, VP of Tools & Frameworks Engineering. Just click here to see all the patents Wendker has filed in his years at Apple:

patents

You may have a tough time understand Srouji and Wendker’s accents, but they’re selling their brains, not their voices, and the dirty little secret is you’re using what they make.

This is not pie in the sky mumbo jumbo, this relates directly to what’s in your pocket, your smartphone. And those on the left and right, rich and even poor, possess this technology.

But now Trump wants to stop innovation, by limiting immigration and H-1B visas.

Today’s story is how the EU may ban Americans from traveling to its countries. You see the U.S. has not handled Covid-19 very well. It’s the worst statistically, unless China is fudging its numbers. And there is a cost to this, even beyond the people dying in the States.

Immigration bad.

Really?

As America isolates itself, convinced of its greatness, it is actually falling behind. Hell, someone overseas said Hollywood should stop making movies wherein America saves the world, it’s no longer true.

And this is about you, not Trump. It comes down to what you think. Oftentimes, your knee-jerk reaction is incorrect.

Kind of like Tesla. You’re laughing at its high stock price and flawed Model Y’s? The joke is on you. Turns out Tesla’s battery technology is so far ahead, others cannot catch up. Even Volkswagen…it had to delay the launch of its electric platform because it can’t get the software right, and when cars are finally released, they’ll be hobbled, sans so many features.

You’ve got to challenge your preconceptions on a regular basis. Change happens. Slowly, then overnight. You’ve got to be prepared.

We live in a global universe. You cannot cut yourself off from foreign countries without hurting your own economy and your own citizens, with higher prices for inferior products. Sure, you’re hurting, you’re complaining about manufacturing in China…but if we keep on tightening our borders, the truth is China and India will end up ruling the world, that’s where so much of the tech talent is, oftentimes wanting to enter the U.S., but banned, because…they’re taking away Americans’ jobs. BUT AMERICANS CAN’T DO THESE JOBS! There’s no Lionel Messi in the United States, are you telling me you wouldn’t want him on your team?

But chances are you don’t know who Lionel Messi is.

And that’s just the point.

Show Playlist:

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Tune in today June 23rd, to Volume 106, 7 PM East, 4 PM West.

Hear the episode live on SiriusXM VOLUME: HearLefsetzLive

If you miss the episode, you can hear it on demand on the SiriusXM app: LefsetzLive

Hey Bob. Let me respond to your email with WHY artists need an agent.

The focus of my work as an agent is on territories outside of the USA, especially in Europe, Latin America, Australasia, Japan/Asia etc. Many large acts do sell the ‘Whole World Tour’ to LN or AEG. However all tours still have to be routed and there are places where the ‘big’ promoters do not have companies or local relationships.

Often, with tour routes that we have helped to create (many times with those ‘big’ promoters), we include additional and useful ‘sell off’ shows. We also act as a buffer between the Manager/Artist and the Promoter. There are often difficult decisions to be made on logistics, local compliance rules, movement of equipment, local tax issues, currency fluctuations, insurance for pandemics and much more to make a tour run smoothly.

We also check the books (although vanishingly few promoters are dishonest, as you suggest). The point I’m making is that we agents have always provided good ‘old fashioned’, time-honoured service. Here are some of the reasons I say this:

We have geographical understanding gained from years of experience. Local ‘on the ground’ issues are informed and resolved by a wealth of knowledge about locality, culture, company, client, that we have accumulated over time.

We store fundamental information such as how long it takes to overnight from A-B (drive times), the network of ferry links, transport restrictions, crew swaps, air-freight of equipment, charter flights and the many behind-the-scenes activities that collectively make a tour work (we do all this in association with artist production managers and transport companies)

Sure you can leave much to promoters but an AGENT fighting for the artist in their corner provides a crucial and significant service. We’re a vital cog in the overall process. As well as handling regular fee negotiations, much else of what is done by the agent maximises earnings for the artist. At a basic level, your premise that the manager just calls Michael Rapino and makes the global deal (thereby cutting out the agent) could be perceived as short term saving. But believe me, in the longer term, this ‘by-passing’ of our role and function would be more costly because of the reservoir of accumulated knowledge and pivotal insight an agent is able to bring to the party.

The artist relationship with a bigger promoter is partly founded on big bucks advances and guarantees. Undoubtedly this alliance has a role to play as financial certainty helps to keep the world running. Nevertheless, and for reasons I have indicated above, the contribution of the agent remains critical to the success of the enterprise. I would also add that territories outside of the USA represent about half the touring world and an agent ‘on the ground’ with local knowledge is an indispensable element in the equation.

The concept of ‘agent’ is not antiquated and the function is much more than paperwork. We help break talent by assisting younger acts to get a leg up. We foster record label, radio, tv and social media liaisons. We also have excellent relationships with all the top managers. Those guys appreciate the added value and hard work that an agent invests in their artists’ success. The strength and depth of the relationships that we have forged with a number of strong headliners has also been influential when it comes to negotiating with promoters, festivals and other venues. The presence of an agent will be significantly more consequential to an artist, adding value and helping to build or sustain their career in such an uncertain world we now face. The desired end result of an agent’s presence is to allow the artist to concentrate on their performance and give of their best to their audience, free from any external concerns which may have arisen.

The holistic nature of the agent’s relationship with an artist/manager means we’re always there for them, supporting, protecting, nurturing through thick and thin. Our agency representation list and enduring artist bonds speaks for itself.

The pendulum of live music swings between the power of a) the artists and promoters and b) the public who pay good money to see the music performed. In the present climate of uncertainty, the law of the jungle applies so lets allow the market to determine “who agrees what”. You can’t blame Rapino for trying to close the gaps. He is a caring and intuitive man who has given up his own salary for the cause.

Rod MacSween (International Talent Booking) ITB AGENCY London

I’ve got three copies. Two e-mailed, one sent by iMessage.

And the book business keeps raising digital prices and trying to keep the paradigms of the past in place.

The dirty little secret of the book business is most people don’t want what they’re offering. And when they do, piracy/copyright infringement is as big a problem as it was in the music business.

Then again, you read a book once, you listen to songs over and over again.

That’s another reason the movie and TV businesses have not been impacted that much by piracy/copyright infringement. There’s the one time viewing, but also the insane size of the files. But with 5G coming…

As for the TV business, a day of reckoning is coming. They’re trying to replicate the cable model, but you pay more for less. How many services can one person subscribe to? And what’s worse, is even if you subscribe to them all, even Sundance, MHz and Criterion, shows still fall through the cracks, if you want to see them you have to buy them. Talk about getting ripped-off.

Jeff Bezos wanted to grow the book business.

Instead, publishers and authors declared him public enemy number one.

Same deal with classic musicians and even new rock musicians. Spotify is the devil! Well, end result is while you keep bitching and telling your fans not to subscribe, the vacuum has been filled with new acts who have no problem with the new paradigm. Who gave it away for free on Soundcloud, who put out singles instead of full albums, who put out mixtapes, who put out multiple albums a year while you labored over yours for years and when it was released it was instantly forgotten, swept away by the tsunami of new product. So, who’s the winner here?

Bezos made every Kindle book $9.99 or less. So no one would think about the price of a book if they wanted it. Furthermore, the Kindle supersedes the store experience, as in you don’t have to travel to buy and everything is in inventory at all times. So what does the book business do? LAUD INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORES! You’ve got to save your bookstore just like you had to save your record store. And sure, there are some people who still want to go to their disc shop, but almost all of the outlets have faded away and not radiated, which is what should happen to bookstores too.

If you want to call a bookstore a social experience, where you grab some coffee and talk about books, fine. But as for buying…it’s a ridiculous enterprise. Sure, you can browse, but the truth is the recommendation engine on Amazon is far superior (although you’ve not got to wade through all the sponsored product, enough already Amazon, how much more money do you need to make, no more advertising on your own site, it’s confusing!) And prices are too high.

We live in a digital, on demand world.

But not in books.

Maybe there should be a subscription model. Amazon is trying this, but with too few titles. Imagine if everything was available for ten bucks a month. Sure, this would be a good deal for frequent readers, but imagine all the casual readers who would sign up!

Forget those who go to the library, even via Libby, they’ll never pay, these are the same people who ironically say they want to own their music and won’t sign up for Spotify.

It gets even crazier. Steve Jobs changed book selling to the agency model, but then the government cracked down for collusion and the bottom line, leaving all the b.s. out, is that digital book prices in the Kindle store WENT UP! And I thought antitrust was supposed to be to the benefit of the consumer.

The publishing model is broken. For so many reasons. First, the inane publication schedule. You finish the book and it doesn’t come out for a year. They’ve got to seed reviewers, they’ve got to print, they’ve got to ship…all that’s gone out the window in the music business, because it’s about the long haul, not the short, front-loading is now irrelevant, tracks live forever online and if there’s a groundswell, you’ll make money over time, if people listen and then move on, you’ll be broke. Print the books when they’re ready, digitally. What kind of bizarre world do we live in where the printed word is last, where you can make and distribute music, movies and TV in less time!

And we all know production, shipping and returns are a waste of money and time. Think of all the landfills full of CDs!

So, Bolton is hot and people want to read, ergo the piracy/copyright infringement.

But imagine how many people would read the Bolton book if access felt free, because they subscribed, or was $9.99 for a digital copy instead of the $16.99 it presently is.

Oh, don’t cough up that canard about “value,” look what it did for the music business, NOTHING!

The customer is king.

And despite Oprah and Reese Witherspoon books have less impact that at any time in my life. You think someone would be contemplating this, scared, thinking about the future.

But the book business?

It’s Jethro Tull 24/7, they’re living in the past.