Sean Simmons has announced the launch of his new agency, Press Play, today.
The former Premier Artists booking agent has unveiled an impressive roster for the agency, including international artists like Mudhoney and Lydia Lunch, and local acts Mick Harvey, Cash Savage & The Last Drinks, Mick Harvey, and more.
Speaking with The Music, Simmons shared that "Press Play began operating on a very casual basis in 2015 only touring two-three international acts."
"The first tour was Kid Congo & the Pink Monkey Birds (who we’ve now toured four times). After leaving Premier Artists at the end of 2019, I expanded it into a booking agency for local acts as well as the internationals," he shared.
"We work closely with our artists focussing on their ongoing career development looking after all aspects of live touring. The roster now boasts 20 local acts including Cash Savage & the Last Drinks, Died Pretty, Freya Josephine Hollick, Mick Harvey, Cookin’ On 3 Burners & Black Cab and 15 international artists including Lydia Lunch, Swans, Mudhoney and others."
"Press Play is run by musicians for musicians," said Simmons when asked what makes Press Play different to other agencies.
"While we like to think our artists cover a range of genres, there is definitely a niche element to our roster. Not necessarily with regard to a particular sound, but how many genres like punk or no wave are about an ethos or an approach to a way of thinking rather than the sound itself, we approach our roster the same way. It’s not commercial nor mainstream but it is viable and more importantly, everlasting.
"No one expects to launch their booking agency in a pandemic," said Simmons.
"The first three months of the year were fruitful. We toured four international artists and had a bunch of sold out local artist tours. Then, COVID-19 hit and disabled our entire industry, forcing us to re-think how we approach live touring.
"Like many, I had to adapt to the rapidly changing world. Streamed events, limited capacity-socially distanced shows were suddenly the new norm. We even acted as Festival Advisor on a completely online council festival (Leaps & Bounds Music Festival).
"Year one for Press Play proves to be its most challenging and one that demands innovation and reinvention. We hope not only to be one of the agencies that navigates through this pandemic most successfully but also hope to have added a whole new range of services that we can offer our clients.
See the full Press Play roster below and find out more about the agency here.
Local
Cash Savage & the Last Drinks | Black Cab | Mick Harvey | Freya Josephine Hollick | New War | Amaya Laucirica | Died Pretty | Mick Thomas | Weddings, Parties, Anything | Kim Salmon | The Scientists | The Audreys | Hugo Race | Truckload of Sky: The Lost Songs of David McComb | Pop Crimes: The Songs of Rowland S. Howard | Blackeyed Susans | Rob Snarski | Ben Salter | The Gin Club | Cookin’ on 3 Burners | Harry Howard & the NDE | The Triffids | Bones & Jones
International
Lydia Lunch | Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds | Mudhoney | SWANS | The Bush Tetras | Jonathan Bree | James Chance & The Contortions | The Monkeywrench | Gemma Ray | Steve Poltz | Mo Kenney | FARA | The Langan Band | Sally & George | Wolfmanhattan Project | Poly Rythmo Orchestre.
Comments