Bono, Larry, Adam and Edge may not look like your average businessmen but the four members of U2 epitomise a sector of Irish industry that stimulates annual revenue to the tune of £160 million. The music sector has made a considerable impact internationally especially in recent decades. U2, Enya, The Cranberries, Ash, Thin Lizzy and the Boomtown Rats have all at one time or another played a part in this Irish invasion.
A Government report released last year provided a thorough appraisal of the music industry in Ireland and looked at ways in which the Government could help "yield substantial economic benefits in terms of employment and increased economic activity".
Some statistics laid out in the report made for interesting reading. It found that in 1993 Irish record sales accounted for up to 5 per cent of album sales in Britain, a level of penetration achieved by few other Irish industries. In addition it quoted the Simpson Xavier Howarth Consultancy report "A Strategic Vision for the Irish Music Industry" which found that more than 10,000 people were employed in the sector. Meanwhile another report, "The Economic Effect of Tourism in Ireland 1990 - 1993", estimated that overseas visitors to Irish festivals generated £40 million in foreign earnings representing 2,600 full time jobs in Irish tourism.
Forte concluded that to maximise the potential to the economy provided by the undeniable musical talent in this country several measures should be introduced. These included the provision of "imaginative and practical educational courses and access to good business and legal advice".
The Rock School in Ballyfermot in Dublin offers all of the above and more. Set up by two musicians eight years ago, the school is a place where young, talented musicians are groomed for stardom. But business acumen, says Mr Francie Conway a facilitator of songwriting workshops in the college, is a crucial ingredient in the recipe for success. "A solid grounding in the business aspects of the music industry is vital," Mr Conway says. Part of this is music production classes where students learn how to fund tours and how to manage their earnings. Computer skills are also viewed as important for every aspiring star. The music business classes include guest lectures from people working within the industry; "These could be music lawyers, publishers or one of the royalty collection agencies such as the Irish Music Rights Organisation," says Mr Conway.
The school has welcomed students from Sweden, Germany, Japan and Belgium and is rivalled in Europe only by Mr Paul McCartney's performing arts academy in Liverpool. But there are impediments to success in this country: "There is plenty of music around but record companies are unwilling to invest in Irish music forcing bands to look abroad to develop their careers," He says.
Mr Bob Geldof, humanitarian and lead singer with 1980s rock band the Boomtown Rats, would also like to see this country flex its musical muscles. He hopes to set up Atomic TV, an Irish-based music TV station, within the next six months.
"People want access to a cultural medium that reflects back onto themselves," he says. "There is a massive market for music in Ireland. It is, and always has been, part and parcel of our culture".
Atomic TV, he asserts, will dramatically expand the scope of the music industry here. "At the moment young bands that are unsigned and unnoticed have to try to get ahead by playing tiny venues in remote parts of Ireland. I want them to be able to be on national TV so that they can have the whole country as their market," he says.
The immediate benefit to the Irish economy would be the estimated £5 million start-up costs to be invested in the station by Mr Geldof. Other individual investors have also expressed an interest, he says. Crucially, Atomic TV would provide employment for more than 50 people.
The result for the music industry, according to Mr Geldof, would be a more vibrant sector with "bands selling more records and musicians being able to make a good living in their own country before becoming stars on the international scene".
Mr Louis Walsh counts Boyzone among his proteges (he is also the manager of pop duo the Carter Twins) and agrees with Mr Geldof that the music industry here could do with a shot in the arm. "There hasn't been another U2, there hasn't been another Cranberries, they might be around but they are not being discovered. This kind of development could do that," he says.
As manager of a hugely successful act Walsh has seen the less-known side of the music business:
"It's extremely hard work. There are lawyers to be dealt with, royalties to be sorted out. You act as mediator between the record company your act and the press," he says.
Mr Walsh has been in the music business for years and once managed Eurovision veteran Mr Johnny Logan. When you are a newcomer the business side of music can be slightly disconcerting says 20-yearold Ms Naimee Coleman from Dublin. Her debut album Silver Wrists was released last year. "The minute I started talking to record companies I had to shift my perceptions," she says. "Music was no longer something I did just because I loved it but I became aware that this was really business, a business which involved paperwork, meetings and a lot of jargon which I initially didn't understand".
Getting good advice is "imperative" she says. "The more you understand about how the industry works the more you can get on with the creative side. I have a great lawyer who I consult before signing anything," she says. "One thing I have learned since I have worked in the business is how important my signature is".
