november-2012

Czechs go pop Copyright Protection Association for
Music Rights (OSA) among other
Workshops featuring representatives
of the global music scene form part
of a campaign by the Czech music
industry to raise the profile and
prospects of its local pop stars. The
project is spearheaded by Jaroslav
Raušer, chairman of Prague’s Institute
for Modern Music, an organisation
dedicated to reinvigorating Czech
pop, which Raušer says remains
isolated after decades of communist
censorship and industry neglect.
Record sales in the Czech Republic
have fallen since 2008, when the
business was worth 555m CZK
(€23m). Today it is worth just 300m
CZK (€12m), and last year saw a 16%
drop in record sales on 2010.
Raušer says that improving the
situation requires strategic
investments into education and
creative projects. He has secured
funding from Prague City Hall and the
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bodies to help local bands market
their work abroad, which is deemed
necessary for their domestic success.
“Technically, this should be done by
record labels who have disregarded
it for 22 years,” says Raušer. So far,
around 1m CZK (€40,000) has been
spent on workshops for seven
up-and-coming local bands.
Among those to test the ear of
experts like French sound guru Jean-
Pierre Mathieu were indie rockers
Charlie Straight (pictured), who have
since performed at the Czech House
cultural centre during the London
Olympics. More recently, quartet
Luno scored a slot at the French
music festival EuropaVox. And
another group of Mathieu protégés,
acoustic rockers Goodfellas, are
planning a European tour and have
signed up with US music producer
Chris DiBeneditto.
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