Sex Pistols guitarist turned Clear Channel DJ Steve Jones sat down earlier today for an SXSW conversation with LA chum Tom Anderson, better known as Tom, your first friend on MySpace.
Anderson reminisced about being a struggling musician looking for gigs and publicity when he started the side project that’s become the behemoth of online promotion. Can you believe it’s only been around three years? And the numbers continue to astound, with 160 million members logging more than 9 million unique hits a month.
The future is for nothing but green as far as the eye can see for MySpace, and Anderson offered insight into its future. First off, he lauded News Corps Rupert Murdoch for buying the company and leaving it alone: ““He’s cool, actually. People would expect that the relationship is not going to work out. But we’ve become friends. Murdoch is at heart an entrepreneur, and they’ve never tried to tell us what to do.”
MySpace Records, the newly formed label, also got Anderson excited. He described its operation as “him and a couple of guys sitting around the office picking bands they like,” such as Sherwood, which released its new CD the other day.
Anderson was also in buzz mode about the linkup with SnoCap (see story below), which will allow bands and labels to sell MP3s using embedded widgets. He also promised to bring new features in the next year that would allow members to communicate and organize charity responses to disasters such as Hurricane Katrina.
Other than that, Tom ribbed Steve Jones, saying that he weaned the Jonesy Jukebox host off Web TV, buying him his first real computer, a Mac. After it was all over, the hottest rock chicks in the crowd all made a beeline to the front of the stage to get their picture taken with Tom. He’s one lucky guy, and you can’t help but believe he’s got it better than almost any musician alive.
