Now accepting applications!
Australia’s first Music Producer and Engineers’ Guild (MPEG) launches today, with plans to become a voice and lobby group for the sector.
What you need to know:
- Australia’s first Music Producer and Engineers’ Guild (MPEG) launches today.
- Highly acclaimed Melbourne-based producer / sound engineer Anna Laverty is one of the three founders.
- An unofficial information session will be held at BIGSOUND with the team.
Keep up to date with the latest industry news here.
Highly acclaimed Melbourne-based producer / sound engineer Anna Laverty is one of the three founders.
Getting her start in London’s Miloco Studios with her mentors Paul Epworth and Ben Hillier, Laverty’s name is listed in the credits of scores of albums including those by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Courtney Barnett, Florence and The Machine, Depeche Mode, Bloc Party, Cut Copy, and Paul Dempsey.
Laverty said, “I’m so excited to finally be launching MPEG in Australia, there has been a need for this organisation for years.
“I know that we can make a huge difference by supporting our members and ensuring our rights are understood and advocated for!”
MPEG co-founders include Cath Haridy, artist manager of producers, engineers and acts; and Tom Larkin, Shihad drummer, artist manager, and studio owner.
The Guild explains: “MPEG is an organisation representing the commercial interests and community development of music producers and sound engineers throughout Australia via advocacy and engagement.”
Foundational members include Mark Opitz, Nick Launay, Eric J Dubowsky, Nina Las Vegas, Uncle Kevin Starkey, Virginia Read and Aroha Harawira.
MPEG is now accepting membership applications from music producers, sound engineers, mastering engineers, mixing engineers, producers/writers, remixers, programmers, assistant engineers, and audio students.
An unofficial information session will be held at BIGSOUND with the team.
It’s at 5pm on Thursday September 8 at 4000 Studios in Fortitude Valley.
“Alongside the representation of traditional current and new producers and engineers, the Guild aims to foster diversity and inclusion for the sector as a core part of its mission and to focus on pathways for those who have been previously excluded.”
Only 2 per cent of women producers are female or female-identifying.
Since the introduction of the ARIA Producer of the Year award in 1987, only two women have won – Julia Stone and Tania Doko of Bachelor Girl – and only Tash Sultana, Lanie Lane, Lisa Miller and Ball Park Music’s Jen Boyce made the nominations list.
No female has taken home the Engineer trophy. But nominated were Virginia Read (2014, 2015), Alex Hope (2016), Holly Rankin (with Xavier Dunn and John Castle (2018), and Alice Ivy (2020).
In the Her Sound, Her Story doco, Laverty recounts the time she was ordered out of a studio Lady Gaga booked with her, because someone mistook her as “the office girl”.
“I’ve experienced really nasty things, where men have confronted me and literally told me it’s not my place to be in the studio.
“That really sucks, because it’s my studio. I cleaned it this morning, I look after and set up all the gear for you, then you come and say something like that? It’s really unfair and hurtful.”
Head to MPEG for more information.
