15 Ruud Berends, Networking Music - Meet Me Backstage

In this episode Nikki talks to live music industry veteran Ruud Berends, who started his career booking acts at his local youth centre in Holland. Launching the Paperclip agency in 1981, Ruud went on to work with some of the best alternative music artists such as Soundgarden, Dead Moon, Nirvana, Femi Kuti, The Feelies, Soul Asylum, L7 and Mudhoney. Having toured all over Europe Ruud shares stories of managing tours before mobile phones, losing equipment and artists being banned from hotels. His work for the Dutch Music Export took him to events such as ILMC, The Great Escape and Reeperbahn where he built a reputation for hosting jammed packed shows. Ruud also talks about his passion for helping to promote new artists in his work for ESNS and the European Talent Exchange Program and his achievements in supporting the music scene in Central and Eastern Europe.  Being a highly regarded and respected member of the live music scene Ruud, is a regular on the international music industry conference circuit and is also the co-founder of the International Festival Forum (IFF).