Overview

This is a book telling my story of 45 years in the music industry, and on the way 'pinching' myself as things happened that I could never have expected in my wildest dreams. Watching Bob Geldof grow from a musician to a global statesman. The thrills and fears of putting on Live Aid and Live 8. Being called an 'idiot' by Princess Diana. Being given the cold shoulder by Björn and Benny from ABBA, but then being part of the story that led to 70 million people seeing Mamma Mia! Nearly being blown to pieces in the Guildford pub bombing. Nearly going to jail so that the Stone Roses didn't have to. Shooting the breeze with Tony Blair, Peter Gabriel and Bob Geldof in 10 Downing Street. A hug from Paul McCartney over backstage beers. Sharing a salad with Pavarotti. Crossing swords with Richard Branson. Selling 33 million records with Elton John. The joy of working with Sinéad O'Connor. Laughing with the Dalai Lama. On the other side of an argument with George Michael. Lending Bill Clinton my Bic pen. Getting Richard Curtis an access all areas pass. Ensuring I was not on Morrissey's Christmas card list. Presenting Ringo with a life time achievement award without mentioning the Beatles. Asking Mick Jagger and Keith Richards to do the decent thing. Ending chart hyping. Representing one of the UK's biggest 'supergrass' witnesses - nothing to do with the band. Flying on Concorde for U2 negotiations. Avoiding a revolution in Sudan. Telling Bob Geldof that I had told Pink Floyd that it was OK if they didn't turn up for Live 8!

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9781068518409

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After begging for a job in the music industry, John Kennedy has spent more than 45 years in the music industry. The title of this book 'JUST FOR ONE HOUR' is taken from the day Bob Geldof asked him to give one hour of his time for free. That was nearly 40 years ago and probably 20,000 free hours ago! Including helping to stage Live Aid and co-producing Live 8 and executive producing the Live Aid and Live 8 DVDs.Along the way, Kennedy set up a successful music business legal practice representing many of the top artists songwriters and independent labels of the time.He then went on to be chairman of Polygram films and records before becoming chairman and CEO of the newly created Universal Music UK, the biggest music label in the UK.He then became president and COO of Universal Music International before becoming chairman of the body representing the whole music industry globally.In 1994 he was awarded an OBE by the Queen.In 2006 he was made Chevalier de l' Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government, along with Bob Geldof and Harvey Goldsmith in the same month that all three were given an award as Music Personalities of the Year.For a number of years Kennedy led the ultimately successful campaign to extend the European copyright period for recordings from 50 to 70 years. The extended period is of immense tangible economic benefit to the music industry including both labels and artists.Kennedy continues to work as a consultant in the music industry and has the honour and pleasure of co-managing Richard Ashcroft who was the leading member of The Verve before becoming a successful solo artist. In this memoir John Kennedy mulls that it's been such a great journey - meeting and engaging with real royalty; the Queen, Princess Diana, Prince Charles, Presidents and Prime Ministers, but most importantly of all, music business royalty, and even a Saint, not to mention the occasional sinner. And he hopes the journey is not yet over! ""There is not, never was, and never can be Band Aid without John Kennedy. And for 40 years all of this monstrous responsibility and workload done for free. John was probably the first person to say 'you're going to need to do this...' and I blithely said 'could you just take care of that for me please.' And he did. And 40 years on is still taking care of it. None of us, and definitely not myself, could have even begun Live Aid and Live 8 or any of everything we've done without this man. Nothing. None of it. It would all have been a disaster. I and we all owe him. He is also a fabulous and hilarious storyteller and those wildly improbable stories and characters are all here in this book. What a life!"" Bob Geldof

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