BIGSOUND Adds Kim Gordon, Stones Throw Execs

The 15th BIGSOUND conference and showcase in Brisbane announced Sonic Youth co-founder Kim Gordon and seminal hip-hop empire Stones Throw Records’ founder Peanut Butter Wolf and longtime executive J Rocc as keynote speakers.

Gordon, who was included in this year’s Brisbane Festival, will discuss the late 20th century transformation of the music industry. Wolf and Rocco will explain the way their artists impacted the hip-hop scene.

The event’s co-programmer Nick O’Byrne said the three “iconic cultural icons” had been on “our dream list of speakers for years.” The three Americans join fellow keynote speakers Jaddan Comerford, founder of management, touring and label UNIFIED (and manager of singer-songwriter Vance Joy) and rappers Briggs and Trials, aka A.B. Original.

Thirty more international and Australian speakers have been added to the meet. From the United States are Alex Black (Big Deal Music), Andrew Szew (Szew Law Group), Christine Cao (The Windish Agency), and Jessica Strassman (Columbia Records & StarTime International).