NZ Manager Ordered To Pay Back Artist

The New Zealand High Court ordered the manager of folk musician Avalanche City to repay NZ$307,287 ($219,394) to the act. 

Justice Susan Thomas found that Matt Coleman and his company Let The People Speak withheld $240,000 ($171, 350) by under-reporting income, keeping more than the artist’s 20 percent management share, under-stating funding for Avalanche City, charging for disputed expenses and overcharging commission on merchandise sales.

Justice Thomas found that record royalties for Avalanche City (real name: Dave Baxter) were paid into an account Coleman held with his wife, without Baxter’s knowledge.

The full court document transcript is here.

John Davisson – Avalanche City
The Warner Sound, SXSW, La Zona Rosa, Austin, TX

Coleman, who secured a record deal for Avalanche City with Warner Music, could not be reached for comment. But he told New Zealand’s The Spinoff he does not accept the judgment and will provide a written response to it. But he will not appeal.