User:Tigerdeb/sandbox

Owen Orford is Australia’s most revered and respected live booking agent. Owen was originally lead singer in iconic touring bands Finch and Contraband, who began touring fresh out of high school (indeed, some members were still in high school) from 1972 to 1979 and released a number of high charting singles and albums, including the critically acclaimed Thunderbird in 1976 (Finch) and finally became one of only two Australian acts to sign with international record label Portrait, before calling it a day in 1979. Blessed with a powerful voice and ‘a neat line in microphone acrobatics’ Owen was the perfect frontman for Finch and Contraband that included in its ranks Mark Evans (AC/DC) and Bob Spencer (Skyhooks).

So what’s a poor boy to do if you’re no longer singing in a rock and roll band? In 1980 Owen went to work at the agency that had booked his band, Harbour Premier, and where he went onto create an elite roster of acts within that agency and consolidated the careers of many including Hoodoo Gurus, The Models, Hunters and Collectors, Icehouse and Boom Crash Opera.

In 1989, much to everyone’s surprise, Owen left Harbour Premier to set up his own agency, Trading Post Agency (TPA) and the first act to be represented by the fledgling agency was Australia’s biggest independent rock band, Midnight Oil. From 1989 to 2007 TPA represented such acts as Tommy Emmanuel, Savage Garden, Men At Work, Killing Heidi, Silverchair, Grinspoon and Spiderbait. TPA also, represented a sprinkling of overseas artists in Australia including Hothouse Flowers (Ireland), Crash Test Dummies (Canada) and The Pursuit of Happiness (Canada).

Owen’s passion for the live music scene has also seen him involved with various committees along the way. In 1999, he was part of the initial Commonwealth Government's Contemporary Music Touring Program. The program was established to assist emerging and established artists with touring opportunities and to bring contemporary music to a wider regional audience. While no longer on the committee, Owen’s expertise was essential in the original construction of the program and its continuance as a rewarding avenue for touring artists, now in its 13th year.

And Owen’s secret for being a successful agent? 'It’s doing what you love.' Owen has also provided opportunities for up and coming agents such as Rob Giovannoni, Chris Moses , Katherine Dale , Mark Lackey and Tom Taaffe , all of whom have gone on to be respected agents in their own right.

New World Artists continues the tradition of TPA with a diverse clientele of emerging and established artists such as 360, British India, Dead Letter Circus, Horrorshow, The Living End and cult music TV show RocKwiz.