His tenure at Warner Music was rocky, but maybe Live Nation will prove the better corporate fit. On Tuesday, the freshly-acquired BigChampagne signed the paperwork on Ethan Kaplan, a music technologist and former SVP of Emerging Technology at Warner Music Group. And with that, Kaplan is now a member of the Live Nation family and celebrating a much different Christmas (or, Hanukkah).
The news was confirmed to Digital Music News by BigChampagne CEO - and now LiveNation.com GM - Eric Garland. According to Garland, Kaplan will be the new 'Head of Products,' which then begs the next question, 'what products exactly?'
For now, the paint is still drying on this one. But regardless of the exact job description, Kaplan will be another brain addressing a number of pressing problems at Live Nation, including unfilled cheap seats, pricing riddles, and even pressure from competing ticketing platforms.
Sounds like a complicated mess of fun, and these gigs are really tough to come by. So how did a guy like Kaplan - who had an extended lapse after WMG - score this gig, exactly? Knowing people helps, but so does keeping a presence in the industry. Kaplan is undoubtedly a smart guy, but his headstrong technological ideas were well-known, on his blog or in the press. This is a name that didn't disappear, or jump ship to another, more promising employment sector.
Separately, other names are also floating around as new BigChampagne hires, with announcements expected imminently. Stay tuned.
Comments Closed
@mr_trick Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Congrats to Ethan!
Maxwellian Tuesday, December 20, 2011
But what does Jeff Price think of this?
CraigDiPaolo Tuesday, December 20, 2011
BE careful LIve Nation.
If this guys doesn't get his way he's spilling the beans to the media esp if you fire him
(ie, Warner)
ditto Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Kaplan pissed off a lotta people at WMG
Jeremy Welt Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Hey can I get in on this?
Visitor Tuesday, December 20, 2011
What did dude do to piss people off??
Visitor Tuesday, December 20, 2011
He's an absurd egomaniacal blowhard with almost no people skills. His new gig will end in flames like the last one. His exit from WMG was not 'mutual' in any way despite what he claims.
Visitor Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Breaking: Ethan Kaplan exits freshly aquired Big Champagne
Vail, CO Tuesday, December 20, 2011
It's becoming clear that Big Champagne is fitting under Ticketmaster in the org.
Accomplishments? Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Hey DMN (and commenters),
Can anyone tell us what this guy actually accomplished in his past jobs? I'm not being sarcastic. I'd really like to know. B/c for most of us readers, this guy is just a big mystery that seems to get attention simply b/c he writes an interesting blog.
Nash Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Nothing. He's only had one job in the music business besides this one, which was his job at WMG.
I dont get it Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Why is he pictured with one of the ramones? And which one is that?
Ethan Tuesday, December 20, 2011
That's Patti Smith you moron, the most important person in music besides Michael Stipe.
@madktc Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Sarcasm?
lmnop Tuesday, December 20, 2011
leave...
Ethan...
ALONE
Rachel Tuesday, December 20, 2011
'Haters are confused admirers who can't understand why everybody else likes you' - Coelho
Anyway... I have been saying for a while now that live concert experiences are the biggest value add for the music business today... smart move on his part and will be interesting to see what they come up with in products with the data they have
ahh yes Tuesday, December 20, 2011
ethan kaplan, half of the famed Welt/Kaplan duo at WMG. they sold a ton of coffin-shaped box sets in the name of "innovation" and were the smartest guys they have ever met.
I followed kaplan on twitter for a week and had to stop. the narcissism was off the charts.
I'm imagining him and garland listening to each other talk in a conference room lined with mirrors.
mouse Wednesday, December 21, 2011
correction: Ethan didn't sell a single thing at WBR. and I doubt Jeremy likes him much.
But on the conference room and mirrors you are correct:
http://twitter.com/#!/ethank/status/149287273270226944/photo/1
Visitor Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Ok, so to recap:
Ethan Kaplan is an narcissistic, egomaniac blowhard with no people skills and a tech backround who worked with a major label and is now bringing his services to yet another new yet similar sector.
Considering how similar he sounds to Mark Zuckerberg, Sean Parker and Daniel Ek, he should be a billionaire in about 6, no, 4 months.
Good on him.
finally Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Ethan! I knew you couldn't resist.
paul Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Hey everyone,
Just got a note from Live Nation PR, nothing earth-shattering but thought I'd share. Pulling out the pertinent part from the email...
"I have some details for you with Ethan. Ethan will work on LiveNation.com and mobile apps to create engaging, fan-focused experiences."
/paul
Surprised Tuesday, December 20, 2011
The amount of consistent negativity in the comments on this blog is disappointing.
Maxwellian Tuesday, December 20, 2011
But what does Jeff Price think of this?
Visitor Tuesday, December 20, 2011
He thinks his company brought a quarter billion dollars of revenue to it's artists.
obvs.
Visitor from Return of Jupiter Thursday, December 22, 2011
Garland and co GAVE AWAY TINY CHAMPAGNE AT FIRE SALE. I KNOW ALL THE DEAL DEETS. THEY TRIED TO SELL THAT CO MANY TIMES, BUT FAILED OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THEY COULD NEVER QUANTIFY THEIR CODE AND METHODOLOGY FOR POTENTIAL BUYERS, CAUSE THEIR BUSINESS MODEL IS A S H A M, F R A U D. BIGGEST ATTEMPT WAS TO SELL CO TO CLEAR CHANNEL, TRIED FOR 3 YRS. THEN EVAN HARRISON GOT SACKED. COULDN"T GIVE TINY CHAMPAGNE AWAY. THEY SOLD IT AT "LOSS" AS TAX WRITE-OFF AT END OF YEAR, AND TO LEVERAGE THOSE TWO PUPPET EXECS INTO THE LIVE NATION WEBSITE FOLD. SECOND GOAL IS TO HELP IRVING PUT DENNIS LAVENTHAL AND HITS MAGAZINE OUT OF BUSINESS FOR GOOD, ONCE AND FOR ALL. U REALLY THINK TINY CHAMPAGNE EVER HAD ANY REAL "PROPRIETARY CODE" AND STATS? NEVER. TINY TINTIN CHAMPAGNE USED SMOKE AND MIRRORS, THEY NEVER HAD ACCESS TO ANY STATS ON FILE SHARING, FB ETC. JUST ANOTHER HOAX. ALL THE CHART POSITIONS IN TOP TEN WERE "FOR SALE", CASH AND CARRY, SAME AS HITS MAG DID. LABELS AND ARTISTS PAY TO GET THEIR POSITION, PAYOLA BY ANY OTHER NAME. SAME CORRUPT SHORT LIST OF THE USUAL SUSPECTS, OVER AND OVER AGAIN...
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