TOM GARRETSON CREATIVE AND PROFESSIONAL CV

Tom Garretson (b. 28.05.62) is an American-Norwegian and has worked within the music industry as artist, music industry professional, writer and event producer for the past 25 years. Based both in the United States and in Europe, his extensive experience has provided him with a unique understanding of the music business on both continents.

2006
	MUSIC
	•	Executive Producer and Creative Director for Arve Tellefsen & Nidarosdomens Guttekor CD "ARIA"(Grappa Musikkforlag AS). Also head of marketing campaign for this release and advisor on promotional activities. No. 17 pop-chart entry.
	•	Produces the compilation double-CD "Deviations On A Theme" by Lydia Lunch
	•	Produces two demo songs for artist Anne Grete Preus
	•	"Røversanger" CD purchased by Norsk Kulturråd (Arts Council of Norway)
		Nominated for "Business Founder of the Year" by the Glåmdal Regionråd, Hedmark fylkeskommune.
	•	Travels to Paris, France to co-produce filming of Lydia Lunch's "The Real Pornography" show, and documentary on that artist's life, with La Luna Productions (France).
	•	Licenses tracks by Lydia Lunch for the films "I Pass for Human" (Arcanum Ent.); "SMS Sugar Man" (DV8/IMG), "East of Sunset" (Blixa Films). Renegotiates this artist's back catalogue with Atavistic, USA.
	•	Negotiates publishing agreement for Lydia Lunch's novel "Paradoxia", signed to Akashic Press, for the world.
	WRITING
	•	"Take It Off!" published by Inside Magazine
	•	"Than Old Bump and Grind" published by Mute Magazine
	•	"New York Sin City" published in Mute Magazine.
	•	Professional biographies written for: Anne Grete Preus, for Torun Eriksen, Maria Kannegaard, Arne Rasmussen, Hildegunn ¯iseth, Renn Loa, Live Maria Roggen.
	•	Contributed biography of Annie Sprinkle to "The Historical Encyclopedia of Prostitution", Published by Greenwood Publishing Group
	PHOTOGRAPHY
	•	Participates in exhibition "Skeive Kunstnere" with two photographs: "Defiance" and "Outsider"
	•	Photos published by national daily newspapers: Aftenposten, VG, Dagbladet
	•	"Vin, Piker, Sang" (Spartacus Forlag) book by Marta Breen uses photo of Einmal Kommt Die Liebe, full page.
2005
	MUSIC
	•	Receives stipend grant from "Innovasjon Norge" ("Innovation Norway") for starting record label Provocateur Media, and is the only label to ever be awarded a grant from a governmental agency in Norway.
	•	Produces "Røversanger" by the Norwegian band Einmal Kommt die Liebe.  Released January 2006 by Provocateur Media.
	•	Produces demo for the band Hugo. Client: Urban Sound/Gunpowder Entertainment
	•	Produces the compilation "Sweet Talker: The Best of Karin Krog" for Grappa.
	•	Records performance artists Annie Sprinkle and Elizabeth Stephens in San Francisco, for a spoken word art CD project, with music written by Tom Garretson.
	•	"Sound and Smoke" CD purchased by Norsk KulturrŒd (Arts Council of Norway)
	•	Licenses music tracks for Lydia Lunch to "R/C" (Pedro Cruz), and "Odete" (Rosa Filmes).
	WRITING
	•	Extensive liner notes, biography, discography for "Sweet Talker" by Karin Krog (Grappa)
	•	Professional Biographies written for Audun Kleive, Bugge Wesseltoft, Torun Eriksen, Wibutee. Beady Belle, Einmal Kommt Die Liebe.
2004
	MUSIC
	•	Produces "Sound and Smoke: the Music of the Weimar Berlin Cabaret Period", featuring Anne Grete Preus, Solveig Slettahjell, Henriette Myhre, Morten Gunnar Larsen and the Ophelia Orchestra. (Provocateur Media).
	•	Terminates management with Silje Nergaard, and decides to leave artist management.
	•	Continues as personal advisor to Lydia Lunch.Negotiates and contracts Lydia Lunch's "Smoke in the Shadows" release on Realtime UK.
	•	Marketing and Promotion for Henriette Myhre's "Berlin Kabaret" at the Norske Teatret, Oslo. Also books this artist's fall tour of this production.
	WRITING
	•	Writes marketing campaign materials for Diesel Jeans, Norway, in English
2003
	MUSIC
	•	Receives travel grant from Fond for Ut¿vende Kunstnere. Travels to Berlin with Morten Gunnar Larsen to research material for their planned recording of Berlin Cabaret songs.
	•	Negotiates and contracts Lydia Lunch's CD release "Champagne, Cocaine and Nicotine Stains", released by Crippled Dick Hot Wax.
	•	Market and promotes Silje Nergaard's "Nightwatch" album for Universal Music.  The album enters the charts at no 1. and stays at this position for three weeks.  This became the second Platinum Award for this artist.
	•	Takes over all concert bookings on behalf of Silje Nergaard, books tours of Norway, Sweden, Denmark.
	WRITING
	•	Professional biographies written for various artists such as Silje Nergaard, Wibutee, Bugge Wesseltoft, Annie Sprinkle, Lydia Lunch,
2002
	MUSIC
	•	Asked by the Norwegian Foreign Ministry to produce, book and organize a cultural ambassador tour of Germany for Silje Nergaard and band, together with the HM Crown Prince Haakon of Norway.
	•	Produces Annie Sprinkle's "Herstory of Porn" at Sentrum Scene, in Oslo.  The production is considered scandalous by the Norwegian media and a national debate ensues about the role of feminism and pornography.  The production was given a grant by the Christian Democratic Party minister of Culture.
	•	Books and organizes Silje Nergaard's tour of Asia: Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Japan. Also tour manager.
2001
	MUSIC
	•	Executive Producer for Silje Nergaard's "At First Light", released October 2001.  Also markets and promotes this album for Universal Music.  The album received a chart entry at no. 1, making history as the first jazz album to do so in Norway, and currently holds the record for highest sales of any jazz album in Norway.
	•	Provides strategic marketing services and media promotion for Barnas Kulturfestival (The Children's Cultural Festival)
	•	Produces "From Ragtime to Radio" CD for Morten Gunnar Larsen/Ophelia Ragtime Orchestra.
	WRITING
	•	Writes all international presentation materials, marketing and biography for Silje Nergaard for Universal Music.
2000
	MUSIC
	•	Co-produces Lydia Lunch's "The Devil's Racetrack" CD together with that artist, released by Almafame in the UK.
	•	Executive Producer for Silje Nergaard's "Port of Call", (Universal Music). In March hired by Universal Music in Norway to be in charge of strategic marketing and promotion for Silje Nergaard's "Port of Call" CD release.   In its first week of release, the album debuted into the pop charts at no. 6  and remained in the top twenty for 12 weeks.
	•	Creates Widowspeak Publishing for Lydia Lunch and streamlines this artistÕs catalogue, getting back much of the artistÕs publishing on her songs from previous contracts. Registers this with ASCAP and the Harry Fox Agency.
	WRITING
	•	Contributes as freelance writer to arts journal Hot Rod Magazine. Interviews with James Bidgood and Holly Woodlawn.
	•	"It Started With Popcorn: Annie Sprinkle" interview published by Blikk
	PHOTOGRAPHY
	•	Portrait of Lydia Lunch used in CD "The Delvil's Racetrack" (Almafame)
1999
	MUSIC
	•	Relocated to San Francisco bay area, California, USA in March.  Provided consultation services for Verve recording artist Jeffery Smith. Becomes Personal Manager for artist Lydia Lunch.  Creates the publishing company WIDOWSPEAK for her, and registers her entire catalogue with ASCAP and Harry Fox Agency.
	•	Becomes Personal Manager for the jazz singer/songwriter Silje Nergaard.  Secures exclusive, world-wide recording contract with Universal Music for that artist.
	•	Licenses music track by Lydia Lunch for the film and soundtrack recording "The Blair Witch Project" (Hexan Films) and "New York Beat" (NY Beat Films)
1998
	MUSIC
	•	Formed WildStar Management in Oslo, Norway.  Music consultant and management advice for the artist Morten Gunnar Larsen.
	•	Secured and negotiated recording contract for Larsen«s "Fingerbreaker" CD with The Decca Record Company in London, that pianist's first international recording contract.
1997
	MUSIC
	•	Provided music consultation services for the violinist Arve Tellefsen, Norway's most popular classical musician.  Secured and negotiated a five-album exclusive world-wide recording contract with Sony Classical for Tellefsen.
	•	Continues as an external classical music consultant for Sony Music Norway providing advice on releases and marketing.
	•	Voicings for Jøran Rudi's "Concrete Net", a computer music animation premiered at the Electronic Music Festival, Paris.  Released on video.  Produced by the Norwegian Network for Technology, Acoustics and Music (NoTAM).
1995 -1997
	MUSIC
	•	Production consultant for the rock bands "Barbarellas" and "Sterk Naken"
	•	Employed for three years as Executive Producer with Nick Grace Management, management for Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.  Production of tours and arena events.  Directed and produced television and cinema advertisement.  Marketing, promotion and artist contracts.  As Executive Producer in Oslo co-produced such events as diverse as Shirley Bassey«s 1996 tour of Norway (also functioning as tour manager), Andrew Lloyd Webber«s "Evita"  (for an audience of 31.000) and "Jesus Christ Superstar" (for 8.500), as well as the musicals  "Chess" (for 51.000) and "Fame" (for 20.000), all performed in arena productions, as well as smaller productions for concert halls and recital venues. Also co-produced concerts for such artists as Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, The King«s Consort, Sarah Brightman, , and The Russian State Ballet, among many others. Responsible for the company's "Master Pianists" tours to Oslo, Lillehammer, Sandefjord and Bergen featuring such pianists as Jean Yves Thibaudet, Yefim Bronfman, Grigory Sokolov, H?vard Gimse, Vladimir Ashkenazy and others.
1994
	MUSIC
	•	Employed two years with Sony Music and brought the label Sony Classical above budget as well as achieving notable success with Columbia Jazz..  In 1994 he travelled to Vienna with an entourage of Norwegian media to participate in the recording and live event of Placido Domingo«s "Christmas In Vienna", featuring Sissel Kyrkjeb¿ and Charles Aznavour. Presented Domingo with Gold and Platinum awards for previous record sales.   In 1995 he was responsible for marketing "Christmas in Vienna III", which reached no. 1 for four weeks on the pop charts and became that year's second best selling album, with Norwegian double-platinum sales of 130.000 for that territory alone.  His marketing of this album received national media attention.
1993
	MUSIC
	•	Produced and compiled a double-CD for Verve entitled "Jubilee: The Best of 30 Years" by jazz vocalist Karin Krog, released internationally in 1994.
	•	Composed music and played guitar for singer Beate Myrvold in a music project with bassist Ragnhild Sarsten and drummer Per Ole Oftedal, "Flames of Paradise".
	•	Guitarist for "Cosa Nostra" jazz ensemble.
1992
	MUSIC
	•	October 1992 to February 1993:  ALTERPORN CABARET.  Produced, arranged, directed and wrote for own cabaret production at the Pigalle Nightclub, Oslo, Norway.  The cabaret featured such performers as the Salvation Army Band, opera singers, poets, drag acts, gypsy singers, performance art, rock bands, and more.
1991
	MUSIC
	•	Played guitar, sang, arranged and wrote music for the band  "The Flames of Paradise".  Various performances, notably in November at Det Norske Teater (The Norwegian Theatre) for Helsevalgets Kulturarrangement.
	•	Employed by PolyGram as Verve Jazz, Philips Classics and Polydor Label Manager.  Marketed several no. 1 pop hits and promoted the jazz label Verve as well as created events at festivals and concerts which further supported the artists and label, making Verve the no. 1 jazz label in Norway.  Also brought the classical music label Philips Classics above budget, the first time for that label in PolyGram Norway's history.
	OTHER
		1991 – 2002 : Works three years as first as a volunteer for HIV/AIDS education with the Norwegian Men's Health Organization, then as contributor volunteer for various educational and entertainment events concerning HIV/AIDS prevention and education.
1988
	•	Studied jazz guitar and theory at Loyola School of Music, New Orleans.
1987
	•	Dramatic poetry performance: "Battered Bait", at the Renegat Club, Oslo.
1986
	•	Recording: "Don't Be Afraid" (Weill/Brecht) in New York City.
1985
	MUSIC & PERFORMANCE
	•	Dramatic poetry performance, authored and acted, opening for Henry Rollins at Maxwell«s in Hoboken, New Jersey.
	•	Acted in "The Onyx Fool" by Edward Weiss, at The Courtyard Playhouse, New York City.  Performed the role of  "the Dark Poet".
	•	Studied musicology, composition, drama and poetry at New York University's Gallatin Division.
	•	Guest guitarist for the band Drunk Driving, New York city, New York.
	•	Acted various roles in the off-Broadway production "Baxter Danger" by Edward Weiss, which played at the night-club 8BC, in New York city.
	•	Acted various roles in "Danger«s Back" & "Is Danger Finished?" by Edward Weiss, at The Nameless Theatre, New York City.