You could go as far as to say it is a product of globalisation, an example of how, since the 50s, we have been taking the international standard as the local standard. But this is even truer now than it has ever been. The global flow of ideas and technology impacts on public and artist alike. The British newspaper The Independent recently wrote about Nick Cave's collaboration with German artist Blixa Bargeld, claiming that as a result of the relationship Nick'gained roots with a larger European context. It helped him immeasurably' Blixa was a passport to an idea'.
New technologies are also a passport for our artists.
It has never been easier to get our artists and their work to the world. Just to give you one example, with MP3 a video or a song can be emailed to the world. At a recent music retailers' conference an artist played live. The performance was digitally recorded and available to be downloaded off the Net, with no loss in sound quality, only minutes after the last guitar chord had stopped ringing in the conference room. That's how instant and direct it can be.