Ian "Dicko" Dickson On His New Music Business Consultancy Service: 'Give The People What They Want, Say I!'

Ian “Dicko” Dickson is more than the mean judge on Australian Idol. However, he isn’t afraid to step back into that persona every now and then. After all, if it’s what people want, who is he to deprive them of that?

The English-Australian television and radio presenter, TV producer, journalist, and former record company executive and talent scout has returned to his talent scouting days. Today, he’s offering a music business consultancy and coaching project as part of his one-on-one service, Hey Dicko!, which is tailored to help Australian musicians navigate the music industry.

“My Hey Dicko! one-on-one consultancy sessions are always a fabulous way to spend an hour (for me anyway),” Dicko tells The Music. “Having already had a bit of a ‘dad dance’ to the client’s music and perused their online presence, it’s always fascinating to then jump on a session and explore the space between how artists see themselves and how they present themselves.”

Throughout his coaching sessions, Dicko has seen a “gulf in self-awareness”—some artists have a strong sense of who they are in music but may struggle to convert that into a compelling narrative, while others need some more help. He spends time “emphasising and reinforcing” the importance of specific things artists do well—the “wins” that often get lost within music industry aspirations.

“The Hey Dicko! Philosophy is pretty simple. I try to foster an approach that I call ‘Roots Before Fruits’ (OK, you can stop sniggering now, kids),” he says before explaining further, “It’s a system that acknowledges that everyone loves a juicy ripe strawberry, but we stand very little chance of enjoying that strawberry unless we first prepare the soil, sow the seed at the right time, feed and water every day and then when the first green shoots start to appear, we need to give them enough sunlight and care until they develop into strong plant structures that are capable of bearing our delicious fruits.

“If that ‘old man in the vegetable patch’ metaphor is a bit of a stretch, it’s about focusing on solid dependable processes over idle daydreaming.”

He adds, “Some clients struggle to hide their disappointment that no magic wand exists to spirit them into becoming an instant viral sensation, but I strongly encourage my clients to get out of their results-obsessed headspace and into the real world of building solid connections within their artist community and digging in on consistent energetic promotion.

“My reasoning is that the sort of ‘results’ they tend to obsess over (DSP playlists, festival spots, radio play, support spots, etc.) are all controlled by gatekeepers [and] industry insiders who really only give a shit about what your project can do for their property.

“These gatekeepers normally only respond to heat and momentum, and the only way your project is going to give off the sort of energy that attracts industry attention is to do the right job consistently over time. So, that’s the way a Hey Dicko! session normally goes, that and a few ‘old windbag’ 1980s music industry anecdotes, of course.”

Ian “Dicko” Dickson with Dave Grohl. Courtesy of Ian “Dicko” Dickson

With the Hey Dicko! sessions, the entertainer and music industry professional offers Mild, Zesty, and Extra Spicy options for budding artists looking for guidance.

Dicko offers three options as old-school Australian Idol viewers still stop him on the street to tell him they miss the “arsehole off the TV.” He’s all too happy to oblige, “Well, give the people what they want, say I!” Dicko exclaims.

Mild is the session offered for artists seeking some encouragement within the industry, while Zesty (described as the Hey Dicko! ‘Factory Setting’) is “professional and respectful yet forthright” and may result in some “uncomfortable home truths.” Extra Spicy? As Dicko puts it, “You still get great music industry advice, it’s just that the ‘body count’ is a little higher than normal.”

The Extra Spicy option is a bit of fun – Dicko isn’t looking to seriously hurt anyone’s feelings. “I’m honestly not sure why anyone would want to spend good money and an hour of their time getting insulted by that horrible bloke off the telly who (let’s face it) only your nan remembers, but it does happen,” he says.

Of the people who have sought out the category, Dicko reveals that he’s hosted a “dad band, a goth band, and an S&M enthusiast,” who he quips “must have worked out I was offering a cheaper hourly rate than their usual dominatrix.”

He adds, “As I intimated, ‘Extra Spicy’ is a bit of fun. A chance to have that god awful man from Australian Idol give you the ‘Paulini’ treatment to your face. It’s a chance for me to dust off my best pantomime villain costume and become your own personal C U Next Tuesday. If that’s your thing, hey, go for it… weirdo.”

Since launching Hey Dicko! in November, Dicko has discovered a newfound “freshness and positivity” in what he has to offer, as well as learning plenty from the artists he gets to work with. He’s even enjoying the bittersweet moments of when the client no longer really needs his services.

“I absolutely LOVE my music biz consultancy, coaching role,” Dicko gushes. “I got a lot of enjoyment managing artists over the past decade, and while I loved working on these projects, I do honestly believe that over time, both artists and managers simply cannot avoid taking each other for granted.

“There’s none of that with consultancy clients, even the ones that I take on as mid-term ‘retainer’ clients. The relationship tends to have a freshness and a positivity that makes the process hugely enjoyable. Because all projects are so very different, I am learning so much new stuff with every single session.”

He continues, “I do get a lot of positive feedback from my consultancy clients, but one thing I am having to come to terms with is that if my sessions work as they should do, there comes a time when the client achieves a clear-eyed self-sufficiency, and I am no longer needed. That’s often a bittersweet moment.

“Once I’ve had a little cry, though, it feels really good to see the consistent energy levels of some of these campaigns that were initially stuck in a rut. At the very least, most clients will leave with a very clear message ringing in their ears.”

That message? Dicko says artists have three jobs to do: write, demo, and record great songs, rehearse the songs for a kick-ass live show, and find a way to tell your story as compellingly as possible.

You can lock in your Hey Dicko! session here.