Interview:
John Lenard Burnett, Audio Entrepreneur: 17th
July
2004
Media Man Australia continues it's exposé on
the media and multimedia world.
In
this revealing interview, we talk with John Burnett
about his career, and the amazing career he has enjoyed.
You were largely responsible for establishing SAE
(School of Audio Engineering)...how much contribution
did you make, and what is a summary as to why you
are no longer in partnership with Tom Misner?
(Short
and sweet answer)
Yes,
the concept of an education institute as an extension
of Lenard Audio was planed as far back as 1974. The
Institute was to include a school for audio engineering,
recording and electronics.
Unfortunately
the original Lenard Audio did not survive long enough
for the institute to be formed, which is another story.
At
the time of starting the school with Tom, the agreement
was; Tom would handle the financials and
business registration and I was to construct and oversee
the curriculum. (As Tom had not come from a music
or entertainment background, his understanding of
the industry and music production / performance was
limited despite his desire to own a recording studio).
Why
am I no longer in partnership with Tom?
A
good place to start may be to read Tom's biography
'The Misner Factor' by Robert Alexander. BRW (Business
Review Weekly) also gives an account of the Misner
factor in the feature article 'A wrong way to the
top' (by Kath Walters).
Tom
has given an entertaining version as to the beginning
of the school. Truth is something we may all have
our own versions of. I see this story as a tragedy
of a perverse society for which we are all responsible.
In 'The Misner factor' Tom proudly boasts about how
dishonesty enabled him to become wealthy. Fear associated
with criminal behaviour does not exist in Tom. This
is why some people admire him, and others including
myself are no longer associated or in partnership
with him.
(long
and challenging answer)
(A)
Yes, the concept of an education institute as an extension
of Lenard Audio was planed as far back as 1974. The
Institute was to include a school for audio engineering,
recording and electronics.
Unfortunately
the original Lenard Audio did not survive long enough
for the institute to be formed, which is another story.
At the time of starting the school with Tom, I was
bankrupt. I had to entrust Tom with the business registration
and financial accounts. Tom was in the commercial
contract cleaning business and had no background in
the music or entertainment industry, but had a desire
to own a recording studio.
Why
are you no longer in partnership with Tom Minser?
First
you would have to read Tom's biography 'The Misner
Factor' by Robert Alexander; BRW (Business Review
Weekly) also gives a condemning account of the Misner
factor in its feature article 'A wrong way to the
top' by Kath Walters.
Tom
has understandably given a different version as to
the beginning of the school. This is why the true
story no matter how difficult needs to be told. I'm
tired of hearing those who defend Tom as being a victim
of character assassination. This story is a tragedy
of a perverse society for which we are all responsible.
In
his book 'The Misner factor' Tom proudly boasts about
how dishonesty enabled him to become wealthy. Fear
associated with criminal behaviour does not exist
in Tom, which is why many people admire him.
Within
a few months of the school opening, Tom had acquired
an Ampex 8 track-recording machine, which apparently
had been stolen. As senior partner I made him remove
it from the school premises. The shock of discovering
I was managing a school with someone who functioned
at this level was for me overwhelming. In a meeting
we had a few years ago he said, "You didn't have
what it takes". He was absolutely right. But
nothing could have prepared me for what happened next
.
I
was responsible for the training, but behind the scenes
Tom independently held court with the young students,
boasting of his fame.
He
claimed he was an honorary member of the Audio Engineering
Society of New York, authorized to give students he
approved of, a license to record in any studio in
the world. He also claimed he recorded the Beatles,
and personally knew The Rolling Stones. "Trust
me, I know what I'm doing" he said, "You've
got to tell them what they want to hear".
Approximately
a third of the students were young and naive, and
believed their God had arrived and started worshiping
him.
Tom
hotly opposed practical training on equipment that
was purchased with the student's fees. The senior
students were outraged, and stopped paying further
fees until the problem was dealt with. I decided to
put Tom in front of a class, to face reality. This
decision of mine was a disaster, to Tom this was an
opportunity.
To
the students he boasted that he had just returned
from the US where he had been recording the
latest Eagles album. (You could hear a pin drop).
A few of the older students later phoned Eagles management
in the US, Abby Road Studios in London, Audio Engineering
Society of New York, EMI and ABC radio 2JJ.
They
could find no evidence that he was known or had any
experience in the industry. When the senior students
confronted Tom, there was uproar.
Tom
'The Misner Factor' simply went into overdrive and
did a runner (with the money).
I
was bankrupt and the school was in Tom's name. Nobody
in the industry knew who Tom was, and now he's disappeared
with the student's money.
The
ABC radio 2JJ management (now triple J) who supported
me in starting the school felt I had compromised them
into supporting a fraudulent enterprise. They threatened
to assist the students to take legal action against
me, for the return of their fees, which Tom had taken.
I was given a week to have the matter cleared up.
At the last moment, Tin Pan Ally Studios associated
with the ABC, took responsibility and allocated time
free of charge, so I could complete the student's
practical training. The condition being that I break
all association with Tom.
How
do we look at this story? What would you have done
if you were John or Tom? Society has since chosen
which one of us it best identified with 'The Misner
Factor'. From being a contract cleaner who only dreamed
of being in the entertainment industry, now a deity
to many naive young students who would do anything
for him.
Over
time, politics, big business and media, made lying
a virtue. The 80s became known as the era of 'greed
is good', and has not looked back. It is often questioned
whether social conditioning traps us, in which we
have no choice. I am trapped in out-dated beliefs,
that honesty and word of mouth have power over lies
and false advertising. In the recent meeting I had
with Tom he also said, "You overreacted, nobody
listened to that stupid 2JJ station anyway".
There
is still no institute that teaches audio and electro-acoustic
engineering correctly at a high technical standard.
The result being that the trend of how (audio) technology
is used is driven by marketing,
not by educated understanding. This also suits many
companies that sell equipment.
to
be continued...
Editors
note: This story is going to get a lot bigger by the
time Media Man Australia has finished with it!
Interview
- John Lenard Burnett: 22nd July 2004
Media
Fairfax
BRW
Julius
Media
Articles
Media
and Philosophy - 'Money is the symbol of exchange
in human relationships', by John Lenard Burnett
A
wrong way to the top, by Kath Walters - 20th May 2004
Tom
Misners amazing recollections (Julius Media)
- 10th September 2003
Media
Man Australia
The
Legal System!
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