A Billboard Magazine journalist for more than a decade, Lars has been closely involved in music and writing since the early ‘90s. During his tertiary studies, he juggled his time between playing drums for a rock band (Human Zoo, later known as Prizm), captaining the varsity basketball team, and writing for a string of publications; he completed a degree in journalism at the University of Queensland in 1994, specializing in print and TV media.
In 1997, Lars left his birthplace of Brisbane, Australia to embark on a backpacking journey, which eventually brought him a new life as a freelancer in London. Before long, he was hired as news editor at the TNT FM radio station in the capital. Later he joined the editorial summaries team at the Financial Times’ electronic publishing division, where he worked for two years.
In early 2000, Lars joined the legendary American music industry weekly Billboard as the International Editor for its award-winning daily product, Billboard Bulletin. In a move which coincided with the launch of Billboard.biz, he was elevated in early 2004 to Global News Editor of Billboard Information Group, and remains the longest-serving staffer to hold that role.
During his stint abroad, Lars visited more than a dozen countries on assignment, and was a regular speaker at music industry conventions around the globe, including MIDEM in Cannes, Popkomm in Berlin, the Amsterdam Dance Event and London’s City Showcase. In 2012, Lars was ranked in The Music Network’s “Power” list of Australian music industry players. Earlier, he joined AC/DC and Kylie Minogue as an elite music biz professional who “almost made it” into the inaugural AMID Power 50 list. In 2006 and 2007, Lars was shortlisted for the U.K.’s Record of the Day award for Music Business News Reporter Of The Year.
No fan of the British winter, Lars and his family returned to Australia in late 2008. Now, Lars reports on Australian music business issues in the role as Billboard Magazine’s Australian correspondent. Lars is also Australasian correspondent with London-based IQ magazine and senior writer with Sydney-based The Music Network, and is a regular contributor to various international publications including the U.K.-based title Music & Copyright. He’s been a guest speaker at music industry conferences up and down the country, including Bigsound (Brisbane), ARIA Masterclass (Sydney), Face the Music (Melbourne), One Movement (Perth), iNTune (Darwin & Alice Springs) and Amplified (Hobart).
Career highlights include a rare in-depth interview with German industrial music pioneer Blixa Bargeld, and on-stage keynote interviews with the likes of dance music veterans Carl Cox, Nile Rodgers and Arthur Baker, Australian songsmith Paul Kelly, Mushroom Group chairman Michael Gudinski and Vivendi CEO Jean-Bernard Levy. Lars’ voice has been heard on interviews broadcast with CNN and American Public Media’s Marketplace, the BBC, Australia’s Triple J and South Africa’s EastCoast Radio. His works have been published by Reuters, the Washington Post, The Hollywood Reporter and the Boston Globe, and he has featured as a pundit in Britain’s The Independent and the Australian Financial Review.
An avid sports fan, Lars trains a close eye on the English Premiership (soccer), the Australian Football League, the NBA and the Australian men’s cricket team. Lars will tell anyone who’ll listen that he could slam dunk a basketball when he was young and fit.