George Michael's record company Aegean is revolutionising the entertainment business with its new web site. It is designed to provide a seedbed for new artists and gives George Michael a new immediacy with his fans. Currently under development by NetCentric Solutions inconjunction with Aegean, the site demonstrates how the net is becoming a vital new media for the creative arts.

The site details George Michael's career, with pictures, video shots and audio clips, and you will also be able to browse similar material from new artists signed by Aegean. Aspiring musicians are encouraged to send Aegean 30-second sound clips of their work over the net. If the demo sounds promising then the talking will begin; circumventing much of the frustration currently faced by artists trying to break into the business. It also offers Aegean an unrivalled opportunity to nurture creativity and originality.

When complete, the site will include: two chatrooms for fans, one in which George Michael will appear from time to time; a Java juke box and Java radio. To achieve these goals NetCentric Solutions is working at the forefront of the technology. Together with Sun Microsystem's new media developers they are creating the Java applets and implementing the streamed audio and video required by the site.

Jane Shute of NetCentric Solutions explains, 'The Aegean site will offer musicians and fans an opportunity for interaction that is unobtainable by any other medium. For example, streamed audio allows direct access to the audio file across the internet, giving immediate access to the music. Other sites use downloadable audio files whereby you have to download the tracks on to your own machine before you can listen to them.'

Aegean released its first single 'Waltz Away Dreaming' with new artist Toby Bourke and George Michael on 26th May 1997.