Malcolm James Prentice Black ONZM (10 February 1961 – 10 May 2019) was a New Zealand musician and lawyer. He was a member of 1980s Dunedin band, Netherworld Dancing Toys, and was the first specialist music industry lawyer in New Zealand.^[1]

Born in 1961, Black was the son of James Alexander Prentice Black and Lesley Grace Wardell.^[2] He grew up in the Dunedin suburb of Waverley, and was educated at Otago Boys' High School.^[3] He went on to graduate with a law degree from the University of Otago.^[4] Black was twice married, first to artist Tracey Tawhiao, with whom he had two children, and later to Julia, with whom he had two more children.^[4]

Black played in several bands while still at high school, and joined Netherworld Dancing Toys in 1982 as a singer and guitarist during his second year at university.^[3] In 1985, the band released the single "For Today", which reached number 3 in the New Zealand singles chart, and has subsequently been described an "alternative national anthem".^[5] Black and Nick Sampson won the 1985 APRA Silver Scroll for the song, but the group disbanded not long after.^[3]

In 1986, Black joined Auckland law firm Russell McVeagh, before returning to the University of Otago three years later to study for a master's degree and work as a lecturer.^[3] He also ran a music consultancy and began representing bands including Straitjacket Fits, The Chills, and The Verlaines.^[3] Three years later, Black returned to Auckland, without having completed his master's, and established Sinclair Black, a specialist entertainment law firm, with Mick Sinclair in 1989.^[3] In 1996, Black joined Sony Music New Zealand as director of artist and repertoire after the departure of Paul Ellis, and worked with artists including Che Fu, Dave Dobbyn, and Bic Runga.^[3][6]

Black was involved in a review of NZ on Air in 2002, and in 2004 he set up Les Mills Music Licensing, supplying music for use in gyms in 80 countries.^[5][6] He left Sony in 2009 to work in artist management, and co-managed Crowded House and Neil Finn.^[6]

Black served on the APRA AMCOS board of directors.^[6]

Black was diagnosed with bowel cancer after attending the 2017 APRA Silver Scroll Awards in Dunedin.^[7] In 2018, he performed "For Today" with a reformed Netherworld Dancing Toys at the APRA Silver Scrolls, and in 2019 he recorded an album, "Songs for My Family".^[1][5] In the 2019 New Year Honours, Black was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the music industry.^[8] He died from bowel cancer in Auckland on 10 May 2019.^[2][6][9]