WARNER MUSIC GROUP RELAUNCHES ELEKTRA
The legendary US major label Elektra is being relaunched, it was announced last week. Heading the new Elektra will be co-Presidents Mike Caren and John Janick. Caren is Executive Vice President of A&R for Atlantic Records, while Janick is the founder and President of prominent indie label Fueled By Ramen. Elektra Records will operate as a freestanding label within the Atlantic Records Group, which will provide resources and services in support of Elektra and its artists.
Simultaneous with the launch of the new Elektra, the label has announced its first signings: Grammy winner and Gnarls Barkley partner Cee-Lo, acclaimed French electronic music duo Justice and new UK dance sensation Little Boots. Elektra has also just released the soundtrack to the HBO Original Series “True Blood,” featuring songs from a diverse spectrum of native Louisiana musicians.
“Elektra Records will mark its 60th Anniversary in 2010,” said Elektra Co-President John Janick, “and it feels like the perfect time to recapture and reignite the spirit which made the label a beacon of great music and eclectic artistry. Elektra has always been first and foremost about its artists, supporting their vision and giving them the freedom to do their best work. This is a sacred trust that Mike and I take very seriously, and that we will strive to uphold in the years ahead. We’d like to especially thank Jac Holzman for his wonderful support as we begin to build on the legacy of the amazing label he started six decades ago.”
“Our first signings already signal the diversity that has been and will continue to be Elektra’s trademark,” said Co-President Mike Caren. “The Elektra logo has always stood for quality and integrity, defining genres while crossing and transcending them. John and I are devoted to seeking out original and compelling artists from all walks of music, and giving them a place they can call home. We are thrilled to be partnering with our friends at Warner Music Group and Atlantic Records to reinvent a groundbreaking music culture for a new era.”
“When Elektra merged with Atlantic five years ago, we always knew the right moment would come to bring it back to life,” said Atlantic Chairman/CEO Craig Kallman and Chairman/COO Julie Greenwald. “The great news is that we have found the perfect people to do it. John and Mike are two of the most passionate, creative, forward-thinking young executives in our business. They both started their careers as teenagers and have gone on to champion some of the most exciting new music of the last decade. The independent, entrepreneurial spirit that long defined Elektra is in great hands, and we are truly thrilled to see the label take flight once again.”
Warner Music Group Senior Advisor to the Chairman Jac Holzman – who founded Elektra Records in 1950 and remained head of the label until 1973 – commented: “Iconic isn't my word but it is how Elektra came to be recognized over the years. I wanted people to be able to trust Elektra, to feel each release had an artistic core of some merit, and that there was someone who stood behind it. Each new label head reverentially built on the accomplishments of his predecessor, zealously guarding Elektra's magical reputation. In 2004, Elektra was allowed to go dormant until bright new talents could be found to re-energize and rebirth it as the ‘artists’ label’ for a new century. I’m fortunate to have yet another chance to watch Elektra bloom.”
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HARNEN NAMED PRESIDENT REPUBLIC/NASHVILLE
Veteran music industry executive Jimmy Harnen, who was most recently Sr. VP at Capitol/Nashville, will be reuniting with Scott Borchetta. Harnen has been tapped to be President of the new Republic Nashville.
The announcement was made by Universal/Republic President Monte Lipman and Scott Borchetta, President/CEO, Big Machine Records. The imprint will be headquartered on Music Row and utilize the combined resources of Big Machine and Universal Republic Records.
Republic Nashville’s flagship artists include Sunny Sweeney (who segues from Big Machine) and new country duo Fast Ryde. A major staff announcement regarding the new label will be forthcoming.
Monte Lipman stated, “Scott and his great team at Big Machine and the Valory Music Co. continue to tower over the country music landscape with a tireless commitment to their artists and a visionary approach to discovering new talent that has become the benchmark of Nashville. We’re thrilled to expand our relationship with them, and welcome Jimmy Harnen as he steps into this key role at a crucial juncture in our two companies’ unique history together.”
“Monte and I have been searching for a way to expand our business relationship and I believe we have found the perfect complement in the creation of Republic Nashville,” stated Borchetta. “This venture is an opportunity to utilize the best of our Nashville resources and the best of Monte’s New York resources to create a powerhouse entertainment company. It also affords me the opportunity to bring Jimmy Harnen into the family in a presidential role. Jimmy’s tireless ambition, leadership, trend-spotting, A&R tastes and shared vision for this cutting-edge new company is going to prove to be very successful and a helluva lot of fun.”
“Reuniting with Scott is fantastic in so many ways,” stated Harnen. “As a friend and a colleague, it’s been a thrill to see him and his incredible team achieve such great success these past few years. I relish the opportunity to join the environment he has created that epitomizes the cutting edge of Nashville and the entire music scene. I'm also looking forward to working with Monte Lipman, one of the most respected executives in our entire business, as we combine our resources to make Republic Nashville a productive and unique success story.”
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ABBA TOURING MUSEUM LAUNCHED
One of the world’s most successful pop acts ABBA will have its historic story shared with the world via the travelling ABBAWORLD (formerly known as ABBA the Museum).
Magnus Danielsson, President of Touring Exhibitions, the company behind the project, is confident that the new name and the new imagery will be welcomed. “ABBA is a global phenomenon and that is now reflected in both the content of the exhibition and the new name, ABBAWORLD,” he said. “ABBAWORLD will make it possible for fans of all generations and from all over the world to experience the music, memories and magic of ABBA through the innovative use of technology in sound, visuals and communications.”
The website, www.abbaworld.com, will be launched this summer and will provide visitors with an appetizer for the exhibition.
“The site will make it possible for the audience to plan their visit, to record and play back selected interactive features such as dancing, singing and performing with ABBA, and to share their visit at ABBAWORLD with friends and family in a truly unique way,” said Danielsson. “We are working with some of the most talented people in the business to create a new platform for international touring exhibitions which integrates seamlessly with the internet.”
Görel Hanser, spokesperson and business manager of ABBA, commented, “The exhibition ABBAWORLD will ensure that the legacy of ABBA will live on, for old and new generations to experience far into the future.”
The ABBAWORLD exhibition will have its world premiere in Europe later this year.
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PASSPORT APPROVED TEAMS UP WITH NME RADIO
The influential US-based tastemaker international music radio program Passport Approved, which broadcasts on multiple stations across the US, a twice weekly segment in Germany on MotorFM and worldwide with its own channel on Yahoo! LAUNCHcast, will have its “passport approved” for a special broadcast from the studios of the tastemaker indie music station NME Radio in London, England on Sunday, June 28.
The special two-hour broadcast will be co-hosted by Xfm Founder and current NME Radio Managing Director/Program Director Sammy Jacob and Passport Approved radio show host Sat Bisla. The special broadcast will see the two reunite after they first met back in 1993 when Xfm was a pirate radio station.
Twelve artists from around the world will perform and be interviewed on the special two hour broadcast of Passport Approved from the NME Radio studios.
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MUSEXPO EUROPE 2009 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
One of the world’s most important and essential music, media and technology conferences for those vested in all things music will take place from June 29 – July 1 at The Cumberland Hotel in the heart of London, England and will showcase the crème de la crème of int’l talent at both The 100 Club and Borderline. One of last year’s buzz bands was The Temper Trap, who were signed by Korda Marshall, President, Infectious Records after he saw them at the inaugural MUSEXPO Europe. This year is sure to see a number of other buzz acts secure deals at MUSEXPO Europe. For more information, log on to www.musexpo.net.
MONDAY JUNE 29th
2:00PM - 7:00PM
REGISTRATION OPEN – INTERNATIONAL LOUNGE (GROUND LEVEL “OCEAN FOYER” AT THE CUMBERLAND HOTEL)
5:30PM – 7:30PM
OPENING NIGHT NETWORKING COCKTAIL RECEPTION W/ HORS’DOURVES AT CARBON LOUNGE AT THE CUMBERLAND HOTEL
HOSTED BY ELECTRONIC ARTS ( EA GAMES)
ARTIST SHOWCASES BEGIN AT 7:45PM (VENUES: THE BORDERLINE & 100 CLUB)
TUESDAY JUNE 30th
8:00AM - 7:00PM
REGISTRATION OPEN – INTERNATIONAL LOUNGE (GROUND LEVEL “OCEAN FOYER” AT THE CUMBERLAND)
8:00AM – 9:15AM
NETWORKING BREAKFAST TEA/COFFEE & BREAKFAST SNACKS (GROUND LEVEL LOBBY AREA)
HOSTED BY: Silva Screen & Pangaea Music Publishing
9:30AM - 10:45AM
GLOBAL KEYNOTE
PRESENTED BY: MUSEXPO EUROPE
Co-Moderated by:
Ajax Scott – Managing Director, Woodshed Media
George Ergatoudis – Head of Music Policy, BBC Radio 1
PANELISTS:
Barry Dickins – Co-Founder/Managing Director, Int’l Talent Booking
Guy Moot – President, EMI Music Publishing UK & President of European Creative
Jason Flom – President, Lava Records (UMG)
Jazz Summers – Founder, Big Life Management
Steve Schnur – Worldwide Executive of Music & Marketing, EA Games
11:00AM – 12:00PM:
THE NEW POWER PLAYERS – SHOW ME THE MONEY
PRESENTED BY: Getty Images
Moderated by:
Ted Cohen – Managing Partner, TAG Strategic
PANELISTS:
Ben Drury – CEO, 7 Digital
Kevin Arnold – Founder/CEO, IODA
Mike Doernberg – CEO, ReverbNation
Paul Brown – Managing Director, Spotify (UK)
Vince Bannon – Vice President, Entertainment Partnerships & Development, Getty Images
more speakers TBA
12:15AM - 12:45PM
MINI KEYNOTE: MODELLING THE FUTURE
PRESENTED BY: Detica
Moderated by:
Peter Jenner
1:00PM - 2:15PM
MUSEXPO EUROPE NETWORKING LUNCH AT MARKET RESTAURANT (OCEAN FOYER LEVEL)
HOSTED BY: One Movement for Music Perth / MUSEXPO Asia Pacific
2:15PM - 3:15PM
MANAGERS FORUM: “LEADERS OF (RE) INVENTION”
PRESENTED BY: Queensland
Co-Moderated by:
Joel Harrison – Partner, Party Approved
Martin Talbot – Managing Director, The Official UK Charts Company
PANELISTS:
Cassandra Gracey – Managing Director, Massive Management (Gabriella Cilmi)
Deville Schober – CEO, Brainzone, Germany (Aloha From Hell)
James Sandom – Partner, Supervision Management (The Kaiser Chiefs)
Jim Chancellor – MD, Fiction Records & Rockford Management Ltd. (Athlete)
Phil Chadwick – Managing Director, TRC Management (Elbow)
3:30PM - 4:00PM
THE ARTISTS MINI KEYNOTE:
PRESENTED BY: FEATURED ARTIST COALITION
Featuring Special Guests
4:00PM – 4:30PM
AFTERNOON TEA BREAK (IN THE OCEAN FOYER LOUNGE)
HOSTED BY: Silva Screen & Pangaea Music Publishing
4:30PM – 4:45PM
MINI KEYNOTE ADDRESS: SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
PRESENTED BY: MATIvision.com (GREECE)
4:45PM – 5:45PM
GLOBAL A&R FORUM
PRESENTED BY: Music Export Finland
Co-Moderated by:
Andrew Phillips – Media Consultant
Joe Taylor – Partner, Field Recordings/Nuxx Publishing & Contributing Writer RotD
PANELISTS:
Björn Teske – A&R Director, Sony Music Int’l/Columbia (Germany)
Darcus Beese – Co-President, Island Records (UK)
Fredrik Ekander – CEO, Bonnier Amigo (Scandinavia)
Mike Smith – President, Columbia Records (UK)
Shabs Jobanputra – President, Virgin Records (UK)
more speakers TBA
5:45PM – 7:30PM COCKTAIL RECEPTION AT THE CUMBERLAND HOTEL (CARBON LOUNGE)
HOSTED BY: A&R Worldwide
ARTIST SHOWCASES BEGIN AT 7:45PM (VENUES: THE BORDERLINE & 100 CLUB)
WEDNESDAY, JULY 1ST
8:00AM – 5:00PM
REGISTRATION OPEN – INTERNATIONAL LOUNGE (GROUND LEVEL “OCEAN FOYER” AT THE CUMBERLAND)
8:00AM – 9:15AM
NETWORKING BREAKFAST TEA/COFFEE & BREAKFAST SNACKS (GROUND LEVEL LOBBY AREA)
HOSTED BY: Silva Screen & Pangaea Music Publishing
9:30AM - 10:30AM
PUBLISHING FORUM – “STILL THE REAL ESTATE OF THE MUSIC BUSINESS”
PRESENTED BY: Artwerk Music Publishing
Moderated by:
Emmanuel Legrand – Editor, Impact Music Publishers Magazine
PANELISTS:
Barbara Orbison – President, Orbison Music Co. & Still Working Music Co.
Caroline Elleray – Head of A&R, Universal Music Publishing Group
Jens-Markus Wegener – Managing Director, AMV Talpa GmbH (Germany)
Rakesh Sanghvi – Managing Director, Sony/ATV (UK)
more speakers TBA
10:45AM – 11:45AM
THE BROADCAST SUMMIT: STILL MAKING YOUR ANTENNA THROB WITH EXCITEMENT?
PRESENTED BY: NZ On Air
Co-Moderated by:
Alex Jones-Donelly – Media Consultant
Andrew Phillips – Media Consultant
PANELISTS:
Jeff Smith – Head of Music, BBC Radio 2 & 6 Music
Jimmy Steal – VP Programming, Emmis Radio (Hot 97 NY & Power 106 LA)
Mike Walsh – Head of Music, Xfm Radio Network (UK)
Sammy Jacob – Managing Director, NME Radio
Markus Kuehn – Program Director, MotorFM Germany
12:00PM – 1:00PM:
DOING IT THEIR WAY – MAKING D.I.Y. PAY
PRESENTED BY: IODA
Co-Moderated by:
Keith Jopling – Industry Consultant
Nicola Slade – Contributing Editor, Record of the Day
PANELISTS:
David Courtier-Dutton – CEO, Slicethepie
John Robb – renowned independent music journalist, artist, broadcaster and author
Meiko – artist (MySpace Records)
Nick Detnon – Manager (Dizzee Rascal)
Peter Thompson – Managing Director, PIAS (UK)
1:00PM - 2:15PM
MUSEXPO EUROPE NETWORKING LUNCH AT MARKET RESTAURANT (OCEAN FOYER LEVEL)
HOSTED BY: One Movement For Music Perth / MUSEXPO Asia Pacific
2:15PM – 3:15PM
THE FUTURE OF MUSIC:
PRESENTED BY: A&R Worldwide
Co-moderated by:
Andrew Phillips – Media Consultant
Safta Jaffrey – Managing Director, Taste Music (UK)
PANELISTS:
Adam Zammit – CEO, Peer Group (Australia)
Martin Morales – Executive Director, Disney Music Group (Europe, Middle East & Africa)
Stephen Knill, President Music & Entertainment, The Radiate Group (N. America)
Steve Schnur – Worldwide Head of Music & Marketing, EA Games
Vijay Nair – Founder, Only Much Louder Event Mgmt Ltd. (India)
Zane Lowe – DJ, BBC Radio 1
3:30PM – 4:00PM
AFTERNOON TEA BREAK (IN THE OCEAN FOYER LOUNGE)
HOSTED BY: Silva Screen & Pangaea Music Publishing
4:00PM – 4:30PM
IN CONVERSATION: TBA
PRESENTED BY:
Moderated by:
Ajax Scott – Woodshed Media
4:30PM – 4:45PM
MINI KEYNOTE ADDRESS: SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
PRESENTED BY: Slicethepie
4:45PM - 5:45PM
INT’L MUSIC MEETING: PLAY US YOUR HITS
PRESENTED BY: Next Top Hit
Co-Moderated by:
Andrew Phillips – Media Consultant, Channel 4 (UK)
Sat Bisla – Founder, A&R Worldwide
PANELISTS:
Korda Marshall – President, Infectious Records
Nigel Harding – Music Executive, BBC Radio 1
Sergio Pimitel – International Music & Licensing Manager, Activision
Stuart Clarke – A&R Editor, Music Week
more speakers TBA
5:45PM – 7:30PM COCKTAIL RECEPTION AT THE CUMBERLAND HOTEL (CARBON LOUNGE)
HOSTED BY: MATIvision.com (with a special performance by Scars on 45)
ARTIST SHOWCASES BEGIN AT 7:45PM (VENUES: THE BORDERLINE & 100 CLUB)
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MUSEXPO EUROPE 2009 TALENT SPOTLIGHT
An eclectic array of top emerging international and UK talent is set to arrive in London, England (the music and entertainment capital of Europe) next month for the second annual MUSEXPO Europe at The Cumberland Hotel in the centre London. This top tier of unearthed global talent will showcase at the legendary 100 Club and Borderline club in the heart of London. Most of the talent is available for signing, licensing, booking, legal representation and/or publishing.
Here’s an overview of some of the international talent that will be showcasing from June 29 – July 1 at the 100 Club and Borderline – the full schedule will soon be available at www.musexpo.net.
THE BROKEN BEATS (Origin: Aarhus, Denmark): Denmark’s The Broken Beats are led by charismatic singing/songwriting guitarist Kim Munk, who initially formed the group in the spring of 2001 to seek the ideal of the “unperfected band,” a group with no limitations, with space for both musical and human errors. The early shows were unpredictable, to say the least: sometimes the Broken Beats performed as a trio, while at other gigs there were up to 17 musicians onstage. Nonetheless, they quickly picked up a group of loyal supporters in their hometown and recorded a CD that earned them a deal with a German record label. Alas, delays abounded, resulting in the album never garnering an official release. Undeterred, Munk collected a new group of likeminded musical cohorts and spent the next two years relentlessly touring throughout Germany, Austria and Scandinavia, wearing out three busses in the process…and, ultimately, fraying the nerves of the other band members. But now Munk has returned with a new seven-piece outfit whose sound he smilingly refers to as, “Rock musicians who sold out.” Their new album, You’re Powerful, Beautiful and Extraordinary, has already spawned a Danish hit with leadoff single “The Rules,” which most closely resembles a mad amalgam of Arthur Lee’s Love backed by Clarence Clemons. The Broken Beats will perform at MUSEXPO Europe 2009 in London, England on Tuesday, June 30th at The 100 Club.
THE CUMSHOTS (Origin: Oslo, Norway): Norwegian quintet The Cumshots first came together in the waning months of the 20th century, dissatisfied with the cartoonish state of northern metal and determined to put their own stamp upon the scene. Adopting some memorable monikers, vocalist Max Cargo, guitarists El Doom and Freddie Tennessee, drummer Chris Bartender and the disappointingly normal-sounding bassist Tommy Dean proceeded to do just that with their first two albums, Last Sons of Evil and Norwegian Jesus, the latter of which was nominated for a Norwegian Grammy. But perhaps their greatest notoriety came from an incident during a live performance, when a couple from the group “F[ornicate] For Forest” put on a live sex show in order to raise funds for preserving the rain forest. They’d received permission from the band beforehand…a decision that ended up costing the Cumshots a $10,000 fine. Now signed to Germany’s Rodeostar Records, the Cumshots recently released the fearsomely ferocious album, Just Quit Trying, featuring such rabble-rousing numbers as “Praying for Cancer,” “Punchdrunk on Death,” “Bitter Erection,” “Baptized in Broken Glass” and “I Drink Alone,” which isn’t to be confused with the George Thorogood tune of the same title: “I found out that it’s best for me and everybody else concerned when I drink alone,” laughs Cargo. “Then I can keep the damage down.” The Cumshots will perform at MUSEXPO Europe 2009 in London, England on Wednesday, July 1st at The 100 Club.
DONOTS (Origin: Germany): For fifteen years now Donots have been Germany’s punk rock standard-bearers, releasing half a dozen albums and playing well over 1,000 live shows, sharing stages with acts ranging from Green Day, Blink-182, The Hives, Sum 41, Iggy Pop, The Offspring and Weezer to Linkin Park and Bad Religion, The Bloodhound Gang, Anti-Flag, AFI, The Cure and Judas Priest. Though the band enjoyed almost a decade of success with GUN Records/Supersonic (a division of SonyBMG Germany) and Sweden’s acclaimed Burning Heart Records for the rest of Europe, in 2006 The Donots decided they wanted to leave the major label world behind. After about a year’s worth of negotiations, they were freed from their contracts and formed their own label, Solitary Man Records, through which they released the wryly titled Coma Chameleon in early 2008. The album received glowing reviews and earned them their most successful airplay and television video play ever, particularly for the song “Stop the Clocks,” which has garnered more than a million YouTube views to date and checked in at No.10 on the Visions magazine reader’s poll for “Best Song of 2008,” while the group itself landed at No.8 of “Best International Bands.” Donots will perform at MUSEXPO Europe 2009 in London, England on Tuesday, June 30th at The Borderline.
THE KORDZ (Origin: Beirut, Lebanon): Putting together a band is never the easiest of tasks…but imagine trying to do so in the midst of a long civil war! Yet that’s actually how the members of The Kordz first hooked up at the famed American University of Beirut when several students decided to form a band. After several different lineups and relentless gigging around the Mediterranean, the current trio of vocalist Moe Hamzeh, keyboardist Mazen Slibini and guitarist Nadim Sioufi has risen to the peak of the Middle Eastern rock scene. For example, Grammy-winning musician Mark LeVine, author of the book Heavy Metal Islam, describes The Kordz as “without a doubt the best rock band from Morocco to Pakistan, and perhaps anywhere…The Kordz are setting the standard for the most powerful and innovative live and recorded rock anywhere on the planet.” The group has spent the past two years working on a new album, Beauty & the East, with Grammy-nominated producer Ulrich Wild ( Static-X, Deftones, White Zombie, Breaking Benjamin), recording in Canada, Los Angeles and Lebanon during that time and utilizing an Alt All-Star rhythm section of bassist Andy Curran ( Soho 69) and drummer Jeff Burrows ( The Tea Party). The Kordz will perform at MUSEXPO Europe 2009 in London, England on Wednesday, July 1st at The 100 Club.
PINT SHOT RIOT (Origin: Coventry, England): Pint Shot Riot are rapidly building a name for themselves that is starting to extend beyond the bounds of their hometown of Coventry, England. Melding the jagged rhythms and cutting lyrics of the Clash, the blue-collar rock attitude of Oasis and the melodious, harmonic sound of the Kinks, Pint Shot Riot’s songs favor hope over despair and so appealed to audiences that, six months after the current lineup formed, they were playing on the Glastonbury Introduces stage at the famed festival of that name and were praised by BBC Radio One’s Huw Stephens as “one of the best new bands in the UK” that year. They’ve since shared stages with the likes of We Are Scientists, Dirty Pretty Things, The View, Athlete and fellow Coventry natives The Enemy. The band’s first single, the ominously titled “Punches Kicks Trenches and Swords,” earned significant airplay throughout the UK and was chosen by EA Games for inclusion in the “SIMS 3” soundtrack in November 2008; a month later, they signed a publishing deal with EA/Nettwerk joint venture Artwerk Music. During a segment of BBC DJ Steve Lamacq’s “Music Roundtable” show, members of the Kaiser Chiefs described “Punches…” as “an awesome track, different to what’s going on--we would love to see them live and hear it louder!” Pint Shot Riot will perform at MUSEXPO Europe 2009 in London, England on Tuesday, June 30th at The 100 Club.
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A&R UPDATES
There have been quite a few changes on the A&R front over the last few months. Jeff Levin has joined Atlantic Records while Sunny Lee has joined Motown and Tom Lee has been tapped by Mercury. Max Gousse, David Wright and Angelo Sanders all join Island’s West Coast office. Both Kenny “The Tick” Salcido and Joseph Weinberger have exited Warner Bros., Lorne Behrman has exited Blue Note, Susan Riley leaves Word in Nashville and Steve Buckingham has left Vanguard. For the latest information in the world of A&R executives order the latest A&R Registry. For more information on ordering the new A&R Registry contact Ritch Esra at ritch@musicregistry.com. |
GLOBAL NEWS UPDATES…
Australian hip-hop act Hilltop Hoods are set to debut with the No.1 album in Australia next week. The trio has already sold 35,000 pre-orders of the album and will perform their first European industry music showcase at MUSEXPO Europe on Monday, June 29 at the 100 Club. For more information on guest list for the show and European licensing contact the band’s manager Dylan Liddy at dylan@bluemaxmusic.com.
Universal has announced the promotion of Susie Lucas to the new role of Head of Mobile for Universal UK. Lucas was most recently Mobile Manager for Polydor UK. In her new role, Lucas will report to Brian Rose, Commercial Director, Universal.
Hollywood Records will sign a multi-album deal with an A&R Worldwide developing artist next week. The deal was brokered between label President Bob Cavallo and the artist’s manager with attorney Eric Greenspan representing the band’s interests. Formal details of the band, which has garnered strong development support from A&R Worldwide for over the past year (including securing them management representation), will be unveiled next week.
Cherry Lane Music Publishing has announced the signing of rising grunge-rock band Pop Evil, who hail from Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Republic/Universal.
US management company Prospect Park ( Jane’s Addiction, Korn, Five Finger Death Punch and Flyleaf) have signed Kiwi act Like A Storm. The band tells A&R Worldwide they signed a new model deal with Prospect Park. Like A Storm, who hail from Auckland, NZ, is an alternative hard rock band formed by brothers Chris, Matt, and Kent Brooks. In 2005 they moved to Vancouver, Canada to take their sound to the world. With melodic, riff-driven songs and an energetic live show, L.A.S quickly made a name for themselves, selling out clubs and creating a buzz in the Vancouver scene. With new drummer Thomas Karanasos added to the lineup they will be touring the US this summer. Their debut album, The End of the Beginning, is due out this fall, and their first single, “Chemical Infatuation,” comes out this summer.
Finnish act 69 Eyes has announced the signing of a US deal for the release of their new album. Nuclear Blast Records is the new label representing the band in Mainland Europe, UK and Ireland, while The End Records will represent the band in North America and AmpHead Music will see the band’s release in Australia. EMI Finland is still the main bell tower in Helsinki and operates with all the new partners as well as with the EMI affiliates in Latin America and South East Asia.
Sony Music has announced that it has joined Vevo, the online music video channel that will be launched by YouTube this year. Sony Music will take an equity stake in the new venture, alongside Universal Music Group.
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IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Ben Mortimer, Richard Csbai, Mike Taylor, Jay Dee Springbett, Daniel Lieberberg, Cecilia Ancker, Ellie Giles, Sharon Dastur, James Dewar, Shabs Jobanputra, Bob Cavallo, Ron Fair, Monte Lipman, David Gresham, Jitin Abraham, Kenny “The Tick” Salcido and Ben Gordon.
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