Sixteen-year-old Amy Fleisher Madden accomplished what many kids only dream of: she started her own independent record label. We take a look back on the importance of Fiddler Records, and the power behind it.
Interscope Geffen A&M announced that John Janick has been named President and Chief Operating Officer of the company. Janick co-founded Fueled By Ramen and was also co-president of Elektra Records
The terms “raw” and “glam” are seldom used to describe the same band, but they suit New York’s queer-core Semi Precious Weapons quite well.
If you’re expecting some huge sob story from New Found Glory’s Chad Gilbert about his band’s recent departure from Geffen Records, well, you can pretty much stop reading right here. Because, as he told MTV News late Wednesday, NFG’s split with the label – the break was announced via a press release earlier this week – was completely mutual, completely painless and, well, completely expected. “It wasn’t a shock to us, because it’s been in the back of our minds for a while. And we were all sort of thinking, ‘What’s going to be our next move?’ ” Gilbert said.… Read more »
LOS ANGELES, CA – Platinum selling artist NEW FOUND GLORY has amicably parted ways with Geffen Records after 7 years with the label. NEW FOUND GLORY released five albums with Geffen Records including the gold selling albums, Sticks And Stones, New Found Glory (ST), and Catalyst. Geffen “up-streamed” NEW FOUND GLORY from Drive-Thru Records in 2000. Speaking on behalf of the band, guitarist Chad Gilbert expressed the group’s gratitude and enormous appreciation for the fantastic years the band spent with Geffen. He also said, “that the band is really excited about the future.” In addition to splitting from Geffen, NEW… Read more »
Interscope Geffen A&M said it has entered into a joint venture with Octone Records, home to rockers Maroon 5, to launch a new label, dubbed A&M/Octone. As part of the deal, A&M/Octone was also acquiring Sony BMG Music Entertainment’s interest in OctJay, a joint venture between Sony BMG and Octone, Interscope said. Financial details weren’t disclosed. James Diener, who founded Octone Records in 2000 while also holding an executive role at J Records and The RCA Music Group, will run A&M/Octone as chief executive and president. Diener is also bringing two members of his executive staff to the new label.… Read more »
Courtney Love’s search for a new label is almost over. The rocker is in advanced negotiations to sign with EMI’s Virgin Records, sources said. If the deal is closed, Virgin will release Love’s first solo album since the breakup of her former group, Hole. Sources said the new album includes numerous songs Love co-wrote with Linda Perry of 4 Non Blondes, who also has collaborated with Pink. An EMI spokeswoman declined comment; Love’s manager David Lory was unreachable at press time. Love’s most recent studio album was Hole’s 1998 “Celebrity Skin,” which sold multiplatinum. Since then, she has been embroiled… Read more »
Hoping to shine in one of the music industry’s few bright spots, Dreamworks Records on Wednesday announced a joint venture with newly-formed Melee Entertainment to release music DVDs that go beyond the typical concert video genre. With music video DVDs selling at a fast clip and in sharp contrast to the recording industry’s protracted decline in CD sales, Dreamworks and Melee hope in part to cash in on the trend while also developing a roster of creative talent. Melee president Bryan Turner, former co-owner and chief executive of Priority Records, an urban-slanted label sold to EMI Group Plc in 1998… Read more »
The president of Vivendi Universal’s MCA Records has resigned, becoming the latest casualty of the slumping music industry. Jay Boberg, 44, told MCA employees Thursday that he was stepping down from the post he has held since 1995. He said in a memo to label executives that he leaves a roster of acts that is “an artistic and musical gold mine.” A spokeswoman said Boberg wasn’t available to elaborate. Boberg joined artist manager Miles Copeland in 1979 to found pioneering I.R.S. Records, which was later sold to EMI for an estimated $20 million. He was tapped to head MCA’s publishing… Read more »
When Courtney Love has her day in court to argue her case against Geffen Records, Inc., she and her attorney won’t be able to use a pivotal claim Love has touted since the dispute started over a year ago. One of Love’s key arguments has been that recording artists are unfairly excluded from a labor law provision that allows other entertainment workers, such as actors, to be freed from their contracts after seven years. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Fumiko Wasserman dismissed that argument from the suit on Wednesday, according to a court spokesperson. Wasserman green-lighted Love’s other claims… Read more »
