Triple Crown Records is pleased to announce the signing of Portland, Oregon’s Plug In Stereo – also known as 17-year-old wunderkind Trevor Dahl. This jack-of-all-trades, multi-instrumentalist with a talent for crafting easy-going, down to earth acoustic melodies is excited for this next step in his career.
INDIO, California – Perhaps it was a sign that the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Arcade Fire and Hot Chip were sharing the same bill. Whatever the case, Saturday was certainly one of the most scorching Coachella afternoons ever, with temperatures into the100s for hours on end. That meant the tented stages provided plenty of shadowy solace, while pre-sunset outdoor acts were playing to their diehards and suffering while doing it. (Let’s just say there were multiple hipster rockers quoting Lil Jon’s infamous sweat-dripping lyrics.) Still, Peter Bjorn and John and the Decemberists wore their suits and the Sahara tent was… Read more »
Sam Phillips, the man who discovered Elvis Presley and helped kickstart the rock and roll era, died of respiratory failure at St. Francis Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, on Wednesday (July 30). He was 80. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, Phillips founded the Sun Records label in Memphis in 1952 and recorded the debut single from Elvis Presley (“That’s All Right, Mama” b/w “Blue Moon of Kentucky”) in 1954. Elvis’ first recording helped secure both his and Phillips’ places in rock history and set the stage for Phillips’ work with some of the giants of… Read more »
“American Idol” winner Ruben Studdard has signed to Clive Davis’ J Records, and runner-up Clay Aiken will join the first “Idol” winner, Kelly Clarkson, on RCA Records, which Davis also oversees. The RCA Music Group, which includes J Records and RCA Records, has exclusive rights to sign the stars from the “Idol” franchise. The label’s close ties with the show stem from its parent company BMG’s long-standing relationship with “Idol” creator Simon Fuller. Additionally, Fremantle Media, the TV production arm of BMG parent Bertelsmann AG, partnered with Fuller’s 19 Entertainment Group to create the show. Davis, who founded J Records… Read more »
Celebrity has cancelled their remaining dates on the Hopesfall/Every Time I Die tour as a result of injuries sustained during an altercation at last night’s (4/29) show at The Junction in Salt Lake City. During headliner Hopesfall’s set, members of Celebrity tried to calm a group of 30-40 audience members that were beating up kids in the crowd all evening unchecked by security. After having words with the group, bassist, Jesse Fine, was ambushed by several people as he turned around to walk away. Guitarist, Ryan Parrish, and front man Lance Black were also assaulted as they tried to break… Read more »
The newly created RCA Music Group will lay off about 50 staffers from its RCA Records and J Records labels as part of an effort to trim back-office expenses and build a new team under recently installed chief Clive Davis. The layoffs, which had been expected, came two months after parent BMG bought the half of J it didn’t already own from Davis, pairing it with RCA Records to form the group. Davis then replaced the outgoing Robert Jamieson as group chief. The cuts will hit hardest at RCA, which has a more substantial back-office infrastructure. Sources close to the… Read more »
Vertical Horizon re-entered the studio for two days recently to record a version of “I Believe In Father Christmas,” originally recorded by prog-rock heroes Emerson, Lake & Palmer. The song will appear on a holiday release being readied by BMG. The track was produced by John Shanks, who is also overseeing the band’s next album, Go, due early next year from RCA. The recording marks the first time that Vertical Horizon has recorded another artist’s tune. “It was a wonderful experience,” the band writes on its official website ( verticalhorizon.com). “We spend a great deal of time creating our own… Read more »
“American Idol” winner Kelly Clarkson may have the magic to put RCA Records back on top. All the major record labels are pulling out their big-gun releases for the fourth quarter in hopes of hitting some high numbers to make up for the year’s extreme sales dip. RCA has been struggling overall because of a weak release schedule. The label has thus far scored hits only with Dave Matthews Band’s “Busted Stuff,” which has sold more than 1.2 million units, and critically acclaimed postpunk band the Strokes, whose “Is This It” has passed the half-million mark. Clarkson’s two-sided single release,… Read more »
RCA Records president Jack Rovner has departed his post after just over a year on the job, as part of yet another strategy shift at the label’s BMG Entertainment parent, which includes the dissolution of BMG’s North America management structure. Following Rovner’s departure, current BMG North America president/CEO Bob Jamieson will abandon that position and take up a new one as chairman of the newly reconstituted RCA Music Group, sources close to the music giant said. With the new title, Jamieson will exert more direct control over RCA Records as well as jazz-and-classical unit the RCA Victor Group, country arm… Read more »
Singer, model, actor Tyrese recently signed a recording deal with Clive Davis’s J Records. Tyrese’s former label RCA Records shut down its black music division last month, leaving artists Cherokee, Dante, and Coko in search for new label homes. Tyrese told LAUNCH that he was happy to join Davis’s music family. “I’m excited, man, because like never before, I’m going to be looked at as a recording artist, like I’ve always wanted to be looked at ’cause everything else I do is kinda…you know, you’re just winging it. I give my all, but it’s just extra curricular activities, you know,… Read more »