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Sony relaunch Jive UK
By CMU Editorial | Published on Monday 20 April 2009
Want a jive anyone? Well, good news people, because Sony are re-launching the Jive UK label.
Although originally founded by South African Clive Calder in London in the mid-seventies, Jive, initially the music publishing company and later the main record company of Calder’s Zomba Music Group, is best know for its US operations, firstly as a pioneering hip hop label, and later as the home of America’s biggest pop acts like R Kelly, Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys and Nsync. Nevertheless, it maintained a UK office and A&R team until finally begin absorbed into BMG after the major bought Zomba in 2002.
Whereas in the US Zomba and Jive remained as stand alone divisions within BMG, and then SonyBMG, and now Sony Music, both disappeared as frontline operations in the UK.
Until now. The all new Jive will be headed up by Nick Burgess, a former Virgin Records A&R chief who signed The Thrills and The Kooks to the EMI division. The first signing to the division will be Daisy Dares You. The all new Jive will have Silvertone – another former Zomba-owned UK label – as an imprint.
Confirming all this, Sony top man Ged Doherty told reporters: “Nick is one of the most artist-friendly A&R men in the UK and I am delighted he has joined us. It is equally thrilling to be re-launching the Jive label under his direction”.
Burgess said this: “I’m thrilled to be joining Sony Music at this time. Like many in the industry I’ve been a big admirer of what Ged and his team have been achieving. It’s a massive opportunity to take on a label with a rich heritage of artists associated with it. I hope to build up a roster every bit as varied and successful”.
