SANCTUARY RECORDS
Sanctuary Records is the largest independent record label in the United Kingdom, and the largest music management company in the world, looking after around 120 acts. It is also the world's largest independent owners of music intellectual property rights, with over 150,000 songs.
The company was formed in 1976 by Rod Smallwood and Andy Taylor, who had first met as undergraduates at Trinity College, Cambridge, and later organized dance events for students together. In 1979, they discovered (in a London pub) and then managed the heavy metal group Iron Maiden. They consequently named the record company after the song Sanctuary.
The CEO of Sanctuary Records is Merck Mercuriadis, former manager of English act Catherine Wheel.
American Idol finalist Ryan Starr was rumoured to have been signed for a total of three albums in 2005, reports have not been clarified.
Sanctuary Records is noted for preferring to sign artists with long-term appeal, usually the artists are those considered 'heritage acts', being artists who have had a long career and steady fanbase.
Iron Maiden's back catalog was re-issued by Sanctuary in conjunction with Columbia Records in the US in 2002.
Kenny Rogers's 1980's back catalog (originally released on RCA Records) was re-issued by Sanctuary's Castle Music label in conjunction with Kenny Rogers' Dreamcatcher Records in the UK. The albums were only available as imports in the US.
Kenny Rogers's 2003 release "Back To The Well" was released by Sanctuary in the UK.
Mayan Records is an imprint of Sanctuary Records, which Lordi's UK album The Monster Show was released under.
After a £110m loss in 2005, City pressure led to Smallwood becoming merely a general manager of the company, Taylor becoming Chief Executive and former British Airways chief executive Bob Ayling being installed as the new Chairman. On 26 May 2006, Ayling dismissed Taylor from the company over severe problems and inaccuracies in previous years' accounting. Sanctuary Group PLC shares had already become drastically reduced in value after a restructuring designed to deal with the previous year's huge loss.
Sanctuary and Matthew Knowles
Mathew Knowles, father of the Beyonce and manager of Destiny's Child, joined the label as an executive in 2003, when Sanctuary purchased his Urban music company in America. However this move proved disastrous when records by such acts as D12's Bizarre, Ray J and De La Soul were delayed, and the main company headed towards collapse.
After restructuring the main company in 2006, it was decided no more records would be released by this American Urban division, whilst in July of that year Sanctuary came to the agreement that it would sell the MW Entertainment Productions and Management (MWE) talent agency back to Mr. Knowles for £2.7m.
Pye Records
In July 2006, it was announced that Scottish alternative rock group Idlewild would sign to Pye Records, which was being reactivated by Sanctuary for bands that were seen to be more indie and alternative, than the 'heritage acts' that were signed to their main label. This follows the reactivation of old reggae label Attack for the recordings of 2003 Sanctuary signing Morrissey.
MAMA
Also in July 2006 it was reported that MAMA, the management group behind the Kaiser Chiefs and Franz Ferdinand helded by former Mean Fiddler chief Dean James, would bid for the group. If successful the Sanctuary group would be scaled back with the record label dropped to focus on core activities such as live music, artist management and merchandise.
Artists
See also
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