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Mercury Records rises in U.S. again
04/12/2007 12:58 AM, Reuters
Peter Griffiths
Island Def Jam is reviving the
legendary Mercury Records imprint in the United States, eight
years after it was mothballed in the wake of a corporate
merger.
The label continues to operate overseas, serving as the
home for many Island Def Jam acts, such as Bon Jovi, Elton John
and Lionel Richie.
The resurrected Mercury will be headed in New York by David
Massey ,a former executive at Sony Music, where he worked with
the likes of Shakira, Oasis, Franz Ferdinand and Travis.
Mercury -- which over the years has served as the U.S. home
to such acts as John Mellencamp, Def Leppard, Kiss, Rush, Rod Stewart, Cinderella, Fine Young Cannibals and Tears for Fears
-- ceased operating as a frontline label in North America in
1999 in the wake of Seagram Co.'s purchase of Mercury's
PolyGram parent. The deal led to the formation of Universal
Music Group, which is now controlled by Vivendi Universal.
Mercury was founded in Chicago in 1945, and found success
with such acts as Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, the Platters
and Louis Armstrong.
Just how many releases come out this year under the Mercury
banner remains to be seen, but the number figures to be a
handful. Massey said the plan is to build the imprint slowly.
Reuters/Billboard
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