LIBERATION MUSIC LABELS JOIN UNIVERSAL MUSIC

Michael Gudinski, the founder of iconic record label Mushroom, takes his indie powerhouse label Liberation Music to Universal.


SYDNEY, September 1st, 2008 Australian independent Liberation and all of its associated labels, Ivy League, Illusive, and Liberator today signed a three year exclusive distribution agreement with Universal Music Australia.

Home to artists as successful and diverse as Jimmy Barnes, The Vines, Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson, Liam Finn, Bliss N Eso, Josh Pyke and the Kaiser Chiefs, Liberation is one of the most robust and successful independent record labels in Australia.

Liberation's label activities are split as follows:

Ivy League is a joint venture with Record Label and Artist Management mavericks Andy Kelly, Andy Cassell and Pete Lusty and run by Chris Maund. Ivy League's brief is to sign and develop new Australian talent for world markets and they already have a fantastic record of landing international deals. Their roster includes some of Australia's most exciting talent; The Vines, Josh Pyke, Sparkadia, Bridezilla, Youth Group, The Mess Hall, Snob Scrilla, Red Riders, and The Silents.

Illusive Sounds is a cutting edge label run by Matt Gudinski. With its roots originally in hip hop and r'n'b Illusive have recently started to expand into other genres of music, as well as merchandise. Indicative of their success is the Top Ten debut of Bliss N Eso's Flying Colours album which has also just been nominated for JJJ album-of-the-year. Illusive's current roster includes new signing Downsyde, plus Lowrider, Paris Wells, X & Hell and The Winnie Coopers.


The Liberator imprint is Liberation's international repertoire arm, who most recently announced the inclusion of the UK's Kaiser Chiefs to their growing roster, which also includes Michael Franti & Spearhead, Armand Van Helden, The BPA (Fatboy Slim), Joan As Police Woman and The Futureheads as well as it's exclusive label deals with [PIAS] / Wall Of Sound, Southern Fried Records and Soundstage. Founded and managed by Nick Dunshea and Vincent Donato, Liberator will also continue to source one-off DVD titles from the likes of Nickelback, Rob Thomas, Smashing Pumpkins, Matchbox 20 and Duran Duran.

Liberation, the parent label, recently delivered a #1 album for Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson and promise more exciting things to come in the second half of the year with hotly tipped Melbourne band The Temper Trap. Liberation's broad roster includes Jimmy Barnes, Liam Finn, diesel, Ian Moss, Marcia Hines, TZU, Custom Kings, Kate Alexa, Howling Bells, The Vandas, Archie Roach, David Bridie, Mahalia Barnes, Hot Lies and The Holidays.

Liberation also promotes and markets branded compilation albums including those with Top Gear, Jim Beam, V8 Supercars and Countdown (jointly with ABC).

Notably Liberation also now controls the most comprehensive Australian music catalogue in the country and releases the highly successful and widely respected Liberation Blue Acoustic Series which continues to draw critical acclaim.

Under the new agreement between Universal and Liberation, Liberation's artists will continue to have full control over the creation of their music. All promotion and marketing initiatives and campaigns will be made by Liberation while Universal Music Australia will provide distribution, back office services and strategic oversight.

Michael Gudinski, Mushroom Group CEO said: This is a unique relationship that came about through George Ash's tenacity and from very exciting discussions in London with Universal Music Group International CEO Lucian Grainge and Executive Vice President Max Hole.

While we're looking forward, with great excitement, to working with Universal on our label acts, I also see this as the beginning of a greater strategic relationship between Universal and other divisions of the Mushroom Group.

Already ATM Merchandising has an exclusive partnership with Universal's merchandising arm Bravado, and The Frontier Touring Company tours many of Universal's leading artists to our shores. This new partnership with Universal will provide new avenues to further develop these existing relationships as well as create new ones for the future good of both companies.

Max Hole, Executive Vice President, Universal Music Group International, and President, Asia-Pacific Region, said: I am thrilled to be partnering with Michael Gudinski, one of the music industry's most successful international music entrepreneurs. Michael is a true hit maker and we look forward to a long, creative association

George Ash, Managing Director, Universal Music Australia, said: Michael Gudinski's success in Australia - and beyond - is the stuff of legend in the music business. I was lucky enough to work with him and Warren Costello in the past, and I'm looking forward to doing so again with the Liberation team and their amazing artists."

Warren Costello, Managing Director, Liberation Music said: Michael and I are extremely proud of the Liberation team who have built a very solid platform to allow our Label to enter an exciting new phase of growth in a very tough contemporary music environment.

We would like to thank Warner Music for their tremendous contribution to our past successes and we are truly energised by the opportunities for further development of the Label with our new partners at Universal.


The Universal Music agreement brings to an end Liberation's six year association with Warner Music Australia.

The new distribution arrangements for Liberation in Australia will take effect from October 1 (In NZ, Liberation Music is already distributed by Universal Music New Zealand). With brand new albums scheduled for release from ARIA Award winner Josh Pyke on October 4 and UK chart-toppers Kaiser Chiefs on October 11, all guns will be blazing from the outset.