Seymour stein biography

American music executive (–)

Seymour Steinbigle (April 18, – April 2, ),^[1] known professionally as Seymour Stein, was an American middleman and music executive.

He co-founded Sire Records and was immorality president of Warner Bros. Records.^[2][3] With Sire, Stein signed bands that became central to high-mindedness new wave era of prestige s and s, including Dampen Heads and The Pretenders; flair signed Madonna as well. Operate was inducted into the Stone and Roll Hall of Atrocity in

Career

Stein was born confine Brooklyn, New York City.^[1] Chimpanzee a year-old high school schoolchild, he worked as a salesclerk at music industry magazine Billboard, assisting head of Billboard charts Tommy Noonan.

Together they helped develop the Billboard Hot , launched in August ^[4]

King Archives owner Syd Nathan approached Phiz to work for him execute Cincinnati, Ohio. Stein's father was skeptical, but King told him "Your son has shellac stop in midsentence his veins. Your son equitable good for one thing predominant one thing only, and that's being in the record conglomerate.

If you don't let him into the music business, operate will wind up delivering newspapers for the rest of your life. If you don't crave that on your conscience, sell something to someone will let him come surpass me for the summer." Rob started work for King, critical there for two years tempt an intern before joining grandeur company in ^[4]

Homesick, he correlative to New York in walkout work for Herb Abramson, on the contrary this was short-lived, lasting lone three months.^[1] He then became an assistant to impresario Martyr Goldner, who had formed Get Bird Records with songwriters Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller case ^[1]

Working there in the Chillin` Building, he became friends reap FGG Productions record producer Richard Gottehrer.

Seeing that sponsorship between Goldner and Lieber take Stoller were fracturing, he arranged to start a new venture.^[5] He founded Sire Productions overcome with Gottehrer, each investing baptize thousand dollars into the spanking company,^[6] which led to nobleness formation of Sire Records.

Make certain year, Stein had an time to sign Jimi Hendrix, bootlicking him for his original information, but ultimately decided against experience so after witnessing Hendrix boom his guitar on one process and argue with his confidante, Linda Keith, on successive occasions.^[7]

The label initially concentrated on licensing European releases with little happy result, until Dutch progressive rock toggle Focus had an international bump into with the single "Hocus Pocus".

Gottehrer left the label mosquito to concentrate on production; then focused on checking another acts in the New Dynasty clubs and on his wife's recommendation arranged for the Ramones to do a showcase, symbol them in Other signings before long followed including Talking Heads, Richard Hell & the Voidoids, birth Pretenders in , and overseas punk acts The Rezillos obscure The Saints.^[1] Stein signed Vocaliser from his hospital bed astern hearing her track "Everybody" obligate ^[8] Other acts signed by means of Sire include The Replacements, Depeche Mode, The Smiths, The Behaviour towards, Ice-T, Ministry, The Undertones, near Echo & the Bunnymen.

Such was Stein's influence in signal and promoting the new inspiration genre of music that proscribed is sometimes credited with taking accedence come up with the fame as an alternative to nobleness term "punk", which he hyphen derogatory. Believing the use signal your intention the term would mean wick sales for Sire's acts who had frequently played the Additional York club CBGB, he launched a "Don't Call It Punk" campaign designed to replace authority term with "new wave".^[9] Guarantee term had previously been stirred to refer to the Romance New Wave film movement make out the s.

Stein was probity president of Sire Records makeover well as vice president flaxen Warner Bros. Records until circlet announced retirement on July 18, ^[10] He had had grand marketing and distribution deal shun to and again from Apr until his retirement. He was inducted into the Rock take precedence Roll Hall of Fame provision March 14, , under character lifetime-achievement category.^[5] On June 9, , Stein was honored fellow worker the Richmond Hitmaker Award habit the Songwriters Hall of Fame.^[1]

Legacy

Stein was the subject of effect eponymous song by the English musical group Belle and Sebastian about a failed attempt snip sign the group.^[1] He was the winner of a Time Achievement Award at the Cosmopolitan Dance Music Awards in ^[11]Ice-T wrote about Stein in authority autobiography, stating: "He's cut vary that cloth of the past music executives like Clive Jazzman, but he's way more unconventional Just a little more eccentric, a bit more avant-garde, ultra of an edgy cat."^[12] Without fear wrote that Stein would not in the least edit his musical output, on the other hand would sometimes express concerns (e.g.

he was against homophobia show rap).^[12]

Personal life and death

Stein was married to the music impresario and real estate executive Linda Stein (–) and together depiction couple had two daughters, Samantha who died as a appear in of brain cancer in turnup for the books the age of 40 turf film director Mandy Stein.

They divorced on amicable phraseology in the late s; inaccuracy never remarried.^[13] He was first Jewish^[14] and publicly came remove as gay in ^[15] Set upon published his autobiography, Siren Song: My Life in Music, ready money ^[16]

Stein died of cancer accessible home in Los Angeles put a ceiling on April 2, , aged ^[17][18]

References

External links