Flom Names Trink And Kempler To New Capital Executive Team
In an effort to consolidate his new team, Jason Flom, the head of the new Capitol Music Group has appointed Lee Trink as President and Jeff Kempler as COO. The Capitol Music Group was formed last 
week by the merger of EMI Music’s Capitol and Virgin labels in the US.
Trink, who had been General Manager and Executive Vice
President at Virgin Records since joining in that role in January 2006, reports
to Flom. While at Virgin, he played a critical part in breaking new gold artists
such as Red Jumpsuit Apparatus Trink also helped the Grammy-nominated KT Tunstall achieve platinum sales
in the US, and drove the rejuvenation of 30 Seconds To Mars’ latest record, “A
Beautiful Lie,”
which has now achieved platinum status. Prior to joining
Virgin, Trink was the GM of Lava Records, where he worked
closely with Flom, who founded and ran Lava.
Kempler was most
recently Executive Vice
President at Virgin since October 2005 guiding business affairs. Prior to Virgin, he
was SVP Business and Legal Affairs for Atari and before that was SVP
Business and Legal Affairs for the Island Def Jam.
Press release after the jump.
EMI’S CAPITOL MUSIC GROUP APPOINTS LEE TRINK
PRESIDENT AND JEFF KEMPLER CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
NEW YORK, JANUARY 31, 2007 – Jason Flom, Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of Capitol Music Group, today announced the appointment of Lee
Trink as President and Jeff Kempler as Chief Operating Officer of the label
group. The Capitol Music Group, formed last week from the merger of EMI Music’s
Capitol and Virgin labels in the US, is a front line pop, rock and urban label
group comprised of the Capitol Records and Virgin Records imprints.
“With Capitol Music Group, we are combining a fantastic
roster, talented, experienced staff and a willingness to rethink how a label
operates,” said Flom. “Lee and Jeff are the best executives in the industry for
these roles. I have the benefit of first-hand experience with Lee and Jeff and
know that as my partners they will help me realize our vision. Capitol Music
Group’s focus will take the label concept back to its essence – as a home where
artists can flourish, take chances and develop their best work – but in a new,
supercharged way that is right for the digital marketplace.”
Trink, who had been General Manager and Executive Vice
President at Virgin Records since joining in that role in January 2006, reports
to Flom. While at Virgin, he played a critical part in breaking new artists
such as Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, whose debut album “Don’t You Fake It” has gone
gold. Trink also helped the Grammy-nominated KT Tunstall achieve platinum sales
in the US, and drove the rejuvenation of 30 Seconds To Mars’ latest record, “A
Beautiful Lie,” which has now achieved platinum status. Prior to joining
Virgin, Trink was the GM of Lava Records, where he worked
closely with Flom, who founded and ran Lava.
"Our roster includes some of the world’s
greatest musical stars as well as today’s brightest up-and-coming stars. And we
have a smart operation with some of the industry’s most experienced and
respected professionals. We’re in a great position to meet the challenges and
embrace the opportunities of our rapidly evolving business," said Trink. "Jason,
Jeff and I are committed to making the Capitol Music Group the preferred home
for the best creative and executive talent in the industry."
Kempler,
who also reports to Flom, was most recently Executive Vice President at Virgin since joining the label in October 2005. In his position,
Kempler guided all of Virgin’s business affairs and business development
activities, including strategic deals with media properties such as USA
Networks, as well as structuring strategic marketing arrangements such as the
partnership between Virgin, KT Tunstall and Origins. Prior to Virgin, Kempler
was General Counsel and Senior
Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs for Atari, the global interactive
entertainment and game publisher, and before that, was Senior Vice President of
Business and Legal Affairs for the Island Def Jam Music Group, a unit of
Universal Music Group. He also spent 14 years as an entertainment lawyer
specializing in music industry matters with Greenberg Traurig, LLP and Loeb
& Loeb, LLP.
”The newly formed Capitol Music Group is
dedicated to delivering on the promise of our incredible roster, to identifying
and nurturing exciting new talent and to connecting artists and their fans in
the most effective and genuine manner possible,” said Kempler. “With a strong
team led by Jason and Lee, and expertly supported by our many talented EMI
colleagues around the world, I could not be more confident in the
future.”
The Capitol Music Group consists of the
Capitol and Virgin imprints and its roster includes such artists as 30 Seconds
to Mars, Lily Allen, The Beatles, Corrine Bailey Rae, Chingy, Coldplay,
Decemberists, Gorillaz, Interpol, Lenny Kravitz, OK Go, The Red Jumpsuit
Apparatus, The Rolling Stones, Joss Stone and KT Tunstall.
ABOUT EMI MUSIC IN THE
US
EMI Music North America is a part of EMI Group. Its US units
include Astralwerks; The Blue Note Label Group, which includes the Angel, Blue
Note, EMI Classics, Manhattan and Narada imprints; The Capitol Music Group,
which includes the Capitol and Virgin imprints; Capitol Nashville; Caroline
Distribution, serving the independent label community; EMI Christian Music
Group; EMI Televisa Music; and Mute. Its EMI Music Marketing unit comprises
catalogue marketing, strategic marketing and sales for all of EMI’s US labels.
For further information, please visit www.emigroup.com.
Contact:
Jeanne Meyer, EMI North America,
+1.212.786.8850
Adam
Grossberg, EMI North America, +1.212.786.8850
Angelica Cob-Baehler, Capitol Music Group,
+1.323.692.1195
Pictures of Lee Trink and Jeff Kempler are
available upon request
Adam
Grossberg
Senior Director
Corporate
Communications
EMI Group
150 Fifth Ave, 8th
Floor
New York, NY 10011
212.786.8855
(W)
917.907.1144 (M)
gbergPRguy
(AIM)
adam.grossberg@emimusic.com
http://www.emigroup.com
Why are you positioning Flom as the knight in shining armor to save EMI in North America? EMI is an international organization first and foremost. This duffer cannot see past the US mainland. He does not have a legitimate entrepreneurial bone in his body nor does he have the financial discipline or administrative acumen to be EMI’s North American Chief (not to mention the head of the recently formed Capitol Music Group). He is a jammy, silver spooner that always had money from day one, partied extensively in the 80’s and 90’s, went to rehab, had the backup of father-lawyer-power broker Joe Flom for protection (along with Azzoli, Morris et al). He is old guard that cares more about how he looks rather than the company and its employees.
EMI has been in a state of flux post the ejections of Levy, Munns (who appointed Flom), Slater, Gavin and the defection of Bandier. This has allowed Flom to fly under the radar of real financial scrutiny as the priority was to get the Terra Firma deal done post haste. The focus was on this transaction not what Flom was doing in the States. If Gavin was left in place (at least for the transition period) he would have put a stop to alot of the heavy spending that has artificially made some of Flom’s records look successful. This is someone that should be in a leadership position?
Jason was always protected in his 26 years at Atlantic. When he had a big record it was forced then as his ‘big’ records are forced now. He is not building any long-term careers. Do you really think that Red Jumpsuit Apparatus has been a profitable venture? That record along with 30 Seconds To Mars (who he inherited) and many others have all been pushed through the system using the old paradigm. Has anyone looked at the recording, video and promotional expenditures? These will not be career artists nor will their follow up albums have any traction. They mean nothing internationally. He has not built or associated himself with any career artists at EMI. The financial pit that he is digging will only deepen.
Jason needs platinum records to justify his existence and ego among his music industry “executive” peer group. He is already wealthy (from birth and Bronfman’s payoff to get him out of the building). He has no incentive to be thrifty. He wants the accolades. He wants the red carpet. This is not the discipline necessary of a leader in this industry’s current age. Without his RIAA endorsed plaques he sees himself as a loser, an outsider, someone who has gone cold. Do you really think it will take the private equity finance brethren at Terra Firma more than a few minutes to figure this out. They want profitability. That is their certification. That is the credo that they abide by. If you look at the top 5 releases that Flom has taken credit for since taking his post you will see that all have been financial misfires. Misfires using EMI’s money to make himself look good, at the expense of the company.
What about A&R? Very overrated. His historical knack for finding bands was entrenched in using phone research and/or spotting regional airplay on small labels and scooping from that trough. Would a more effective model (assuming you subscribe to this form of talent scouting) not be to hire real, mathematically inclined statistical analysts utilizing customized software tied in to web metrics fractionation?
Executive team? One only needs to take a look at who he has surrounded himself with. Bring them across the pond and they would be immediately detained at Her Majesty’s pleasure!
Digital? Bloody awful. There is no expertise here. This bloke is still living in the 1990’s. He is just another recycled relic of the old machine. Mr. Hands, make changes before another English institution is flushed down the loo.
— Posted by Ken Berrie