Leading Australian Record Labels Merge to Form Tunes Triumvirtate
Wednesday 8th March, 2000
They may not be as visible as the AOL and Time Warner merger or the Warner Music and EMI Music groups joining forces, but three of Australia's leading budget/mid-price and full-price record labels are planning a merger that will create a major music licensing and recording company as of July 1, 2000. With over 75 years of experience in the music industry, John Evans of Rajon Entertainment, Theo Tambakis of Startel Entertainment and Brendan Burwood of RedX Entertainment are combining their three companies with the name of the new vehicle to be Rajon Music Group Pty Ltd.
The three companies currently represent approximately 4.5% of the music industry's annual turnover and among them have released over 200 albums in the past year alone. Rajon has released over 200 packages in the past few years through Sony and controls over 10,000 master tapes of music from the past several decades. Startel, also through Sony, is a leading TV marketer and compilations concept company with over 40 new albums in the past year. Red X has had great chart success recently with the Pepsi Chart Album and a budget/ mid-price range 'The Great Series' distributed through Festival.
John Evans, with 38 years in the music business, was a pioneer in TV music marketing. He started with BMG Records, then partnered J&B Records which was, in its time, the most successful compilations and special products company. He later formed Castle Communications which was sold to BMG in 1997. He's been a longtime ARIA Board member and is Australia's foremost music licensing expert in film, advertising & CDs.
Theo Tambakis is a veteran of 28 years in the industry, starting with K-Tel Records. He joined J&B and started Concept Records which was a leading special products label. Six years ago, he hooked up with John Evans again and formed Startel which has an enviable history of dance compilations and back catalogue concept releases.
Brendan Burwood is a relative youngster with a decade in music. He to started with BMG Records in Victoria as State Manager and rose quickly through the ranks, moving to Sony in Sydney as Strategic Director before forming his own company 18 months ago.
As Evans notes, "The merger will not only create a powerful major licensing and recording conglomerate from our three homegrown labels, it will also make the handling of the impending GST easier for all of our corporations. We will also be able to merge our Internet sites and activities as well as achieving an economy of scale to push our brands and titles through the market more cost-effectively."
The new entity will be operational as of July 1, 2000, the beginning of the Australian financial year and onset of the 10% Goods & Service Tax (GST). Contact details will remain the same--ADDRESS Level 1, 104 Alexander Street, Crows Nest NSW 2065 PHONE 61 (02) 9436 2644 FAX 61 (02) 9436 2665 EMAIL: john_evans@rajon.com.au