President's Message - Universal Music Publishing

North America
NELLY Y LP IS 4X PLATINUM
!!!
UMPG PRODUCER/WRITER JAY-E IS
ARCHITECT OF THE ST. LOUIS SOUND
UMPG signing, Jay E (a.k.a. Jason Epperson), scored a No. 1 rap single and
Universal Records first No. 1 album as producer and co-writer of Nelly’s Country
Grammar (Fo’Real/Universal). The album was RIAA certified 4X platinum in
October. In November, the single, “(Hot ***T) Country Grammar,was released in
the U.K. and went Top 10 on Music Week’s single’s chart. Nelly’s latest single and
video, “E.I.,” was Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Top 100 on Billboard’s Hot
R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks. Having just completed the St. Lunatics record
(also for Universal) and starting the next Nelly album, Jay-E, a 20-year old St.
Louis native, has signed a 10-song deal with Universal Rrecords. Assisting Jay-
E is St. Louis music consultant, Ronda Theole.
US WRITERS TOP U.K. CHARTS
ERIC FOSTER WHITE HAS NO. 1 SINGLE
WITH U.K. POP BAND, A1
In November, UMPG songwriter Eric Foster White’s song,
“Same Old Brand New You,” by UK Pop band A1, went to No.
1 on the U.K. singles chart. Eric produced and co-wrote the
song with the band. Earlier in 2000, Foster White had another
No. 1 single on the U.S. Christian charts with the boy
band, Plus One.
STURKEN AND ROGERS HAVE NO. 2 IN U.K.
WITH MARTINE MCCUTCHEON’s “I’M OVER YOU”
Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers’s song, “I’m Over You”, performed
by Martine McCutcheon reached No. 2 on Music
Week’s singles chart in October. Sturken and Rogers produced
the single in London for Innocent/Virgin in July.
BALLARD PRODUCES NEW DAVE
MATTHEWS LP DUE IN FEBRUARY, 2001
UMPG executives recently visited Glen Ballard and Dave
Matthews at Conway Studios in Hollywood to hear tracks
from the new Dave Matthews Band CD being produced by
Ballard. Ballard and Matthews have co-written 10 songs for
the project, which is slated for a Feb. 2001 release. Pictured
left to right are: Amos Newman, Java Records; Betsy
Anthony-Brodey, VP Talent Acquisition, UMPG; Dave
Matthews; Glen Ballard; David Renzer, UMPG Worldwide
President; and Bruce Flohr, Sr. VP A&R RCA Records.
N E W
S I G N I N G S
Tom Sturges, Executive Vice President of
Creative Affairs of UMPG’s U.S. Operations,
recently announced Universal Music Publishing
Group has signed the following writers to exclusive
worldwide publishing deals:
BLINK-182
UMPG announced a new worldwide publishing deal with multi-platinum
selling BLINK-182. UMPG’s deal commences after the release of the
band’s next studio album and will be for 2 albums with an additional
option. In November, blink-182 won their first MTV Europe Music Award
for “Best New Act.” Their latest CD on MCA Records, The Mark, Tom &
Travis Show, was released in November and has already achieved Gold
status in Australia, New Zealand & Canada.
PAJAM
UMPG signed hit R&B writing duo Paul Allen and Jimmy Moss (a.k.a.
PAJAM) to an exclusive worldwide publishing deal. Releasing their own
album next year, Pajam wrote the current Kelly Price Top 10 U.S. single
and video, “You Should’ve Told Me.” Their new song, “Without You” is
being recorded for the new Sisqo solo album due in 2001. Also, UMPG
artist Kandice Love is recording their song, “So Long.”
RAPHAEL SAADIQ
UMPG renewed its deal with Raphael Saadiq. Saadiq, who is a member
of the group Lucy Pearl, is currently working on, and in the studio with,
Macy Gray (Eipc), Babyface, Ginuwine (Epic), Kenny Lattimore (Arista),
Christina Aguilera (RCA), Justin (N’Sync) and Bilal (Interscope).
BOB MARLETTE
Tom Sturges
UMPG recently signed writer/producer Bob Marlette to an exclusive
worldwide publishing deal. Marlette most recently produced legendary
Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi’s debut solo album (Divine/Priority)
and co-wrote 9 of the 10 tracks, including the first single, “Goodbye
Lament,” with Dave Grohl. The single was Top 20 on Billboard’s
Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. Marlette also co-wrote and produced the
new Alice Cooper CD. Marlette has his own record label through Island
Def Jam and recently produced Sinnistar (Interscope/Geffen) and Saliva
(Island), which is releasing a new LP in the first quarter of 2001.