Jacaranda Records is to launch a global music industry hub in the heart of Liverpool, building upon the city’s legacy as a powerhouse of the music business to create a recording, broadcast, manufacturing and distribution complex designed to reimagine and reinvigorate its reputation on the world stage.
Sixty years after the Slater Street club that launched The Merseybeat sound and The Beatles on their path to global stardom, a partnership between one of the city’s most iconic music venues and leading innovative music industry experts has launched a global record label with a commitment to investing in infrastructure, improving support for homegrown talent, and creating sustainable long-term jobs.
Jacaranda Records Limited – led by Liverpool born producer and former Universal Music Group (UMG) Executive Vice President Ray Mia – will see significant investment ploughed into the city, with plans in place to create a state-of-the-art recording studio, gold standard film & broadcast facilities, and the first major vinyl pressing plant to be built in the UK for decades.
Mia, raised in the Seaforth Docklands area, said:
“Growing up in the 70s & 80s in the City gives you a music education whether you like it or not! If you know your history, Liverpool’s contribution to music is the stuff of legend, and the fact it isn’t still regarded as a cornerstone of the Industry is a national disgrace, which made choosing the city as the HQ for a global music operation, a no-brainer. My career has taken me to the furthest corners of the global media industry and the key established music, film and television centres of London, Milan, Paris, Tokyo, Seoul, Bombay, Los Angeles, Austin, Nashville and New York, and I am yet to discover any city where music flows through the streets, the history, and the very veins of its people like it does in Liverpool. It just can’t be replicated.”
Previously responsible for the enhancement and evolution of innovation, technical infrastructure, human resources and in-house expertise to support audiovisual planning, production, post-production, and content monetisation activities at the world’s biggest music company – including cutting-edge upgrades of the iconic Abbey Road and Capitol Studios – Mia believes that Liverpool is strategically well-placed to significantly increase the estimated £100m revenues generated by the region’s music activities.
Funded by a blend of institutional and personal shareholder investment, Jacaranda Records has been founded as an artist focused, forward-thinking record label expert in deploying innovative technologies and techniques through every stage of the recording, release, distribution and commercialisation cycles. Already working on a range of innovative immersive first audio projects with a diverse range of creatives, performers and partners ranging from the BBC Studios “Earth: One Amazing Day” project to Lemn Sissay and the Canterbury Cathedral Choir, the company is also providing developing and established artists with a range of creative, technical and monetization services to be announced in the coming months.
While working with established artists will represent a significant part of Jacaranda’s operational roster, a key strategic business focus will be on the abundance of new talent in the City of Liverpool and its surrounding areas. Since September, the label has begun work with local city artists such as – The Bohos, Shards, Tracky, Spilt, and The Post Romantics – funding professional rehearsal spaces, film services, studio time and day-to-day support to the fast up-and-coming acts, with several more artists and creatives to be announced in the coming months.
Bands are being provided live performance opportunities through Jacaranda’s existing network of music venues in the city’s Ropewalks area as part of a structured approach to craft development, with The Bohos already embarking on a UK-wide tour supporting Cast later this month. Future releases will be both manufactured locally by the planned vinyl pressing facility, and distributed via the label’s independent retail network, providing a holistic end-to-end ecosystem not reliant on established business models or restricted by dealing with established industry players.
The Jacaranda Club’s Graham Stanley – and the new label’s Brand Director – added:
“Given The Jacaranda Club’s 60 years as an iconic location where people watch, listen and buy music, becoming part of an operation that also makes music seems like a very logical step. Combining the history with the industry expertise and innovation first approach that Ray and his global team bring to the table is hugely exciting, and I’m delighted that we’re not only investing in the latest generation of young musicians poised to burn through the industry, but also bringing a range of established artists and producers to the city to make their contribution, and gain themselves in return. Our aim is not only to find the next big things, but to be a lightning rod attracting the brightest and best talents from around the world. If you’re a creative – why wouldn’t you want to come and play, perform and produce a record in Liverpool.