Clive Calder
Encyclopedia
Clive Calder is a South African-born and UK based record executive and businessman primarily known for co-founding the Zomba Group and its subsidiary Jive Records
. The relocation of Warner Music Group
Chairman Edgar Bronfman Jr. to London has pushed Calder from first to second wealthiest music billionaire in Britain, worth an estimated £1.3bn.
, South Africa
. He grew up off Louis Botha Avenue
, Johannesburg. He played bass guitar for local bands and it is said he kept tax manuals on his bedside table for reading. Calder started his first record company in 1971 in South Africa
with Ralph Simon
. By 1975 they had relocated to London
and had begun Zomba as an artist and producer management company. By 1978 Zomba had expanded to include publishing, and opened offices in New York City
. In 1981 they formed their first record label Jive
and Calder began to create a name for Jive as an important outlet for hip hop and rap.
Jive's success was followed by Silvertone Records
in 1988 and countless others throughout the nineties. After an unspecified "ethical disagreement," Calder bought Simon's stake in Zomba and became the sole owner in 1990. In the late nineties, Jive expanded its success to include teen pop phenomenons such as Backstreet Boys
, 'N Sync
and Britney Spears
, all of which topped the charts. In 2002 he sold Zomba for US$2.74 billion to the German-based media group Bertelsmann
. Though he was offered a position with BMG, he instead chose to stay on temporarily as an advisor during the integration period, but left the business in 2003. The Jive Records
brand was discontinued in October 2011, with their artists being moved to RCA Records
.
. Calder is a cricket
fan and has been spotted watching matches in Johannesburg
.
Jive Records
Jive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...
. The relocation of Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
Chairman Edgar Bronfman Jr. to London has pushed Calder from first to second wealthiest music billionaire in Britain, worth an estimated £1.3bn.
Career
Calder was born in JohannesburgJohannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. He grew up off Louis Botha Avenue
Louis Botha Avenue
Louis Botha Avenue is a major street in Johannesburg, South Africa. Originally part of the main road between central Johannesburg and Pretoria , it runs along through the north-eastern parts of the city from Hillbrow to Sandton, passing through numerous older suburbs, including Orange Grove and...
, Johannesburg. He played bass guitar for local bands and it is said he kept tax manuals on his bedside table for reading. Calder started his first record company in 1971 in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
with Ralph Simon
Ralph Simon
Ralph Simon is regarded as a founder in the modern Mobile Entertainment Industry.Simon co-founded the independent Zomba Group of music companies with Clive Calder in the 1970s. In the mid-90s, he was Executive Vice President of Capitol Records and Blue Note Records in Hollywood and started EMI...
. By 1975 they had relocated to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and had begun Zomba as an artist and producer management company. By 1978 Zomba had expanded to include publishing, and opened offices in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In 1981 they formed their first record label Jive
Jive Records
Jive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...
and Calder began to create a name for Jive as an important outlet for hip hop and rap.
Jive's success was followed by Silvertone Records
Silvertone Records (1980)
Silvertone Records is a current British record label, owned by Zomba Music Group. The first and most famous signing to the label was The Stone Roses in the late 1980s, with whom they later had a lengthy legal battle. Other acts signed to the label during its history include Jars of Clay, The Men...
in 1988 and countless others throughout the nineties. After an unspecified "ethical disagreement," Calder bought Simon's stake in Zomba and became the sole owner in 1990. In the late nineties, Jive expanded its success to include teen pop phenomenons such as Backstreet Boys
Backstreet Boys
The Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993. The band originally consisted of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson. They rose to fame with their debut international album, Backstreet Boys...
, 'N Sync
'N Sync
N Sync was an American boy band formed in Orlando, Florida, in 1995 and launched in Germany by BMG Ariola Munich, *NSYNC consisted of JC Chasez, Justin Timberlake, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick...
and Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
, all of which topped the charts. In 2002 he sold Zomba for US$2.74 billion to the German-based media group Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann AG is a multinational media corporation founded in 1835, based in Gütersloh, Germany. The company operates in 63 countries and employs 102,983 workers , which makes it the most international media corporation in the world. In 2008 the company reported a €16.118 billion consolidated...
. Though he was offered a position with BMG, he instead chose to stay on temporarily as an advisor during the integration period, but left the business in 2003. The Jive Records
Jive Records
Jive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...
brand was discontinued in October 2011, with their artists being moved to RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
.
Personal
His current primary residence is in the Cayman IslandsCayman Islands
The Cayman Islands is a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union located in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, located south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica...
. Calder is a cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
fan and has been spotted watching matches in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
.