Eleven: A Music Company
Encyclopedia
Eleven: A Music Company is an Australian record label
known for its small but successful roster, including Silverchair
and Missy Higgins
. The company was founded on 11 November 2000 by leading artist manager John Watson.
. He worked in independent record stores there while still at high school then left Townsville with local indie band, The Spliffs in 1986. In the late 1980s Watson worked as a freelance music journalist while completing an honours degree in politics at the University of New South Wales
. In 1991 he became the Sydney based Artist and Repertoire manager for Sony Music Australia and later also became the company's Director of International Marketing. In 1994 the young rock trio Silverchair
came to Watson's attention. After being jointly responsible for signing the band to the new Murmur
imprint he left Sony, became Silverchair's manager and founded John Watson Management. Under Watson's guidance Silverchair had immediate worldwide commercial success and have since gone on to sell more than six million CD's and achieve five #1 albums in Australia.
When Silverchair's deal with Sony ended in 2000, Watson formed Eleven: A Music Company to release their works. He also signed several other successful Australian artists to the label, including Missy Higgins
, Paul Mac
, Kisschasy
, The Dissociatives
and Little Birdy
. John Watson Management represents all of these artists and co-manages the most recent Eleven: a music company signing, Gotye
.
John Watson Management also represents some very prominent Australian artists who are not signed to the Eleven label. Namely, Pete Murray (who is co-managed with Dave MacGregor), Birds of Tokyo
and Cold Chisel
(who are co-managed with John O'Donnell). The company also managed Wolfmother
from 2005 until standing down from that role six months before the release of that band's second album in 2009.
Eleven took its name from the amplifier in the cult comedy movie This Is Spinal Tap
. Like that amplifier the label "seeks to go one step further in its efforts on behalf of its artists".
Eleven's releases were originally distributed in Australia, New Zealand, and Asia (except Japan) by Virgin/EMI
. In the rest of the world, however, the label is of independent status and some of its artists are signed to different labels in other territories. For example Missy Higgins is with Warner Bros. Records
and Silverchair most recent album Young Modern was distributed in the U.S by Warner Music's Independent Label Group (ILG).
In July 2008, Watson announced that Eleven would be leaving EMI and joining Universal
on 11 September 2008. The new deal allows Eleven and its artists to have total control over marketing and promotion and to more closely link the marketing and promotion of recordings and tours. In a statement, Watson said "Instead of the traditional approach of having one group of people trying to sell CDs while others try to sell concert tickets, artists need to be in the broader business of building enduring relationships with their audiences in all the different forms that may take. Universal Music truly understands all this, so our new deal will allow us to integrate those processes much more seamlessly."
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
known for its small but successful roster, including Silverchair
Silverchair
Silverchair were an Australian rock band, which formed in 1992 as Innocent Criminals in Merewether, Newcastle with the line-up of Ben Gillies on drums, Chris Joannou on bass guitar and Daniel Johns on vocals and guitars. The group got their big break in mid-1994 when they won a national demo...
and Missy Higgins
Missy Higgins
Melissa "Missy" Morrison Higgins is an Australian pop singer-songwriter, musician and actor. Her No. 1 albums in Australia are The Sound of White and On a Clear Night , and her Top Ten singles are "Scar", "The Special Two", "Steer" and "Where I Stood". From a musical family in...
. The company was founded on 11 November 2000 by leading artist manager John Watson.
History
John Watson grew up in Townsville, QueenslandTownsville, Queensland
Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Australia, in the state of Queensland. Adjacent to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef, it is in the dry tropics region of Queensland. Townsville is Australia's largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast, with a 2006 census...
. He worked in independent record stores there while still at high school then left Townsville with local indie band, The Spliffs in 1986. In the late 1980s Watson worked as a freelance music journalist while completing an honours degree in politics at the University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
. In 1991 he became the Sydney based Artist and Repertoire manager for Sony Music Australia and later also became the company's Director of International Marketing. In 1994 the young rock trio Silverchair
Silverchair
Silverchair were an Australian rock band, which formed in 1992 as Innocent Criminals in Merewether, Newcastle with the line-up of Ben Gillies on drums, Chris Joannou on bass guitar and Daniel Johns on vocals and guitars. The group got their big break in mid-1994 when they won a national demo...
came to Watson's attention. After being jointly responsible for signing the band to the new Murmur
Murmur (record label)
Murmur was a record label that started as an imprint of Sony Music Australia in mid 1994. Named after REM's first album, Murmur signed a number of Australia's most successful rock bands, including Silverchair, Ammonia, Something for Kate and Jebediah...
imprint he left Sony, became Silverchair's manager and founded John Watson Management. Under Watson's guidance Silverchair had immediate worldwide commercial success and have since gone on to sell more than six million CD's and achieve five #1 albums in Australia.
When Silverchair's deal with Sony ended in 2000, Watson formed Eleven: A Music Company to release their works. He also signed several other successful Australian artists to the label, including Missy Higgins
Missy Higgins
Melissa "Missy" Morrison Higgins is an Australian pop singer-songwriter, musician and actor. Her No. 1 albums in Australia are The Sound of White and On a Clear Night , and her Top Ten singles are "Scar", "The Special Two", "Steer" and "Where I Stood". From a musical family in...
, Paul Mac
Paul Mac
Paul Mac is a musician, producer and music remixer from Sydney, Australia. He was classically trained at Sydney's Conservatorium of Music. Paul Mac formed the bands Smash Mac Mac, Itch-e And Scratch-e, The Lab, and The Dissociatives, as well as releasing two records under his own name...
, Kisschasy
Kisschasy
Kisschasy are an Australian rock band formed in Victoria, Australia, in 2002. Since forming, their line-up has consisted of lead vocalist Darren Cordeux, bassist Joel Vanderuit, guitarist Sean Thomas and drummer Karl Ammitzboll....
, The Dissociatives
The Dissociatives
The Dissociatives are an Australian band consisting of Daniel Johns of Silverchair, Australian dance producer DJ Paul Mac, and touring members Julian Hamilton and Kim Moyes from Sydney electronic duo "The Presets"...
and Little Birdy
Little Birdy
Little Birdy are an Australian indie rock band formed in Perth, Western Australia in 2002 by singer and guitarist Katy Steele, drummer Matt Chequer, guitarist and keyboardist Simon Leach, and bass guitarist Scott O'Donoghue...
. John Watson Management represents all of these artists and co-manages the most recent Eleven: a music company signing, Gotye
Gotye
Wouter "Wally" De Backer , also known professionally by his stage name Gotye , is a Belgian-Australian multi-instrumental musician and singer-songwriter. He has released three studio albums independently and one remix album featuring remixes of tracks from his first two albums...
.
John Watson Management also represents some very prominent Australian artists who are not signed to the Eleven label. Namely, Pete Murray (who is co-managed with Dave MacGregor), Birds of Tokyo
Birds of Tokyo
Birds of Tokyo is a four-piece alternative rock band from Perth, Western Australia. Their debut album Day One, gained them domestic success with it reaching No. 3 on the AIR Independent Album charts, spending a total of 36 consecutive weeks in the top 10.In 2008, the band released Universes,...
and Cold Chisel
Cold Chisel
Cold Chisel is a rock band that originated in Adelaide, Australia. It is one of the most acclaimed Australian rock bands of all time, with a string of hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s and huge sales that continue to this day, although its success and acclaim was almost completely restricted to...
(who are co-managed with John O'Donnell). The company also managed Wolfmother
Wolfmother
Wolfmother is an Australian rock band from Erskineville, Sydney. Formed in 2000, the group was originally a trio composed of vocalist and guitarist Andrew Stockdale, bassist and keyboardist Chris Ross and drummer Myles Heskett. Wolfmother released their self-titled debut album in October 2005,...
from 2005 until standing down from that role six months before the release of that band's second album in 2009.
Eleven took its name from the amplifier in the cult comedy movie This Is Spinal Tap
This Is Spinal Tap
This Is Spinal Tap is an American 1984 rock musical mockumentary directed by Rob Reiner about the fictional heavy metal band Spinal Tap...
. Like that amplifier the label "seeks to go one step further in its efforts on behalf of its artists".
Eleven's releases were originally distributed in Australia, New Zealand, and Asia (except Japan) by Virgin/EMI
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
. In the rest of the world, however, the label is of independent status and some of its artists are signed to different labels in other territories. For example Missy Higgins is with Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
and Silverchair most recent album Young Modern was distributed in the U.S by Warner Music's Independent Label Group (ILG).
In July 2008, Watson announced that Eleven would be leaving EMI and joining Universal
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
on 11 September 2008. The new deal allows Eleven and its artists to have total control over marketing and promotion and to more closely link the marketing and promotion of recordings and tours. In a statement, Watson said "Instead of the traditional approach of having one group of people trying to sell CDs while others try to sell concert tickets, artists need to be in the broader business of building enduring relationships with their audiences in all the different forms that may take. Universal Music truly understands all this, so our new deal will allow us to integrate those processes much more seamlessly."
Management/label roster
- SilverchairSilverchairSilverchair were an Australian rock band, which formed in 1992 as Innocent Criminals in Merewether, Newcastle with the line-up of Ben Gillies on drums, Chris Joannou on bass guitar and Daniel Johns on vocals and guitars. The group got their big break in mid-1994 when they won a national demo...
- The DissociativesThe DissociativesThe Dissociatives are an Australian band consisting of Daniel Johns of Silverchair, Australian dance producer DJ Paul Mac, and touring members Julian Hamilton and Kim Moyes from Sydney electronic duo "The Presets"...
- Paul MacPaul MacPaul Mac is a musician, producer and music remixer from Sydney, Australia. He was classically trained at Sydney's Conservatorium of Music. Paul Mac formed the bands Smash Mac Mac, Itch-e And Scratch-e, The Lab, and The Dissociatives, as well as releasing two records under his own name...
- Missy HigginsMissy HigginsMelissa "Missy" Morrison Higgins is an Australian pop singer-songwriter, musician and actor. Her No. 1 albums in Australia are The Sound of White and On a Clear Night , and her Top Ten singles are "Scar", "The Special Two", "Steer" and "Where I Stood". From a musical family in...
- Little BirdyLittle BirdyLittle Birdy are an Australian indie rock band formed in Perth, Western Australia in 2002 by singer and guitarist Katy Steele, drummer Matt Chequer, guitarist and keyboardist Simon Leach, and bass guitarist Scott O'Donoghue...
- KisschasyKisschasyKisschasy are an Australian rock band formed in Victoria, Australia, in 2002. Since forming, their line-up has consisted of lead vocalist Darren Cordeux, bassist Joel Vanderuit, guitarist Sean Thomas and drummer Karl Ammitzboll....
- Birds of TokyoBirds of TokyoBirds of Tokyo is a four-piece alternative rock band from Perth, Western Australia. Their debut album Day One, gained them domestic success with it reaching No. 3 on the AIR Independent Album charts, spending a total of 36 consecutive weeks in the top 10.In 2008, the band released Universes,...
- Cold ChiselCold ChiselCold Chisel is a rock band that originated in Adelaide, Australia. It is one of the most acclaimed Australian rock bands of all time, with a string of hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s and huge sales that continue to this day, although its success and acclaim was almost completely restricted to...
- GotyeGotyeWouter "Wally" De Backer , also known professionally by his stage name Gotye , is a Belgian-Australian multi-instrumental musician and singer-songwriter. He has released three studio albums independently and one remix album featuring remixes of tracks from his first two albums...
- Itch-E & Scratch-E
- Pete Murray