Mo Ostin
Encyclopedia
Mo Ostin is a record executive who has worked for several companies, including Verve
, Reprise Records
, Warner Bros. Records
, and DreamWorks
. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
in 2003 by Paul Simon
, Neil Young
, and Lorne Michaels
. He is known among his colleagues as the most artist-friendly executive in the music business.
He was hired as president of Reprise by Frank Sinatra
from Verve where he had been the Administrative Executive and Controller. At Reprise he was involved with such artists as Ella Fitzgerald
, Sammy Davis Jr., and the Kinks
.
In 1967, after a trip to the Monterey Pop Festival
, he signed Jimi Hendrix
.
Eventually he became the president of Reprise's parent company, Warner Bros. Records
, where he signed numerous acts, including The Beach Boys
, Neil Young
, Frank Zappa
, the Fugs
, Paul Simon
, Van Halen
, Prince and Red Hot Chili Peppers
. Ostin's work made Warners the biggest record company in the world and a model for the artist-friendly late 20th-century record company, creating an image of Warner Bros. as a haven for top musicians. The Warner creative execs included Joe Smith, Lenny Waronker, Stan Cornyn
, Ted Templeman, and David Berman. In late 1994, when Ostin's contract came up for renewal, he came into conflict with then Warner Music Group chairman Robert J. Morgado, whose controversial tenure led to the departure of several key Warner group executives. After over two decades heading WBR, Ostin decided not to renew his contract and he officially left the Warner Music Group in December 1994.
He returned to music in 1996 to lead DreamWorks Records
for David Geffen
. Under his 8-year tenure the label had successes with Nelly Furtado
, Papa Roach
, and All-American Rejects. The label was sold in 2004 and Ostin retired, although he has since returned to Warner Bros. Records as Chairman Emeritus
.
Ostin was the inspiration for Little Feat
's song “A Apolitical Blues” and its lyric "The telephone was ringing, and they told me it was Chairman Mao" was a veiled reference to chairman Mo. Good friend George Harrison
wrote "Mo" for him that appeared on the compilation Mo's Songs. Ostin is also rumoured to be the inspiration behind Neil Young
's song "Surfer Joe and Moe the Sleaze".
Verve Records
Verve Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded by Norman Granz in 1956, absorbing the catalogues of his earlier labels, Clef Records and Norgran Records , and material which had been licensed to Mercury previously.-Jazz and folk origins:The Verve...
, Reprise Records
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
, 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 DreamWorks
DreamWorks
DreamWorks Pictures, also known as DreamWorks, LLC, DreamWorks SKG, DreamWorks II Distribution Co., LLC, DreamWorks Studios or DW Studios, LLC, is an American film studio which develops, produces, and distributes films, video games and television programming...
. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
in 2003 by Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
, Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
, and Lorne Michaels
Lorne Michaels
Lorne Michaels, CM is a Canadian-American television producer, writer, and comedian best known for creating and producing Saturday Night Live and producing the various film and TV projects that spun off from it.-Early life:...
. He is known among his colleagues as the most artist-friendly executive in the music business.
He was hired as president of Reprise by Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
from Verve where he had been the Administrative Executive and Controller. At Reprise he was involved with such artists as Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
, Sammy Davis Jr., and the Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
.
In 1967, after a trip to the Monterey Pop Festival
Monterey Pop Festival
The Monterey International Pop Music Festival was a three-day concert event held June 16 to June 18, 1967 at the Monterey County Fairgrounds in Monterey, California...
, he signed Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
.
Eventually he became the president of Reprise's parent company, 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...
, where he signed numerous acts, including The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
, Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
, Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
, the Fugs
The Fugs
The Fugs are a band formed in New York in late 1964 by poets Ed Sanders and Tuli Kupferberg, with Ken Weaver on drums. Soon afterward, they were joined by Peter Stampfel and Steve Weber of the Holy Modal Rounders...
, Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
, Van Halen
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
, Prince and Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
. Ostin's work made Warners the biggest record company in the world and a model for the artist-friendly late 20th-century record company, creating an image of Warner Bros. as a haven for top musicians. The Warner creative execs included Joe Smith, Lenny Waronker, Stan Cornyn
Stan Cornyn
Stan Cornyn is the author of Exploding: The Highs, Hits, Hype, Heroes, and Hustlers of the Warner Music Group . He also has written three privately-published family genealogy books .-Career:...
, Ted Templeman, and David Berman. In late 1994, when Ostin's contract came up for renewal, he came into conflict with then Warner Music Group chairman Robert J. Morgado, whose controversial tenure led to the departure of several key Warner group executives. After over two decades heading WBR, Ostin decided not to renew his contract and he officially left the Warner Music Group in December 1994.
He returned to music in 1996 to lead DreamWorks Records
DreamWorks Records
DreamWorks Records was an American record label. Founded in 1996 by David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg as a subsidiary of DreamWorks SKG, the label operated until 2005 when it was shut down...
for David Geffen
David Geffen
David Geffen is an American record executive, film producer, theatrical producer and philanthropist. Geffen is noted for creating Asylum Records in 1970, Geffen Records in 1980, and DGC Records in 1990...
. Under his 8-year tenure the label had successes with Nelly Furtado
Nelly Furtado
Nelly Kim Furtado is a Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Furtado grew up in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.Furtado first gained fame with her debut album, Whoa, Nelly!, and its single "I'm Like a Bird", which won a 2001 Juno Award for Single of the Year and a 2002 Grammy...
, Papa Roach
Papa Roach
Papa Roach is an American rock band from Vacaville, California. Their first major-label release was the triple-platinum album Infest . The group's success continued with their gold album Lovehatetragedy , their platinum album Getting Away with Murder , The Paramour Sessions , and Metamorphosis...
, and All-American Rejects. The label was sold in 2004 and Ostin retired, although he has since returned to Warner Bros. Records as Chairman Emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
.
Ostin was the inspiration for Little Feat
Little Feat
Little Feat is an American rock band formed by singer-songwriter, lead vocalist and guitarist Lowell George and keyboardist Bill Payne in 1969 in Los Angeles....
's song “A Apolitical Blues” and its lyric "The telephone was ringing, and they told me it was Chairman Mao" was a veiled reference to chairman Mo. Good friend George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
wrote "Mo" for him that appeared on the compilation Mo's Songs. Ostin is also rumoured to be the inspiration behind Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
's song "Surfer Joe and Moe the Sleaze".