Mo Ostin, the legendary label executive who ran Warner Brothers Records for more than 30 years in an era of artistic and advertising success, died in his sleep on July 31, at the age of 95.
Ostin, who signed and/or worked with artists such as The Kinks, Fleetwood Mac, Joni Mitchell, Jimi Hendrix, R. E. M. , Randy Newman and many others, “one of the greatest recording men of all time and one of the leading architects of the fashion music industry,” said Tom Corson, co-president and chief operating officer of Warner Records, and Aaron Bay-Schuck, co-chairman and CEO of Warner Records, in a joint statement.
“For Mo, it was all about helping artists realize their vision,” he continues. “One of the pivotal figures in the evolution of Warner Music Group, in the 1960s, Mo ushered Warner/Reprise Records into a bygone era of revolution Art and culture change. Over the next three decades with the label, he remained a tireless advocate for artistic freedom, both for the talents he cultivated and for the other people who worked for him. Mo lived a normal life doing what he loved and will be deeply missed by the entire industry he helped create, as well as the countless artists and colleagues he encouraged to do their best. On behalf of everyone at Warner, we must thank Mo for all he has done and for his inspiring confidence in our bright future. Our deepest condolences go out to his family at this difficult time.
Ostin, who was included in the Rock
“He’s a smart guy. I had a lot of respect for all the artists on the label, from Hendrix to Sinatra, but not in that order,” Newman told Billboard.
Ostin became president of Warner Bros. Records in 1970, presiding over the Warner and Reprise brands until his retirement as chairman and chief executive officer in 1994. With an artist-first mentality, the labels have become home to a staggering array of artists during his tenure, adding Van Halen, Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor, the B-52s, Paul Simon, ZZ Top, George Benson, Don Henley, Tom Petty, Green Day, Van Parks, Dire Straits, Chaka Khan and, famously, Prince, he signed with the label in 1977.
Although Prince left the label in 1996, after accusing him of “slavery,” only to return in 2014, Ostin regarded Prince as a genius, comparing him to Sinatra in a 2016 interview with Billboard after Prince’s death. He remembers the first time he heard Prince and how Warner Bros. “Our [then] head of promotion, Russ Thyret, won a demo from our head of promotion from Minnesota, Owen Husney; he later became Prince’s manager. immediately. There’s a lot of festival because other people knew about it – A
Many artists remained close to Ostin for decades, even after he left Warner Brothers, such as Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who paid tribute to him on Instagram: “Mo Ostin was a true gentleman. He was honest, kind, and well-liked. I am so grateful that it has been a part of my life; His stories, his humor, his love for his work, he’s the most productive user I’ve ever met in the music world. It made me feel valued, understood, and welcomed, while I was a child with a lot to do to grow.
Van Halen’s Sammy Hagar added a comment on Flea’s Instagram: “He signed some of the biggest artists of all time, no love and respect. . . wonderful publication from Flea. “
Ostin ran Warner Bros. from a multi-story brown wooden building, dubbed the Ski Lodge, in Burbank. It has made it a haven for creativity, with artists coming to make a stopover and play new music. “Rickie Lee Jones came in here with a guitar and played two songs and a part, which was enough to realize he was great,” recalled Lenny Waronker, vice president of Warner Brothers A.
After Jac Holzman’s Elektra Records component of Warner Bros. -Seven Arts (after Warner Brothers Records and Atlantic Records), Ostin’s founders, Holzman and Atlantic, Ahmet and Nesuhi Ertegun, helped create WEA, the global distribution formula that controlled their releases. and brought the distribution in-house.
Sony Music Entertainment’s new artistic director, Clive Davis, of Ostin, remembers him as a fierce competitor, but also a closer friend. “Mo Ostin was one of a kind. And the company he presided over was completely exclusive in its very special leadership and, “Yes, he and I competed for many years, but my friendship with him extended to our respective families and I will cherish our very close relationship. “
Similarly, Doug Morris, former president of Warner Music U. S. , told Billboard: “Mo is the most productive of the most productive. I imagine Mo as an example for all of us who follow him. My focus is on [the son by Ostin] Michael and his loved ones.
Leaders of a generation after Ostin do not forget him as an influential force. Lyor Cohen, YouTube/Google’s global head of music, who was chairman of Warner Music Group from 2004 to 2012, told Billboard: “The good news is that he lived a life. He was a fabulous husband and father and led a healthy musical life. My center is for Michael and his family. Let’s celebrate his life by listening to the many artists he supported. We all deserve to be so lucky.
“Mo was a wonderful mentor,” Lucian Grainge, chairman and chief executive officer of Universal Music Group, said in a statement. “He lived through a set of values that taught me a lot about business, how to be a leader, and life. My respect for him as a manager and as a father was total. His “nose” for skill was legendary, but he was also a connector between people, everything that is missing in the company (and the world) today. My deepest condolences to Michael and the entire family.
“There will only be one Mo Ostin and we will all stand on his shoulders and capitalize on his achievements,” Merck Mercuriades, co-founder of Hipgnosis, wrote on Instagram. “It’s very hard not to settle on Warner Records as the biggest label. of all time. From @sinatra to @neilyoungarchives, a guy who has marked the careers of so many legends. None of us today can touch the hem of our garment. With love to Michael and the Ostin family.
Max Lousada, CEO of Warner Recorded Music, added: “At a time when artistic marketers are revered, we celebrate Mo Ostin as a pioneer who wrote the regulations for others to follow. Warner Music Group and Warner Records wouldn’t exist without his passion. vision and intelligence. Not only did he help create one of the largest musical societies in the world, but he also fostered a culture of courage and ingenuity. Mo saw the artists as they really were and gave them the space to fully realize their originality. Our deepest condolences go out to Michael [Mo’s son] and the entire Ostin family. Mo was a legend and will be greatly missed.
After retiring from Warner Bros. , Ostin remained busy, as well as co-founding and directing the music department of DreamWorks SKG from 1996 to 2004. Subsequently, he served as a representative and board member of the music schools of his alma mater, UCLA, as well as USC. In 2011, he donated $10 million to UCLA for a new facility called the Evelyn and Mo Ostin Music Center.
She passed away before him through Ostin’s wife, Evelyn, and two of their sons, Randy and Kenny. He is survived by his son, Michael.
Perhaps the most fitting tribute to Ostin’s understated taste comes from former Warner Brothers executive Stan Cornyn, who praised Ostin upon his induction into the Rock Hall for trusting the other people he hired to paint his magic under his watch: “Mo brilliant. So brilliant that he never told any of us how to do our jobs.
Assistance in this story through Dan Rys.