Industry Profile: Steve Leeds

— Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen

In the various promotional roles Steve Leeds, Sr. VP-Promotions/Rock Formats at Virgin Records, has played in the music industry over the past three decades, he has had a habit of making the impossible, possible, in almost every field of the business: music publishing, video programming, record, book and video promotion, independent consulting, marketing, major label A&R, producing, consulting, and of course, radio promotion.

He has worked on, and helped break, Hall & Oates, The Rolling Stones, Foreigner, The Stray Cats, Bow Wow Wow, The Fixx, Musical Youth, Joan Jett, John Mellencamp, George Thorogood, Elton John, U2, NRBQ, Jimmy Buffett, Chumbawamba, PJ Harvey, Godsmack, Cranberries, Three Doors Down, Stroke 9, Powderfinger, and countless others. Steve continues to work his magic today as Senior Vice President - New Technologies/Universal-Motown Records.

Steve has made it all work "his" way, imbuing each and every project he's undertaken with his own inimitable stamp. Currently Steve is working under the tutelage of Doug Morris - who he first met while at Atlantic/Atco Records and immediately forged a lasting bond with.

Steve's first industry job was doing freelance work for New York's legendary DJ Murray the K. "I was looking for something full-time when I ran into someone from Atlantic Records in the Time-Warner building," he recalls. "It was one of those Cinderella stories; I was actually offered the local New York promotion job right out of college. I was hired for a very specific reason. Atlantic had a lot of rock acts and they were trying to target the progressive, underground FM stations. I was in the demo and could relate to the DJs."

During his tenure there, Steve immediately made his mark with the leading progressive stations of the time. The stations liked dealing with Steve, who seemed in sync with the music, as well as quickly understanding the dynamic between the stations and the record label.

His next stop after Atlantic/Atco was his own shop, Steve Leeds Promotions. "I left Atlantic/Atco and literally set up shop in Tommy Mottola's office, and worked stations from Maine to Virginia," he says. "Stations understood the concept even though no one had done it before on an AOR basis. They welcomed the help. It was a unique time, and I worked with some of rock's best--Hall & Oates, The Stray Cats, George Thorogood, Split Enz, and even got to associate produce Bow Wow Wow's hit '"I Want Candy.'"

Concurrent with his own developing success, Steve helped launch Stiff Records in America, working the initial product from Rachel Sweet, Lene Lovich, and Ian Drury, and put together the infamous Stiff Records Showcase at Gotham's Bottom Line, which resulted in an American deal for Stiff with CBS. "It was the evolution of 'new wave' into mainstream U.S. radio," Steve notes.

The roll-out of Stiff America, began for Steve a constantly re-occurring theme for him, as being the "start-up" guy. Actually, this role first began for him when he launched U68 - the first full time UHF broadcast outlet for music video. "It was before people were wired for cable, and had access to so many video stations," he advises. "We also created the forerunner for MTV's 'Headbangers' Ball, called 'Power Hour' and the first rap outlet 'Fresh Rap'.

"The only constant in the music business is change," Steve concurs. "So when there's a change, there's always opportunity. Throughout my career, I had done a lot of business start-ups. The U68 video channel, Stiff Records in the U.S., the PolyGram Label Group (PLG), MTV Brasil and MTV International. Maybe I'm a masochist, but I like going through the growing pains of a new company. The day-to-day challenge of something new and different gets me off."

From there Steve went to work for something entirely new -- from top to bottom --MTV. "MTV understands that the entertainment business is about people and relationships," he says. "During my time there, I was fortunate enough to work with the likes of Judy McGrath, Tom Freston and Lee Masters. MTV appears to enjoy a non-competitive environment when it comes to music programming. The truth is, MTV competes with conventional TV for ratings. That's why you see MTV and VH1 developing more lifestyle programming. As to how they decide what videos to program, they have access to the same research tools that a radio programmer has. The secret is, 'there isn't one'."

Steve also worked as director of on-air talent, for both MTV and VH1, with Rosie O'Donnell and Daisy Fuentes being some of his most valuable picks. "Rosie was a great stand-up comic - destined for great things indeed," he notes. "Adam Sandler was our fill-in VJ from NYU, and Adam Curry we coerced back from Holland to the States."

Steve next returned to the record wars by heading up alternative and video at Island Records. "Alternative was always the music that ran against the grain, the music your older siblings couldn't stand or your parents wouldn't tolerate," he says. "It's now being assimilated into the mainstream, and the lines between mainstream and alternative are blurring. Bands like U2 and REM, have their roots are in the non-commercial college world, but they've since assimilated into the mainstream."

Steve claims that alternative has always been the breeding ground for new talents. "The continuing challenge for alternative acts is to keep playing to their strengths and not to be assimilated into the mainstream," he notes.

Steve takes on challenges well. "When I was at MTV, we couldn't figure out where Melissa Etheridge fit in, so, she wasn't programmed a lot," Steve recalls. "When I got to Island, and with Melissa being an Island artist, I had to prove the point that she was relevant to the video audience. Being on both sides gave me an edge, and Melissa went on to becoming a household name at VH1 and MTV with her breakthrough album."

Another challenge for Steve while at Island was the cranberries. "They were a quirky little Irish band," he says. "At the time the thought was to release their debut CD via independent distribution, but, I felt they had the ability to go beyond that, and 'Linger' proved to be a breakthrough song for the Irish quintet."

After his considerable success at Island with acts such as The LA's and Meat Puppets, the opportunity to rejoin mentor Doug Morris at Universal proved too challenging to dismiss. "Going to Universal was an opportunity presented to me by someone I had worked with at Atlantic, Doug Morris," Steve states. "To work with Doug again, and Mel LeWinter, and to grow beyond just being the alternative/video guy, so I could be in the driver's seat of an entire department, made such perfect sense for me."

How do you break a new artist today?
Breaking an act today is a commitment both in terms of time & money. Radio exposure as always is paramount for success. The artist has to want success and contribute their resources and talent. A big part of the process is the ability to partner with your media outlet and provide services that will acknowledge that outlet's level of support. While this can be costly is does tend to raise the bar as to expectations and is one of the few ways a new act can break thru the clutter and distinguish themselves.

The economic model with concert promoters, radio and artist has changed. The business is fluid and is constantly changing and evolving. Much of this is a byproduct of fragmentation as the audio consumer now has more choices than ever before as to how they might wish to consume their preferred music. The industry adapts to survive.

How has technology impacted the business?
The distribution and marketing of music is in the process of changing. Technology has allowed consumers unlimited access. My personal beliefs are that just because something exists, it doesn't give you the right to use it. Just because you can download music for free doesn't necessarily make it right.

What are your views about downloading music off the Internet?
Copyright control is a key issue for the arts. There's a generation that believes it's okay not to pay for the arts---steal cable or satellite service, download files of films or songs etc. How about the economic ramifications of TiVo? Technology will force the entertainment business among other industries to re-evaluate their respective business models. Technology has also had an impact on the business-to-business platform. E-mail has replaced faxes, MP3 files allow programmers to immediately hear new music, Instant messaging has replaced the telephone.

First industry job
As an intern for Murray the K. I learned how to program and eventually did program his radio show which at the time was an AC format. I then moved with him to a FM rock station where we worked within the progressive rock era playing music from all genres. Murray taught me a lot about relationships and that it was a people-based business. We really turned D.C. radio upside down at the time.

Career highlights
College radio - While in college radio I was music director at my college station at American University in Washington, D.C. During my senior year I was elected Station manager. It was here we all learned what radio was all about from the inside; Atlantic Records - This was my first job after graduating from grad school. I was hired to be the New York local for $250 a week. Before I left to start my own business, I was the national head of AOR promotion for the newly activated ATCO label under the newly installed president--Doug Morris; PolyGram Label Group/Island - After my tenure at MTV I went back to the record side and joined a new division of PolyGram--PLG...I was responsible for alternative radio and promoting the video channels; AT MTV I was in charge of the on-air talent. I discovered and hired Daisy Fuentes, Adam Curry, Kevin Seal, Adam Sandler (weekend guy). I also found a comedian for VH1--Rosie O'Donell which as she frequently states, "that guy gave me my first break!"; Rising Tide/Universal - When Doug Morris started Rising Tide Records after departing Time/Warner, I was the first employee after Daniel Glass that he hired. Rising Tide morphed into what is today Universal Records

Career disappointment
Never got to Woodstock and missed seeing the Doors, Sex Pistols and Jimi Hendrix in concert

Greatest challenge
Time management

Best business decision
Not afraid to take chances

Best advice you received
"Always tell the truth--that way u won't have to remember to keep your story straight" -- Kenny Rankin

Best advice to offer
Keep it real

Most memorable industry experience
Working with Bow Wow Wow to produce "I want Candy" after engineering "I want Rock n Roll" to # 1 on the charts & Bono calling me to thank me for his Grammy

Industry pet peeve
Non returned phone calls

Office paraphernalia
Telephone sound effects generator

If I wasn't doing this I would be...
Unhappy

Industry mentors
Doug Morris, John Barbis, Dick Kline, Murray the K

Steve can be reached at 212-373-0713 e-mail: steve.leeds@umusic.com

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