Warner Music division Atlantic U.K. has re-launched the Asylum imprint in Britain and appointed Ben Cook as managing director of the new frontline label.
Cook was previously head of the record label division of Ministry of Sound.
The revived Asylum U.K. is intended to nurture new talent and offer services to artists beyond recorded music as Warner increasingly adopts a 360-degree model. “We’re proud to be reviving such a well-known, well-respected brand in the U.K. and to be extending the range of services we can offer the artists,” said Atlantic U.K. president Max Lousada in a statement.
“Max and I share a vision of what a modern label can be and our ideas have coalesced to form Asylum U.K.” added Cook. “Artists, managers and partners that want to innovate will find Asylum U.K. a natural home.”
Other appointments at the relaunched label include Ed Howard as label manager, while Nadine Persaud joins as product manager. Howard was previously Sony ATV Publishing’s synch & marketing manager, working on campaigns for Bob Dylan and KT Tunstall; Persaud joins from media agency MediaCom where she managed key accounts for Universal Music.
Asylum was founded in 1971 by David Geffen and partner Elliot Roberts; early releases were distributed by Atlantic Records, which then acquired Asylum in 1973. Artists on the label included Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris and The Eagles. The U.S. label is now focused on hip-hop but Warner confirms that the U.K. imprint will not be tied to one music genre.
