The Island Def Jam Music Group Inks Joint Venture With Roadrunner Records.

Entertainment Editors

NEW YORK--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--July 30, 2001

Expanding further into the rock marketplace, The Island Def Jam Music Group has inked a joint venture agreement with pioneering label Roadrunner Records, it was announced today by Jim Caparro, Chairman of Island Def Jam, Lyor Cohen, President of Island Def Jam, and Cees Wessels, Chairman and founder of Roadrunner.

With major label support provided by The Island Def Jam Music Group, Roadrunner will continue to focus on signing, developing and producing the most cutting edge artists for worldwide distribution. Initial releases under this venture will include Iowa (August 28), the highly-anticipated follow up to Slipknot's self-titled platinum debut, as well as Silver Side Up (September 11), the new record from Nickelback (their single, "How You Remind Me," is already gaining national momentum).

"Cees and his team have built one of the most creative and successful independent labels in the market," stated Caparro. "As we move forward in building our new company, we will maintain the same spirit that made Island and Def Jam such successful independents. In many respects, Cees has built Roadrunner much the same way, so the fit between both companies could not be better."

"Cees has it going on like Def Jam had it going on. He's a brandbuilder," commented Cohen. "He knows his customer better than anyone in the market, and has a long term, loyal team of executives working with him. This is a dream come true for me."

"Lyor and I tried to do this deal eight years ago with Def Jam," added Wessels. "And I am pleased it is finally happening. In searching for the right partner for Roadrunner, I knew that I didn't want to be a part of a company that was already set in its ways," added Wessels. "The immediate vibe I got from Jim and Lyor was that they are determined to continue building a great company, and this agreement will allow us to take Roadrunner to the next level, while preserving the integrity and credibility of our artists."

Widely regarded as one of the most influential and largest international independent labels in the world, Roadrunner Records was founded by Amsterdam-based Wessels in 1981. Since then, the company has evolved into a multinational group with publishing, recording and merchandising arms with bases all over the world. The company forged a name for itself in the early 80's by licensing U.S. hard rock repertoire for international distribution, with catalog that featured product from the likes of Metallica, Slayer and Megadeth. In addition to Slipknot, current platinum and gold hits include records by Sepultura, Type O Negative, Coal Chamber and Fear Factory.

The Island Def Jam Music Group is a division of Universal Music Group, the world's largest leading music company with wholly-owned record operations or licensees in 63 countries around the world. Its businesses also include Universal Music Publishing Group, one of the industry's largest global music publishing operations.

Universal Music Group consists of record labels A&M Records, Decca Record Company, Deutsche Grammophon, Geffen Records, Interscope Records, The Island Def Jam Music Group, MCA Nashville, MCA Records, Mercury Records, Motown Records, Philips, Polydor, Universal Records and Verve Music Group as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalog of music in the industry which is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S.) and UM3 (outside the U.S.).

Universal Music Group is a unit of Vivendi Universal, a global media and communications company.