Universal Music Canada embraces indie-scene CEO
Arts & Crafts co-founder will replace Randy Lennox as music giant’s president
Canada’s largest major label just took a shot of “indie” in the arm.
Jeffrey Remedios, co-founder of Toronto’s widely revered Arts & Crafts label, ascended into the orbit of Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Drake and Shania Twain as the new president and CEO of Universal Music Canada on Tuesday, stepping into the shoes of longtime Universal head honcho Randy Lennox after he jumped ship to take on the title of president of entertainment media and broadcasting over at Bell Media. “This company has been my home for many years and I leave with the confidence that it’s in excellent hands,” Lennox, who’s run Universal since 1998, said in a press release.
And, indeed, he probably does: Remedios’s Arts & Crafts imprint — cofounded with pal Daniel Cutler and Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew in 2003 as a platform for that band’s breakout You Forgot It In People album and records by such associated acts as Feist, Stars, Jason Collett and Apostle of Hustle — has been one of the pillars of Toronto’s post-millennial indie-pop boom and now ranks as one of the most cherished boutique labels on the international hipster radar, with names as varied as Moby, F---ed Up, Dan Mangan, Bloc Party, Timber Timbre and Röyksopp on its roster. Arts & Crafts Productions also oversees the popular annual Field Trip festival at Fort York, originally conceived as a 10th-anniversary celebration for the label in 2013.
“These past fourteen years have been the greatest,” said Remedios via email, still delighting in the afterglow of a weekend wedding on top of the thrill of a high-profile new gig. “Building Arts & Crafts from a philosophical idea about artists and their rights into the industry leader it is today had been my proudest achievement until I got married this past Saturday.”
He leaves on his honeymoon on Wednesday and will return to take over from Lennox at Universal on Sept. 21.
“One doesn’t really ever take over from Randy,” said Remedios, no stranger to the major-label world since he actually left a publicity job with EMI/Virgin to start Arts & Crafts in the beginning. “He’s a force of nature and I don’t begin to think I will step into his shoes. But what I will do is join the amazing team he has put together and do my best to lead it through this next chapter.
“It’s a fragile time in our industry. Things continue to change quickly. As music fans move to a varied-consumption model, it is critical the leaders in our industry ensure artists are fairly and properly compensated, that we don’t see a continued hollowing of the music middle class (and) that the music industry continues to be run by music lovers who are focused on supporting and nurturing artists.”
Assuming Remedios’s role as president of Arts & Crafts will be Kieran Roy, while long-serving staffers Heidi Krohnert and Matt Brown move into vice-presidential roles. Remedios will retain co-ownership of the operation and continue to sit with Drew as a board member. And, since Arts & Crafts is distributed by Universal Music, he’ll still have a foot in its operations.
Drew, for his part, offered nothing but good wishes to his departing partner. “We as an industry need a blood transfusion,” he said in a statement to press, “and I believe Jeffrey is the perfect blood type.”
“We as an industry need a blood transfusion, and I believe Jeffrey is the perfect blood type.” KEVIN DREW ARTS & CRAFTS PRODUCTIONS