On April 2, Seymour Stein, an entrepreneur and music administrator, died at the age of 80. According to a representative, Stein had been battling illness for a long time before his death.
Jerry Harrison, a well-known guitarist, paid tribute to Stein on Facebook with a black-and-white photograph. He described Harrison as a “truly original and remarkable record man.”
” “For decades, his taste was spot on, and few can match his track record,” Harrison continued. He also had the foresight and confidence to allow musicians to make their own choices: Talking Heads directed every album, designed all of our early covers, and directed all of our films. We were fortunate to have such a strong partner who trusted his instincts and believed in us.”
Another performer, Steve Stevens, captioned a photo of Stein, “US record guy who believed in punk and new wave artists” and signed them to his record label, Sire. Stein, according to Stevens, was instrumental in getting the bands recognized in the 1980s. Blondie co-founder and bassist Chris Stein expressed his sorrow as well, writing:
“I last saw Seymour Stein in 2019 at a Blondie concert at the Greek in Los Angeles, posing with Rodney.” Seymour always saw and understood it. Seymour, rest in peace, and my heartfelt condolences to @mandessa and his family.”
Seymour Stein was best known as the co-founder of Sire
Seymour Stein, who was born on April 18, 1942, spent a year at King Records before joining Billboard in 1958. He joined Red Bird Records in 1966, and the following year, he co-founded Sire Productions with record producer Richard Gottehrer, which led to the establishment of Sire Records.
London Records was involved in the distribution of the record label’s early recordings, and they played an important role in the market presentation of various acts. Following that, their marketing was handled by Polydor Records, Famous Music, and ABC Records. Sire Records released several collection albums and is best known for releasing Climax Blues Band’s song Couldn’t Get It Right.
The song was released in 1977 and reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. In the 1970s, Sire Records rose to prominence, eventually collaborating with Warner Bros. Records in 1977. While Elektra Records joined them for marketing in 1994, Seymour Stein became president of the former. The Tragically Hip signed a deal with the company in 1998, and Rani Hancock took over as CEO in July 2017. Stein left the company in July 2018. Stein’s daughter, Mandy Stein, three grandchildren, and sister, Ann Wiederkehr, survive him.
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