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Hipgnosis acquires production catalogue of Brendan O’Brien
By Andy Malt | Published on Tuesday 17 December 2019
Another day, another deal. This time the Hipgnosis Songs Fund has acquired the producer royalty interests of record producer Brendan O’Brien, which gives it stakes in a lot of big rock tracks by artists including Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Black Crowes and Rage Against The Machine.
The rapidly acquisitive investment fund has, until recently, been mainly buying up songwriter catalogues. But earlier this month it took control of the master rights in the first four Kaiser Chiefs’ albums via a deal with the label B-unique. Buying up O’Brien’s producer royalty interests represents another new shift in the music rights and royalties it is seeking to own.
“It’s very easy to state that Brendan O’Brien is one of the greatest producers of all time”, says Hipgnosis founder Merck Mercuriadis. “Almost every artist he has helped develop has entered or will enter the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for good reason. I’m beyond honoured to welcome Brendan and his historic catalogue into the Hipgnosis family”.
O’Brien adds: “Merck and Hipgnosis were really passionate about the music I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of over the years. They are music people and their commitment made me feel like the records would be in safe hands”.
The deal gives Hipgnosis control of O’Brien’s rights in 1855 works. That includes his royalty interests in music that stemmed from his production of four Pearl Jam albums, two Rage Against The Machine albums, almost the entire catalogue of the Stone Temple Pilots, four Bruce Springsteen albums and The Black Crowes’ ‘Shake Your Money Maker’.
On top of that is his mixing work on the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ ‘Blood Sugar Sex Magik’ and Soundgarden’s ‘Superunknown’.
Hipgnosis aims to persuade investors to put their money into music rights rather than more traditional investment portfolios. The company reckons that it can provide reliable and significant returns, while bringing in a new source of investment for the music industry. Other catalogues it currently owns include those of The-Dream, Benny Blanco, The Chainsmokers, Dave Stewart and Bernard Edwards.
