Island Def Jam are to revive their Mercury imprint in the US. Over the years home to the likes of Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Rush and Rod Stewart, since 1999 the imprint has only operated as a fully functioning label in the UK, its name and logo only used in the states for back catalogue, re-issues and as Mercury Nashville for country releases. Sony Music A&R man David Massey, who has overseen hits from the likes of Shakira, Oasis and Franz Ferdinand, is to head up the revived US division. Based in New York, he will assume his post on 16 Apr, and report to IDJ chairman L.A. Reid, and Steve Bartels, COO of IDJ and president of Island Records.
Massey, most recently executive VP of A&R for Sony Music Label Group US, says: "I see Mercury as a label that reflects the kind of artist I've been associated with in the past. It's a very exciting challenge to rebuild a label that from a global perspective has quite a brand." IDJ chairman Reid adds: "The track record of trust and inspiration he has won from the artists he's worked with over the years makes him the perfect choice to pilot Mercury through its latest incarnation."
How prolific the label will be remains to be seen, but Massey has indicated that the plan is to rebuild the imprint slowly. There's also no indication as yet as to whether any artists currently with Island or Def Jam will be transferred to the Mercury label, as the only acts confirmed for the imprint's roster are George Simon Stanford, a singer-songwriter from Philadelphia and Dussy, a singer initially signed to Universal Music International.