A & R
WHERE THE MAGIC LIVES WITH THE ARTIST & THEIR MUSIC
The A&R Department at a record label stands for “Artist & Repertoire” and it is the creative division of a label. Arlene started her music journey in this department, and it was MAGICAL. With a passion for music and talent, she spent endless hours, days and years going to clubs, showcases and sometimes travelled all over the country to scout and find great talent. Working long hours into the nights and weekends with an unstoppable love for music and developing, protecting, and working closely with these artists was her great love. The A&R team was a “colorful” group of characters with great creative instincts.
Working with her fearless leader, Lorne Saifer, was a fantastic experience. Arlene is truly grateful for his belief in her talents . They remain friends to this day.
Arlene’s A&R responsibilities varied, but primarily, she was the “voice, buffer and liaison between the record label and the Artist and often developed a strong bond with her artists. It’s a delicate balance to bring to life the artist’s vision and deal with the business side of music, so it took a special gift of vision and patience. It was also especially important for her to be a great communicator to gain the trust of the artist. Along with finding the talent, she helped develop the artist and their “sound” & image and put them together with the “perfect” producer. One of the things she loved the most was THE SONG. Being a creative soul with a great instinct for talent and a golden ear for hit songs is the key to an Artists’ success. The A&R Department is the magic behind the music.
Arlene had the immense pleasure of working with such greats as HEART, BURTON CUMMINGS (The Guess Who), RINGO STARR, THE McCRARY’S and so many more. She also signed a new cool band in the “new wave” era called 20/20. It was fantastic working with her colleagues with bands like Journey, Bruce Springsteen, Earth Wind & Fire, Toto, Elvis Costello, the list goes on & on with such great Artists at Columbia Records at that time.
She also collaborated closely with publishers, musicians, songwriters and recording studios. On a business note, it was her responsibility to keep track of the production budgets, along with the Production Coordinator, and the entire production process.
Once the album is done, then the Promotion guys take over and the creative battle of opinions begins! Working with the promo people there are usually endless debates over which song on the album is the HIT!! The beloved record store becomes a haven for music lovers to rush in to get the new vinyl album. Tower Records was the king at that time!
THE A&R DEPARTMENT IS THE MAGIC BEHIND THE MUSIC
The A&R Department at a record label stands for “Artist & Repertoire” and it is the creative division of a label. Arlene started her music journey in this department, and it was MAGICAL. With a passion for music and talent, she spent endless hours, days and years going to clubs, showcases and sometimes travelled all over the country to scout and find great talent. Working long hours into the nights and weekends with an unstoppable love for music and developing, protecting, and working closely with these artists was her great love. The A&R team was a “colorful” group of characters with great creative instincts.
Working with her fearless leader, Lorne Saifer, was a fantastic experience. Arlene is truly grateful for his belief in her talents . They remain friends to this day.
Arlene’s A&R responsibilities varied, but primarily, she was the “voice, buffer and liaison between the record label and the Artist and often developed a strong bond with her artists. It’s a delicate balance to bring to life the artist’s vision and deal with the business side of music, so it took a special gift of vision and patience. It was also especially important for her to be a great communicator to gain the trust of the artist. Along with finding the talent, she helped develop the artist and their “sound” & image and put them together with the “perfect” producer. One of the things she loved the most was THE SONG. Being a creative soul with a great instinct for talent and a golden ear for hit songs is the key to an Artists’ success. The A&R Department is the magic behind the music.
Arlene had the immense pleasure of working with such greats as HEART, BURTON CUMMINGS (The Guess Who), RINGO STARR, THE McCRARY’S and so many more. She also signed a new cool band in the “new wave” era called 20/20. It was fantastic working with her colleagues with bands like Journey, Bruce Springsteen, Earth Wind & Fire, Toto, Elvis Costello, the list goes on & on with such great Artists at Columbia Records at that time.
She also collaborated closely with publishers, musicians, songwriters and recording studios. On a business note, it was her responsibility to keep track of the production budgets, along with the Production Coordinator, and the entire production process.
Once the album is done, then the Promotion guys take over and the creative battle of opinions begins! Working with the promo people there are usually endless debates over which song on the album is the HIT!! The beloved record store becomes a haven for music lovers to rush in to get the new vinyl album. Tower Records was the king at that time!
THE A&R DEPARTMENT IS THE MAGIC BEHIND THE MUSIC