MBW’s Key Songs In The Life Of… is a sequence during which we ask influential music trade figures concerning the tracks which have – up to now – outlined their journey and their existence. This time, we hand our turntable over to Max Lousada, World CEO of Recorded Music at Warner Music Group. The Key Songs In The Life Of… sequence is supported by Sony Music Publishing.
Max Lousada’s gambles are paying off.
Warner Music Group’s World CEO of Recorded Music has laid down some ballsy bets over the previous half-decade – not least his ongoing religion within the management of Los Angeles-based Warner Information, and his deep private involvement in a megabucks partnership deal with 10K Tasks and Elliot Grainge.
Nicely… Warner Information is at the moment crimson sizzling, with a run of credible artists storming to the highest of charts all over the world – Zach Bryan, Benson Boone, Teddy Swims, and, in fact, the return of Dua Lipa.
In the meantime, 10K Tasks, following on from its culture-moving success with Ice Spice, is marshaling one other world viral hit artist, this time in tandem with WMG/ADA: Artemas’ I Like The Means You Kiss Me has raced to half a billion Spotify streams. Trade prognosticators are whispering the phrases “breakthrough star”.
And following Warner’s $400 million acquisition of 300 Leisure in 2021 (a deal during which Lousada performed an instrumental function), the Kevin Liles-led label this week landed straight in at No.2 on the Billboard 200 with Gunna’s One Of Wun.
Talking with MBW, Lousada bats away plaudits for his function in these accomplishments. And as properly he would possibly; formally talking, he’s not right here to speak about music enterprise issues.
That is purely an interview about how music – bear in mind, that outdated factor? – has soundtracked and enhanced Lousada’s 50 years on this planet.
These of you who’ve learn our Key Songs… options earlier than will know the drill: Lousada should choose seven(ish) tracks which have outlined numerous stopovers in his life up to now, and clarify why they imply a lot to him.
In Lousada’s case, stated songs soundtrack the whole lot from his childhood in London to the cultural melting pot of mid-’90s Brighton, his first entrepreneurial success in music — launching the distribution firm In A Silent Means — to his escapades in NYC as a part of Rawkus Information.
In truth, Lousada’s playlist brings us all the best way as much as right this moment, the place he stands as one of the vital influential figures within the trendy world music enterprise.
Contemporary off the airplane from Jazz Fest in New Orleans, Lousada guides MBW on a private and musical odyssey all through his life, beginning – at 10 years outdated – within the “smoky pubs” of South London…
1) Miles Davis, In A Silent Means (1969)
My dad was an enormous jazz fanatic. I grew up in Tooting Bec, South London, and our common Sunday could be going to the again of a pub – they don’t actually do that a lot anymore – and listening to jazz bands, surrounded by all these nice battle tales of what occurred at Ronnie Scotts and so on.
It’s attention-grabbing while you do an train like this [Key Songs] and understand how influential these early years of your musical tapestry had been. At this level, I might have been between the ages of 9 and 13, listening to those bands in smoky pubs with numerous pints in every single place and folks smoking Gauloises. I’d get a packet of crisps, and I’d both be listening or out taking part in within the pub backyard.
My dad’s document assortment gave me a reference to him; Donald Byrd, Blood Sweat & Tears, Miles, Thelonious Monk. He’d been a social employee in his early 20s in New York for gangs in NYC, so he’d seen extra of the world than most individuals. He was from a really creative household; my grandmother and different family had been all in movie and theater, stage designers and different roles. That creativity and appreciation of tradition influenced my dad’s household and, subsequently, influenced him.
“I might have been between the ages of 9 and 13, listening to those bands in smoky pubs with numerous pints in every single place and folks smoking Gauloises.”
In A Silent Means, each the album and the tune, caught with me as a result of it was Miles at his greatest – fairly controversial, difficult the conventions of jazz and rock. Mavericks resonate with me, individuals who push boundaries, and because of data like In A Silent Means that began at a really early age.
This document was so important that my first firm was known as In A Silent Means [a UK-based distribution company that Lousada co-founded in 1994, which imported records from the likes of DJ Shadow and Delicious Vinyl].
I nonetheless flip to Miles Davis after I wish to be challenged musically, with creative bravery. Whenever you take a look at what he did with hip-hop, with experimental rock, with dance… he was so forward of his time. Individuals typically see him as a boxed-off ‘jazz’ artist, however he’s way more expansive than that.
2. London Posse, How’s Life In London (1993)
I grew up immersed in DJ membership tradition, mixed with early hip-hop tradition. I used to go to this notorious nightclub known as Dance Depraved In Vauxhall; the very best hip-hop, soul, reggae, ‘hip-house’ – exhibiting my age! – was all there.
I needed to give recognition to London Posse right here, who mashed up hip-hop and ragamuffin, and will go toe-to-toe with the very best. Again then, when you dropped How’s Life… alongside an EPMD or a KRS-ONE document, it might maintain its personal. However actually that is me paying homage to so many attention-grabbing and essential [UK hip-hop] artists from that period who’ve been a bit missed: Monie Love, She Rockers, Cookie Crew, Demon Boyz, Overlord X.
“actually that is me paying homage to so many attention-grabbing and essential UK hip-hop artists from that period who’ve been a bit missed: Monie Love, She Rockers, Cookie Crew, Demon Boyz, Overlord X…”
That scene was big in impartial document shops and South London golf equipment – lots of these artists went to my college, or lived across the space. I might have been round 17 years outdated, I’d began to run membership nights, and South London simply felt like an exhilarating place to be.
I then moved on to Brighton Polytechnic, learning Humanities, which I didn’t end. Music simply overtook the whole lot; selling golf equipment, shopping for vinyl, till In A Silent Means occurred.
I lived in Brighton for 4 years and it had an unimaginable music scene. I noticed each Gil Scott-Heron and Robert Plant dwell. And there was such a vinyl-collecting tradition, pushed by independents and curators like Gilles Peterson, James Lavelle, Skint Information, Ninja Tune, and Rawkus Information [for whom Lousada would later lead operations outside of the US].
It was a time of impartial explosion, taking influences from in every single place, mashing them collectively, and making UK sounds.
3. A Tribe Known as Quest, Examine The Rhime (1991) / Mobb Deep, Shook Ones Pt II (1995) / Mos Def, UMI Says (1999)
After we’d began our distributor [in the mid-’90s], I’d began hanging out in New York, and particularly at Rawkus [a client of Lousada’s distribution company before he joined the label].
For those who reduce everybody open at Rawkus, A Tribe Known as Quest could be of their DNA. The founders of Rawkus, Jarred [Myer] and Brian [Brater], had been initially doing drum’n’bass and hip-hop, however that was in a short time distilled into this various hip-hop sound.
I vividly bear in mind going to The Tunnel in New York, and once they performed Shook Ones by Mobb Deep… as a British child, seeing the vitality and explosion of this music that I beloved, and understanding we had been beginning a label in the midst of all of it. Whereas we didn’t work with both ATCQ or Mobb Deep, we had been aspiring to have data that had that form of affect…
…which brings me to Mos Def. By the late ‘90s at Rawkus, we had been releasing sensible songs and having hits from superb artists like Pharoahe Monch, Talib Kweli, and Firm Stream. You felt just like the epicenter of one thing that was altering. We’d constructed a merch firm, we had been studying and making errors. After which Blacker On Each Sides occurred.
UMI Says wasn’t Mos’s largest document from that album – that was Ms. Fats Booty. But it surely’s my choose, partly as a result of it’s over such a tremendous Fela Kuti beat.
Being concerned with a profitable and well-funded label right now in Rawkus gave me the prospect to launch my very own impartial label [Ultimate Dilemma, which Lousada started in London in partnership with Mushroom].
4) Zero 7, Future (2001)
I first heard Zero 7 once they remixed Radiohead’s Climbing Up The Partitions. It blew me away, so I discovered Sam [Hardaker] and Henry [Binns] and signed them to Final Dilemma. It was my first million-selling album; doing that on an impartial label was an enormous deal. It modified my life.
There was rather a lot occurring, a number of uncertainty on the planet, we’d not too long ago had 9/11. Zero 7’s [Simple Things] album grew to become the soundtrack to a number of escapism from that.
Working with Zero 7 was the primary time I toured the world: I went to the Montreal Jazz Pageant for the primary time, The Troubadour, The Hollywood Bowl. Then Sam and Henry introduced Jose Gonzalez into the band.
Sam and Henry had such expertise, and a tremendous supervisor in Carol Crabtree. I selected Future for my monitor right here as a result of I needed to pay tribute to Sam and Henry’s partnership, however particularly as a result of it was such an important platform for Sia’s vocals.
5) Shuggie Otis, Inspiration Info (1974) / Terry Callier, I’d Quite Be With You (1972)
Shuggie Otis might be my favourite artist on the planet. His music could be performed to mainly each viewers, whether or not you’re a dance-head, a hip-hop head, or a rock head. But, surprisingly, he’s nonetheless one of the vital undiscovered artists. I can play him in [musically-educated] rooms, and individuals are like, ‘Who’s this?’
The first dance at my marriage ceremony was his Strawberry Letter 23. His complete catalog is totally gorgeous; it was an actual problem to decide on simply one in all his songs right here. As a songwriter, producer, vocalist… he’s one in all one. He deserves to be heralded by anybody who’s obsessed with music in any style.
“A misnomer in right this moment’s document enterprise is that all of the sudden everybody wants to show up with successful. Really, the trick is simply figuring out sensible folks; the really nice artists determine it out from there.”
I additionally needed to incorporate Terry Callier right here as a result of he’s been an enormous affect on me musically; you may draw a straight line from him to my musical style and, I assume, my philosophy of believing in expertise. A misnomer in right this moment’s document enterprise is that all of the sudden everybody wants to show up with successful. Really, the trick is simply figuring out sensible folks; the really nice artists determine it out from there.
I’d Quite Be With You is from an LP known as What Coloration Is Love? – the entire album is unimaginable.
Gilles Peterson, an expensive good friend and an enormous affect on me, launched me to Terry Callier. Later in [Callier’s] life, Gilles signed him and put out a document on Speaking Loud, a label I beloved.
6) Fleetwood Mac, The Chain (1977) / The Beatles, Come Collectively (1969)
Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours is like Carole King’s Tapestry — there are simply no fillers in these data.
Rumours is filled with swagger, character, and timeless songwriting, particularly the Stevie and Christine tracks. Fleetwood Mac is what I placed on when my youngsters had been born, so it has a really particular place in my coronary heart. Then once more, I assume you may’t actually play Mobb Deep’s Shook Ones within the maternity ward!
Whenever you take heed to Come Collectively, you simply assume: How is it doable for music to remain so very important for thus lengthy?
Individuals typically talk about the thought of ‘disposable music’ right this moment, so I assume I actually needed to incorporate two songs right here that straight counter that. These two data are equally essential right this moment as they’ve ever been — if no more essential.
Additionally… Rumours was Fleetwood Mac’s sixth album. It reminds us of the necessity to enable artists to dwell, breathe, and expertise. For me, specializing in record-making and touring over the whole lot else in an artist’s life leads, in expertise phrases, to slightly bit an excessive amount of ‘push’ and never sufficient ‘pull’.
We’ve to remind ourselves that these are unimaginable creative creatures that want house to create worlds. They shouldn’t be operating in the direction of the sunshine – the sunshine ought to come to them.
7) Steely Dan, Black Cow (1977) / Minnie Riperton, Les Fleurs (1969)
These tracks symbolize summer season and winter to me.
I play Black Cow in the beginning of each summer season – it signifies the beginning of the season for me. That drives my household a bit mad… however it’s a ritual now, and in my protection, it’s a fucking feel-good document!
Black Cow, by way of its place as a pattern in hip-hop historical past, speaks for itself. I got here to artists like Tom Petty, Steely Dan, and Bob Dylan comparatively late – in my 20s – as a result of it wasn’t actually my musical ‘college’. However after I began spending extra time on the West Coast, the expertise of listening to music in LA warmth and Laurel Canyon, drew me to [Steely Dan album] Aja.
Steely Dan undoubtedly aren’t ‘uncool’ by any means, however I additionally actually like the very fact they’re snug in their very own pores and skin.
If Black Cow is my summer season solace, Minnie Riperton is my winter solace: She’s bought me via a number of touring forwards and backwards on planes in bleak climate.
Les Fleurs has this ‘70s, French R&B factor occurring. I first heard this after I was in my early 20s and I simply thought: ‘Who is that this?!’ She’s essentially the most melodic, sensual, dope singer. She’s bought three basic albums and I don’t assume anybody’s ever touched her at what she does.
8) Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam, I Surprise If I Take You House (1985)
I couldn’t dwell with out this, so I’m demanding it as my bonus monitor! It’s my responsible pleasure.
I ought to warn folks: This isn’t an important tune; it’s not an important vocal; it’s not dangerous manufacturing, however it isn’t the very best. But the sum is someway better than the components.
The entire different artists I’ve talked about listed below are genre-defining and distinctive. That is my dance single of the combination. It was practically Goldie’s Timeless; it was practically a Photek document. However this was a document I’d at all times play after I briefly DJ’d and it might at all times maintain the group.
It’s not a basic in standard phrases – however it’s a basic to me.
