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Home , Jim Ladd, Jon Landau

By KEVIN STAPLEFORD

IDIF"TaNUMDIMILAtio PIEMPLEE As Chosen By A Panel Of Their Peers Jim Ladd

You can't trace the history of FM Rock Radio without Floyd's to take part in the making of his encountering Jim Ladd. From the moment he first solo album Radio K.A.O.S.. Playing himself as a rebel t opened a microphone on a small Long Beach FM DJ on the album, Ladd was also a featured performer station in 1969, Jim has combined meaningful music on Waters' world tour and starred in all three music with substantive issues like no one else. videos.

No static at all. Jim Ladd served as co -host of the nationally televised pay -per -view broadcast of The Who's historic 25th

Ladd arrived at KLOS/Los Angeles in 1971. The anniversary performance of Tommy, and he co -hosted golden age of commercial Rock Radio was about to the radio broadcast of 's The Wall in Berlin. begin, and Jim was at its epicenter. After four years as the top -rated DJ at KLOS, Jim joined a floundering, After his worldwide travels, Jim rejoined KLOS in yet stimulating, maverick station called KMET. Within 1997, taking over the night shift-and promptly ayear, the -Mighty Met" became the top -rated became the #1 -rated 1/1 in Adults, 25-54. Today, he's station in Southern California. For eight of his nine one of the few major market DJs left with the freedom years with the station, Jim was the #1 -ratedair to program his own show. For example, he recently personality in his timeslot. introduced a new feature called "Jim Ladd's Living Room," where artists perform and chat with an inti- Ladd first attained national prominence as host of the mate studio audience in a mock "living room" setup. hour-long syndicated radio program "Innerview," which aired on over 160 stations nationwide for 12 Again ensconced in the studio that started itall, a years. In 1987, he accepted the invitation of Pink living radio legend is back on the air. Craig Lambert

Twenty-five years ago, Craig Lambert could be found he traveled a characteristically eclectic road, working deepinthe bowels of Capitol Records'Detroit alongside everyone from promotion legend Charlie Warehouse. Sure, he was merely filling orders for a Minor to the groundbreaking executive Sylvia Rhone. bunch of Midwestern record stores but, even then, he was also learning the nuances of the business. In 1979, he moved to Chicago to join Mike Bone in Hisplan worked, too. A quarter centurylater, re -energizing Arista Records' Rock Department. The Lambert has emerged as one of the most well -trav- nextyearhestarted hisownindependent eled, well -versed, and well-rounded executives in the promotional firm, New Avenues Music, based in the industry. No wonder that, according to Trauma Windy City, providing himself the opportunity to put principal Rob Kahane, "Craig was at the top of our hisknowledgeofpromotion,publishing,and wish list" when it came time to appoint the label's management to good use. Senior VP and General Manager earlier this year. In 1986, however, A&M Records offered him the Starting in Detroit, Lambert sought to understand post of national Promotion Director. Then, in 1988 every facet of the music business, citing Punch he was asked to reactivate Atco Records as a Andrews (longtime manager of then -"local" artist stand-alone,rising to the rankof Senior Vice Bob Seger) for -teaching [him] a lot about this President of Promotion in 1990. When the label business and exposing [him] to areas that promotion merged withEastWest,he was elevatedto people don't usually see." Executive Vice President, keeping the title when EastWest merged with Elektra in 1994. In 1996, Soon, Lambert moved up the ladder to become a local Lambert joined Sony as Executive VP for Epic in promotion rep for Capitolin1974, and then to 1996. After much speculation, he accepted his cur- National Album Director two years later. From there, rent post with Trauma in 1998. Jon Landau

It's a quote that stands out on a page and smacks you Foregoing this power of the pen (and after producing across the face. It demands your attention and, upon the work of artists such as The MC5 and Livingston proving prophetic, it bestows a genuine glow of genius Taylor), in 1974 Landau teamed with Springsteen in the on the writer. studio and co -produced , which landed Springsteen on the cover of Time and Newsweek-the For Jon Landau,"the quote" emergedin1974, same week, which was unheard of at that time. afterseeing a then -relatively -unknown Bruce irkr Springsteen perform in Harvard Square. "I've seen rock Landau went on to co -produce such landmark albums and roll future," Landau wrote inThe Real Paper, as Darkness On The Edge Of Town, The River and Born an alternative newsweekly in , "and its name In The USA. Meanwhile, in 1978. he added manage- .4 is ." ment to his activities and he's handled Springsteen's career ever since. Over 20 years later, the team is still wk. So there you go. going strong.

' \ Landau had actually already made a name for himself, Inrecent years Landau and management partner as a critic for , Crawdaddy and others Barbara Carr have expanded Jon Landau Management, while still a student at Brandeis University. "He cer- and now represent Natalie Merchant and , tainly had a way with words," recalls Brandeis school- as well as Springsteen. mate (and fellow honoree) Norm Winer. "He even wrote a concert review for the school paper that later credited for his decision to break up Cream." 68