Untitled Document

PAUL CROCKFORD
AUTHORIZED BIOGRAPHY

PAUL CROCKFORD was born in Lewisham in 1958. After leaving Gillingham Grammar School in 1976 he went on to study Environmental Economics at Southampton University. Things didn't go quite as he had planned. After just three weeks of arriving at the university Paul became Social Secretary of the student union, the youngest ever in the history of the National Union of Students. Among the bands Paul brought to the university were The Dammed, Jess Roden, Ian Gillan, and Elton John's band. He became so enthusiastic and dedicated to the Social Secretary's job that his university studies began to suffer: at the end of the first year, following an unsuccessful exam campaign, Paul decided to leave university to pursue his interest in the music business.

Paul got a job as soundman and tour manager for The Pleasers, one of a number of bands at the forefront of the short-lived power pop explosion of the late 1970s. In 1980 he went to work for Outlaw Management Ltd/Outlaw Concerts Ltd where he remained for seven years. It was here that he began to hone his skills in promotion and management. Beginning as an ordinary employee, Paul rose to become a partner and director in what was to evolve into a major UK concert promoters company promoting the likes of Genesis, The Police, Eric Clapton, Tears For Fears and Dire Straits. At the same time, Paul took his first steps in the field of artiste management managing a roster of high profile acts, which included Level 42, Tears For Fears, Judie Tzuke and Teardrop Explodes.

By 1987 Paul decided it was time to go it alone and establish his own management company. He left Outlaw and set up Paul Crockford Management. On the books were acts such as Level 42, The Blessing and Brendan Croker. Under Paul's management, Level 42 went on to become one of the most popular British bands of the 80s selling in excess of 20 million albums and enjoying hit singles in every territory in the world. In 1990 Paul began a ten-year partnership with Jolyon Burnham under the banner of Huge and Jolly Management with acts such as The 4 of Us, The 60FT Dolls, Pete Wylie, Omid Nourizadeh and Corduroy. They also set up a small record company called World Famous Records. Paul continued to manage Level 42 until the band split in 1994. The list of artists that have come under Paul's aegis at one time or another is impressive and, in addition to those already mentioned, includes 16B, Asia, Brilliant, Chris Whitten, David Palmer, Ellery Bop, Gary Husband, Gary Moore, Gouge, James Eller, Julian Cope, Leilani, Mark King, Must, Salvation Sunday, Scheer, Steve Harvey, Sunsonic, The Human League, William Topley and, latterly, Mark Knopfler.

Paul has also given a lot of time to charity work. For example, between 1986 and 1991 he was a member of the Prince's Trust pop fundraising committee organising and promoting shows which raised over £5 million. These shows featured many of the world's leading performers such as Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Phil Collins, Tina Turner and Dire Straits.

In 2000 the partnership with Jolyon Burnham came to an end and Paul revived Paul Crockford Management and since then a wide range of shows and tours have found their way onto Paul's desk. These have included boxer Mike Tyson's appearances at Hampden Park Glasgow and MEN arena in Manchester, the 1999/2000 Route of Kings show in London's Hyde Park which featured among others Sir Cliff Richard, Bryan Adams, Simply Red, Michael Flatley, Steps, 5ive and the Buena Vista Social Club. Paul has in recent times administered tours by Paul Weller, The Rugrats and Bjorn Again. Paul's business and budgeting skills have also been called upon by major record labels such as RCA, Arista, Concrete, Warner Bros and East West.

Paul has a wealth of experience in the music business and during the late spring of 2000 he was brought into to assist Damage Management's preparations for the release and promotion of Mark Knopfler's highly successful Sailing To Philadelphia album. From July 2000 Paul began managing Mark and booked and co-ordinated the STP promotional tour which took place between September and December of 2000. He went on to organise all aspects of Mark's 2001 Sailing To Philadelphia world tour, which took in S. America, the USA, Canada, the UK and the rest of Europe. He also co-ordinated the release and promotion of Mark's third solo album, The Ragpicker's Dream. He is currently managing Mark Knopfler, William Topley, The 21st Century Schizoid Band and legendary bass player Danny Thompson and is available for lunch most days.

LIST OF ARTISTS MANAGED:OMID NOURIZADEH/16B/21st CENTURY SCHIZOID BAND/4 OF US/ 60FT DOLLS/ASIA/BRENDAN CROKER/BRILLIANT/CHRIS WHITTEN/CORDUROY/DAVID PALMER/DANNY THOMPSON/ELLERY BOP/GARY HUSBAND/GARY MOORE/GOUGE/JAMES ELLER/JUDIE TZUKE/JULIAN COPE/LEILANI/LEVEL 42/MARK KING/MARK KNOPFLER/MUST/PETE WYLIE/SALVATION SUNDAY/SCHEER/STEVE HARLEY/SUNSONIC/TEARDROP EXPLODES/TEARS FOR FEARS/THE HUMAN LEAGUE/THE BLESSING/WILLIAM TOPLEY