Colin Lester
Encyclopedia
Colin Lester is a British
artist manager of R&B, Pop
and Rock Music
acts. He was born on 26 May 1960 in Hampstead
, London
, England
.
Lester has managed the careers for numerous commercially successful British and international artists. He was awarded ‘The Peter Grant Award’ for outstanding achievement from the United Kingdom
’s Music Manager Forum in 2002.
In 2007, Lester was awarded the prestigious ‘Gold Badge Award’ by BASCA (The British Academy of Songwriters and Composers Association) for his work with UK songwriters. The following year, in 2008, Lester was made a 'Visiting Fellow' of Southampton Solent University where he also lectures on topics of the ‘Music Industry’.
Lester owned a significant stake in the recording company Wildstar Records for which he also acted as co-director and co-owned artist management Wildlife Entertainment.
’. At the young age of 19, Lester and ‘The Eyes’ signed their first recording contract in 1979 with Don Arden
’s Jet Records
. Following the demise of ‘The Eyes’ 2 years later, Lester decided to enter into artist management. His first major signing was the alternative UK indie band Daisy Chainsaw
followed by signings of singer/songwriter Martyn Joseph
and Manchester duo, JJ, both of whom he successfully negotiated recording contracts for with ‘CBS Records
’ now known as ‘Sony Records’.
In 1994, Lester joined the management company ‘Wildlife Entertainment’ in partnership with Ian McAndrew, who had previously managed Tasmin Archer
and Bomb The Bass
to manage London Funksters ‘The Brand New Heavies’. Under Wildlife’s guidance, The Brand New Heavies produced their album, ‘Brother Sister’ which achieved multi-Platinum success around the world. Wildlife Entertainment also managed Carleen Anderson
who followed her success with the Young Disciples
with an acclaimed solo career.
In 1996 Wildlife Entertainment took charge of the career of Scottish four-piece Travis who signed to Andy MacDonald’s Independiente Records
after the release of their debut album. 'Travis’ second album, ‘The Man Who
’ was released in 1999 and established Travis as one of the biggest selling UK acts between 1999 and 2002. In 1997, Lester together with McAndrew formed the UK Record Label ‘Wildstar Records’ in partnership with Capital Radio
and Telstar Records
. Wildstar Records enjoyed immediate success with South London soul singer ‘Connor Reeves’ before scoring top 5 hits with ‘Lutricia McNeal
’, ‘Alda’ and ‘Fierce
’.
In 1999, Lester discovered and signed 18 year old Craig David
. His Wildstar debut ‘Fill Me In’ made Craig David
the youngest male solo artist ever to achieve a number one single, and his subsequent hits, ‘7 Days’ and ‘Walking Away’, boosted sales of Craig David
's debut album ‘Born To Do It’ to over 7 million copies including 1.8 million sales in North America
. To date Craig David
, under Lester’s management, has sold in excess of 13 million records. In 2003 Lester and McAndrew, in partnership with Geoff Barradale, signed Sheffield four-piece Arctic Monkeys
. Their debut album ‘Whatever People Say I Am, That’s what I’m Not’ was released in January 2006, and was the biggest selling debut album by a band in the UK of all time. It entered the UK charts
at #1 where it remained for 5 weeks and has so far sold in excess of 2 million copies around the world.
In 2010 Colin Lester merged his company CLM Entertainment with Twenty First Artists and was subsequently appointed Global Chief Executive Officer. Twenty-First Artists was originally launched in 2000 and has represented artists such as Elton John, Jamiroquai, James Blunt and Lily Allen among many others. The company was sold to The Sanctuary Music Group in 2005 and was subsequently acquired by Universal Music Group in 2007. "Twenty First Artists shall be defined by the success of the artists we sign and the managers we work with." says Lester
"Martyn Joseph"
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
artist manager of R&B, Pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and Rock Music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
acts. He was born on 26 May 1960 in Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Lester has managed the careers for numerous commercially successful British and international artists. He was awarded ‘The Peter Grant Award’ for outstanding achievement from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
’s Music Manager Forum in 2002.
In 2007, Lester was awarded the prestigious ‘Gold Badge Award’ by BASCA (The British Academy of Songwriters and Composers Association) for his work with UK songwriters. The following year, in 2008, Lester was made a 'Visiting Fellow' of Southampton Solent University where he also lectures on topics of the ‘Music Industry’.
Lester owned a significant stake in the recording company Wildstar Records for which he also acted as co-director and co-owned artist management Wildlife Entertainment.
Management
Lester began his career in the music business as a guitarist with London Glam Rock outfit ‘The EyesThe Eyes (band)
The Eyes was a British psychedelic rock band, formed in 1964 and disbanded in 1967. In 1965 and 1966, they released a number of singles such as When the Night Falls, The Immediate Pleasure and I'm Rowed Out....
’. At the young age of 19, Lester and ‘The Eyes’ signed their first recording contract in 1979 with Don Arden
Don Arden
Don Arden , born Harry Levy, was an English music manager, agent and businessman, best known for overseeing the careers of rock groups Small Faces, Electric Light Orchestra and Black Sabbath....
’s Jet Records
Jet Records
Jet Records was a small British record label set up by Don Arden with artists like Electric Light Orchestra , Roy Wood, Gary Moore, Ozzy Osbourne, Riot and Magnum. The first release on the "Jet Records" label was "No Honestly", a UK top 10 for its singer and writer Lynsey De Paul in November 1974...
. Following the demise of ‘The Eyes’ 2 years later, Lester decided to enter into artist management. His first major signing was the alternative UK indie band Daisy Chainsaw
Daisy Chainsaw
Daisy Chainsaw was an English alternative rock band, active between 1989 and 1995. It originally featured KatieJane Garside as lead vocalist and lyricist on the band's early EPs and debut album, Eleventeen , before her departure in 1993...
followed by signings of singer/songwriter Martyn Joseph
Martyn Joseph
Martyn Joseph is a Welsh singer-songwriter whose music exhibits primarily a brand of Celtic and folk, while his songwriting is often focused on social lament or protest...
and Manchester duo, JJ, both of whom he successfully negotiated recording contracts for with ‘CBS Records
CBS Records
CBS Records is a record label founded by CBS Corporation in 2006 to take advantage of music from its entertainment properties owned by CBS Television Studios. The initial label roster consisted of only three artists; rock band Señor Happy and singer/songwriters Will Dailey and P.J...
’ now known as ‘Sony Records’.
In 1994, Lester joined the management company ‘Wildlife Entertainment’ in partnership with Ian McAndrew, who had previously managed Tasmin Archer
Tasmin Archer
Tasmin Archer is an English pop singer. Her first album, Great Expectations, spawned the hit "Sleeping Satellite" which reached number one in the United Kingdom and Ireland.-Biography:...
and Bomb The Bass
Bomb the Bass
Bomb the Bass is the umbrella title for the output of British musician and producer, Tim Simenon. The band, which has evolved its style over the years, has been classed as electronic or dance....
to manage London Funksters ‘The Brand New Heavies’. Under Wildlife’s guidance, The Brand New Heavies produced their album, ‘Brother Sister’ which achieved multi-Platinum success around the world. Wildlife Entertainment also managed Carleen Anderson
Carleen Anderson
Carleen Anderson is an American soul singer, who has had success in the United Kingdom. She is the daughter of the singer Vicki Anderson and stepdaughter of Bobby Byrd, and is most well known as the lead singer in the Young Disciples as well as for her own solo career.-Early career:Anderson was...
who followed her success with the Young Disciples
Young Disciples
Young Disciples was a British / American acid jazz band, formed in London in 1990 by Carleen Anderson , Marc Nelson plus Femi Williams ....
with an acclaimed solo career.
In 1996 Wildlife Entertainment took charge of the career of Scottish four-piece Travis who signed to Andy MacDonald’s Independiente Records
Independiente Records
Independiente is a record label formed in 1997 after Andy MacDonald sold Go! Discs Records to PolyGram in 1996 for a reported £30 million. In the UK, the label is distributed Vital PIAS....
after the release of their debut album. 'Travis’ second album, ‘The Man Who
The Man Who
The Man Who is the second studio album from the Scottish indie pop band Travis. The album was released on 24 May 1999, becoming the album that gave the band international recognition. The album peaked at #1 in the UK and #8 in Australia. It was later released in the United States in Early 2000...
’ was released in 1999 and established Travis as one of the biggest selling UK acts between 1999 and 2002. In 1997, Lester together with McAndrew formed the UK Record Label ‘Wildstar Records’ in partnership with Capital Radio
Capital Radio
Capital London is a London based radio station which launched on 16 October 1973 and is owned by Global Radio. On 3 January 2011 it formed part of the nine station Capital radio network.- Pre-launch :...
and Telstar Records
Telstar Records
Telstar Records was a record label founded in 1982 by Sean O'Brien and Neil Palmer with a government loan of £120,000. It was founded as a specialist compilation marketing label and had hits with a range of compilation franchises such as the Deep Heat, Kaos Theory and 100% ranges...
. Wildstar Records enjoyed immediate success with South London soul singer ‘Connor Reeves’ before scoring top 5 hits with ‘Lutricia McNeal
Lutricia McNeal
Lutricia McNeal is an American R&B/pop singer. She achieved worldwide success with her singles "Ain't That Just the Way" which sold two million copies worldwide, "Stranded" and "Someone Loves You Honey" .-Biography:McNeal is the seventh of nine children...
’, ‘Alda’ and ‘Fierce
Fierce
Fierce was a three-piece, all girl R&B group from the United Kingdom. They were signed to Colin Lester's and Ian McAndrew's Wildstar Records, and scored four hit singles on the UK Singles Chart in 1999 and 2000...
’.
In 1999, Lester discovered and signed 18 year old Craig David
Craig David
Craig Ashley David is an English singer and songwriter. He has released five studio albums: Born to Do It, Slicker Than Your Average, The Story Goes..., Trust Me, Signed Sealed Delivered and a Greatest Hits album...
. His Wildstar debut ‘Fill Me In’ made Craig David
Craig David
Craig Ashley David is an English singer and songwriter. He has released five studio albums: Born to Do It, Slicker Than Your Average, The Story Goes..., Trust Me, Signed Sealed Delivered and a Greatest Hits album...
the youngest male solo artist ever to achieve a number one single, and his subsequent hits, ‘7 Days’ and ‘Walking Away’, boosted sales of Craig David
Craig David
Craig Ashley David is an English singer and songwriter. He has released five studio albums: Born to Do It, Slicker Than Your Average, The Story Goes..., Trust Me, Signed Sealed Delivered and a Greatest Hits album...
's debut album ‘Born To Do It’ to over 7 million copies including 1.8 million sales in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. To date Craig David
Craig David
Craig Ashley David is an English singer and songwriter. He has released five studio albums: Born to Do It, Slicker Than Your Average, The Story Goes..., Trust Me, Signed Sealed Delivered and a Greatest Hits album...
, under Lester’s management, has sold in excess of 13 million records. In 2003 Lester and McAndrew, in partnership with Geoff Barradale, signed Sheffield four-piece Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys are an English indie rock band. Formed in 2002 in High Green, a suburb of Sheffield, the band currently consists of Alex Turner , Jamie Cook , Nick O'Malley and Matt Helders...
. Their debut album ‘Whatever People Say I Am, That’s what I’m Not’ was released in January 2006, and was the biggest selling debut album by a band in the UK of all time. It entered the UK charts
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
at #1 where it remained for 5 weeks and has so far sold in excess of 2 million copies around the world.
In 2010 Colin Lester merged his company CLM Entertainment with Twenty First Artists and was subsequently appointed Global Chief Executive Officer. Twenty-First Artists was originally launched in 2000 and has represented artists such as Elton John, Jamiroquai, James Blunt and Lily Allen among many others. The company was sold to The Sanctuary Music Group in 2005 and was subsequently acquired by Universal Music Group in 2007. "Twenty First Artists shall be defined by the success of the artists we sign and the managers we work with." says Lester
Management History
Artists previously signed by Colin Lester:- Craig DavidCraig DavidCraig Ashley David is an English singer and songwriter. He has released five studio albums: Born to Do It, Slicker Than Your Average, The Story Goes..., Trust Me, Signed Sealed Delivered and a Greatest Hits album...
- Travis
- Arctic MonkeysArctic MonkeysArctic Monkeys are an English indie rock band. Formed in 2002 in High Green, a suburb of Sheffield, the band currently consists of Alex Turner , Jamie Cook , Nick O'Malley and Matt Helders...
- Daisy ChainsawDaisy ChainsawDaisy Chainsaw was an English alternative rock band, active between 1989 and 1995. It originally featured KatieJane Garside as lead vocalist and lyricist on the band's early EPs and debut album, Eleventeen , before her departure in 1993...
- The Brand New Heavies
- Remi NicoleRemi NicoleRemi Nicole Wilson , better known as Remi Nicole, is an English singer-songwriter and actress who was born and lives in North London. She is best known for her single "Go Mr Sunshine", which was released in 2007. Her debut album, My Conscience & I, was released later that year and her second, Cupid...
- Julian VelardJulian VelardJulian Velard , is an American pianist and singer-songwriter, born and raised in New York City.-Biography:Velard was born and raised in New York City, New York. He attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts and Hampshire College, in Amherst, Massachusetts, where...
- ManneQuin
- Kayne
"Martyn Joseph"
Awards
- The Peter Grant Award - 2002 - by UK Music Manager Forum
- Gold Badge Award - 2007 by BASCA (The British Academy of Songwriters and Composers Association)
- Visiting Fellow - 2008 by Southampton Solent University, UK
- Stop TB Campaign - UN Ambassador