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David Geffen: Asylum Records
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David Geffen (born February 21, 1943) is an American record executive, film producer, theatrical producer, and philanthropist. Geffen is noted for creating Asylum Records in 1970 (which merged with Elektra Records in 1972 to form Elektra/Asylum Records), and Geffen Records in 1980, along with his later role as one of the three founders of Dreamworks SKG in 1994.
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Complex, contentious, and blessed with the perfect-pitch ability to find the next big talent, David Geffen has shaped American popular culture for the last three decades. His dazzling career has included the roles of power agent, record-industry mogul, Broadway producer, and billionaire Hollywood studio founder. From the beginning, though, Geffen's many accomplishments have been shadowed by the ruthless single-mindedness with which he has pursued fame, power, and money. In The Operator, Tom King--the first writer to have been granted full access to Geffen and his circle of intimates--captures the real David Geffen and tells a great American story about success and the bargains made for it.
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David Geffen has just dropped $10 million on a loft at 158 Mercer St, according to the New York Post. Indeed, city records reveal that Mr. Geffen is one of three trustees listed on the deed-transfer record.
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The founder of the Asylum and Geffen record labels, and cofounder of Dreamworks Studios and DreamWorks Animation, DAVID GEFFEN, is an inspired philanthropist, art collector, and potent force in contemporary culture and the arts. Over the course of his distinguished career, Geffen has made indelible marks in the areas of film, legitimate theatre and most notably music. Born in Brooklyn New York, Geffen quickly moved from the mailroom of the William Morris Agency in New York City to become an agent and a manager for a number of America's top artists including John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Elton John, Donna Summer, Guns N' Roses, Aerosmith, Cher, and Peter Gabriel. Geffen Pictures, Mr. Geffen's first motion picture company, produced such diverse films as Risky Business, Little Shop of Horrors, Beetlejuice and Interview with the Vampire. Geffen's stage production credits include several acclaimed Broadway shows, including such Tony Award winners as Cats, Dreamgirls, Miss Saigon and M. Butterfly. In addition, DreamWorks is responsible for such Academy Award winning films as American Beauty, A Beautiful Mind, Gladiator and Shrek.
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Geffen founded Asylum Records in 1970, which signed artists such as Jackson Browne, The Eagles, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Linda Ronstadt and J.D. Souther. Asylum was acquired by Warner Communications and merged with Elektra Records in 1972 to become Elektra/Asylum Records. Geffen remained in charge until 1975, when he went to work as Vice Chairman of Warner Brothers film studios. He then retired and was soon informed (erroneously) that he had a life-threatening illness. During his retirement period he spent a short time teaching business studies at Yale University. In 1980 a new medical diagnosis revealed the error in the original diagnosis and Geffen was given a clean bill of health, whereupon he decided to return to working in the entertainment industry.
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In 1968 Geffen quit William Morris for the Ashley Famous Agency, where he "helped build its music department into the second largest in the business," according to Duka. After a term as executive vice president with Creative Management Associates, he joined with Elliot Roberts to form Geffen-Roberts, whichquickly became one of the most profitable music management agencies in the country. Next he formed his own production company, Asylum Records, which foundimmediate success in 1971 with records from Joni Mitchell, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, America, and the Eagles. So formidable were Geffen's gains that Warner Communications quickly bought Asylum for seven million dollars, merged it with their own failing Elektra label, and gave Geffen direction of the new division. Once again, Geffen excelled. Out of forty Asylum-Elektra releases in 1973, thirty-eight were hits.
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