Here's an article about David Leach with Decca:
Read the entire piece here:http://www.fmqb.com/article.asp?id=442045Rebirth Of A Legend:
Up Close With Decca Label Group SVP Promotion David Leach
David Leach began his record career in the late ’70s in the retail division of Polygram Records, eventually moving into promotion and rising to Polygram’s GM chair by the end of his 23-year stint with the label. Little did Leach know, during his storied years at Polygram’s helm, that he would return to the Universal Music Group in 2006 to lead the promotion department for the re-launch of the Decca Label Group, one of Polygram’s most respected brands before it was retired in the U.S. predating Leach’s start in the music business.
Decca was originally formed in the U.K. in 1929, founded by Sir Edward Lewis, who stayed at the helm until his death in 1980. The label, while rooted in Classical music, was known for its diverse roster, including names like Mantovani, Bing Crosby and Duke Ellington. The company grew with the industry and changed with the public’s taste, eventually becoming home to Luciano Pavarotti, along with Pop artists like Engelbert Humperdink, Tom Jones, Marianne Faithfull and Lulu, along with Rock icons The Rolling Stones and Moody Blues. Although the latter acts saw their work released in the U.S. on the newly created London label, as the American Decca had been sold to MCA in the ’40s.
By the beginning of the new century, Decca, Polygram and MCA had all become part of UMG, setting the stage for the U.S. re-emergence of one of the industry’s legendary brands. The 2007 version of Decca is certainly tied to its Classical past, but with a strong commitment to all forms of Adult music.
In this exclusive e-QB interview, Decca’s SVP Promotion David Leach talks about the exciting challenge ahead, as well as what drew him to the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of quarterbacking all radio promotion for such a unique entity.
Talk about the challenges that led you to accept the task of heading promotion for this re-launched, re-imaged label.
The first thing that was appealing to me was the people that were running it, Chris Roberts and Paul Foley, both of whom I’ve known for 20-plus years. They are great record men and both are good people and have assembled a tremendous team of experienced and talented people in every department from A&R right down to finance. So right off the bat, it was appealing because of the quality of the leadership and the people in charge. Number Two, I find the musical mix here very eclectic, very challenging, but also very, very strong in its fabric. We have the number one Classical label in the world. We have a Jazz label that is really starting to ramp up, a Broadway division that is unparalleled, and then we have the Decca Label Group which is starting to sign more and more quality adult music.