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Founded in 1984 by Caroline Robertson, Westbury Music Ltd is an independent publisher of contemporary British music. Currently looking after some 70,000 works spread over several hundred catalogues, it is now one of the most respected independent publishing companies in the world.
From the start, it’s strength lay in specialist music, rather than mainstream or pop. The first ever signing was Rubber Band Music, the catalogue of legendary funkateer, Bootsy Collins. Over the next fifteen years, the company grew into a music consultancy and administering publisher of high repute. Jazz and classic reggae were to be its earliest acquisitions. The emergent UK underground dance scene of the 1980’s literally exploded in the next decade and Westbury found itself in the thick of the action as one of the few music publishers actively championing the diversity of new musics.
The company kept abreast of every changing facet of the new breed, until they found themselves representing Hardcore (developing into Jungle and Drum n’ Bass), Acid House, House, Garage and Techno catalogues. Typically, the clients would be the underground labels themselves, the ones who were actively creating and developing the new styles and categories. As well as the dance catalogues, the company’s footing in the Jazz and reggae genres grew to a stature that meant that they controlled many classic and new titles, while still maintaining its independent status.
The last few years have seen major changes at Westbury Music as it adapted to the opportunities (and difficulties) of independent Music Publishing in the 21st Century. Long-term staffers Jon, Felix and Paulette are Directors and Shareholders in the Company bringing vision and stability to see Westbury well into the future. Jon control royalties and business affairs, Paulette communications, new business and sits on the board of the MPA and the PRS and Felix operates in A&R and creative areas including synchronisation and marketing, as well as being managing director overseeing the whole operation.
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Additionally a consolidation of it’s core administration business has enabled expansion in it’s other roles as a Publisher: A broadening in A&R policy has helped create an impressive catalogue of songs and Composers which represents some of the best of all genres of contemporary independent music in the UK, while a shift of focus from mostly administrative publishing matters to a primarily creative outlook has allowed Westbury to exploit that catalogue with great success. Particularly its focus on active and current writers and artists and its proactive creativity has created success in the areas of film, advertising and games which would not perhaps be possible for more traditional, catalogue-orientated Publishers.
Now, at 25 years young, Westbury enjoys a position akin to cult status – being successful in independent musics where care and attention is our norm rather than the exception, and an ability to move and flex with the best of them in pop and even appearing in the charts every now and then. In these recent times of upheaval we have seen the ‘Death Of Dance Music’ ©, the re-re-re-rise of Reggae and Dancehall (and what now !?!), the collapse of the independent sector, the rise of the majors, the resurrection of the independent sector and the fear induced panic-merging of the majors in the face of dwindling income first from CD sales and then the digital evolution, and yet we are still on the same road we started on 25 years ago, albeit a much further on and in a far nicer car, in a faster lane. Westbury works with independent musics because, unfortunately still, that is the only place where true creativity (rather than manufactured media-pop) is still to be found. We are justifiably proud of the catalogues we represent from Reggae to Scottish Folk to Electro to Gypsy Brass , we have no hesitation in claiming that the music we represent is some of the best music around today.
So it being our 25th year we’ll be making it a special one, with the launch of the new site, the events across the UK (well, London, well Brixton). Expect to hear some fine new Westbury music including some special dub plates made by our long standing clients, podcasts, remixes, all coming to an audio listening device near you…
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