PLATINUM MAGAZINE, Sept., 1989
Spencer Proffer's Vision

" As President of Pasha Records and a genius in the studio, Proffer is truly a visionary that know what he wants."

Spencer Proffer has seen more sides of the music industry in his 20 years of active participation than most because of his involvement in both the creative and business aspects of that world. Having been successful as a songwriter/record producer, as well as studio owner/record company president, Platinum felt him an ideal candidate to interview for its debut issue because of his wealth of experience and insight into the workings of today's growing music arena.

As a songwriter and producer, Proffer has been creatively involved with artists such as Little River Band, Quiet Riot, Tina Turner, Bette Midler, Heart Cheap Trick, the Beach Boys, WASP, Vixen, Rhythm Corps and Billy Thorpe, among others. As the head of production of United Artists Records in the mid-70s, he was involved in the successful careers of Electric Light Orchestra, Paul Anka, Kenny Rogers, Bobby Womack, Tina Turner, Bobby Goldsboro and many other diverse talents.

In 1978, Proffer decided to make the transition from hired hand to company head with a long-term involvement in the careers of a few hand-picked artists whose talents he felt would continue to grow and find commercial acceptance for a long time. Utilizing his strong creative track record, together with his business acumen and law degree, he signed his first artist, Billy Thorpe. Thorpe, an Australian rocker with 14 straight #1 records in Australia, collaborated with Proffer to write and produce a futuristic odyssey entitled "Children of the Sun" which was quickly embraced by AOR radio and reached #1 in many parts of the country, hitting #39 in Billboard before its label, Capricorn Records, declared bankruptcy and went out of business.

"That was a telling realization," muses Proffer, "that it takes much more than a good piece of product to find success in the record business." Proffer's next move was a worldwide marketing and distribution drive with CBS Records for his Pasha label. "With CBS's strength in the marketplace and first class distribution network, the relationship was a logical next step in the building of Pasha. In addition, I felt secure that they would remain in business for a long time."

"I have always wanted to assemble a roster of fresh, young talent and build strength and label identity from the perspective of quality and artistry, in the same way as Ahmet Artegun, Berry Gordy, Chris Blackwell, and Alpert & Moss did for their generation. To do so requires a real love of music along with a level-headed understanding of the techniques, mechanics and finances involved in establishing a new artist."

The music industry is bigger and more profitable than ever, and the window of opportunity to build a creatively-driven street-level mini-major, now that the record business has shrunk (through merger and acquisition) to just six major companies, is better than at any time in the last twenty years. This brings Proffer to his current project: the expansion of Pasha into an independent label with a field promotion and marketing staff of its own, distributed in North America by a major label, and separately in foreign territories. The goal is to be able to follow a project from inception through recording, release, and ultimate exploitation with a continuity of style, commitment, and finances. "I'm interested in finding a strategic partner (for example, a film company or other entity whose target demographics are the youth and music markets) to underwrite the company so that we will have the resources and cross-fertilization avenues to really give service to our artists and bring a whole new generation of fresh talent to one of the most exciting segments of the entertainment industry."