Industry Vets Launch Elm City Label

BIRTH OF A LABEL: Music biz veterans Michael Caplan and Vic Steffens have formed a new label, Elm City Records, with the first release from veteran heavy metal group Adrenaline Mob, distributed through Mike Harris’ EMI Label Services. The band’s Omerta debuted at #62 on the album charts last week. Caplan began his career working for Morris Levy at the Strawberries Records chain before moving on to Polygram, then launched a successful 25-year run as an A&R man for Sony Music, where his signings included the Allman Brothers Band, Tower of Power, Living Colour, Keb’ Mo’, Ginuwine, G. Love and Special Sauce, Matisyahu and Los Lonely Boys. Steffens has been a producer and engineer, starting out as drummer in New Haven's legendary Scratch Band then a session player with the Rolling Stones, Donovan and Ben E. King. He is currently the owner of Horizon Recording and the Horizon Music Group in West Haven, CT. Steffens has recorded and produced The Neighborhoods, Lita Ford, The Blues Brothers, Matt "Guitar" Murphy and Bobby Brown. Adrenaline Mob features former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnow, and has sold more than 10 million albums through a 25-year career. The band also includes Symphony X singer Russell Allen, guitar wunderkind Mike Orlando and new bassist John Moyer from the multi-platinum rock group Disturbed. (4/4p)