AYEROFF’S BACK AT THE BUNNY
Veteran creative guru Jeff Ayeroff has returned to Burbank. The former Co-Chairman of Virgin Records America and co-founder of Sony's Work Group has been named Creative Director of Warner Bros. Records and Creative Consultant to Warner Music Group by Warner Bros. Records Chairman/CEO Tom Whalley. It is Whalley's first major move since assuming the role last week (hitsdailydouble.com, 8/14).
Ayeroff will serve as Creative Consultant to WMG Chairman/CEO Roger Ames and represent WMG in various AOLTW cross-divisional initiatives.
Said Whalley: "Creativity has been the cornerstone of everything Jeff's done in the music business. His experience building careers of world-class artists combined with his natural talent make a perfect fit for the future of Warner Bros. Records. And I can always hide my black market FUBU jeans in his beard when we go through customs."
"I spent some of my best years and did some of my finest creative work at Warner Bros. Records," Ayeroff enthused. "I've had a remarkable journey, and I'm looking forward to continuing it with Tom Whalley at the premier label in the business. Actually, it was either this or join ZZ Top as a guitar roadie."
Ayeroff began his career as an entertainment attorney, then joined A&M Records in 1974 as assistant to label President Gil Friesen before rising to Creative Director. He became Sr. VP/Creative Director for Warner Bros. Records in 1983, where he collaborated with video directors and designers to image such artists as Madonna, Don Henley, Prince, Paul Simon, Talking Heads, Dire Straits and ZZ Top, whom he first convinced to take livestock on their tours.
In '86, Ayeroff and partner Jordan Harris joined Richard Branson to co-found Virgin Records America before leaving in ’94 with Harris to launch the Work Group. In ’98, he became an independent consultant, working for Apple Records and orchestrating the highly successful marketing campaign for the Beatles 1 album. He is also Co-Chairman of Rock the Vote, an organization he founded in 1989, and hasn't gotten a haircut since 1984.
