PONTIUS RISES AT ISLAND

Paul Pontius, who toiled long and hard in this cesspool, has been rewarded with a well-deserved promotion to Executive Vice President A&R for Island Records by IDJ Music Group Chairman Antonio "L.A." Reid.

As head of A&R for Island Records, Pontius will continue working with his existing artist roster, which includes Hoobastank, Melissa Etheridge, Letter Kills, CKY and
Die Trying, in addition to actively seeking out, acquiring and developing new talent. The L.A.-based Pontius, will work closely with and report directly to Reid.

Commented Reid: "Paul is an experienced A&R executive with impressive accomplishments in his first five years at IDJ. I have great confidence in his abilities to lead the West Coast staff and meet the challenges that face us in today's creative marketplace. Now, all I have to do is spiff up his wardrobe a bit."

Added Pontius: "I am grateful to L.A. Reid for his trust in me as I enter this next phase of my career. The A&R staff of Island in N.Y. and L.A. has made great strides in the time I have been here, and we all look forward to growing and learning from L.A. Reid. Especially how to buy off the rack."

Mr. Pontius has served as Vice President, A&R, Island Def Jam Music Group, since 1999. Prior to that he was at Immortal/Epic Records, where his signings included Korn and Incubus. He got his start in the record business sending out FedEx envelopes for HITS magazine.