Sparks Music is Canada's newest independent record label. It is the creation of music industry veteran Larry Macrae, and well known artist manager, promoter and marketer Jeff Rogers who have joined forces with Andy Crosbie and Angus MacKay, former co-owners of Toronto indie label Ready Records [Spoons, Demics and Blue Peter].


ANDY CROSBIE
Andrew 'Andy' Crosbie has had a long and successful career as an entrepreneur at the leading edge of innovative media and entertainment.  As a college student in a recording arts program, Mr. Crosbie, while still in school, launched his first recording artist in 1979. He partnered with a fellow student, Angus MacKay, and created one of the most recognized Canadian independent record companies of the 1980s, Ready Records.  In the company's very successful six years, Mr. Crosbie and Mr. MacKay achieving gold records in Canada, and licensed their recordings and compositions in nearly 20 countries around the world.  Andy then spent a brief period managing a successful music video and television commercial company before founding his second venture, Sparks Productions in 1991.  Since then, Sparks Productions has produced over $100 Million worth of television commercials and programs.

Throughout Andy's business career, he has developed a formidable network of marketing and media savvy contacts.  Based on this framework, Andy has organized the key entertainment talent that will be Sparks Music.

Andy's role in Sparks Music will be a combination of managing day-to-day operations, performing the role of Business Affairs Manager, and being the interactive component between all parties involved in the success of Sparks Music.


JEFF ROGERS
Jeff Rogers is one of the most widely respected artists, managers and entrepreneurs in the Canadian music industry. Jeff started at the age of 16 as a concert promoter in Welland, Ontario. He then migrated to Toronto to work as an understudy at what was then the hottest booking agency in Canada, The Agency.  It was there Jeff learned about rock and roll. After several tours and road trips with rock bands, he realized his desire was to manage artists.  One of the very first bands Jeff managed was The Crash Test Dummies, which succeeded beyond anyone's wildest dreams.  The band achieved worldwide sales of 10 million records, which catapulted Jeff into the highest levels of recognized industry players.  Jeff then accepted a position with Richard Branson (Virgin Music) to become the Head of Artist Development at Branson's V2 label in New York.  At V2, Rogers worked closely with such well-known recording artists as The Black Crowes, Underworld, Rhinoceroses, Stereophonics, and Moby.  Jeff's work with Moby's visual material led to a Grammy nomination for the Moby DVD, a first in its time.

Jeff's exposure to motion pictures led him back to Toronto to produce the feature film Public Domain. It was during this period that Simon Fuller retained Jeff to manage the winners from a season of Canadian Idol.

Jeff has two other feature films in development, manages music producer Scotty Hard, the upcoming teenage sensations 'Spiral Beach', and in his spare time acts as entertainment consultant to Canada's most famous nightclub owner, Peter Gatien. Finally, Jeff is the label manager for the hard rock label, Warkon Records.

Jeff Rogers's role in Sparks Music will be a combination of Artists Relations (insuring the careers of the recording artists of Sparks Music are being handled by persons or entities that share common goals with Sparks Music), and participating in the selection process of recording artists for Sparks Music.


LARRY MACRAE
Larry Macrae began his career in the Canadian music industry in the late 1970's as the National Radio Promotion Manager at what was then Canada's leading independent record distributor, Quality Records.  Macrae's career took off when Quality signed a deal with Motown Records and appointed Larry as Motown's Canadian label manager.  This position allowed Mr. Macrae to work closely with Stevie Wonder, Lionel Ritchie, Smokey Robinson, as well as play a key role in launching Rick James' career in Canada.  As Quality Records signed another label, Jive Records, Macrae was asked to take on the added responsibilities of working with Billy Ocean, A Flock of Seagulls, and Samantha Fox, to name a few.

In 1986, when Jive Records changed to RCA Canada for Canadian distribution, Larry also moved to RCA Canada, assuming the role of label manager for Jive Records.  Larry then began an 18-year tenure at RCA Canada, which became BMG Canada. Moving from Director of Promotions, Macrae became the Vice President of Promotion and Media Relations.  This position gave Larry Macrae a 'hands on' role of working with successful Canadian and international recording artists such as Backstreet Boys, ZZ Top, Whitney Houston, Crash Test Dummies, Dave Mathews, Christina Aguilera, N-Sync, Cowboy Junkies, Alan Jackson, Britney Spears, and many, many more.

Larry was most recently consulting with Standard Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio.

Larry Macrae's role in Sparks Music will be interfacing with the national and regional promotion departments of entities that act as distributors for Sparks Music in Canada, as well as giving Sparks Music a national profile based upon Mr. Macrae's 30 years of experience promoting music in Canada.

ANGUS MACKAY
James 'Angus' MacKay started his musical career as a teenager touring Canada in the early 1970's with the soul/RnB band 'Northern Dancer'.  This experience inspired Angus to pursue a formal education in the music industry. He enrolled and graduated from the Music Industry Arts program at Fanshawe College in London Ontario.  During school, Angus formed Ready Records with classmate Andy Crosbie.  Angus performed many key roles in the success of Ready Records, including creating the actual products, sourcing successful distribution, and maintaining a consistent sound to the products being released.

After leaving Ready Records, Angus spent three years as label manager for the classical music label Marquis Records. He then commenced an eight year tenure performing a similar function for alternative music label Fringe Product.  In both instances, MacKay witnessed and participated in a sizeable conversion of analogue music to compact disc, as well as the creation of mail order catalogues. Angus MacKay is currently busy producing local recording artists, managing a successful retail musical instrument store, administrating Ready Record's business affairs, and, to this day, enjoying the sheer pleasure of being able to perform as an active musician.

Angus MacKay's role in Sparks Music will be coordinating the creation and manufacture of the recorded products, as well as participating in the selection process of recording artists that are aligned with the goals of Sparks Music.


LOUISE SIMPSON
At a very young age it became clear that Louise Simpson possessed an inherent ability to recognize original and gifted talent. A musician herself, and member of a local all-girl ensemble, Louise also manages one of Toronto's most successful independent music stores.  In her role as manager, Louise has acquired a vast knowledge of the culture of independent labels and their distributors in Canada. In her spare time, Louise is completing her BA in Woman's Studies at York University, as well as being the publisher of the art/poetry journal 'Avid Hands'. She is also a published poet herself!

Louise Simpson's role in Sparks Music will be to actively scout new recording talent for the company.