L to R: Monte Conner, Markus Staiger and Mark Palmer
Earlier this month, Monte Conner officially stepped down as Roadrunner Records’ senior vice president of A&R amidst numerous layoffs within the label. However, it didn’t take long for him to find a new gig, as it’s been revealed that he’s forming a new partnership with Nuclear Blast Records.
Conner is reportedly joining forces with Nuclear Blast owner Markus Staiger to form Nuclear Blast Entertainment, a new label that will share most major operations with Nuclear Blast’s existing U.S. branch. However, Conner isn’t the only former Roadrunner employee jumping shift to the Nuclear Blast family. It’s also been revealed that former Roadrunner U.K. managing director Mark Palmer will open Nuclear Blast’s first U.K. branch.
Conner had the following to say about the new partnership:
“What Markus Staiger and his incredibly dedicated staff have built over the last 25 years is quite an achievement, and it has all happened almost concurrently with my time at Roadrunner Records. I am very pleased to align myself with a team of loyal, hard-working people and am looking forward to playing my part in the continued evolution and dominance of this worldwide metal powerhouse. I hope to both complement as well as expand on all the great things already happening at Nuclear Blast, especially when it comes to the U.S. market and Nuclear Blast Entertainment. I feel Markus and I can be an unstoppable force in metal and beyond, and with my long-term colleague Mark Palmer also now aboard in the U.K., this already feels like home to me.”
Staiger had the following to say about Nuclear Blast’s new additions:
“I am absolutely thrilled to welcome metal veterans Monte Conner and Mark Palmer to the Nuclear Blast team. I am continually striving to strengthen Nuclear Blast on all fronts as a worldwide force, and with the addition of Monte and Mark, I feel we just took major steps in two key territories.”
Palmer added the following:
“I am really excited at the prospect of working with the amazing staff at Nuclear Blast and putting together a new team to strongly develop their business and profile in the U.K.”
To say the least, the addition of Conner and Palmer is a big deal for Nuclear Blast. Conner is responsible for a majority of Roadrunner’s biggest signings and successes, while Palmer played a major role in establishing Roadrunner’s U.K. branch. In short, Nuclear Blast’s future looks even more promising now. Nuclear Blast Entertainment’s first signings are expected to be announced in the coming months.
