Howe Leaves Downtown Records For EMI A&R Role
Michael Howe has been appointed as Vice President of A&R at EMI Music’s Capitol & Virgin Label Group. Currently VP and Head of A&R at Downtown Music, he will be based at EMI’s West Coast HQ in LA's Capitol Tower.
This is Howe’s second round at EMI, having previously been Director of A&R at Virgin for two years prior to the establishment of Downtown Music. As one of five founding members of Downtown Records, he was responsible for a string of succesful signings including Gnarls Barkley, Santigold, David Gray, Mos Def and Scissor Sisters.
This can’t be a good sign for Downtown. When a founder leaves to perform a record label’s core function for a competitor….life raft anyone?