Dark Horse Records partners with BMG

22 January 2020 - Press release

BMG has announced a new multi-faceted global partnership with Dark Horse Records, the imprint led by Dhani Harrison and manager David Zonshine. The agreement initially brings releases from the acclaimed catalogue of George Harrison’s legendary label Dark Horse Records and his Indian label imprint HariSongs, as well as Joe Strummer’s solo catalogue, including his works alongside The Mescaleros. 

Dark Horse Records will also release new recordings through BMG including the current Tom Petty estate charity single ‘For Real – For Tom’ featuring Jakob Dylan, Dhani Harrison, Amos Lee, Lukas Nelson, Micah Nelson, and Willie Nelson. 

Available this Friday, January 24 on all digital platforms, the first slate of releases includes the George Harrison produced Ravi Shankar Chants of India, Ravi Shankar & Ali Akbar Khan In Concert 1972, Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros’ albums Rock Art and The X-Ray Style, Global A Go-Go, and Streetcore, and Attitudes – Ain't Love Enough: The Best of the Attitudes. Upcoming releases in 2020 include compilations, live albums, and box sets featuring rare and unreleased recordings from the Dark Horse label – many of which will be made available digitally for the first time ever. 

Dhani Harrison, said, “It is with great pleasure and excitement that I can finally announce a new chapter for Dark Horse Records in the music industry alongside our friends at BMG. The label started by my father in 1974 has been a family business my whole life (and is indeed even the reason that my parents met.) From the Indian classical Ragas of Ravi Shankar to the Rock and Roll of ‘Attitudes’ I look forward to reintroducing, to a new audience, all of those artists that my father loved so much. We will also be expanding the Dark Horse family with new artists and classic catalogues in the coming years to include a rich and varied roster of incredible musicians whom we love. Please watch this space! With love, Dhani Harrison.” 

David Zonshine, said, “BMG is the perfect home for us to expand, explore and create new opportunities for iconic artists across all platforms. I'm excited about this multi-faceted strategic partnership and taking a fresh approach to catalogues and publishing as well as looking to develop films and book projects around the world with BMG’s global team." 

Hartwig Masuch, BMG CEO, said, “Dhani and David have long been close with BMG. We are delighted to formalize our partnership with the two and begin our new venture as their trusted label home. We look forward to working closer together as we develop new catalogue and publishing initiatives.” 

Thomas Scherer, EVP, BMG Los Angeles, said, “Dhani and David have done a fantastic job over the years proving themselves to be trusted guardians for some of music’s greatest treasures. BMG is proud to be the new home for this iconic music catalogue.” 

Dark Horse Records joins BMG’s roster of iconic recorded catalogues which includes The Kinks, Nick Cave, and the solo works of Keith Richards and John Fogerty. BMG also publishes the catalogues of the estates of Buddy Holly, Johnny Cash, Jim Croce and Willie Dixon, alongside administering the publishing of Aerosmith, Roger Waters, Cat Stevens, and Ringo Starr. 

Dark Horse Records was founded by George Harrison in 1974 as a place for his solo work and a home for supporting other artists. The label’s eclectic roster features Indian Classical legend Ravi Shankar, the band Attitudes (featuring Jim Keltner, David Foster, Danny Kortchmar, and Paul Stallworth), the duo Splinter (produced by Harrison), R&B vocal group The Stairsteps, American singer Keni Burke, and guitarist Henry McCullough (Paul McCartney and Wings, Joe Cocker and Spooky Tooth). 

The HariSongs label was created by the George Harrison Estate to celebrate the Indian classical music George loved and believed would “help as a balance towards a peaceful daily life.” The label was launched in April 2018 in honour of both Ravi Shankar’s birthday (April 7, 1920) and Ali Akbar Khan’s birthday (April 14, 1922). 

Joe Strummer was the British singer-songwriter and co-founder of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees and punk icons The Clash. Strummer broke onto the scene in the mid-1970s with the proto-punk band The 101ers, which led to him being asked to front The Clash. After the seminal punk band split up in the mid-1980s Strummer pursued a career as a solo artist, scoring a number of movies as well as leading his band the Mescaleros.