Sony Music, Andrew Jackson form JV label Avoca Drive

Artist management and record label veteran Andrew Jackson has struck a joint venture with Sony Music Australia, dubbed Avoca Drive.

The new label launches with its first signing, the electronic pop duo Galdive, whose debut album is scheduled for release in early 2021.

Jackson boasts more than two decades’ experience with independent and major companies on two continents. Earlier in his career, he held marketing positions at Richard Branson’s V2 Records, served as Label Manager at Chris Murphy’s Petrol Records, and as A&R and General Manager of Ministry of Sound Australia. He also co-founded etcetc Music in 2008.

Sony Music

In 2012, he relocated to the United States where he set up Milton Archer, the Los Angeles-based management company which has steered campaigns for the likes of Matoma, BAYNK and Andrew Goldstein’s FRND project.

“Australia will always be my home so it was natural to find a partnership here, but I needed one with a global outlook. To partner with a titan like Denis [Handlin] is a true honour,” comments Jackson in a statement issued Tuesday (7th July).

The Sony Music ANZ chief “shares my ambitions for finding the big victory for the artist above all,” Jackson continues.

“Having done a round of calls to various label heads here and around the world in the past couple weeks, I’m genuinely impressed at the level of competence, enthusiasm and willingness at Sony Music Australia to collaborate from top to bottom. Everyone just wants to find that win together.”

Denis Handlin

Galdive will kick-start their Avoca Drive era with the single release ‘Nescience’ next Friday, 17th July.

“I have been wanting to work with Andrew for a long time as I have a tremendous amount of respect for his talent and ability,” comments Denis Handlin, Chairman and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment Australia and New Zealand.

“I am thrilled that we now have that opportunity as he has decided to partner with Sony Music for his Avoca Drive label. We are looking forward to working with Andrew and his team to help take the artists’ creative vision and music to fans around the world and we are excited to do that first with Galdive later this month”.

Handlin recently celebrated his 50th anniversary with Sony Music.

Through his half-century with the music major, Handlin has propelled a long list of domestic acts to international success, from Men at Work to Midnight Oil, Silverchair, John Farnham, Daryl Braithwaite, Tina Arena, Delta Goodrem, Human Nature and many more.