Veteran music industry entrepreneur and artist manager, Jeff Castelaz, has resigned as president of Elektra Records to focus exclusively on the growth of his Cast Management and ongoing charitable endeavors. Castelaz will be transitioning from Elektra on Sept. 18 and can be reached at Cast Management beginning Oct. 1.
Castelaz expresses his appreciation to Atlantic Records’ Co-Chairman & CEO Craig Kallman and Co-Chairman & COO Julie Greenwald for the opportunity to have served as Elektra’s president. Castelaz oversaw all areas of Elektra’s activities by working to grow the success of existing signings and developing new talent while proudly upholding the label’s legacy of long-term development of essential artists. His tenure at the helm included the successes of Fitz and the Tantrums and Saint Motel and the continued development of The Moth & The Flame, Anderson East, Kaleo and New Orleans darlings Royal Teeth, among others.
Said Castelaz, "Running Elektra Records has been a dream come true. Being part of Atlantic Records Group, I've learned so much from Craig and Julie, and will forever count them as business mentors and friends. One of the lessons I've learned from them is to follow my heart—and in my heart, it’s clear to me that I can contribute most significantly by working directly with artists in a managerial role, which is why I’m choosing to focus solely on Cast."
Castelaz, whose sense for artist development is highly-regarded industry-wide, has played a key role in the careers of a diverse range of artists including Silversun Pickups, Fitz and The Tantrums, Dropkick Murphys, Sea Wolf, Eagles of Death Metal and Phoenix.
A seasoned executive in the music industry, Castelaz has spent more than two decades running and developing Cast Management (formed in his hometown of Milwaukee in 1992). The company, based in Los Angeles, now manages multiplatinum artist Dropkick Murphys and prolific hit-makers, record producers and songwriters such as Justin Meldal-Johnsen (Paramore, M83, Tegan and Sara) and Tony Hoffer (Beck, Air, The Kooks). Castelaz looks forward to exclusively focusing his business efforts on maximizing opportunities for his existing artist roster, while signing and developing exciting new talent.
Previously, Castelaz co-founded and served as CEO of Dangerbird Records and Music Publishing from 2003 to 2012, building it into one of the leading independent labels on the West Coast. He signed and guided the careers of a wide range of artists including Silversun Pickups, Fitz and The Tantrums, Sea Wolf and Beady Eye, among others.
In 2008, Castelaz and his wife Jo Ann Thrailkill founded The Pablove Foundation, a pediatric cancer charity, which funds innovative pediatric cancer research and programs that improve the lives of kids and families living with childhood cancer. Powered by incredible support from the music industry, Pablove has raised nearly $10MM, and is on its way to a banner year in 2015. Currently, Castelaz serves as chairman of the board for the foundation and, in October, will lead the foundation's seventh annual week-long cycling event, Pablove Across America, as 40 cyclists ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles to raise funds and awareness for childhood cancer.
For more information, visit castmanagement.com.
