The LA-based rights management company Killphonic Rights launches its new label division, Killphonic Records, announcing its debut release, Heart Of Gold: The Songs of Neil Young, out April 25, the first of a two-volume project. This immersive album invites you to journey through a rich tapestry of sound and sentiment, blending beloved classics with fresh interpretations of Neil Young’s songs that honor his legacy, starting with the lead-off singles “Lotta Love” from Courtney Barnett and “Southern Man” from Chris Pierce, out now. The first in this two-volume series is rounded out by covers from Brandi Carlile, Eddie Vedder, Lumineers, Sharon Van Etton, Mumford and Sons, and many more. Proceeds from the album will benefit The Bridge School in Hillsborough, California. The vinyl pre-order is available HERE.
Killphonic Records operations will be led by CEO Caleb Shreve and Co-Head of A&R Syd Butler, but the entire creative team will be involved with developing and curating the roster and catalog. This includes Co-Head of A&R Michelle Fantus, Head of Creative Michael Grubbs, and A&R Erin Walts. The launch of the label division follows the company’s expansion of its executive team and partnership with Stilwell Creative Capital, which invested $3M of working capital in a proportional stake of equity in Killphonic Rights in 2024. Following the partnership announcement, Syd Butler and Michelle Fantus were brought on as Co-Heads of A&R, Chelsea D’Amico as Head of Sync, and Killphonic’s former Head of A&R, Michael Grubbs, moved into a new role as Head of Creative.
For Syd Butler, the founder of Frenchkiss Records, who was responsible for signing and developing influential artists such as Passion Pit, The Drums, and Local Natives, the expansion of the label division was a natural progression for the company. “I'm honored that Killphonic has put their trust in me to run Killphonic Records,” says Butler. “We are an Artist First Label. The team here are actual musicians, producers, and music executives who understand what it takes to support a band from their beginnings to their successes. We have all experienced what it's like to be on tour and release records from every ASPECT of the industry. We have built a company that cares about artist development at a time in the industry when it's being abandoned. We believe artists need a community and a label that has their back as they navigate their future in this business. It's easier than ever to release your own music but to understand the business and get much-needed support is crucial to an artist's success. MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE BELIEVE THAT ARTISTS SHOULD RECEIVE A FAIR SHARE OF THE PROFITS FROM THEIR CREATIVE EFFORTS.”
“I first met the team behind Heart of Gold: The Songs of Neil Young at the Village Recording studio,” says Shreve. “Coming from my background in production, we immediately connected on the processes they described to me in regards to how they made the records. They talked about tracking live with musicians in this classic recording studio and how the experience influenced the recordings. The process is something that I have always expressed as extremely important to younger musicians for so many reasons. When we started talking about all the people that were involved, we found that we already had so many mutual friends and colleagues. It all felt serendipitous and natural that we were meeting in the place we did and talking about things that meant so much to all of us. I left feeling a renewed excitement to see this community of younger, very successful artists unite around these classic songs and create these albums for a great cause. Then, on the drive back to our offices, they called me and said they felt the same. They committed to doing the record with us while I was still in the car.”
