Ignition Management is a London-based music management company run by partners Marcus Russell & Alec McKinlay.
Ignition Management was formed in late 1983 by Welshman Marcus Russell, who at the time managed London based band
Latin Quarter
The Latin Quarter of Paris (french: Quartier latin, ) is an area in the 5th and the 6th arrondissements of Paris. It is situated on the left bank of the Seine, around the Sorbonne.
Known for its student life, lively atmosphere, and bistro ...
, who became established in
Scandinavia
Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Swe ...
&
West Germany
West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
before going on to score a UK Hit with the song Radio Africa in 1986.
Ignition went on to manage Cambridge band
The Bible
The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...
The The
() are an English post-punk band. They have been active in various forms since 1979, with singer-songwriter Matt Johnson being the only constant band member. achieved critical acclaim and commercial success in the UK, with 15 chart singles ...
and
Electronic
Electronic may refer to:
*Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductor
* ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal
*Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device
*Electronic co ...
as the 90's approached. It was at this time that previous associate Alec Mckinlay returned from his native
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
to
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
to rejoin Ignition, and to later become a partner with Russell.
In May 1993 Ignition took on what was to become their most well known and successful client: Oasis.
The band fronted by the Gallagher brothers Noel &
Liam
Liam is a short form of the Irish name Uilliam or the old Germanic name William.
Etymology
The original name was a merging of two Old German elements: ''willa'' ("will" or "resolution"); and ''helma'' ("helmet"). The juxtaposition of these ele ...
, went on to sell over 70 million albums worldwide, and become one of the world biggest touring bands, playing to a total of 1.1 million on what turned out to be their final UK Tour in 2008/9.
Between 2000–2010 Ignition also managed North American clients
Mercury Rev
Mercury Rev is an American indie rock band formed in 1989 in Buffalo, New York. Original personnel were Black Mountain, as well as New Zealand based Neil Finn and his band Crowded House.
Subsequent to Oasis splitting in 2009, Ignition has continued to manage Noel Gallagher, overseeing the launch of his highly successful 10 year solo career as
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds are an English rock band formed in 2010 as the solo moniker of former Oasis songwriter, lead guitarist, and backing vocalist Noel Gallagher. The touring band consists of former Oasis members Gem Archer (guit ...
. Since the middle of the last decade, Ignition's roster has grown further, taking on highly successful international touring artists
Catfish and the Bottlemen
Catfish and the Bottlemen are a British indie rock band from Wales. The band's debut album, ''The Balcony'', reached number 10 in the UK Albums Chart and achieved Platinum status on 30 December 2016. The band have toured in South America, Jap ...
, and Scottish singer/songwriter Amy McDonald. They have also expanded to establish a North American arm of Ignition management based in Los Angeles, whose clients include
Neon Trees
Neon Trees is an American rock band from Provo, Utah. The band received nationwide exposure in late 2008 when they opened several North American tour dates for the band The Killers. Not long after, the band was signed by Mercury Records. Their f ...
Ignition Records
Ignition Records is a British, London based independent record company, owned by Marcus Russell and Alec McKinlay of Ignition Management. The company has been releasing music on a regular basis since the late 1990s, although its inaugural release ...
, which has been highly active with releases over the last decade or so.
In November 2016, Ignition co-founders invested in ticket resale platform Twickets.