Martin Goldschmidt is the co-founder and managing director of UK independent record label

Cooking Vinyl Cooking Vinyl is a British independent record label, based in Acton, London, England, founded in 1986 by former manager and booking agent Martin Goldschmidt and business partner Pete Lawrence. Goldschmidt remains the current owner and chairman ...

and co-founder of Essential Music & Marketing.

Early career

Goldschmidt attended the Polytechnic of Wales (now the

University of South Wales The University of South Wales ( cy, Prifysgol De Cymru) is a public university in Wales, with campuses in Cardiff, Newport and Pontypridd. It was formed on 11 April 2013 from the merger of the University of Glamorgan and the University of Wal ...

) in the mid 1970s. Goldschmidt's involvement in music began in 1982 when he founded management company and booking agency Forward Music. The company was subsequently renamed FAB in 1988 and later sold to Rob Challice/CODA in 1997. Between 1984 and 1986 Goldschmidt also ran independent record label Forward Sounds International.

Cooking Vinyl

Cooking Vinyl was founded in 1986 by Goldschmidt and his former business partner Pete Lawrence, initially operating out of Goldschmidt's council house in Stockwell, South London. Over 25 years on the label has diversified from its original folk roots into releasing rock, metal, indie, punk and electronica. Cooking Vinyl is also recognised as a pioneer of ‘artist services’ deals working with artists such as

Billy Bragg Stephen William Bragg (born 20 December 1957) is an English singer-songwriter and left-wing activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, with lyrics that mostly span political or romantic themes. His music is ...

The Prodigy The Prodigy are an English electronic dance music band formed in Braintree, Essex, in 1990 by producer, keyboard player and songwriter Liam Howlett. The original line-up also featured dancer and singer Keith Flint and dancer and occasional l ...

and

Marilyn Manson Brian Hugh Warner (born January 5, 1969), known professionally as Marilyn Manson, is an American rock musician. He came to prominence as the lead singer of the band which shares his name, of which he remains the only constant member since it ...

. In 2003 Goldschmidt and former Vital Distribution MD Mike Chadwick set up independent distributor and service provider Essential Music & Marketing, which operates as part of the Cooking Vinyl Group. In 2005 Cooking Vinyl, led by Goldschmidt, set up one of the UK's earliest online distribution companies, Uploader, which was sold in 2007 to the Independent Online Distribution Alliance (

IODA The Orchard is an American music and entertainment company, specializing in media distribution, marketing, and sales. It is a subsidiary of Sony Music, based in New York City. In 2019, the company sold off its film and television division, whic ...

Personal life

Goldschmidt is a proficient chess player, notably taking home the title of Sydney Junior Chess Champion in 1974, during a period living in Australia. Goldschmidt has also previously founded two national Anti Nuclear protest groups: Students Against Nuclear Energy (SANE) and No Nukes Music.

Industry honours and other achievements

Goldschmidt was nominated as Independent Entrepreneur of the Year at the inaugural

Association of Independent Music The Association of Independent Music (AIM) is a non-profit trade body established in 1998 by UK independent record labels to represent the independent record sector, which in 2016 constituted approximately 23% of the UK market. Its members incl ...

(AIM) Independent Music Awards.

References

External links

Martin Goldschmidt biography on IMPALA website

Martin Goldschmidt biography on MusicTank website

Cooking Vinyl Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Goldschmidt, Martin Year of birth missing (living people) Living people British record producers British music industry executives Alumni of the University of South Wales