Record deal

Mick Clerkin, the legendary showband impressario, has re-entered the Irish record distribution business.

In a move that is destined to shake up the local scene considerably, Clerkin has joined forces with Noel Cusack’s Chart Records and with RMG Managing Director Peter Kenny, in a consortium that has purchased the Ritz Music Group’s Irish subsidiary.

The new consortium will incorporate the business operations of two of the country’s key independent distribution companies, RMG Ireland and Chart Records, to form a powerful new entertainment distribution and marketing facility.

The new company will be known as RMG Chart Entertainment Ltd., and will be based at the old Sony distribution centre, at 2 Carriglea, Naas Road, Dublin 12, which was originally taken over by RMG during 2001. It will commence trading from Monday, September 2, 2002. Until then, business will continue as usual for both companies.

The directors of the new operation, RMG Chart Entertainment Ltd., are Mick Clerkin, Noel Cusack and Peter Kenny.

"It was always part of our vision that we would potentially join forces with Chart," the group’s managing director Peter Kenny told Hot Press. "By bringing the knowledge, expertise and the customer base of both of the operations together, we have an unrivalled reach in this country, and we’ll be providing a level of service to match."

RMG Chart Entertainment Ltd. looks set for a very busy start, with new albums on the way this year from major artists like David Gray, Sinead O'Connor, Daniel O'Donnell, Eva Cassidy and The 4 of Us; best-of compilations from Ash and The Irish Tenors; and a video and DVD of Ireland's World Cup journey entitled Rising Sons.