Ron Burman

This article contains content that is written like an advertisement. Please help improve it by removing promotional content and inappropriate external links, and by adding encyclopedic content written from a neutral point of view. (May 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Ron Burman is an American music producer.

Early life

Burman was born in Philadelphia in 1965 and moved to Jacksonville, Florida when he was 12.^[1] Between 1986 and 1988, while pursuing Communication Studies at Florida State University (FSU) in Tallahassee, Burman served as the Concert Director for Student Campus Entertainment (SCE) where he booked bands for the campus nightclub, The Club Down Under, The Metro Night Club,^[2] as well as working at FSU's college radio station WVFS in Tallahassee.^[1] While head of SCE, Burman booked hundreds of bands, including the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Ramones, Jello Biafra, Alpha Blondy, The Flaming Lips, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., Love Tractor, and many others.

While still a student, he also completed a summer internship at Bulging Eye Booking & Management in Norman, Oklahoma,^[1] who managed and booked bands including The Flaming Lips, Mudhoney, the Afghan Whigs and Alice Donut, whom Burman would go on to manage for several years. Burman graduated from FSU in 1988 with a B.A. in communications.^[2]

Career Beginnings

Burman moved to New York City in 1988 to work for Associated Booking Corporation (ABC Booking), where he booked Anita Baker and B.B. King among others. In 1991, he founded Stretch Management, which lasted until 1996. During this time he became the personal manager and tour manager for punk rock and alternative bands, including his old clients Alice Donut, Drunken Boat and Japanese noise-punks Ultra Bidé.^[2] His bands toured several times across America, Canada, Japan, and Europe.^[2] Burman signed both Alice Donut and Ultra Bidé to Jello Biafra's independent label, Alternative Tentacles.^[3]

Following Stretch Management's closure, Burman became the showcase manager/festival booker for the CMJ Music Marathon in 1996 and 1997, booking over 1,000 bands into 60 New York venues, including giving Limp Bizkit and Rammstein their first shows in New York City.^[2]

Roadrunner A&R

In 1997, Burman was hired by independent metal label Roadrunner Records which was beginning to expand from metal to more commercial mainstream and alternative rock. Less than two years into his career at Roadrunner, as a junior A&R executive, Burman was tipped off to two self-released albums by Vancouver band Nickelback: Curb and The State.^[2]

Persuading the label to let him fly to Vancouver, Burman was impressed by the fans waiting outside the club in the rain, and the band's performance of “Leader of Men” from "State."^[2] After three months of back and forth within the label, Roadrunner signed the group and re-issued the album, followed by Silver Side Up (2001) with its international hit, “How You Remind Me.” Burman went on to A&R a further five records for the band^[4] that would go on to sell over 50 million albums internationally.^[5] After the success of Nickelback, Burman was promoted to Senior Vice-president of A&R.^[1]

Burman also signed the Vancouver quartet Theory of a Deadman,^[3] protégés of Nickelback singer Chad Kroeger, who co-produced them through his own production company, 604 Records, together with Joey Moy. Impressed by singer Bryan Crouch, Burman signed another Canadian band: Hail the Villain, a melodic hard rock quartet from Ontario.^[6] Roadrunner re-released their first album, Population: Declining in 2010.

Other Burman Roadrunner signings include the Australian hard rock band Airbourne, whose albums "Runnin’ Wild" and "No Guts. No Glory." both entered the American, Canadian, and British charts, as well as Black Stone Cherry, The Wombats, Madina Lake, Doubledrive and Biffy Clyro.^[4]

Mascot Label Group

In 2013, Burman became President of Mascot Label Group North America.^[7] The Dutch label has a blues, rock, metal and blues-rock roster that has enjoyed success on European charts, with artists such as Joe Bonamassa, Gov't Mule, Volbeat, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Jonny Lang, and Black Label Society.

After joining Mascot, Burman helped in signing Black Stone Cherry to the label, whom he had previously signed to Roadrunner.^[8] Burman has developed an international roster with artists from North America including: 10 Years, Black Stone Cherry, Conquer Divide, Crobot, The Cold Stares, The Georgia Thunderbolts, Otherwise, P.O.D., Shaman's Harvest,^[9] Earthside and Calva Louise.

Filmography

Burman was interviewed in the documentary film Freaks In Love by filmmakers David Koslowski and Skizz Cyzyk, covering Alice Donut's 25-year career in 2011, and additionally appeared in the VH1 TV series Metal Evolution that same year.^[10]

He was also interviewed for the 2023 documentary film Hate To love: Nickelback by Leigh Brooks.

References