Jeff Blue is a music producer, who is currently the vice president of Artists and Repertoire for Warner California. He is responsible for recruiting new unsigned artists for the Warner Bros. Blue is most notably known for "discovering" and signing Linkin Park, a successful rock band, to the record label.
Biography[]
Blue graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He studied music during his time at UCLA, and was a percussionist in the university’s band. He eventually decided to pursue a career in law, but felt uncomfortable with the field after passing the Bar examination. He then pursued a career in journalism, and worked with media outlets such as Billboard and Entertainment Weekly. He eventually published his own magazine, Crossroads, which focused on talented unsigned music artists. In addition to his journalism, Blue worked as band manager, producer, and attorney, all at the same time.
Zomba Music Publishing was impressed by Blue’s versatility, and hired him. He cites that the combined experienced from his professions gave him the insights and talents he needed to succeed in the Artists and Repertoire division. During his career with Zomba, Blue met Brad Delson, who was interning at Zomba from UCLA. Delson told Blue about a new band he was performing with, which was an earlier incarnation of Linkin Park. Blue wished to sign Delson and his band mates to a record deal, but was unsuccessful.
Years later, Blue met Chester Bennington, an Arizona-native who had just parted with Grey Daze. After learning that Delson’s band, then Hybrid Theory, was in need of vocalist, Blue arranged audition Bennington an audition. Bennington eventually became a member of the band, who later changed their name to Linkin Park. Despite making much progress, the band was unable to land record deal from any major label. Blue, now working with Warner Bros. Records, agreed to sign Linkin Park. Months later, they released their prodigiously successful debut album, Hybrid Theory, which has since sold over one million records.
In addition to Linkin Park, Blue has also signed Macy Gray, Korn, and Limp Bizkit to record deals.
