Terry Tolkin

Terry Tolkin was the Vice President of A&R at Elektra Records from 1992 to 1996. He signed a number of critically acclaimed alternative rock bands, including Luna, Stereolab, Afghan Whigs, Scrawl, Jennyanykind and Nada Surf. In addition to his work at Elektra, Terry ran the independent label No.6 Records, which released singles and albums by acts such as The Tindersticks, Charles Douglas, Unrest, Vegetarian Meat, Jule Brown and Dean Wareham. In the early 1980's he worked for Touch & Go Records where he signed the Butthole Surfers and the Virgin Prunes among other bands. Terry was also known for his work as a DJ and booker at popular New York clubs such as Danceteria, CBGBs, and Limelight. He also worked at the seminal 99 Records store in Greenwich Village, the birthplace of Liquid Liquid and ESG.

In 1979, while writing and charting records for the music industry publication Rockpool Newsletter, Terry coined the term "Alternative Music" to raise awareness of the US and UK post-punk groups he was reviewing. ["Noise From The Underground : A History Of Alternative Rock", by Michael Lavine and Pat Blashill. ISBN # 0-684-81513-3. Simon And Schuster Publishing, 1996] In 1988, Terry conceived and produced the alternative rock tribute album The Bridge: A Tribute To Neil Young," which featured many new and upcoming bands who would later achieve great commercial and critical success, such as the Pixies, Sonic Youth, The Flaming Lips, Soul Asylum and Nick Cave. Over 80% percent of the profits from The Bridge went directly to The Bridge School, an organization for children suffering from Cerebral Palsy run by Neil Young and his wife Peggi. Young once said of the project, "I love it! We played it on the tour bus all year long!" ["Neil Young - A Dreamer Of Pictures" by David Downing March 1995 Perseus Publishing ISBN # 0-306-80611-8] while Rolling Stone Magazine called The Bridge "one of the best conceived and executed" tribute albums of all time. [Rolling Stone Magazine, 11-2-1989] Terry Tolkin currently lives in Oklahoma and is writing a book about his experiences in the music industry.

References