Jaddan Comerford never wanted to do anything other than be involved in music, so he set out and did exactly that. He simply followed his motto: “Be honest, work hard, and follow through on what you said you are going to do.”
Comerford got his start early, launching Boomtown Records in 2004 as an 18-year-old student, inspired by labels that were cultures unto themselves, like Epitaph.
“I started UNIFIED on 1st January, 2011. At this time I saw a great opportunity to consolidate our key artist services into one business. This was an interesting time where touring and festivals were beginning to go through all sorts of changes,” he recounts.
“It was also a time where we were starting to see just how big Australian acts could get, not just in Australia but all around the world. Of course, acts had been successful before but the constant stream since then has been pretty exciting, and it’s not slowing down.”
“I was a partner of The Staple Group from 2006 until August 2013, before I moved my focus completely on UNIFIED. I’ve always been working in music, from starting Boomtown Records in 2004 until now, I’ve always been running a label or managing artists.”
It’s Comerford’s focus on the acts that has driven his business model since the days of Boomtown Records. “We’re an artist-focussed company. Everything we do is for the artists. We believe if you do the right thing by the artist, the right thing will be done by you,” he explains.
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“The business is naturally geared like this if you have the right attitude. I also couldn’t do it without the amazing support and work of my wife, Rachael.” In fact, if you ask him, he’s not the one running UNFD.
“I don’t actually run the company,” he insists. “I have the good fortune of an amazing team who do that for me. The structure of the company is that our General Manager Matthew Rogers runs the company, with the three key department heads reporting to him.”
“I of course oversee it as the owner, but day to day it’s Matt and he reports to me. Further to this, I am based in New York, so it wouldn’t make sense for me to be running a company day to day from the other side of the world.”
Despite being based halfway around the world from his artists, Comerford never loses sight of the cornerstone of his ever-expanding business. “It’s all about artists and being able to deliver on their vision,” he says.
“We are big believers in planning and then of course following through. You need to be there and be consistent. There’s no point setting a plan and not seeing it through, and without a plan, well, there’s just no point at all.”
“Patience is [also] key. Things take time to develop and come to fruition. You also need to be passionate about the acts you work with. Without that I wouldn’t be able to do the work that is required.”
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All of his highlights, too, are those of his artists. “UNIFY 2015 was a huge achievement. Seeing a large part of our roster perform as part of our own event was a very special moment for myself and the whole team,” he says.
“It’s also been amazing seeing Vance Joy’s growth globally. Then see The Amity Affliction have back to back #1 albums and a Top 40 in the USA. Watching Illy win his first ARIA. Violent Soho sell a gold record and an insane amount of shows. Remi win countless awards.”
“I could go on, but I hope you get the point about the artists,” he adds. When it comes right down to it, Comerford has built his own career on building the careers of others. It’s something he couldn’t be prouder of.
“This is all I’ve ever done,” he says. “I’ve always loved music and had a passion for business. Not money, but business. I love how you can build things and create careers. It’s very fulfilling.”
At the end of the day, music isn’t what Comerford does for a living, it’s just what he does: “I was recently in a meeting with one of our staff in London and he said to someone, ‘This is what I do, so I don’t have to work’, which is something that definitely resonates with me.”
If you’re interested in studying music management, visit www.aim.edu.au for more info on exciting new courses.
