Metal Blade Records history by Dan Slessor:
Founded upon owner Brian Slagel's enduring drive to find great bands and get their music out to as many people as possible, since 1982 Metal Blade has brought wave after wave of powerful, innovative, and often genre-defining music to the ever-hungry metal masses. It is this ethos that has seen Metal Blade build up a stunning and diverse catalogue, weather the various storms facing any independent label, and in an age of declining record sales boast the most successful years of its existence as it strides into its fourth decade.

What perhaps makes this achievement all the more notable is the fact that Slagel never even intended to start a label. Working in an LA record store and writing for various publications, Slagel was acutely aware that many great bands in the local metal scene were being ignored, and he decided to release a compilation of tracks drawn from these ranks. "There were a lot of really good bands and I was just bummed out that nobody could hear them. It just seemed like I could help them out and have some fun at the same time, and that compilation was the first Metal Massacre," he states. Collating tracks from then unknown bands including Ratt, Bitch, Cirith Ungol, and Metallica amongst others, the compilation sold out immediately. "How important is Metal Blade to our career? They're only the reason we are enjoying the worldwide success we have today," states Metallica's James Hetfield. "Without Brian's openness to some raunchy teens with a crap sounding cassette tape we would be who knows where, and playing who knows what!" With the popularity of the tape spurring Slagel on, the first seeds of Metal Blade were sown. "After the success of those compilations I just started putting out records of bands that I was friends with, but without ever really intending it to be a label at all," he explains. "After I put out four or five releases I started to feel like something was happening, and I decided to quit the record store and quit college and see where it went."

Battling through the first few lean years, when the label consisted solely of Slagel working out of his mom's poorly ventilated garage in the San Fernando Valley, it gradually grew in both revenue and stature. Within a few years Metal Blade would go on to release the debuts of Slayer, Armored Saint, Trouble, and Corrosion Of Conformity amongst others, fanning the flames of the burgeoning metal scene and launching careers of bands that would go onto reap global success. "Without Metal Blade, there is a damn good chance we never would've made it out of L.A," says Slayer's Kerry King. "That was the one bit of luck we needed. You can be the most awesome band on the scene, and if no one notices you, you don't catch on. And Brian Slagel is still one of the biggest metalheads I know!" This genuine love and devotion to metal is central to the relationship many of the artists have with Metal Blade, and King Diamond credits much of its relevance and strength to this passion. "I refer to it as having 'boots on the ground'," the mighty Dane states. "It's not like a major label where some people might be into what you're doing but a lot of them just see it as a job – there's a genuine love for metal there. Through staying true to that and doing their own thing they've carved out a very specific niche that they control, and as an artist it's wonderful to be a part of that."over the years. Clearly without those people we couldn't do what we do, and to everyone out there who has helped us along by being a fan we are so very grateful to you."

Read more: http://www.metalblade.com/us/about-us/

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David Morales is a globally revered American DJ, a Grammy award-winning record producer, songwriter, and businessman. He has produced and remixed over 1000+ records for an all-star roster of multi-platinum artists, including Mariah Carey, U2, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Madonna, and Whitney Houston. A true legend of house music, the global phenomenon and penetration of dance music into Top 40 radio would not have been possible without him.
More recently, Morales launched DIRIDIM Records in 2018. With this new label, David is signing and developing new talent - and naturally, releasing some of his own music. DIRIDIM celebrates all kinds of dance music, ranging from the classic house music sound Morales is known for to straight-up electronic sonorities. In January 2022, Morales released "Life Is a Song", his first full-length studio album in almost 10 years. Produced during the pandemic lockdown, the album featuring artists, Mr. V., Blakkat, Elle Cato, Michelle Perera, Lea Lorien, Blondewearingblack among others, quickly gained an international following eager to hear more and skyrocketed up Traxsource's album chart to #1 for three weeks. His unquenchable thirst for newness is precisely why this native New Yorker remains at the top of his game into the new decade - “It’s about keeping an open mind,” as Morales says. In 2020, due to the global pandemic and inability to travel, he launched, Sunday Mass, a livestreaming show on Twitch to entertain his fans across the world. The 2021 IMS Business Report based on data, cited him as one of the dance music artists who experienced online success during the pandemic. Into post-pandemic times and with the reopening of clubs all over the world, David continued his legacy as a native New Yorker and trailblazing DJ, constantly gracing the best international stages with recent standout performances such as the Hacienda Warehouse Project in Manchester, Clockwork Orange in London, Stereo Montreal, EDC Vegas, Hi Ibiza, and After Caposile Venice. In 2024, David Morales is holding a residency at the legendary Pikes Hotel in Ibiza during the summer. A pinnacle in his repertoire is also the ongoing success of the Sunday Mass parties in NY, featuring both club nights and legendary boat parties during the summer. These events stand as a testament to Morales's enduring impact as a true legend on the house music scene. On top of this all, David is on the brink of releasing a new LP, 'Sunday Mass Vol. 1', the inaugural installment in a series with more to come in 2024. As we venture into 2024, expect a flurry of news and projects, with the new year expected to be a more than ever prolific one for David Morales.
 
FILM /TV/FASHION/RADIO
David Morales has transcended musical genres to create a global brand. His music productions have appeared in popular films and television shows, including The Devil Wears Prada, Ninja Turtles 2, Don’t Mess With the Zohan, and Star (TV Series). His DIRIDIM radio show can be heard on Ibiza Global Radio and numerous other stations around the world which is streamed to millions of listeners around the world. In 2016, Morales was the lead judge on “Top DJ” a national television series broadcast on Italia 1. When it came time to wear his fashion model hat, Morales appeared in a global advertising campaign for luxury design house, Iceberg. 

HISTORY
David Morales honed his skills as a DJ in the 1980s and 1990s at such legendary clubs as the Ozone Layer, Paradise Garage, Red Zone, Zanzibar, Tunnel and Club USA just to name a few. When the remix and DJ work began taking off, Morales teamed up with house music legend, Frankie Knuckles, and For The Record DJ Pool founder/NYC nightlife impresario, Judy Weinstein, to create Def Mix Productions.
Morales’ prolific production career kicked into high gear in the 1990s with the release of his solo debut album, “The Program” by David Morales & The Bad Yard Club. In the late-1990s, with hundreds of remixes (Mariah Carey’s “Dreamlover,” Janet Jackson’s “Throb,” Alison Limerick’s “Where Love Lives,” CeCe Peniston’s “Finally,” Jamiroquai’s “Space Cowboy”, Jaydee’s “Plastic Dreams,” Robert Owens’ “I’ll Be Your Friend,” under his belt, Morales recorded the groundbreaking house classic, “Needin’ U,” under the alias David Morales Presents The Face. Morales’ second album, “2 Worlds Collide,” arrived in 2005, followed six years later, by his third album, “Changes.” 
David Morales was nominated for his first Grammy Award in 1996 as a Producer on Mariah Carey’s album, ‘Daydream’ for the song ‘Fantasy’. In 1998 he won a Grammy Award for “Remixer of the Year.”
Though Morales’ past is surely one for music’s history books, the DJ-turned-artist always has his eyes firmly focused on the future—on what lies ahead. He keeps an ear to the ground, regularly exploring new music, new artists, and hotly tipped DJs who might inspire him to “go and do my homework.” He happily embraces the new generation of clubgoers. “They don’t care about yesterday”, he says, with a knowing smile.

For further information on David Morales please contact:
Valentina Cecchini @ OMNIVERSE S.r.L. on: +39 335 6810626 or email info@omniverse.sm

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