thumb|Adam Kidron record producer & media entrepreneur {{Short description|British-born music producer, entrepreneur and Chief Executive Officer}} '''Adam Kidron''' is a British-born ex-music producer, serial entrepreneur, and the ex-chief executive officer of Urban Box Office (UBO), a reggaeton and urban Latino record label, and Yonder Music.
== Record producer == Adam Kidron began working in the record industry in 1978.<ref name=Cobo /> He worked in record production for the label Rough Trade Records, as well as Stiff Records, where he worked with artists including Davey Payne and The Blockheads.<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QgkSFXpR2VUC&q=Matrix+studio+Adam+Kidron&pg=PT378 |title = Sex and Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll: The Life of Ian Dury|isbn = 9780857121219|last1 = Balls|first1 = Richard|date = 2009-12-17}}</ref> He produced the debut albums of both Scritti Politti and Orange Juice (band). In 1984, Adam Kidron and his then-girlfriend, Lizzy Mercier Descloux recorded the album ''Gazelles'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/mais-o%C3%B9-sont-pass%C3%A9es-les-gazelles-mw0001348258/credits |title=Mais où Sont Passées les Gazelles – Lizzy Mercier Descloux | Credits | AllMusic |website=AllMusic |publisher= |date= |accessdate=2021-12-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150612023350/http://www.allmusic.com/album/mais-o%C3%B9-sont-pass%C3%A9es-les-gazelles-mw0001348258/credits |archive-date=12 June 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> with a band made up of leading Sowetan musicians.
In 1984, while recording ''Nina Hagen in Ekstasy'' (1985) Kidron had a near-fatal motorbike accident.<ref>Novak, Ralph and Hiltbrand, David. "[http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20091226,00.html Picks and Pans Review: Nina Hagen in Ekstasy]", ''People'', July 8, 1985.</ref> He went on to produce Mercier Descloux's ''One for the Soul'' — a collaboration with jazz trumpeter Chet Baker, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1985.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Lizzy-Mercier-Descloux-One-For-The-Soul/release/2697001|title=Lizzy Mercier Descloux – One For The Soul|website=Discogs.com|accessdate=17 August 2020}}</ref> In 1994 Kidron was the music supervisor of the movie and executive producer of the soundtrack for "Jason's Lyric" with George Jackson, Doug McHenry and Sam Sapp.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/1994/film/reviews/jason-s-lyric-1200438529/|title=Jason's Lyric|website=Variety.com|date=19 September 1994|accessdate=17 August 2020}}</ref> In 1995 Kidron co-executive produced the soundtrack for Mario Van Peebles, ''Panther''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114084/fullcredits/|title=Panther (I) (1995) : Full Cast & Crew|website=IMDb.com|accessdate=17 August 2020}}</ref> In 1996 Kidron, along with Sam Sapp, Kenneth Edmonds ["Babyface"] and Antonio Reid ["LA"] executive produced ''The Rhythm of The Games'', the official soundtrack of the Atlanta Olympic Games.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,229479,00.html |title=Rhythm of the Games: 1996 Olympic Games Album – Listen, Review and Buy at ARTISTdirect |publisher= |date= |accessdate=2021-12-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050129211453/http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,229479,00.html |archive-date=29 January 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
== TV producer/''Catwalk'' (1986–1997) == In the mid-1980s, Kidron became partner in Crossbow Films Ltd., a UK-based independent producer of syndicated television. At Crossbow, Kidron developed television formats with Henry Winkler and Ben Elton, George Jackson and Doug McHenry, Clarence Avant and Quincy Jones. In 1990 Kidron left Crossbow to form his own production company, Marvellous Pictures, Inc.
In 1991, Kidron and partners Steve Waterman and Jeff Franklin, begun production of ''Catwalk'' in Toronto, Canada.{{citation needed|date=April 2013}} ''Catwalk'' was a syndicated television series based around the struggles of an urban band trying to hit the big time. The series is best known for launching the career of Neve Campbell (Daisy), discovered by Kidron while she was a performer in the Canadian production of ''The Phantom of the Opera''. ''Catwalk'' also featured Lisa Butler (Sierra), Christopher Lee Clements (Atlas), Paul Popowich (Jesse), Kelli Taylor (Mary), and Keram Malicki-Sánchez (Johnny). The show was based on a six-minute mini-movie Kidron had produced in London's docklands, which had featured Kate Moss.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://boobnewb.com/2014/02/01/made-in-canada-joint-productions-and-successful-canadian-programming/|title=Made in Canada: Joint Productions and Successful Canadian Programming|website=Boobnewb.com|accessdate=17 August 2020}}</ref>
== Business ventures == === Urban Box Office Network === The urban Internet portal UBO was co-founded by Kidron, along with the late film director/producer George Jackson and lawyer Frank Cooper, in 1999. The company aggregated websites such as Latinflava.com, Soul Purpose, Support Online, Hiphop.com, Urban Music Matrix, UBO Sports and Womanhood.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.salon.com/2000/09/07/ubo/|title=Eclipse of an urban dot-com dream|website=Salon.com|date=7 September 2000|accessdate=17 August 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/304701/Urban+Box+Office+Founder+Dies.htm|title=Urban Box Office Founder Dies|website=Internetnews.com|date=16 February 2000|accessdate=17 August 2020}}</ref> Latinflava, previously a Spanglish e-magazine, became UBO's own in-house label.<ref name="Latinflava UBO">{{cite magazine|last1=Cobo|first1=Leila|title=Chayanne Gets Romantic|magazine=Billboard|date=February 26, 2005|page=33|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SxQEAAAAMBAJ&q=latin+Flava+UBO&pg=PA33|accessdate=21 July 2014}}</ref> In less than two years, Kidron, Jackson and Cooper raised over $40 million of venture capital for Urban Box Office Networks, Inc. Kidron became the CEO of the company. It went bankrupt in December 2000 with analysts and former staffers describing it as collapsing "under a morass of bad management, bad luck and an unrealistic business plan".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/money/demise-dot-com-dream-wave-future-financial-flop-article-1.885772 |title=THE DEMISE OF A DOT-COM AND ITS DREAM From wave of the future to financial flop – NY Daily News |website=New York Daily News |publisher= |date= |accessdate=2021-12-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150623023922/http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/money/demise-dot-com-dream-wave-future-financial-flop-article-1.885772 |archive-date=23 June 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
===Urban Box Office=== Urban Box Office was set up as a different company to take over the music component of Urban Box Office Network. It released its first album in 2004,<ref name=Cobo /> and in 2005 it had several Latin music releases, including Bachata musician Andy Andy, and some reggaeton compilation albums, three reaching the top five of Billboard music’s charts. UBO's strategy was to sell low-priced CDs at five to ten dollars each through non-traditional stores, such as bodegas and hair salons.<ref name=Cobo>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9RQEAAAAMBAJ&q=Adam+Kidron+The+Rhythm+of+The+Games&pg=PA3 |title = Billboard|date = 2005-11-12}}</ref> Urban Box Office went bankrupt in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://libn.com/2007/02/23/a-hop-skip-and-jump-away-from-fame-and-fortune/|title=A hop, skip and jump away from fame and fortune|website=Libn.com|date=23 February 2007|accessdate=17 August 2020}}</ref>
In 2006, Kidron produced "Nuestro Himno"—the controversial Spanish-language version of "The Star-Spangled Banner". Kidron presented the song at a concert at the former immigration processing centre Ellis Island in May 2006.<ref name="Chinadaily">[http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200605/29/eng20060529_269386.html "Latino US anthem stirs controversy"], ''China Daily'', 29 May 2006.</ref>
===Beyond Oblivion=== Kidron was CEO of the music startup Beyond Oblivion, which intended to bundle music for mobile phone devices. Kidron came under scrutiny for his business tactics when Beyond Oblivion went bankrupt before launch, costing $33 million.<ref>Matt Rosoff (2 March 2012) [http://www.businessinsider.com/the-amazing-story-of-how-this-insane-ceo-blew-33-million-and-never-released-a-product-2012-3 "The Amazing Story Of How This 'Insane' CEO Blew $33 Million And Never Released A Product"], Business Insider.</ref> It had spent heavily on marketing and filed for bankruptcy in December 2011.<ref name="startup goes titsup" /> Kidron stated that he had faced difficulties in persuading mobile phone and computer manufacturers to collect revenue from purchasers and in "co-ordinating the diversity of the ecosystem".<ref>Harry Wallop (3 January 2012) [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/8990622/Music-service-Beyond-Oblivion-collapses-into-oblivion.html "Music service Beyond Oblivion collapses into oblivion"], ''The Daily Telegraph'' (London).</ref> BOINC was the company’s successor firm,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/aug/22/beyond-oblivion-boinc-music-service|title=Beyond Oblivion poised to unveil Boinc music service|newspaper=The Guardian |accessdate=17 August 2020}}</ref> which released a service in Venezuela.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://musically.com/2013/07/11/beyond-oblivions-boinc-rises-from-the-grave-to-launch-in-venezuela/|title=Beyond Oblivion's Boinc rises from the grave to launch… in Venezuela|website=Musically.com|accessdate=17 August 2020}}</ref>
===4Food=== Kidron set up 4Food, a restaurant where food could be ordered using iPads attached to the tables, in New York in 2010.<ref>Daniel Maurer (18 August 2010) [http://www.grubstreet.com/2010/08/4food_slideshow.html "4Food Introduces the Viral Restaurant"] ''Grub Street'' (NYMag.com).</ref> The initial investment made into 4Food was for three restaurant locations, only one of which was launched.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703685404575307191182043842|title=Restaurant Chain Gets Social|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|date=15 June 2010|accessdate=17 August 2020|last1=Reddy|first1=Sumathi}}</ref> Hamburgers could be special ordered by customers then saved and named for later ordering, or posted to social media so that other customers can order the combination. Discounts were given to the creator of the hamburger for every time that combination was ordered by additional customers by name.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/217507|title=How Social Media is Changing Business|website=Entrepreneur.com|accessdate=17 August 2020}}</ref>
===Yonder Music=== Yonder Music was set up in May 2014 by Kidron, who is the company’s first CEO. The company was developed as a mobile-only digital music service, by providing specially-licensed mobile devices with unlimited downloading privileges. Cliff Burnstein provided seed money. Kidron stepped down in June 2017.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=The New York Times | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/12/business/media/digital-music-service-to-pose-new-challenge-to-subscription-model.html?_r=0 | last=Sisario | first=Ben | title=Digital Music Service to Pose New Challenge | access-date=December 12, 2017 | date=May 14, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | website=Linkedin | title=Jim Heindlmeyer Yonder CEO | access-date=December 13, 2017 | date= June 1, 2017 | url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-heindlmeyer-36267233/}}</ref> Yonder Music shut down on March 23, 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://techlekh.com/yonder-app-shuts-down/|title=YONDERING OFF: Growth Didn't Mean Stability|website=Techlekh.com|date=27 March 2018|accessdate=17 August 2020}}</ref>
== Personal life == Kidron's father was Marxist economist Michael Kidron,<ref name="startup goes titsup">Andrew Orlowski (27 January 2012) [https://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/01/27/beyond_oblivion_debtors/ "Startup goes titsup: Beyond Oblivion's crash is beyond belief"], The Register.co.uk.</ref> best known for his book ''Western Capitalism Since the War''. Adam Kidron is the brother of film director Beeban Kidron.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2003/mar/27/guardianobituaries.books1|title=Obituary : Michael Kidron : Publisher, writer and socialist whose life's project was to understand, and help replace, capitalism|newspaper=The Guardian|accessdate=17 August 2020}}</ref> Adam was previously married to Karen Alexander, with whom he has two daughters.<ref name="People Magazine">{{cite web|title=Archive – Karen Alexander|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20063299,00.html|website=People.com|accessdate=10 April 2015}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kidron, Adam}} Category:Music production companies Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:British record producers Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people)