Miles Copeland III
Encyclopedia
Miles Axe Copeland III (born May 2, 1944) is an American
entertainment executive, best known for founding I.R.S. Records
. His brother, Stewart Copeland
, was part of the pop-rock trio The Police
, which Miles managed. Another brother, Ian Copeland
, was a successful booking agent who described much of the New Wave adventures of Miles, Stewart and himself in his book, Wild Thing.
, England
to Miles Axe Copeland, Jr.
, a CIA
officer from Birmingham, Alabama
, United States
and Scottish
Lorraine Adie
, who was in British
intelligence
. Due to Miles Jr.'s profession, the family moved throughout the Middle East
, in particular Syria
, Egypt
, and Lebanon
. As a result, Miles and his brothers became fluent in Arabic
.
Miles began attending college at Birmingham-Southern College
in 1962. He graduated with a B.A. degree in 1966 and attended the American University of Beirut, where he earned his M.A. in Economics
by 1969. By then, he had already promoted his first concert. Moving back to England, Miles became involved in the music industry, focusing on promotion and management of several bands, his first major success was with Wishbone Ash
.
In 1974, he founded the management agency and record label BTM (for British Talent Management), and signed a number of progressive rock acts such as Renaissance
and his brother Stewart's band Curved Air
. In the summer of 1975, he organised a multi-band tour of European music festivals, Star-Trucking, which featured several BTM bands as well as Soft Machine
, the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Lou Reed
. But Reed's failure to appear at any of the shows and a litany of logistical issues resulted in significant losses. In 1976, BTM closed down.
The failure of BTM coincided with the beginnings of the Punk/New Wave movement in the UK, and led him to help start Illegal Records
, Deptford Fun City Records, New Bristol Records
and sign The Cortinas
to Step Forward Records in 1977.
In 1978 he would be instrumental in getting his brother Stewart's new band, The Police
, signed to a major record deal, and in fact managed Sting, another member of The Police, for many years. Miles also managed Squeeze, Climax Blues Band
and Wishbone Ash
.
In 1979 Miles created I.R.S. Records
through a deal with A&M Records
. He signed Gary Numan
and the groups The Alarm
, The Go-Go's
& R.E.M.
In January 1988 he created an all-instrumental imprint under I.R.S. called No Speak
Records.
Reaching beyond the music branch of entertainment, Miles became involved in music video
s, feature film
s, and other multimedia
projects. He later became interested in world music
genres and focused some of his products and attention on exposure of it.
Miles married Adriana Corajoria, an artist and model
from Argentina
, in 1989. Together, they had three children: Miles Axe IV, Aeson Armstrong, and Axton Emerson.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entertainment executive, best known for founding I.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records was a record label, started in the United States in 1979 by Miles Copeland III along with Jay Boberg and Carl Grasso. Miles was also the manager of Wishbone Ash, The Police, and later, Sting, as well as other bands. I.R.S. was the sister label of Copeland's Illegal Records .I.R.S...
. His brother, Stewart Copeland
Stewart Copeland
Stewart Armstrong Copeland is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the band The Police. During the group's extended hiatus from the mid-1980s to 2007, he played in other bands and composed soundtracks...
, was part of the pop-rock trio The Police
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
, which Miles managed. Another brother, Ian Copeland
Ian Copeland
Ian Adie Copeland was a pioneering American music promoter and booking agent who helped launch the New Wave movement in the United States....
, was a successful booking agent who described much of the New Wave adventures of Miles, Stewart and himself in his book, Wild Thing.
Career
Miles was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to Miles Axe Copeland, Jr.
Miles Copeland, Jr.
Miles Axe Copeland, Jr. was an American musician, businessman, and CIA officer who was closely involved in major foreign-policy operations from the 1950s to the 1980s...
, a CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
officer from Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
Lorraine Adie
Lorraine Copeland
Lorraine Copeland is an archaeologist specialising in the Palaeolithic period of the Near East. Her husband was Miles Axe Copeland Jr, and they had four children, all of whom have gone on to have notable careers: Miles Copeland III, Ian, Lorraine and Stewart Copeland.Lorraine Copeland was born in...
, who was in British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
intelligence
Military intelligence
Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
. Due to Miles Jr.'s profession, the family moved throughout the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, in particular Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, and Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. As a result, Miles and his brothers became fluent in Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
.
Miles began attending college at Birmingham-Southern College
Birmingham-Southern College
Birmingham–Southern College is a 4-year, private liberal arts college located three miles northwest of downtown Birmingham. Founded in 1856, it is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Approximately 1400 students from 30 states and 23 foreign countries attend the college...
in 1962. He graduated with a B.A. degree in 1966 and attended the American University of Beirut, where he earned his M.A. in Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
by 1969. By then, he had already promoted his first concert. Moving back to England, Miles became involved in the music industry, focusing on promotion and management of several bands, his first major success was with Wishbone Ash
Wishbone Ash
Wishbone Ash are a British rock band who achieved success in the early and mid-1970s. Their popular records included Wishbone Ash , Argus , There's the Rub , and New England...
.
In 1974, he founded the management agency and record label BTM (for British Talent Management), and signed a number of progressive rock acts such as Renaissance
Renaissance (band)
Renaissance are an English progressive rock band, most notable for their 1978 UK top 10 hit "Northern Lights" and progressive rock classics like "Carpet of the Sun", "Mother Russia" and "Ashes Are Burning".-Original incarnation :...
and his brother Stewart's band Curved Air
Curved Air
Curved Air are a pioneering British progressive rock group formed in 1970 by musicians from mixed artistic backgrounds, including classic, folk, and electronic sound. The resulting sound of the band was a mixture of progressive rock, folk rock, and fusion with classical elements...
. In the summer of 1975, he organised a multi-band tour of European music festivals, Star-Trucking, which featured several BTM bands as well as Soft Machine
Soft Machine
Soft Machine were an English rock band from Canterbury, named after the book The Soft Machine by William S. Burroughs. They were one of the central bands in the Canterbury scene, and helped pioneer the progressive rock genre...
, the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Lou Reed
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
. But Reed's failure to appear at any of the shows and a litany of logistical issues resulted in significant losses. In 1976, BTM closed down.
The failure of BTM coincided with the beginnings of the Punk/New Wave movement in the UK, and led him to help start Illegal Records
Illegal Records
Illegal Records is a record label founded by Miles Copeland III with his younger brother Stewart Copeland and the manager of The Police, Paul Mulligan in 1977. The label released The Police's debut single, Fall Out....
, Deptford Fun City Records, New Bristol Records
Bristol record labels
The city of Bristol, in England, has since the mid 1970’s had a particularly fertile music culture, resulting in not only a great many influential musicians and bands, but also its own sound; Bristol Sound or Trip Hop. Along with the music scene, a number of local record labels also developed, some...
and sign The Cortinas
The Cortinas (punk band)
The Cortinas were a 1970s Bristol-based punk rock band. Guitarist Nick Sheppard went on to play with The Clash. In 2001, the band’s debut single, "Fascist Dictator" , was included in a leading British music magazine’s list of the best punk-rock singles of all-time.-Biography:Named after a car, the...
to Step Forward Records in 1977.
In 1978 he would be instrumental in getting his brother Stewart's new band, The Police
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
, signed to a major record deal, and in fact managed Sting, another member of The Police, for many years. Miles also managed Squeeze, Climax Blues Band
Climax Blues Band
Climax Blues Band was formed in Stafford, England in 1968. The original members were guitarists Peter Haycock and Derek Holt; keyboardist Arthur Wood; bassist Richard Jones; drummer George Newsome; and vocalist and harmonica player, Colin Cooper.In 1970, the group shortened its name to the Climax...
and Wishbone Ash
Wishbone Ash
Wishbone Ash are a British rock band who achieved success in the early and mid-1970s. Their popular records included Wishbone Ash , Argus , There's the Rub , and New England...
.
In 1979 Miles created I.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records was a record label, started in the United States in 1979 by Miles Copeland III along with Jay Boberg and Carl Grasso. Miles was also the manager of Wishbone Ash, The Police, and later, Sting, as well as other bands. I.R.S. was the sister label of Copeland's Illegal Records .I.R.S...
through a deal with A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
. He signed Gary Numan
Gary Numan
Gary Numan is an English singer, composer, and musician, most widely known for his chart-topping 1979 hits "Are 'Friends' Electric?" and "Cars". His signature sound consisted of heavy synthesizer hooks fed through guitar effects pedals.Numan is considered a pioneer of commercial electronic music...
and the groups The Alarm
The Alarm
The Alarm are an alternative rock band that emerged from North Wales in the late 1970s. They started as a mod band and stayed together for over ten years. As a rock band, they displayed marked influences from Welsh language and culture...
, The Go-Go's
The Go-Go's
The Go-Go’s are an all-female American rock band formed in 1978. They made history as the first all-female band that both wrote their own songs and played their own instruments to top the Billboard album charts....
& R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
In January 1988 he created an all-instrumental imprint under I.R.S. called No Speak
I.R.S. No Speak
I.R.S. No Speak was an instrumental-only imprint of the I.R.S. Records record label, founded by Miles Copeland III in January 1988. Inspired by the success of Peter Baumann's Private Music, Windham Hill Records and Capitol Records Cinema Records, Copeland wanted to feature some of the many...
Records.
Reaching beyond the music branch of entertainment, Miles became involved in music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s, feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
s, and other multimedia
Multimedia
Multimedia is media and content that uses a combination of different content forms. The term can be used as a noun or as an adjective describing a medium as having multiple content forms. The term is used in contrast to media which use only rudimentary computer display such as text-only, or...
projects. He later became interested in world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
genres and focused some of his products and attention on exposure of it.
Miles married Adriana Corajoria, an artist and model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
from Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, in 1989. Together, they had three children: Miles Axe IV, Aeson Armstrong, and Axton Emerson.
External links
- www.milescopeland.com
- http://abc.go.com/primetime/politicallyincorrect/episodes/2001-02/1019.html Transcript of Miles Copeland III on Politically IncorrectPolitically IncorrectPolitically Incorrect is a late-night, half-hour political talk show hosted by Bill Maher that ran from 1993 to 2002. It premiered on Comedy Central from 1993 to 1997, and later on ABC in 1997, which cancelled it in 2002....
with Bill Maher