BRUCE ALLEN BIOGRAPHY - 2022
For more than fifty years, Bruce Allen has been a cornerstone in the Canadian entertainment industry, guiding the careers of musicians, producers, and sports figures.
After leaving UBC, his love of Music took precedent and in 1966 he formed a booking agency that controlled most of Vancouver's live music in clubs, high schools and universities by the early 1970’s.
In 1973 at the request of Randy Bachman, he took an interest in the fledgling band Brave Belt, which morphed into Bachman-Turner Overdrive, thus beginning his notable career in artist management. With Allen at the helm, BTO became one of the most successful bands of the 1970’s topping the charts in the U.S. and the UK, and setting attendance records in Canada, the U.S. and Japan.
Allen repeated this feat in the 1980’s with the pop-rock band Loverboy, who sold twenty million records and earned eight Juno awards under his tutelage and is in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
It was during this same time period that he brought the talented and energetic Bryan Adams into his fold. Following the simple formula of hard work and endless touring, Allen continues to guide Bryan through an enormously successful career that includes fifteen albums. Adams’ albums contained more than a dozen chart-topping singles, with total sales exceeding 65 million worldwide. Adams has achieved #1 status in over 40 countries and toured on six continents. Adams’ single “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” still holds the record for the longest streak atop the UK charts at 24 weeks.
As country music skyrocketed in popularity in the 1990’s, Allen turned his sights toward Nashville taking on a young Kansas native named Martina McBride. With Allen on her team, McBride would become a major country artist, scoring six #1 singles and winning the Country Music Association’s Female Vocalist of the Year award a record four times.
In 1996 Allen took over management of Canadian legend Anne Murray, breathing new life into her career and returning her to the U.S. and Canadian charts and platinum sales.
In 2003 he added Michael Bublé, a Burnaby native, to his roster. A mere one year later, Bublé won a Juno for Best New Artist and saw his self-titled debut album nominated for Album of the Year. In the eighteen years since, Bublé has won three Grammy Awards, 14 Junos and sold more than 60 million albums worldwide.
In 2008 Allen added award-winning songstress Jann Arden to his management roster. In her 28-year career to date, Arden has had 17 top ten singles, recorded 12 albums and received 8 Juno Awards. Arden is also a best-selling author and actress, starring as a fictionalized version of herself on “Jann”.
Allen also guides the career of renowned record producer Bob Rock (Metallica, The Cult, Bon Jovi, Bryan Adams, Michael Bublé, Motley Crue, 311, The Offspring, Jann Arden). In 2012, Allen added Emmy award-winning arranger/producer Dave Pierce to the roster. Pierce has orchestrated music for Jesus Christ Superstar Gospel, Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular featuring The Rockettes, and the hit Broadway musical “Come Fly With Me”. As well as music for the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games.
Recently, famed punk band The Offspring, approached Allen to help reinvigorate their career. The Allen team sprung into action with the band hitting the charts with 6 Top 5’s and 10 Top 10’s globally.
For 13 years Allen was a member of the CMA (Country Music Association) Board. In 2008 he was named to the CARAS (Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences) Board of Directors and remains on the Board to this day.
His enthusiasm for sports also brought about relationships with Olympic medalist Dale Walters; NASCAR driver Chad Little and the 2004 Olympic Medalists, for women’s curling, Team Law. He also managed wrestler Bret “the Hitman” Hart during his WWF tenure.
Although his heart belongs in Vancouver, Allen has contributed his time and talents to international causes as well. In 1985, he spearheaded Canada’s response to the Ethiopian famine crisis, bringing 52 famous Canadians together for Northern Lights for Africa, a recording project that raised millions with the song “Tears Are Not Enough.” His charity efforts earned him praise from the artistic and civic communities.
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
2019 – Best Entertainment Talent Agency - Canadian Business Awards
2012 – Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
2010 – PNE President’s Lifetime Achievement Award
2008 – Honour Roll award from The Music Managers Forum – Canada
2006 – CCMA Leonard T. Rambeau International Award
1995 to preset – Country Music Association Board of Directors
2001-2008 – Jewish Community Centre Sportsman Dinner Board of Directors
2002-2003 – 2010 Winter Olympic Bid Committee Board of Directors
2002 – Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal
2001 – Canadian Country Music Association’s Manager of the Year
2000 – Inducted into the B.C. Entertainment Hall of Fame “Starwalk”
1997 – Pacific Music Industry Award – Industry Builder
1996 – BC Business Magazine - Entrepreneur of the Year – Pacific Canada – Services Category
1992 – Performance Magazine – International Achievement Award
1991 – Industry Hall of Fame Award –The Record
1987 – Manager of the Year – The Record
1987 – Walt Grealis Hall of Fame Award for outstanding achievement in the music industry (CARAS)
1986 – Man of the Year – Vancouver’s Brotherhood Inter-Faith Society
1986 – February 4th – Bruce Allen Day – proclaimed by Vancouver Mayor Mike Harcourt
1985 – Manager of the Year – Billboard Magazine
1985 – Manager of the Year – The Record
Most producers of Bob Rock’s Grammy Award winning caliber, can though somewhat sheepishly, trace their musical roots back to a time, many years ago, when they played in a band or a bar. While Bob Rock is no exception to that rule, his first foray in music in the late seventies with The Payola$, was an impressive beginning.
Evolving into one of Canada’s most innovative and coveted acts during the eighties, The Payola$ recorded four successful albums: “In a Place Like This”, “No Stranger to Danger” (featuring the single Eyes of A Stranger) “Hammer On A Drum” and “Here’s The World For Ya”. In 1987 the band changed their name to Rock & Hyde and recorded one final album “Under the Volcano”.
Rock’s innate skill for production was obvious from the very beginning. During any time off from writing, recording or touring with The Payola$, Bob could be found in the studio engineering projects alongside the now late producer, Bruce Fairbairn. The pair were responsible for numerous hit albums including Loverboy’s “Loverboy” and “Wildside”, Bon Jovi’s “Slippery When Wet” and “New Jersey” and Aerosmith’s “Permanent Vacation”.
In 1988, Rock produced the debut album from Germany’s Kingdom Come. The record put Bob into the production spotlight and by 1990 Rock had secured production gigs with Blue Murder, Loverboy, The Cult, Motley Crue, David Lee Roth and Cher. The collaboration between Motley Crue and Rock, titled “Dr. Feelgood”, resulted in a No. 1 album – the first for both Rock and the band. “Dr. Feelgood” has sold well over 7 million copies worldwide, and remained on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart for more than two years.
In 1991, Rock teamed up with Metallica. This union, the first of many, resulted in one of the most successful rock discs ever. Untitled, but known worldwide as “The Black Album”, this record debuted at No.1 on the Billboard Top Albums chart in September 1991. “The Black Album” was on Billboard’s Top 100 for more than 5 years and has sold over 16 million copies worldwide and continues to be one of the top albums on Billboard’s catalogue chart.
The Cult, Motley Crue, Bon Jovi and Metallica have all requisitioned the talented producer for subsequent discs. The second time round with Bon Jovi resulted in “Keep The Faith” which debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard charts in the fall of 1992. Successive Metallica albums “Load”, “Reload” and “Garage Inc.” have gone on to be three of the most successful rock albums of the century. “Load” debuted at No. 1 in 22 countries and has sold 9 million copies worldwide while “Reload” which debuted in the No. 1 position on Soundscan and has sold over 7 million copies since its release in December 1997, while “Garage Inc.” has been certified 5 times platinum (5 million) for sales in the U.S.
Wanting to mix things up a bit, in 1996 Bob imparted his musical expertise on to Veruca Salt, producing the critically acclaimed “Eight Arms to Hold You” featuring the hit single Volcano Girls. In recent years Rock has spent more time away from his home studio than he’s accustomed to; after producing the debut effort by Sony recording artist Tal Bachman in Maui, Rock went to work in Jamaica on the 11th release by A&M recording artist Bryan Adams, “On A Day Like Today”. Next up was a return to California with Metallica for their project with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra entitled “S&M”. Then it was back home to Maui to work with Nina Gordon, putting together her first solo effort, the critically acclaimed “Tonight and the Rest of Your Life” which was followed by Bob producing the self-titled release for American Hi Fi which included the hit single “Flavour of the Weak”.
Bob was behind the console with Universal Records artists’ Tonic working on “Head on Straight” which garnered the band two Grammy nominations including “Best Rock Album”. During a hiatus while recording Metallica, Bob went back home to his Plantation Studios in Maui to work with fellow Canadian’s Our Lady Peace on their sixth release “Gravity”.
Bob produced Metallica’s “St. Anger”, (their sixth together). The CD preceded the release of the critically acclaimed documentary Some Kind of Monster that chronicled the difficulty encountered during the making of the album.
Rock was also behind the console for the recording of Simple Plan’s CD, “Still Not Getting Any” and the critically acclaimed “World Container” for Tragically Hip.
In 2006 he produced a track for Michael Bublé’s CD “Call Me Irresponsible” and in 2009 produced a handful of songs on Bublé’s current multi-platinum release “Crazy Love”.
Later that year Bob produced the eponymous release by American Band and “Uplifter” by 311 and then finished work on Ron Sexmith’s “Long Player Late Bloomer”, as well as “Everything Always Now” by the reunited Bush. 2011 had Bob in the studio with The Offspring as well as producing “Uncover Me 2” by Canadian singer/songwriter Jann Arden and well as tracks for Michael Buble’s multi-million selling “Christmas”.
By November of 2011, Rock had four #1’s on the Billboard Charts – Bublé had the #1 AC Single with “All I Want for Christmas”, and a #1 with the album, “Christmas”, and Bush was #1 at both Modern Rock and Rock, with “The Sound of Winter/Sea of Memories”.
2012 was a busy year for Bob. He produced a new CD for UMG’s Charming Liars and was the sole producer behind the console for Michael Buble’s’ newest, 2013 release “To Be Loved” and received a Grammy Award for his work on that album. As the year unfolded and leading into 2014, Bob produced albums for Sarah McLachlan (Shine On), Jann Arden (Everything Almost) and Black Veil Brides (Black Veil Brides-IV) and tracks along with David Foster, for Bryan Adams (Tracks of My Years).
In 2007 Rock was recognized for his lifetime contribution to music with his induction into the Canadian Juno Hall of Fame.
311 - Uplifter
Aerosmith - Permanent Vacation (engineer)
American Bang - American Bang
American HiFi - American HiFi
Black Veil Brides - IV
Blue Murder - Blue Murder
Bon Jovi - Keep the Faith
Bon Jovi - New Jersey (engineer)
Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet (engineer)
Bryan Adams - On A Day Like Today
Bryan Adams - Tracks Of My Years
Bush - Everything Always Now
Charming Liars (upcoming release)
Cher - Love Hurts (Track 2)
David Lee Roth - A Little Ain't Enough
Emerson Hart - Cigarettes and Gasoline
Electric Boys - Funk-O-Metal Carpet Ride
Gavin Rossdale - Wanderlust
Human Nature - Jukebox
Jann Arden - Uncover Me2
Jann Arden - Everything Almost
Jann Arden - A Jann Arden Christmas
Jann Arden - These Are the Days
Kingdom Come - Kingdom Come
Lost Prophets - Liberation Transmission
Metallica - Garage
Metallica - Load
Metallica - Metallica - The Black Album
Metallica - Reload
Metallica/San Francisco Symphony - S & M
Metallica - St. Anger
Michael Bublé - Call Me Irresponsible (1 track)
Michael Bublé - Crazy Love
Michael Bublé - Christmas
Michael Bublé - To Be Loved
Motley Crue - Decadence - Greatest Hits
Motley Crue - Dr. Feelgood
Motley Crue - Motley Crue
Motley Crue - Red, White and Crue
Motley Crue - Carnival of Sin - Live
Nina Gordon - Tonight & the Rest of My Life
Nina Gordon - Bleeding Heart Graffiti
The Offspring - Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace
Our Lady Peace - Gravity
Our Lady Peace - Healthy in Paranoid Times
Paul Hyde - Living Off the Radar
Quireboys - Bitter, Sweet and Twisted
Ron Sexsmith - Long Player, Late Bloomer
Sarah MacLachlan - Shine On
Simple Plan - Still Not Getting Any
Skid Row - Subhuman Race
Tal Bachman - Tal Bachman
The Cult - Beyond Good and Evil
The Cult - Sonic Temple
The Cult - The Cult
The Cult - Choice of Weapon
The Moffatts - Submodalities
The Tragically Hip - World Container
The Tragically Hip - We Are The Same
Tonic - Head On Straight
Van Morrison - Duets
Veruca Salt - Eight Arms to Hold You
BRUCE ALLEN TALENT
#520 – 425 CARRALL STREET
VANCOUVER, BC
V6B 6E3
PHONE 604.688.7274
FAX 604.688.7118
info@bruceallen.com
WE DO NOT ACCEPT UNSOLICITED MATERIAL
We at A & F Music Ltd. and its affiliated companies and divisions are committed to protecting your privacy and share your concerns about the protection of your personal information. As a result, we have created this policy, which has been developed pursuant to the Canadian Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act and the British Columbia Personal Information Protection Act. A & F Music Ltd. affiliated companies and divisions include: Bruce Allen Talent, S.L. Feldman & Associates Ltd., Macklam Feldman Management, Big Pictures Entertainment Ltd. and Characters Talent Agency.
What is Considered Personal Information
Personal information includes not only a person’s full name, address, telephone number, date of birth, e-mail address, but also any other information about them, such as dietary preferences, travel habits and medical history. Business contact information (the content of normal business cards) is not considered personal information.
Why We Collect and Use Personal Information
If you are a client, we will have some basic information about you for the purpose of representing you. We understand that much of this information is private, which is why we collect personal information primarily for the following purposes:
1. To establish and maintain a responsible commercial relationship with you and to provide ongoing service. For example, in order to contract a performance, we require commercial and personal information for both the Artist and the Purchaser. In the case of the Artist we only include commercial information that is necessary in the contract process (ie: tax identification numbers, management contact information, AFofM local information and SIN/SS numbers for AFofM purposes). In the case of the Purchaser, we include business addresses, phone/fax numbers and e-mail address.
2. To manage and develop our business and operations. We maintain a record of the contracts we have negotiated in the past (including offers, settlements, ticket counts). This occurs so that we can serve you better. For example, we will refer to previous contracts when negotiating future deals to ensure that the most appropriate deal is made (based on history). This information is for internal use only and would only be released to you or your duly appointed representatives upon request.
3. To meet legal and regulatory requirements. For example, we may collect information in response to a court order, or to satisfy a request for information from a body like the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) or the American Federation of Musicians.
4. To promote and advance the careers of our clients. Information about our clients is collected for use in promotional activities coordinated by us, in fan club or artist website settings, for distribution to media, and for sharing with record companies and others who form the strategic team for our clients.
5. To inform you about our organization and artists. Occasionally, we circulate to various distribution lists our newsletters or other material published by us concerning news of our artists and news about our organization. These circulations are done on an “opt-out” subscriber basis, and each circulation contains information on how to “unsubscribe”, or cease receiving this type of material.
When Do We Disclose Personal Information
There are a variety of circumstances where we may need to disclose some personal information about our clients. Here are some examples:
1. We may disclose a client’s personal information to a person who, in the reasonable judgment of A & F, is seeking the information as an agent of the client. For example, we may provide information about a client’s account to the Client’s legal representative if we are satisfied that the individual is requesting the information on behalf of the client.
2. Client information may be shared among A & F business units to help us serve our clients better and to provide them with services, such as placing their music in film and TV, which combine services from different parts of our organization.
3. We may disclose a client’s personal information to a credit reporting agency;
4. We may disclose a client’s personal information to a public authority or agent of a public authority, if in the reasonable judgment of A & F, it appears that there is imminent danger to life or property which could be avoided or minimized by disclosure of the information.
5. We may disclose a client’s personal information to:
(a) a company engaged in a contract to employ the Artist; or
(b) a company or individual employed by A & F to perform functions on its behalf, such as research or data processing; or
(c) an agent used by A & F to evaluate the client’s credit worthiness or to collect the client’s account.
We routinely disclose information to insurers, promoters, talent agents, record labels, music publishers and others in connection with our mandate to manage or book our artists. Where disclosures are made in the ordinary course of our business the client is usually aware of and has consented to such disclosure, or the disclosure occurs in circumstances where consent can be implied due to the nature of the activity and the circumstances of our engagement by the artist.
Where disclosure is made outside the ordinary course of business or in unusual circumstances, we would seek the express consent of the artist, and require the other party to use the information only for the purpose for which it is disclosed and to maintain the information subject to privacy practices and procedures which are consistent with this policy.
6. We may also disclose your information as required or permitted by applicable law.
How We Collect Personal Information
Usually, information is collected directly from our clients. We also collect information from managers, promoters, business managers, accountants, record labels, music publishers and others associated with our clients. Certain information is collected from publicly available sources. As well, information on members of a musical group may be coordinated through designated points of contact between our organization and the group.
How Do We Protect Your Personal Information
In order to protect your personal information and your right to privacy, A & F:
1. will not collect, use or disclose your personal information for any purpose other than those identified above, except with your consent;
2. will protect your personal information with appropriate security safeguards;
3. will protect the confidentiality of your personal information when dealing with other organizations;
4. will strive to keep your personal information as accurate and up-to-date as is necessary for purposes identified above; and
5. will honour any request you may make for access to your personal information, pursuant to applicable law.
Access to My Personal Information
You can request access to your personal information to verify, update, or correct it, and to have any obsolete personal information removed. You can also request to review any of your personal information that we have retained and how we have used it.
Subject to certain exceptions prescribed by law, and provided we can authenticate your identity, you will be given reasonable access to your personal information, and will be entitled to challenge the accuracy and completeness of the information and to have it amended as appropriate.
You can also ask us to change your preferences regarding how we use or disclose your information, or let us know that you do not wish to receive any further communication from us.
Withdrawing Consent
We consider that as part of our mandate in our relationship with our clients we have their consent to continue to collect, use and disclose your personal information for the purposes identified above. However, you do have choices and can refuse or withdraw your consent by contacting us at (604) 688-7274 or by mail, Attention: Privacy Officer, Suite 500 - 425 Carrall Street, Vancouver, BC, V6B 6E3. You may refuse to provide personal information to us. You may also withdraw your consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions and reasonable notice. However, in either case, this may limit our ability to serve you or work with you on a project.
Contacting Us
We have appointed a privacy officer who can be contacted by mail at Suite 500 – 425 Carrall Street, Vancouver, BC, V6B 6E3 or by telephone (604) 688-7274. If you have any questions or concerns about our privacy practices, contact us. We are also developing appropriate information dispute resolution procedures and information access procedures. Further information is available on request.
OUR WEB SITES
Information We Collect Automatically
Like many other web sites, our websites automatically collect certain non-personal information regarding web site users that does not identify you. Examples include the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer, the IP address of your Internet Service Provider, the date and time you access the web site, the internet address of the website from which you linked directly to the web site, the operating system you are using, the sections of the web site you visit, the web site pages read and images viewed, and the content you download from the web site. This non-personal information is used for web site and system administration purposes and to improve the web site.
Links to Other Web Sites
Our web site may contain links to other web sites or internet resources. When you click on one of those links you are contacting another web site or internet resource. We have no responsibility or liability for or control over those other web sites or internet resources or their collection, use and disclosure of your personal information. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of those other sites to learn how they collect and use information about you.
Updates
This privacy policy may be updated periodically. The most current version can always be found on our website at www.bruceallen.com.
