MARC GEIGER
SVP & Agent, Contemporary Music Department, William Morris Agency
Geiger is the consummate music industry insider, having worn the hats over the years of concert promoter, talent agent, record executive and Internet pioneer. Geiger co-founded ArtistDirect in 1996 and served as the publicly-traded music entertainment company’s Chief Executive Officer until 2001, when he became Vice Chairman, a position he held until he left the company on June 1. At ArtistDirect, Geiger signed over 130 top artists and groups to e-commerce deals.
Geiger, who attended U.C. San Diego, began his career in Los Angeles as a talent agent at Regency Artists (which later, through a merger, became Triad Artists), where he launched the agency’s Alternative Division, representing such bands as The Pixies, Dead Can Dance, New Order, Jane’s Addiction and 60 other cutting edge artists. At Triad, Geiger was instrumental in the formation of the now legendary alternative music festival, LOLLAPALOOZA.
Just prior to WMA’s acquisition of Triad in 1992, Geiger joined Rick Rubin’s American Recordings, where he was Executive Vice President of marketing and A&R. During his time there Geiger signed 14 artists, bought online music search engine UBL.com and began his foray into online music.