MUSIC WEEK, 30 JULY 1994

Howells quits PWL

Howells, 53, announced last Thursday he was to leave and would be selling his 10% stake in PWL Records and his 5% share of PWL International to chairman Pete Waterman.

Howells' departure is the second blow to Waterman in nine months following songwriter Mike Stock's decision last year after 11 years.

Waterman declines to comment on the announcement but it is understood Howells will remain with PWL until October when he will return to music publishing and possibly form his own pop dance company.

"I have been thinking about leaving for some time." he says. "Initially I will return to my publishing roots, while there is still success to be had in dance music and I aim to put together a new team to explore this opportunities."

Howells refuses to expand on his plans but adds he will be sad to leave PWL which he describes as an "extraordinary" company. He says the success he has enjoyed since being appointed in 1982 has been "a dream come true".

He helped oversee the label's phenomenal success in the Eighties with acts such as Dead Or Alive, Bananarama, Mel & Kim, Rick Astley and Kylie Minogue, and more recently with 2 Unlimited.

He was also responsible for designing more than 70% of the label's singles sleeves and many of the album covers for Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan and 2 Unlimited.

Before joining PWL he ran his own publishing company, Gull Records & Songs, for eight years, having previously being director of A&R at MCA between 1970 and 1974. He joined MCA from CBS where he worked in the marketing and A&R departments.