Reproduced from Music Week 21 December, 1996

WATERMAN RENEWS PARTNERSHIP WITH ZOMBA'S JENKINS

Pete Waterman (pictured right) and Zomba managing director Steve Jenkins are renewing a decade-old partnership with the launch of a joint venture production deal.

The duo, who worked together in the Eighties on a string of hits by Jason Donovan, Kylie Minogue, Mel & Kim and Divine, have finalised a deal to create the Eastern Bloc Unity Label (Ebul). Under the agreement, releases on Waterman's Unity or Eastern Bloc imprints will be marketed, sold and promoted by Zomba with Waterman in an A&R and production role.

Waterman says he began discussions with Jenkins about a possible collaboration after he sold his 50% stake in PWL International to Warner Music earlier this year. Jenkins worked with Waterman after setting up Impulse Promotions in the mid-Eighties, plugging most of PWL's biggest hits. After Jenkins took over as managing director of Zomba Records in 1989, Waterman also produced the Jive hit Blame It On The Boogie by Big Fun.

Jenkins says, "If the market moves towards the dance pop area, which seems to happening internationally, it is an area where Pete is king. I just thought it would be good to talk." Waterman says he is keen to strike a deal, but does not want the worries of running his own record label. "When I sold out to Warner, I gave up my rights to use the PWL name for a record label," he says. "But that wasn't a problem. I was actually relieved to give away the baby for someone else to nurture."

The pair announced the first full details of new venture after scoring two initial hits: Atlantic Ocean's Waterfall and Golden Brown by Kaleef which have hit 21 and 22 in the past month. The deal is expected to result in around two singles a month and two or three albums a year. The next release will be a vinyl-only drum and bass mix of Golden Brown next month.