Steve Taylor Announces Launch of Squint Entertainment

NASHVILLE, TN--Producer/recording artist/filmmaker Steve Taylor has partnered with Word Entertainment to form a multi-faceted company specializing in modern music and motion pictures. Squint Entertainment will be headed by Taylor and have offices in Nashville and Los Angeles.

"My vision was to create the kind of dynamic media company that I'd want to be signed to," says Taylor, whose acclaimed 1983 debut was Christian music's first modern rock hit. "After a long season of planning, we've assembled a forward-thinking team that will foster a creative environment for Christians in the pursuit of artistic excellence. We've structured our business so that artists are treated fairly. I want our music division to be a home for artists who live what they believe, who make great music, and whose lyrics transcend the superficial with depth, insight and integrity."

Taylor has achieved widespread critical acclaim and commercial success, both as a two-time Grammy nominated recording artist and as a Dove Award winning producer and songwriter for the Newsboys. His work as a music video director and filmmaker has earned two Billboard Music Video Awards, as well as the prestigious Telly, Addy, and Dove Awards.

Loren Balman, Executive Vice President for Word Entertainment affirms, "Steve's definitive track record as a creative visionary and a man of spiritual integrity makes this venture an important and exciting aspect of our longterm efforts in impacting our culture."

Squint Entertainment's first movie, a drama, begins principal photography in April of '98. Taylor will direct from a screenplay he's written with longtime co-producer/cinematographer Ben Pearson.

Industry veteran Stephen Prendergast has been tapped as Vice President of Squint's music division to lead the label's aggressive efforts in the general market, both domestically and internationally. Prendergast, who will be working out of Squint's Los Angeles office, was formerly CEO of San Francisco-based OM Records/Pyramid Interactive.

Dave Palmer (former head of Reunion's Rode Dog Records) will assume the Executive Director of Marketing and Artist Development position and will coordinate Squint's high-profile presence within the CBA. Also based in Nashville are Communications Manager Jay Swartzendruber (formerly with re:think and Organic), and Marketing Manager Tiffany Gillian.

Leading Squint Entertainment into the multimedia and interactive arenas is award-winning animator Jonathan Richter. Already known to Taylor fans as the creator of Taylor's animated "Cash Cow" music video, Richter designed websites for Levi Strauss and Philips Media during his stint with R/GA Interactive, and was Art Director for Sonic Boom, a computer game company. In addition to his duties as part of the motion picture division's creative team, Richter will coordinate the label's multimedia efforts and design the "Squinterland" website (at www.squinterland.com). The site is set for an election day launch on November 4th.

Squint Entertainment's first release will be the new self-titled album from Sixpence None the Richer, produced by Taylor and slated for a November 4th street date. The acclaimed modern rock band reached a long-term agreement with Squint after negotiating themselves free from a previous label contract. "Sixpence is a great example of what we want to be about as a label," says Taylor. "Although they were being courted by every major label, they believed in our longterm vision. We feel fortunate to work with a band of their musical caliber and character."

Taylor's next studio effort, the much anticipated follow-up to his 1993 Grammy-nominated Squint (which was the inspiration for the company's moniker), is slated for a fall '98 release. Future Squint artists will be announced in the coming weeks.

Squint Entertainment's creative linkage to Word is via Myrrh Records. Myrrh's Vice President and General Manager, Jim Chaffee recalls, "When Steve first approached us regarding our involvement with Squint he had a full business plan, which included hand-picked staff and his first signed artist. It became very clear to us from the beginning, based on the up-front work he had done, that Steve's vision was distinctly synchronous with our own. Everyone at Myrrh Records is thrilled to be working with such a passionate team. And I find a lot of personal gratification to be working with such a close friend." Reflects Taylor, "Jim's enthusiasm for my first demos seventeen years ago was largely responsible for me getting signed as an artist. He's been a close friend and mentor ever since, so it's really befitting to have him as an advocate and ally for Squint."

Squint Entertainment's Nashville office may be reached by calling (615) 457-1212 or faxing (615) 457-1220. The mailing address is P.O. Box 90394, Nashville, TN 37209.

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