Gary Ashley, the man who set up Mushroom Records in the UK and then went on to a remarkable music industry career, has died in London after a year-long battle with cancer.
In 1993 Ashley established Mushroom in the UK and was the man who signed Garbage. He brought Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan to Mushroom and created the joint venture with Pete Waterman’s PWL Records, resulting in over 25 million album sales. Gary also started the international record arm for Liberation Records. Joe Cocker and Divine were his first Liberation artists.
When he left Mushroom in 1996 he headed to Universal as Senior Vice President A&R/Soundtracks. It was here he signed Blink 182, New Found Glory, Shaggy and New Radicals to the label. He worked directly with BB King and Gladys Knight at Universal releasing seven albums for the artists.
In recent years Gary became the US manager of Van Morrison and oversaw the re-signing of Van Morrison’s catalogue to Sony Music. He also worked on the Idol brand via 19 Entertainment, looking after all markets outside of the USA.
Gary Ashley is survived by his extended family in the UK & Australia, alongside wife Donna, sons Alex and Ryan and daughter Willa.
MCA A&R Credits
Year Album Artist
2003 20th Century Masters – The Christmas Collection: The Best of B.B. King
2003 Everything Will Never Be OK – Fiction Plane
2003 Reflections – B.B. King
2003 Songs for Silent Movies – Something Corporate
2002 Box Car Racer – Box Car Racer
2002 Development – Nonpoint
2002 Go-Get-Her/Nowhere Vi3
2002 Leaving Through the Window – Something Corporate
2002 Living Well Is the Best Revenge – Midtown
2002 My Bad – Rayvon
2002 So Tight – Vi3
2002 Sticks and Stones – New Found Glory
2002 Topdog & Underdog
2000 Riding With The King – BB King
2000 New Found Glory – New Found Glory
2000 Suspended Zoppi
2000 Shaggy – Hot Shot
1999 Enema of the State – Blink-182
1997 Aqua – Barbie Girl
1997 Deuces Wild – B.B. King
Executive Producer Credits
2015 Duets, Reworking the Catalogue – Van Morrison
2012 Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. B.B. King B.B. King 2006 Pay the Devil – Van Morrison
2006 Of Vengeance and Violence Dry Kill Logic 2005 B.B. King & Friends”80″ – B.B. King 2005 Hurricane Relief: Come Together Now 2003 Escape from Cape Coma Twisted Method 2002 NASCAR on Fox: Crank It Up 2000 The Hurricane [Original Soundtrack] 1999 For Love of the Game
