Former Duran Duran member Warren Cuccurullo (pictured) has sold his catalog to Mojo Music & Media. Photo Credit: Angela George
Mojo Music & Media has announced the acquisition of a “trove of classic catalogs,” including the music IP of Duran Duran’s Warren Cuccurullo and “On the Floor” songwriter Geraldo Sandell.
The Brentwood, Tennessee-headquartered company unveiled its newest song-rights investments this morning, after acquiring the catalogs of Bob Morrison, Jerry Reed, and others last year. Mojo Music & Media’s latest deals involve the works of six music professionals: Warren Cuccurullo, Teddy Sky (known also as Geraldo Sandell), Bruce Belland, Omar Lye-Fook, Anthony Improgo, and Blake Healy.
DMN reached out to Mojo for information about the transactions’ price tags, but didn’t receive a response in time for publishing.
In any event, the agreement with 66-year-old Cuccurullo encompasses the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee’s “complete songwriter and publishing rights, along with artist royalties and neighboring rights,” Mojo disclosed. Also under the tie-up, the purchasing company has inked “a futures deal to manage and promote Cuccurullo’s prolific solo work.”
Meanwhile, Curitiba-born Teddy Sky/Geraldo Sandell has sold “his complete songwriter and publishing interests” to Mojo. The LA-based musician has penned tracks performed by the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull (“On the Floor”), One Direction (“Another World” and “Save You Tonight”), and Eurovision 2022 contestant Andromache (“Ela”), to name some.
On the classics side, Mojo likewise finalized a pact with The Four Preps founder and lead vocalist Bruce Belland, who’s cashed in on his “complete songwriter and publishing rights” as well as his recorded royalties.
The Four Preps arrived on the scene in 1956 and went on to release commercially successful tracks including “26 Miles (Santa Catalina),” “Big Man,” and “Down By The Station.” Additionally, Belland (who’s preparing to publish a pair of books charting his career) has written singles for Barron Knights, Lee Hazelwood, and others.
Next, neo-soul singer-songwriter Omar Lye-Fook has sold his “songwriter shares” and “a majority interest in his publishing” to Mojo. Since debuting with 1990’s There’s Nothing Like This (featuring a single of the same name), the EastEnders actor has released tracks including “Be Thankful” and “Feeling You,” besides collaborating with Angie Stone and Stevie Wonder.
Finally, Mojo revealed agreements with Blake Healy and Anthony Improgo, former members of the now-disbanded rock/pop group Metro Station. These investments cover the professionals’ songwriter and publisher interests in each of the songs on Metro Station’s self-titled 2007 debut project, including “Seventeen Forever” and “Shake It.”
Addressing the plays in a statement, Mojo co-founder and CEO Mark Fried said in part: “The Mojo catalog, now representing nearly 700 chart hits, including 250 Top 10’s spanning nine decades, is proudly one of the most diverse and hit-laden collections in the indie publishing space.
“We couldn’t be more excited to be representing Warren, Teddy, Bruce, Omar, Blake and Ant’s collective works, still beloved by fans everywhere, and look forward to re-energizing them via everything from faithful covers and genre-busting interpolations to trailerized remixes, ubiquitous syncs and guerilla social media campaigns,” concluded the Spirit Music Group founder Fried.