A new music company co-founded and co-owned by John Cloud together with CMG Holding AB
BARK AT YOUR OWNER aB aka BAYO
John Cloud’s early music work was at radio through KUOR and KSSB in San Bernardino, California during University.
In 1985, he moved to Sweden on an exchange program. While learning Swedish and networking, he later landed a position at Radium Records in Gothenburg promoting their artist internationally. In 1989, he later managed a band who got signed to MNW and soon after was hired to be Head of International where he was licensing music internationally for 10 years. In 1999 he left, along with others, to co-found Playground Music Scandinavia AB where he was first Head of Licensing/International then moved on to be Head of Sync Licensing/ Head of Playground Music Publishing and at the same time dealt with infringements made with Playground’s masters rights.
Cloud is now leaving his full time employment position at Playground Music, after 25 years to continue working for Playground Music as a consultant via BAYO as their exclusive Sync- representation for the world, placing their music in film, TV, Games and Advertising while handling infringement cases and assisting with publishing issues.
Cloud is starting BAYO together with Carl-Marcus Gidlöf (CMG Holding AB) and will split his time between the Playground office and the new BAYO office in Solna together with the other companies in the CMG Holding sphere; Icons Creating Evil Art, Despotz Records, Mars Music, Flick Agency, consulting in an advisory manner for the growth of the CMG Holding business. Another aspect of Cloud's duties is business opportunities for the companies within the company umbrella, as well as promotion to radio, blogs, diverse media both traditional and online, upploading singles to portals of national and international radio stations, satellite and digital radio stations and DJ pools for the Bark At Your Owner label, ICEA, Flick Agency and Something Beautiful Records labels.
BAYO will start up a label and publishing business working with artists, producers, songwriters and Stand-up comedians.
Cloud explains:
- “During the pandemic Carl-Marcus, a former intern of mine, and I started taking long walks to discuss life and how we could work together some day. As one of the founders and employees of Playground Music Scandinavia, I wanted to keep doing the sync-licensing work I had built up so successfully through BAYO while at the same time I can work with Carl-Marcus advising/ consulting and have a label-publishing entity where I can really be creative signing artist, producer, songwriters and Stand-up comedians. Retirement is not an option for me, as the music and entertainment business is my lifeblood!”
CMG Holding AB is the home of the label Icons Creating Evil Art founded in 2015 by Carl-Marcus Gidlöf.
CMG Holding AB run out of a former cinema from the 1930s in Solna, Stockholm, Sweden with two music studios, a large photo/film studio, warehouse space and offices. CMG Holding AB also have ownership interest in and share offices with Despotz Records, Mars Music, Flick Agency and more, all working together as a label family.
Carl-Marcus comment:
- “This is a huge thing for me both from a business perspective (John’s experience, network, and knowledge of the international music business is something I admire) and personal level; seeing how John gave me a real break when coming into the business as his intern back in 2005 and has been like a mentor to me, we now get to build something together from scratch, and also add John’s work ethic, hunger and curiosity for new music to the office is inspiring”
LINKS AND PRESS
We are a part of the CMG Holdings Group.
Which holds labels Icons Creating Evil Art, Despotz Records, Flick Agency and Mars Music Publishing and more.
