Martin Kirkup, co-founder of Direct Management, dies at age 75

07 February 2024 - Press release

Influential Music Industry Executive Co-Managed Katy Perry, k.d. lang, Counting Crows, The B-52’s, among others

Martin Kirkup, co-founder of Direct Management Group, died on February 4 at age 75. Together with his Direct Management partners Steven Jensen and Bradford Cobb, Kirkup managed k.d. lang, Katy Perry, and Au/Ra. He is survived by his loving wife Lale Kirkup, daughter Melisa Kirkup Blatt and son-in-law Ben Blatt, son John Kirkup and daughter-in-law Lorien Kirkup, and three beautiful grandchildren, Sam, Abigail, and Ivy.

Born in Tynemouth, Northumberland, Kirkup left the U.K. in 1973 to accept a position as a visiting professor of English Literature at the University of Rhode Island. He moved to New York City shortly thereafter and in 1974, was hired by A&M Records as their East Coast publicity director. Kirkup quickly moved up through the ranks, becoming head of the creative services department in 1975, before being named Vice President of Artist Development in 1979, overseeing campaigns for such artists as Peter Frampton, Styx, Squeeze, Joe Jackson, The Police and Joan Armatrading.

In April 1985, he and Steven Jensen founded Direct Management Group, which enjoyed early success in handling pop duo Boy Meets Girl and British new wave artists Echo & The Bunnymen and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and guiding Bryan Ferry on his first solo international tour. The success of The B-52’s’ quadruple-Platinum album Cosmic Thing – with its hit singles "Love Shack" and "Roam" – in 1989 established the company as a secure home for unique artists intent on forging their own path to success.

In 1991, Direct signed Counting Crows, who enjoyed a massively successful 10-year run in which they sold 25 million albums worldwide. During the nineties, Direct managed artists such as David Byrne, Joe Jackson, Seal, and the New Radicals. Bradford Cobb joined Direct in 1998, and became a partner in 2012. The company welcomed k.d. lang, Tracy Chapman, Katy Perry, the Go-Go’s, and Jamie Cullum to its roster in the early 2000s. Adam Lambert, Steve Perry, and Au/Ra followed in subsequent years.

Steven Jensen recalled, “Martin Kirkup and I conceived Direct Management while drinking raki at a restaurant high above the Bosphorus in Istanbul, escaping the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984. We were both fans of alternative pop music and focused on establishing a boutique management company to support that exciting genre of music. I’m proud to have built Direct Management with Martin and Bradford Cobb to the global presence it has today, with integrity, honor and ingenuity, much of which was contributed by Martin. His influence is a permanent fixture of the Direct Management culture.” Bradford Cobb adds, “Martin Kirkup was a class act, a gentleman, and he was brilliant. Over my 25 years working alongside him at Direct, he had a major influence on my growth as a manager and a human. Of his many talents, one that I admired most was his ability to take a problem and dissect it down to its core, finding a solution with a calm demeanor that gave everyone around him confidence. Martin had excellent taste in music, and he had great reverence for the artists who created it. He was witty with a wicked sense of humor. Martin was also warm and genuinely caring, and it was an honor to be his partner.”

Information on a celebration of Martin’s life will come at a later date.