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Christopher KnabAmerican music business consultant
Date of Birth: .
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Early Career
- Aquarius Records and Radio
- 415 Records
- Northwest Area Music Association (NAMA)
- Current Activities
Early Career
Christopher Knab's career in the music industry began in the 1960s in San Francisco. He worked at a music record store called the Magic Flute.
Aquarius Records and Radio
By the mid-1970s, Knab owned his record store, Aquarius Records, specializing in jazz, blues, and rock music. He also became a radio DJ, known as DJ Cosmo Topper, on KSAN, San Francisco's first rock FM station. Knab hosted two shows, "The Outcast Hour" and "The Heretics."
415 Records
Knab's radio shows gained popularity, leading to offers from KSJO and KTIM to host their music programs. Knab played music that he enjoyed, not following a playlist or format. This approach attracted artists, including the Sex Pistols, to participate in his shows. Knab's fame as a DJ led to aspiring musicians submitting demos to him. In 1978, he and fellow radio DJ Howie Klein launched the independent record label 415 Records.
Northwest Area Music Association (NAMA)
In 1982, 415 Records signed Romeo Void, whose mini-album "Never Say Never" sold 80,000 copies. This success prompted Columbia Records to acquire 415 Records. From 1989 to 1992, Knab served as President of the Northwest Area Music Association (NAMA). NAMA hosted four annual music industry conferences, which marked the beginning of Knab's career as an educator in music business.
Current Activities
Today, Knab teaches recorded music marketing and promotion at The Art Institute of Seattle. He also runs his own consulting company, FourFront Media and Music, specializing in career development for artists. Knab regularly speaks at music industry conferences, covering topics from independent music promotion to the psychology of the music business. He co-authored a chapter on "Independent Label Deals with Major Labels" in the second edition of "The Musician's Legal and Business Guide" (1996). In 2007, he published the third edition of his book for independent musicians, "Music Is Your Business."
