Nabil Ayers
Nabil Ayers Searches for Identity, Explores Race and Family in His New Memoir
Nabil Ayers has always been surrounded by music. He played drums in Seattle indie rock band The Long Winters, co-founded Seattle’s Sonic Boom Records, and is currently the U.S. president of the Beggars Group, which distributes 4AD, Rough Trade Records, Matador Records, XL Recordings, and Young. It’s his last name, however, that has always attracted attention. In his memoir, My Life in the Sunshine: Searching for My Father and Discovering My Family, Ayers traces his unorthodox upbringing. His mother, Louise Braufman, met and had a child with jazz musician Roy Ayers — with the understanding that he would never have to be involved in his son’s life. The younger Ayers chronicles impersonal meetings with his father, like watching him at a show in Massachusetts, sharing an uncomfortable en...
Beggars Group Names New President
4AD U.S. label manager Nabil Ayers will succeed Matt Harmon as president of Beggars Group’s U.S. operations, the label group announced Tuesday (Jan. 25). Harmon, who has been with Beggars for 24 years, is exiting the company to pursue other opportunities. The label consortium has also promoted Claire Taylor to the role of general manager. Ayers has served as U.S. label manager for Beggars Group subsidiary 4AD since 2009. In his absence, Simon Halliday will continue leading 4AD in his role as worldwide managing director. “We are very grateful to Matt for his contributions over two decades which have brought us such success, but equally excited about Nabil and Claire’s elevations, as we look forward to an even brighter future,” said Beggars Group chairman Martin Mills in a statement. Ayers i...
