John Reid (music manager)

John Reid is a Scottish manager and music industry figure, currently living and working in Australia.

Early life

Reid was born in Paisley, the son of John Reid, a welder, and Betty, a supermarket worker. Apart from three years in New Zealand, he was brought up in Gallowhill. He attended St Mirin's Academy, where he was a fellow pupil of singers Gerry Rafferty and Joe Egan, and Stow College in Glasgow, where he studied marine engineering. After a failed attempt to launch a band with his brother Robert, a painter and decorator, he moved to New Zealand and then London.

Career

Between 1975 and 1978, Reid was the manager of British rock group Queen.^[1]

For 28 years he was Elton John's manager. During the first five years they enjoyed an intimate relationship. Their professional relationship ended over a leaked letter from his accountants detailing John's spending, which was found by Benjamin Pell and published in the Daily Mirror.^[2] The ending of their business relationship in 1998^[3] led to a legal action in 2000.^[4]

Reid is best known as a former judge on the Australian version of The X Factor alongside Mark Holden and Kate Ceberano. He did not return for the revived second series in 2010 and was replaced by Guy Sebastian.

References

1. "Turning raw talent into TV stars". The Age. 14 May 2005. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
2. Steve Boggan "Hacker stole secrets of stars from dustbins", The Independent, 14 March 1998.
3. Pierre Perrone "Arts: Sorry seems to be the hardest word", The Independent, 13 May 1998
4. "Leaked letter 'enraged' Sir Elton". BBC. 4 December 2000. Retrieved 6 April 2011.