Welcome to The Money Trench. In this episode, Mark is joined by Island ex-CEO and President, A&R Legend and now Indie Label Head, Darcus Beese. Giving the music industry headlines a miss this week (Mark's on holiday), Darcus dives into his journey from intern to industry leader, sharing stories of signing some of the biggest artists of the past few decades, including Amy Winehouse, Sugababes, and Florence + The Machine. As well as stories of A&R chaos, he shares his thoughts on the shifts in the music landscape, his decision to launch Darko Recordings, and what he looks for in successful artists today. Darcus’s memoir, Rebel With a Cause: Roots, Records, and Revolutions, will be available from August 15, 2024. 'Rebel With a Cause: Roots, Records and Revolutions' - ORDER HERE NEWSLETTER Sign up HERE for the TMT newsletter - featuring each week’s hottest music industry stories. PPL  The Money Trench is sponsored by the PPL who celebrate their 90th year in business this year. KEEP UP TO DATE For the latest podcast and music business updates, make sure to follow us on:  Instagram: @the_money_trench LinkedIn: The Money Trench Website: The Money Trench GET IN TOUCH If you have any feedback, guest suggestions or general comments? We’d love to hear from you! - Get in touch here! Thanks to our partners PPL  Earth/Percent Tom A Smith Aimless Play Fourth Pillar Sennheiser Junkhead Studio Tape Notes Executive Producer: Mike Walsh Producer: Tape Notes  Recorded and Edited: Will Lyons & Alex Patterson