Berklee today is the official alumni publication of Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. It is a forum for contemporary music and musicians.
Issue link: http://berkleetoday.epubxp.com/i/827757
Summer 2017 13 roles in A&R;, international publicity, and man- agement, Jacobson has played a part in bringing many big hits to the marketplace. On another wall, a plaque framing an au- tographed rookie card of baseball player Mookie Wilson of the New York Mets testifies to Jacobson's New York roots. (Bostonians and New Yorkers alike will never forget Wilson's fa- mous slow-rolling grounder that passed beside the glove of Boston Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner to bring home the run that enabled the Mets to take pivotal game six of the 1986 World Series. The Mets went on to win the se- ries.) But I digress. The subtext is that long-shot dreams can come true. On his desk next to a half-empty coffee cup, Jacobson has a white paper outlining Geffen's current business plan. Nearby is a copy of George Merlis's book Merlis on Media Mastery: How to Master the Media 2.0. Then there are a few unexpected items—a large, rusty red gas- oline can on a shelf and a wooden-handled Neil Jacobson '99 operates on the premise that a straight line is not always the best way to get from point A to point B. The new head of Geffen Records also lives by the mantra "Make it Happen" learned from Interscope Records co- founder Jimmy Iovine. Since he decided at 15 that he wanted a career as an executive at a re- cord label, Jacobson has taken a path with some colorful side routes. One—a stint as a carpet salesman—appeared to be far off the beaten path, but ultimately yielded valuable experience. Through talent, hard work, and grit, Jacobson made enough things happen to reach the execu- tive perch at Geffen in December of 2016. A glimpse around a person's workspace can provide insights into their inspirations. Evidence of Jacobson's past successes abound in his office at the Interscope Geffen A&M; wing inside the Universal Music Group complex in Santa Monica, CA. Gold and platinum records by the Black Eyed Peas, Lil Wayne, Avicii, Robin Thicke, DJ Snake, and many others hang on the walls. In his past pickaxe mounted on a wall across the room. Jacobson tells me they serve as reminders that working in the record biz is real labor. At times, Jacobson's path forward seemed anything but assured. In fact, some of his el- ementary school teachers might be surprised to see where he has ended up. "I was diag- nosed with ADHD as a child and was disruptive in grade school," he shares. "I was so disruptive in fifth grade that my teacher kicked me out of band class and arranged for me to be in the principal's office doing homework during that hour. When my father found out about it he told the principal that it was unacceptable." The principal agreed. Frank Jacobson asked his son Neil what instrument he wanted to play. He said drums and straightaway Frank went and bought his son a drum kit. And so Neil's foray into music began as the drummer in his grade-school band. Not insignificantly, Jacobson names his fa- ther among the major mentors in his life. Frank