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"I have lost my best friend of 32
years and my business partner of 24. Although the unthinkable already
happened three days ago, I am still in a state of utter shock. Oliver Withöft
leaves a space that cannot be filled for all who held him dear. He was a
tremendous father, husband, son and friend and will be terribly missed. I
will always treasure him in my heart as the witty, brilliant and altogether
great person he was. Farewell Oliver, see you on the other side and in our
next life. Your brother, Robert"
--Robert
Kampf, Century Media founder
Oliver Withöft, co-owner of
independent record label Century Media, passed away on January 20, 2014 after
falling ill several months ago. He was 49.
Born in Dortmund, Germany in
1964, Withöft studied linguistics, business and history in both Germany
and the U.K. Robert Kampf started Century Media Records 25 years ago simply
to create a suitable label home for his own band, Despair. He was looking for
a trustworthy and strong partner to lead the company with and found this
person in his best friend and fellow musician Oliver Withöft, who joined the
company eighteen months later, sharing the same love and passion for music,
and metal in particular. Since that very day, these two friends developed one
of the most important independent record labels on the planet. Today the
company has around 100 people on payroll in Dortmund, London, Los Angeles,
Berlin, Paris, Milan, Madrid, Melbourne and the Netherlands. A lot of musical
careers were developed over the years: Lacuna Coil, Shadows Fall, Suicide
Silence, In This Moment, Otherwise, Iced Earth, Die Broilers, Arch Enemy and
Heaven Shall Burn are just a few of them. Century Media became a brand name
recognized across the world. Oliver Withöft was always the strategic, legal
and financial mind behind the organization. He was not only a strong fighter
for the company, but also a very intelligent and forward-thinking leader.
When the music industry drastically changed in the '90s, he was the first to
think about new ways to adapt to the needs and challenges of the rapidly-changing
market. We have lost a great man with an amazing sense of humor, a
warrior, and an overall very human being. Oliver leaves behind a wife,
Judith, and their three daughters.
Antje Lange, CEO of Century
Media Records: "I learned a lot from him in regards to business, the
world and life. He was an extremely smart and visionary business man who
cared a lot about the people working for him. He was one of the most
open-minded and knowledgeable persons I have ever met. Oliver was responsible
for a lot of successful artists' careers and an impressive amount of albums
that had an impact in the music world. It has never been easy for him,
but he was a strong fighter. A great man with an amazing sense of humor whose
departure leaves a large gap in our lives."
Ula Gehret, who handles
business affairs for Century Media Records with his company Clandestine:
"He had a razor-sharp intellect and keen business acumen, and as a
number of people can attest to, he was not someone you wanted to be sitting
across from at a negotiating table. After a few years at the label, he
introduced me to how legal contracts worked. Eventually, with training, that
became my full-time occupation. It is no exaggeration to say that
without his tutelage and patience, I would not be where I am today, doing
something I love, and with principle. He was my mentor."
Oliver was a very special
person who touched many people's lives in a positive and special way. This is
a tremendous loss for all who knew him and it will take some time for us to
grieve the passing of such a great person.
"Oliver was always a
winner, one of those that I somehow thought would live forever. A genius, a
friend and the best advisor I've ever had. It was all him behind the
scenes."
--Kobi Farhi, Orphaned Land
"Oliver and Robert had
the guts, trust and belief to sign us when we were just a bunch of kids
trying to play metal. Without these guys, I doubt we would be where we are
today. He was not the easiest to work with back in the day, but a very cool
guy."
--Ola Lindgren, Grave
For those who would
like to honor his memory:
His family have asked that -
instead of sending flowers - they would appreciate it if you could donate to
"The Oliver Withöft Scholarship", a fund raised as part of the
Kindred Project (www.thekindredproject.gl).
Donation reference:
Account holder: Kindred
Project Oliver Withoeft
Reference: The Oliver
Withoeft Scholarship
IBAN: GI89 BARC 0204 5216
2863 922
SWIFT: BARCGIGI
If you would like to share
your memories and condolences, please email:
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