Green Day producer top man at Warner Bros. Records

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – After nearly a decade at the helm, Warner Bros. Records chairman and Tom Whalley has been replaced by the man who helped make Green Day big stars.

Producer Rob Cavallo, a 23-year Warner veteran who most recently held the post of chief creative officer, worked on such Green Day hit albums as "Dookie" and "American Idiot." He has also collaborated with such top-tier acts as Fleetwood Mac and My Chemical Romance.

While some insiders were shocked by Whalley's departure, others said the writing had been on the wall for several years. They noted that Whalley constantly butted heads with Lyor Cohen, the vice-chairman of the label's Warner Music Group parent and chairman/CEO of its recorded music divisions.



"There's no doubt Whalley was pushed out, and this is Lyor's team coming in," one insider said. (A Warner Bros. spokesman said Tuesday that "we don't comment on rumor or speculation.")

Among those mourning Whalley's departure was Fleetwood Mac singer/songwriter Stevie Nicks. "I love Tom Whalley," she told The Hollywood Reporter. "He has always been there for me and has been a huge support to artists during his tenure at Warner Bros. I'll miss him."

In an email to staffers, Whalley indicated his departure was voluntary. The missive touted many of the label's successes during the past decade -- 54 to be exact. But many of the listed acts -- such as Green Day, Linkin Park, Neil Young and Tom Petty -- were already at Warner Bros. when Whalley joined the label in 2001 after helping launch Interscope Records.

"Change is inevitable, and more of it is certain to come, but your commitment and your passion will see you through whatever comes your way," Whalley wrote.

Indeed, what's coming Warner's way is a new executive team with Cavallo joined by two newly promoted executives. Warner Bros. executive VP Todd Moscowitz takes Whalley's CEO title, and Atlantic Records executive vp/GM Livia Tortella becomes chief operating officer. They will both be co-presidents.

In an increasingly fickle market where the risk of a major flop is too great, many labels have been looking to seasoned producers for leadership. But those hires have yielded mixed results during past years; look no further than U2 veteran Steve Lillywhite's short-lived executive gig at Sony, Matchbox 20 maestro Matt Serletic's run as president of Virgin and, some might suggest, prolific hitmaker Rick Rubin's current gig as co-president of Columbia Records.


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