Experience, knowledge and love for music.
…this is what describes Made in Germany Music. Our philosophy, our credo and goal is to produce and support high-class products.
That is why our catalog has a wide range from Blues, Rock, Metal, Electronic to Jazz. Despite the possibilities digitalization and the Internet opened, there still is a lot that needs to be published in its best possible form. We feel responsible to do our best in the effort of keeping this musical heritage.
But our strength also belongs to the artists, who are active in our modern times. We support them on their path as their label partner.
MIG Music covers all fields of a labels work, as even an own Warehouse for worldwide distribution, a in-house Promotion and graphic design and all technical requirements such as audio editing and DVD authoring. Our catalog is distributed worldwide through the most potent independent partners. We also support our releases with national promotion in all spheres from online, print up to radio and TV.
We release through our labels MIG Music (Rock, Electronica), Art Of Groove (Jazz), String Commander (Blues) or Hänsel&Gretel (Hard Rock, Metal) depending on the musical genre.
The Rockpalast series is the most important brand for MIG Music in cooperation with the TV broadcaster WDR. It is complemented by new releases on a regular basis.
MIG also works as a service provider for foreign labels in physical and digital distribution and production. Affiliated with this is the “Edition MIG” in cooperation with the Meisel music publishing.
The spine of this company is the highly motivated and competent team. Almost all colleagues are working in the music business for many years, or have always oriented their young working career to it. Music is in the air at MIG Music.
TEAM
Manfred Schuetz
Managing Director
I was born in 1950 in Bamberg, Germany 1950 but have lived in Hannover since 1959. I was just 13 when the Beatles and the Stones released their first single in 1963. After I borrowed the Ray Charles “What’d I Say” EP from a friend for 2 days, I bought my first single “I Wanna Be Your Man” by The Rolling Stones. This set the course for the rest of my life.
After completing high school in Hannover and an apprenticeship as a wholesale and export merchant, it was clear to me that the music business was where I wanted to be!
I opened my first small record store in 1974 and later various stores in Hannover, Braunschweig, Hildesheim, Hameln, Marburg, etc. The company Boots Plattenladen quickly became a cult temple for music freaks in Northern Germany. In 1979 I began to build my distribution company parallel to the stores, which was very successful during the “Neue Deutsche Welle” era.
I began my transition from retail to production and distribution in 1983 and on January 1st 1984, I founded SPV. With releases from labels such as Roadrunner (until 1996), Nuclear Blast , Century Media, Noise and our own label Steamhammer, SPV quickly became one of the most important independent labels in Germany. In my 25 years at SPV I was resposible for labels such as Beggars Banquet, AGR, Noise, and Metal Blade, PIAS and Century Media and SPV grew to become a worldwide-operating indie label. I earned countless of Gold and Platinum awards and held worldwide responsibility for artists such as Motörhead, Blackmore’s Night, Whitesnake and Alice Cooper as well as many national artists. With more than 120 employees and an annual turnover of 60 million euros, SPV was the deciding factor in the European independent landscape.
My life is enriched by my two daughters Greta and Shari and my son Mio, additionally to the marriage to my wife Elisabeth Schütz.
I founded MIG music as a label with various musical content. “Rock’n’roll will never die” and thus I look forward to many more years full of music.
Tanja Michaelis
Distribution and organizing
I was born 1972 in the Lünerburger Heide. I moved to Hannover after completing an apprenticeship and an exam to certify as a business foreign language assistant in French and English. I had my first job as a chief executive assistant at a silk screen printing press but I was not able to hold my ground so I applied for a label management position at SPV in mid-1998. For 12 years I looked after international labels. I was responsible for internationally coordinating with over 70 labels and distributors including Metal Blade, Century Media, Epitaph, Napalm Records, Inside Out, Burning Heart and Fat Wreck Chords, but also for German artists such as Xavier Naidoo and Böhse Onkelz.
Since 2010 I have supported our General Manager Manfred Schütz in building M. i. G- music in all fields including product management, royalty statements, international exploitation but specifically in my hobbyhorse, distribution. I coordinate between our labels Art of Groove / Moosicus for the jazz releases, M. i. G. – music for our Rockpalast releases amongst others and our smaller diverse labels (HiD, Jazz Secrets, String Commaner, Haensel & Gretel, MK II), but also for our third party labels such as Magic Mile Music, MG.Art, ESC Records and in particular AVAF (Andreas Vollenweider) which we exclusively do the distribution for.
My motto: “Music will live forever to enrich the people!”- So let’s make and sell some good music!
Elisabeth Schuetz
Promotion
I was born 1982 in Hannover/Langenhagen. It was very clear to me from an early age that music would be an important part of my life. During my school years I was able to enjoy wonderful, musical times through choir performances and other musical activities. I grew up in a musical home and was introduced to good music thanks to my parents (Rolling Stones, The Beatles) and brother (Metallica, Faith No More).
After a rather unmusical school and working period, the opportunity came about to work as a receptionist at the Rock and Roll distribution company SPV. I began in 2005 and two years later I became an assistant in the Music Promotion department, where I looked after bands such as Kreator, Sodom, Unleashed, Magnum, etc. I met my husband Manfred here as well and we had our son Mio in October 2013.
I have looked after the Music Promotion department at MIG Music since December 2009. Mio is the adorable reason why I am currently working from home. But the child is growing and blossoming, so a return to the main office is soon to follow.
Ina Fröhlich
Accounting
Bernd Ramien
A&R catalog, marketing
Born in Wilhelmshaven in 1954, graduated from high school, started studying journalism in Muenster. Learned broadcasting at SFB in Berlin, then head of the international promotion department at Hansa/Ariola. Co-owner of Paragon Studios in Berlin. Producer of Peter Sarstedt, Troggs, Swinging Blue Jeans, Franziska Menke, HiFi, Z, Sal Paradise, Wolfgang Ziegler & Wir, Zeltinger and many more.
Favorite place to work: the venerable old Hansa By The Wall overlooking the Berlin Wall. Co-owner and managing director of Rainbow Concerts, Jade Marketing GmbH and Dust On The Tracks Records. Responsible for catalog expansion and promotion at Mig for almost two years. Besides music, his heart has been beating for the “old” lady Hertha BSC Berlin for almost 40 years.
Julian Hähnel
Social Media and Promotion
Hamoun Beyraghdar
Designer
External team members
Burkhard Tölke
IT
I was born 1958 in Stadthagen. As a fan of everything in electronics I was responsible for the maintenance and repairing work on all forms of entertaining devices after my on-the-job training as radio and TV technichian at Fernseh Wilkening.
After some time I concentrated more and more on IT and computer techniques. In 2000 I graduated as a IT-systems electronic technician (resembles a qualified IT specialist) at IHK. From 2000 onwards I was responsible for the organization, administration and maintenance of all IT at SPV GmbH.
Since the end of 2009 I’m now responsible for the IT department at MIG Music GmbH.
Jürgen Hellweg
Representative
Born in 1953 in Bielefeld. First perceived songs (from my brother who is 5 years older): Elvis “Mystery Train”, Little Richard “Ready Teddy”, Chuck Berry “Route 66″.
First single purchased:
The Beatles “Day Tripper”
(apart from Heintje’s “Mama”, for my mother for Mother’s Day)
Apprenticeship as window dresser/ interior designer from 1969 – 1973
In the 70ziger foreign travels (longer stay in Oslo Norway. Study Scandinavian design) Italy – Morocco – France and the obligatory trip to India, interrupted in Afghanistan to meditate in the mountains 2 months in the monastery.
1977 then met Daniel Schell, in Brussels, since then lifelong manager of his bands COS – KARO and SCHELL as a composer. 1983 with the disc “Passiones” of COS hired at BOOTS Records by Manfred Schütz. From the middle of 1983 first helped in the BOOTS distribution Manfred Schütz as a sales representative. The legendary trip to Brussels and Amsterdam to meet Cees Wessels, to take over the distribution for ROADRUNNER (Metallica, Slayer, Tank – and all the others that were to follow).
From 01.01.1984 then sales field service for SPV, until 01.09.2009.
During this time I met and fell in love with my dear wife Ninice, with whom I have two wonderful children, Vanessa and Rafael.
Later field service at H’Art Music, Membran and many smaller distributors.
Since March 2018 now back together with Manfred Schütz and MiG – music to distribute GOOD MUSIC as a supervisor for the many small, fine record stores and other outlets.