NFL selects veteran music & entertainment producers Jimmy Iovine and Joel Gallen to produce Super Bowl XXXVII halftime show in San Diego
NEW YORK (Nov. 5, 2002) -- The NFL named music and entertainment industry icons Jimmy Iovine, chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M Records, and Joel Gallen, director-producer of Tenth Planet Productions, producers of the Super Bowl XXXVII Halftime Show, it was announced today. Talent for the show will be announced at a later date.
Super Bowl XXXVII is slated for Sunday, Jan. 26 in San Diego and will air on ABC. More than 800 million people worldwide annually watch the event, including 130 million viewers in the U.S. Super Bowls account for the top ten most-watched TV programs of all time. Last year's Super Bowl Halftime Show featuring U2 created one of the most memorable moments in entertainment history, according to numerous reports.
"The NFL's commitment to keep raising the bar of the entertainment value of the halftime show at the Super Bowl and being able to work with Joel Gallen again is simply a step further in the convergence of sports and music," said Iovine. "It's one that I'm personally committed to and think is great for both businesses."
"There is no platform bigger than the Super Bowl," said Gallen, who executive produced the Emmy Award-winning "America: A Tribute to Heroes" in September 2001. "I've produced a lot of live specials, but nothing will compare to the rush of putting on a show for 800 million people."
The NFL worked with both Iovine and Gallen last season.
An acclaimed music executive and record producer, Iovine was instrumental in the success of the Super Bowl XXXVI Halftime Show with U2, one of his record label's artists. Iovine worked with Gallen previously on "America: A Tribute to Heroes."
Gallen and Tenth Planet Productions produced for the NFL last year the primetime special "Friday Night Super Bowl Bash" on CBS featuring Sting, Sheryl Crow and No Doubt. In addition to "America: A Tribute to Heroes," he also produces "The MTV Movie Awards" on an annual basis. He also directed the hit comedy film "Not Another Teen Movie."
Iovine co-founded Interscope Records in 1990, championing cutting edge music in a wide range of genres and helping to build the company into one of the most prominent and creative labels in the music business. Interscope achieved platinum-selling success with artists such as No Doubt, Dr. Dre, Nine Inch Nails, Eminem, Limp Bizkit, Enrique Iglesias, Mya, 2Pac, Smash Mouth and Eve.
Universal's acquisition of Polygram in 1999 resulted in the newly comprised Interscope Geffen A&M Records, among whose artists (in addition to those mentioned above) are U2, Sting, Beck, Weezer and Sheryl Crow. Iovine was named Co-Chairman and, in 2001, Chairman.
Named one of the five hottest producers of the 1980's by Billboard, Iovine was also twice voted Producer of the Year by Rolling Stone. An engineer in the mid-1970's for John Lennon and Bruce Springsteen, he then produced hit albums for U2, Dire Straits, the Eurythmics, Stevie Nicks, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, the Pretenders, Bob Seger and Patti Smith.
In 1987, he initiated with his wife Vicki the "A Very Special Christmas" album benefiting the Special Olympics. Releasing its fifth edition in 2001, it is the most successful series of benefit albums ever launched, having raised $75 million. Most recently, Iovine was co-executive producer of 2001's Sept. 11 benefit album "America: A Tribute to Heroes."
For the last decade, Gallen has been America's premiere director-executive producer of the most-watched live entertainment specials and short films. He also directed his first full-length film, "Not Another Teen Movie," that debuted in fall 2001.
Gallen has worked with some of the most successful actors and artists in the world.
Among his entertainment specials are: "The MTV Movie Award"; "America: A Tribute to Heroes"; "VH1 Fashion Awards"; "The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show"; "MTV Video Music Awards"; "MTV Unplugged"; "A Very Special Christmas from Washington DC"; "The Experience Music Project on MTV and VH1" and "Concert of the Century: Save the Music."
He has produced music specials with music luminaries such as Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Santana, Bon Jovi, Mariah Carey and the Dixie Chicks.
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