Martin Goldschmidt’s British independent music firm Cooking Vinyl Group is expanding to the U.S., opening a full service label division in New York to be headed up by former Warner Bros. marketing exec and RED alumnus Howie Gabriel. The news comes swiftly after the merger of Sony Music U.K.’s RED and Cooking Vinyl’s label services division Essential, for timely reasons.

Cooking Vinyl America will be distributed by Bob Morelli's RED in the U.S., where Gabriel worked for two decades, before leaving in 2014, when he was SVP of Label Management, for a short-lived gig at Warner Bros. Records as EVP of Marketing.

Reporting directly Goldschmidt, Gabriel will sign and develop domestic and international artists as well as releasing artists from Cooking Vinyl’s existing U.K. roster, like Billy Bragg, Dolores O’Riordan and Teddy Thompson, with global names including Marilyn Manson and The Prodigy.

Gabriel praised Goldschmidt for taking his company from "humble beginnings" 30 years ago to the global success it is today. "With a strong international infrastructure already in place, the time is right to build on that success by having a permanent base and a full service label operation in the U.S. that can act as a home for the company’s existing artists, while working with the best American talent," he said. "I am honored to have been given the role of overseeing Cooking Vinyl America and am excited to be part of helping the company become a truly global independent label who can sign, develop and market artists on a worldwide basis."

Goldschmidt said Gabriel's "tremendous energy aligned with a proven track record of success in marketing and distribution, an understanding of both the U.S. and the international markets, and, above all, a passion for music,” qualified him for the top job.

“I am delighted that Cooking Vinyl is reopening its doors in the U.S.,” commented Morelli. “I have known Martin, Howie and the Cooking Vinyl team for many years. RED and ’stache media are excited to work with their cutting edge roster and to be their sales, distribution and marketing partners.”