13 Facts About Maurice Oberstein

Maurice Louis "Obie" Oberstein was an American music business executive.

Maurice Oberstein spent most of his career in Britain, where he was credited as "one of the chief architects of the modern UK record industry".

Maurice Oberstein was born in a Jewish family in New York City, the only son of music industry executive and record label owner Eli Oberstein and his wife Iris.

Maurice Oberstein sold the label in 1961 after his father's death.

Maurice Oberstein joined Columbia Records in New York in 1965, and soon afterwards was sent to London to help develop the company's CBS label in Britain.

Maurice Oberstein rose through the ranks of management at the company, eventually becoming the chairman of CBS Records UK in 1976.

Maurice Oberstein promoted British acts such as The Clash, New Hearts and Adam and the Ants, and oversaw the successful international promotion of Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds album.

Maurice Oberstein chaired the BPI trade association between 1983 and 1985, and was a member of the Band Aid organising committee.

Maurice Oberstein was appointed to a second two-year term as chairman of BPI in 1991.

Maurice Oberstein was known for his forthright opinions and flamboyant eccentricities.

Maurice Oberstein often brought one of his dogs to business meetings and awards ceremonies and would pretend to listen to its advice.

Maurice Oberstein always wore a hat, sometimes bizarrely, and in disputes would place his hat on the table and leave the room, with the parting instruction to "talk to the hat".

Maurice Oberstein died in London in 2001, aged 72, of a heart attack while suffering from leukaemia, leaving instructions that his ashes should be scattered at Cheltenham Racecourse and at Queen's Park Rangers' football ground.