Eddie Rosenblatt, whose leadership at Geffen Records helped spawn rock bands such as Guns N’ Roses, Nirvana, Weezer, and more, died on Tuesday at age 89, Variety has confirmed. According to Rosenblatt’s son, Michael, the music exec died from pneumonia at a Santa Barbara hospital. At the height of Geffen’s predominantly rock and punk recording label in the 1980s, Rosenblatt helped create the blueprint for how record labels can mold grungy, untamed outcasts into hit musicians. Geffen Records helped bands such as Whitesnake and Counting Crows earn their bonafide music credentials, and Rosenblatt cultivated a generation of top music execs who have led many acts to success, including the Foo Fighters’ Gary Gersh, Joan Jett’s Tom Zutaut, and Ariana Grande’s Wendy Goldstein. Born and raised in Queens, New York City, Rosenblatt is survived by four children, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
