By John Stein
Bill Coleman photos by Eric McNatt
For thirty years, Peace Bisquit has been a music-industry force to be reckoned with. Founded in 1990 as a management, production, and A&R agency, the company’s very first clients were Deee-lite (“Groove Is In The Heart”) and Ultra Naté (“Free,” “If You Could Read My Mind”). Since then, Peace Bisquit and its ubiquitous founder, Bill Coleman, has worked with the likes of Jody Watley, Crystal Waters, Neneh Cherry, and a dizzying array of pop artists, including Beyoncé, Lizzo, Lenny Kravitz, Sia, Lady Gaga, and Christina Aguilera.
Peace Bisquit has also made its mark in Hollywood, providing music supervision and soundtracks for films, including 1995’s cult favorite Party Girl starring Parker Posey, Party Monster, and the Another Gay Movie films. The company also collaborated with Academy Award-winning producer Brian Grazer on the documentary, Inside Deep Throat.
Bill Coleman was always attracted to music. During college, he interned at Island Records during the imprint’s most influential era, promoting new rock star Melissa Etheridge, Tom Waits, U2, Propaganda, and Grace Jones’ hit album Slave to the Rhythm. He then landed a position as Singles Reviewer and Dance Music Editor for Billboard Magazine, where he quickly became one of the industry’s most respected voices. Columbia Records, Arista Records, Epic Records, Maxi Records, and EightBall Records commissioned him to write the liner notes for a number of their dance compilation albums as well as pop artists Thompson Twins and 80’s girl group, Exposé.
“I was in my dream job at Billboard when I discovered Deee-lite,” says Bill Coleman. “After releasing our first single, “What Is Love?”, it was clear that the cool dance project was going to take off bigger than we imagined. Long story short, once the “Groove Is In The Heart” 12” and video came out, I had to make a decision pretty quickly as to whether I was going to stay with Billboard or accompany the band on this new, exciting journey we’d all worked so hard on.”
“I took a leap of faith, left my high-profile gig, signed Deee-lite and Ultra Naté at the same time, and opened Peace Bisquit, truly believing (sometimes naively) that I could make a difference in our dance, queer, black, underground and NYC culture,” Coleman continues. “Peace Bisquit has allowed me to combine my love of multiple music genres, DJ-ing, critical expertise, and inspirations into an independent adventure that helps artists, and myself, express creatively with no limits.”
Peace Bisquit’s triumphs over the past three decades have been legion.
Among Coleman’s favorites are serving as an A&R consultant for Bette Midler and her 2000 album, “Bette”; traveling the world with Jody Watley as her tour DJ; co-producing and DJ-ing Lady Gaga’s first ‘Fame Ball’ and the many plaques the company has received. Bill Coleman and Peace Bisquit have received honors for their works with De la Soul, Sinead O’Connor, David Guetta, The B-52s, Technotronic, Madonna, and Beyoncé.
Coleman also counts his collaborations with some of the most influential DJ/remixers of our day, including Clivilles & Cole, The Basement Boys, NERVO, Tiesto, Morgan Page, David Morales, Todd Terry, Roger Sanchez, Tony Moran, Frankie Knuckles, and WAWA, among his biggest accomplishments.
His collaboration with David Guetta on “Love Is Gone,” “Just A Little More Love,” and “Getting’ Over You” continue to play on dance floors across the globe and introduced vocal powerhouse Chris Willis to the world.
Bill Coleman is not done yet. He continues to DJ and can be heard LIVE every Friday night, from 7-10 pm PT on Andy Cohen’s Kiki Lounge on Sirius XM (Channel 312). He also spins an eclectic, genre-fluid one-hour set every month on Sirius XM “The Morning Chill.”
Visit peacebisquit.com for more.
