A&R Man Mike Gitter: ‘Mission Accomplished,’ Even After Departure From Roadrunner

Mike Gitter – he of the quintessential '80s hardcore zine XXX, and the man who signed important bands like Killswitch Engage, Glassjaw, Opeth and Megadeth during his decade-plus stint at Roadrunner Records – spoke exclusively to Noisecreep about his recent exit from the label.

Says Gitter, "The past 12 years has been the sort of ride I can only stand back and be amazed looking at, such as the signing and working on fantastic records with the likes of Killswitch Engage, Opeth, Glassjaw, Megadeth and so many others. That sort of tenure is amazing at any record company, and I'm proud to be part of the Roadrunner legacy."

He was quick to point out that the split was amicable, saying, "Our parting of ways was nothing more than Roadrunner's need to continue to grow and evolve, and my continuing a personal A&R vision that has served me well for many years now. "Probably the most ironic part about being let go from the label," Gitter adds, "was it literally happened the day after Killswitch Engage broke into the top 10 with their new album. That was a real sense of 'mission accomplished.'"