Black Metal Management

Ray started off as manager of Sacrifice (1983-1994), Canada’s most recognized metal band internationally. Sacrifice was the only Canadian Metal band ever on the Sounds Magazine top 20 new artists (number 8 ,1985), the first Canadian underground metal band with a worldwide deal before it became fashionable, and the first thrash metal band of any kind to play Eastern Canada (1986). They had the largest cross-Canada tour by a Canadian metal band (36 Dates (1986)), played the first & third Milwaukee Metal Fest (1985 & 1988), and they were the first Canadian thrash metal band put into medium rotation at MuchMusic (1989). Ray also was the Canadian correspondent for US Metal Tip Sheet Foundations Magazine (1985 to 1995) were he worked along with Kevin Lyman Owner of the Vans Warped Tours / WARCON ENTERPRISES and Bob Chiappardi co-owner of WARCON ENTERPRISES and owner of Concrete Marketing. Ray also wrote for Canadian Metal mag MEAT Magazine. Ray along with his former business partner Big Rae Moss also were the first people (along with the Gary’s) to recognize the potential of the underground in the early 80’s by promoting club shows and doing LARGE festivals (Toronto Metal Massacre 1 & 2 86/87) when it was not cool to do metal in the eyes of the Canadian music industry. But as Stan Kulin, ex CEO of Warner Music Canada, once said “Ray Wallace is always 2 years ahead of everyone else when it comes to what’s new in music”. Ray also hosted a “The Pepsi Power Hour” episode concerning Blacks in Heavy Metal.
Ray is the founder and co-publisher of Peace Magazine, Canada’s most respected urban music & Lifestyle magazine. Peace was the first and still the only nationally distributed urban magazine in Canada and is the only urban lifestyle magazine approved by the CCAB. Peace has been at the forefront of the Hip Hop & R&B scene in Canada since 1991 and remains the number one source for information on the genre. Peace Magazine were recipients of UMAC’s best urban Magazine in 2003. Peace has helped break many international as well as domestic artists in Canada. Peace was also commissioned to create the official Caribana magazine named Pepa. Peace magazine has also been used as props in 2 Usher video’s and on the TV show “Radio Free Roscoe”. As publisher of Peace, Ray has worked with all labels in Canada with their Urban content. He has helped the urban scene for almost 13 years. Peace was first publication to recognize the connection between urban music, urban fashion & lifestyle.
Ray previously worked in music retail for 11 years, first starting at A&A’s in the 80s, then moving to HMV by 1991, and then over to Future Shop in 1997. He hosted a radio show on CSCR U of T Scarborough campus radio for 4 years spinning heavy metal and hard rock. He was label manager for Indiestructable Records and helped get the label international distribution through his many contacts overseas that he has developed over the years. Ray also had a bit part in the movie “Confessions of Dangerous Mind” directed by George Clooney, but it was left on the cutting room floor. He is also the Toronto representative for a Montreal-based casting agency Pax Management. He also had a brief stint as a booking agent for Paquin Entertainment. Currently, he’s expanded his roster with Scarlet Sins. His other acts are Bobnoxious (Maple Music/Fontana/Universal), One Tribe Nation (SELECT Distribution), and Razor. He is also CEO of the Heavy Metal Music Association of Canada.