A millionaire businessman has set up Bradford's answer to Richard Branson's Virgin record label.

Brendan Larkin hopes the new company will emulate Virgin, which has grown from humble beginnings into one of the biggest names in the pop world.

Skylark Records has already recruited top American producer Michael Weedon, who is now grooming Bradford band Warm for stardom. Weedon - known in the industry as Menace - charges $20,000 a week for his much sought-after services. He has worked with Prince, Madonna and Whitney Houston, pictured left.

He was so impressed when he was sent a tape of Warm's songs he flew from New York to produce their debut album, which will be the label's first release.

Skylark Records is part of Skylark Media Limited, which has Trevor Walsh as its managing director. Mr Larkin, boss of the Shipley-based Lyne-Baxter Group, said: "The business plan is quite conventional, building things up slowly. But in the back of our minds we know that a company operating in the media sector can go through the roof.

"Companies like Virgin have all had the same common denominator. They were all run in a businesslike fashion and that's what we want to do." Although Menace is in Bradford now, his main role will be to run Skylark Records' operation in New York. "It's very interesting coming to Bradford from New York," he said. "People say to me 'Why Bradford?' but I say 'Why not?'

"To me, when I'm in the city centre, it could almost be New York. I like the atmosphere of the place. It's cool. I feel I can relax here and really concentrate on what I'm doing.

"We can establish talent anywhere in the world. It doesn't have to be London or New York. There's talent here too. Embrace are from round here and Allan Holdsworth - one of my all-time heroes. I've got not a speck of doubt about the talent of these guys from Warm."

Warm are five lads from Woodside and Buttershaw, fronted by Mr Walsh's son, Lee. They plan to burst on to the music scene in the spring when they release their album, Controlled Aggression. They have also been filming a BBC documentary to be screened in March.

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