Michel Esteban

Michel Antoine Gaston Esteban (born 7 May 1951) is a French record producer, record company executive, cultural center director and former magazine editor, who founded the Paris shop Harry Cover in 1973, was influential in the early development of punk rock, and, together with Michael Zilkha, established the New York–based record label ZE Records in 1978.

Life and career Esteban was born in Paris. From 1968, he studied graphic arts at L'École d'Arts Graphiques in the city, and in 1973 founded a shop in the Rue des Halles, Harry Cover, which specialised in rock merchandise, magazines and books as well as imported records from the US and UK. The basement was used as a rehearsal space by bands, particularly as the punk rock scene developed in the mid 1970s. In 1974 Esteban travelled around the US, returning to New York where he studied under Milton Glaser at the School of Visual Arts. He became a friend of Patti Smith, Robert Mapplethorpe, Richard Hell and Tom Verlaine of Television, and John Cale, and was a regular visitor to the CBGB music club.

Returning to Paris in 1975, he founded the magazine Rock News, which began chronicling the emergence of the punk music scene in the US, UK and France, coming into contact with Lester Bangs, Richard and Lisa Robinson, and Danny Fields in the US, and Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood in England. At the time, Esteban was in a relationship with fashion editor Anna Wintour.

Esteban left New York after differences with Zilkha in 1982.