From Mixtapes to Blockchain: The Story of Bruno Guez and the Birth of Revelator

In the ever-evolving landscape of the music industry, few figures have navigated its many waves as deftly—and as innovatively—as Bruno Guez. From his early days in underground Los Angeles clubs to pioneering blockchain-based music rights management, Guez’s journey is a story of reinvention, vision, and the constant pursuit of better systems for artists and rights holders. Here’s a closer look at the milestones that shaped his path and ultimately led to the founding of Revelator.

Early Life & Musical Roots

Bruno Guez was born in Paris in the early 1970s to Tunisian parents and split his childhood between France and Los Angeles. It was in LA that his love for music—particularly percussion and Brazilian sounds—took root. By the early '90s, he enrolled at UCLA to study Ethnomusicology, but left just one quarter short of graduating to fully pursue his musical ambitions.

He soon became a familiar name on LA’s cultural circuit, hosting the show Shortwave on KCRW and spinning tracks at underground clubs like Ponana Souk. At a time when burning CDs at home was a rarity, Guez built a studio with that capability, releasing a mixtape called Visionary—a move that would set the stage for his next big chapter.

Quango Music Group & Partnership with Chris Blackwell

In 1993, Guez officially launched Quango Music Group. His mixtape Visionary caught the attention of legendary Island Records founder Chris Blackwell, who saw in Guez both a sharp ear and a forward-thinking technologist. Their partnership led to Quango becoming an imprint of Island Records, and between 1995 and 1997, Guez produced nearly 30 compilations for the label.

Quango helped usher in the global rise of artists like Tricky, Sneaker Pimps, Basement Jaxx, Kruder & Dorfmeister, and Talvin Singh, laying the groundwork for what would become a defining aesthetic in electronic and downtempo music.

When Universal and Polygram merged in 1997, Quango was released from Island Records, but the collaboration between Guez and Blackwell continued through Palm Pictures, a multimedia venture that allowed Guez to explore even more avenues of sonic expression.

Shaping Sound Beyond the Studio

Guez expanded his reach beyond traditional record label activities, pioneering branded music and sonic architecture. In the late '90s and early 2000s, he curated background music and designed the sonic identity for Blackwell’s Island Outpost Hotels, a partnership that still continues today. He also launched travel-themed DVD collaborations with National Geographic, bringing a world music sensibility into new media formats.

During this time, Quango also found success with Bitter:Sweet’s The Mating Game, a record so sync-friendly that nearly every track was licensed for film or television. Guez proved his keen sense of what worked for music supervisors, a valuable asset in a rapidly fragmenting industry.

💔 A Turning Point: Resilience After Tragedy

Then in 2000, tragedy struck. A swimming accident left Guez paralyzed—a life-altering event that tested him in every possible way.

But Guez, ever the problem-solver, began applying the same creative resilience he’d honed in the music world to his new reality. As one colleague put it:

“He used those problem-solving skills he’d developed in music and applied them to his new reality. That resilience paved the way for Revelator.”

In the aftermath, Guez moved to Israel to be closer to family, continuing to run Quango remotely. But the tools he was using—first FileMaker Pro, then a custom Salesforce solution—were proving inadequate for the rapidly digitizing music industry.

The Vision for Revelator

Guez had always been drawn to data and systems. But the explosion of metadata and royalties in the digital streaming era required an entirely new approach. Around 2010, he began imagining a platform that could do for music rights what online banking did for finance—intuitive, cloud-based, and purpose-built for music professionals.

That idea became Revelator.

“He envisioned a solution as seamless as QuickBooks, but for rights management and royalty reporting.”

Revelator officially launched in 2012, and by Spring 2015, Revelator’s platform launched under the tagline “Music’s Everything.” The company’s early focus was on streamlining royalty processing, copyright administration, and catalog management.

But Guez had a much bigger vision in mind.

Futureproofing music rights and royalties

By mid-2015, Guez was exploring how blockchain technology could transform the murky world of music rights and slow royalties. He began designing smart contracts and experimenting with ways to store audio metadata immutably on-chain.

As he explained in interviews:

“I believe that by removing the requirement for trust between counterparties, and replacing it with a shared, transparent ledger, we can build a better digital music economy.”

In 2018, Revelator introduced a digital wallet for music rights holders—powered by smart contracts—to accelerate payments and improve transparency. The first major test came with Teosto, Finland’s CMO, which piloted Revelator’s blockchain-based solution for faster royalty payments from radio airplay. The pilot was a smashing success.

Global Reach and Ongoing Innovation

Today, Revelator operates across across the globe and works with independent record labels, major rights organizations, distributors, and forward thinking music companies. Guez continues to explore partnerships with organizations around the world, including collective management bodies in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.

His background as a creative gives him a rare vantage point—one that fuels Revelator’s mission to create a more equitable and efficient digital music ecosystem for everyone.

Looking Ahead

Guez’s journey—from spinning records in underground clubs to developing a new royalty infrastructure—is a testament to being a creator and an unshakable belief in the transformative power of technology and creativity. He is now working on a book to share his experiences and perspectives, while also returning to his musical roots by creating his own music once again.

As the music industry continues to change, Bruno Guez remains one of its most forward-thinking architects in the music industry—blending artistry, innovation, and a deep commitment to making the digital era work better for everyone.

Cast of Key Collaborators & Influencers:

• Chris Blackwell – Legendary Island Records founder and longtime collaborator.
• Tricky, Sneaker Pimps, Basement Jaxx, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Talvin Singh – Artists whose early work was released under Quango/Island.
• Bitter:Sweet – Known for The Mating Game, a sync licensing success story.
• Zero 7 (feat. Sia), Koop – Developed under Guez’s broader artist network.
• Andre Balazs, Island Outpost, Yoga One, Da-Nang, Oliver Peoples, Pinkberry – Brands that collaborated with Guez for music curation and sonic branding.
• Teosto, Polaris, Capasso – CMOs exploring or piloting Revelator’s technology.
• Désirée Blank – Interviewer and conversation partner in recent blog posts highlighting Revelator’s mission and challenges.