Hi Don:
You make a lot of good points.
For perspective, remember the uproar when Sony bought Columbia/CBS Records. All sorts of tales of doom of this American Cultural Treasure going into Japanese hands. Then Matsushita bought MCA and there were the same cries to a lesser extent. Well, Matsushita took a bath on the music biz and sold MCA after never making money from it. Sony, as I understand it, has never made the kind of money they thought they would from CBS Records. But, I would argue they have been a heck of a better steward of the legends they own vs. how the Tisch group treated the TV network. Sony/BMG has one of the most aggressive if not the most aggressive reissue program for material in their vaults, either by releasing themselves or licensing to companies like Mosaic. For instance, a healthy stream of vintage Columbia and RCA jazz is coming back into issue in excellent remastering and packaging via Mosaic's Singles series.
So, I wouldn't say EMI stands any better or worse chance of falling down the rabbit hole. All of the music companies are unhealthy and all of them have to deal with the downfall of CD-based releasing and distribution. I would bet tales of a total demise are about as inaccurate as the current crop of tales of the demise of all newspapers.
-- Tom Fine
----- Original Message ----- From: "Andes, Donald" <Donald.Andes@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2007 3:16 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] RIP: EMI / let's clear the air
Hello All,
As an employee of EMI, and an active participant in this list, let me help clear the air about the article posted. Everything stated here will be my own personal opinion, and I will not disclose anything that isn't publicly known.
On first reading the article, I was a bit touched at how the writer noted the dust that seems to have already accumulated on such a historical UK music company but then as I finished the article I thought "Wait a second, I'm still here, reading this in my office, which hasn't been closed".
Was I somehow drawn into the writer's fantastic story a bit to much?
Then I took a second to scan some of Lebrecht's other articles at: http://www.scena.org/columns/lebrechtindex.htmand
Here I noted that in Feb 2000, he's also descriptively wrote about the demise of Libraries, in almost the same touching way as he did with EMI. But wait, that was over 7 years ago and surely there are still libraries in existence?? Some on the list still work in these libraries.
After reading about 10-15 articles from Lebrecht's, I've realized that he does what writers do, they write stories to intrigue and captivate.
There are truth's and fact peppered about in his article, but at the same time there's some writer's inference.
Overtly publicly known facts: EMI has accepted an offer made by Terra Firma.
Lesser publicly known facts: There is still about 3 months of details that need to be completed before they take possession the company.
Obscurely publicly known facts: During this time, other offers may be submitted, and a variety of things may slow up the deal.
The author's highly speculative opinion: If Terra Firma assumes possession of the company, they will piece it out and shutter EMI completely.
In short, there are many possibilities in EMI's future, but unfortunately the author has dressed the bleakest one elegantly in all black.
Don Andes Director of Archives EMI Music
-----Original Message----- From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List [mailto:ARSCLIST@xxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Matthew Barton Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2007 12:38 PM To: ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [ARSCLIST] RIP: EMI
http://www.scena.org/columns/lebrecht/070524-NL-EMI.html
Matthew Barton MBRS The Library of Congress 101 Independence Ave., SE Washington, DC 20540-4610 202-707-5508 email: mbarton@xxxxxxx
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