[Table of Contents]


[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: [ARSCLIST] RIP: EMI / let's clear the air



I thought that was whacked myself.I have Parlophone/Odeon Lps,from1949-50.


                                    Roger

David Lennick <dlennick@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: It's widely conceded that Norman Lebrecht is an idiot, a major idiot, a major 
major idiot, an opinionated moron etc. I just don't think those opinions were 
expressed on this list..possibly only on 78-L.

Aside from his myth-making, there are other errors of fact in his article 
concerning EMI's switch to LP (well before 1954), his misattribution of Beatles 
songs and his misidentification of G&T as dating from 1898.

I also find it curious that I haven't seen this EMI story in my friendly 
neighbourhood newspaper's business section.

dl

Tom Fine wrote:
> 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" 
> 
> To: 
> 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
> 
> - --------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Music from EMI
> 
> This e-mail including any attachments is confidential and may be legally 
> privileged. If you have received it in error please advise the sender 
> immediately by return email and then delete it from your system. The 
> unauthorised use, distribution, copying or alteration of this email is 
> strictly forbidden. If you need assistance please contact us on +44 20 
> 7795 7000.
> 
> This email is from a unit or subsidiary of EMI Group plc.
> 
> Registered Office: 27 Wrights Lane, London W8 5SW
> 
> Registered in England No 229231.
> 
> 
> - --------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 


 
---------------------------------
TV dinner still cooling?
Check out "Tonight's Picks" on Yahoo! TV.


[Subject index] [Index for current month] [Table of Contents]