-----Original Message-----
From Michael Shoshani: "...This info I got from "EMI: The First 100 Years"
by Peter Martland..."
You can be sure that each side spun a version of the story that would put
themselves in the best light for their stockholders and employees. My
understanding was that the Columbia/EMI deal was between independent
entities and not a case of one company having purchased the assets and
trademarks of another like the RCA deal. It makes sense that the 50 year
deal I was told about must have been just for the trademarks.
My conversations were at EMI in England around 1968 and with Voyle Gilmore
in the 1970s after he had retired from Capital. It was interesting that the
folks at EMI studios in England were livid about what Capital had done to
the sound of the Beatles although they had no problem with the differing
album contents. At Motown we had a carbon of our letter turning down
distribution of the Beatles posted on the wall for a while as a humbling
reminder.