Rolling Stones Abandon E.M.I.
From F.T.
Guy Hands’ attempts to prevent an exodus of talent from EMI have suffered a blow with the Rolling Stones’ decision to release their new album through rival Universal Music.
The album, Shine A Light, will be released in March, and will accompany a Martin Scorsese film of the same name that features two live shows the band performed in New York in 2006.
The move to Universal only covers the new album, and does not extend to the Rolling Stones’ catalogue of previous recordings.
Well, that didn’t take long. There has been much talk of threatened, similar movement by other artists currently on the E.M.I. roster. Many are playing it off as a form of protest. It isn’t protest, it’s business.
I suspect that the Stones move has something to do with E.M.I.’s decision to put an end to artist advances.
I also believe that the reason private equity firm, Terra Firma payed $3 billion + for E.M.I. was this; They wanted the catalogue. If they aren’t particularly interested in a new Rolling Stones record that is going to be cross marketed with a Scorsese film, how much effort will they put into developing new, cutting edge talent? Well, none. They see that the future lies in licensing (ads, movies etc.) and repackaging old, familiar music.
It remained unclear whether the Rolling Stones would seek to sign a longer-term agreement with another record label or strike a relationship with a concert promoter, such as Live Nation.
While the band’s recent releases have posted modest sales, its concert tours have been among the most lucrative in industry history. Those tours have also stoked sales of the band’s earlier albums.
Some see big time concert promoters, like Live Nation, becoming the new major labels. I’m not saying that Live Nation won’t be in the business of making a few records, especially for established acts like Madonna or the Stones but, I can’t really see them as a developer of recording careers. In essence, Live Nation is operating with the same type of criteria as E.M.I. They are in the business of promoting track record.
[tags] E.M.I., Guy Hand, Rolling Stones, Live Nation [/tags]
Comments
4 Responses to “Rolling Stones Abandon E.M.I.”
Leave a Reply
-
Pribek At Zazzle
The post to blame: Most Peculiar Mama (Don't Eat Your Cat)
did anything come of this departure of RS from EMI?
I thought the gang was going to jump on this one… I guess I’ll have to wait for the Muppet Movie version to come out.
Pat Darnell and Friends’s last blog post..Do Lip Plumper’s Work?
The Stones are still posturing like they want out of EMI. The speculation has always been that they were going to pursue a Madonna like, 360 deal with Live Nation.
Concert audiences, including festivals are down and now, there is a shake up at going on at Live Nation with the guy who put together all of the high profile deals being shown the door. I think the Stones may have missed that boat.
Wow. The trade off is something now like [you said somewhere before]: “As if Willie Nelson showed up at the Indy 500 with a Datsun.”
EMI vs Live Nation… if I am getting this right, is like a notebook with 100 sheets or 200 pages.
Fewer Festivals, More Franchising, lackluster stadium rock gigs, and no one is high any more. If Keef Riffhard and Co. missed the boat, they will sink like stones, and will finally gather moss. So sad to end on such a ballast of woes.
Owned and queefed by a holding company… yikes!
Pat Darnell and Friends’s last blog post..Do Lip Plumper’s Work?
“EMI vs Live Nation”-I don’t know that either is all that interested in retaining the Stones at this point.
EMI defaulted on their first loan payment of the Terr Firma era a few weeks back. Guy Hands says, “Not to worry, we have a pension fund we can raid that will keep us going until 2010.”
Live Nation, at the end of last year, was hell bent to sign big acts to 10 year+, all in deals (records, concerts, merch, sponsor income-hence the term 360, meaning 360 degrees) and the bleacher bums were all assuming that-this is the future-now we know-the suspense is over-Live Nation will be label, booking agent, PR, all things to all acts.
Now, Live Nation wants out of 360 deals and has been running around buying venue, brand names such as “The Fillmore”.
The Stones, well…Does it make sense for anybody to sign them to any multi-year deal for future interests?
Something you got to understand here, PD. Traditionally, people with real money don’t have anything to do with the music business. Not only is it impossible to project, it’s not enough money for people with real money to screw around with. It’s a side bet. And, that, is really the reason it’s in the shape it’s in. If it was about more money-there would have been more effort to protect the interests.
However, the demise of the music industry has put a scare into other games where some real money does change hands. So, the music business has served as a sort of a lab rat for any commerce based on creative content.
The underlying, dark theme in all of these things I write about the music business is-the rapid decline of creativity. If the “system” fails, there is no longer anything to rebel against. There has to be an inside to accommodate an outside.
I don’t really give two shits about Mick Jagger wondering where his next million is coming from. What I care about is how all of this stuff hinders the stuff under the surface from bubbling.
As the mainstream narrows, as all the effort is concentrated on the sure thing, so does the reaction to the mainstream.