| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Erebus |
Posted - 06/04/2004 : 09:57:29
Warner to Ax Eighty Artists
Third Eye Blind, Breeders may be among first cuts
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story?id=6085957&pageid=rs.News&pageregion=&rnd=1086358286500&has-player=true&version=6.0.11.847
More than a thousand employees got pink slips from the new Warner Music Group in March; now the company plans to drop almost half of its 170 artists. At press time, final decisions had not been made. Sources say the Breeders and Third Eye Blind may be among the first victims, and Stereolab have already been dropped. "Artists deserve a deep commitment from their labels," says WMG head Lyor Cohen. "If that commitment doesn't exist, they should be given the freedom to pursue it elsewhere. The goal is to nurture artistic creativity and create successful careers."
In February, a group of private investors, including former Universal Music Group tycoon Edgar Bronfman Jr., bought the label group from Time Warner for $2.6 billion. In an effort to save more than $200 million, operations for Elektra, Atlantic and Lava Records were combined.
"We were told that our services are going to be dispensed with," says Martin Pike, manager of the electronic-pop group Stereolab. "We've been with Elektra since 1993. That company doesn't exist anymore."
According to one label executive, the decisions about who to cut are being based in large part on profitability. Stereolab have sold only 40,000 copies of their recent album, Margerine Eclipse. The Breeders' last CD, Title TK, moved barely 45,000 units. Third Eye Blind, whose 1997 debut sold 6 million copies, didn't reach gold with 2003's Out of the Vein. Also vulnerable are developing bands such as Socialburn and Apartment 26, whose CDs will not likely earn back the money it cost to record and promote them.
Artists who survived the cuts -- including the Darkness, Jason Mraz, Jet, the Donnas and Kid Rock -- will probably be forced to work with smaller budgets in the future. But, says Donnas manager Molly Neuman, "I'm getting the sense that a leaner roster will be to our advantage, because we'll have greater access to the senior executives."
Not everyone is so optimistic: Paula Cole's contract is up in June, and she says she may not renew even if she's asked to. "I want to be at a place where there's enthusiasm for me and for music," she says. "The people I trusted and loved there are all gone. It's scary, because I have a kid and I want to make a living."
Meanwhile, Metallica have jumped ship from Elektra to its sister company Warner Bros. A source at WMG says that the band was devastated when virtually all of the people it worked with at Elektra were laid off. The band reportedly has only one album left in its contract.
"These cuts had to happen," says a WMG executive. "We had gotten fat and bloated, and we were releasing way too many records. If this means we put all of our efforts and resources behind what we actually do release, that's a good thing."
JENNY ELISCU
(Posted Jun 03, 2004)
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| 16 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| n/a |
Posted - 06/12/2004 : 15:39:53
thanks.. I was on a vibe...
can't get into anything these days. Always on the peripheral. Always terrified, exhausted, annoyed, pissed, anxious, out of it-out of the loop, out of my mind, out of time.
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| Marc With A C |
Posted - 06/12/2004 : 15:17:17
Tre, nice Bill Hicks reference :)
In the evening I want my coffee, in the morning I want my dope... www.marcwithac.com |
| PixieSteve |
Posted - 06/11/2004 : 03:07:41
why can't you guys believe it? it's not bands like the breeders are very profitable for warner bros.
by no means am i saying it's right that all they should be concerned with is money, but well, they are... so get over it and start believin' it! |
| n/a |
Posted - 06/10/2004 : 13:24:02
Ball-less, souless, spiritless corporate little bitches, suckers of Satan's cock, each and every one of them. Gnorr.
"We're rock stars against drugs cos that's what the President wants."
Aw, suck Satan's cock.
That's what we want isn't it, government approved rock n roll? Whooh, we're partying now!
"We're rock stars who do Pepsi Cola commercials."
Gnorr. Suck Satan's cock. Put that big scaly pecker down your gullet. Drink that black worm jizzum. Drink it! Fill your little bellies.
Ha ha ha. Send in Vanilla Ice.
Hello Vanilla.
Says here on your application, you have no talent, and yet you want to be a star.
I think something can be arranged.
Whuh. Suck Satan's cock. Gnoor.
I will lower the standards of the earth. I will put 56 channels of American Gladiators on every tv. I will put all the money in the hands of 14 year old girls. They will think you are charismatic, deep and edgy.
It's funny because it's true..... The industry sucks
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You know what I think what cruel is? Leaving your loved ones to die in some sterile hospital room surrounded by strangers. Fuck that! Put 'em in the movies! Whaaat? Do you want your grandmother dying like a little bird in some hospital room? Her translucent skin so thin you can see her last heartbeat work its way down her blue veins?
Or do you want her to meet Chuck Norris?
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| The Calistanian |
Posted - 06/10/2004 : 12:48:53
They will pay for doing this to Third Eye Blind! Pay I tell you!!!
1. I am a fsh with no i's.
2. You must be wearing Zubaz, 'cause you're daring to be different.
3. I am a man with 3 fingers...but that doesn't count my index finger nor my thumb. |
| Adam |
Posted - 06/10/2004 : 12:20:52
I cannot beleive the Donna's and Jason Mraz made the Warner cut. Who buys this crap. Well, I guess plenty of people do if they didn't get axed. |
| iluvblackfrancis |
Posted - 06/10/2004 : 08:39:22
quote:
Originally posted by frank_black_francis
To clarify: I realize that I called the Bronfmans GREEDY BASTARDS....however, it has nothing to do with them being jewish....more to do with the fact that people do not get that rich by not being Greedy Bastards: Trump and Gates, for example, are greedy bastards. They get that way by doing not-so-honest things every now and then that, to them, are not "wrong" but "clever".
"Pissing a few moments ago I looked down at my penis affectionatly. Knowing it has been inside twice today makes me feel beautiful."
Richard Brautigan |
| frank_black_francis |
Posted - 06/04/2004 : 13:48:49
To clarify: I realize that I called the Bronfmans GREEDY BASTARDS....however, it has nothing to do with them being jewish....more to do with the fact that people do not get that rich by not being Greedy Bastards: Trump and Gates, for example, are greedy bastards. They get that way by doing not-so-honest things every now and then that, to them, are not "wrong" but "clever". |
| apl4eris |
Posted - 06/04/2004 : 13:19:44
quote:
Originally posted by frank_black_francis
....good news for companies like Spinart....good for them! FUCK WARNER!
....interesting story about the Bronfman tycoon family: They are buying buildings on a block in the middle of Montreal's most famous commercial strip (St-Catherine Street) and letting them go to waste/ boarding them up....there are two restaurants left. It is quite obvious that they are enabling "urban blight" until the two restaurants close, then they will buy them when they fold and tear down the entire block to build some nightmarish post-modern commercial multiplex.....FUCK THE BRONFMANS! GREEDY BASTARDS!
fbf, that's very interesting. There is more info on that family/dynasty here:
http://schwinger.harvard.edu/~terning/bios/Bronfman.html
# business dynasty
# have a controlling interest in the Seagram Co. which owns 80% of MCA
# MCA owns RCA and Universal Studios
# company grosses over $6 billion anually
# operations in more than 40 countries
# the family also has controlling interest in Hees International Bancorp, Noranda, John Labatt (the brewer), and Royal Trustcorp
This one was totally outside my radar. Trying to find out what part of Universal they own...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22433-2004May12.html
OK, NBC (owned by GE, which has interests in defense and other contracts in Iraq, btw) bought 80% of Vivendi Universal Entertainment, which owns "Rolling Stone", among other larger pieces of the media pie.
If the only tool you have is an elbow macaroni,
all your problems look like Schroedinger's cat. |
| Homers_pet_monkey |
Posted - 06/04/2004 : 13:11:12
I can't believe they are dropping them in favour of some of that other crap!!!
Hansel and Gretel have formed a band, .....And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Breadcrumbs!!! |
| frank_black_francis |
Posted - 06/04/2004 : 12:21:28
....good news for companies like Spinart....good for them! FUCK WARNER!
....interesting story about the Bronfman tycoon family: They are buying buildings on a block in the middle of Montreal's most famous commercial strip (St-Catherine Street) and letting them go to waste/ boarding them up....there are two restaurants left. It is quite obvious that they are enabling "urban blight" until the two restaurants close, then they will buy them when they fold and tear down the entire block to build some nightmarish post-modern commercial multiplex.....FUCK THE BRONFMANS! GREEDY BASTARDS! |
| Jason |
Posted - 06/04/2004 : 11:33:25
This isn't much of a surprise. And the Breeders won't have much trouble putting out more records. (They are still on 4AD, right?) And with all the money she'll be making this year, Kim Deal could probably afford to form her own label if she wants to.
Also, Warner Bros. doesn't have anything to do with this. This is Warner Music Group, which isn't owned by Time-Warner anymore. It was bought last year by Edgar Bronfman Jr. In fact, technically Warner Music Group is an independent label now. |
| peter radiator |
Posted - 06/04/2004 : 11:30:53
The Breeders are going to be laughing al the way to the bank. It's the best thing that could have ever happened to them.
Now Kim and Company can license their next records to a little label like Spinart that'll treat them like minor royalty, and they can take complete charge of their own destiny like Frank has. They'll make 5 times more money on each record sold.
The only hassle will be negotiating the rights to buy back their old Elektra masters, since their Last Splash royalties have no doubt been cross-collateralized to help pay for their "dud" records.
If they can ever free up those old records they'll be in great shape.
~ Peter Radiator
"Real music is out there and real people are making it." ~ Webb Wilder |
| floop |
Posted - 06/04/2004 : 11:17:41
Third Eye Blind is being dropped?!!
sadness fill me.
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| Cheeseman1000 |
Posted - 06/04/2004 : 11:16:08
Dropping the Breeders in favour of the Darkness and Jet?
You're having a laugh.
 "Join The Cult Of Scientific Phenomenalism/And Receive A Free Vortex Cannon!" |
| Cult_Of_Frank |
Posted - 06/04/2004 : 11:06:59
This would be great news if it meant less crap, but I have a feeling (especially with Breeders being at the top of the hitlist) that it just means only crap.. i.e. the stuff that sells 6 million units. I wonder what bands that sort of straddle the indie/mainstream line do?
 "When 5000 posts you reach / Look as good you will not, hmmm?" |
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