EMI On The Skids????.....Maybe!

EMI was once the largest and most prestigious label in the world. It had (still has?) Abbey Road; the ultra-valuable back catalogues of the Beatles, Pink Floyd, and Queen (spit); Mute and a raft of other successful indies; and a vast library of historic classical recordings.

Now it's £1.75bn in debt and owned by an asset-stripping venture capitalist who massively overpaid for it.

Sign of the times, I guess. And rather sad...

BTW, The Skids were on Virgin, not EMI (Sorry, I'll get me coat).

All the independant labels seem to be doing very well. You cannot rely on back catalouges to keep going with ripoff prices. You need new blood, new music of which there is loads out there at the moment, at realistic prices.

I mean Robbie williams, coldplay? utter drivel.

It's sad to see any company go down but you gotta move with the times man...there is a massive underground scene out there. Alot of people i know are completely bored of commercial music.

People are in pain and in such times they look to the underground for a way forward to liberate the soul so they can feel an inner strength IMHO. The good times have gone, now, hopefully we can get back to the music and not the money. Just my view...

Steve

Against them, they did sue Talk Talk for making one of the best albums of the 80's 'Spirit of Eden', so although they may have nurtured some great bands they could also be charlatans.

Maybe my "USB Stereo Beatles apple" will become even more valuable when both facits of it's creation are defunct !

I can only quote the words of that great philosopher and poet Glen Matlock

There's unlimited supply
And there is no reason why
I tell you it was all a frame
They only did it 'cos of fame
Who?

E.M.I. E.M.I. E.M.I.

Too many people had the suss
Too many people support us
Un unlimited amount
Too many outlets in and out
Who?

E.M.I E.M.I E.M.I

And sir and friends are crucified
A day they wished that we had died
We are an addition
We are ruled by none
Never ever never

And you thought that we were faking
That we were all just money making
You do not believe we're for real
Or you would lose your cheap appeal?

Don't judge a book just by the cover
Unless you cover just another
And blind acceptance is a sign
Of stupid fools who stand in line
Like

E.M.I E.M.I E.M.I

Unlimted edition
With an unlimited supply
That was the only reason
We all had to say goodbye

Unlimited supply (E.M.I)
There is no reason why (E.M.I)
I tell you it was all a frame (E.M.I)
They only did it 'cos of fame (E.M.I)
I do not need the pressure (E.M.I)
I can't stand those useless fools (E.M.I)
Unlimited supply (E.M.I)
Hello E.M.I
Goodbye A & M

This does look very sad for EMI, which has been the main stay of recordings of the classical genre for over a century, but which does appear to be finished now.

Other companies have equally splendid musical performances in the catalogue but none has such a comprehensive archive of truly great performances over the whole period of recording.

But never mind. Times change, and the back catalogue - particularly the classical one - is so significant that it is more important than the EMI name in musical terms.

The music releasing policy may actually improve should the archive fall to a new owner, and I would welcome this given EMI's incredibly crass idea of what is significant in its vault of classical music. Opening this up to a new vision could not be worse than the current ultra-conservative issuing policy, unless it were continued as it is, getting ever more cautious.

It is certain that none of the more popular releases will be adversely affected, IMHO.

ATB from George

Dear George

I see classical music moving to a Spotify type service - a huge database of every performance of almost every work. It could make great music available on tap to anybody who cares to dial-in and perhaps pay a small fee (don't like the idea of adverts between each movement).

The important thing to me is that somebody preserves the legacy - to lose it would be a crime, but the good old beeb wiped many a vintage performance - it must not happen again.

Record labels can come and go, but the music has to last.

ATB Rotf

Given that EMI has transfered and restored virtually its whole archive, as well as having made immense efforts to keep up the preservation of the original master materials, I suspect that the recordings themselves will outlast EMI by a very long time!

ATB from George