BPI to hold second EGM in reversal of fortunes over EMI & SONY BMG February 12, 2008
Posted by Paul Birch in : BPI, EMI, Paul Birch, SONY BMG, Terra Firma , add a commentBPI to amend amendment aimed at retaining EMI, now aimed at retaining Sony BMG
Well, you couldn’t make it up. BPI who on the 12th February held an EGM to change its constitution aimed at retaining EMI as members, couldn’t convince more than 15% of its members to write in to change the fourth amendment to its Memo and Arts in as many years. Having written out to member asking for their support, BPI now find themselves in the embarrassing position of writing out to members again some time soon, this time asking them to reverse the decision.
Management gone mad?
BPI went to great pains to convince members to alter the constitution following EMI’s notice to quit BPI sister organisation IFPI. BPI’s vice chairman even wrote out asking for support, but only 1 in 6 companies responded. The rule which until the 12th Feb. required members of BPI to also be members of IFPI was altered to uncouple from IFPI, in the hope that the lifeboats wouldn’t be dragged under with the ship.
EMI are on a collision path with its peers over ditching support for IFPI, which lobbies on piracy and political issues. EMI have handed in a notice to quit the IFPI International trade group. Under the circumstances this also means that BPI will have to come to terms with the fact that EMI will also have to leave the BPI National Group.
Realising all this put EMI on a path where defacto they had to resign from BPI, BPI bosses ordered their lawyers to draft changes to the constitution in order that they could hang on to EMI when the inevitable becomes a reality at the end of February.
However, our Industry friends, reliable sources and Industry insiders tell us totally on the QT, hush hush and on the low, that the nice people at SONY BMG were more than a little irritated over the shenanigans. Who can blame them? I have a SONY TV so I am on their side.
A lot of members thought the whole shooting-match farcical. That BPI would hold an EGM to change the rules to hang on to just one member! Now, within a month they are in the embarrassing position of having to hold another EGM on March 12th to reverse the earlier decision, in order to hold on to an even more important member; SONY BMG.
One insider said; “it’s like Alien versus Predator in here”. There’s a lot of gnashing of teeth, saliva and tongue biting going on, and that’s just from the lawyers!
EMI champions pirate downloads! January 22, 2008
Posted by Paul Birch in : EMI, Napster, Terra Firma , add a commentHands challenges music industry to find new ways to sell
By Margareta Pagano, Business Editor . Independent on SundayPublished: 20 January 2008
Guy Hands, the boss of Terra Firma, the private equity group that has just taken over EMI, has accused the music industry of ignoring its customers.
Mr Hands said: “It’s got away with hiring artists and putting out boring CDs that very few people want to buy any more. It even tried to stop Napster, and stop youngsters from downloading. Why on earth would you want to stop people getting free music? What you have to do – and what we will do – is find ways for them to want to buy the music.”
Mr Hands was responding to criticism from within the industry since taking over EMI and planning 2,000 job cuts. He even agreed with Radiohead, the band that put its latest album on the Internet rather than launching a CD, asking its fans to pay what they wanted for the music.
“I completely understand why Radiohead did this,” he said. “The challenge now for us at EMI is to find new ways to finance and nurture young artists, and to please our customers, who come in all age groups and all want different things. CDs just don’t compare with records for their excitement. We want to find new products of the future.”
Hiring Artists? Of course the closest Hands got to the music Industry before - disliking the company so much - he bought it, was to “hire” a band to play at the bowling alley. Hands of course is a first rate ten-pin-bowler, he just hasn’t quite adopted the game in the same way as his peers, insisting on bowling “over-arm”. It’s fun to watch, but he destroys a lot of lanes before he makes a strike!
Of course things like “detail” and “business” are outside Guy Hands’ grasp, as, single-handed, he takes on the Industries’ united front against piracy. He embarrasses all of his senior management team, who have worked their entire lives to see EMI take their place shoulder to shoulder with the other majors and Indies in our combined effort against thoughtless governments, organised crime and a patent Office asleep on the job.
Hands has been scratching and saving all these years, putting away premium bonds and under-tipping at the restaurant next door to the Ivy, in order to save enough money to buy EMI. The next quote is so priceless even master card wouldn’t touch it; “It even tried to stop Napster, and stop youngsters from downloading“. Please penny for the Guy - our man at EMI takes the (half man half..) biscuit. Even the last idiot that ran EMI (from United biscuits) knew a bloody good chocolate digestive from an R&B band! Well, we think he did…
We all know he didn’t agree for Radiohead to make the release, he is wearing their clothes (bit tight, nice flairs, lose the spandex). In fact XL made the release not EMI; not that Hands would have noticed they weren’t on his label anymore. Muppet!
Tune in next week, when Guy Hands joins the remaining bands he has left on the label, playing Bass! OK, the Bass is easily picked up and practically anyone can play it providing they have a sense of rhythm and they can get the band a few gigs and drive the van… But Guy, its not a flaming double bass you moron, and don’t wear spandex over your suit - you flaming idiot.
