Jaimie wrote:
> I spoke to the head of Rhino Handmade in April 2002
> and they had, at that  point, zero interest in re-issuing 
> the two Rhinoceros albums 

Hmmm...I'm not sure who you spoke to, as there are two 
people overseeing Handmade (since December 2001): 
Patrick M. and David D (not David Baker, no longer 
with Rhino/WMG), and there's an intermediary person
who also works with the independent producers who
are producing the reissues (Cheryl).

Anyhoo....Handmade likely would have had no interest in 
reissuing the Rhinoceros albums because those titles
were -- by 2002-- already being third-party licensed by 
Warner's Special Markets division to Collector's Choice 
-- the first album, the one I have on CD ('Rhinoceros')
was even out around April 2002 -- I think this link 
http://makeashorterlink.com/?Z53F259B5
will take you to the page on Collector's Choice -- if not, 
go to http://www.ccmusic.com and search: Rhinoceros.

Patrick is most likely the person you spoke to, and it's 
very likely he wouldn't have had a clue who Rhinoceros 
were unless someone told him about them and he went to 
All Music Guide and looked it up....and it's doubtful he 
wouldn't have even known that the Special Markets div.
were licensing those titles to Gordon at CC...In fact, a
LOT of the titles that we were preparing at Handmade in
2001 (before the staff were let go) were *immediately*
licensed to Collector's Choice for release in 2002 and 
2003, Crabby Appleton, for one...Harpers Bizarre titles 
were licensed to Sundazed....Beau Brummels, and on and 
on.....We *were* planning some really great limited edition
titles with outtakes, bonus tracks, etc. For instance, there
were/are 40 final masters, previously unreleased, of the
Beau Brummels in the Warner Vaults -- these did not 
come out when 'Triangle' and 'Bradley's Barn' were 
licensed to CC, and it's likely *some* of them will be
released via Warners UK or some other Warner label,
but it's unlikely *all* of the tracks will come out....

> If Collector's Choice has the rights, then they WILL 
> release the stuff.

See above -- they *licensed* the rights, but do not *own*
the rights, though I'm sure you already know that....

>God, can't ONE label just get it right and release the 
> material before the tapes and the audience is gone?

The way the major labels are going I seriously doubt it,
Jaimie....really. I could tell you some stuff about what the
U.S. majors are doing that would make your head spin....
But my guess is that you already know this too...!

BT