AT Date: Thu, 3 Aug 2006 08:20:09 Michael wrote:

>  I find it hard to beleive that an Artist of EC's caliber
>cannot find a label willing to sign him to a long term
>deal. Maybe I am being myopic here, but it just seems odd
>that he can't find a home for his music ala The Beatles,
>Stones and Dylan.

You have to remember that The Beatles and Dylan are tied to their birth 
labels for the most part -- grandfathering with the companies that made them 
rich in the first place. And someone correct me if I'm wrong but I believe 
The Stones lost a good chunk of their catalogue to ABKCO (Allen Klein) not 
to mention the early Decca material which is not theirs either so their '70s 
period and beyond moved as the band did (they're with Virgin now).

Costello, like Bowie and Zappa before him, was smart enough to acquire his 
catalogue and go shopping with it. As McCartney did with his solo stuff -- 
switching first to CBS in 1978 and then realizing what an absolute mistake 
it was and returning to the EMI Group. It appears that Costello wanted a 
label that was gonna give him personal attention and not get lost in the 
monolithic abyss that is the major label system. The fact that he's now 
moved into that chasm known as Universal  indicates that he's either tired 
of doing the negotiation dance or he's declared his catalogue as nothing 
more than a financial asset that needs one last massive payday to set him up 
for his retirement with Mrs. Costello. I know....that's rather 
cynical....but the re-issue scam he's proliferating indicates that this is 
about renewing copyrights, cashing paychecks and absolving himself from any 
future care to what happens to his catalogue from here on in. Alas, the fans 
become collateral damage in what can only be perceived as strictly a 
business transaction.


Jaimie Vernon,
President, Bullseye Records
"Not Infecting Our Customers' Computers Since 1985!!"
http://www.bullseyecanada.com
http://www.bullseyerecords.com
Author, Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia
http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/

http://www.myspace.com/jaimievernonsmovingtargetz