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A silly question: why doesn't the union musicians in Los Angeles change their politics so that re-use fees don't have to be paid for additional use of the music? Wouldn't that keep recordings from leaving the LA area?
That might answer your question:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118064177/
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Posted: |
Jan 11, 2013 - 12:06 AM
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By: |
SchiffyM
(Member)
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As for the Cutting Edge thing, I've thought more about it, because it beats thinking about work or taxes or my own mortality. And here are my newest thoughts:
Chris Kuchler, the president and, I believe, owner of Varèse Sarabande Records up until this sale, began in the music business in 1972. If he were 25 at the time (I have no idea), he is now 65. This was not a hostile takeover; Kuchler sold the company, and were I him, I would too. I believe it has been for sale for some time now. Robert Townson has, up to now, answered to Kuchler, and presumably had considerable creative freedom. Is he free to leave now, if he so chooses? I doubt any of us has any definite knowledge of this.
If Cutting Edge has no hold on Townson, and Townson is in a financial position to leave (again, what do I know?), then what have they bought that they could not have had they started their own company from scratch? A label with a distribution deal and some credibility in our niche market, plus a back catalogue of soundtracks owned in perpetuity. We know that the latter cannot be exploited except as soundtracks -- that is, they can't sell the music to be used in commercials, etc. So if they've bought this label without locking in Townson (who, love him or hate him, is a very connected guy in this industry), what do they do with what they've bought?
It is a point of frustration here that they seem to be sitting on a lot of their older titles. It seems likely to me that a company of limited resources like Varèse simply couldn't get to every project they might like to. Releases of new scores must be released roughly in sync with the films' releases, and this pushes back vintage releases and reissues. They hold onto these things not to be mean, but because they are exploitable properties that they may exploit in the future, if other projects don't push them aside in perpetuity. So it seems possible that the infusion of funds from the sale may mean they can get to some of these projects. But is an expanded limited release of the score for "Matinee" really something that a company like Cutting Edge will have any patience for? And if not, would they be willing to sell off or license the rights to these? And if they are, will they find the limited return they can get on them from other labels (who also have a bottom line) worth their time?
These are questions. I have no answers.
If Townson chooses not to stay, who will replace him? Will Townson go elsewhere? And with all the releases coming from Intrada, La La Land, Kritzerland, BSX, Quartet, et al, will any title we would likely get from Varèse not just come from one of these other fine labels instead?
Someone here has said that Cutting Edge is not the sort of company likely to release Frank Skinner scores. But they are hardly the only company to not release Frank Skinner scores, so I don't know really what's changed there.
I have no idea how much Cutting Edge paid for Varèse, but nonetheless I can't help thinking that they overpaid. Groundless speculation? Absolutely!
Whatever happens, Varèse Sarabande has had a pretty amazing 35 year run. If they are unrecognizable in a year, I will still have enough CDs with their ink-blot logo on it to keep me busy for the rest of my life. (Oh hell, there I go thinking about my own mortality again.)
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Posted: |
Jan 11, 2013 - 9:01 AM
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By: |
SchiffyM
(Member)
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Well, unless I've missed something, you won't find a release from them by anyone who is dead.
None of Varèse's thirty or so regular non-mail order releases last year were by dead composers. That was the exclusive domain of the Club releases, which have no equivalent here.
Look, I'm inclined to believe that this is the end for Varèse. I seriously suspect that the label that we knew is on its way out (not immediately, probably, but fairly soon).
I do not, however, agree that the name Varèse Sarabande (known to us only) is itself especially valuable. Does it have high visibility in film music circles? Sure, and so what? That name alone will not entice brand name composers to work with them -- that requires relationships, and relationships require people and time.
Even here, in its current format that we are already mourning, as many of us seem to mistrust and disdain Varèse as adore it. So if Cutting Edge has bought this company hoping that the name alone will give them high visibility in an endeavor that will make the label otherwise unrecognizable, I think they've made a foolish purchase. Of course, foolish purchases happen all the time.
I'm also a little reluctant to dismiss this Moross guy as "former real estate agent and mail order gift catalogue wheeler-dealer." That may be how he's made a living. That doesn't mean his ambitions end there. Again, maybe he's a despicable shark, but I really have no idea. And neither, I suspect, do you.
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What if they go into the nut business?
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