Re: [Zappa-List] Ryko Sale
On Mar 25, 2006, at 1:30 AM, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Ryko has been biting it for several years now; they're next to insolvent. This deal will actually breathe life into their catalogue, which is a good thing. Ironic, yes... But FZ 'turning in his grave'? I think not... Oh, agreed that Ryko has seen better days (like before it hooked up with the Zappa Family to begin with). And the influx of cash and the potential increase of distribution will be a boon. But I do believe that if it was Universal or BMG there'd be less grave spinning than from Warners. Of course, Frank may have learned how to get past grudges in the afterlife. Who knows? I AM concerned about the Ryko catalog in general. With all the promises of independence and autonomy, I still remember lessons of labels past that were bought up, given promises of autonomy, and then put essentially out of print. JMT and Gramavision are two that come immediately to mind. (And wasn't Gramavision bought out by Ryko way back when?) Not Dead Yet, Bill Amutis [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Ol' Baggy Eyes) All metaphysics, like all politics, is local. If it can't be experienced and applied in this room right now, it's a load. -Dean Sluyter
Re: [Zappa-List] Ryko Sale
Hey Mr. Edison! Good to read you around and about... If I recall correctly, the ZFT's reliance on Ryko ended last year or before. The catalogue was always theirs - they paid 6 mill for it; but they had a clause on the release of new material (a "non-competition" thing) that expired last year, which kind of "frees up" Gail to release stuff - like the "joe's" series. If anything, the ZFT is happy with this deal, as it gives their catalogue distribution a shot in the arm. It will not affect the "product" that they're releasing at this time, or anything else they might choose to release. And I doubt that we'll be hearing any FZ on a Chevy commercial (like they'd want to?) thanks to the publishing rights still retained by Gail. Not that she couldn't be bought, but there's still an element of control. Ryko has been biting it for several years now; they're next to insolvent. This deal will actually breathe life into their catalogue, which is a good thing. Ironic, yes... But FZ 'turning in his grave'? I think not... SOFA PS Hey! When is this year's Zappathon? Inquiring minds want to know... - Original Message - From: Bill Amutis To: Zappa-List@yahoogroups.com Sent: Friday, March 24, 2006 11:33 PM Subject: Re: [Zappa-List] Ryko Sale Hmm, that last link didn't go through the way it should have. Here's the text from another source (which has more details than the first, anyway). LOS ANGELES - Warner Music Group said Friday it reached a $67.5 million deal to acquire independent recording company Ryko Corp., which distributes music by artists such as The Posies, Big Star and Frank Zappa. New York-based Warner Music is paying cash for Ryko, which was owned by a group of investors led by JPMorgan Partners. The move will beef up Warner's music vault with some 1,000 recordings from Ryko's catalog of jazz, folk, rock, blues and other genres. The value of catalog recordings has risen in recent years as record companies have found new sources of revenue from licensing music for use by wireless carriers, online music services and in television and film. Ryko's collection of recordings includes works by independent music stalwarts such as They Might Be Giants, The Dead Milkmen, The Flaming Lips and The Replacements. The recordings will be marketed under Warner's Rhino Entertainment label. Ryko's flagship label, Rykodisc, will continue to run independently under the Warner umbrella, the company said. Ryko Distribution, which handles releases for Rykodisc and several small independent music labels, will continue to operate separately of Warner's own independent label distribution operation, Alternative Distribution Alliance. Warner sees Ryko and Alternative Distribution Alliance as complimentary operations, because Ryko has been successful at distributing output from labels selling far fewer units than the independent labels handled by Alternative Distribution Alliance. Warner is not planning any layoffs as a result of the acquisition, which is expected to close in early June. Ryko CEO Sam Holdsworth, who was brought in by JPMorgan, will be stepping down, but Jim Cuomo, president of Ryko Distribution, and William Hein, president of the Rykodisc label, will stay on. Warner said it does not expect the Ryko acquisition to be material to its 2006 earnings. Shares of Warner Music fell 30 cents, or 1.38 percent, to close at $21.50 on the New York Stock Exchange. On Mar 24, 2006, at 11:29 PM, Bill Amutis wrote: Just saw this. And considering what Frank went through to get his master recordings back and find a secure distributor that he could trust, he must be spinning in his grave. (And the Zappa Family Trust can't be too happy, either.) http://www.shortnews.com/start.cfm? id=53516&rubrik1=Economy&rubrik2=Company%20News&rubrik3=Mergers%20%2F% 20Takeovers&sort=1&start=1 Not Dead Yet, Bill Amutis [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Ol' Baggy Eyes) All metaphysics, like all politics, is local. If it can't be experienced and applied in this room right now, it's a load. -Dean Sluyter For further Z-related fun, please visit http://www.thebignote.com or http://www.killuglyradio.com , thank you. Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zappa-List/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ = For further Z-related fu
Re: [Zappa-List] Ryko Sale
Hmm, that last link didn't go through the way it should have. Here's the text from another source (which has more details than the first, anyway).LOS ANGELES - Warner Music Group said Friday it reached a $67.5 million deal to acquire independent recording company Ryko Corp., which distributes music by artists such as The Posies, Big Star and Frank Zappa.New York-based Warner Music is paying cash for Ryko, which was owned by a group of investors led by JPMorgan Partners.The move will beef up Warner's music vault with some 1,000 recordings from Ryko's catalog of jazz, folk, rock, blues and other genres.The value of catalog recordings has risen in recent years as record companies have found new sources of revenue from licensing music for use by wireless carriers, online music services and in television and film.Ryko's collection of recordings includes works by independent music stalwarts such as They Might Be Giants, The Dead Milkmen, The Flaming Lips and The Replacements.The recordings will be marketed under Warner's Rhino Entertainment label.Ryko's flagship label, Rykodisc, will continue to run independently under the Warner umbrella, the company said.Ryko Distribution, which handles releases for Rykodisc and several small independent music labels, will continue to operate separately of Warner's own independent label distribution operation, Alternative Distribution Alliance.Warner sees Ryko and Alternative Distribution Alliance as complimentary operations, because Ryko has been successful at distributing output from labels selling far fewer units than the independent labels handled by Alternative Distribution Alliance.Warner is not planning any layoffs as a result of the acquisition, which is expected to close in early June.Ryko CEO Sam Holdsworth, who was brought in by JPMorgan, will be stepping down, but Jim Cuomo, president of Ryko Distribution, and William Hein, president of the Rykodisc label, will stay on.Warner said it does not expect the Ryko acquisition to be material to its 2006 earnings.Shares of Warner Music fell 30 cents, or 1.38 percent, to close at $21.50 on the New York Stock Exchange.On Mar 24, 2006, at 11:29 PM, Bill Amutis wrote: Just saw this. And considering what Frank went through to get his master recordings back and find a secure distributor that he could trust, he must be spinning in his grave. (And the Zappa Family Trust can't be too happy, either.)http://www.shortnews.com/start.cfm? id=53516&rubrik1=Economy&rubrik2=Company%20News&rubrik3=Mergers%20%2F% 20Takeovers&sort=1&start=1Not Dead Yet,Bill Amutis[EMAIL PROTECTED](Ol' Baggy Eyes)All metaphysics, like all politics, is local. If it can't be experienced and applied in this room right now, it's a load. -Dean SluyterFor further Z-related fun, please visit http://www.thebignote.com or http://www.killuglyradio.com , thank you. Yahoo! Groups Links<*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zappa-List/<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ = For further Z-related fun, please visit http://www.thebignote.com or http://www.killuglyradio.com , thank you. YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS Visit your group "Zappa-List" on the web. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
