2 MusicWeek 07.09.12 NEWS EDITORIAL
Masters of their destiny
MY CALL WITH BMG CEO HARTWIG MASUCH this week took place on one those fancy conference lines where you have to punch in a special number and a hashtag; the sort which lets you pretend you’re just a clumsy digit-slip away from being patched through to stressed-out IMF reps in fraught negotiations over the global economy meltdown or, even better, testy EC types deliberating Universal/EMI. You’ve got to pass the time, like. So I’m not sure BMG can be held fully accountable for the
banal, vocal-less dance-pop atrocity that barraged my eardrums on the way through the Graham Bell matrix. But I very clearly remember thinking: “Wow. This really is a company that could do with some decent master rights.” It might not be able to boast of classic records on its
answerphone, but what BMG very obviously does have is deep pockets and a taste for eye-catching acquisitions. And in terms of its evolution since splitting with Sony in 2008, they won’t come much more eye-catching then Parlophone or Virgin. Masuch gave the impression of an exec who is at ease over
the possibility of losing out on both of those prospects - his fingers were notably burnt, after all, when EMI Music Publishing came up for sale not long ago. He even didn’t seem too fussed when I pushed the prospect of BMG not ending up with a single sausage from the great UMG/EMI fire-sale.
“At the moment, BMG only really has the Dexys deal atop its masters CV - but that could soon change”
“We’re relaxed,” he said. “Whatever happens we will continue
with Plan A, the direct signing of clients.” BMG’s current master rights tally is vastly dwarfed by its
million-plus composition copyrights. The numbers don’t lie: it might be a ‘rights management company’, but it’s still first and foremost a publisher. And for that to change, its rhetoric of scything anachronistic costs from label contracts and, fundamentally, paying artists better, will have to soak into the performer community far deeper than it is right now. Luckily, BMG is confident enough to think ahead in three and
five-year chunks. It is not in a rush - and neither is its CEO. Perhaps the greatest benefit of, say, Coldplay suddenly
becoming a BMG property would be the peer-led enquiries: is it really better than shelling out on major label infrastructure? Do you miss the megabucks advance? And the killer duo: are you selling more records, and how’s the bank balance? Should a band of that size agree to trial the masters model of
their new recorded music house (BMG doesn’t like being called a label), those 200 signings Masuch boasts of so far in 2012 could soon be topped by a clutch of big name master deals. Until then, BMG only really has the moderate sales success of
the Dexys comeback atop its masters CV - not exactly enough to pull the world’s most established artists to a shared-risk contract that Masuch and co. believe will revolutionise the music industry over the next decade. Clearly, the purchase of a heavyweight Universal/EMI asset -
and auto-climb into a relatively puny fourth ‘major’ spot - is just the start of BMG’s potential ascent into the recorded music big leagues. At least it should provide them with some decent hold music for the time being.
Tim Ingham, Editor Do you have views on this column? Feel free to comment by emailing
tim.ingham@
intentmedia.co.uk COMPANY LAUNCHES R&H THEATRICALS DIVISION IN EU
Imagem alive with the Sound Of Music
PUBLISHING BY TIM INGHAM
T
he Imagem Music Group is expanding its US-based theatrical licensing
division, R&H Theatricals, with the creation of a European branch headquartered in the London offices of Imagem UK. R&H Theatricals Europe will
represent a catalogue of Broadway evergreens (South Pacific, Oklahoma!) and contemporary productions (Footloose, White Christmas) throughout the UK and across the European market. Vivien Goodwin has been
appointed MD for the new division, which is scheduled to launch in January 2013; Goodwin will join Imagem UK in late September to prepare for the launch. She comes to R&H Theatricals Europe from Samuel French Ltd., the theatrical licensing house and publishing firm where she worked for nearly 24 years, and served for the past
13 years as managing director. Bert Fink of the R&H New
York office will also join the London team for a year beginning this autumn, in his new business development role as SVP/Europe for Rodgers & Hammerstein. “I couldn’t be more
thrilled about this exciting new chapter for R&H,” says Ted Chapin, president of Rodgers & Hammerstein. “Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II always knew the importance of the British and European market, and they both loved London, where they had a production office for many years. “Today, as part of a global
company, our new London branch will give us the opportunity to reinvigorate our catalogue throughout Britain and across the continent. This is an important move for us, which is why I am sending my
longtime R&H colleague Bert Fink to London to help launch this venture.” Josef Weinberger Ltd. is currently representing the Imagem theatrical catalogues in Europe, and will work closely with Vivien Goodwin and her new staff to ensure a smooth transition. John Minch, chief executive of Imagem UK, said: “Sean Gray
and his team at Weinberger have done a great job representing these catalogues and we are very grateful to them. Bringing the business in-house now is a logical move, especially given the work we already do with musicals from the Warner-Chappell catalogue. “Having Vivien Goodwin join
us is a real coup; it means that we will be able to build up a musical theatre rights business alongside our classical, pop and library music publishing businesses. This is fantastic news.”
Ex-Chrysalis boss joins One Direction
Mark Collen (right) has joined Sony Music as a dedicated global marketing consultant for One Direction. Reporting to Sony Music UK
chairman Nick Gatfield and working closely with Syco Music MD Sonny Takhar and Modest Management, Collen’s new role is effective immediately. The exec is a former SVP of
global marketing for Capitol Music and SVP of EMI Music UK & Ireland - and was previously MD of Chrysalis Records, where he merged the business with EMI to form EMI: Chrysalis. In his career he has driven
global strategy for key artists including Norah Jones, Kylie and Coldplay and helped guide the careers of Robbie Williams, Pink Floyd and Iron Maiden. Whilst
where he has worked with companies such as BBC Worldwide and BBC Worldwide Live Entertainment. Sony Music’s Gatfield said:
“Mark has managed global release campaigns for some of the biggest artists in the world. “His experience and his depth
at EMI: Chrysalis, he signed Starsailor and brought acts such as Doves and Beth Orton to the company. In an earlier role he served as
marketing director of the Parlophone label, overseeing major campaigns for artists such as The Beatles, Radiohead, Blur, Tina Turner, Queen, Pet Shop Boys, Beastie Boys and Crowded House. More recently he ran his own consultancy, Tideswell Media,
of understanding of the international music market makes him the ideal executive to drive and maximise the potential of the One Direction brand. I’m truly delighted to welcome him to Sony.” Collen added: "One
Direction are rapidly becoming a global phenomenon; it’s a privilege to be asked to be part of such an exciting story and to work with Sony and Modest on a worldwide basis. I’m relishing the challenge.”
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