BRUMMEL TAKES ON WMG INCUBATION

Thanks to Bob Lefsetz for sending this e-mail blast from Victory Records President Tony Brummel, who was reportedly courted by WMG N.A. boss Lyor Cohen earlier this year (at least according to the N.Y. Post). He takes exception to Cohen's announced plan to "incubate" up-and-coming groups through an in-house indie distribution system that incorporates ADA, resurrects Asylum as an Urban label, and appoints two heads for rock and R&B.

From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
To: John.Esposito@wmg.com
To: edgar.bronfman@wmg.com

Lyorski,

This letter must be joke right?

Your Incubator idea will not work. Any label that goes for this will be attacked, blacklisted and ambushed by the real independent labels that matter. We will look upon them as the Demoniac and they will be crushed.

Who in the fuck do you think you are going to Mentor? Where do you come up with this condascending (sic) bullshit? Feldman is going to be your indie guy? That guy has never even had a real company. If he is going to lead you into battle on the indie front THROW IN THE TOWEL NOW! GIVE UP! SURRENDER! SUBMIT! Trade in your IWC for a Timex! Sell your Maybach and get a Saturn. Move WMG HQ from NYC to Owensboro, Kentucky. Start drinking box wine!

If you want to deal with real entrepreneurs you had better learn their jargon. You are an employee. You have people that you have to answer to. YOU CAN BE FIRED. A real entrepreneur can do whatever the fuck they please and cannot be fired. This is why your incubator will fail, the eggs will crack and the hatchlings will wither away and die. And, if there are any good eggs they will be short lived after my butler Bentley snatches them to prepare my MORNING OMELETTE.

Regalez vous avec les oeufs!

Bisoux,
Tony