Devastating loss of master recordings now coming to light after the fire at UMG in 2008 ... 

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/jun/19/universal-music-group-we-owe-artists-transparency-over-master-tapes-fire-lucian-grainge

any label connected types willing to comment.. ?

as in will this have much effect on future release plans etc etc? 

There was a report about this on the radio as well. The interviewee dismissed Universal's claim that nothing had been lost forever as he pointed out that these were the original multi-track studio tapes. So are any tracks that had never been released  now lost forever? It looks that way but  as Universal didn't seem to want to allow anyone to look at the tapes no one can know exactly what has been lost. Imagine what Ady and the guys at Ace could have found in tapes from Chess, Blue Rock, Smash, Philips, Mercury, MGM, Verve and loads of other labels. I hope Columbia, Warners, Capitol and others take better care of their tapes and get round to doing something with them apart from re-hashing more "greatest hits" comps.

Rick

The New York Times article that broke this story is a great read and raises wider, and worrying, questions about the attitude of the corporate owners of recorded music's attitude to their archives...

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/11/magazine/universal-fire-master-recordings.html

 

What is also worrying is that just three companies hold 70% of the market, no wonder the music today is shite.

They seem proud that they have copies.  They don't seem to realise the history they have been negligent with and lost forever.

Edited June 21, 20196 yr by Chalky

Quite. The article I posted also explains why digital copies are no good. This is like saying, 'Its okay The Louvre burnt down, we took pics.'🙄

3 hours ago, Rick Cooper said:

There was a report about this on the radio as well. The interviewee dismissed Universal's claim that nothing had been lost forever as he pointed out that these were the original multi-track studio tapes. So are any tracks that had never been released  now lost forever? It looks that way but  as Universal didn't seem to want to allow anyone to look at the tapes no one can know exactly what has been lost. Imagine what Ady and the guys at Ace could have found in tapes from Chess, Blue Rock, Smash, Philips, Mercury, MGM, Verve and loads of other labels. I hope Columbia, Warners, Capitol and others take better care of their tapes and get round to doing something with them apart from re-hashing more "greatest hits" comps.

Rick

Capitol is owned by Universal so maybe they lost tapes as well. Columbia owned by Sony.

7 minutes ago, Chalky said:

Capitol is owned by Universal so maybe they lost tapes as well. Columbia owned by Sony.

Didn't know Universal owned Capitol now , are they trying to get everything. The reports about the fire didn't list any Capitol artists such as Sinatra or The Beach Boys so maybe Capitol have their own archives somewhere else.

Some very interesting comments in Variety report

https://variety.com/2019/music/news/universal-music-fire-zero-impact-on-company-value-1203249173/

10 hours ago, JoeSoap said:

Quite. The article I posted also explains why digital copies are no good. This is like saying, 'Its okay The Louvre burnt down, we took pics.'🙄

I suppose this is the difference between business men and music lovers.