So the LA Times and various other outlets are reporting that Apple may offer up to $6b to purchase Universal Music from Vivendi. Regardless of what you think of the business opportunity, this is exactly what those of us who hunger for cut out music are hoping for.
Give Steve Jobs credit. The hidden value of these music giants is the back catalog that sits in tape storage vaults --- too expensive to mass produce, warehouse, and stock in stores. But at $1 a song for a download, who wouldn't pay to purchase music by (fill in the blank) that's been out of print for eons.
This would NOT mean Alpert tunes would be available automatically because, like Chicago, Wendy Carlos and others, the rights have reverted back to the artist.
Herb still might not go for release of all the back catalog online even if he could be convinced it's secure. He has both a hang up about that period of his life and the music he made ("no interest in it")...plus, word on this board was that he was working on a box set.
But you could count on downloads for a myriad of A&M (and other labels) releases using the Apple system. Search, click, pay, download.
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On another note, Sam Antupit died last weekend, according to the NY Times. Sam, a Pete Turner protoge, designed the CTI/A&M album layout.
Give Steve Jobs credit. The hidden value of these music giants is the back catalog that sits in tape storage vaults --- too expensive to mass produce, warehouse, and stock in stores. But at $1 a song for a download, who wouldn't pay to purchase music by (fill in the blank) that's been out of print for eons.
This would NOT mean Alpert tunes would be available automatically because, like Chicago, Wendy Carlos and others, the rights have reverted back to the artist.
Herb still might not go for release of all the back catalog online even if he could be convinced it's secure. He has both a hang up about that period of his life and the music he made ("no interest in it")...plus, word on this board was that he was working on a box set.
But you could count on downloads for a myriad of A&M (and other labels) releases using the Apple system. Search, click, pay, download.
---
On another note, Sam Antupit died last weekend, according to the NY Times. Sam, a Pete Turner protoge, designed the CTI/A&M album layout.