As of today, Citigroup officially controls EMI. I mean, we all saw this coming- but I'm in mourning nonetheless.
Before I was even conscious of record labels existing, EMI's roster was my alltime top favorite. Like every dumb, white valley kid with their parents' cassette collection, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys and Pink Floyd were my favorite bands.
Then I turned 12 and the Smashing Pumpkins changed my life. "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" made me stop everything, grab my allowance, and demand a ride to Tower Records. Sneaking the purchased CD into Larry's civic was total exhilaration, and the rush continued through both discs. I was hearing the future. I was hearing MY generation. No more hippie sounds and sad nostalgia. This was MY SOUND and MY SCENE- NOW. Something awesome was out there for me to find, and dammit- I was going to be a part of it.
The music addiction continued, and my collection of favorites expanded to include Radiohead, The Dandy Warhols, Massive Attack, Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim, Cracker ( 'Low' was my favorite song for two years.. replacing 'Pepper' by Butthole Surfers and 'No Rain' by Blind Melon - both EMI). I read Rolling Stone religiously (heh, it was the mid-90s) and started to understand the concept of 'labels.' Capitol and Astralwerks were my personal favorites (home of Dandy Warhols and Chemical Brothers!!). As the passion for electronic music grew (thanks Jason B!) working at Astralwerks was THE DREAM.
Flash forward- I lived the dream. LIVED the DREAM.
My time at EMI was the best and the worst. It was one of those things that as I lived it- I knew 'this is as good as some things will ever be.' It was probably the only time my career will ever be considered 'cool'. Probably the only time I will ever be paid to drive around with bands, play with prototypes of gaming consoles, and stalk MC Hammer. I still think fondly of my time in the tower approximately every 5 minutes (or more frequently if an EMI recording is playing). In fact, if we're in a restaurant, I'm probably not listening to you because David Guetta is playing in the background. I learned how to handle my booze at EMI. I met some of my dearest friends at EMI. I basically learned how to be an adult (with all the responsibility and disappointment that entails) at EMI. I learned how to multitask and bust my ass for little to no recognition or reward other than personal satisfaction.
I have too much love for EMI. I still love the company, the people, the place, the artists, the culture... even the annoying T&E forms and Peggy's stank-ass microwaving. I was proud to try and help my artists get the best deals they could. I was proud to work there and be a part of the team. I will always feel a terrible sense of pride and comraderie and heartbreak every time I see that freaking tower or go to Hollywood or hear my artists or smell fish at 10:30 am.
Its very anti-climactic that EMI will die as a carved up, dried-out, unwanted asset after 114 years of business. The company has existed basically as long as recorded sound has existed. They were instrumental in the creation of recording and playback technology for in-home use, and worked with the BBC sound labs to revolutionize radio and television broadcast. At the heart of 'Every Mistake Imaginable' is a once-noble company founded on the embrace of technology and innovation.... so seeing them flounder and die at the hands of the very technology they could have (should have!) championed makes me depressed.
They also should have made me a fucking manager.
The end.
No comments:
Post a Comment