The Day the Music Burned

does that mean they lost only the master tape of “Voice of Harold,” or their entire IRS discography? Or nothing at all? We won’t know until it’s investigated further. So what have I learned?

you -- and quite possibly rem -- have learned that *something* has been lost. there'd probably be no way to get to the next step, the step of itemizing that loss, without going through this step, the step of acknowledging the loss, first.

We won’t know until it’s investigated further. So what have I learned?

good point, we should wait until UMG release the results of the investigation. shame on Rosen for rushing to print so soon after the disaster.

you -- and quite possibly rem -- have learned that *something* has been lost. there'd probably be no way to get to the next step, the step of itemizing that loss, without going through this step, the step of acknowledging the loss, first.

― fact checking cuz, Wednesday, June 26, 2019 12:53 AM (eighteen minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

If every artist on that list lost exactly one non-essential song ... it would still be a huge loss!

we should wait until UMG release the results of the investigation. shame on Rosen for rushing to print so soon after the disaster.

Snark noted — but you have it backward, IMO. It’s been 9 years since that list was put together; we know it’s inaccurate in at least certain respects, and UMG is now undertaking a new inventory and also getting sued by a bunch of artists, which will result in discovery etc. Why publish this particular list now (especially under that heavily misleading headline)... why not, yes, continue to report on the lawsuit(s) / investigations and what is actually confirmed about lost tapes, rather than fuel speculation.

Btw I take fcc’s point that this info may spur certain artists or estates, who were previously on the fence about pursuing any claim against UMG (due to costs etc.), into taking the plunge and doing so (by seeing the name on this old list).

(I also have no problem with the chunks of names included in the text of the article itself, in the context of “artists with losses may include and be as diverse as...” — but something about the implied authority of the solemn, alphabetical list printed in its entirely, especially under that headline, really bugs.)

the reason i posted this list is two fold. first i assumed most on ILM have been following this story and have read said article. second, NYT only gives like three complimentary articles per month and i always get block out of that site for reaching their limit. i was happy i didn't go over my limit this month and reposted the list for reference, without having to go back to that article time and time again.

sorry morrisp for upsetting you.

Snark noted — but you have it backward, IMO. It’s been 9 years since that list was put together; we know it’s inaccurate in at least certain respects

We don't know anything of the sort, unless we're making assumptions about it that are contradicted by the article that contains it

(I have no idea what the headline is, and likely didn't read it, but/as it's highly unlikely that Rosen wrote it)

The Hollywood Flames

http://www.impawards.com/2007/posters/things_we_lost_in_the_fire.jpg

L: Jane Petty R: Jody Rosen

Cheech & Chong

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4a/Up_in_Smoke_%28soundtrack%29.jpg

(Released by Warner Bros. Records, so one of the not-lost ones fyi)

But this one was on MCA...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_Survivors#/media/File:StreetSurvivorsFlames.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/bf/StreetSurvivorsFlames.jpg

Fwiw the headline is "Here Are Hundreds More Artists Whose Tapes Were Destroyed in the UMG Fire"

The list is preceded with "What can be said with certainty is that these are artists whose material UMG believed had been lost in the fire and whose recordings the company spent tens of millions of dollars trying to replace."

Seems fine imo

(the article, not the fire. fire bad, imho)

sorry morrisp for upsetting you.

You didn’t! I already saw the list in the article, lol... it was useful to have it here for discussion

We don't know anything of the sort, unless we're making assumptions about it that are contradicted by the article that contains it

Yes — Neil Young; the other caveats about the list in the article itself. Universal also claims to have found certain tapes in the intervening 9 years (maybe that’s BS)

Fwiw the headline is "Here Are Hundreds More Artists Whose Tapes Were Destroyed in the UMG Fire"

Exactly — not “Believed” Destroyed, just “Destroyed”. The lack of that (necessary) qualifier makes it indefensibly inaccurate (you don’t agree?), and the headline + list printed in its entirety feel like a clickbait exercise meant to generate “oh, no” reactions even though knowledge of actual losses remains thin.

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Ah but there's an update

In memo, UMG archivist says the company has assembled a team of "70 professionals...responsible for timely and open responses to artists about the status of musical assets under our care, as well as the extent to which certain assets were lost." https://t.co/S6Ybv5crm5

— Jody Rosen (@jodyrosen) June 26, 2019

Full story here:

https://variety.com/2019/biz/news/universal-musics-chief-archivist-explains-companys-post-fire-artist-outreach-plan-exclusive-1203253708/

How the prospect of lawsuits concentrates the mind wonderfully.

speaking of odd headlines:

"Universal Music’s Chief Archivist Explains Company’s Post-Fire Artist Outreach Plan" would be more accurately rendered as "Universal Music’s Chief Archivist Explains Company’s Post-Article-About-Fire Artist Outreach Plan"

Ever so minor details!

I was not kidding with this post, this is an actual headline, via Alternative Nation

This is an actual headline about the Universal archive fire. NOT THAT YOU COULD TELL. pic.twitter.com/LZrdDZCyPS

— Ned Raggett (@NedRaggett) June 27, 2019

The power of the press

https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2019/06/26/vivendis-sale-umg-indefinite-pause/

Every artist who has been cursing the majors' terrible inventory practices for decades must now be praying that they were so bad there still may be a chance their recordings survived.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/bobbyowsinski/2019/06/27/vivendi-feeling-the-heat-over-umg-music-vault-fire-as-shares-tumble/#1ea5bcebe6e6

finally read the articles, and thus, this thread

as i scrolled through the complete list of artists i thought to myself this is a bee ok post, guaranteed and lo(l)

I just noticed this obit. Mickey Kapp, who ran Kapp Records for many years, died on June 11. The masters for nearly the entire Kapp discography were destroyed in the June 2008 fire at the UMG vault on the Universal studios backlot. https://t.co/3fZqVRQcWF

— Jody Rosen (@jodyrosen) July 9, 2019

i dunno if you can beat "made mixtapes for astronauts" as an epitaph

UMG files motion to dismiss, arguing (among other things) that the destroyed tapes were its own property: https://variety.com/2019/music/news/universal-fire-motion-dismiss-soundgarden-hole-tupac-tom-petty-1203270567/

Also (FWIW), a long new memo from the label’s head archivist: https://variety.com/2019/biz/news/universal-music-fire-damage-update-masters-archivist-internal-memo-read-1203270621/

I suggest reading this thread from Jody Rosen in response:

In a new Variety piece, Universal Music Group offers an update on efforts to tally its losses in the fire that struck its Hollywood tape vault in 2008. UMG also pushes back—again—on @NYTmag reporting on the fire & losses incurred. https://t.co/e2MvM8A642

— Jody Rosen (@jodyrosen) July 17, 2019

As well as this separate follow-up tweet:

Hours after UMG pushes out a memo downplaying its losses in the '08 fire, its lawyers file a motion to dismiss lawsuit by artists...bc the statute of limitations has expired & after all UMG "publicly stated that hundreds of thousands of recordings were destroyed" in '09. Wild. pic.twitter.com/shsOCs3hFk

— Jody Rosen (@jodyrosen) July 18, 2019

New thread just now as well

Universal Fire update: I thought I'd devote a few tweets to highlighting some rather extraordinary discordances between the message that Universal Music Group is pushing in public statements & the assertions that the company has made & is continuing to make in legal filings.

— Jody Rosen (@jodyrosen) July 18, 2019

Separately but relatedish, this thread is making the rounds:

Warner Music Group has halted ALL archiving globally, except ultra-specific Abbey Road projects, until at least Oct 1. No indication was given if archiving would continue after that. Archivists received an email on July 1, indicating a 3-month minimum lay-off would begin July 10. pic.twitter.com/ZX6TzK2D7f

— Zachary Jaydon (@ZacharyJaydon) July 18, 2019

Internal documents provided to me, indicated archivists were to keep this information out of the press, & not to discuss past mastering projects or losses of Master Recordings, due to damaged or lost tapes, & acknowledged the company has over a million “assets” left to archive. pic.twitter.com/pSOTqBkHdp

— Zachary Jaydon (@ZacharyJaydon) July 18, 2019

“We do not need @JodyRosen calling,” indicating WMG are aware of the press that UMG is currently receiving, criticizing their lack of accountability for the 2008 fire that gutted the company of more than 150,000 Master Recordings from some of the best-selling artists in history. pic.twitter.com/kdNKz4Fd6e

— Zachary Jaydon (@ZacharyJaydon) July 18, 2019

Jody shared it but notes:

THREAD.

If true, this is quite weird. Also, I think it's fair to say, poorly timed. https://t.co/W0UxR0qU8F

— Jody Rosen (@jodyrosen) July 18, 2019

ffs, UMG is handling every aspect of this, and every subsequent step, in the dumbest way imaginable.

https://variety.com/2019/music/news/universal-music-fire-hole-many-suing-artists-masters-not-damaged-1203306883/

Hole is off the suit, other changes etc.

https://variety.com/2019/biz/news/universal-music-refutes-soundgarden-lawsuit-claims-2008-fire-dismissal-1203315143/

“We told you six years after it happened!”

More artists pull out of the lawsuit: https://variety.com/2020/biz/news/tupac-soundgarden-universal-music-fire-lawsuit-1203533645/

Everyone should stay in a lawsuit demanding their rights back due to mishandling of assets, rather than specific damages suffered

Jody Rosen of NY Times tweeted in response to Variety article: Next time UMG passes along an internal memo for publication, @Variety might require on-record answers to follow-up Qs. Here's 1: The vault destroyed in the '08 fire held 10s of 1000s of historic master recordings on the Decca & Chess labels. Any update on the fate of those tapes?