We’ve got news on Michael Jackson telling his label, Sony Music, to beat it. After 20 years and the biggest record sales, the King of Pop told British fans that he was leaving Epic/Sony as soon as he finishes out the remaining stipulation in his contract — a greatest hits album with three new tracks. Jackson said that the new tracks were done and now he’s packing his glove up and going elsewhere.
He called Sony head Tommy Mottola “the devil,” saying Mottola’s way of doing business had to end. (With that statement, he just became Mariah’s newest best friend).
According to Fox 411, the close of the deal has a few snags for Jackson. It reports that, although taking with him his half of the Beatles catalog, he is highly leveraged since he’s borrowed against the catalog and his Neverland Ranch. Also, Jackson will leave behind his own catalog, including his stellar albums “Off The Wall,” “Thriller,” “Bad” and “Dangerous,” (along with the ones that didn’t do so well).
Sony released a statement that said, in part, “Over the years Sony Music has gone to great lengths to create and maintain a worldwide audience for Michael Jackson’s music … We are extremely proud of all we have accomplished on Michael Jackson’s behalf.”
You might recall that Sony has had some recent clashes with other big name artists, including George Michael and Mariah Carey, who Jackson claims, “cried in his arms” about the treatment by Mottola.
Reprinted with permission: www.eurweb.com
Printed in Volume 1 Issue 11
