Those were the days
Back For Good, eh? Robbie Williams rejoins Take That; their record is released by Polydor (part of the Universal Music massive); Robbie used to be at EMI…so, oh Love Ain’t Here Anymore. Which is kind of nice and easy thinking, especially since Lucian Grainge, Universal’s Don, has made a killing stealing acts of the faltering British giant (think The Stones and now Queen).
Except it’s not quite all over, which is a pity for those liking simplistic excitements. Now as any fool knows, Robbie is pretty much out of contract at EMI, but that doesn’t mean he’s moved labels either. He’s just rejoined Take That in a one record deal, and Take That (or rather the other four) happen to be signed to the big U. But the trade is not totally one way: Virgin Records (prop: EMI) is putting out a new single co-written with Gary Barlow in October, Shame, as a warm up to a greatest hits double album (well everybody has to cash in at some point).
It’d be interesting to see which sells better in the run up to Christmas (my money is on the new Take That album) but Robbie’s Greatest Hits will benefit from the halo effect too, so you have to think that both music giants have a share each from Take That’s attempt to rule the world. And if you are Robbie Industries plc, what better build up to the efforts being made to sell a new multi-album partnership deal with (insert record company here) in the future. Robbie badly needs to show he has not gone cold just as he goes back out to the market place.
And frankly, whether Universal or EMI, both need each come Christmas, because that’s when Simon Cowell and the Sony empire that follows on from behind him just take over the charts. (And don’t forget Take That’s early years were all with Sony too) So, for once this deal is about two music companies hanging together to take on the big X Factor guy.
