I’m hearing a lot of bad things about folks in power at TVT Records but the way most of those complaints get aired it’s hard to know what’s really up. According to the NY Times, TVT did file for bankruptcy yesterday, Steve Gottlieb says they’ve fired around 20 people or half their staff and that suing Slip-N-Slide was probably a bad move.
The NY Times does have one positive note about Gottlieb:
"The bankruptcy comes as an unexpected turn for Mr. Gottlieb, long viewed as an advocate for independent labels in their competition for talent and market share against the four global corporations that dominate the recording industry. Mr. Gottlieb helped start a trade group in 2005 to organize the independents’ effort to obtain, for instance, more lucrative terms from digital music services that sell their music."
Currently Trent Reznor has a post on the Nine Inch Nails site that says simply:
"Not ALL news about the music industry is bad these days."
It links through to the news at AllHipHop where I’m pretty sure the story originally broke.
Trent’s post currently has 1340 comments many of which seem confused or off-topic in the way these popular comments scenes become. I tend to side with artists but knowing that Trent thinks this is good news doesn’t tell us much.
I’ve noticed folks mentioning Lil Jon’s displeasure at the label without pointing out that he stayed with them in the end. Some of the comments I’ve seen elsewhere focus on d*cklike individuals at TVT.
Hard to say what’s distinctive to TVT, what’s a reminder that the music industry is shady and what’s just another example of the fact that d*cklike individuals are randomly distributed throughout society, though they do tend to cluster around money and power. In the end, most of the people who really know will keep it to themselves, drop something anonymously that can’t be evaluated or make an unclear comment in passing.
I do know that I’ve gotten my first email update from a publicist leaving the company. I wished him well and hope to hear good things from him soon.
Beyond that, we may know someday what the full TVT story is but we probably won’t cause nobody really cares about the details when all is said and done. They just need to air their feelings or are looking for some entertainment.
Ok, check you later. I’ve got to get back to the Britney Channel. I hear they’re doing a special on K-Fed!
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
The Orchard Wins Bankruptcy Auction for TVT Records
TVT Records Bankruptcy: Steve Gottlieb Talks to Billboard
TVT Records Filing for Bankruptcy, Fired Most Employees
