Tony Brummel Picks A Fight With iTunes

From HitsDailyDouble.com: Victory Records chief Tony Brummel is on the warpath regarding Apple and the company’s iTunes policies. Brummel tried to negotiate a deal with the service but was unhappy with the terms, particularly Apple’s refusal to approve a one-year term contract.

Brummel fired off another of his infamous e-mails, this one to Apple’s Alex Luke. Some of the juicier excerpts follow: “The inflexibility on your side is mind boggling. This is art, if you have not forgotten. Do you think Michelangelo punched in and out when he painted the Sistine Chapel? Music consumers would look at your tactics as worse than those employed by the major record companies. I am surprised that Apple operates in such an authoritarian manner when its public image is that of a company run by creative types.

This “take it or leave it” stance is anti-entrepreneurial, anti-creative and anti-American…My staff and my artists are asked every day why Victory’s content is not on iTunes. When the explanation is given, people understand why we are not in business together. In fact, it bothers them. The power of word of mouth is undeniable, especially in the age of the Internet. It may take awhile to resonate but when it does, people typically react accordingly…I passed an olive branch. Instead of embracing it, you whack me in the face with it. This is bad business and sets a very unfortunate precedent. iTunes is not providing the public the alternative that it claims to be.”

11 Comments

  1. gray

    i don’t get it, what does non-approval of a one year term contract have to do “art”, or “authoritarian” tactics at apple?

    but more importantly, when will they work this mess out so i can download the even score “live at club blitz” bootleg?

  2. what made him think that apple was not a heartless global corporation? and why would someone who has put out middle of the road status quo music for so many years (except maybe deadguy) posture hisself as a ‘creative type.’

  3. also, what alternative is itunes claiming to be? aren’t they the largest online music service? he should stop lining his pockets and get the voodoo glow skulls record up on soulseek.

  4. A few notes about this…
    • Apple owns an estimated 75%-85% of the online music market, the other 5-6 companies are competeting for between 15%-20% of the remaining market share.
    • Apple takes about 32 cents of the 99 cents, leaving the label with around 67 cents profit per song sold.
    • As a person who works with labels with music on the iTunes music store, I have no complaints, I (Jawk Records) have contracts with Apple and thought I never started selling on there I find nothing at all questionable about the contracts.
    • Tony Brummel likes money not music. His art is convincing kids they like the poorly packaged dog shit that he puts his catalog number and logo on.
    You should look at this!

  5. Lastwatch

    I dig the part where he give the vague threat about the “power of the word of mouth” in the age of the internet. Yes Tony, your credibility as the pimp for a washed-up, corporate punk rock label I’m sure will outweigh Apple’s, who happen to the cutting edge for consumer electronics and e-commerce. Good luck with that one. The world ain’t missing your garbage in ITMS at all baby.

  6. […] “The inflexibility on your side is mind boggling. This is art, if you have not forgotten. Do you think Michelangelo punched in and out when he painted the Sistine Chapel? Music consumers would look at your tactics as worse than those employed by the major record companies. I am surprised that Apple operates in such an authoritarian manner when its public image is that of a company run by creative types.” [Tony Brummel vs. ITunes] […]

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