OFF: Virgin Atrocities (was HW: Two questions)

[Marshall Wood]

Steven Davies-Morris wrote:
> When I ordered *Epitaph* from Digital Global Mobile I got a dissertation
> (from Fripp, I presume!) about the real workings of recording industry
> contracts.  As a software developer I thought that my industry was full
> of pirates...compared to the typical record company, software outfits are
> meek little lambs.  The very worst in DGM's assessment is Virgin.  I was
> shocked at that, given the *hippiness* of its origins.  It made for some
> very interesting reading.

If you are referring to the book that came in the _Epitaph_ CD box,
I'd agree that it makes for excellent reading.

While it's been a while since I've read it (it about 50 pages long or
more), I don't recall much mention of Virgin, so perhaps you are
referring to something else?  I know that Virgin had noble beginnings,
what with Oldfield's _Tubular Bells_ and the prime years of Tangerine
Dream, but went wrong somewhere in the late 70s/early 80s.  I suspect
that founder Richard Branson lost interest in the label and took on
other hobbies (like ballooning).  Evidently Oldfield withheld his
fantastic _Tubular Bells 2_ album until his contract with Virgin
expired, instead giving them the _Amarok_ album (also great, but far
less accessible), which did not enjoy the kind of success that TB2
did, based on its name recognition.  TB2 was released on WEA.

Oldfield said of Branson:

"Richard was never much of a music buff; it was a good opportunity for
him to start what became a huge corporation and sell it for a lot of
money later on. I bear the man no ill-will; he makes me laugh and I
wish him every success with his airline - provided that I can get free
travel on it!"

Then again, at the 48:00 minute mark of _Amarok_, there is a Morse
code message that decodes to "Fuck off RB."  Shrug.

With all the attempts to fly a balloon around the world, one news
program interviewed Branson, who will be making his attempt any day
now.  I had to laugh when I saw the caption that they put under his
picture during the interview:  "Richard Branson - Balloonist."

MWood

NP: Finisterre - _Live_