Did METALLICA Use Strong-Arm Tactics To Land At WARNER BROS.?

May 19, 2004

Hits Daily Double reports: "Amid ongoing Atlantic-Elektra roster cuts, money-minting rockers METALLICA choose to leave, causing a stir by opting out of the new WMG East Coast order and heading for Tom Whalley's Warner Bros. How did they pull it off? Buzzers buzzing that the band’s tactics involved telling Edgar Bronfman Jr. and Lyor Cohen that they would not deliver another album unless the execs allowed the move — a new METALLICA record clearly being more important to WMG than to the band, given the proportion of METALLICA revenue generated by touring and merch. Insiders saying managers Cliff Burnstein and Peter Mensch have a history with Atlantic going back to unsuccessful STONE TEMPLE PILOTS and FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE projects. The Q-Prime pair also reportedly have some water under the bridge with Cohen from dealings on behalf of DEF LEPPARD and SHANIA TWAIN during his IDJ days. Q-Prime's RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, on the other hand, have fared very well at WB. Wonderers wondering whether Lars & Co. had to concede anything to get the deal done, such as adding another album to their deal. inquiring minds also want to know who will control the band’s catalog. METALLICA originally signed to Johnny Z's Megaforce, which released the band’s debut, 'Kill 'Em All', in 1983 as well as the follow-up, 'Ride the Lightning'. Michael Alago subsequently signed the band to the Bob Krasnow-led Elektra."

Find more on
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • reddit
  • email

Comments Disclaimer And Information

BLABBERMOUTH.NET uses the Facebook Comments plugin to let people comment on content on the site using their Facebook account. The comments reside on Facebook servers and are not stored on BLABBERMOUTH.NET. To comment on a BLABBERMOUTH.NET story or review, you must be logged in to an active personal account on Facebook. Once you're logged in, you will be able to comment. User comments or postings do not reflect the viewpoint of BLABBERMOUTH.NET and BLABBERMOUTH.NET does not endorse, or guarantee the accuracy of, any user comment. To report spam or any abusive, obscene, defamatory, racist, homophobic or threatening comments, or anything that may violate any applicable laws, use the "Report to Facebook" and "Mark as spam" links that appear next to the comments themselves. To do so, click the downward arrow on the top-right corner of the Facebook comment (the arrow is invisible until you roll over it) and select the appropriate action. You can also send an e-mail to blabbermouthinbox(@)gmail.com with pertinent details. BLABBERMOUTH.NET reserves the right to "hide" comments that may be considered offensive, illegal or inappropriate and to "ban" users that violate the site's Terms Of Service. Hidden comments will still appear to the user and to the user's Facebook friends. If a new comment is published from a "banned" user or contains a blacklisted word, this comment will automatically have limited visibility (the "banned" user's comments will only be visible to the user and the user's Facebook friends).