Blur Threaten Strike To Protest Universal, EMI Merger
posted in: Music News
It’s not just antitrust legislators who are up in arms about the behemoth merger between Universal Music Group and EMI. In a symbolic act of disapproval, British rock band Blur have threatened to withhold the release of any future material in protest. Part of the monster deal requires Universal to sell one third of EMI’s label holdings in order to reduce the overall market share held by just one company. Parlophone, Blur’s label, is part of the sell“off, and is currently under consideration from other giants such as Warner Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment.
Speaking to the Independent about the merger, Blur drummer Dave Rowntree said, “Artists are the only people currently being left out of the conversation, which is unfortunate. If the staff at the label are unhappy with the new arrangements they are free to leave, but the artists are not.” Blur and other Parlophone compatriots have voiced complaints about feeling like “pawns” in the corporate machinations of Universal and EMI, who they say are treating the artists as unimportant secondary assets merely to be shuffled around and reorganized. Currently, the band is using the leverage of the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC), a type of pop star union, to initiate talks with Parlophone and see if they can facilitate alternate bidders for the label. If the new label proceedings do not go to Blur’s liking, the band may go through with a full strike and permanently withhold the release of any new material. In the words of “Song 2,” it’s not easy, but nothing is.
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