Post by scallyuk on Jul 6, 2024 9:41:37 GMT
Just started following Adam Holzman on FB, besides being a great Fusion Musician in his own right he is the son of former Elektra boss Jack Holzman.
Adam iha sjust posted the following.
One day my dad received a demo tape promoting Trident Studios, a hip new studio in London. He said “The studio sounds great, but who is this band?” He was told it was a new group called Queen. He asked if they were signed. He was told that they were signing with Columbia. He asked “Have they actually signed yet?” They said “Well, the deal is done.” My dad: “Has the pen touched the paper?” “No, not yet.”
Off to London he went, to convince them to sign with Elektra. After seeing them perform he wrote Queen a long and detailed letter filled with suggestions about their stage show, etc. Also in the letter was a check for their first advance! My dad promised them that Elektra would release no other records the month their debut album came out, the same promise he had made to the Doors years before. (Elektra could do this, but Columbia couldn’t match it because they were too big.) Freddie Mercury and the gang were impressed. The president of Elektra clearly wanted them and would give them real attention. They signed with Elektra for the US and other regions, 60% of the world.
And with Elektra they hit big. Although they were signed to EMI in England and Europe, Elektra broke them first in the US (and sold many more Queen albums than EMI). All of their records up to “The Game” were released on Elektra. My dad really believed in them. Shortly after signing Queen my dad left Elektra to move up the Warners corporate ladder. Queen was the last major act he signed before leaving. Every year Queen would send my dad a long letter gushing with praise and thanks.
Listening in 2024, the first Queen album could almost be considered neo-proto-progressive metal. I especially dig the track “Great King Rat.” Although I didn’t follow them closely at the time, over the years I have come to appreciate how heavy they are. Jump cut to sometime in the ’80s. My dad is involved in other Warners projects and Bob Krasnow is now running Elektra. He’s a good exec, but for some reason he doesn’t like Queen. He sold their entire catalog to “Hollywood Records” (whatever the fuck that is) for a measly mil. Needless to say my dad was totally bummed out about this, even though he was no longer attached to Elektra. Since then their catalog has jumped around to other labels, and has ended up back on EMI. But it was Elektra that put them on the map.
Billy Idols guitarist Steve Stevens followed it with this comment.
Still my favorite Queen album. I remember the day Scott Muni played Keep yourself alive on his things from England radio show. I went out and bought the import the next day.
Adam iha sjust posted the following.
One day my dad received a demo tape promoting Trident Studios, a hip new studio in London. He said “The studio sounds great, but who is this band?” He was told it was a new group called Queen. He asked if they were signed. He was told that they were signing with Columbia. He asked “Have they actually signed yet?” They said “Well, the deal is done.” My dad: “Has the pen touched the paper?” “No, not yet.”
Off to London he went, to convince them to sign with Elektra. After seeing them perform he wrote Queen a long and detailed letter filled with suggestions about their stage show, etc. Also in the letter was a check for their first advance! My dad promised them that Elektra would release no other records the month their debut album came out, the same promise he had made to the Doors years before. (Elektra could do this, but Columbia couldn’t match it because they were too big.) Freddie Mercury and the gang were impressed. The president of Elektra clearly wanted them and would give them real attention. They signed with Elektra for the US and other regions, 60% of the world.
And with Elektra they hit big. Although they were signed to EMI in England and Europe, Elektra broke them first in the US (and sold many more Queen albums than EMI). All of their records up to “The Game” were released on Elektra. My dad really believed in them. Shortly after signing Queen my dad left Elektra to move up the Warners corporate ladder. Queen was the last major act he signed before leaving. Every year Queen would send my dad a long letter gushing with praise and thanks.
Listening in 2024, the first Queen album could almost be considered neo-proto-progressive metal. I especially dig the track “Great King Rat.” Although I didn’t follow them closely at the time, over the years I have come to appreciate how heavy they are. Jump cut to sometime in the ’80s. My dad is involved in other Warners projects and Bob Krasnow is now running Elektra. He’s a good exec, but for some reason he doesn’t like Queen. He sold their entire catalog to “Hollywood Records” (whatever the fuck that is) for a measly mil. Needless to say my dad was totally bummed out about this, even though he was no longer attached to Elektra. Since then their catalog has jumped around to other labels, and has ended up back on EMI. But it was Elektra that put them on the map.
Billy Idols guitarist Steve Stevens followed it with this comment.
Still my favorite Queen album. I remember the day Scott Muni played Keep yourself alive on his things from England radio show. I went out and bought the import the next day.
