Iarla writes:
The Sex Pistols have just signed a new deal with Universal Music (see below), which if they got a decent advance/signing fee will mean that because of mergers etc., they will essentially have gotten 5 advances for the same album from what is now the same company. The Great Rock’n’Roll Swindle indeed. Breakdown as follows:
1976 – Sex Pistols sign a deal with EMI. They get dropped weeks later, but keep the advance. (Famously singing about it on “EMI Unlimited”)
1977 – Sex Pistols sign a deal with A&M. They get dropped weeks later, but keep the advance.
1977 – Sex Pistols sign a deal with Virgin, who eventually releases the album.
Meanwhile, over in the land of labels consolidating with each other…
1992 – Virgin Records sold to EMI, meaning that Sex Pistols are back
on EMI (re-inking a new deal, new Best Of etc.)
1998 – Polygram (who bought A&M in 1989) gets bought by Universal,
meaning all A&M catalogue ends up on Universal.
2011 – EMI bought by Universal.
2012 – Sex Pistols sign a new deal with Universal.
Which means the Sex Pistols have signed a deal with EMI (twice), A&M, Virgin and now Universal, all of whom are now/will be owned by Universal, and all essentially for the same album – “Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols.”
And the lesson?
This is why you should own the copyright to your own albums.