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Guy Hands Attacks 'Lazy' A&R Men

His staff must love him...

February 28, 2008 by Daniel Melia
Guy Hands Attacks 'Lazy' A&R Men
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EMI boss Guy Hands has once again enamoured himself with his employees by calling the label’s A&R men “lazy”.

Hands says he wants the job of spotting new talent to be handed over to “the suits” because they work a lot harder at selling the music.

Hands was speaking at the Super Return private equity and venture capital summit in Munich when he said : "The power and the decision has sat with the A&R man, who is someone who gets up late in the day, listens to lots of music, goes to clubs, spends his time with artists and has a knack of knowing what would sell."
 
Hands added: "What we are doing is taking the power away from the A&R guys and putting it with the suits - the guys who have to work out how to sell music."

He also castigated some of EMI’s imprints for the money they spend on marketing, saying: "You might as well have put a £50 note on the CD - it probably would have done better."

(9)
  • Haha Guy Hands is sending music to hell in a handcart. If the ’suits’ start signing bands expect a million James Blunts for the Mums.

    ~ by Buy Lands 2/28/2008 Report

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  • what a cock! This guy will run EMI to the ground.

    ~ by jan 2/28/2008 Report

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  • I like the idea of £50 note on a CD.

    ~ by Andrew 2/28/2008 Report

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  • Ha Ha... more suits, right. Seems like Mr. Hands is giving The Finger to the life’s blood of his business. Future headline: ”It’s the Who-Cares... Playing in front of Nobody!”

    ~ by sk 2/28/2008 Report

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  • What a douche, everything he said about them being a liability, is actually why they are an asset. Good luck with that...

    ~ by Fuzz 2/29/2008 Report

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