Matt Uncovered - The Rarer Monro

[Rmoore]

Another delay!!

This time due to one of the companies licencing material being awkward over ONE track. Just when we thought everything was sorted we today had notification that Universal records have still not confirmed the licence of 'Bound For Texas' and appear unlikely to do so in the near future.

Unfortuately this means that we have had to remove it from the CD's which of course has had a knock on effect with the release date.

This is extremely irritating as we have been wanting to re-issue this track for several years and thought we had finally found the perfect project. It's certainly not a track you could include on a general release as it's not in Matt's usual style.

Sorry for any disapointment, but the rest of the project is going ahead with no further changes.

I will confirm the release date within the next day or so.

Richard

[ROBERT M.]

It's a shame Richard, but the rest of the songs will make up for it

[Lena & Harry Smith]

Never mind Richard. I'm sure the wait will be worth it.

[mike]

Too late for a sub to be brought on?

[Rmoore]

I'm afraid so - More legal clearences would be involved and that would take even longer!

Your still have 78 minutes worth of music per disc so still good value.

Richard

[maureen & harry]

Sorry to hear about the delay Richard after all your hard work. However we still have 78 minutes to look forward to as you said.

[ROBERT M.]

However we still have 78 minutes to look forward to as you said.

78 minutes each disc Maureen and Harry

[cyp21]

Just wondering why they wont give clearance?? Is it about money?

Also when did Matt record the song and why with Universal? (Could threaten Universal with board members wont buy any Universal artists in future )

[karl]

Hey Cyp if that's the case you won't be buying Matt either as Universal are taking over EMI !!!!

[Rmoore]

Firstly Karl, EMI are still independant and nothing is finalised until it goes through the European competion commission and this is currently on going. The EMI Publishing sale to a consortium led by SONY however has gone through.

The problem is not Universal being awkward. Quite simply they can't prove ownership of the recording to themselves. Dispite it being issued on CD by Universal Japan briefly about 10 years ago!
If they can't prove legally that they own it, they won't licence it. The recording is Public Domian in the UK, but had we included it, overseas sales to countries where it ISN'T PD would be banned.

I assume that Universal will eventually work out that they do own it, but not in time for this release. I anycase it has now gone to print/press without it.

Matt recorded the track for a film sound track (Chaplin Revue) in 1959 when he was between recording contracts. It was released on US DECCA and Bruswick in the UK (Both labels now owned by Universal)

Richard

[karl]

Richard Universal seem to be in a pickle over several things they released before - Dusty's albums It Begins Again & Living Without Your Love which were released some years ago on cd infact they released Dusty's entire back catalogue on cd in one fell swoop.

However since then none of the tracks on the above two albums have been included on compilations (i.e. Dusty's recent box set) as they say they do not own the recordings and do not seem to know who does.

They sure owned them when they released them on cd!!!!

They really do get themselves into situations, don't they?

[Rmoore]

Problem is if paperwork disappears it's difficult.

I'm working with another artist who has rare recordings that, due to the company that made them and licenced them to tow major record companies being defunct, are a bit in limbo. In theory the recordings now belong to the artist, but getting the record companies that released the recordings to release the tapes to us is virtually impossible - So they will just sit on a shelf and never be used again!

Richard

[karl]

That is terrible Richard to think those recordings will never be heard again, is that why they sometimes dub from vinyl or is that another story?

[Rmoore]

Vinyl dubs are often used on PD releases, but also often by lazy record companies that can't be bothered to look for master tapes!

But sometime the rights issues do come into play!

[karl]

I see Hallmark cd's come in for a lot of criticism from buyers on Amazon for dubbing from vinyl. I have bought several cd's and in the past vinyl albums from Hallmark over the years and never been disappointed, they released several Johnny Mathis albums and some by Steve Lawrence years ago which I have.

When you say PD do you mean Public Domain?