NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER

[Marian]

Sorry you still can't get it yet Sandra.

I enjoyed November's updates and reading about Michele's cruise. it sounds to have been very successful and enjoyable. Hope the present one is just as good for her.
Disappointing news that Capitol has been sold to Universal, and this might mean that future Matt Monro records may not happen.

[Eman]

UGH..Capitol was bought by Universal. Now all they'll concentrate on is just getting out stuff like The Beatles, Beach Boys and forget about people like Matt. and The Lettermen who were one of Capitol's hit making acts!! That's awful. Universal seems to be buying up everything. Same thing happened with BMG when they bought out Arista/Bell, they forgot about who made the company artists like David Cassidy, Melissa Manchester, Edison Lighthouse and Barry Manillow to some extent and promoted all this other stuff.

[Lena & Harry Smith]

I assume you tried the shift key while refreshing the browser Sandra.
I tried it Two or three times and then Hey Presto !!!

As Michele said too. This may lead to problems with the forum

[ROBERT M.]

As Michele said too. This may lead to problems with the forum

I read the November news last night and wondered why no one had posted any replies ....................I refreshed the page and it worked straight away

[Sandra]

Thanks everyone- have finally 'got it'

Really well done Michele on your 'new found career' it is great to read all your detailed news

What devastating news about Capitol though

[Rmoore]

This situation also affect Shirley Bassey as her EMI catalogue is split from 1966 with United Artists which was bought by Capitol many years ago. So now everything post 1966 of hers is split between the two companies.

There may well be others too! but Matt & Shirley are the big ones.

It would be worthwhile for whoever bids for EMI UK to ask for the Capitol recordings of both artists to be included in the sale, but I doubt that would happen as whoever buys them probably won't even know who Matt Monro & Shirley Bassey are!

Richard

[Rob H]

Richard,This has been the case in the film soundtrack world as well when music executives know nothing about the subject. It's only after the composers death that unreleased music from their films get a full soundtrack release, ie: MGM taking over United Artists brought the fans of James Bond music the chance to listen to remastered soundtracks from the whole catalogue. I know for a fact that lost 24 track master tapes for numerous films by John Barry have been common knowledge. However, Barry fell out of favour with several big Hollywood stars at the end of his career who took to the directors chair eg:Robert Redford (The Horse Whisperer). Redford hated John's score, so Barry used his rejected score for another project. Some wonderful music is out there but will the fans ever get to listen and cherish it?

[Marian]

I have only just read the 'in the spotlight' for Dorothy Squires. What a roller coaster of a life she had, and sad that she died as a semi-recluse after all she had been through.
(I was surprised to find she was admitted to Llwynypia Hospital where I started my nursing career.)

[karl]

Marian where did you read about Dorothy Squires? I met her after her concert at the King's theatre and she signed my record, I also spoke to her on the phone a few times and she was very friendly.

[Rmoore]

Go to the main site Karl!

http://www.mattmonro.com/index2.html

follow the links to spotlight.

Richard

[Lena & Harry Smith]

Marian, you will have read that Dorothy Squires was once the highest paid entertainer in Britain, a real star.
It was known that after her relationship cooled off with musician and songwriter Billy Reid she married Roger Moore who was a nobody at that time, just modelling sweaters, and because of her popularity and fame, this boosted his career, particularly when she took him to America to meet all her friends and influential people. About Four years ago, some friends of ours received some
interesting stories, some amusing ones too from Billy Reid's son about his dad's reaction to all this. He was a character, but so was Dorothy Squires and it was a sad ending for a great singer and performer like her.

[Marian]

Hope you've found it now Karl.

Yes Lena, I remember when her marriage to Roger Moore broke up, when he was having an affair with someone he later married, and also when Dorothy paid herself to hire the London Palladium for her show, so pleased it was successful for her. Shame it didn't last, and she was eventually declared bankcrupt, and how her fans supported her then with places to live.

[karl]

Yes I did read it Marian.

Someone told me years ago when Dorothy was seriously ill in hospital Roger Moore sent flowers and when she heard that she said "Magic". I also heard he paid her medical expenses.

Dorothy was a fantastic performer but her own worst enemy!

[Marian]

Thanks for your message this morning Richard about EMI updating the forum site. It seems to have gone now.
Anyway, it was good news that EMI were still looking after the site, so thank you very much EMI.

[Rmoore]

Yes, I took it down as everything is all done!

Richard