Warner Brothers Shake up

CADreaming · #1 09-14-2010, 07:09 PM

Uh-oh...

Shake-Up At Warner Brothers, Whalley Out

Warner Brothers Records has shuffled its executive team. Rob Cavallo has been named chairman, Todd Moscowitz will serve as co-president and CEO and Tom Whalley, who has served as chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Records since 2001, is exiting.

Tom Whalley

"Tom Whalley is one of this industry’s most accomplished executives and his contributions to WMG are enormous, having restored Warner Bros. to its leadership position. Just consider his near-decade of creative and operational success at Warner Bros., including ranking as one of the country's top three labels every year since 2003 and as the country’s top label in two of the last five years. Tom embodies a rare combination of great creative instincts with a deep understanding of the music business, and we are privileged to have had him lead Warner Bros." said Lyor Cohen, WMG’s Vice Chairman and Chairman and CEO, Recorded Music – Americas and the U.K.

Rob Cavallo

One of the top-selling producers in the world, Cavallo has produced or had creative involvement in albums that have sold more than 125 million units over the past 16 years, nearly 30 million of those units in the last five years alone.

In 1997, Cavallo was an instrumental force in reuniting the members of Fleetwood Mac at Warner Bros. for the band’s reunion album, DVD video and TV special, The Dance, which combined have sold more than six million units, and was a producer on the band’s following album Say You Will.

Diarmuid Quinn

Diarmuid Quinn, President of Reprise Records and Chief Operating Officer of Warner Bros. has decided that he will be stepping down from his position as well.

mikebise · #2 09-14-2010, 07:18 PM

"Uh oh"?

Sounds like this guy would be on Stevie's bandwagon...

CADreaming · #3 09-14-2010, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikebise

"Uh oh"?

Sounds like this guy would be on Stevie's bandwagon...

Maybe - Tom Whalley definitely was - but any kind of shake up at a label usually only means more delays and possible shelvings...

silvasprings · #4 09-14-2010, 07:24 PM

I think at this point in time, it's impossible to say whether Stevie's album will be shelved or delayed etc etc, I know some people are afraid that it's going to end up like TISL, but maybe it won't, maybe the shuffle will be smooth and everything will be fine

Besides according to Dave they're still in the studio anyway, WB probably hasn't even thought about the release yet.

louielouie2000 · #5 09-14-2010, 08:00 PM

The important thing to remember about Rob Cavallo was he was the figure who orchestrated the Dance reunion... at the cost of Lindsey's solo album. He pushed Lindsey heavily into ditching his solo work for cashing in on a "9 camera reunion on a sound stage." He was a champion of Fleetwood Mac, but from what I can tell, only in a $$$ sense. He didn't want the band to put out a new album, he wanted them to do the golden oldies on a shiny new DVD. Tom Whalley was a big purponent of Say You Will from what I can tell... he was very into letting the Mac put out whatever they wanted to put out. It seems like Rob will be a bit more heavy handed and dollars and cents minded. I could be off base, tho.

RockALittle250 · #6 09-14-2010, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by louielouie2000

The important thing to remember about Rob Cavallo was he was the figure who orchestrated the Dance reunion... at the cost of Lindsey's solo album. He pushed Lindsey heavily into ditching his solo work for cashing in on a "9 camera reunion on a sound stage." He was a champion of Fleetwood Mac, but from what I can tell, only in a $$$ sense. He didn't want the band to put out a new album, he wanted them to do the golden oldies on a shiny new DVD. Tom Whalley was a big purponent of Say You Will from what I can tell... he was very into letting the Mac put out whatever they wanted to put out. It seems like Rob will be a bit more heavy handed and dollars and cents minded. I could be off base, tho.

But remember, Rob Cavallo also co-produced Say You Will as well as both of Lindsey's solo albums (UTS and GOS), so he also has a vision for new music as well. And i.m.o., it's good that it's Rob Cavallo as the new chair because at least he and Stevie already have a working relationship vs. someone totally new who really doesn't know or hasn't ever worked with her.

Peestie · #7 09-15-2010, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RockALittle250

But remember, Rob Cavallo also co-produced Say You Will as well as both of Lindsey's solo albums (UTS and GOS), so he also has a vision for new music as well. And i.m.o., it's good that it's Rob Cavallo as the new chair because at least he and Stevie already have a working relationship vs. someone totally new who really doesn't know or hasn't ever worked with her.

But the few songs he co-produced on UTS and GOS were recorded for the original GOS album that became SYW and tended to be the poppier ones. He doesn't have a credit for Murrow or Red Rover (if I'm remembering correctly).

That said, I agree that he shouldn't really be bad news for Stevie unless he decides that her album should be a Fleetwood Mac album and it goes the way of the original Gift of Screws sessions.

vivfox · #8 09-15-2010, 10:56 AM

The move came as a shock to some who hailed Whalley's commitment to Warner's acts. "He's an artist-friendly guy," one former staffer said. "A lot of the artists love him, and he loves them."

Indeed, Warner artist Stevie Nicks told THR on Tuesday: "I love Tom Whalley. He has always been there for me and has been a huge support to artists during his tenure at Warner Bros. I'll miss him."

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/...e24050ab0dce25