Adam Lambert and indie record label, Hi Fi Recordings, are at it again.
The American Idol runner-up issued a new statement last night responding to Hi Fi’s announcement that it plans to release a CD by Adam titled On With the Show this summer, which he recorded before his stint on the Fox show. Hi Fi has hit back with a new statement of its own.
Here’s the latest…
“Last Friday I was surprised to find out that songs I recorded back in 2005 were being released,” Adam says in the statement. “Since then I discovered the entire track listing, revealed online today. I was shocked to learn that songwriting demos of songs that I cowrote and recorded over the past few years may be released in an album. Like a rough draft that a writer does before finishing a book, I did not intend my work on these demos to be heard by the public. I was unaware that anyone intended to release these recordings until I heard about it in the press, and I’m very disappointed by this entire situation.”
Hi Fi responded to Adam’s statement this morning, saying, “As we’ve already outlined, releasing this music was always the plan. That plan was changed by 19 Recordings after Adam won America over with his extraordinary talent. It’s a shame that his management/record company choose to disavow their client’s work and discredit him as a songwriter. As an independent company whose role it is to help put this out, we at Hi Fi think this is an absolute slap in the face to Wilshire Records. That small indie music company, run by an experienced music producer, Malcolm Welsford, thrives on finding, nurturing and championing new talent, and now they find themselves at a tremendous potential loss. Adam’s songwriting partner, Monte Pittman now finds himself at a tremendous potential loss. Via the press, in the words of the musician they dedicated so much time and money to, they are being told that their work with Adam should never see the light of day.”
Hi Fi’s statement continues: “We apologize for what has become a tiresome tit for tat, particularly on a day that we mourn the loss of a truly original, game-changing entertainer, but unfortunately, each statement released in Adam’s name contains a different story. We remain steadfast in our assertion that we seek only to share the music Adam wrote, according to plan, so his fans know the depth of his talent and see that he will be handsomely rewarded for his work.”
Hi Fi claims that it has a signed recording contract with Adam dated Feb. 12, 2008. The label has already made one of the CD’s tracks, “Want,” available on iTunes.
Last week, Adam tried to distance himself from the release saying, “The work I did back then in no way reflects the music I am currently in the studio working on.”
Okay. Whatever. It’s rather obvious what HiFI is doing and why. So be it. But don’t try to pass it off as a desire to “share the music Adam wrote so his fans know the depth of his talent.” Nobody’s is buying that statement. This is money pure and simple, and if Adam hadn’t been on AI, his demos would still be gathering dust wherever they were before AI. Adam didn’t sign a record contract or he wouldn’t have been able to appear on AI and he wouldn’t have been able to sign with 19e.
Seriously, I have 2 questions,
1. If Lambert signed this record deal in Feb.2008, would AI have allowed him to participate?
2. Why didnt HiFi release the recordings earlier?
I don’t think Adam should worry about this as much as he is. If they want to release his music they should be alowed to but Adam should make some money on the deal. I dont understand why adam wouldn’t want anyone to hear his music. I think Adam should let them release his music and not be so difficult. I’m a HUGE fan of Adam but he shouldnt complain all it will do is make him more famous
19 / Adam need to shut up on this one. I’m siding with Hi Fi on this one. Hi Fi owns the music, and they have said a couple of times now Adam will be financially compensated for this.
The comments from Adam’s camp are sounding like they are driven by his recording company. 19 wants their cd to be Adam’s big debut. They need to give that up and just work on their cd, and let the Hi Fi cd come out. So the Hi Fi will be the debut, so what? Adam isn’t going to promote it on tv shows. Isn’t going to perform songs from it either on tv shows or in concert. But the more 19 / Adam talk about it, they more publicity they are giving to Hi Fi.
I think Adam did a fine job distancing himself from the project last week with his short comments about the Hi Fi release not reflecting on the music he is working on in the studio now. The Adam team should have left it at that.
Now that Adam /19 kept talking about it, Hi Fi has said they have a signed contract from Adam dated Feb. 12, 2008. I’m not sure how that contract did not disqualify him from Idol (but yeah for that!). My only guess is 19/Idol didn’t know about it until after the show ended. Though I’m sure they won’t be happy to hear that news announced now.
He was hired as a sessions singer, not a major artist, and the recordings were demos, not the finished products. I don’t blame Adam for being upset. Why would anyone want their first major album to be unpolished, partially complete demos? The only contract he had with them was being paid to do demos of songs, not a record album. It’s obvious what’s going on here, and any way you look at it, HiFi is cashing in on a sure thing that they weren’t willing to pursue prior to AI. Everybody wants a piece of Adam now, and they don’t care how they get it.
That gay lord should shut the hell up and deal w/ it. He signed and now don’t want to admit it cuz the stupid album doesn’ sell?
I don’t get it, what do you mean by the 3rd paragraph?