doctorlard
Group: Members
Posts: 9
Joined: Aug. 2011 |
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Posted: Aug. 16 2011, 22:00 |
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Here's what I wrote to UMG-UK in pretty much a fit of rage, after reading through this thread. No response yet but at least it includes an indication that the David Joseph (CEO, UMG-UK) email works and the email address of his PA.
Srslywtf.
-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Incantations Deluxe Edition - two successive mastering errors Date: Tue, 16 Aug 2011 14:21:28 +1200 From: Jonathan Harker <jon@jon.geek.nz> To: Mike Oldfield Fan Site <contact@tubular.net>, Mike Oldfield <info@mikeoldfield.org>, Hannah Strickland <Hannah.Strickland@umusic.com> CC: UMG UK Support <support@universal-music.co.uk>
Hi Hannah,
Can you make sure that upper management are aware of the poor quality control that has gone on regarding this issue (and other recordings for that matter)? It is surprising to me and quite appalling that UMG UK would repeatedly drop the ball like this.
Now I've had a chance to re-read it, I apologise for the frankness of the original message, however I hope you can understand my disappointment.
(Original complaint copied below)
Cheers, Jonathan Harker
On Tue 16 August 2011 at 2.09 pm NZST, David Joseph wrote: > I'm currently out of the office until August 22nd. > If you need any assistance, please contact Hannah Strickland > T: 0207 471 5373 e: Hannah.Strickland@umusic.com
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-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Incantations Deluxe Edition - two successive mastering errors Date: Tue, 16 Aug 2011 14:09:35 +1200 From: Jonathan Harker <jon@jon.geek.nz> To: UMG UK Support <support@universal-music.co.uk>, Mike Oldfield Fan Site <contact@tubular.net>, Mike Oldfield PR <info@mikeoldfield.org>, David Joseph <david.joseph@umusic.com>, Adam White <adam.white@umusic.com>, Contact UMG UK <contact@umusic.com>
Dear Universal Music Group (UK):
Re: Incantations Deluxe Edition - TWO(!) successive mastering errors
Please ensure this goes to the appropriate upper management contacts, as I would like them to be notified of this.
UMG UK Management: I want you to sort this out so it doesn't happen again, as this has gone on too long. This is just the latest example of incompetence and absolutely abysmal quality control from UMG. I do NOT want to be simply fobbed off by your front line of PR folks (no offence to them of course!)
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What on earth is going on? I'm copying this to Mike Oldfield's PR, the CEO and Chairman of Universal, and anyone else who will hopefully be in a position to sort this out.
I just spent over £25 GBP on the Deluxe Edition of Mike Oldfield's Incantations and I've received a disc with a massive 1.5 second mastering glitch at 12:38 on track 4 of the first disc. This is supposedly a premium product. Please refer to this comparison: http://porpoise-240.dolphin-server.co.uk/~pauken/Incantations1.png
Not only do I want a replacement disc IMMEDIATELY, but a corrected disc should be sent to everyone who bought it, and it should be recalled from retailers.
And, NO, I do not want the replacement disc UMG has re-pressed, which has a second, smaller mastering glitch at 12:40, because that is unacceptable as well: http://porpoise-240.dolphin-server.co.uk/~pauken/Incantations2.png
If this is such an elementary mistake that I can easily see it and fix it on an ordinary PC using mundane audio processing software, then a professional outfit such as UMG should be able to. In fact, I do not expect the error to have happened in the first place, it's such a basic error. It certainly does not inspire confidence.
That's TWO different mastering errors. On a Deluxe premium product. I have no idea how UMG expect to make any money on this record.
This is colossally unacceptable. Since it's all the same to you, I'm going to keep the faulty disc so that I have physical proof of what a complete drop kick of a release this was.
Did anyone at your work actually LISTEN to the finished product before you pressed it? Did you have anyone in charge who was actually competent, or was it some dribbling cloth-eared, mouth-breathing idiot? I mean really, how absolutely and utterly hopeless was this effort from UMG that you replaced a faulty glitched pressing of a premium Deluxe Edition product, with another glitched pressing? Unbelievable.
Imagine the fiasco if this was a CD from someone like Coldplay or Pink Floyd. Please fix this and ensure it does not happen again.
Yours Sincerely, Jonathan Harker
(One of probably millions of dissatisfied customers, who routinely have to put up with this sort of rubbish from record companies, and often wonder why they bother giving them any money at all, especially when absolutely stuff-all of it ends up with the artist)
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