The Verve's album strike

Jan 16, 2008, 7:30 GMT

The Verve are set to withhold their comeback album in protest at record label EMI's drastic job cuts.

The Wigan four-piece, who reunited last year after splitting in April 1999, have responded to the company's announcement it will be cutting around 2,000 jobs by vowing not to release their upcoming LP.

The Verve's manager Jazz Summers, who chairs the UK Music Managers Forum, said: "Why should we deliver a new record when EMI is cutting back on marketing and is in financial difficulty? I am meeting with The Verve next week and I will advise them to do the same as Robbie Williams by withholding their album, which is due out in June.

"I am going to tell label head Guy Hands I want assurances. He has got no clue what this business is about. They want to cut back on the advances paid to artists but you only get big advances because you are not getting any royalties.

"You can sell as many as three million records now without seeing a royalty payment."

Last week, Robbie Williams announced he would be going on strike in protest at the changes at EMI, which was taken over last year in a £3.2 billion deal with financiers Terra Firma.

His manager Tim Clark said: "The question is, should Robbie deliver the new album he is due to release to EMI? We have to say the answer is no. We have no idea how EMI will market and promote the album. Their chief executive Tony Wadsworth has left after 25 years and they do not have anyone in the digital sphere capable of doing the job required."

Hands claimed today (15.01.08) the job cuts would save £200 million-a-year and "ensure that this iconic company will be creating wonderful music in a way that is profitable and sustainable".

Both Sir Paul McCartney and Radiohead have recently left EMI, with acts including Coldplay and Kylie Minogue also said to be thinking of quitting the label.

(C) BANG Media International