Adam Lambert is battling indie label Hi Fi Recordings over the release of his old songwriting demos. The label announced that they would release On With The Show, an album Lambert recorded pre-American Idol, sometime this summer.
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On June 25, Lambert issued the following statement:
“Last Friday I was surprised to find out that songs I recorded back in 2005 were being released. 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 shot back on June 26, 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 then went on to allude to Michael Jackson: “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.”
One track from the album, “Want,” is currently available on iTunes.
Adam is not “battling” anyone over this collection of demos and rough studio sessions that Hi-Fi is putting out as an album. But he clearly isn’t supporting it either. You really ought to correct that headline!!
We have another game changing entertainer and a lot of people are reaching for his coattails. Too bad he is being distracted at a time of such opportunity. He needs to follow Madonna’s advice and keep his eye on the prize. Adam has displayed such strength, intelligence and class when the vote churning in Arkansas stole his win I am sure he will get through this as well. I know he will be a sensation next week when the tour begins and within months come out with a fabulous new album. I do not believe that these unfinished old songs will diminish him in any way.
Since Adam Lambert did not even know the album was going to be released; since it was given the title”And The Show Goes On” to make it look like a post Idol release-something appears to be a little sneaky. Ha ! Definitely! The reason is greed in my opinion. These old rough drafts of demos for the songs he co-wrote will still give him royalties, but Lambert is more interested in his progression from threater style over the years to his currenty style for recording to offer the public.. It is unjust to Lambert to put these unpolished songs out – especially before his Official Debut due in November by 19 Recording/RCA. The whole thing smells of sleeze on the part of HiFi because that is what kind of professional practice they are demonstating. Make no mistake about that. They will say anything to justify their unsavory conduct. Hi Fi says they are doing this to help Adam. Please, really, ! Adam doesn’t need their help, they need his. Adam has millions of fans around the globe, thanks to his success on American Idol 19 Entertainment. It’s pathetic to see a creative performing artist being taken advantage of by greedy business practices. Let’s all support our talented artitsts.
I will buy anything with Adam singing on it. I don’t care who puts it out.
I am still upset that he doesn’t like girls. I wish he had not been so “open”. At least then I could dream about him. Now, he doesn’t seem so romatic to me when he sings softly.
He needs to mix it up for his fans. Mystery was better than knowing.
I still love his music and ability to entertain.
Back to the subject. Greedy companies fighting over him doesn’t bother me and I don’t think it will hurt him. If he can survive “coming out” he can survive anything.
If, as this company says, “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”, why are they first promoting a song that they admit Adam didn’t write — “Want”?
I will never buy anything produced by HIFI or Wilshire due to the way they are treating Adam Lambert. None of my friends will either. The ethical thing to do would be to AT LEAST wait until Adam’s album with RCA is released as his debut album because it is truly the music that currently reflects Adam’s creativity and will obviously be the professional production that he deserves now that he is known world-wide.
HIFI is just getting a lot of undeserved publicity out of this and trying to hitch their wagon to a shooting star. They don’t care about Adam at all.
Sandy Rainwater
Don’t feel bitter of Adam’s honesty and Don’t dream of any romantic moments with you & Adam, coz even if he’s straight, he’ll not ask you for a date. Live in reality. LOve and support him for his talent!!!
I dont think it’s really surprizing that they would release it now, I mean they are a record label, that is what they are supposed to do! Dont you think it would have been released anyway even if he didn’t get on American Idol? It sounds like it would have been.
I don’t really blame these guys for wanting to release these songs. They obviously worked with him for years and recorded this music- are they supposed to just sit on it and forget they ever recorded it at all? Would you honestly throw all these songs away if you were them? Yes, they will make a lot of money on it- but so will Adam, and it’s their right to do whatever they want with it. I for one am looking forward to hearing the other songs and I do plan on buying the whole album. I don’t think it’s going to hurt Adams career at all.
Kita – contrary to what you wrote, Adam did not “work with them for years”. He worked at their studios for a short time a few years ago. He recorded some demos and worked on a few of his own songs with a partner. If the ‘work’ was good, if releasing it was always ‘the plan’, it would’ve been released before now. HiFi is clearly taking advantage of Adam’s success on Idol by attempting to release his previous work – and calling it a ‘debut’ – before his real RCA debut is released. They claim he will be “handsomely rewarded” for this work but fail to say that as producers they will be even more handsomely rewarded. Note – they only added a comment about Adam’s ‘reward’ in response to iTunes comments from people saying they would not buy ‘Want’ because Adam was not getting paid for it. In the process of trying to justify their deceit they are now accusing RCA and Adam of causing a loss to both HiFi and Adam’s partner. And they have the nerve to bring MJ into the discussion? What iniquity! Shame on you Hecker and HiFi. Adam’s fans will not give you their money. Not now, not ever.
Ianaleah, and Anne… I agree with every word you wrote.
Sandy Rainwater….. I think it is very sad that you think that just cos Adam is gay. Personally, I am very happy that he is honest about it. I still feel the same when he sings softly. I still get goosebumps. At least, he didn’t pull a Clay Aiken on everyone.
Adam was honest from day one and I think it is a very huge sign of respect to his fans.
Kita….. They did not work with him for years. They hired him to record songs in 2005. And if they were really trying to help him, why didn’t they do it back then, when he needed a push? Why wait now that he’s on his way to superstardom? Because they have $$ signs instead of a heart.hey ar ethere to help themselves. They don’t care about Adam. What burns me is that bulls**t they put out, “we wanna help him”. Yeah right
This elderly lady is of the opinion that, had they wanted to release the material they say they were working on, they would have released it at the time it was written and recorded as a “demo”. They did not sign him as an artist, they did not sign him as a songwriter at the time. Their loss. It appears to me now that all concerned with “On with the Show”, including the crummy blog site they first trumpted the news on, Perez Hilton, are just trying way to hard to ride on the coat tails of the fabulous Adam Lambert. I think he is the most amazing young artist to come along in ages and I think that every one from Clay Aiken (former AI runnerup), Gene Simmons from the group “Kiss” as well as Perez Hilton, the gay blogger are all trying to ride the wave of pop cultural phenom that is Adam. I for one wish Adam Lambert all the luck in the word and I will be watching and applauding whatever he chooses to do next. Viva la differance!
We should not buy this album because Adam is clearly disappointed with this. I myself will not buy this …….
LET US SUPPORT ADAM AND NOT BUY THIS ALBUM!!!!
In agreement with “MM” I, too, (also being in my 70’s) BELIEVE Adam when he says he was a session singer hired by HIFi to record DEMOS which in turn were presented to “OTHER” artists who were then under contract to HiFi for THEM to record, NOT Adam. However, Adam then tried out for AMERICAN IDOL & became a True contender for the title. Not having won thru a CONTOVERSIAL victory, he then got even MORE press coverage. Enter Rolling Stone. Now HiFi/Wilshire start to realize Adam’s worth to them, even tho he is under CONTRACT to RCA/19. Hence the emergence of the DEMO album. The song WANT was released being TOUTED as a NEW single by Adam Lambert (sung & written by him.) OOps! He didn’t WRITE it. How to get out of this? Dig up all the songs recorded & co-written by him (when he “WORKED” for them) & compile an ALBUM. Release it BEFORE RCA & the rest is history!! PURE & SIMPLE….EXPLOITATION of a “FORMER” EMPLOYEE…. NOTHING MORE!!!
Also, I checked with ASCAP online & discovered that there are only “5” songs that Adam co-wrote with his”partner” at the time (or should I say “SILENT” partner, since he has has not come forward to either confirm OR deny ANYTHING so far). If this person was “LOSING” anything, don’t you think he would have said SOMETHING by now? If he has, it certainly is being held “under wraps”. WAY TOO SUSPICIOUS!!!! I’m all for waiting for the REAL album’s release in the fall. Meantime, there is a site that has ALL Adam’s songs (including some of the ones in the DEMO). Check out imeemdotcom & compile your own playlists. That will make waiting for the RCA album a LITTLE bit easier!!! AS an ADAM FAN, that’s the way I intend to support him!!
And i am the most number 1 fan eva and i would buy anything that you put out in the stores and every where else