OMEN
05-01-2006, 11:58 AM
http://network.news.com.au/image/0,10114,5145969,00.jpg
Cut ... Russell Crowe
INDUSTRY giant Sony BMG has denied leading Russell Crowe into thinking he would be offered a record deal after the angry actor turned singer accused the label of putting him through a "process" for six months before passing on him and his band.
The fiery Oscar winner launched a stinging attack on the record company this week.
Crowe was filthy that he and band The Ordinary Fear of God didn't even get a meeting to be turned down.
But a Sony spokesman said Crowe's rejection was purely a business decision.
"There have been meetings with Russell Crowe but in regards to the quality of our large roster, we didn't take up the opportunity," the spokesman said.
Crowe and his band have played live relentlessly in recent months, ranging from clubs, shopping centres to the Tamworth Country Music Festival, the Royal Easter Show and MTV Awards.
It was his performance at the latter a fortnight ago that he thought he had sealed the deal with Sony, telling radio program The Kyle & Jackie O Show this week that he was told "all you've got to do is play that song at the MTV Awards tonight, and rock that, and you're home and hosed".
But insiders told Confidential Crowe was only offered a slot on the MTV bill because organisers wanted him to present the MTV Free Your Mind Humanitarian Award to Peter Garrett.
Crowe said a Sony representative had become interested in the band last November, "seeing the band multiple times over the summer, to the point where they come up when we play in the country"..
But the potential deal fell through just after the MTV Awards despite being told at a meeting he was all but assured of a contract, he said.
"Less than 24 hours after the meeting and a six-month process, 'absolutely not, we would [never] think of releasing you, we have too many artists and we want to service those'," Crowe said.
Bang
Cut ... Russell Crowe
INDUSTRY giant Sony BMG has denied leading Russell Crowe into thinking he would be offered a record deal after the angry actor turned singer accused the label of putting him through a "process" for six months before passing on him and his band.
The fiery Oscar winner launched a stinging attack on the record company this week.
Crowe was filthy that he and band The Ordinary Fear of God didn't even get a meeting to be turned down.
But a Sony spokesman said Crowe's rejection was purely a business decision.
"There have been meetings with Russell Crowe but in regards to the quality of our large roster, we didn't take up the opportunity," the spokesman said.
Crowe and his band have played live relentlessly in recent months, ranging from clubs, shopping centres to the Tamworth Country Music Festival, the Royal Easter Show and MTV Awards.
It was his performance at the latter a fortnight ago that he thought he had sealed the deal with Sony, telling radio program The Kyle & Jackie O Show this week that he was told "all you've got to do is play that song at the MTV Awards tonight, and rock that, and you're home and hosed".
But insiders told Confidential Crowe was only offered a slot on the MTV bill because organisers wanted him to present the MTV Free Your Mind Humanitarian Award to Peter Garrett.
Crowe said a Sony representative had become interested in the band last November, "seeing the band multiple times over the summer, to the point where they come up when we play in the country"..
But the potential deal fell through just after the MTV Awards despite being told at a meeting he was all but assured of a contract, he said.
"Less than 24 hours after the meeting and a six-month process, 'absolutely not, we would [never] think of releasing you, we have too many artists and we want to service those'," Crowe said.
Bang