EMI man languishes in jail
mainSome of our readers have just spotted that one of six men convicted in a £108 million fraud case last year was Evdoros Demetriou, once a senior classical executive at EMI Classics and Warner Music.
But that’s not all. Demetriou, now 79, was also a director of Sinfonietta Productions and of Conifer Records.
He got six years.
But, but, but…..it was for the chiiiiiiildren!
This is funny: six people have been convicted, and different outlets report the story according to their particular interests/obsessions.
Slipped Disc: a classical music executive and 5 other people.
Grauniad: an Oxford and Eton-educated son of a retired crown court judge (class enemy) and 5 other people.
Sussex Express: an Alfriston resident and 5 other people.
In each case the headliner is a different guy, though the Sussex one also appears to have been the actual ring leader.
Many record executives equally deserve jail sentences for foisting so much crossover rubbish on the public. Sony more than any others has gone overboard on such rubbish and now their head of classical music is going to run the Vienna State Opera. Stand by for Carmen with Katherine Jenkins and la Boheme with Paul Potts. Oh, and I have just heard, Aida with Michael Ball.
And not just record execs but conductors too. What explains the championing of Bocelli by Mehta, for example? Sadly, there is no end to their squalor in sight. “Lock them up”.
As the founder of Conifer Records (1977) – and especially for what I suffered at this man’s hands in 1983 – I am greatly relieved – no, let’s be truthful – I’m absolutely delighted to find this story revealed and in the public domain as well as now being publicly exonerated.
From the time this man took over Conifer Records, it went downhill all the way with accumulated (official) audited accounts taking their losses to about £7m at the point of collapse when BMG took it over.
As they say “It couldn’t have happened to nicer people” !
John Deacon was one of the great classical musicology experts of his time! Today, into his late seventies he is still asked his opinion on classical Arab music by music directors from around the globe.
I’m delighted he has lived to see the man who “stole” his company from him languishing in a confined space
I bit to late John but at last justification