THE MOTHER OF ALL
MUSIC ROUNDUPS
David Pullman, creator of Pullman Bonds, announced his exclusive signing with the Marvin Gaye estate for a music royalty securitization deal. For the Pullman Group, it is the first ever entertainment securitization of estate assets by any party. This deal is based on Gaye's legendary catalog, which includes over 200 songs such as "What's Going On," "Let's Get It On," "Sexual Healing," Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing" and "Heard It Through The Grapevine." The Marvin Gaye estate joins the series of prestigious Pullman Bond deals, which include Bowie Bonds, Holland Dozier Holland Bonds, Ashford & Simpson Bonds, James Brown Bonds and The Isley Brothers Bonds. The Pullman Company does have a few bonds not performing particularly well, including Zager & Evans Bonds, Dexy's Midnight Runners Bonds and El Debarge Bonds.
NO LAWSUIT ATTACHED
NSYNC will not be making a return engagement in court. The boy band has reached an out-of-court settlement in a breach of contract suit filed by former manager/svengali Lou Pearlman, former record label RCA and its parent company, BMG Entertainment. Pearlman initially filed a $150 million suit last October, after NSYNC jumped ship to Jive Records. The band filed a $25 million countersuit alleging fraud, breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty. Pearlman could not be reached for comment as he was busily prepping for his new ABC TV show, "Suing The Band."
WHAT'S UP, TIGER LILY?
Sir Bob Geldof set out to save the starving children in Ethiopia with Band Aid and Live Aid; now he's set his sights on the daughter of his former wife, late TV personality Paula Yates, and the late INXS frontman Michael Hutchence. A British High Court judge has given Geldof temporary custody of four-year-old Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily, after her mother was found dead in her London apartment on Sept. 17. Hutchence's half-sister, Tina Schorr, is also seeking custody of the child. Geldof currently has custody of his three daughters with Yates: Fifi Trixibelle, Peaches and Pixie. It may be tough going for Geldof as the High Court recently ruled that the act of naming his children was tantamount to child abuse.
PRESS "PLAY"
Electronic Arts announced that Moby would provide the lead track in the soon-to-be-released EA Sports FIFA 2001 Major League Soccer game. FIFA 2001 MLS will feature an exclusive remix of Moby's hit single "Bodyrock," from the artist's Grammy-nominated album "Play." The EA Sports FIFA series has established itself as a vehicle for top artists to bring their music to a new medium. Past EA soccer games have included Robbie Williams' "It's Only Us," Fat Boy Slim's "The Rockafeller Skank," Chumbawamba's "Tubthumpin'" and Blur's "Song 2." As of press time, Jim Stafford's hilarious mid-‘70s hit "The Streak" had not been licensed for anything.
GAYNOR WILL SURVIVE
Oh, the humanity! A thief struck backstage at the Stephen O'Connell Center in Gainesville, FL, on Sept. 18, nabbing the prized axe of matchbox twenty guitarist Adam Gaynor. The green Taylor acoustic guitar has major sentimental value to Gaynor. A reward is being offered for its safe return. Anyone with information is urged to call 212-707-3200. Many music fans were saddened to discover that Gaynor owned more than one guitar.
FROM CEREAL TO SURREAL
Under a new promotion, a spoonful of General Mills cereal could land you a compilation CD featuring music from NSYNC, Sting, Boyz II Men, Britney Spears, Martina McBride, Brian McKnight, Herbie Hancock and more. Eighty million boxes of General Mills cereals will offer a free CD from GetMusic.com. From November through December, consumers will be able to order one of eight compilations from the site for a $2.99 shipping and handling fee. The promotion will be called the "Empty Calories" series.
BUT HE WILL BACK DOWN
Tom Petty sent a cease-and-desist letter to presidential hopeful George W. Bush, requesting the candidate to stop his use of Petty's "I Won't Back Down." The letter was sent in February, but only surfaced recently. "It has recently come to our attention that your presidential campaign has been using the song in connection with your presidential bid," the letter said. "Please be advised that this use has not been approved." A surprised Bush said, "I snorted coke with that guy. I thought we were pals."
FULL METAL JACKET
One of Jimi Hendrix's psychedelic jackets sold for 35,000 pounds ($49,200) at auction Tuesday (9/19) by the Hard Rock Cafe, auctioneers Sotheby's said. The London auction house had expected the green silk jacket to go for around 20,000 pounds at the sale. Said a Sotheby's employee, "The stash in the front pocket certainly helped jack up the price."
BOLAN FOR DOLLARS
The late Marc Bolan, of T-Rex fame, is soon to have a memorial erected at the site of his death in south London. The spot is where the rocker's girlfriend, Gloria Jones, crashed Bolan's Mini Cooper into a tree in 1977. Ever since then, fans have flocked to the site to tie ribbons and scarves around the tree. "The fans don't want to see the tree torn down," says Bolan's cousin Simon Coggin, "so we are raising money to build a suitable memorial to replace it." Limp Bizkit fans were heard asking, "Who is Marc Bolan and who cares about a tree?"
