Foster likely to move to UMG

DAVE’S NOT HERE: David Foster’s WMG deal is up, and Lucian Grainge is in hot pursuit of the talented writer/producer. Oddsmakers say the veteran’s five-year, $37 million deal is likely to end up at UMG despite the fact that Warner would be able to make it far richer for Foster because the company has his catalog. There are two reasons why Foster will likely change horses, according to insiders: (1) The presently unsettled situation at WMG, with the potential sale and changing management; and (2) Grainge’s voracious appetite for making big deals at the expense of his competition. For example: the Stones, Idol, Barry Weiss, The Voice. Most believe the UMG chief’s aggressive dealmaking style was the key reason for his company’s dominance in the U.K. Some go so far as to blame (or credit) Grainge for the dismantling of EMI U.K., act by act and executive by executive. (2/14p)