DAVID BOWIE, one of the most influential musicians and writers in popular music, has taken the unprecedented step for an artist of his standing and decided not to re-sign with his record company, Virgin records, choosing instead, to create his own small, independent label. On Thursday morning BOWIE's business representatives, RZO, sent a letter to Virgin records stating that "We respectfully decline your attempts to negotiate a new contract in light of the missed option pick-up of a year ago."
All DAVID BOWIE's future recordings, including the hotly tipped new album that he is recording with long-time collaborator Tony Visconti, will be released on ISO, his new label.
On taking the whole recording and marketing process into his own hands BOWIE commented " I've had one too many years of bumping heads with corporate structure. Many times I've not been in agreement with how things are done and as a writer of some proliferation, frustrated at how slow and lumbering it all is. I've dreamed of embarking on my own set-up for such a long time and now is the perfect opportunity."
DAVID BOWIE's label ISO, which was registered as a record label over a year ago, will be based out of New York and London and has already signed two new artists, one solo and one band. Bowie and Visconti have also recently moved their projects into their own recording studio in Manhattan, New York, in anticipation of this new departure.
Said BOWIE, " I want to keep the whole experience at a human level, To characterize ISO, I think I would use guitarist Robert Fripp's phrase and describe it as aiming to be 'a small, mobile, intelligent unit'."
DAVID BOWIE was able to make this bold step as a result of an overlooked option in his previous deal with Virgin Records.
"With smaller, more focussed labels such as Relentless in London (3 number ones) and Artimus in the US proving that creativity and commercial success can go hand in hand, the chance is there to be taken and BOWIE is the perfect candidate to pull it off."