He quotes Voyle Gilmore saying that Frank Werber was asking “an arm and a leg” to re-sign with Capitol. He also states that Nick Reynolds said that Capitol offered no more than a 1 percent increase as an incentive to stay.
Bush also states that the Decca deal was worth between $750,000 and $1 million for a term of five years with provisions for extensions. He also states that, “With the Decca deal the Trio had the opportunity - and the money - to bring in the best outside producers in the industry, people with the savvy, the songwriting, the studio and musician sources, and above all, the objectivity to assess the Trio’s individual and group strengths and take them in a new direction.”. …..”It was Werber who didn’t work hard enough for the Trio at that critical point…..”
I was able to preview portions of Greenback Dollar on Google Books but unfortunately I could not access pages 238 through 240. The above information is just a few excerpts from the Decca Years section that I found in my copy of the book. Previous Message
Points well taken, Joe. Now you've piqued my curiosity too. I guess after a year and counting, it's time to get my Greenback Dollar book back. When I do, I'll look for any references about our Kingston Trio leaving Capitol Records for Decca and get back to you. But if Decca was offering NBJ a million dollar bonus for signing, it's gotta be real tempting! In all the jobs I ever had, nobody ever gave me a signing bonus! Not even for five bucks. :>(
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Peter, Nick was talking off the top of his head in that interview. A fascinating interview, to be sure, but I'm not sure he was trying to be precise as to dates, places, amounts etc.
Check out the quote: "...we got nothing for the first eight albums, and then they (Capitol) finally gave us another one percent or something as a bonus one year. Really nice!" (KTOR, 101).
I'm not sure what he's even talking about, but it doesn't sound like he's referring to Capitol's attempt to retain the Trio in 1964. Maybe there's another mention of 1 percent, but this is the one I remember from KTOR. In his KTOR interview, Werber wasn't asked about the label switch.
P.S. I borrowed "Greenback Dollar" from the library, so I don't have a copy. LOL.
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Joe, I loaned my Greenback Dollar book to a friend of mine who is a big Kingston Trio fan but too cheap to buy the book! :>)
Besides, I only read a few chapters which did not involve the Decca deal. Billboard mag mentioned something about Decca's $1 mil signing bonus to the KT.
But why don't you believe Nick's story about Capitol Records offering the KT a 1% raise? Previous Message
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