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Yusuf
Yusuf


Background information
Birth name Steven Demetre Georgiou
Born July 21, 1948
Born place London, England
Genre(s) Pop Rock
Soft Rock
Folk-Rock
Years active 1966—present
Label(s) Island Records
Polydor
Atlantic Records
A&M Records
Associated acts Alun Davies
Website Website



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Tom Jones New Album Compared To 'Sick Joke' By His Record Label Boss

July 5, 2010
Tom Jones New Album Compared To 'Sick Joke' By His Record Label BossTom Jones' new album has been compared to a “sick joke” by a senior executive at his record label.

In a private email to colleagues, David Sharpe, vice-president of Island Records, questioned why the 70-year-old star had been allowed to proceed with the project.

Jones was poached by Island records from EMI last year in a deal believed to be worth £1.5million.

But in his email, Sharpe appeared to suggest that songs on the star's new album 'Praise & Blame' had veered away from what the company expected.

"Imagine my surprise when I walked into the office this morning to hear hymns coming from your office - it could have been Sunday morning,” Sharpe wrote.

"My initial pleasure came to an abrupt halt when I realised that Tom Jones was singing the hymns! I have just listened to the album in its entirety and want to know if this is some sick joke????"

The Island vice-president continued: “Having lured him from EMI, the deal was that you would deliver a record of upbeat tracks along the lines of 'Sex Bomb' and 'Mama Told Me'...”

Sharpe added that, despite Jones's “venerable and interesting” story, 'Praise & Blame' was “not what was agreed and certainly not what we paid for”.

A spokesperson for Jones's management company told the Telegraph the tone of the email was "direct" and that they had not been aware of it.

(by Jason Gregory)



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