Chris Wright's Book and QPR - Rejecting David Bowie

[Macmoish]

Chris Wright ‏@chriswchrysalis 1h

My revision of the soon to be published autobiography has just reached the @qpr years. An interesting chapter in my life and that of the Rs!


MACMOISH January 2016 Update/Edit

As was later posted on this thread: Chris Right & David Bowie

Oct 14, 2013 10:02:16 GMT Jon Doeman said:

My biggest misses, by Chris Wright, the man who turned down David Bowie - News - Music - The Independent

But now Chris Wright, one of the music business’s most successful hit-creators, has revealed the roll call of superstars and billion-dollar shows that he unwisely turned away.

The impressive list of greatest misses includes David Bowie, Dire Straits, The Kinks, The Spice Girls, the musical Cats and the Popstars talent show which was the precursor to The X Factor.

Wright, founder of the Chrysalis media group and former owner of QPR, discloses his “head-in-hands” moments in an autobiography, One Way Or Another, published on Monday. Despite discovering stars including Blondie and Spandau Ballet, building a hugely successful record company in the US and amassing a £70m fortune, he is brutally honest about his failures.

In 1971, Bowie was a one-hit wonder, “a pop artist, not an act with any longevity. He was in our office in Oxford Street all the time, often pleading with us for money to go and make demos. Our receptionist would ring around and we would all pretend to be out.” Chrysalis rejected his Hunky Dory album, an error softened by a decision, which still stands, to take 25 per cent of the singer’s publishing rights.

A move to sign The Kinks in New Orleans floundered, Wright admits, because “jet-lagged, I nodded off during their show. Ray Davies was not impressed, so that was probably why they signed with Clive Davis instead.” Dire Straits, who went on to sell 120 million albums, were dismissed for being “very good, but very very boring.”

The Spice Girls bounded into the Chrysalis office, miming to a backing track of “Wannabe”.

“They stood on Jeremy’s [the chief executive] desk and ended up sitting on his knee, not quite the sort of thing we were used to.” Chrysalis declined to increase a £250,000 bid on the basis that only one of the band could sing and none demonstrated songwriting potential. The quintet went elsewhere.

Wright turned down the chance to invest in Cats because he didn’t believe Andrew Lloyd Webber could write a hit without lyricist Tim Rice. “I went along to the first night and during the interval was congratulating myself on how I had made the right decision. Passing on the record-breaking, phenomenally successful Cats proved to be one of my very worst business decisions.”

Then there was the 80-million selling French synthesiser pioneer Jean Michel Jarre, a share in whom Wright rejected during a trip to Paris.

Passing on Popstars, the New Zealand format which inspired Pop Idol, was “another entry on the list of my most appalling business decisions,” Wright says. When he was presented with the singing competition concept, Wright sneered: “What, like Hughie Green’s Opportunity Knocks or New Faces? I’m not remotely interested in the kind of garbage you get on shows like that.”

“It was a huge opportunity missed, it could have been a gamechanger of the whole business because Chrysalis was the only company across music and TV,” Wright, 69, who sold Chrysalis for £107m in 2010, told The Independent.

He is philosophical about the litany of misses. “You get some right and you get some wrong,” Wright said.
Rock bottom: missing out

* Decca A&R man Dick Rowe gave The Beatles’s manager the bad news after listening to their 1962 demo. “Not to mince words, Mr Epstein, but we don’t like your boys’ sound. Groups are out.”

* Jimmy Lenner, boss of Millennium Music, was unimpressed with the demo sent by an aspiring New York disco diva in 1981. “I do not feel she is ready yet. I will pass for now.” Madonna auctioned the rejection letter 20 years later.

* U2’s long list of rejection letters before signing with Island included 1979 missives from RSO and Arista Records.
www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/my-biggest-misses-by-chris-wright-the-man-who-turned-down-david-bowie-8877675.html

[Bushman]

Mar 29, 2013 22:47:04 GMT Macmoish said:

Chris Wright ‏@chriswchrysalis 1h

My revision of the soon to be published autobiography has just reached the @qpr years. An interesting chapter in my life and that of the Rs!

Especially the bit in the chapter where he has it away with the training ground.

[Lonegunmen]

Phil from SA will have this on his "Must have" list. Often referring to him as "Chris the greatest QPR fan in the World Wright" or words to that effect.

The sale of the training ground and the deals with Wasps etc.

[Macmoish]

QPR Official Site - May 2001

LOFTUS ROAD PLC STATEMENT

Following the Loftus Road Plc EGM today at Loftus Road the company released the following press statement this afternoon:

LOFTUS ROAD PLC PRESS RELEASE

The Loftus Road Plc EGM was held today in front of approximately 180 people at Loftus Road Stadium. The EGM was called to approve 4 resolutions put to the shareholders of Loftus Road Plc. All 4 resolutions put before the EGM were passed by a large majority.

The resolutions were;

1. To sell London Wasps to London Wasps Holdings for �5 million

2. To sell the Twyford Avenue Training Ground to Chris Wright for �5 million

Resolutions 3&4 were procedural resolutions upon the disposal of London Wasps.

During the meeting Chris Wright gave an undertaking to consult with his advisors in order to negotiate a share of any profit arising from any subsequent sale of Twyford Avenue to be returned to the company, or if the two teams are sold separately on an equal basis to Queens Park Rangers and London Wasps.

Commenting on the EGM, Chief Executive David Davies said;

"It was important to pass these resolutions to enable us to introduce new working capital from the proceeds of the sales to keep the club going in the short term, or until a buyer is found for Queens Park Rangers."

"It was good to see a strong turnout of shareholders. We listened to the shareholders' opinions carefully and have taken on board their comments regarding various issues brought up at the meeting. It was a constructive meeting and we were pleased to get some important feedback on the issues surrounding the sale of London Wasps and the Twyford Avenue training ground."

Press release ends

During the meeting two poll votes were called for in respect of resolution 2 and resolution 2 amendment. The results were as follows:

Resolution 2 Amendment

The addition to the published resolution 2 of the following;

"Provided that if after the date of the EGM there is the grant of any planning consent for uses other than the existing sports ground use which results in an increase in value or proportion thereof accruing to Mr Christopher Wright then the total increase is to be apportioned in such a manner as shall confer a minimum of one third of the total increase to the Company. "

For 269,931 shares

Against 34,175,222 shares

The resolution was defeated by the requisite majority.

Resolution 2

For 38,802,051 shares

Against 599,720 shares

The resolution was carried by the requisite majority.

[Macmoish]

QPR Official Site - March 2001

STATEMENT REGARDING POSSIBLE QPR MERGER WITH WIMBLEDON FC

In response to todays press speculation the board of Loftus Road makes the following statement:

"It is true that we are in very early stage discussions with Wimbledon Football Club about a possible merger.
It is not helpful that the news has leaked as we were intent on exploring the opportunity in a sensible and controlled
manner which included sending a letter to all season ticket holders, club members, and shareholders asking them of their opinion and whether the proposal is worth pursuing.
Should these discussions continue the questionnaires will be distributed in the near future and we welcome honest and constructive feedback.
The talks with Wimbledon will only continue if there is general approval from our supporter base.

Our initial view is that in the current financial environment for football outside the Premier League the idea could have merit and
maybe worth exploring further but we must emphasise it is still very early days and no firm agreement whatsoever has been reached.
Any merger will clearly be subject to the approval of the Football League, however the nature of the talks have included the possibility
of the new Club playing in Division One at Loftus Rd, with the name and colours reflecting elements of both Clubs.

At this time there is little more that can be said until the views of our supporters have been canvassed and a decision is made as to whether to take discussions further or not"

[Macmoish]

QPR Official Site - April 2, 2001


RANGERS IN ADMINISTRATION

The Board of Loftus Road PLC regrets to inform shareholders and supporters that after consultation with its advisors it has decided that the best course of action to help ensure the Group's longer term survival, is to put the holding company, Loftus Road PLC, and its wholly owned subsidiary The Queens Park Rangers Football and Athletic Club Ltd (QPR), into administration.

This decision has not been taken lightly and is a direct result of the losses incurred by the Group, currently running at £570,000 per month, over a sustained period of time.

The main objective of the Board is not only to ensure the continued operation of QPR and Wasps as professional sports teams in the short term, but to maximise their opportunity for a more prosperous future.

Chris Wright will be honouring his prior commitment to the Group and providing whatever financial support is necessary to ensure the continued running of the Clubs until a long term successor can be found or, initially, until at least the end of October 2001.

Chris Wright said :"It is a very sad day for everyone involved in Loftus Road. The last six months have been a real struggle financially and although my intention was to secure a sale to the right buyer before having to take this decision, it has not been forthcoming. I will continue to fund the day to day running of the Group until the end of the season and help to find a purchaser for QPR and Wasps.

Hopefully the day to day impact on the operation of QPR and Wasps as professional sports teams will be negligible, at least in the short term, and will in fact make the longer term more viable. My support for both Clubs remains undiminished and my greatest wish would be for the right individual with ready funds, energy and ideas to step in and secure their future as soon as possible."

[Macmoish]

Out Next Month

Chris Wright - One Way or Another: My Life in Music, Sport & Entertainment Hardcover – October 14, 2013


One Way Or Another is multi-millionaire rock, media and sport mogul Chris Wright's explosive autobiography. In it, Wright lifts the veil on the wheeling and dealing that propelled his company Chrysalis to the forefront of the pop industry - and how the fortune he made from rock enabled him to buy Queens Park Rangers FC, Wasps Rugby Club and a fistful of radio stations and TV production companies. Chris Wright signed bands like Jethro Tull and Ten Years After who were at the forefront of the British rock invasion of America that took place in the late sixties and early seventies, then went on to embrace punk with Blondie and Billy Idol, New Romantics with Ultravox and Spandau Ballet, 2-Tone stars The Specials and many more.

In a life story that reads like a Who's Who of the rock business, Wright spares no blushes in telling tales of sex, drugs and financial blowouts that made some rich and left others by the wayside. Ever the entrepreneur, Wright remained at the heart of the unfolding story that has become the contemporary entertainment industry, subsequently taking the Chrysalis brand into TV and radio. But his story goes beyond success in media and entertainment. In later years, Wright went on to own premiership football club Queens Park Rangers and rugby giants Wasps. Interwoven with a personal narrative that has all the twists and turns of a best-selling novel, One Way Or Another is a remarkable, truly gripping story of life at the top.

www.amazon.com/One-Way-Another-Music-Entertainment/dp/1783052287

[Macmoish]

Out next week.

(although of course QPR were not Premiership when he bought us (except in so far as we had just been relegated from)

www.omnibuspress.com/Product.aspx?ProductId=1096037

[stylecouncillor]

Amazon uk are actually offering the book at 33% of at £13.57 even though its not released until the 14th October. might be tempted having read Ollies account he seemed to like Wright in his autobiography and tells a story about wright offering a picture from his office wall to help fund the club I seem to recall.

[Macmoish]

Book scheduled for release today, I believe

[Macmoish]

Two years ago, QPR Net did a very interesting interview with Chris Wright

www.qprnet.com/index.php/interviews-2/int-officials/12-interview-wrightchris

[Jon Doeman]

My biggest misses, by Chris Wright, the man who turned down David Bowie - News - Music - The Independent

But now Chris Wright, one of the music business’s most successful hit-creators, has revealed the roll call of superstars and billion-dollar shows that he unwisely turned away.

The impressive list of greatest misses includes David Bowie, Dire Straits, The Kinks, The Spice Girls, the musical Cats and the Popstars talent show which was the precursor to The X Factor.

Wright, founder of the Chrysalis media group and former owner of QPR, discloses his “head-in-hands” moments in an autobiography, One Way Or Another, published on Monday. Despite discovering stars including Blondie and Spandau Ballet, building a hugely successful record company in the US and amassing a £70m fortune, he is brutally honest about his failures.

In 1971, Bowie was a one-hit wonder, “a pop artist, not an act with any longevity. He was in our office in Oxford Street all the time, often pleading with us for money to go and make demos. Our receptionist would ring around and we would all pretend to be out.” Chrysalis rejected his Hunky Dory album, an error softened by a decision, which still stands, to take 25 per cent of the singer’s publishing rights.

A move to sign The Kinks in New Orleans floundered, Wright admits, because “jet-lagged, I nodded off during their show. Ray Davies was not impressed, so that was probably why they signed with Clive Davis instead.” Dire Straits, who went on to sell 120 million albums, were dismissed for being “very good, but very very boring.”

The Spice Girls bounded into the Chrysalis office, miming to a backing track of “Wannabe”.

“They stood on Jeremy’s [the chief executive] desk and ended up sitting on his knee, not quite the sort of thing we were used to.” Chrysalis declined to increase a £250,000 bid on the basis that only one of the band could sing and none demonstrated songwriting potential. The quintet went elsewhere.

Wright turned down the chance to invest in Cats because he didn’t believe Andrew Lloyd Webber could write a hit without lyricist Tim Rice. “I went along to the first night and during the interval was congratulating myself on how I had made the right decision. Passing on the record-breaking, phenomenally successful Cats proved to be one of my very worst business decisions.”

Then there was the 80-million selling French synthesiser pioneer Jean Michel Jarre, a share in whom Wright rejected during a trip to Paris.

Passing on Popstars, the New Zealand format which inspired Pop Idol, was “another entry on the list of my most appalling business decisions,” Wright says. When he was presented with the singing competition concept, Wright sneered: “What, like Hughie Green’s Opportunity Knocks or New Faces? I’m not remotely interested in the kind of garbage you get on shows like that.”

“It was a huge opportunity missed, it could have been a gamechanger of the whole business because Chrysalis was the only company across music and TV,” Wright, 69, who sold Chrysalis for £107m in 2010, told The Independent.

He is philosophical about the litany of misses. “You get some right and you get some wrong,” Wright said.
Rock bottom: missing out

* Decca A&R man Dick Rowe gave The Beatles’s manager the bad news after listening to their 1962 demo. “Not to mince words, Mr Epstein, but we don’t like your boys’ sound. Groups are out.”

* Jimmy Lenner, boss of Millennium Music, was unimpressed with the demo sent by an aspiring New York disco diva in 1981. “I do not feel she is ready yet. I will pass for now.” Madonna auctioned the rejection letter 20 years later.

* U2’s long list of rejection letters before signing with Island included 1979 missives from RSO and Arista Records.
www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/my-biggest-misses-by-chris-wright-the-man-who-turned-down-david-bowie-8877675.html

[Jon Doeman]

After reading that, no surprise the mess he made of owning us..!!

[Macmoish]

Talk about "Ones That Got Away!"

[Bushman]

I wonder if these managed to find their way into his book.

[Macmoish]

STANDARD

Wright’s stuff lets effing insults fly

Thud! Chris Wright’s autobiography, One Way Or Another, about his time running the music and media group Chrysalis lands on City Spy’s desk.

One of the many incidents Wright recounts involves film producer and David, Lord Puttnam, a Chrysalis director, and Mick Pilsworth, chief executive of Chrysalis Television, during the Nineties.

“One volatile board meeting found Mick calling David a f***ing nutter and David calling Mick a f***wit, or was it the other way round?” writes Wright. “I insisted that Mick apologise, and when he refused, David set out to sue him, so it looked like the dispute was going to court.

“We even got as far as having counsel’s opinion on which was the worst insult: a f***wit or a f***ing nutter. I believe the baffling conclusion was that a f***wit was the greater insult.”

Chris Wright says Puttnam was “an enigma to me”, even after the Chrysalis boss read two books about the Chariots of Fire director to try to understand him. “Reading these books led me to make a dramatic decision: to close down the film division at the earliest possible opportunity,” recalls Wright. “The announcement was made instantly. I decided not to tell David.” Funnily enough, “when Puttnam found out, he hit the ceiling” and resigned very publicly by attacking “the unacceptable, and dictatorial, management issues at Chrysalis”. Wright notes dryly: “Fortunately, his letter of resignation did not generate the level of interest he had expected, our share price was unaffected, and things moved on.” But the pair kissed and made up. “Puttnam turned up at my office soon after with a gift for me: an old statue of a footballer, which still sits in my office.”

www.standard.co.uk/business/cityspy/city-spy-pyms-thoughts-could-be-magic-at-bbc-8879259.html

[Macmoish]

Chris and Gerry

[Macmoish]

Express Review
www.express.co.uk/entertainment/books/439060/One-Way-Or-Another-by-Chris-Wright-review


Sport also plays large in Wright's story and again he isn't prepared to sit on the side spectating. As owner of Wasps rugby union club he propelled it to massive success on the pitch.

His time in charge of Queens Park Rangers proved less of a triumph and again honesty shines through in his telling of the story, giving a revealing insight into the business side of the game and the emotional and financial cost he paid for his love of the club.

"When it comes to football all similarities to normal business disappear out of the window completely," he says, reflecting ruefully on his time at Loftus Road.

There's more honesty when he chronicles the tangled ups and downs of a complicated personal life.

[stylecouncillor]

I have actually bought this as it appeals on the QPR and music front to me. not really got into yet though on a quick scan through the QPR years was surprised to read that Wright approached john Madejski to merge us with Reading after the Wimbledon park Rangers debacle fell apart. Ive not heard this before is it common knowledge?

[Macmoish]

Not common knowledge to me!
I saw something about Us/Reading but without any reference or anything... So anything else you read will be interesting

[Lonegunmen]

Credit due, at least he is honest about it.

[Bushman]

Oct 28, 2013 22:06:45 GMT Lonegunmen said:

Credit due, at least he is honest about it.

Bloke is as slippery as an eel.

[peterg]

I don't recall any serious speculation about a merger with Reading but what lifelong QPR fan wouldn't try to merge us with the fakers!

[Deleted]

chris wright is a c#nt

[Lonegunmen]

Oct 28, 2013 22:17:37 GMT Bushman said:

Oct 28, 2013 22:06:45 GMT Lonegunmen said:

Credit due, at least he is honest about it.

Bloke is as slippery as an eel.

As slippery as a tube of KY?

[Deleted]

Why would you trust a man who thinks blondie and Spandau ballet are better than dire straits and bowie.

[Lonegunmen]

Oct 29, 2013 19:32:19 GMT @superhooper1972 said:

Why would you trust a man who thinks blondie and Spandau ballet are better than dire straits and bowie.

Good point.

[Macmoish]

I never bought it or read Chris Wright's Book, but looking on line, see parts of it can be read online, including parts re his time at QPR

See

Chris Wright/QPR


and



Chris Wright Book

[sharky]

Oct 28, 2013 23:36:33 GMT @mountpleasantrangers said:

chris wright is a c#nt

I miss Maude. Never one to mince words our Maude

[Macmoish]

Bump - RIP David Bowie (I found a sort-of QPR connection..)

Oct 14, 2013 10:02:16 GMT Jon Doeman said:

My biggest misses, by Chris Wright, the man who turned down David Bowie - News - Music - The Independent

But now Chris Wright, one of the music business’s most successful hit-creators, has revealed the roll call of superstars and billion-dollar shows that he unwisely turned away.

The impressive list of greatest misses includes David Bowie, Dire Straits, The Kinks, The Spice Girls, the musical Cats and the Popstars talent show which was the precursor to The X Factor.

Wright, founder of the Chrysalis media group and former owner of QPR, discloses his “head-in-hands” moments in an autobiography, One Way Or Another, published on Monday. Despite discovering stars including Blondie and Spandau Ballet, building a hugely successful record company in the US and amassing a £70m fortune, he is brutally honest about his failures.

In 1971, Bowie was a one-hit wonder, “a pop artist, not an act with any longevity. He was in our office in Oxford Street all the time, often pleading with us for money to go and make demos. Our receptionist would ring around and we would all pretend to be out.” Chrysalis rejected his Hunky Dory album, an error softened by a decision, which still stands, to take 25 per cent of the singer’s publishing rights.

A move to sign The Kinks in New Orleans floundered, Wright admits, because “jet-lagged, I nodded off during their show. Ray Davies was not impressed, so that was probably why they signed with Clive Davis instead.” Dire Straits, who went on to sell 120 million albums, were dismissed for being “very good, but very very boring.”

The Spice Girls bounded into the Chrysalis office, miming to a backing track of “Wannabe”.

“They stood on Jeremy’s [the chief executive] desk and ended up sitting on his knee, not quite the sort of thing we were used to.” Chrysalis declined to increase a £250,000 bid on the basis that only one of the band could sing and none demonstrated songwriting potential. The quintet went elsewhere.

Wright turned down the chance to invest in Cats because he didn’t believe Andrew Lloyd Webber could write a hit without lyricist Tim Rice. “I went along to the first night and during the interval was congratulating myself on how I had made the right decision. Passing on the record-breaking, phenomenally successful Cats proved to be one of my very worst business decisions.”

Then there was the 80-million selling French synthesiser pioneer Jean Michel Jarre, a share in whom Wright rejected during a trip to Paris.

Passing on Popstars, the New Zealand format which inspired Pop Idol, was “another entry on the list of my most appalling business decisions,” Wright says. When he was presented with the singing competition concept, Wright sneered: “What, like Hughie Green’s Opportunity Knocks or New Faces? I’m not remotely interested in the kind of garbage you get on shows like that.”

“It was a huge opportunity missed, it could have been a gamechanger of the whole business because Chrysalis was the only company across music and TV,” Wright, 69, who sold Chrysalis for £107m in 2010, told The Independent.

He is philosophical about the litany of misses. “You get some right and you get some wrong,” Wright said.
Rock bottom: missing out

* Decca A&R man Dick Rowe gave The Beatles’s manager the bad news after listening to their 1962 demo. “Not to mince words, Mr Epstein, but we don’t like your boys’ sound. Groups are out.”

* Jimmy Lenner, boss of Millennium Music, was unimpressed with the demo sent by an aspiring New York disco diva in 1981. “I do not feel she is ready yet. I will pass for now.” Madonna auctioned the rejection letter 20 years later.

* U2’s long list of rejection letters before signing with Island included 1979 missives from RSO and Arista Records.
www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/my-biggest-misses-by-chris-wright-the-man-who-turned-down-david-bowie-8877675.html