May 1, 1981.
After a night of celebration from the Sub Pop Inc staff and crew, including Chris Cornell and his sessionist band members.
Joseph Kennedy Sr. was called for a meeting the next day with Sharon Osbourne and her management team.
With the news of the "reshuffling" of front acts for Ozzy Osbourne's month of May tour, he accepted the news graciously and instead thanked Sharon Osbourne and her husband for the opportunity. He knew this would happen, James already told him that the original band that should be fronting Ozzy Osbourne in this tour was supposed to be Motorhead.
James and Joseph Kennedy Sr were always ready for these kinds of scenarios, and with the new found big money from the system, James was not afraid anymore to go the distance with promoting Chris Cornell.
They even had two distributors already in contact for nationwide distribution. So, with the cancellation of fronting for Ozzy Osbourne, opportunities were still there and they have grabbed it tightly.
—--------------------------------------NEXT SCENE--------------------------------------------------------
Later that day, James and Joseph Kennedy Sr had a meeting with Chris Cornell.
Chris Cornell walks in, towel around his shoulders, sweat dripping after a session with the exercise bike. He was smiling.
He grinned as he said to the two, "That felt good."
Joseph Kennedy Sr. gently said, "We need to talk."
He added, "You are not on the May dates, Chris."
Chris Cornell was shocked hearing it. "What?"
He followed, "Sharon's replacing you with Motörhead. Management decision. Not a reflection on your performance."
Chris Cornell still felt pain in his heart even with those words. "I brought crowds out. The fans... they knew the words already." He muttered enough for Joseph Kennedy Sr and James to hear.
Joseph Kennedy Sr praised. "You were brilliant. That is not the issue."
He leaned a bit closer to Chris Cornell and said "This is the business. Jet Records does not gain from your buzz. But they will be from Motörhead. Politics, not talent."
James butted in and said, "Do not worry, man, I am preparing something for you this month. We move forward and let them regret it later."
Chris Cornell looked at his 11 year old boss, he saw the determination in James's eyes so he could only sigh in response. He knew that without this kid boss in front of him, he would not even dare to dream what he had experienced until that moment, so he put his full trust in him.
—--------------------------------------NEXT SCENE--------------------------------------------------------
May 3, 1981.
The California sun pours through the window of Jem Records' L.A. regional office. The vinyl-lined walls carry the mood of punk, hard rock, and New Wave. At a conference table sits Joseph Kennedy Sr., sharp in his gray wool and red tie. Across from him, a more alert, almost eager version of Tom Levine, regional rep for Jem, flips through press clippings and fanzines with headlines like:
"Cornell Crushes It! The Voice of a New Age?"
"Teen Thunder: Soundgarden Opens for Ozzy, Leaves a Mark"
"Sub Pop's Secret Weapon Isn't So Secret Anymore"
Tom Levine started by saying "I will admit it, Joseph... When you pitched us back in March, I thought you were just another smooth talker repping a noisy garage act."
Joseph Kennedy Sr. smiled. "Understandable. Many have noise. Few have presence. Chris Cornell has both."
Tom Levine smiled back. "He owned that Ozzy Osbourne tour. The Cobo Arena buzz alone is still spinning in Jersey. Detroit, Boston, Chicago, fans were coming early for your boy. That is rare."
Joseph Kennedy Sr. nodded. "And fanzines are catching up. The Rocket and Backlash are getting reprints. Sub Pop Inc has tripled demand at local stores. So let us talk about the national rollout."
Tom Levine replied. "Alright. You have earned leverage. We want in. What is the ask?"
Joseph Kennedy Sr. answered with his sharp and clear voice. "Full United States distribution of Ultramega OK, vinyl and cassette. Sub Pop Inc retains the full creative control, with option to renegotiate for CD down the line. Pressing minimum: 10,000 units, staggered by region."
Tom Levine sits back thinking. Then after a few moments, he said "That is a jump. Normally we would test with 3,000. But okay, Ozzy Osbourne's tour changed the math. What is your ideal split?"
Joseph Kennedy Sr. answered with "70/30 in our favor after pressing and shipping costs. Jem handles warehousing and retail access. We handle tour marketing and in-store promo ourselves."
Tom Levine put his thinking expression back. "You are asking for a premium cut. But with that buzz…" He nodded after some moment and added "Fine. 70/30, first run. But if we are restocking before summer, we want a revised deal on run two. Say, 60/40?
Joseph Kennedy Sr. smiled at Tom Levine's offer. "Fair. Let us add a clause: If unit sell-through exceeds 75% by August 1st, Sub Pop holds the option for another 70/30 for the second pressing."
Tom Levin grinned when he heard those words. "You really are a bastard with contracts. But I like it."
They shook hands after signing the deal with a lawyer in tow. A secretary enters to grab the signed deal memo. The future of Chris Cornell has started in motion.
And as per the deal signed:
[Distributor: Jem Records Inc.]
[Initial Pressing: 10,000 units (vinyl + cassette)]
[Split: 70% Sub Pop Inc. / 30% Jem (after pressing & shipping costs)]
[Territory: Nationwide (U.S.) via Jem's distro networks]
[Promotional Duties:]
[Sub Pop Inc.: Artist marketing, in-store posters, and tour logistics]
[Jem Records: Warehousing, regional shipping, retail placement]
[Review Clause:]
[If 75% sell-through reached by August 1, Sub Pop may retain 70/30 split on reprint]
[Otherwise, reprint moves to 60/40 (favoring Sub Pop still)]