The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #100526 Message #2354938
Posted By: GUEST
02-Jun-08 - 05:51 AM
Thread Name: Let's talk about the CELTIC WOMAN Women!!
Subject: RE: Let's talk about the CELTIC WOMAN Women!!
screamingbuffalo1969
It would take me way too long to explain everything here because its 3 years of information. First off let me say that you are incorrect about U2 financing this out fit. They had nothing to do with it in any way. Sharon Browne bought Ktel records in Ireland around 1995 - 1996. Because of her buyout she already had several artists signed on with the former label KTel. She changed the name of the company to Celtic Collections and the new company was born. David Downs was working for her at age 17 as a musical director and he and Sharon produced several albums for the new company. In July 2004 Gustavo Sagastume of PBS approached Sharon about a show for PBS. Sharon thought it was a great idea and was determined to launch the idea she and David Downs had been working on for many years. The Helix production cost $1 million to produce. Sharon took out a second on her home to finance the Helix production but it wasn't enough. So she went to Dave Kavanagh for the remainder of the financing. U2 had nothing to do with it as U2 fired Dave Kavanagh 25 years earlier for the same fraud he is committing today. Its led to many lawsuits on both sides. The entire production came together in less then 5 weeks. Dave Kavanagh made arrangements to launch this as a tour production and he and Sharon Brown entered into an equal partnership agreement with EMI. EMI is the owner of this outfit. Ivan Gavin the COO was the EMI link to the newly formed company. Dave Kavanagh was the chief executive and Gavin was under him at the request of EMI. Sharon Brown remained as managing director until the filming of New Journey. Sharon worked on New Journey and Gavin took her place during that production. At the same time Scott Porter (Lisa Kelly's husband) was named "company production manager". After the filming of New Journey, Dave Kavanagh somehow got control of Sharon's interest in the company and she was fired. Scott Porter was put in her place and Ivan Gavin left EMI and CW around the same time. Scott Porter was name as the general manager and the company was renamed Celtic Woman LDT/Celtic Woman Collections LTD in the late summer of 2006. Sharon went on to start a new company and create the second edition of her original project named "Celtic Man". Kavanagh wasnt happy about that and he filed a lawsuit on 1/4/2008 in federal court in New York case number 1:2008cv00066. the following are lised in the suit. Celtic Thunder Ltd., Celtic Man Ltd., Sharon Browne, WLIW LLC, Align Entertainment Group LLC and Gustavo Sagastume. He didnt want this production to compete with Celtic Woman or his new production "The High Kings".
"When you say that Lisa, 'turned to the dark side', just what do you mean??" What I mean by that is Lisa is no longer a performer. She is management. As a result of her 27 year old husbands promotion as the GM she has turned into a Prima Donna and Diva. Orlagh was the first to voice her unhappiness with this arangment as she wasnt allowed to have her family accompany her on tour and Lisa was given the special treatment. Orlagh voiced this as early the fall 2006 Japan tour. Basically Lisa is not the person I knew and as a result her webmaster pulled her sites for nonpayment for the design in March 2007.
The crew are prohibited from comunicating in anyway with any of the fans. Kavanagh forbids it on any level but there are a few that they do keep in contact with.
The girls themselves and the choir members are also prohibited from working on their own projects under the new management. This along with the total control that the management has is causing several in the group to depart.
I cold go on and on here but in the final analysis you sumed it up correctly. "it wouldn't be the first time management killed the goose that lays the golden egg!!...." I have come to the conclusion that Kavanagh hates the fans with a passion and hates the artists just as much. I think his being fired b U2 changed him for life and his position is Ill destroy them before they ever have the chance to do that to me again.