Some e-mails between Tony Brummel of Victory Records and Steve Jobs of Apple have leaked. Read those below.

Tony Brummel And Steve Jobs E-mails

On Apr 12, 2006, at 4:28 PM, ----@victoryrecords.com: ----@victoryrecords.com wrote:
Steve,
I doubt that this will reach you but I figured I'd give it a shot.
As a fellow entrepreneur I find it quite strange how your "music" people have treated my company. I am not like the guys at the major record labels. I am a self-made entrepreneur. My counterparts are ultimately employees that do not have the flexibility or ability to operate with real creativity in an industry that requires such.
Victory Records is a lifestyle company and a brand that has always marched to the beat of its own drum and operated contrary to industry standards. That is a major reason why we are the ..1 Independent label in the country. The entire music industry and many music fans also know that we are not in business with iTunes.
I have tried to engage your folks in proactive discussions regarding how we can work together since April 2004. Unfortunately, they showed no interest, creativity or entrepreneurial thought regarding a relationship between our companies/brands. In fact, the dialogue was extremely disrespectful and typified everything that I thought your company was not. Wal-Mart has shown us more respect. We currently have our second Victory Records only endcap at Best Buy. Why are we the only label that Best Buy has ever worked with in this capacity? Because the Victory consumer is a coveted one.
The majority of the people that buy our albums are 12-24 year old music fanatics that are typically two steps ahead of the next big trend. As the leading independent label in the country we are very in synch with our supporters as they are with us.
From a business standpoint I was always a fan of your work and Apple. Was everything I read false propaganda? I\'d prefer to see our companies working together in a proactive and revolutionary way but your "music" people elimated that via their pompous, uneducated and condescending demeanor. That does not help you. It does not help me either.
I believe that there are synergies that could benefit us both. I hate to see collectively wasted opportunity.

Regards,
Tony Brummel

PS: Right now, the Victory Records Podcast is the 9th most popular 'Music' category podcast on iTunes.

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From: Steve Jobs [mailto:-----@apple.com: -----@apple.com ]
Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2006 7:11 PM
To: Tony Brummel
Subject: Re: The ..1 Independent Label in the US

So what do you want that we are unwilling to agree to?

Steve

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On Apr 12, 2006, at 5:26 PM, ----@victoryrecords.com: ----@victoryrecords.com wrote:

I want to work with people that respect and care about our brand beyond being sent a weblink to fill out an "app".
For Victory and iTunes to work together it should be something special.
"The ..1 Independent label joins forces with iTunes".... its a great headline/story and business. More importantly, its a great PR campaign if people are prepared to think outside of the box and see the bigger picture here. It would be cutting edge, "anti-corporate" (which fits the Apple image) and revolutionary.
Everyone would win.
I am always looking for new allies and partners where everyone can mutually win.

---------------
From: Steve Jobs [mailto:-----@apple.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2006 7:28 PM
To: Tony Brummel
Subject: Re: The ..1 Independent Label in the US

I don't see us doing a major PR campaign around this - we have too much on our plate that's more important to our music efforts right now.
But we can get your music on iTunes. What's holding that up?

Steve

---------------
From: Tony Brummel
Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2006 8:11 PM
To: Steve Jobs
Subject: RE: The ..1 Independent Label in the US

At least I now know that being the ..1 Independent Record Label in the biggest music market in the world has no meaning to Apple.
The majors were not thinking when they gave you their content for free without negotiating a % of each hard drive sold and/or equity in Apple or bonuses on increases in the company's valuation. I have had 4 iPods die on me already (I ripped my 'physical' music collection). Kudos to you though- it was a masterful plan and you preyed upon and capitalized on the major record company's desperation for a new revenue stream.
The Independent sector is where new trends, ideas, thought processes and innovations always originate. Apple's corporate image projects innovation, individuality and being 'ahead of the curve'. My small, 40 person, privately held operation had three albums on my industry's Top 200 last week- two of which were in the Top 50. Not alot changes in the music industry though so Apple seems to be fitting right in.
Your response will save me alot of time and effort moving forward. I appreciate the courtesy of you responding to my attempt to be in business together.
As a human being - congratulations on beating cancer last year. Take Care.

Can someone please explain to me what TB's beef with Apple is anyway?

Wow, thats interesting.

"As a human being - congratulations on beating cancer last year. Take Care."
thats awesome, but i can't decide whether he is a cocky bastard or not because i never really thought of who was biggest independent label. hmmmmmmm

with that cocky attitude he wont be #1 for very long, fans will stop buying. Look where a cocky attitude got Yellowcard.

He's such a dick.

No band should ever sign to Victory, all the ones that get caught up in it(unless they're Hawthorne Heights, great guys, but won't hear a bad thing about Victory) hate it and try to get out.

Actually Mr. Brummel, Disney is the #1 independent label in the country/world. Good luck topping them...

yeah, if your label is for the fans, then just put your albums on iTunes. Seriously, I am tired of seeing all these teenieboppers with their playlists of "GET HAWTHORNE HEIGHTSSZZZ ON ITUNESSSZZZ 0MGZZZ!!!". Be there for your fans.

haha this is the fakest shit ive ever read. its such an attempt and making Tony look like a BAMF that is too punk to take such a small venture opportunity from a big corporate leader. "Ew, I dont want our music on iTunes, i want Hawthorne Heights to have the next 'U2 inspired' iPod!!!1!!" Shut the fuck up Tony. You are such a piece of shit, it makes me sick. And if he did make that ridiculous, sarcastic remark about beating cancer, someone remind me to kick him in the nuts whenever i cross his path.

hahahah i love steve jobs.
tony brummel says the exact same thing in every one of his emails, eventually people are going to stop caring.
victiory is the 1 independant label! and then it's ridiculous that ANY time someone doesn't want to work with them, then all of a sudden thier anti-revolution, anti-independant, you know...maybe apple just didn't want to excommunicate the 09876543 other bands and labels it works with to function solely on a subpar label.

steve jobs was polite and funny with his responses.

I really don't see how TB's being too much of a dick there. Being the top label in an industry does usually have its benefits and he sees working with Apple as a big business opportunity for both companies. Is he extremely frank and sometimes cynical in that? Yeah. But he doesn't want Victory to bend over and take it from Apple, and that's something that a lot of labels do...sort of sell their souls to the devil.