INDUSTRY CHATTER: EMI Music top brass denied...

INDUSTRY CHATTER: EMI Music top brass denied rumors this week that Charles Koppelman, the new chairman and chief executive officer of EMI Records Group in North America, is preparing to slash one quarter of Capitol Records’ 80-act roster before Gary Gersh takes over as the label’s president on July 5. Although sources say Gersh and Koppelman have drafted an official hit list, company executives insist that no wholesale gutting will take place. Instead, unwanted acts will be dropped quietly, one by one.

Gersh has started to assemble his new executive team, though, with former A&M; Records vice president Patrick Clifford and former Island Records vice president Kim Buie, who had recently started work with Capitol-owned Liberty in Nashville, joining the Capitol A&R; staff. Meanwhile, look for Depeche Mode manager Bruce Kirkland to head to the Capitol Tower in a senior marketing post.