Adam Lambert Upset Over Release of Songwriting Demos

Adam Lambert is battling indie label Hi Fi Recordings over the release of his old songwriting demos. The label announced that they would release On With The Show, an album Lambert recorded pre-American Idol, sometime this summer.

On June 25, Lambert issued the following statement:

“Last Friday I was surprised to find out that songs I recorded back in 2005 were being released. Since then I discovered the entire track listing, revealed online today. I was shocked to learn that songwriting demos of songs that I cowrote and recorded over the past few years may be released in an album. Like a rough draft that a writer does before finishing a book, I did not intend my work on these demos to be heard by the public. I was unaware that anyone intended to release these recordings until I heard about it in the press, and I’m very disappointed by this entire situation.”

Hi Fi shot back on June 26, saying, “As we’ve already outlined, releasing this music was always the plan. That plan was changed by 19 Recordings after Adam won America over with his extraordinary talent. It’s a shame that his management/record company choose to disavow their client’s work and discredit him as a songwriter. As an independent company whose role it is to help put this out, we at Hi Fi think this is an absolute slap in the face to Wilshire Records. That small indie music company, run by an experienced music producer, Malcolm Welsford, thrives on finding, nurturing and championing new talent, and now they find themselves at a tremendous potential loss. Adam’s songwriting partner, Monte Pittman now finds himself at a tremendous potential loss. Via the press, in the words of the musician they dedicated so much time and money to, they are being told that their work with Adam should never see the light of day.”

Hi Fi then went on to allude to Michael Jackson: “We apologize for what has become a tiresome tit for tat, particularly on a day that we mourn the loss of a truly original, game-changing entertainer, but unfortunately, each statement released in Adam’s name contains a different story. We remain steadfast in our assertion that we seek only to share the music Adam wrote, according to plan, so his fans know the depth of his talent and see that he will be handsomely rewarded for his work.”

One track from the album, “Want,” is currently available on iTunes.