Cashback for (not) good

Michael M emails us with the news that Jason Orange ended up in tears when he sang. And not in a Johnny Ray way, either:

Take That singer Jason Orange was left in tears after recording the solo vocals for a new album track, according to The Sun. The group were reportedly in Los Angeles finishing their new record Beautiful World when the singer broke down. After recording the lead solo vocals for 'Wooden Boat' Orange apparently began crying because he was so proud of his efforts. He has come under much scrutiny as a singer in the past, and was accused by journalists of only being in Take That because of his skills as a dancer.

Maybe he sobbed, but we bet the sobs were nothing to the frightened cries that little children have been bursting into during the ITV trail for An Audience With Take That when Gary Barlow appears - out of nowhere the screen is filled with Barlow looking like something midway between the star of an Al-Qaeda suicide video and those hapless blokes entrapped by US television into turning up at thirteen year old girls' homes carrying duct tape and condoms. Barlow isn't a bad-looking bloke for his age, so it's a tribute to the lack of talent at ITV that they manage to make him look less like a person you'd invite into your living room to sing a few pop songs than a bloke who has chewed through his electronic ankle tag and set off a nationwide police search.

Take That have offered their record label their money back if the album is poorly received - a first for the music industry.

If this is true, you'd have to ask what, exactly, the role of the record label is here - if they've been indemnified by their artists, then what is the risk to them in releasing the album? And if there is no risk, then for what are they being rewarded with profits?

If this is true, and Take That have the funds to underwrite the album, then they've just cut a deal so stupid it makes Robbie William's gurning face look like the Buddah. If you could afford to pay for the album, boys, then... why didn't you?

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