Dorian Tries Again
By Jon Iverson April 4, 2005 — When we last left them, a troubled Dorian Group had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. In mid-January, the company issued a statement indicating that it would liquidate its assets and begin requesting bids for the purchase of the company in a sealed bidding process authorized by the US Bankruptcy Court, Northern New York District.

The bidding, originally to have ended on February 18, 2005 and extended to February 25, resulted in only one bid, which was not accepted by the court and "considered not responsive." In a statement dated March 29, the company says it anticipates that on or around April 6, the court will approve "the solicitation of additional bids."

In addition to its recording and mastering equipment and its various inventories and trademarks, Dorian says that the "combined Dorian Recordings and Dorian Discovery catalog" are again up for bid. An interesting option, now available in this second round, is for artists to be able to bid specifically on their own master recordings and contracts.

One asset in contention, however, is the catalog of Reference Recordings, which Dorian arranged to purchase in May, 2003.

The original principals of RR, including Marcia Martin and Tam Henderson, have claimed throughout the bankruptcy proceedings that Dorian never properly consummated its purchase of RR, and therefore should not be able to include its assets in the bankruptcy liquidation process.

According to Martin, "We don't know what the future holds for Reference Recordings, but we certainly feel that ethically and morally we should get it back. We have never received any payment for the label, not one penny. The other conditions of our contract, such as employment for Tam Henderson and Keith Johnson, and continued recordings made and released at a rate of at least six per year, have also not been honored."