David Bowie Dumps Virgin

Rocker David Bowie, after years of butting heads with the powers that be, has left Virgin Records and will be starting his own label. Bowie’s current contract is coming to an end and he announced on his web site, davidbowie.com, that he would be starting his own record company, ISO. The rocker states on his web site, "Many times I’ve not been in agreement with how things are done and as a writer of some proliferation, frustrated at how slow and lumbering it all is. I’ve dreamed of embarking on my own set-up for such a long time and now is the perfect opportunity."

Eonline.com noted that Bowie’s "quest for independence was apparently facilitated by Virgin, which failed to exercise its option in time to keep him." This does not bode well for Virgin, which reportedly lost $38 million last year. Bowie’s latest album, which is still untitled, was set for release on March 12 with Virgin, but will probably be released under the new label ISO at a different time.

Bowie, 54, will release all his future albums with his new label. This will allow him to control the marketing of his albums as well as working to get new artists heard. The new label has already begun signing new talent and will be opening offices in London and New York. Bowie refuses to name the two new artists he has signed, a solo artist and a band.