Level 7

[hahninator]

Soooooo someone brought up Level 7 on the LPU the other day, and I said:

 

"level 7 isn't going to happen anytime soon. julien-k and the dead by sunrise cds were going to go on it, but JK is doing an online format release and DBS is through warner unfortunately. something happened that is preventing it from taking place (level 7). warner possibly said HELL NO, lol."

 

NoFace, an LPUer posted this reply. Check this shit out.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

I think that Level 7 already happened for years, and its leader was actually sued in 2004 by one of its former workers.

 

Behind this company is Henry T. Nicholas III, who is reportedly "under indictment for felony drug, conspiracy, and securities fraud. The indictment included a slew of drug and sex related allegations summed up by the The Times: "a sex cave", "fully stocked warehouse of drugs", and "a brothel’s worth of prostitutes on the payroll"

 

In 2007, Kenji Kato, a very close administrative assistant of Henry Nicholas had filed a civil suit against this person.

 

Nicholas said he had been counseled not to discuss the stock options probe or the allegations in the civil suit. But he did say that Kato sank into drug abuse while working for him at Level 7, a music and media company.

In subsequent court filings, Kato also alleged that Nicholas secretly spiked the drinks of business associates with drugs, ordered aides to fill balloons with laughing gas to entertain party guests and left drug paraphernalia strewn about a second Newport Coast house owned by Nicholas where Level 7 had a recording studio.

In addition to being Nicholas’ assistant, Kato also worked for Level 7, which has worked with bands including Linkin Park. Bands occasionally recorded and partied at the home where Level 7 had its studio.

“On regular occasions Nicholas disputed the allegations. He said he helped Chester Bennington, the singer for Linkin Park, kick an addiction to alcohol and prescription drugs, which Bennington confirmed Friday. “When you wake up and have a Jack Daniel’s for breakfast, it’s a pretty bad sign,” Bennington said.

 

Denise Boudreau, who is described in Kato’s declaration as a purveyor of drugs to Nicholas, called the accusation “ridiculous.”

 

“It was so over the top it was funny,” said Boudreau, who works for Level 7. “I thought Kenji was losing it.”

Source: The Los Angeles Times

 

Linkin Park is involved or just Chester?

 

Since leaving Broadcom, Nicholas has launched several enterprises that have gone nowhere. Level 7, a recording company he started with the band Linkin Park, is now in what he calls "suspended animation." His pledge, announced last year, to donate more than $10 million to UC Irvine has yet to come to fruition.

Source: OC's Register

 

In document "Declaration of Kenji Kato"

 

Towards the end of 2004, he (Nicholas) decided to create a media company called Level 7. I was the first person to come on board and help him develop this company. Our objective with this was to help some of our musician friends make records and distribute them under a cutting edge, technology oriented business model. We build recording studios, and hired musicians to record music and create content for Level 7. I assisted with artist management, accounting and business development.

...

Unfortunately, Nick's pain, suffering, and drug abuse were extreme, and it was difficult to discuss and handle business matters with him. It was increasingly difficult to be associated with an endeavor, Level 7, that was headed by a person, Nick, who would rather always party than work.

On another note, Ryan Shuck (Orgy/ Julien-K, Dead By Sunrise) was friends with Nicholas through a campaign against Prop 66 in California.

 

Nearby, two hard rockers sporting spiked hair and, in one case, a 4-inch goatee stood out in the mostly Republican crowd. Ryan Shuck, a guitarist with Orgy, and David Silvera, the drummer with Korn, described themselves as “Republican rockers” and came as friends of former Broadcom Chief Executive Henry Nicholas, who donated more than $4 million to defeat Proposition 66.

Source: LA Times

 

Orgy was also invited to Henry's 40th birthday party.

 

The funniest thing is Kenji Kato (mentioned above) is referred by Henry Nicholas as 'Secret Asian Man' (according to Kenji Kato's declaration). If you read Mike Shinoda's blog, you would find some similarity here.

 

Thoughts?

 

(Thanks Enigmatic on the LPfiction MB for the tips and some articles)

[Papelbon]

I saw this the other day over there, can you give me and other people a little bit of back story?? Other than Chester started a label with some people? Or is that pretty much it???

[ana]

idnt get it...i need some base-information please

[linkinmetalfanatic]

haha i dont understand either

[mariana]

lol me neither

Edited December 15, 2008 by mariana

[LPxDC]

so what does this mean??

[immortalsoul]

I get it but I gotta say I'm a Julien-K hardcore fan, so yeah... The only thing I'm unsure about: What's the deal with that Kenji Kato guy? You were referring to Mike's blog, but what did you want to point out with that? "Secret Asian Man"?