The central question for Brown. when contemplating any new musician, was whether to license that artist`s music for a limited period of time or to produce and own the artists master recording outright. In the short term, it was cheaper for Compass to license a recording, but it also limited the company’s potential profit. If Compass Records purchased a musician’s master recording and the album failed to take off, however, the company risked owning a significantly impaired asset. This issue and a host of others gathered momentum in Brown‘s mind while the gentle melodies of Roscommon’s demo filled the thick southern air in her office