The CEO of a musical instruments retailer has responded to online backlash after a viral Reddit post revealed his sudden dismissal of 99 contracted freelancers and employees. The post has since been deleted by Reddit moderators.
According to a screenshot of a Slack message posted by the Reddit user and intern, the CEO of The Musician’s Club (and its subsidiary, The Brass Club) was dissatisfied with the poor turnout of a meeting reportedly scheduled for the company’s 110 employees. “11 employees” showed up to the meeting, reads the message. The CEO, Baldvin Oddsson, appears to have then fired the 99 employees who didn’t show, telling them to “Get the fuck out of [his] business right now.”
MusicTech has heard audio clips of one of the company’s subsequent internal meetings and seen further screenshots from Slack conversations. The provided material appears to represent a number of employees expressing frustration and confusion at the mass firing, with one employee — reportedly in a managerial role — claiming: “The main issue [with the company] is our CEO…That’s not gonna change.” A message from Oddsson at 8:24 AM also reads: “Anyone who is not [in the meeting] will be fired at 1 PM today”.
In an official statement to MusicTech, Oddsson says that he’s received “an overwhelming amount of attention – both positive and negative. While some attempted to ‘cancel’ me, it has completely backfired. Our traffic has surged to over 20,000 views, sales are at an all-time high, and we’re receiving hundreds of applications daily.”
The Reddit user and intern, who asked to remain anonymous, has told MusicTech that they joined The Brass Club on 15 November, fulfilling an unpaid cybersecurity role.
The intern posted on the r/MildlyInfuriating Subreddit on 15 November, “an hour” after joining the company, stating that Oddsson had fired a majority of the 110 employees. The post says, “I joined an internship and an hour later the entire team got fired.” In another comment, they add: “The company is just a startup…[It] relies on remote interns.”
The CEO’s full Slack message, originally shared on Reddit as a screenshot by the purported intern, reads:
“Dear Team…This is Baldvin, the CEO.
“For those of you who did not show up to the meeting this morning, consider this your official notice: you’re all fired. You failed to do what you agreed to, you failed to complete your part of the contract, and you failed to show up to the meetings you were supposed to attend and work for.
“I will cancel all agreements between us. Please return anything you have, sign out of all accounts, and remove yourself from this Slack immediately.
“I gave you an opportunity to make your life better, to work hard, and to grow. Yet you have shown me that you don’t take this seriously. Out of 110 people, only 11 were present this morning. Those 11 get to stay. The rest of you are terminated.
“Get the fuck out of my business right now.”
An anonymous source at The Brass Club tells MusicTech that “there was virtually no notice of a meeting…At around 8:23 AM CST, [Oddsson] threatened anyone who did not show up to be fired,” adding that it “sent the group leaders and long-time workers into a frenzy.”
On the Reddit post, the intern comments that after “attending a meeting and hearing about the terrible work conditions caused by the CEO, I deactivated my account and left. There’s no way I’m going to put work into this potential headache of a company.”
The Musicians Club, based in Wyoming, is an online marketplace specialising in musical instruments and accessories. According to Oddsson’s LinkedIn profile, he founded the company in 2022.
The full official statement Oddsson provided to MusicTech reads:
“Over the past weekend, I’ve received an overwhelming amount of attention — both positive and negative. While some attempted to ‘cancel’ me, it has completely backfired. Our traffic has surged to over 20,000 views, sales are at an all-time high, and we’re receiving hundreds of applications daily.
“I’ve had more than 300 messages, including inquiries from CEOs, industry leaders, and major newspapers requesting interviews. I will do my best to respond over the next few days. I stand by my decisions and the values we uphold. Firing those individuals was the right move for our organization, and we are stronger than ever.
“Thank you to everyone who has reached out and supported us through this. The momentum is undeniable, and we are excited to keep moving forward.”
Read more music industry news.
