Monday 30 September 2013, 11:11 | By Aly Barchi

Approved: Connan Mockasin

CMU Approved

If New Zealand psych-head Connan Mockasin’s ‘Forever Dolphin Love’ album was bizarre, and it was, his follow-on ‘Caramel’ looks as if it’ll wax stranger still.

I’m basing this calculation on plain, inarguable facts, mainly that it carries on the ‘Dolphin Love’ narrative, that of a marine mammal’s doomed affair with a non-dolphin ‘boss-man’, features five variations on a track titled ‘It’s Your Body’, and has a lead single in ‘I’m The Man, That Will Find You’, which moves in very weird circles indeed.

Which isn’t to say I don’t like it, or Mockasin’s mad handling of its squidgy main catchphrase, and the way that pines away into a crazed refrain. I mean, I can love a thing and still be slightly scared of it, right?

Warner Music UK chief to stand down

Business News Industry People Labels & Publishers Top Stories

Christian Tattersfield

Warner Music UK boss Christian Tattersfield will step down next February, it’s been confirmed, with his successor – Atlantic Records UK chief Max Lousada – becoming co-CEO of the British division with immediate effect.

As of next February Lousada will become sole CEO of Warner Music UK, as well as continuing in his role of Chairman of Atlantic UK, reporting directly into overall Warner Music chief Stephen Cooper. The boss of Warner’s other main UK division, the recently combined Parlophone and Warner Bros, Miles Leonard, will then report into Lousada. He will also become sole Chairman of the Warner Bros side of his unit, a job he currently shares with Tattersfield.

Confirming all this, the aforementioned Cooper told CMU: “Christian’s tenure as leader of Warner Music UK has been an extremely impressive one. As well as guiding the company through on-going commercial success, he has fostered a culture of excellence in artist development that will continue to shape our future. We are extremely grateful for his contribution and for his continued support as we enter this transitional phase ahead of his departure. We’ll always consider Christian a part of the Warner Music family and look forward to collaborating with him on future projects”.

On his new UK chief, Cooper continued: “Max’s achievements at Atlantic UK have been remarkable. Artists that have emerged under his stewardship are among the most successful British acts in recent years, not only in the local market but on the world stage. Max is a natural successor to Christian and, in Miles and the rest of the senior UK team, he will have extremely strong support when he takes the role. His appointment ensures stability and continuity during the handover period and leaves us well positioned for growth in this important and influential market”.

Indicating that he plans to launch his own new music venture once outside the major label system, Tattersfield said of his departure: “With [Warner Music UK] in such great shape and its future in such good hands, the time is right for me to focus on the kind of entrepreneurial projects that I have pursued since I started out in the industry. My time as the CEO of Warner Music UK has allowed me to work with some of the best artists and executives in the business, not least Max, who I am confident will continue to lead with the same creative energy that has made Atlantic UK such an A&R powerhouse”.

Last April, Tattersfield also took on the job of Chair of the BRITs organising committee, a job usually held by a British major label chief for two or three years, before handing on the role to a counterpart at another major record company. It’s not clear if Tattersfield will step down from that role too after departing Warner, though his exit date from the major conveniently comes just after the next BRIT Awards event.

Pussy Riot’s Nadezhda Tolokonnikova admitted to hospital following hunger strike

Artist News Legal

Pussy Riot’s Nadezhda Tolokonnikova was admitted to hospital on Friday, five days after a beginning a hunger strike in protest against the conditions at the prison colony where she is currently being held.

As previously reported, Tolokonnikova was placed in solitary confinement after the publication of an open letter stating that she was going on hunger strike and complaining of “slave-like” working conditions. She also accused the deputy head of the prison of making death threats against her. Prison authorities said that the move to solitary was for “her own safety”, rather than a punishment.

According to reports, her husband Pyotr Verzilov announced that she had been taken to the prison hospital on Friday but that details about her condition were not clear. In a statement, he explained: “Nadya is now in hospital, but they’re refusing to provide documents about that, or to meet the defence. A blockade has begun”.

Also on Friday, one of Tolokonnikova’s fellow inmates, former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky sent out a letter in support of her actions, though warned her against taking them too far. He wrote: “I know that you’ve got family and friends waiting for you on the outside. You’ve done a great job, you’ve really stuck it out, and you’re continuing to stick it out. All I would ask is that you carefully weigh the costs and benefits of what you’re trying to achieve with the impact it will have on your health or even your life. I am confident that the intended effect of bringing attention to the problem has already been achieved”.

DHP settles in photograph valuation dispute

Business News Legal Live Business

Live music firm DHP Family has settled a dispute with a photographer after it used a photo he took of Ke$ha and LMFAO without permission.

The deal brings to an end a dispute that actually went to court in May, and which was summarised by Editorial Photographers UK last week. Although DHP admitted it had used the photo, in error, in marketing materials without permission after being made aware of that fact by photographer Jason Sheldon, a dispute then began as to how much the live firm should pay the photo man for past and future use of his picture.

According to EPUK, DHP initially offered £150 for use of the photo, while Sheldon asked for £1350. When agreement couldn’t be reached, the case went to court, where – given that the unauthorised use was never disputed – the debate centred on the value of a single photo of the kind DHP had used.

The promoter presented quotes from various photographers that said that a fair licence fee for use of the single photo should be a few hundred pounds, while Sheldon cited the rate cards of photo agencies like Getty which would put the value of the picture considerably higher.

In court, the judge hearing the case erred more towards Sheldon’s arguments, noting that the photo had been taken backstage, requiring the photographer to gain exclusive access and to photograph in a room with poor lighting. Judge Colin Birss said that both the exclusivity of the moment photographed and the work involved in taking the picture should impact on its value.

In the end the court ruled that a fair price for licensing past and future use of the photo would be the rather precise £5,682.37. According to EPUK, post the court ruling DHP reached a settlement with the snapper covering a licence fee, interest and his legal costs, resulting in the £20,000 settlement.

A reminder that, unless a contract says otherwise, the copyright in any photos sit with the photographer, Sheldon told EPUK that he was glad he pursued his case to court, because the ruling was a “very useful judgement” for the wider photographer community, for whom copyright protection is as hot a topic as it is for music right owners.

Meanwhile speaking for DHP Family, Operations Manager Julie Tippins told CMU: “We regret the oversight which led to this image being used in promotional material without the correct permission or agreement. We have reviewed our internal systems and briefed staff to ensure our use of images comply with copyright legislation at all times”.

One Direction to stay at Syco; sign three-year megadeal

Business News Deals Labels & Publishers

One ‘1D’ Direction have renewed their deal with Syco via a new three-year, three-LP, £10 million gentlemen’s agreement, says The Sun. This is three LPs in addition to the band’s third album, ‘Midnight Memories’, which is released 25 Nov. So that’s quite a lot of ‘1D mania’ still to manifest itself, isn’t it? Three years. Imagine.

Skirting the deal’s inner detail, a Syco rep said: “Simon Cowell and One Direction are delighted to confirm they have agreed to continue their hugely successful relationship with a new long-term agreement with Syco. Simon and the band look forward to many years of continued success together”.

Yes, bravo them. Sensationalising a bit, an ‘insider’ then revealed via the tab: “This is a big deal for Simon and the lads. It shows confidence that they have a long-term future and that a split or members going solo is highly unlikely. It’s worth a lot of cash too. They’ll get a big upfront payment worth millions then much more from record sales, tours, brand tie-ins and merchandise”. So, quite the multi-revenue stream deal then.

SFX confirms IPO plans, pitches $1.1 billion valuation

Business News Live Business

Dance music-focused live firm SFX Entertainment filed more details about its previously reported initial public stock offering last week, valuing the business at $1.1 billion.

SFX, the newish business of entertainment industry veteran Robert FX Sillerman, first indicated it would float back in June. The company has been on an acquisition spree, mainly buying up EDM live enterprises, since 2011. Last week’s submission confirmed plans to raise up to $200 million by selling off a slice of the company via the NASDAQ stock exchange.

Under that plan the company would be valued at $1.1 billion. By comparison, Billboard notes that Live Nation, the live music major Sillerman helped create, is currently valued at $3.5 billion. Given the respective sizes of the two companies, investors would presumably have to assume that Sillerman’s latest enterprise has much potential to expand in the coming years, cashing in on the recent commercialisation of dance music in North America.

Police investigating “bad batch of drugs” after death at Warehouse Project event

Business News Legal Live Business

Warehouse Project

Police investigating the death of a man who died at a Warehouse Project night in Manchester on Friday are said to be considering the theory that a “bad batch of drugs” could be the cause. Five other clubbers were also hospitalised after taking a drug, thought to be ecstasy.

Commenting on the incident, Det Insp Aaron Duggan told reporters: “It is possible that there may be a particularly bad batch of drugs out there in the community and that is a concern to us. If you attended The Warehouse Project [this weekend] and are feeling unwell, I would ask you to go to hospital for a check up as soon as possible”.

Meanwhile a spokesman for the Warehouse Project said: “Everyone at The Warehouse Project is devastated about the news and our condolences are with [the dead man’s] family. We are assisting the police with their ongoing inquiries surrounding the circumstances of the man’s death. The Warehouse Project operates a zero tolerance policy with regards to drugs, however if you have taken something and start to feel unwell please tell a member of staff”.

Beyond the tragedy of Friday night’s Warehouse Project event, it is interesting how industry and business media in the US have recently taken an interest in drug-related fatalities at EDM events, including this one and the recent deaths at the Electric Zoo event in New York, presumably in light of the ongoing commercialisation of dance music Stateside and the upcoming IPO of SFX Entertainment.

Indeed, SFX notes the press interest in its recent IPO filing and admits such coverage could have negative impact on commercial dance music enterprises, especially where brand partnerships are a key revenue stream. Though, and despite occasional tragic incidents like on Friday night, European EDM promoters would likely say this is a side of their business they have generally learned to deal with.

Dave Stewart defends Spotify, launches bank

Business News Digital Management & Funding

Former Eurythmic Dave Stewart, a one-time streaming naysayer, has changed his mind and decided that “as a songwriter you should worship Spotify”.

Speaking to The Guardian about Thom Yorke and Nigel Godrich’s recent anti-Spotify rant, Stewart said: “Thom Yorke made a mistake there, him and Nigel Godrich. They were misinformed. I think they just suddenly got a bee in their bonnet, because Spotify is one of the few companies that is transparent and actually pays properly – as a songwriter you should worship Spotify, because they’ve come along with a solution”.

He added: “It’s a volume business. If they had 100 million subscribers, which is possible, the payment [for the Eurythmics catalogue] would be equal to the band’s income back at the peak of selling”.

Increasingly chatty of late, with a new album to promote, Stewart also gave a keynote address at last week’s Reeperbahn conference in Hamburg, where he announced the launch of his new project, the First Artist Bank, which he described as “a global creative community bank … for artists, creators and their fans”.

Created with former chairman and CEO of Credit Suisse EMEA Michael Philipp, the bank will provide funding, management of digital assets and intellectual property, and business advice to creative types in music, film, TV and theatre, so that they “don’t sign stupid deals”, said Stewart.

Due to open next year, culture fans will also be able to open accounts with the bank, and its credit cards will offer a reward scheme providing access to free tickets to events.

LoveLive announces new funding

Business News Media

Music content maker LoveLive last week announced it had raised £1.7 million in new funding to fuel further and global expansion. The new investment has come from a consortium of private investors, including Andurand Capital owner Pierre Andurand, Maker Studios Executive Chairman Ynon Kreiz, and John Gleasure, Andy Measham and Oliver Slipper from Perform Group.

Commenting on the new funding, LoveLive chief Richard Cohen told CMU: “In the last five years our approach to bringing together artists, labels and brands to create and commercialise high-quality music content has been incredibly successful. Brands understand the power music has to connect them with fans and the music business continues to innovate, as developments in networks and devices take VOD from the early-adopter margins into the commercial mainstream”.

He added: “Revenues are growing rapidly and we expect them to accelerate in coming years – it’s the perfect time for LoveLive to seek significant external funding and move into the next stage of our growth – now we have an incredible investor team to help us achieve our ambitious goals”.

The Metadata Academy to host free training event this week

Business News Education & Events

The Metadata Academy, a newly launched organisation aiming to provide education and training in music metadata, has announced its first event. ‘How Metadata Affects Your Business’ will be a free ticketed session running from 4-7pm in Camden on Thursday, 3 Oct.

Speaking to CMU ahead of the event, three of the guest speakers who will appear explained their approaches to metadata.

Gracenote’s Head Of Sales EMEA, Chris Cass: “If content is king, then metadata helps build empires. At a basic level, there needs to be ways to identify, recognise and recommend the amorphous mass of digital media available and this is where metadata plays a key part in monetising entertainment”.

Kudos Records’ Head Of Digital, Simon Cullwick: “High quality metadata is fundamental to successful digital music distribution. At Kudos, we are constantly refining the way we receive, store and supply data in response to the ongoing trend in the industry towards better quality control, higher standards and the need to provide greater breadth, depth and accuracy in all aspects of the music supply chain”.

Shazam’s Music Partnerships Manager, Jonathan Davies: “Having high metadata standards are vital for our core service, when someone uses our app we ensure that they get the correct information on the song or TV show that they have Shazamed. From that moment onwards, we then give them the opportunity to purchase or stream the music, watch the video on YouTube or share with their friends, which is all done through the use of metadata”.

The event this Thursday will also launch The Metadata Academy’s ‘Metadata 101’ online training course. To register for free tickets to ‘How Metadata Affects Your Business’ go here.

Stone Roses LP possibly out in 2015

Artist News Releases

The Stone Roses may release their fabled third LP in 2015, or so says bassist Mani, who I’d say is an authority on such things.

Gassing about it all via Gigslutz (naturally) whilst backstage at a Tim Burgess gig in Manchester, Manni said the band had been “working on a few bits” lately, stating, when pressed on a potential LP release date, “2015 man, 2015”.

And that’s that. Asked to deny or verify Mani’s statements, a Stone Roses spokesperson told NME the following: “no comment”. Which I’m taking as a “yes, it’s all true”, despite this flying in the face of SR guitarist John Squire’s view, shared back in May, that the new LP will take “five years” (ie till 2018) to finish.

Release round-up: New Britney clip and JLS’s final single, plus Eric Clapton, Banks, Savages and Ke$ha

Artist News Release Round-Up Releases

Rounding up the latest release news…

Britney Spears has given fans “just a lil taste” via Instagram of a racy video matching her TBA eighth LP’s lead single, ‘Work Bitch’ (released 3 Nov), and it’s potentially the most artificially-enhanced thing I’ve ever seen. Stare at it in disbelief here. The full vid is due out tomorrow.

Similar to Britney in the fact that he has an LP on the way soon (and only in that fact), Eric Clapton has confirmed a five-disc compilation containing remixed, remastered and specially expanded versions of his live and studio releases between 1974-5. Titled ‘Give Me Strength’, it’ll be available as a pre-Xmas gift on 25 Nov. Details and tracklistings here.

And in ‘new vids’ news, ‘spectral R&B’ financier Banks has given the world an official ‘This Is What It Feels Like’ video to rave over. Featuring on LA-based Jillian Banks’s fresh-ish ‘LONDON’ EP, find the track visualised before your eyes here:

In stark contrast to Banks’ hip hop gloss, because straight-faced noir punks Savages are nothing if not stark, is said band’s just-out ‘Husbands’ promo. Backed by a song taken off the quartet’s Mercury-nominated first LP, ‘Silence Yourself’, I’d advise not watching it if you have anything against maggots. Maggot-lovers and sympathisers, meanwhile, can have a go on it here.

And hey, Ke$ha has made a vengeance track inspired by fake orgasms titled ‘U Suck Ass’. The ‘U’ in question is “a total piece of shit, douchebag piece of garbage” and “lying sack of shit, balls, shit-filled ballsack” that Ke$ha used to date. She hasn’t released it to the public yet, but you can get a feel for its general ‘vibe’ via her recent tête-à-tête with MTV.

And finally, since there’s a real finality to this last bit, JLS have finalised a final ever single pre their big irreversible split in early 2014. Whilst the actual track is still ‘in hiding’ till later this week, the band say its title will be ‘A Billion Lights’. Here are their faces displaying the full gravity of the situation.

65daysofstatic to play back The Fall Of Math

Artist News Gigs & Festivals

65daysofstatic will mark the ‘tin’ anniversary of their 2004 album ‘The Fall Of Math’ via a dual-part show at London’s Koko on 27 Mar next year. For its first half, the band will play – for the first time – ‘The Fall Of Math’ all the way through, whilst in the latter they’ll celebrate recent hits and their present-day LP ‘Wild Light’.

On the significance of ‘The Fall’, which was written post 9/11, they say: “While not exactly a global smash, ‘The Fall Of Math’ was met with some excitement by a number of people we had never dreamed of, and threw us into a world of very hard touring and recording for the foreseeable future. In short, it changed our lives, as did the aftermath of the events we were quasi-soundtracking by living through”.

Tickets to the Koko show are available here.

Gigs & Tours round-up: Chrome Hoof and Forest Swords

Artist News Gigs & Festivals Gigs & Tours Round-Up

Icono-disco-clasts Chrome Hoof will live-pitch their new LP, ‘Chrome Black Gold’, over two shows at London’s The Lexington prior to it hitting shops on 7 Oct. They play next Friday (4 Oct) with special guests S&M, and again the next night supported by Gum Takes Tooth. RSVP via FB.

Tri-Angle Forest Swords, real name Matt Barnes, has new live dates to declare too, specifically sets in Feb 2014 in Leeds, Manchester and Brighton, based on his acclaimed ‘Engravings’ LP. Info on his Tumblr.

Live UK Music Business Awards nominees announced

Awards Business News

The nominees for the 2013 Live UK Music Business Awards have been announced. The overall winners will be revealed at a ceremony held as part of this year’s Live UK Summit, taking place at the Radisson Blu Portman Hotel in London on 17 Oct.

For a recap of last year’s event, have yourself a watch of this here video, or if dwelling on the past makes you feel physically sick, just skip straight ahead to this year’s list of nominees:

Best Venue Teamwork – Stadium: Wembley Stadium (London), Ricoh Stadium (Coventry), Emirates Stadium (London)

Best Venue Teamwork – Arena: Motorpoint Arena (Sheffield), The O2 (London)
Capital FM Arena (Nottingham), Phones 4u Arena (Manchester)

Best Venue Teamwork – Theatre/Concert: Civic Hall (Wolverhampton), St David’s Hall (Cardiff), Shepherds Bush Empire (London)

Best Venue Teamwork – Campus: The Engine Shed (Lincoln), Manchester Academy, The Forum Hertfordshire (Hatfield)

Best Venue Teamwork – Major Club (cap 800+): Corporation (Sheffield), Rock City (Nottingham), Koko (London)

Best Venue Teamwork – Club (cap under 800): Under The Bridge (London), Robin 2 (Bilston/Wolverhampton), 229 The Venue (London)

Agent of the Year: Adam Gainsborough (This Is Now Agency), Alex Hardee (Coda Music Agency), Steve Zapp (ITB)

Artiste Manager of the Year: Owain Davies (OD Management), Paul Carey (The Music Management), Kwame Kwaten (ATC)

National Promoter of the Year: SJM Concerts, DHP Family, AEG Live

Regional Promoter of the Year: Orchard Events (Wales), DF Concerts (Scotland), Ten Feet Tall (North East)

Indie Promoter of the Year (Local impact): Dave Grenfell (FeedMe Music, London), Jamie Finn (No-Wave, Folkestone), John Rostron (SWN Festival, Cardiff)

Tour Manager of the Year: Ant Forbes (1975), Glen Rowe (Muse), Rich Jones (Rita Ora)

Best Record Label Partner: Paul Craig (Warner Music Group), Claire Haffenden (Universal Music UK), Allie Bailey (Cooking Vinyl)

Spectacle of the Year (Best Production): Rolling Stones at British Summer Time, Muse at Emirates Stadium, Roger Waters ‘The Wall’ at Wembley Stadium

Best Festival (cap 40,000+): Bestival, Glastonbury, British Summer Time

Best Festival (cap 15,000-39,999): Latitude, Camp Bestival, RockNess

Best Festival (cap under 15,000): Bloodstock, Festival No 6, End Of The Road

Breakthrough Artiste: Skinny Lister, Ben Howard, Jake Bugg

Greatest Brand Impact: Relentless, Nutz Headphones, Gaymers

Best Festival Performance: Rolling Stones at British Summer Time, Biffy Clyro at Reading, Mumford & Sons at Glastonbury

Unsung Hero: Graham Lambert (SJM Concerts), Lester Dales (Dales Evans), Felix Baird & James Bartlett (Stage Miracles)

Banks says Disclosure collaboration dropped from album

And Finally Artist News Releases

On the off chance that Azealia Banks actually releases her debut album ‘Broke With Expensive Taste’ next January, as most recently promised, don’t go expecting there to be a collaboration with Disclosure on there. Even though she did collaborate with them, definitely.

Banks first referenced her hook up with the Disclosure boys back in June when she tweeted “Just had an amazing session with Disclosure!” But they initially played down their connection with the rapper, claiming they’d done more meeting than collaborating.

They tweeted back: “I think [Azealia has] kind of taken to Twitter quite heavily with the fact that she’s meeting with us. People now think that we’ve made the greatest song of all time, and it doesn’t even actually have a chorus yet”.

But the brothers Lawrence then backtracked (deleting that tweet) and indicated they had done some collaborating with Banks after all, leading her to tweet: “Disclosure apologised to me for the statements made yesterday. They were false. We actually DID work. Don’t know what made them say otherwise”.

But either way, however much meeting and collaborating took place, and even if a chorus was eventually found, that particular hook up will not now see the light of day. Well, not officially.

She recently told The AU Review: “I did something with Disclosure but they were, like, really rude in an interview, so I canned it. I might leak it, though to be honest, I’ve got better stuff on my record”.

CMU Digest – 27 Sep 2013

Business News Week In Five

The five biggest stories in the music business this week…

01: The final arguments were delivered in the Jacksons v AEG case, and yesterday the jury began their deliberations. In his closing remarks, AEG lawyer Marvin Putnam said that it was Michael Jackson who insisted on the appointment of Dr Conrad Murray, whose negligent treatment caused the singer’s death, adding that the star rejected proposals by AEG execs that they hire a British medic for his London residency and that he then deliberately kept secret the kind of dangerous treatment Murray was being asked to deliver.

But the Jacksons’ legal man Brian Panish said that, while the late king of pop may have played a role in creating the perfect storm that killed him, AEG was 80% to blame. If jurors agree with the latter lawyer, they’ll also have to decide on what damages AEG should pay. Panish told the court this week somewhere between $1 billion and $2 billion would be fair, though Putnam said $21 million would be more appropriate. Panish’s closing arguments report | Putnam’s closing arguments report

02: A select committee hit out at Google over piracy. Parliament’s Culture, Media & Sport Committee said in a new report that the UK’s £36 billion a year creative industries were being threatened by a dilution of intellectual property rights. The report said that the government should get it’s arse into gear in enacting the long promised online piracy crackdown, while also treading carefully with its plans to introduce new copyright exceptions. The report also singled out big bad Google, stating that the web giant “has to stop feeding up unlicensed free content” through its search engine. CMU report | Register report

03: The Copyright Licensing Steering Group issued a progress report. The organisation launched on the back of Richard Hooper’s ‘Copyright Works’ paper is aiming to streamline, simplify and better explain the copyright licensing process. The report summarised developments in the Group’s first year in existence, including the launch of the pilot Copyright Hub, work on a Voluntary Code Of Practice for licensing bodies and the introduction of two new joint licences by the two music rights societies PRS and PPL, which are pretty modest steps, but the Group seemed please. CMU report | The CLSG report

04: The BBC/Eos dispute went before the Copyright Tribunal. Eos represents a body of Welsh-language music publishers and songwriters who withdrew their catalogues from the PRS For Music collecting society at the end of last year and are instead licensing them directly to the BBC, which has a use for such songs on its Welsh-language BBC Cymru service. After a six week period earlier this year during which the Beeb wasn’t able to play any of the music represented by Eos, an interim deal was reached whereby the broadcaster pays the rights body £120,000 a year. But Eos actually wants something closer to £1.5 million. With no agreement reached it is now for the Copyright Tribunal to decide on fair rates. CMU report | BBC report

05: Hard Rock confirmed it was ending its London festival. The company said it had enjoyed staging the Hard Rock Calling festival, but was now moving onto new projects. Hard Rock’s partner in the event, Live Nation, said it would now look for a new brand with which to stage a similar Calling event aimed at ageing rock fans. The festival this year moved to a new base at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, having previously been staged at Hyde Park. CMU report | Evening Standard report

On CMU this week we caught up with PRS For Music Foundation Executive Director Vanessa Reed about the Momentum Music Fund that was launched at The Great Escape back in May, plus Frankie Rose did us a lovely playlist and we revisited some past CMU Approved tracks. Newly approved were Hyperdub-signed producer Jessy Lanza, returning hip hop duo Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip, the looptastic The Field and Cillian Murphy’s recent 6music mix.

Look out for a new look to your CMU Daily from Monday. The CMU Digest will be taking a short break, but will return bigger and better than ever in November.

CMU Beef Of The Week #176: The NFL v MIA

And Finally Artist News Beef Of The Week Business News Legal

Offence is a funny thing, isn’t it? What is teeth gnashingly offensive to one person can float past another completely unnoticed. And what floats past most people unnoticed can become a national scandal after the Daily Mail rewrites what happened. And sometimes, the fact that someone has a finger can become the most offensive thing in the world when there’s the possibility that if you look really upset there might be $1.5 million in it for you.

When, at Madonna’s Super Bowl half time show last year, guest performer MIA briefly waggled her middle finger around, a long procession of people stepped forward to say how disappointed they were. Broadcaster NBC came first (but noted that this was nowhere near as bad as Janet Jackson waving one of her breasts at Justin Timberlake), and then Madonna, followed by fellow guest star Nicki Minaj.

NBC also noted that, although it should have been quicker to blur out the offending digit, it wasn’t in charge of booking the half time performers, so wasn’t responsible for any of their wayward behaviour. The blame for failing to control the talent lay squarely at the feet of The National Football League.

And while everyone else was just a little bit disappointed by what happened, The NFL was very, very upset indeed. Fuming, in fact. How dare MIA go about putting her finger up in the air like she just didn’t care. Who does she think she is, Fred Durst? Won’t someone think of the children? None of America’s children had ever seen ‘the bird’ before MIA did it right there in front of them and now they’re all doing it all over the place. America is basically ruined now. These are all things people at The NFL might have said.

Though it’s not really important what anyone at The NFL actually said or thought, because the organisation’s lawyers saw to it that absolute outrage was the corporate position. And apparently this has all been discussed at length behind closed doors for over a year and a half now, until last week MIA’s lawyer Howard King announced that the singer was ready to go public with her side of the story to pre-empt a lawsuit from The NFL.

“Until now”, said King, “we had reluctantly remained quiet in the hopes of not becoming subject to the whims of 28 rich NFL owners who wanted to crush this brown, outspoken young lady, especially since they are making her life miserable for the cost of a 30 second spot in one of this weekend’s secondary games. But ultimately, we could not be forced into the type of public apology demanded by the NFL”.

When MIA’s side of the story did come out in a video statement on Monday, it took slightly longer to recite than a simple “I put my finger in the air briefly and I’m not sure why anyone cares”. Though that was the gist it.

“The NFL thing is completely ridiculous”, she began. “It’s been making me laugh for a while, but now it’s so boring I don’t even laugh anymore. So the precise moment in question, and you can actually freeze-frame this as many media outlets have. The frame you’re looking for has my middle finger in the foreground, and the larger picture where it zooms out is a row of ten to fifteen cheerleaders, young black females, that Madonna got from a local high school in Indianapolis, and they were all under sixteen. If you look at them, they’re all wearing cheerleader outfits, hips thrusted in the air, legs wide open, in this very sexually provocative position”.

She continued: “So, now, they’re scapegoating me into figuring out the goalposts on what is offensive in America. Like, is my finger offensive, or is the underage black girl with her legs wide open more offensive to the family audience? That’s basically what it comes down to. It’s a massive waste of time, a massive waste of money, it’s a massive display of powerful corporation dick-shaking. They want me on my knees and say sorry so they can slap me on my wrist. Basically, so they can say it’s OK for me to promote being sexually exploited as a female than to display female empowerment through being punk rock. That is what it boils down to, and I’m being sued for it”.

Of course, it’s a lot harder to pinpoint who to sue over the dancers, even if The NFL had an inclination to. Madonna probably has more lawyers than MIA, and you probably wouldn’t be able to get a whole lot of money out of some teenage girls, even if there were fifteen of them. And I’m not sure suing teenage girls for dancing while being teenagers is going to work, anyway. No, going for the person who did a thing that can be clearly defined as ‘offensive’ is the obvious position when you want to make a point.

The NFL confirmed yesterday that it would indeed be suing MIA for $1.5 million in damages. Though the organisation noted that this wasn’t about the money, as that would all go to charity. The lawyers who came up with the plan are presumably doing the same with their fees. Maybe.

But what exactly are they getting MIA on? The NFL has said that “the tremendous public respect and reputation for wholesomeness enjoyed by the NFL” was damaged when it became associated with the singer/rapper’s longest finger. But actually, it boils down to a simple breach of contract. MIA wasn’t paid for her appearance (presumably Madonna told her it would be great exposure) but she still had to sign an agreement with The NFL about how she would behave. And apparently fingers were a no-no under that deal.

And, despite bigging up the client’s glorious reputation, the NFL’s lawyers will presumably be happier talking about that contract than justifying the “squeaky clean image” claim. After all, as ESPN notes, the League has been involved in its fair share of other scandals of late, thanks to its players getting into unfortunate scrapes. This year, in fact, there’s already been one involving a middle finger – Miami Dolphins’ Randy Starks having stuck his up at his whole team (though presumably, as a good guy sportsman, he’d never seen such a gesture before MIA did it).

Starks, unlike MIA, did agree to apologise and was let off without punishment, The NFL deciding that it was a “team matter”. Presumably if MIA did say sorry, the lawsuit would be dropped and she’d be sent round to Madonna’s house for a stern talking to.

Meanwhile, underage dancers would walk free to dance another day, and the NFL players who’ve recently been arrested for such minor indiscretions as taking drugs, being drunkenly abusive in public, and beating up a woman in a nightclub would continue to play American football like nothing happened.

I only hope Bruno Mars is taking notes.

Approved: Back To 95 – Legends Of The Old Skool Summer Closing Party

CMU Approved

Back To 95 – Legends Of The Old Skool goes back to the original 90s landmark venue, Club Colosseum, and is headlined by Kiss FM’s DJ EZ and a cast of original DJ and MC dons including Norris ‘The Boss’ Windross, Jason Kaye, Hermit, Creed and Buzzard.

Four rooms of sounds covering old skool, jungle classics, soulful and deep house, and 80s soul and rnb, will be on offer. EZ heads up the main room with Kaye and Windross, while Top Buzz and ‘Nicky Nicky Nicky’ Blackmarket lead in the old skool jungle/drum n bass room hyping up the pace with SL and Phantasy. Elsewhere House FM mix up the latest err, well house sounds, and the Firin Squad and Lloyd Life round things off in the 80s rnb and classics room.

Having seen in its twelfth year in May, BT95 paves the way to celebrate the old skool era of house and garage music. Long may it continue!

Saturday 28 Sep, Club Colosseum, 1 Nine Elms Lane, Vauxhall, London SW8 5NQ, 10pm-5am, £17.50-£20, more info here.

Rihanna wins injunction against Topshop and its t-shirt

Brands & Merch Business News Legal Top Stories

Rihanna was awarded an injunction against Topshop yesterday as part of her dispute with the fashion retailer over a t-shirt. As previously reported, Rihanna sued after Topshop started selling a top with her photo on it.

The retailer had correctly licensed the photo from the copyright owner but the singer successfully convinced the court that, because the photo used was very similar to imagery on her album ‘Talk That Talk’, consumers would likely think it was an officially endorsed product, which it was not. Therefore the court sided with Rihanna under the legal principle of ‘passing off’, rather than because of any IP (or image right) violation.

The UK High Court having made that ruling in July, this week the singer secured an injunction stopping Topshop from selling clothing that uses her image. And while the judge hearing the case, Colin Birss, stressed that his ruling did not mean he was implying into English law a “freestanding general right” for celebrities to control the use of their image, the injunction will likely make it very tricky for Topshop to make any product involving Rihanna-related imagery, even if there wasn’t a case for passing off.

Topshop was given permission to appeal the ruling to the Court Of Appeal, and if the retailer goes that route the singer’s damages won’t be decided until after that hearing. Though legal costs were discussed yesterday, with Rihanna’s team putting in a rather optimistic bill of £919,000, a figure Birrs said he found “startling”.

Said judge instructed Topshop to pay Team RiRi £200,000 as an interim payment to cover costs, pending further discussion.

Shakur estate kicks off new Death Row lawsuit

Business News Labels & Publishers Legal

Afeni Shakur, the mother of the late Tupac, has launched a new lawsuit in the latest legal squabble over her son’s catalogue and the assets of the former Death Row Records label.

The once legendary hip hop independent has continued to have a rocky history even since the label’s often controversial founder Suge Knight was pushed out of the picture when his business went bankrupt in 2006.

The company who originally bought Death Row out of bankruptcy then admitted it couldn’t raise the money it had committed to pay, and then the second company to take ownership fell out with the lawyer who had negotiated the deal with the intent of running the label post-acquisition.

Then the new owner, New Solutions/WIDEawake Entertainment, agreed a distribution partnership with E1 Entertainment, the company previously known as Koch Entertainment (which had already distributed some past Death Row releases), and things seemed to calm down a bit, catalogue was successfully re-released, and word had it artists were getting paid the royalties they were due.

But then, last year, New Solutions reportedly went under and the Death Row catalogue went back on the block. And E1 Entertainment, which was basically managing the label already, seemingly took ownership earlier this year. Which made it eligible to be sued by the Shakur estate, good times.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the new lawsuit covers some very old ground, citing a deal with Death Row and its then-distributor Interscope made a year after the rapper’s murder in 1996 in which it was apparently agreed the Shakur Estate would get ownership of the plethora of unreleased Tupac material the label was sitting on, that Death Row would be allowed to release just one album of said unreleased material, and that the Estate would be paid royalties on any Tupac tracks distributed by the record company.

It seems the big hand-over of unreleased materials never occurred, and the Shakur estate reckons it’s not been paid all the royalties it is due either. While it’s not clear if E1 is itself accused of any bad faith, it seems it has possibly acquired some very old liabilities through its Death Row purchase. The firm is yet to comment on the $1.1 million lawsuit.

Wet Nuns to retire

Artist News

The end is nigh for ‘death blues’ band Wet Nuns, aka Rob Graham and Alexis Notts, who are breaking up because they “hate the sight of each other”. The um… ‘consensual’ split will follow the release of the pair’s first (and last) LP on 6 Oct.

Explaining why they’ve decided to part, they say: “Wet Nuns was a joke we started in the summer of 2009. We never thought we’d do much more than play a couple of the pubs in and around Sheffield. There’s personal things going on in and out of the band that has rendered it an increasingly stressful and negative entity to be a part of. In short, our four year long joke isn’t very funny anymore. We’re sick of the sight of each other and the band is imminently to cease to exist”.

As a final nail in the coffin, they’ve re-titled a set of October shows the ‘Death Tour’, so that’s nice. RIP Wet Nuns.

Giant Bob Dylan compilation confirmed

Artist News Releases

Sony’s Columbia and Legacy Recordings will put out a gigantic Bob Dylan compilation box, collating most of his official releases to date, later this year.

The box will contain Dylan’s six live and 35 studio LPs – from his eponymous 1962 debut to 2012’s ‘Tempest’ – plus a two CD mix of rare extras titled ‘Side Tracks’. Dylan’s anthology so far will also be available as four smaller sets split into decades.

Those, and the whole thing, which is titled ‘Bob Dylan Complete Album Collection Vol 1’, will hit sales racks on 4 Nov. A second volume centring on Dylan’s ‘Bootleg’ series is supposedly due in 2014.

And with that, it’s time to watch a nice trailer detailing it all:

Bob Dylan: The Complete Album Collection Vol. 1 from Columbia Records on Vimeo.

Sun Kil Moon detail new LP

Artist News Releases

Having made it big in 2013 with a trio of solo, live and collaborative (with Desertshore) LPs, Mark Kozelek is to release another one in 2014 via his long-time baby Sun Kil Moon.

Featuring a guest cast that includes Will Oldham aka Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy and Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelley, ‘Benji’ will arrive on 4 Feb 2014.

Stream one of its listed tracks, the Shelly-featuring ‘Richard Ramirez Died Today Of Natural Causes’, via Pitchfork.

Charli XCX releases single off TBA LP

Artist News Releases

Charli XCX – maker of this year’s ‘True Romance’ – is already ready to release a new LP, and has signalled this by sharing its lead single, ‘SuperLove’.

Details on the LP are scant to say the least, but one thing I can say for certain is that ‘SuperLove’ will be available on 1 Dec.

Catch Charli as a singing candy cane in the ‘SuperLove’ clip:

Andrew WK releasing Party Bible

Artist News

Last seen lending his face to the selling of sexy wipes, Andrew WK is to go back to making cash off his original love; that of partying, and partying hard. WK has signed a deal to release a ‘Party Bible’ (because what gets a party started faster than reading, am I right) preaching all he has learned re partying at parties whilst partying.

Available in the ‘near future’ as a physical party pamphlet and as an audiobook, it is, says its editor Michael Szczerban via AV Club: “An unforgettable voyage in search of truth, wisdom, and party bliss” in which “every feeling will be permitted, every thought will become prophecy, and humanity’s surging life force will be harnessed and ridden into the abyss”.

Here’s a trailer charting its ‘Genesis’:

Robbie, Dizzee, Ellie and Little Mix all playing Children In Need Rocks

Artist News Gigs & Festivals

This year’s Children In Need Rocks (which is nothing like Ibiza Rocks, by the way), has gained its first acts c/o head act-picker Gary Barlow. Happening at the Eventim née Hammersmith Apollo, the charity pop party’s first night (12 Nov) will feature Robbie Williams, Little Mix and Dizzee Rascal, whilst Ellie Goulding, Rizzle Kicks and Bastille will entertain fans the next day.

Fearne Cotton, who’s hosting both shows alongside Chris Evans, says: “BBC Children in Need Rocks is always fantastic and once again Gary has pulled off a mega line-up. I can’t wait to present this year, we’ve got two nights of music which means double the fun, and I have no doubt that we’re going to raise a huge amount of money for a very special charity doing amazing work”.

Details and tickets here.

Fall Out Boy to play Vevo show

Artist News Gigs & Festivals

A “stoked” Fall Out Boy confirmed the other day they’ll play a special Vevo Presents show at London’s Islington Academy soon, if 5 Nov is considered ‘soon’, that is.

The ‘Vevo Presents’ bit means it’ll be streamed in real time online, but FOB fanatics wishing to watch the band ‘IRL’ will have to fight over tickets (on sale today) at this link.

Festival line-up update: LEAF, Bugged Out Weekender, ADE and more

Artist News Festival Line-Up Update Gigs & Festivals

First off, it’s straight to exciting news of an all-new event on the scene, the Rob Da Bank/Ben Turner created LEAF, aka London Electronic Arts Festival, which takes place in spots all over the capital on 7-10 Nov. Mixing talks, installations and live performances by the likes of Major Lazer, William Orbit, Omar Souleyman, Trentemøller and Dinos Chapham, it’ll also feature ‘in conversation’ chats with Giorgio Moroder and New Order, plus workshops and masterclasses, catering by Seth Troxler and his Smokey Tails BBQ grill, and an exclusive Boiler Room side-event with Eats Everything and MK.

Speaking as one, co-curators Rob and Ben say: “London has defined a genre. It may not have invented electronic music, but it gave it a global focal point for decades. Its influence from DJs to parties, flyers to technology platforms has been pivotal to the durability and the inventiveness of this scene. LEAF aims to bring all of this together for the very first time in the capital. This is our way of giving something back to a city that helped shape our entire working lives”.

Talking of electronically-inclined festi-conventions, is anyone headed to this year’s ADE (aka Amsterdam Dance Event)? Well, if headliners like Calvin Harris and Carl Cox didn’t quite clinch a ticket purchase at first, perhaps the EDM-athon’s latest announced acts – Seth Troxler, Tidd Terje, Nina Kraviz and Ame – might.

As you ponder that, please also ponder info on additions to Electronic Beats Festival’s Dresden arm, headbanging Butlins ‘bash’ Giants Of Rock, London’s Vans Warped Tour, new kid on the block Blackpool Rocks, Birmingham’s super-alt Bring To Light and Oxford all-dayer Audioscope, which donates all its profits to homelessness charity Shelter.

Over to the FLUUs…

AMSTERDAM DANCE EVENT, various venues, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 16-20 Oct: Ame, Culoe De Song, Goldfish, Henrik Schwarz, Joris Voorn, Midland, Nina Kraviz, Pachanga Boys, Sander van Doorn, San Proper, Seth Troxler, Solomun, The Martinez Brothers, Todd Terje, Tom Trago. www.a-d-e.nl

AUDIOSCOPE, Jericho Tavern, Oxford, 23 Nov: Esben And The Witch, Grumbling Fur, Califone, Pet Moon, Eat Lights Become Lights, Fonda 500, Pye Corner Audio, Thought Forms, Salvation Bill, Sauna Youth, Tomaga, Listing Ships. www.audioscope.co.uk

BLACKPOOL ROCKS, Blackpool Winter Gardens, Blackpool, 21 Dec: The 1975, Disclosure, Wretch 32, Trevor Nelson, Pete Tong, Danny Howard, Swim Deep, Little Comets, Rae Morris, Huw Stephens, Grum, Hannah Wants, Fully Charged, Jay Fontalba, M.O, DJ Elliott Smith, Giles Hayton, Nick Coulson. www.blackpoolrocks.com

BRING TO LIGHT, Rainbow Warehouse/Library Of Birmingham, Birmingham, 25-27 Oct: Evil Blizzard. www.capsule.org.uk/project/bringtolight

BUGGED OUT WEEKENDER, Pontins Southport Holiday Park, Merseyside, 7-9 Mar 2014: Sasha, Dave Clarke, Erol Alkan, Dixon, Dusky, Eats Everything, Kölsch, Paul Woolford. www.buggedoutweekender.net

EB FESTIVAL DRESDEN, Alter Schlachthof, Dresden, Germany, 10 Nov: Mount Kimbie. www.electronicbeats.net/en/tag/dresden

GIANTS OF ROCK, Butlins Resort Minehead, Somerset, 7-10 Feb 2014: Uriah Heep, Hawkwind, Sweet, Martin Turner’s Wishbone Ash, Snakecharmer, FM, Curved Air. www.bigweekends.com/your-break/125857

HARD ROCK HELL, Haven, Gwynedd, Wales, 28 Nov – 1 Dec: Skindred, Alpha Tiger, The Treatment, Logan, Attica Rage, Gonga, The Jokers, Massive Wagons, Cross Eyed Mary, Klose. www.hardrockhell.com

LEAF, various venues, London, 7-10 Nov: Major Lazer, Trentemøller, Dinos Chapman, William Orbit, The Bloody Beetroots, Giorgio Moroder, Omar Souleyman, Eats Everything, MK, Rob Da Bank, Éclair Fifi, Kevin Saunderson, Eddie ‘Flashin’ Fowlkes, Dantiez. www.leaflondon.net

VANS WARPED TOUR, Alexandra Palace, London, 16-17 Nov: We Are The Ocean, The Skints, Attila, The Defiled, Love Zombies, Rat Attack. vanswarpedtouruk.com

HMV returns to original London store tomorrow

Business News HMV Timeline Retail

HMV

HMV will return at 363 Oxford Street tomorrow in a very clever bit of marketing spin from the new owners of the flagging entertainment retail brand that sees what is actually a floorspace-downsize move presented as a triumphant return to the music seller’s original home. Well, always good to get some pomp out of the circumstance.

The management team put in place by that new HMV owner Hilco might, possibly rightly, argue that the shift of its flagship London store along Oxford Street to its smaller original base is symbolic of their wider strategy to rescue the firm: keep costs down where you can and exploit HMV’s heritage as much as possible.

The fact that HMV originally departed its 363 Oxford Street base – nearly 80 years after it was opened by Edward Elgar – in 2000 is also possibly noteworthy, given it was arguably decisions being made by a rather arrogant (and digitally naïve) HMV management around about that time that ultimately sealed the firm’s fate, and its subsequent collapse into administration earlier this year.

For the new guard at HMV the return to 363 Oxford Street kicks off a relaunch for the streamlined company, which needs to perform well in the all important Christmas quarter even now that it’s in private ownership. Although the revamped 363 Oxford Street shop opens tomorrow, a formal launch event will take place later in October, with a special series of in-stores planned around the country.

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Rounding up the latest release news…

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