Monday 31 March 2014, 13:26 | By CMU Editorial

Playlist: CMU Approved in March 2014

CMU Approved CMU Playlists

Each weekday, the CMU Approved column highlights a new artist, track, article or other online activity that we think our readers should be aware of. Below is a YouTube playlist featuring artists and tracks showcased in the column in March 2014.

• Bernard + Edith – Poppy
• Sharon Van Etten – Taking Chances
• Deathcrush – Lesson #16 for Beatmaster V / Fun
• Tei Shi – M&Ms
• Team Me – F Is For Faker
• SZA – Babylon
• Jenny Wilson – Pyramids
• Juce – Call you Out
• Labyrinth Ear – Crescent Moon
• Jerry Paper – Everything Is Shitty
• Sleep Party People – In Another World
• Dub Thompson – Dograces
• Florrie – Seashells
• Cloud Boat – Carmine
• Factory Floor – How You Say (Daniel Avery Remix)
• Quimper – Feline

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Approved: Quimper

CMU Approved

Whilst new electronic duos may be ten a penny these days, Quimper sound genuinely unlike anyone else. The London-based electronic audio/visual duo (Jodie Lowther and Johnny Vertigen) make suitably spooky and uncompromising songs and soundscapes, befitting a duo who promise ‘unreasonable music for unreasonable people’.

Terrifying and alluring in equal measure, ‘Feline’ is haunted by the ghost of Delia Derbyshire and whatever lurks in the forest in children’s fairytales, making it redolent of a malevolent Broadcast, or even Saint Etienne on a particularly bad trip. More nightmare pop than dream-pop, then.

Having released their debut EP in 2012, the ethereal and playful ‘Feline’ is taken from a new EP on Soft Bodies Records. The video, created by Lowther, is streaming on YouTube now.

Miami mayor questions Ultra Festival future after stampede critically injures security guard

Business News Gigs & Festivals Legal Top Stories

A security guard is in an “extremely critical” condition after being injured during an incident at the flagship edition of the Ultra dance music festival in Miami this weekend.

According to local media, Erica Mack is suffering from brain haemorrhaging and a broken leg after fans with no tickets pushed down a chain link fence to gain access to the Miami event on Friday. A rep from the local fire-rescue department told the Miami New Times: “She was doing what she was supposed to do, telling them to stop [trying to break into the site]. When they pushed [the fence] down and it fell on top of her… They just trampled her”.

While police have begun an investigation to find those who instigated the stampede that led to Mack’s injuries, city authorities have criticised organisers of the Ultra Festival, insisting that police reps had told promoters to re-enforce this particular length of fence, which is reportedly less sturdy than elsewhere around the site, and which people had allegedly attempted to cross in previous years.

Billboard quotes Miami mayor Tomas Regalado as saying: “What happened this weekend is an event that could have been avoided. The organisers of Ultra did not follow the police directive to re-enforce the fence, even though they knew that this year, and the year before, some kids have tried to over run the fences”.

Regalado went on to say that he was now seeking to stop the Ultra festival from happening in the city next year, despite its long presence in Miami alongside the dance music community’s annual Winter Music Conference. The mayor went on: “This is not an accident. This is something that could have been avoided. So in the next weeks we are going to have a discussion on the city commission level to deny the permits for next year for the event here in the city of Miami”.

Organisers of the festival issued a statement yesterday saying that they hoped that Mack would have a “swift and full recovery”, adding: “Preliminary investigations show that the incident was caused by individuals not in possession of event tickets and who were determined to gain unauthorised entry. Every year the event organisers work collaboratively with police and other municipal partners along with the organisers’ independent security partners to ensure the safety of all patrons, crew and working personnel. Because a thorough investigation is underway, event organisers regret that additional comment cannot be provided at this time. The event coordinators are cooperating fully with investigative authorities”.

Elsewhere at the Ultra weekender, headliner Avicii was forced to pull out after being diagnosed with a blocked gall bladder. Deadmau5 stood in.

Thicke pulls out of Juno Awards slot

Artist News Awards Top Stories

Robin Thicke pulled out of Canada’s big awards show, the Juno Awards, this weekend, after doctors ordered a “mandatory vocal rest”. Though there was some speculation that he was actually stepping down from his planned slot at the awards event because of an online protest about his inclusion, stemming from the controversy that surrounded his big hit ‘Blurred Lines’.

The online petition, which garnered much attention in the run up to the big Juno show, stated: “Despite the blatant sexism, degradation of women and promotion of rape culture in Robin Thicke’s song and music video ‘Blurred Lines’, Thicke is nominated for three awards – Artist Of The Year, Pop Album Of The Year, and the Juno Fan Choice Award – at the upcoming Canadian Juno Broadcast Awards in Winnipeg, Manitoba on March 30, 2014. This is not a song, nor a message, that should be rewarded”.

As previously reported, the fallout of the ‘Blurred Lines’ debate will be the focus on one of the half day insight strands at this year’s Great Escape convention, as music industry execs discuss what, if anything, can and should be done about “pop’s misogyny problem”. More info here.

Meanwhile, here is a list of winners of some of the flagship (ie non genre specific) categories at this year’s Juno Awards

Artist Of The Year: Serena Ryder
Group Of The Year: Tegan And Sara
Fan Choice Award: Justin Bieber
Breakthrough Artist Of The Year: Brett Kissel
Breakthrough Group Of The Year: A Tribe Called Red
Songwriter Of The Year: Serena Ryder
Producer Of The Year: Henry ‘Cirkut’ Walter

Single Of The Year: Tegan And Sara – Closer
Album Of The Year: Arcade Fire – Reflektor
Video Of The Year: Matt Barnes – Feeling Good (The Sheepdogs)
International Album Of The Year: Bruno Mars – Unorthodox Jukebox

City Of London Police put pressure on brands to pull adverts from copyright infringing websites

Business News Digital Legal

The City Of London Police’s Intellectual Property Crime Unit, which was launched last year, has announced a new campaign calling on advertisers and brands to cut off the revenue streams of websites providing access to unlicensed content.

A bugbear of many in the entertainment industry, of course, is that much of the revenue for copyright infringing websites comes from advertising. The advertising industry has long said that it is trying to withdraw ads from piracy sites, and the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit is hoping that its new Infringing Website List will help advertisers to identify sites from which they should pull their banners.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Fyfe, Head of PIPCU, said: “If an advert from an established brand appears on an infringing website not only does it lend the site a look of legitimacy, but inadvertently the brand and advertiser are funding online crime. Therefore the IWL also serves as a safety tool, ensuring the reputation of advertisers and brands are not discredited through association with illegal websites”.

Lending his support, Creative Industries Minister Ed Vaizey added: “The creative industries are a real UK success story. They are now worth £71.4 billion a year to the UK economy and grew faster than all other sectors of UK industry in 2012. It is essential we protect our creative industries from people ripping off their content online. Disrupting the money unlawful websites make from advertising could make a real difference to the fight against copyright infringement. It is an excellent example of what can be achieved through industry, government and law enforcement working together”.

One of the companies already signed up to use the Infringing Website List is banking group Santander, whose Head Of Digital Andy Muddimer talked the matter up from another angle, saying: “The damage to brand reputation when online ads appear on illegal websites is a real concern for advertisers. Following a successful pilot involving Santander and six other [ad industry trade body] ISBA members, we are pleased that the IWL is now available. This simple-to-use, online resource provides welcome reassurance which we would urge all online advertisers to pass on to the agencies they employ to serve their ads”.

The new list, while a step forward, isn’t a complete solution. Such lists already exist in the ad sector, and yet banners do still appear from big brands on piracy sites. This is usually because of bad management of the ad networks that actually fill a lot of the ad slots on such websites, and which put various third parties between advertiser and website.

And of course, like other PIPCU initiatives, there will likely be critics of the new list, with a focus on who, exactly, decides what sites go on it. Unless it is restricted to online operations that have been confirmed as copyright infringers in court, there will be a fear that legitimate websites that occasionally inadvertently infringe could also be included. And if the list works, being added to it could have a big impact on such sites’ income. Which will require those running the IWL to proceed with care when adding new offenders.

Judge throws out Bieber song theft case

Business News Labels & Publishers

A judge has thrown out a lawsuit being pursued by singer Devin Copeland and songwriter Mareio Overton over 2010 Justin Bieber hit ‘Somebody To Love’.

As previously reported, the claimants argued that the Bieber track was very similar to a song they had written. The allegation went that Copeland had shared the original song with Bieber mentor Usher, and that there had been talk of the two men collaborating, but then all communication went quite. Later Bieber’s ‘Somebody To Love’ appeared, with the pop tyke, Heather Bright and The Stereotypes credited as songwriters and Usher on backing vocals.

But the judge considering the case has ruled that – while there may be some themes in common between the two songs – they are not sufficiently similar to constitute plagiarism. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the judge ruled: “Although the accused songs have some elements in common with plaintiffs’ song, their mood, tone, and subject matter differ significantly”.

The judge also added that while there may be similarities between the tracks if you go looking for them, the average listener wouldn’t consider them the same. He said: “The judge adds: “Any listener who had not set out to detect the songs’ similarities would be inclined to overlook them, and regard the songs’ aesthetic appeal as different. Therefore, a reasonable juror could not conclude that a member of the public would construe the aesthetic appeal of the songs as being similar”.

Sony Corp appoints new CFO

Business News Industry People Labels & Publishers

Sony Corp announced on Friday that it will replace its Chief Financial Officer tomorrow, with Kenichiro Yoshida taking over from Masaru Kato.

After a little bit of optimism in 2012, the Japanese conglom will report substantial losses for its current financial year, which ends today. As previously reported, Sony’s US-based entertainment businesses – including Sony Music and the Sony/ATV publishing company- have been doing alright, and most of the financial woes stem from the electronics side of the group.

More cost cutting will likely be needed across Sony Corp, and Yoshida, previously Deputy CFO, will be charged with the task of finding additional savings. Kato, meanwhile, will become Vice-Chairman of the Sony group.

SFX share price falls following heated investor call

Business News Industry People Live Business

SFX Entertainment’s share price dropped by 20% at one point during a conference call with investors last week, as some questioned the status of the company and its boss Robert Sillerman.

Part of the controversy arose from pictures of Sillerman raising his middle finger and grabbing his crotch as he exited a private jet in Miami, where he was attending the Winter Music Conference. This led one investor to say that an objective of the call was to make sure that Sillerman was “still sane”.

Ben Green of BD Capital then questioned the revenues of the highly acquisitive company, suggesting that it was covering up losses in its digital division, which owns companies such as Beatport and ticketing firm Paylogic.

“It looks like you guys take out some of the legacy losses of the platform company”, said Green. “What is that? Is that some of the shitty deals?”

Sillerman responded: “I am not sure that we have done any shitty deals. This is a pretty modest adjustment based on non-recurring transfers and investments in upgrades. Nothing more, no less”.

By the end of the call, some confidence had returned, with the company’s share price only 11% down, to $6.81, by the time Sillerman hung up. Though by the end of the week, when trading closed, it had fallen slightly again to $6.73.

As previously reported, Sillerman’s newish EDM-obsessed company floated on NASDAQ last October.

Michelle Williams reps Playtex Gentle Glide

Artist News Brands & Merch

Grammy Award-winning child-of-destiny Michelle Williams has teamed, on a strictly financial basis, with feminine care brand Playtex’s Gentle Glide tampon range, and will represent its Play On Playbook campaign on all the social mediums. And the ad drive‘s main shtick is this: if you’re a lady, and you encounter an “embarrassing stumble”, you are encouraged to ‘Play On’, and bounce back with poise and grace. And not go and cry in the toilet.

As Play On ambassador, Williams will be revealing her personal ‘Play On’ moments on the Playtex FB page, and inviting the world’s tampon-buying public to share tips on how to deal with “wardrobe malfunctions, face plants, bad dates and other little challenges”. And we’ve all experienced one or all of those, am I right, girls?

Michelle says: “I know from experience that the best way to make it through life’s hiccups is to keep your head up, shrug it off and move on. I’m excited to team up with Playtex Gentle Glide to share my strategies for overcoming life’s little stumbling blocks and encourage women everywhere to embrace their own Play On moments”.

Playtex Gentle Glide’s Senior Brand Manager Chit Itchon gives her own inspirational take on the situation: “We are excited to work with Michelle and celebrate women from all walks of life who exemplify grace under fire. Michelle is the perfect example of the Play On woman who is comfortable and confident in herself, and isn’t fazed by moments of imperfection. As a brand, our goal is for women everywhere to celebrate Play On moments and not let the little things get in their way!”

But what, I hear you ask, about the other ex-Destinys Child members who aren’t Beyonce? Where are they now? Well, Kelly Rowland is writing her fifth solo LP sans a label deal, and loving it, apparently. And she has a nice advertising deal with Caress Skincare, which is nice. And original Child LaTavia is hosting First Class Fridays at Ashton’s Upscale Social Club in Florence, South Carolina, this Friday.

Bloom.fm passes million users, web-player in the pipeline

Business News Digital

London-based streaming set-up Bloom.fm has announced that it passed the million user mark earlier this month, and that it will imminently launch a web-based player extending use of the service to PC users. Expansion into new territories is also now on the agenda.

Bloom.fm boss Oleg Fomenko told CMU: “We’ve been blown away by the enthusiasm for the app. Reaching a million registered users in just over a year is a fantastic milestone. We want everyone to have the best possible music experience at a price they can afford and this approach is encouraging more people to pay for music. We’re taking music subscriptions to the mainstream; two-thirds of our subscribers hadn’t paid for a music service before we came along”.

Relatively new to the streaming music party, having launched its mobile apps last year, Bloom.fm reckons that it has a business model that has more potential of going mass market than its more established rivals in the streaming music space. As previously reported, Fomenko will appear as part of the Global Digital Markets insights strand at The Great Escape this May, where he’ll explain why he thinks that is so.

BBC announces standalone Eurovision radio station

Business News

BBC Radio 2 has announced the launch of a standalone Eurovision station, to broadcast around this year’s big song contest in May.

The station will air Eurovision-related programmes from midday to midnight over four days from 8 May, except on the actual day of the event, when it will simulcast Radio 2’s coverage from 10am to 1am.

Radio 2 Controller Bob Shennan said: “Every year, Eurovision is a moment that unites many people around the UK, as well as Europe. I’m proud to be offering a truly digital experience in 2014 with coverage across Radio 2 and Radio 2 Eurovision on digital radio. And we have an incredible line-up of presenting talent, bringing all the excitement, sartorial disasters and musical catastrophes to our listeners”.

Presenters on the station have been announced as Paddy O’Connell, Scott Mills, Maria McErlane, Ken Bruce, Michael Ball, and the undisputed king of Eurovision, Terry Wogan. Though he’ll not be returning to the commentary box, sadly.

MPG to host training event on new industry-standard broadcast WAV format

Business News Education & Events

The Music Producers Guild has announced an event next week to provide information on the new Broadcast WAV file format.

As previously reported, the MPG has been campaigning for some time to improve metadata on WAV files, specifically calling for ISRC codes to be embedded as standard to allow better tracking of music used for audio broadcast. Having gained traction with this campaign, this event aims to educate mastering engineers in using the new format before it becomes the new industry standard.

Alchemy Mastering’s Barry Grint, who will lead the event, told CMU: “Our event on 9 Apr is the only opportunity mastering engineers will have to understand and prepare for this format change. Each of our [digital audio workstation] sponsors will demonstrate how the ISRC embedding process fits within their workflow, and how they are working together to ensure seamless exchange of the data between all of the workstations”.

He continued: “This is a massive step forward for the industry and we really hope that mastering engineers and other recording professionals who are interested in ISRC will take the opportunity to come along and learn more”.

The event will take place at the Hospital Club in London. For more information and to register, go here.

Avicii, Santana and Wylef score World Cup closing song

Artist News Releases

Move over Ricky Wilson, with your unofficial World Cup song, and your uncool job on ‘The Voice’, and make room for international heavyweights DJ Avicii, Carlos Santana, Wyclef Jean and Latin Grammy winner Aleandre Pires, who are collaborating on the Brazil-based football hoo-ha’s ‘real’ anthem via a track titled ‘Dar Um Jeito (We Will Find Away)’.

As the tournament’s closing anthem, it’ll act as the ‘night’ to the ‘day’ that is Pitbull and J-Lo’s World Cup single, ‘We Are One’, and will be sung and spun live by Avicii and friends on 13 Jul at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

Avicii’s manager and collaborator Ash Pournouri, who wrote the damn thing, says: “In Portuguese, ‘Dar Um Jeito’ means to ‘find a way’ around obstacles and impossibilities. With this track, we wanted to send a message of optimism and opportunity with the music and the words”.

Morrissey’s Vauxhall And I reissue to come with live disc

Artist News Releases

Morrissey

Morrissey has added a sheaf of details, and an extra disc, to the 20th anniversary re-release of his 1994 LP ‘Vauxhall And I’.

Out 2 Jun, the ‘definitive master’ edition will include a second disc consisting of a fourteen song concert Moz did at London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane back in 1995. The album has five songs from ‘Vauxhall And I’ on it, plus non-LP track ‘Boxers’, and a cover of ‘Moon River’.

As previously reported, Morrissey has a forthcoming LP, ‘World Peace Is None Of Your Business’, coming forth on a TBC date.

Release Round-Up: Tori Amos, White Lung, Maria Minerva, Tanika and Tuff Love

Artist News Release Round-Up Releases

Rounding up the latest release news…

Queen-of-quirk Tori Amos has unveiled a first taster of her new LP, ‘Unrepentant Geraldines’, in a new track entitled ‘Trouble’s Lament’. It’s about Satan, apparently.

Vancouver punk band White Lung have dreamt up a new long-length record of their own, named ‘Deep Fantasy’. Set to be released via Domino on 16 Jun, it apparently finds the band in a frame of mind that’s “every bit as confrontational as before, but they’ve managed to open their sound up just enough to draw listeners in before kicking them in the face”. What a sweet sentiment. Stream lead ‘Deep Fantasy’ single ‘Drown With The Monster’ beneath this sentence, and click here to play a list of tracks that inspired the LP.

Weird and wavy Estonian pop artist Maria Minerva, seen here being approved, is also in the business of announcing albums, having just named her new one, ‘Histrionic’, which is a word that just doesn’t get said enough. Get a load of one of the LP’s tracks, ‘The Beginning’, ahead of its release on 28 Apr via Not Not Fun:

Naughty Boy collaborator and blossoming, Brixton-based solo vocalist Tanika has an EP on its way, featuring lots of cool pop hits, not least the MNEK-assisted ‘Bad 4 U’. Available on iTunes now, ‘Fucking With My Heart’ will have its real-life digital/tangible release on 28 Apr. In the meantime, please feel free to stream the entire EP via Popjustice. And this is the ‘Bad 4 U’ video, by the way:

And do you know what, another really good song doing the rounds of late is ‘Sweet Discontent’, by affably scrappy Scottish trio Tuff Love (pictured). It’s downloadable now (for a price) on its own, and will be released via the band’s new EP ‘Junk’ on 5 May. Give it a spin immediately, or else regret it for all time:

Festival Line-Up Update: Kendal Calling, Splendour, Jabberwocky and more

Artist News Festival Line-Up Update Gigs & Festivals

So, heaps and heaps of new additions have been made to certain festivals in the live events field. And I bet you’d like to familiarise yourself with them, preferably via an easy-peasy itemised list. And oh! Here that is:

COCOON IN THE PARK, Temple Newsam, Leeds, 12 Jul: Sven Vath, Seth Troxler, Apollonia, Enzo Siragusa. www.cocoon.net

DETESTIVAL, Queen’s Social Club, 18-20 Apr: Menace Beach, hat Fucking Tank, Mike Hughes, Cult of Dom Keller, Wild Smiles, Rumpus, Seize The Chair, Baba Naga, Mistoa Polsta. www.facebook.com/detestival‎

THE ELECTRIC FROG & PRESSURE RIVERSIDE FESTIVAL, Riverside Museum, Glasgow, Scotland, 3-4 May: Matthew Dear. www.theelectricfrog.co.uk

JABBERWOCKY, ExCeL Centre, London, 15-16 Aug: Liars, Kirt Vile & The Violators, Panda Bear, Cloud Nothings, Untold, Clipping, Big Ups, Mick Turner. www.atpfestival.com/jabberwocky2014

KENDAL CALLING, Lowther Deer Park, Hackthorpe, East Cumbria, 1-3 Aug: Jimi Goodwin, Frightened Rabbit, Simon And Oscar (Ocean Colour Scene), Lewis Watson, Admiral Fallow, Team Me, Black Rivers, Norma Jean Martine, Mirror Signal, The Tea Street Band, Champs, Dario G, Lauren Aquilina, Lyger, Big Sixes, Etches, Molly Warburton Trio, Gypsy Hill, Smerins Anti-Social Club, John Langan, Talisman, Will Tramp, Drop The Mustard, Zutekh, English Disco Lovers (EDL), Herbal Sessions Soundsystem, Dub Central, The Showhawk Duo, Davos, Lisbon, The Membranes, Skutch Manos, Metisa, Colt 45, MDNGHT, Berlin Berlin, You, $ista $ista, Walk, HoneyFeet, Harlequin Dynamite Marching Band, Skittles & Live Band, Cut Capers, Lauren Housley, Rene, Gypsies of Bohemia, Scatters the Funky Disco Pig, The Grand Old Ukes of Yorkshire, Treedrum, Riot Jazz, The Dakota Jim Band, Taylor Jackson, Charlie Cooper, Thingamebob & The Thingamejigs, From a Window, Buffalo Brothers, The Big Easy, Flamingus, Flavia, The Bear around Your Neck, Whiskey Moon Face, Felix Hagan And The Family, Too Much Love, Salutation Dub Collective, The EME, Dave Rybka, Xander Smith. www.kendalcalling.co.uk

LOUNGE ON THE FARM, Merton Farm, Canterbury, Kent, 2 Aug: Fun Lovin’Criminals, Peter Hook And The Light, DJ Yoda & The Transiberian Marching Band, Courtney Pine, Dub Pistols, Broken Hands, DJ Format vs Ollie Teeba (The Herbaliser), Alfredo, The Ramona Flowers, Radio Riddler, Si Cranstoun, Coves, The Intermission Project, CoCo and the Butterfields, The Doctorates, Comfyporn DJs. www.loungeonthefarm.co.uk

SNOWBOMBING, Mayrhofen, Austria, 7-12 Apr: Skream, The Martinez Brothers, Artwork, Shy FX, B Traits, Dismantle, Breakage. www.snowbombing.com

SPLENDOUR FESTIVAL, Wollaton Park, Nottingham, 19 Jul: Happy Mondays, Tom Odell, Boomtown Rats, Reverend And The Makers.
www.splendourfestival.com

SPOT FESTIVAL, Aarhus, Denmark, 2-3 May: Reptile Youth, Mads Langer, Sleep Party People, Treefight For Sunlight, Go Go Berlin, Broke, Amason, Vök. spotfestival.dk/en

SUNDOWNDER SESSIONS, Lusty Glaze Beach, Newquay, Cornwall, 4-24 Jul: The Fisherman’s Friends. www.lustyglaze.co.uk/sundownersessions

New Cure album “a sore point”, says Robert Smith

And Finally Artist News Releases

Robert Smith has revealed that there is a new Cure album ready to release, and that it will probably come out this summer. Although he added that this is something of a “sore point” amongst the members of the group’s current line-up, because everything except Smith’s vocals was recorded six years ago when some of them were not members.

The album, Smith told Xfm’s John Kennedy, was recorded at the same time as 2008 long player ‘4:13 Dream’ (the band’s last release), but was held back because the singer was unhappy with his lyrics on it. With the words rewritten and the new vocals on tape, the album is ready to release, though since the music was recorded, guitarist Porl Thompson has left the group, replaced by Reeves Gabrels, and keyboard player Roger O’Donnell has rejoined. This new line-up now seemingly has a plan for another album, which this other record is holding up.

“We’re in a weird predicament because I finished singing and mixing an album that was made by a band that no longer exists”, said Smith. “I’m not sure [that] happens that often. [Now] this band is trying to make an album – and it’s an album that I’m tempted to make – that’s really different to anything else we’ve really done. So trying to be convinced that we should release an album that’s really the second half of an album that came out in 2008 is a bit of a sore point, to be honest, amongst this current line-up”.

Explaining the delay in releasing the album in the first place, he continued: “The album we brought out in 2008 was supposed to be a double album, and essentially it’s the other half of that, so it’s not really new. I just never sang it, because I couldn’t be bothered. I just didn’t think the words were good enough, [but] I’ve kinda rewritten it and sung it, and it’s good”.

He said that, despite the disputes with his bandmates, the album will now likely come out through Fiction “in that summer dead air period for albums”.

“It’ll be there, Cure fans will hopefully like it”, he added. “And everyone else will ignore it”.

Approved: Intec Digital at Fabric

Club Tip CMU Approved

Fabric is still a club to be reckoned with. But midweek can it cut the mustard? Well it is down to just the one room on Thursday, but who better to fill it than Mr Carl Cox, backed up by close compadre Jon Rundell?

Intec was set up back in 1998 by Cox and C1 and after a hiatus resurfaced as Intec Digital. Coxy is a proper household name of course, as happy on the big stages in Ibiza and around the world as he was at his old residency at the Universal Base night with Jim Masters at the now long defunct The Velvet Rooms on Charing Cross Road. But down the line he’s still waving the techno flag strong and true.

Thursday 3 Apr, Fabric, 77a Charterhouse Street, London, EC1M 6HJ, 10pm – 3am, £15 – £20, more info here.

The Blurred Lines debate to go under the spotlight as more Great Escape convention strands confirmed

Business News Education & Events The Great Escape 2014 Top Stories

With just six weeks to go until The Great Escape 2014 in Brighton, today we announce details of four more of the CMU Insights-programmed convention strands that will take place this year.

As previously reported, this year’s TGE convention will have a brand new look, with six half-day strands allowing delegates to dig deeper into some key music business topics, and all those topics are now confirmed. Each strand will feature original research, insightful case studies, expert interviews and some lively debate.

Amongst the strands just confirmed is ‘Blurred Lines: Does Pop Have A Misogyny Problem?’, which will take place on Saturday 10 May. The Thicke hit, of course, was the biggest selling record of 2013 but also arguably the most controversial song of the year too. It certainly began a debate online about the way in which women are represented in and by the music industry, and that debate will continue at TGE this May, though with a focus on what practical steps, if any, the music community can take to truly tackle the issues.

The strand will be hosted by BBC Radio 1 DJ Jen Long, who told CMU: “From ‘Blurred Lines’ to Charlotte Church’s Radio Festival speech to Lauren Mayberry’s Guardian piece, the representation of women in and by the music industry has been debated more fiercely this year than I can ever remember. While this can only be a good thing, what in practical terms could and should be done? Perhaps we should start by addressing the make-up of the industry itself – only 14% of the PRS membership is women. I look forward to discussing possible action plans at The Great Escape this May”.

The other strands now also confirmed include Building A Fan Business, New Product Strategies and The Festival Business, more on which is available online here, plus look out for full updates in the CMU Daily in the next few weeks. These four new strands join the two already announced, Global Digital Markets and Maximising Music Rights.

Confirming this little lot, The Great Escape’s Festival Director Kat Morris added: “We’re really excited about our new approach to convention programming this year, and the fact our delegates will be able to access more in-depth insights and case studies in six fascinating areas of our industry. And while The Great Escape is a place for the music community to do business, I think it’s also important we consider the way our industry interacts with society at large, and our ‘Blurred Lines’ strand will definitely focus the debate in this area”.

The latest batch of convention news follows the final additions to the Great Escape festival line-up, which were revealed earlier this week. Delegate passes that get you into all the core convention and festival events are available at this link.

European courts clear the web-blocks

Business News Digital Legal Top Stories

You know that web-blocking we’ve all be doing, by which I mean you’ve all been doing, by which I mean you there record companies have been all doing, by which I mean all you BPI affiliated labels have been endorsing? Well, good news, you’ve not been breaking any European laws. So, as you were.

As previously reported, the music and movie industries in various European jurisdictions, including the UK, have in recent years sought so called web-block injunctions through the courts, which order internet service providers to block access to their customers to websites that prolifically infringe copyright or, more likely, assist others in their pesky piracy conduct.

The UK courts have got rather good at issuing such injunctions, even though parliament wasn’t so keen on the web-blocking procedure when it was proposed to MPs ahead of the 2010 Digital Economy Act. But judges subsequently ruled that no new anti-piracy laws were required to allow web-blocks to be ordered.

But in Austria one web-block case – led by movie companies Constantin Film and Wega against net firm UPC Telekabel Wien in relation to popular German-language content-nicking-forum kino.to – ended up being referred to the European Courts Of Justice, to check whether web-blocking violated any rights under European Union law. Had the EU court ruled against web-blocking, it could have forced a rethink in all Union jurisdictions.

But the European judges said “yay” to the web-blocks, or more to the point that such injunctions were allowed under EU law.

It was a decision unsurprisingly welcomed by the EMEA boss of the Motion Picture Association, Chris Marcich, who told reporters: “I am particularly encouraged by the strong stance the [EU court] has taken in relation to the responsibility of intermediaries to address copyright infringement. A sustainable internet that benefits all must operate fairly, with proportionate and balanced rules. We must all play a constructive role in this aim including search engines who continue to lead consumers to illegal money-making sites”.

Although in the UK the web-block injunctions haven’t generally proven controversial in court – though there are plenty of critics of such moves outside the courtroom – that’s not been the case all over Europe. As previously reported, in the Netherlands the Dutch High Court recently overturned injunctions issued by a lower court, meaning web-blocks that had been in place have now been lifted while the country’s anti-piracy group takes the matter to the country’s Supreme Court.

And even where web-blocks are now the norm, there are plenty of proxies to help users circumvent the blockades. Critics say that fact makes the injunctions pointless, while rights owners argue that there should be a process for speedily blocking such proxies too, and that Google should be forced to also remove blocked sites and proxies from its search lists.

Fourth SXSW crash victim dies

Business News Top Stories

A fourth person has died from injuries sustained when a drunk driver hit a crowd at the SXSW festival in Texas earlier this month. The latest victim was named yesterday by police as eighteen year old DeAndre Tatum.

As previously reported, Rashad Owens crashed into more than 20 people while fleeing from police late one night at the showcase festival and convention. Many of those injured were queuing outside the city’s Mohawke venue to see Tyler, The Creator. Two people died from their injuries at the scene, while a third passed away the following week.

Owens was charged with capital murder following his arrest on the night of the incident. It is still being considered whether the subsequent deaths will affect this charge.

Funkadelic element of Blurred Lines songs theft squabble settled

Business News Labels & Publishers Legal

The Funkadelic element of the ongoing ‘Blurred Lines’ litigation in the US is no more, after reps for Robin Thicke et al reached an out of court settlement with Bridgeport Music, which controls a chunk of the George Clinton and Funkadelic catalogue.

As previously reported, when it first emerged that Thicke and his collaborators on the controversial hit, Pharrell Williams and TI, had been accused of improperly lifting elements from existing tracks, both Marvin Gaye’s ‘Got To Give Up’ and Funkadelic’s ‘Sexy Ways’ were mentioned.

Though Clinton – who is often critical of Bridgeport – quickly said he didn’t hear anything in Thicke’s record that could constitute infringement of one of his tracks, and most of the subsequent legal shenanigans has centred on the Gaye family’s claims.

And as that legal dispute goes through the motions, it’s now been confirmed that Thicke’s reps and Bridgeport have reached a settlement, terms of which are not known.

Xtra Mile signs with Believe and Kartel

Business News Deals Digital Labels & Publishers

Digital experts Believe Digital and label services company Kartel have announced a new partnership, which will see them provide back end services to Xtra Mile, as the indie label celebrates its tenth anniversary.

Kartel will expand its existing relationship with Xtra Mile, to which is has provided some label services since 2011. Meanwhile, Believe will handle digital distribution. The partnership covers all territories, except North America, where Xtra Mile has an existing relationship with Warner’s ADA.

Xtra Mile owner Charlie Caplowe told CMU: “It makes perfect sense to take advantage of the full range of services Kartel provides including the digital services offered via Believe Digital and their international network. It’s a really exciting next twelve months for the label and it feels like we have a great team and set up to help move us forward”.

Believe General Manager Lee Morrison added: “We’re very excited to be working with Xtra Mile and feel this is a great demonstration of the potential of our expanding strategic alliance with Kartel. We are offering a fully comprehensive service tailored to the needs of independent labels and artists in order to maximise their presence in the modern music industry. Our goal is to be working with the top labels in each genre and the signing of Xtra Mile is in keeping with that ethos”.

The new deal comes into effect on 1 May.

Disciple hires ex-EMI marketing exec

Business News Digital Industry People

Music app developer Disciple Media has announced that it has hired Matthew Tilley as its new Executive Vice President of Business Development. Tilley was previously Senior Vice President of International Marketing at EMI Music.

Disciple founder Benji Vaughan told CMU: “Matthew is well known and respected among the artist and management community around the world, and bringing him onto the Disciple team will be hugely valuable as we start to show people how this technology can enable artists to create more engaging connections with fans via mobile devices”.

Matthew Tilley says: “Having worked with artists for the last seventeen years to help them engage with their fans across the world, joining a groundbreaking venture like Disciple which can help them create and monetise connections is a fantastic step for me. We’re already seeing huge excitement from the creative community about the potential for this technology, and I’m looking forward to spreading the word”.

Tilley will be involved in deal negotiation and artist outreach to gain customers for the paid subscription-based app platform.

Twitter’s new music strategy starts with Billboard partnership

Business News Deals Digital Media

Just yesterday we were talking about Twitter being in talks with new partners for music offerings. Though we were talking in terms of SoundCloud, Vevo and Beats Music, not Billboard. But it was Billboard that Twitter announced as its new music buddy yesterday afternoon.

The partnership will see the creation of the Billboard Twitter Real-Time Chart, which will track tweet-based discussions about music in the US and (as the name suggests) create a real-time chart of popular artists.

Janice Min, Chief Creative Officer of Billboard parent company Guggenheim Media, said: “Billboard has always been the standard by which music popularity is measured, and Twitter and its millions of users worldwide have added an entirely new dimension and pace to the way the marketplace interacts with, and evaluates, music and music-makers. The Billboard Twitter Real-Time Charts, a natural extension for media brands so in sync in the music space, stands to once again dramatically shape the conversation around the content and the business”.

Twitter’s Head Of Music Bob Moczydlowsky added: “Twitter is where the music of the moment is discovered and discussed – every day, new songs and new artists are breaking on the platform. We’re partnering with Billboard to create a groundbreaking chart to track the conversation around music as it happens. This means when artists share songs and engage with their audience on Twitter, the buzz they create will now be visible to fans, other musicians and industry decision makers in real-time”.

The deal is part of Twitter’s Amplify advertising programme, which has already seen it work with companies such as Coca-Cola, AT&T and Sony Pictures. It also follows the announcement last week that the social network was shutting down its short-lived standalone #Music app.

BBC announces new Newsbeat editor

Business News Industry People Media

The BBC has announced that BBC Radio 5 Live’s Daytime Editor Louisa Compton is to become the new Editor of BBC Newsbeat and 1Xtra News.

Compton said of her appointment: “I’m really excited about joining Newsbeat and 1Xtra, working with such a talented group of people. I hope to build further on its reputation for strong original journalism tailored for a youth audience. I’m also looking forward to exploring new ways of innovating and making an impact”.

Head Of BBC News Programmes, Ceri Thomas added: “The next few years will be some of the most exciting Newsbeat and 1Xtra News have ever seen as they really make their mark in the mobile and social worlds alongside their radio output, and we’re delighted that Louisa Compton has agreed to take charge of them through this time. Louisa is one of the outstanding journalists of her generation in the BBC: a great story-getter and programme-maker, and a genuine innovator. Newsbeat and 1Xtra News are in the best hands we could hope to find”.

As previously reported, Compton’s predecessor Rod McKenzie was removed from the position in January, following accusations of bullying. McKenzie begins a new training role at BBC Local Radio next month.

David Lynch, Moby, Hans Zimmer to speak at IMS Engage

Business News Education & Events Industry People

Organisers of Ibiza music conference the International Music Summit have announced the return of their spin-off event, IMS Engage, which will take place at the W Hotel Hollywood in Los Angeles on 16 Apr.

IMS Engage consists of six on-stage discussions between people you’ve heard of, on a range of music industry-focussed topics. Two conversations have been announced so far, with Moby talking to David Lynch, and Junkie XL talking to Hans Zimmer.

Find out more here.

Jailed Pussy Riot members confirm protest remains the priority

Artist News

Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina, the two members of Russian punk protest group Pussy Riot who were jailed after a performance in a Moscow church in 2012, have told Estonian music convention Tallinn Music Week that they’ve had plenty of offers to tour as a group, but that they have declined, stressing that their objective remains political protest, with their creative output basically a means to an end. Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina for certain don’t currently have any more conventional ambitions in the music space.

“We started our band when it became clear that the people in power in Russia were moving to ensure Vladimir Putin got a third term in office”, Tolokonnikova explained. “We could see that the government was increasingly targeting its opponents. I saw it first hand – a guy I studied with was sent to prison for a year over political matters. So we formed the band to support these political prisoners, and to try and start an alternative discourse”.

“Our mission remains staging protest performances, often in illegal spaces”, she went on, confirming that, for her at least, the political protest came first and the music second, it being a medium for the desired ‘alternative discourse’. “A conventional music career is not of interest to us”, she said.

Joining Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina on the TMW panel was Russian promoter and journalist Artemyi Trotisky, who tackled the question of why – when so many high profile Western artists quickly spoke out in support of Pussy Riot after their arrest and during their trial – the Russian music community showed a lot less solidarity.

That protest came first for Pussy Riot was a big part of it, Trotisky noted. “I think Russian musicians didn’t consider these girls as their colleagues, unlike their Western counterparts”, he said. “They tended to hone in on Pussy Riot’s musicianship – and took offence that this group didn’t care so much about playing good guitar, that it didn’t matter if the singing was out of tune – so this was a protest group rather than a band”.

Which in essence it was, of course, though the power of the message, and the creative and contentious way in which it was delivered through song and performance nevertheless appealed to artists outside Russia.

“The Russian rock community is generally very quiet on political issues”, he continued. “Though that might now be starting to change. But I think any failure to speak out in support of Nadezhda and Maria in 2012 was mainly down to fear – which is something rock stars don’t like to admit to – and also a little jealously, that this group was getting so much worldwide attention by using music as protest, rather than making music for the sake of it”.

More ‘lost’ Johnny Cash LPs in storage, says son

Artist News Releases

Johnny Cash’s son, John Carter Cash, has said that the late Man In Black’s archive has more to it than was first thought, and that, in fact, it holds four or more albums’ worth of ‘lost’ songs. Who’d’ve thought? Not I, that’s who wouldn’t’ve.

Talking to The Guardian, Cash Jr spoke of a horde of unheard tracks that are still under wraps, saying: “There are a few things that are in the works right now – probably four or five albums if we wanted to release everything”.

That, plus enough outtakes from his father and producer Rick Rubin’s bout in the studio making all those ‘American Recordings’ LPs (the last of which, ‘American VI: Ain’t No Grave’, came out posthumously in 2010) to make another “three or four albums”. Though, Cash Jr told the Guardian: “Some of it may never see the light of day”.

All this, of course, falls nicely astride the release this coming Monday of ‘Out Among The Stars’, an LP of tracks dating back to the 1980s that were found stashed in Cash’s ‘vaults’ in 2013.

Savages to release live EP, curate Pop Noire nights

Artist News Gigs & Festivals Releases

Hi. Profoundly serious ‘noir’ punks Savages will soon unleash a two-song live EP, captured on-site at a show the band did at the Forum in London last November. Out on vinyl on 5 May, it’ll include on one side the live-only ‘Fuckers’, which goes on for over ten minutes, and on the other a cover of Suicide’s ‘Dream Baby Dream’.

On the same day the disc is released, 5 May, Savages will curate one of their Pop Noire nights at the Shacklewell Arms in London, this featuring guitarist Gemma Thompson playing solo, plus A Dead Forest Index and CMU approved Japanese band ZZZs. A show the following night, at Birthdays, will commemorate a year to the day that Savages first and only LP, ‘Silence Yourself’, came to light, and will play host to live act Le Vasco and a DJ set by the band’s lead singer Jehnny Beth.

Give savagesband.com a look over for all the info.

Monday 31 March 2014, 13:26 | By CMU Editorial

Each weekday, the CMU Approved column highlights a new artist, track, article or other online activity that we think our readers should be aware of. Below is a YouTube playlist featuring artists and tracks showcased in the column in March 2014.

READ MORE ABOUT: Bernard + Edith | Cloud Boat | Daniel Avery | Deathcrush | Dub Thompson | Factory Floor | Florrie | Jenny Wilson | Jerry Paper | Juce | Labyrinth Ear | Quimper | Sharon Van Etten | Sleep Party People | SZA | Team Me | Tei Shi

Monday 31 March 2014, 10:10 | By Marc Samuels

READ MORE ABOUT: Quimper

Monday 31 March 2014, 10:09 | By Chris Cooke

A security guard is in an “extremely critical” condition after being injured during an incident at the flagship edition of the Ultra dance music festival in Miami this weekend.

READ MORE ABOUT: Avicii | Deadmau5 | Erica Mack | Tomas Regalado | Ultra Music Festival

Monday 31 March 2014, 10:08 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: Juno Awards | Robin Thicke

Monday 31 March 2014, 10:07 | By Andy Malt

The City Of London Police’s Intellectual Property Crime Unit, which was launched last year, has announced a new campaign calling on advertisers and brands to cut off the revenue streams of websites providing access to unlicensed content.

READ MORE ABOUT: City Of London

Monday 31 March 2014, 10:06 | By Chris Cooke

A judge has thrown out a lawsuit being pursued by singer Devin Copeland and songwriter Mareio Overton over 2010 Justin Bieber hit ‘Somebody To Love’.

READ MORE ABOUT: Devin Copeland | Justin Bieber | Mareio Overton

Monday 31 March 2014, 10:05 | By Chris Cooke

Sony Corp announced on Friday that it will replace its Chief Financial Officer tomorrow, with Kenichiro Yoshida taking over from Masaru Kato.

READ MORE ABOUT: Kenichiro Yoshida | Masaru Kato | Sony Corp

Monday 31 March 2014, 10:04 | By Andy Malt

SFX Entertainment’s share price dropped by 20% at one point during a conference call with investors last week, as some questioned the status of the company and its boss Robert Sillerman.

READ MORE ABOUT: Robert Sillerman | SFX Entertainment

Monday 31 March 2014, 10:03 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Michelle Williams | Playtex

Monday 31 March 2014, 10:02 | By Chris Cooke

London-based streaming set-up Bloom.fm has announced that it passed the million user mark earlier this month, and that it will imminently launch a web-based player extending use of the service to PC users. Expansion into new territories is also now on the agenda.

READ MORE ABOUT: Bloom.fm | Oleg Fomenko

Monday 31 March 2014, 10:01 | By Andy Malt

BBC Radio 2 has announced the launch of a standalone Eurovision station, to broadcast around this year’s big song contest in May.

READ MORE ABOUT: BBC | BBC Radio 2 | Eurovision Song Contest

Monday 31 March 2014, 10:00 | By Andy Malt

The Music Producers Guild has announced an event next week to provide information on the new Broadcast WAV file format.

READ MORE ABOUT: Music Producers Guild (MPG)

Monday 31 March 2014, 09:59 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Avicii | Carlos Santana | The World Cup | Wyclef Jean

Monday 31 March 2014, 09:58 | By Aly Barchi

Morrissey has added a sheaf of details, and an extra disc, to the 20th anniversary re-release of his 1994 LP ‘Vauxhall And I’.

READ MORE ABOUT: Morrissey

Monday 31 March 2014, 09:57 | By Aly Barchi

Rounding up the latest release news…

READ MORE ABOUT: Maria Minerva | Tanika | Tori Amos | Tuff Love | White Lung

Monday 31 March 2014, 09:56 | By Aly Barchi

So, heaps and heaps of new additions have been made to certain festivals in the live events field. And I bet you’d like to familiarise yourself with them, preferably via an easy-peasy itemised list. And oh! Here that is:

READ MORE ABOUT: Cocoon In The Park | Detestival | Electric Frog & Pressure Riverside Festival | Jabberwocky | Kendal Calling | Lounge On The Farm | Snowbombing | Splendour Festival | Spot Festival | Sundowner Sessions

Monday 31 March 2014, 09:55 | By Andy Malt

READ MORE ABOUT: Robert Smith | The Cure

Friday 28 March 2014, 13:05 | By Paul Vig

Fabric is still a club to be reckoned with. But midweek can it cut the mustard? Well it is down to just the one room on Thursday, but who better to fill it than Mr Carl Cox, backed up by close compadre Jon Rundell?

READ MORE ABOUT: C1 | Carl Cox | Intec Digital | Jon Rundell

Friday 28 March 2014, 13:04 | By Chris Cooke

With just six weeks to go until The Great Escape 2014 in Brighton, today we announce details of four more of the CMU Insights-programmed convention strands that will take place this year.

READ MORE ABOUT: The Great Escape

Friday 28 March 2014, 13:03 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: British Phonographic Industry (BPI) | Digital Economy Act 2010

Friday 28 March 2014, 13:02 | By Andy Malt

A fourth person has died from injuries sustained when a drunk driver hit a crowd at the SXSW festival in Texas earlier this month. The latest victim was named yesterday by police as eighteen year old DeAndre Tatum.

READ MORE ABOUT: SXSW

Friday 28 March 2014, 13:01 | By Chris Cooke

The Funkadelic element of the ongoing ‘Blurred Lines’ litigation in the US is no more, after reps for Robin Thicke et al reached an out of court settlement with Bridgeport Music, which controls a chunk of the George Clinton and Funkadelic catalogue.

READ MORE ABOUT: Bridgeport Music | Funkadelic | George Clinton | Robin Thicke

Friday 28 March 2014, 13:00 | By Andy Malt

Digital experts Believe Digital and label services company Kartel have announced a new partnership, which will see them provide back end services to Xtra Mile, as the indie label celebrates its tenth anniversary.

READ MORE ABOUT: Believe | Kartel | Xtra Mile

Friday 28 March 2014, 12:59 | By Andy Malt

Music app developer Disciple Media has announced that it has hired Matthew Tilley as its new Executive Vice President of Business Development. Tilley was previously Senior Vice President of International Marketing at EMI Music.

READ MORE ABOUT: Disciple Media | Matthew Tilley

Friday 28 March 2014, 12:58 | By Andy Malt

Just yesterday we were talking about Twitter being in talks with new partners for music offerings. Though we were talking in terms of SoundCloud, Vevo and Beats Music, not Billboard. But it was Billboard that Twitter announced as its new music buddy yesterday afternoon.

READ MORE ABOUT: Billboard | Twitter

Friday 28 March 2014, 12:57 | By Andy Malt

The BBC has announced that BBC Radio 5 Live’s Daytime Editor Louisa Compton is to become the new Editor of BBC Newsbeat and 1Xtra News.

READ MORE ABOUT: BBC | BBC Newsbeat | BBC Radio 1Xtra | Louisa Compton

Friday 28 March 2014, 12:56 | By Andy Malt

Organisers of Ibiza music conference the International Music Summit have announced the return of their spin-off event, IMS Engage, which will take place at the W Hotel Hollywood in Los Angeles on 16 Apr.

READ MORE ABOUT: David Lynch | Hans Zimmer | International Music Summit (IMS) | Moby

Friday 28 March 2014, 12:55 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: Maria Alyokhina | Nadezhda Tolokonnikova | Pussy Riot | Tallinn Music Week

Friday 28 March 2014, 12:54 | By Aly Barchi

Johnny Cash’s son, John Carter Cash, has said that the late Man In Black’s archive has more to it than was first thought, and that, in fact, it holds four or more albums’ worth of ‘lost’ songs. Who’d’ve thought? Not I, that’s who wouldn’t’ve.

READ MORE ABOUT: Johnny Cash