Monday 30 June 2014, 14:03 | By Chris Cooke

Q&A: Antony Healey, APRA

Business Interviews Labels & Publishers

This interview appeared in the May 2014 edition of the CMU Trends Report. Buy our reports from the CMU Shop or get every edition by signing up for CMU Premium.

In most countries the music rights sector provides blanket licences to specific groups of organisations who want to play lots of music (usually including radio stations, gig promoters, bar and club operators), simplifying the licensing process quite a bit.

These licences are usually managed by collecting societies appointed by the local industry, though generally music publishers and record labels have seperate societies working for them, meaning any licensee using recordings of songs needs licences from too organisations.

Given that knowledge of the different kinds of copyrights that exist in music, and the split between the record industry and the music publishing sector, is not widely understood outside the business, some in the political community, including in the UK, have suggested the music sector should look to offer more ‘one-stop shop’ licences where such blanket deals are available.

In the UK, PPL and PRS For Music have developed a handful of such combined licences. Though most interesting in this domain is what is happening in New Zealand where last year APRA, representing songwriters and publishers, and PPNZ, working for recording artists and labels, announced the launch of a new venture called OneMusic, which would present a united front to licensees of music. APRA’s Anthony Healey discussed this very interesting project at this year’s Great Escape, and just before that answered some questions for CMU’s Chris Cooke.

CC: What motivated the creation of the One Music scheme?
AH: OneMusic was motivated by a number of factors. We recognised that there was great potential for growth in public performance licensing that would drive revenue for our members. At the same time though, we had to accept that the way we were doing things was not absolute best practice. APRA had poor market penetration and an ordinary relationship with our customers. The licence schemes and tariffs were complex and somewhat outdated so we took steps to have our customers involved in identifying the problems and have some input in solutions. There was an acceptance that music should be paid for but the process had to be simple and that meant just paying once. Selling “half a licence” wasn’t good enough anymore.

CC: In the UK government is pushing for simplified licensing – was there pressure from the political community in New Zealand too?
AH: We involved government early on and kept them in the picture of what we were developing. They were and are still very supportive. They see OneMusic as assisting business with compliance and enabling music to be used legally in a simpler and easy way.

CC: Had you and PPNZ done joint licences previously?
AH: APRA and PPNZ had very close relationships to begin with. We’re a small industry in New Zealand so we have to cooperate and work together. If an initiative like joint licensing was going to work we certainly thought New Zealand would be a good testing ground. We were experimenting with some joint licences in areas such as education and the process was working well. OneMusic has been a significant extension of that.

CC: Can all licensees now get a combined licence via the OneMusic venture?
AH: Yes all public performance licensees are now offered the OneMusic licence. It has replaced the two parallel licences that previously existed. Now OneMusic is the only option for them. We have worked hard to develop the simplest processes, schemes and tariffs. Customers wanted to deal with us online, they wanted to take out the licence and pay in an easy and simple transaction. At the same time they wanted to have periodic payment options and perhaps be rewarded for paying upfront immediately. These are pretty basic demands in most other service areas but we’re not being offered by either APRA or PPNZ which basically wasn’t good enough and had to be changed. Now we offer quarterly payment options and prompt payment discounts.

CC: How does it work behind the scenes – do the two societies remain totally separate?
AH: Yes, the two organisations remain separate with their own identities but we realised that if we were going to enjoy the benefits of a more refined joint licensing service we couldn’t complicate things by creating a new third infrastructure. OneMusic exists basically as a brand that is jointly owned by both APRA and PPNZ. And it’s a joint project but the actual administration of the service is done by APRA but trading as OneMusic. It is able to offer licences on PPNZ’s behalf through a sub licensing arrangement and simply distributes PPNZ’s share of the royalties collected monthly with the only deduction being an agreed expense percentage.

CC: So what happened to the two organisation’s staff?
AH: We combined both licensing teams and added further resources to the project to make sure it has every chance of success. PPNZ’s licensing staff became APRA employees and relocated to new premises adjacent to the APRA Auckland office.

CC: How has it been received by rights owners and licensees?
AH: We are only six months in to the project so results are very preliminary. And we have a major re-licensing focus to get every licensee re-licensed under OneMusic. This has necessitated terminating thousands of licences and going through the exercise of re-licensing as OneMusic. But the response from our customers and from the industry organisations that represent them has been pretty good.

Obviously – especially where a customer only had one licence before from either PPNZ or APRA – some licence fees have gone up, but that is balanced with some that have indeed reduced. It’s was always our intention that we make this a cost neutral exercise for our customers, especially those who were totally compliant with both licences, where revenue growth would come from greater market penetration. Both our board and the record industry showed great faith in this approach and initial results seem to be very positive.

This interview appeared in the May 2014 edition of the CMU Trends Report. Buy our reports from the CMU Shop or get every edition by signing up for CMU Premium.

READ MORE ABOUT: Antony Healey | APRA/AMCOS

Monday 30 June 2014, 11:00 | By Chris Cooke

Company behind new Michael Jackson doc goes legal over footage dispute

Business News Legal Top Stories

A production company making a new documentary about Michael Jackson has gone legal in an ongoing dispute with the late king of pop’s estate about who owns footage that will form the core of the new film.

The documentary, ‘Michael Jackson: The Last Photo Shoot’, focuses on, well, what was possibly the singer’s last magazine photo shoot, which occured in 2007 two years before his death. The shoot seemingly took place at the Brooklyn Museum Of Art for Ebony magazine, to accompany the popstar’s first interview in a decade, one of a number of attempts at a comeback in the latter years of Jackson’s life.

In amongst interviews with friends of the singer, and photographers and stylists who worked with him, the documentary is set to include previously unseen video footage of the photo shoot as well as pictures taking during it. And it’s that footage that the Michael Jackson Estate isn’t happy about.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, whoever was sitting on the footage tried to sell it to the Estate back in 2011, but after they passed on the deal, director Craig Williams acquired the rights to the content. Which, he reckons, gives him the legal right to use it in his documentary.

But legal reps for the Estate reckon that they actually own the rights in the archive footage, seemingly based on the argument that Jackson paid for the shoot to happen, and that everyone involved was appointed on a ‘work for hire’ basis, so that any copyrights would be owned by the singer himself, and therefore now the Estate. So whoever sold the footage to Williams didn’t have the right to do so in the first place.

Following plenty of correspondence between Williams and the Estate’s lawyers, the film director’s company has now gone legal, seeking court confirmation that it is indeed the copyright owner in the footage in question. Though the Estate remains adamant it is not.

Jackson Estate legal rep Howard Weitzman told The Reporter: “The makers of the documentary are attempting to exploit footage and photographs of Michael Jackson, which we believe are owned by his Estate. The documentary contains footage of Michael during private moments that he never agreed could be publicly and commercially exploited without his consent and/or involvement. Michael never authorised or approved the use of this material in the film”.

READ MORE ABOUT: Craig Williams | Michael Jackson

Monday 30 June 2014, 10:59 | By Chris Cooke

Suspended sentence for Italian file-sharing operator, and his mum and dad

Business News Digital Legal

Proving again that Italy is becoming one of the more prolific countries in the battle against illegal file-sharing, an Italian man behind a now defunct file-sharing operation that used the domains Scaricolibero.com and Filmgratis.tv has been handed a 22 month suspended jail sentence for this role in running the copyright infringing business. Not only that, but his parents also received suspended sentences for receiving the operation’s ad revenue into their bank account.

According to Torrentfreak, authorities in Italy seized the two domains back in 2012 following complaints from copyright owners, and also ordered internet service providers to block the service’s IP addresses and took control of bank accounts receiving ad revenues from the file-sharing operation. Two years on the criminal case against the sites’ operator reached its conclusion with the suspended sentence.

His parents received ten month suspended sentences too for money laundering charges, them having allowed their son’s revenues from the illegal operation to pass through their bank account. Enzo Mazza of local music industry group FIMI confirmed to Torrentfreak: “The parents, who owned the bank account where the money from ads was allocated, were sentenced for money laundering”.

Mazza welcomed last week’s ruling, which won’t result in actual jail time for the accused, but, reckons the record industry rep, sends out a sufficiently stern message about the consequences of profiting from copyright infringement. He added: “It’s a very good decision. Our anti-piracy team FPM assisted during the case and we are really satisfied with the decision which has shown clear evidence of the link between piracy and the collection of money through advertisements”.

As previously reported, while the record industry didn’t always find Italian law all that helpful in the early days of the battle against file-sharing, in recent years various initiatives in the country have resulted in a crack-down. The country’s telecoms regulator has also been given direct web-blocking powers, while the local advertising industry recently committed to do more to cut off ad income from piracy set-ups.

READ MORE ABOUT: Filmgratis | FIMI | Scaricolibero

Monday 30 June 2014, 10:58 | By Aly Barchi

She & Him sign to Columbia

Business News Deals Labels & Publishers

Big-eyed ‘New Girl’ Zooey Zeschanel and that man named M Ward, aka super-cute harmonic pop duo She & Him, have come over all ‘major’, signing to Sony Music’s Columbia Records. The pair, who have released three LPs (and one Christmas gift compilation) since 2008 via ex-label Merge, are expected to make a new record appear later this year.

Confirming the news last week, Billboard was swift to point to alt-rock band Spoon’s recent-ish exit from Merge, implying some kind of collective desire amongst its bigger acts to leave the indie high and dry. Still, it’s only an opinion, and also Ward remains signed to Merge on a solo basis, so I’m staying calm for now.

READ MORE ABOUT: Columbia Records | M Ward | She & Him | Zooey Zeschanel

Monday 30 June 2014, 10:57 | By Chris Cooke

James Arthur rumoured to be in deal talks with Island and Virgin EMI

Business News Labels & Publishers

Having parted company with Simon Cowell’s Syco Music recently, one-time ‘X-Factor’ winner James Arthur is reportedly in talks with two Universal Music labels about a possible record deal, with both Island Records and Virgin EMI being linked to the pop moaner. Though the singer himself doesn’t seem to know what’s going on.

Whether or not it will help in the deal making I don’t know, but at least the labels know that, should they sign Arthur, they won’t be expected to use their influence to get the singer a Glastonbury slot, he having seemingly accepted that such an opportunity is unlikely. Though they may have to contend with him doing little to gain new friends via the tweets.

Presumably watching all that Glasto footage on the BBC this weekend, Arthur twoaned: “It’s sad that I’ll probably never play Glastonbury because of the format I was discovered [on]. Has anyone from ‘X-Factor’ ever played it?”

In a seemingly deleted follow on, he reported added: “[It’s] especially sad when you see how mediocre some of these acts are live!! #verybitter”. So, no duet with Dolly Parton on his next album then.

READ MORE ABOUT: Island Records | James Arthur | Virgin EMI

Monday 30 June 2014, 10:56 | By Chris Cooke

Universal Music Publishing to publish catalogue data

Business News Labels & Publishers

Ah, data, data, data. Universal’s music publishing company has pledged to make its entire songs catalogue accessible via its website, including the facility to export a list of every musical work owned or controlled by the major music publisher. It’s that level of functionality that makes this move stand out; some other publishers do already allow users to browse their catalogues online, but not usually to extract that kind of data.

The lack of a central database that tells licensees which companies control or represent the copyrights in songs and recordings, on even a national let alone global basis, has become more of an issue in recent years, as a result of both the growth of a grassroots sync market, and the rise of the digital music sector, where publishers licence digital platforms directly, rather than licensing the labels which release recordings of their songs (as with CDs).

Although copyright ownership data is an issue for both the record industry and the music publishing sector, most see the problem as being bigger in the latter domain, with publisher information generally harder to access online than label info, plus of course there is a lot more co-ownership of copyrights in the publishing world.

Of course, the ambitious Global Repertoire Database project was meant to be addressing that problem, though some publishers and digital service providers have started to become frustrated with the slow progress in that domain. Meanwhile, pressure continues to rise in the political community (and elsewhere) for music licensing to be simplified, and copyright ownership data is a key part of that process.

In the US the issue has arisen again as part of the debate over whether the publishers should be allowed to withdraw from the collective licensing system in the digital domain, so they can cut direct deals with the likes of Pandora rather than providing licenses via their societies BMI and ASCAP.

Pandora has complained that if the likes of Universal withdraw from the BMI/ASCAP licensing arrangement it creates issues, because it’s hard for the digital service to work out what songs are represented by the major (the distribution of publishing royalties to the right publisher/songwriter having always been the collecting societies’ problem to date).

That puts even more pressure on the company to do a speedy direct deal with the publisher, so that it doesn’t find itself unknowingly streaming songs no longer covered by its BMI/ASCAP licenses. And that, Pandora would likely argue, is another reason the music publishers should be obliged to continue licensing online radio services through their collecting societies. Universal’s data share, therefore, is likely designed to cancel out one of Pandora’s arguments in this dispute.

Confirming that his company would be making its catalogue data available in a very flexible way, initially for US repertoire and eventually on a worldwide basis, Universal Music Publishing Group’s VP Of Operations Michael J Sammis told Billboard: “As the licensing environment changes, we want to be transparent, and responsive to the needs of licensees and users. A comprehensive song repository helps ensure UMPG is positioned to best serve those licensees both now and in the future”.

READ MORE ABOUT: ASCAP | BMI | Pandora | Universal Music Publishing

Monday 30 June 2014, 10:55 | By Chris Cooke

Capitol partners with Vegas clubbing firm on new EDM label

Business News Deals Labels & Publishers

Las Vegas clubbing firm Drai’s Entertainment has joined forces with Universal’s Capitol Records and management firm Turn First Artists to launch a new EDM-focused record label. In addition to the usual A&R support and record releasing expertise you’d expect from a record deal, the new Vegas-based enterprise will also offer artists a residency at a Drai’s venue in the city.

Confirming the new joint venture, Sarah Stennett, CEO of Turn First, told reporters: “We all share a unique vision to launch the first dance label on the strip in Vegas. We have a unique platform to break and develop talented DJ producers. These artists will be able to release through a label that has the clout of a major and the bespoke services of a fast moving independent dance label”.

Meanwhile Capitol’s Steve Barnett said: “With Drai’s providing our joint venture with an extraordinary, one-of-a-kind nightclub venue in Las Vegas, we have an exciting platform from which to accelerate the careers of artists in the EDM realm and share their talents with audiences around the world”.

Although based in Vegas the new label, to be called After Hours, will also have reps in London, New York and LA.

READ MORE ABOUT: After Hours | Capitol | Drai's Entertainment | Turn First Artists

Monday 30 June 2014, 10:54 | By Chris Cooke

AEG will honour £2.50 tickets to BST after ‘friends and family’ link goes viral

Business News Live Business

People who scored themselves super-bargain tickets for the British Summer Time festival that kicks off in Hyde Park this week will get into the event, it’s been confirmed.

Links started circulating on the social networks on Friday morning to a page where tickets for concerts taking place under the BST banner were on sale for just £2.50, compared to the usual £50+ price point. And the super cheap tickets were being sold by AXS, the ticketing company of BST promoter AEG Live, so it all seemed legit.

And legit it was, sort of. In that the link to super-cheap tickets was meant only for friends and family of key partners involved in the event, and not for all the tweeters and Facebookers who also got access to the bargain priced ticket offer.

Presumably there was a limit on the number of friends and family tickets available, though it’s not clear how many were snapped up on Friday morning after the secret link went viral, nor whether AEG Live was then forced to make additional bargain priced tickets available for those actually eligible for them.

Either way, a spokesman for AXS told the International Business Times that anyone with a £2.50 ticket will get access to the festival. Given that lots of festivals have friends and family links to discounted tickets it’s actually surprising this doesn’t happen more often, though the discounts aren’t usually so generous.

READ MORE ABOUT: AEG | AXS | British Summer Time

Monday 30 June 2014, 10:53 | By Chris Cooke

Eavis reckons he’ll be hands on at Glastonbury for six more years at least, with 2017 set to be the next year off

Business News Gigs & Festivals Live Business

So, even before the weekend of mud, metal and magnificent music was over the customary “when will Glastonbury end” question was being asked.

And the rumour circulating was that the festival’s chief had hinted at 2020 as a possible grand finale year for event, though what Michael Eavis had actually told The Guardian was that Glastonbury’s 50th anniversary might be the moment for him to personally retire from active involvement in the enterprise. Maybe.

He told the broadsheet: “I think I can run on another six years, which would take me up to 50 years, then [I’ll] see what happens after that”.

Noting that love for the festival seemed to remain, despite the usual “Glastonbury’s sold out” and “it’s all middle class now” headlines in the run up, he added: “Every single person here last night wanted to shake my hand and say it’s the best thing in their life. It really is quite phenomenal that appreciation of the event – 44 years and people love it more than ever”.

Looking forward, Eavis told the paper that 2017 would be the festival’s next fallow year, and that headliners were pretty much sorted for 2015, though that doesn’t include Prince.

“We’re always having a go at [getting] Prince”, he admitted, talks seemingly getting further this year than most. “Most of the people in the world want to play here, so I did ask him to hop on the train and come down to Castle Cary station and I’ll show him around the farm some time. [That offer] hasn’t been taken up yet though”.

READ MORE ABOUT: Glastonbury Festival | Michael Eavis

Monday 30 June 2014, 10:52 | By Chris Cooke

Amazon Music brand stepped up, including Tumblr blog

Business News Digital

Amazon is seemingly stepping up its Amazon Music brand with a bunch of new social media activity, including an editorially-driven Tumblr site.

The etailer’s existing MP3 store, the recently launched (in the US) Amazon Prime streaming service, a new music-focused mobile app and what was the CloudPlayer now all seemingly sit under the Amazon Music banner.

The Tumblr site, a music blog called Amazon Music Notes, has been underway for a while now, but, Billboard points out, was only linked to from the firm’s music-based Twitter feed, what was @amazonmp3 and is now @amazonmusic, just last week.

READ MORE ABOUT: Amazon | Amazon Music

Monday 30 June 2014, 10:51 | By Chris Cooke

Filter mag to close, but Culture Collide will live on

Business News Media

American music magazine Filter is to cease operations later this summer, though its spin-off festival Culture Collide will live on, while one of the title’s owners will launch a new publication.

Filter co-founders Alan Sartirana and Alan Miller say that they just feel the time is right to park their combined media enterprise, adding that they are parting on good terms, and that the business side of Filter was doing just fine.

Miller will take the Culture Collide brand, and staff who worked on it, with him, with an editorial platform to be built around the festival. Meanwhile Sartirana will be joined by most of Filter’s editorial staff to launch a new online music and culture publication called Anthemic.

READ MORE ABOUT: Alan Miller | Alan Sartirana | Culture Collide | Filter

Monday 30 June 2014, 10:50 | By Andy Malt

Bobby Womack 1944-2014

Artist News Obituaries

Singer and guitarist Bobby Womack died on Friday, aged 70. Although the cause of death has not yet been announced, his health had been an issue in recent years. He was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2012, and Alzheimer’s disease later the same year.

Born in Cleveland in 1944, Womack began playing guitar at an early age, releasing his first single, ‘Buffalo Bill’, in 1954 with family group Curtis Womack And The Womack Brothers. The group then signed to Sam Cooke’s SAR Records, where they were renamed The Valentinos, and had a number of hits. A cover of their 1964 song, ‘It’s All Over Now’, also became the first US number one for The Rolling Stones.

After Cooke was shot and killed in 1964, Womack grew close to his former label boss’s widow, Barbara. The relationship, which saw the couple marry just three months after Cooke’s death, caused a rift between Womack and his brothers, bringing about the end of The Valentinos, and losing him many of his fans. The relationship ended in 1970 after Barbara found Womack in bed with her eighteen year old daughter, Linda (who later married his younger brother Cecil and formed the duo Womack & Womack).

Bobby embarked on a solo career after The Valentinos split, with mixed results initially, and also began working as a session musician and songwriter for other artists, including Ray Charles, Sly Stone and Janis Joplin. His own career really took off in the early 70s, when he released a number of successful albums, and wrote the soundtrack for 1972 blaxploitation movie ‘Across 110th Street’, the title track of which became what is probably his best known song.

Battling ongoing drug problems, Womack’s success again took a dip in the late 70s, though he had another resurgence in the 80s with the albums ‘The Poet’ and ‘The Poet II’ before his output slowed down.

His most recent return to mainstream popularity came in 2010, when he was invited by Damon Albarn to contribute lyrics and vocals to Gorillaz track ‘Stylo’, on the band’s ‘Plastic Beach’ album. This led on to a new Albarn-produced solo album, ‘The Bravest Man In The Universe’, which was released through XL in 2012. At the time of his death Womack was working on another new record for XL, and had a number of live performances in Europe scheduled for next month, including the WOMAD festival.

Bobby Womack is survived by four of his children, Gina, Bobby Truth, Cory and Jordan.

READ MORE ABOUT: Bobby Womack

Monday 30 June 2014, 10:50 | By Aly Barchi

Approved: Nautic

CMU Approved

A London trio bright with credentials, Nautic consists of now-twice-approved mover/shaker Bullion (real name Nathan Jenkins, also the boss of the band’s label, Deek), Young Turks and XL Recordings A&R Tic Zogson, and main vocalist Laura Groves, aka Blue Roses, who released a solo LP via XL back in 2009.

Nautic have now backed up 2012’s dewy single ‘Fresh Eyes’, which is still as crisp as ever, with an equally dreamy track titled ‘Freedom Of The Floor’, itself the lead to Nautic’s ‘Navy Blue’ EP, out, um, “soon” on Deek.

Alive with the push and pull of the trio’s mixed tastes, it finds Groves’ softly-softly soprano leaning gently against a patent Jenkins beat and, just because, a beautiful Spanish-style strings finale to fade.

READ MORE ABOUT: Blue Roses | Bullion | Nautic

Monday 30 June 2014, 10:49 | By Chris Cooke

Katy Perry well downloaded

Artist News Digital

Katy Perry is the top selling digital artist of all time, in case you wondered. Well, that’s what the Recording Industry Association Of America reckons, and who are we to doubt the RIAA’s math(s)? Perry’s singles have been downloaded over 72 million times worldwide, says the American industry’s trade body.

Perry last week picked up an award from the RIAA for the stat achievement (a moment she Instagrammed). Apparently, her 2010 hit ‘Firework’ has racked up the most downloads, at nine million sales. ‘California Gurls’ and ‘ET’ have sold seven million each, while ‘Dark Horse’, ‘Hot N Cold’ and ‘Teenage Dream’ have all been download six million times.

READ MORE ABOUT: Katy Perry | Recordings Industry Association Of America (RIAA)

Monday 30 June 2014, 10:48 | By Chris Cooke

Second Haim album “very soon”, promise

Artist News

Haim will release a follow-up to their debut long player ‘Days Are Gone’ “very soon”, they told 6 Music at Glastonbury on Friday.

Said keyboardist Alana Haim: “This is the first time we’ve ever written on the road. We’re going home in a month to start recording. I promise record two won’t come in six years, it’ll come very soon”.

So now you know.

READ MORE ABOUT: Haim

Monday 30 June 2014, 10:47 | By Chris Cooke

Beyonce and Pharrell score double wins at BET Awards

Artist News Awards

So, it was the BET Awards in LA last night, the big annual back-slapping bash from America’s Black Entertainment Television network, with both Beyonce and Pharrell scoring double wins, collecting the best female and male R&B gongs respectively, with Ms Knowles also getting Best Collaboration for her sing song with hubby Jay-Z, and Mr Williams walking away with a prize for the video to his track ‘Happy’.

Hurrah. And here are the music winners from the night in full…

Best Female R&B/Pop Artist: Beyonce
Best Male R&B/Pop Artist: Pharrell Williams
Best Male Hip Hop Artist: Drake
Best Female Hip Hop Artist: Nicki Minaj

Best Group: Young Money
Best Gospel Artist: Tamela Mann
Best New Artist: August Alsina
YoungStars Award: KeKe Palmer
Best Collaboration: Beyonce featuring Jay Z – Drunk In Love

Video Of The Year: Pharrell Williams – Happy
Video Director Of The Year: Hype Williams

Centric Award: Jhené Aiko – The Worst
Best International Act – UK: Krept & Konan
Best International Act: Africa: Davido (Nigeria)

READ MORE ABOUT: BET Awards | Beyonce | Pharrell Williams

Monday 30 June 2014, 10:46 | By Andy Malt

Jesus would allow gay clergy to marry, says Elton John

And Finally Artist News

Elton John has said that Jesus would not approve of the Church Of England’s “old and stupid” ban on gay members of the clergy getting married.

Speaking to Sky News during Pride weekend, the singer said: “If Jesus Christ was alive today, I cannot see him, as the Christian person that he was and the great person that he was, saying this could not happen. He was all about love and compassion and forgiveness and trying to bring people together and that’s what the church should be about”.

The Church Of England, he said, could learn a lot from Catholic Church CEO Pope Francis: “The new Pope has been wonderful, he’s excited me so much. He’s stripped it down to the bare bones and said it’s all basically about love”.

John also discussed Russian leader Vladimir Putin, whose track record on gay rights has been particularly controversial in recent years, not least with the introduction of new laws banning the ‘promotion’ of homosexuality. The singer said he hoped to discuss this with Putin when he visits Russia to perform in Saint Petersburg in November.

“I will see Putin and talk to him”, he said. “I don’t know what good it will do though”.

READ MORE ABOUT: Elton John

Friday 27 June 2014, 12:31 | By Chris Cooke

IMPALA confirms EC complaint submitted over YouTube dispute

Business News Digital Labels & Publishers Top Stories

Pan-European indie label trade group IMPALA has confirmed this morning that it has now lodged a formal complaint against YouTube’s negotiating tactics for its new audio streaming service with the European Commission.

The indie label community confirmed its intent to take its dispute with the Google subsidiary to the EC earlier this month. YouTube is accused of not only offering the independent record companies unfavourable terms to sign up to its new Spotify-competing music service, but also of threatening to deprive the labels of access to its existing video platform if they don’t play ball. Some argue that threat is an abuse of YouTube’s near monopoly in online video.

In a statement, IMPALA said that its complaint “focuses on a series of breaches of European competition rules, setting out five specific instances of conduct which [we believe are] illegal given YouTube’s position as a gatekeeper to the online market”. As expected, IMPALA is asking for “interim measures” which ban YouTube from going through with its threat to ‘block’ the indies from the firm’s video platform, in Europe at least.

Confirming that its grievance had now been lodged, IMPALA boss Helen Smith told CMU: “The formal process has started in Brussels where the European Commission has consistently shown it will take a stance to ensure its competition rules are properly respected”.

She went on: “Commissioner Almunia has already underlined the importance of the contribution made by independent music companies. This is a crucial moment for the development of the online music market with European services leading the charge. What kind of legacy will Europe give those companies? How does Europe want its artists and consumers to be treated? We look to Commissioner Almunia to take urgent action. It’s red card time”.

Amongst the issues raised by IMPALA in its complaint are the claims YouTube is using its market dominance to force terms below the market norm and that it is treating the indies less favourably than the majors, and the more controversial contract terms that include the ‘least favoured nation’ clause and restrictions on artists and labels staggering the release of content over different platforms for marketing reasons.

In its statement IMPALA adds that as well as issuing a “red card” to stop Google’s YouTube from going through with its threat to block the indies from its video platform, European competition regulators could also fine the company up to 10% of its worldwide turnover. “With advertising revenues alone reported to be $5.6 billion, YouTube could be facing a fine north of $500m”, it notes.

Asked about the indie community’s EC complaint, a spokesman for Google told reporters: “Money, money, money, money, give us more money, fuck you tax man, fuck you privacy tsar, fuck you creator man, fuck you indie star, it’s all about the money, money, money, money, money, give us more money, yahaheyahdhadfhasgdhaahs”. Yeah, not really. They were actually too busy doodling to comment.

READ MORE ABOUT: The Independent Music Companies Association (IMPALA) | YouTube

Friday 27 June 2014, 12:30 | By CMU Editorial

CMU Podcast: Live goes live – hear it now

Business News Education & Events Top Stories

As pan-European indie label trade body IMPALA confirms it has filed a complaint with the European Commission over YouTube’s negotiating tactics for its new audio streaming service, you can now download the very first edition of the CMU Podcast: Live, with the whole YouTube licensing debacle the lead topic for debate between our panel this month.

Recorded in front of a live studio audience at the Roundhouse in London on Tuesday, CMU Editor Andy Malt leads the discussion with Music Managers Forum CEO Jon Webster, Cooking Vinyl’s Head Of Digital Marketing Sammy Andrews, co-founder of playlist creation service Songdrop Brittney Bean, and CMU Business Editor Chris Cooke.

Other topics on the first edition of the all-new CMU Podcast, presented in association with Roundhouse Rising, include the introduction of streaming data into the UK singles chart, the BBC’s almost simultaneous announcements of cuts to Radio 1 and a big new music awards show, and One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson’s crowdfunding campaign to fund the running of Doncaster Rovers, the football team he has just bought.

Says Malt: “What’s great about the new CMU Podcast is that it enables us to put together a great panel of leading music business experts and then get them to discuss the very latest developments in the industry. This month was a very lively and entertaining debate, offering insights and opinions on a number of key issues, not least the indie labels’ dispute with YouTube”.

You can check out the 30 minute podcast below or download the file here. To receive future podcasts directly, you can also sign up to one of our feeds, on iTunes or via RSS.

The audience at Tuesday’s recording also got to hear our panel discuss extra topics, including the launch of the Amazon Prime music service and the Beastie Boys’ recent ad-sync litigation, plus they had the chance to join in the debate and ask the panellists questions. The next podcast recording takes place at the Roundhouse on Tuesday 29 Jul – look out for full line up info as tickets go on sale next week.

READ MORE ABOUT: CMU Podcast

Friday 27 June 2014, 12:29 | By Chris Cooke

Sony counters in-flight content firm’s defence in United Airlines case

Business News Labels & Publishers Legal

Sony Music has returned to court to dispute a defence submitted by one of the defendants in the in-flight music lawsuit launched by the major last October.

As previously reported, Sony sued United Airlines last year claiming that the airplane operator was offering its passengers access to in-flight music services without the appropriate licences. United seemingly passed the buck to another defendant, InFlight Productions, which provides its music content.

Now, InFlight is a Dublin-based company and says that it has a licence for its music services from the Irish record industry’s collecting society Phonographic Performance Ireland.

Sony had already argued that it didn’t think the service operated by United would be eligible for a licence from the American collecting society for digital services, SoundExchange, because it offered too much functionality (which, when it comes the sound recording side of digital music licensing, generally means direct licences from the labels are required).

But even if the PPI licence did cover InFlight’s system, it only would in Ireland. And even if you argue that, when in the air, planes are customarily governed by an airline’s home jurisdiction, so perhaps Irish copyright law would extend beyond Ireland if an air firm was registered there, United Airlines is an American company.

Though whatever the ins and outs of the PPI licence, according to The Hollywood Reporter InFlight has bounced the buck back to its client on this one, arguing that it isn’t responsible for what United Airlines does with its technology once it is installed, because it has no way of controlling how and where the music service is used. To that end InFlight asked for the lawsuit against itself to be dismissed.

But Sony isn’t impressed with that argument, because while it may be true InFlight has no control over its technology once installed on a plane, when you are providing content services to airlines – the major argues – its pretty clear said services are going to be used in multiple territories, and they should be licensed with that in mind.

The major’s court filing reads: “By operating without authorisation and thus skirting rightful payment to copyright owners in the United States, InFlight has been able to price its services low, making these services attractive to the world’s airlines, and thus earning significant revenue from United and other airline clients. In sum, InFlight deliberately built a profitable business based on facilitating the infringement of plaintiff’s copyrighted sound recordings in the United States and in New York on a massive scale”.

READ MORE ABOUT: Inflight Productions | Sony Music | United Airlines

Friday 27 June 2014, 12:28 | By Aly Barchi

Sony/ATV and Naughty Words sign on Mojam

Business News Deals Labels & Publishers

Sony Music’s publishing co Sony/ATV has, via its joint venture with Naughty Boy’s Naughty Words, signed a new contract with British songwriting hit-boys Mojam, aka James Murray and Mustafa Omer.

Applying internationally, the deal expands on a long-time alliance between Mojam and Naughty Words, reaching back over tracks for Emeli Sand√©, Professor Green and Rizzle Kicks, and also Naughty Boy aka Shahid Khan’s own discog, not least his Sam Smith-featuring 2013 single ‘La La La’.

Khan cites his relationship with Mojam as having inspired him to start Naughty Words in the first place. He says: “They were the first signings to Naughty Words and they are now the first re-signings. It’s great as their publisher and their friend that our relationships continues. They’ve learnt a lot in the last few years and they are going to gain from that”.

Sony/ATV’s UK A&R Director Janice Brock adds: “We are thrilled to continue our relationship with Mus and James from Mojam. We have seen them grow into seasoned and highly professional songwriters and producers”.

Murray and Omer are at the mo(jam) collaborating with Emeli Sande on her inevitable next LP, and also working with Katy B, Gorgon City, and Clean Bandit singing lady Jess Glynne.

READ MORE ABOUT: Mojam | Naughty Boy | Naughty Words | Sony Music Publishing

Friday 27 June 2014, 12:27 | By Aly Barchi

Lily Allen now sans management

Business News Management & Funding

Pop’s least docile star, Lily Allen, has apparently split with her manager of eight years, Rocket CEO Todd Interland. The Sun claims that Lily is already seeking new representation, linking the split to a disagreement over which of the tracks off Allen’s latest LP ‘Sheezus’ to release as singles.

And indeed, the signs that Lily Allen might be a bit, erm, dissatisfied with her career lately have been there a while. Like that time she sided with a fan dissing her via Twitter, writing: “All I can do is do my best, the labels and the radio stations won’t play the better stuff”.

The Sun cites a spy close to Allen’s probably-not-so-inner circle as saying: “Lily guides her career herself but will need someone new to work with her. Todd had been with her a long time so it was a blow to lose him. She’s looking around at the moment for the right person to help her make the correct decisions with her music”.

READ MORE ABOUT: Lily Allen | Todd Interland

Friday 27 June 2014, 12:26 | By Chris Cooke

SoundCloud upgrades iPhone app

Business News Digital

SoundCloud released a new app for the iPhone yesterday, and it’s clear that listeners rather than creators where very much in mind during development, a sign that the digital firm is more focused on that side of the equation these days, even though creators are its direct source of revenue.

Though obviously creators benefit too if its easier to stream their SoundCloud-stored content via mobile devices which are, of course, increasingly key to the consumption of any digital audio these days.

Interactions in the new app are “gesture-first” says the blurb, which means swiping and tapping the SoundCloud waveform to stop, fast-forward and skip, rather than looking for specific buttons. Other innovations include new user profiles and the explore genres feature already available via the service’s web platform.

Those curious about the upgrade can read this blog post from SoundCloud on it. Or just bloody well go and upgrade their own SoundCloud app and have a play.

READ MORE ABOUT: iPhone | SoundCloud

Friday 27 June 2014, 12:25 | By Chris Cooke

Canal+ commissions Daft Punk documentary film

Artist News Media

French TV firm, and Universal Music sister company, Canal+ has commissioned the French programme making division of the BBC’s commercial wing BBC Worldwide to make a one-hour film about the often elusive pop-producing powerhouse Daft Punk.

The documentary, due to air next year, will chart the rise and output of Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo from their coming together as Daft Punk in 1993 to the mega-success that was the album ‘Random Access Memories’ last year.

Confirming the commission, Jean Louis Blot, Director of BBC Worldwide Productions France, told reporters: “We are proud to announce our first commission with Canal+ Group on such an original and creative film. BBC Worldwide France stands as a major French producer of documentaries with stunning production values and universal appeal”.

READ MORE ABOUT: Canal+ | Daft Punk

Friday 27 June 2014, 12:24 | By Aly Barchi

Gonzalez Whitaker joins Billboard as Deputy Editor

Business News Industry People Media

Take note everybody, because I’m sure you all monitor these things, Billboard has named one Isabel Gonzalez Whitaker as its new Deputy Editor. Which I guess means it’s all-change for ex dep-ed Yinka Adegoke, despite the fact that he is, weirdly, still listed as holding the post he first took in 2012.

The latest in a series of staff changes at the US music industry trade mag, Gonzalez Whitaker is a former features editor at InStyle and has in the past written for The New York Times, acted as editor-in-chief of Tu Vida, and worked at Teen People and Atlanta CityMag.

Recently appointed Billboard Editor-In-Chief Tony Gervinho says: “Throughout her career, Isabel has shown an impressive ability to create and manage dynamic, commercial content for print, online, mobile, and video. Her reporting and editing background in fashion, beauty, and culture, along with her relationships with leading writers, will help expand Billboard’s audience. We are thrilled to welcome her to the team”.

Gonzalez Whitaker herself adds: “The opportunity to join Tony and everyone at Billboard was simply too exciting to pass up. I can’t wait to get on board and continue building Billboard’s legacy as the most authoritative music brand in the world”.

READ MORE ABOUT: Billboard | Isabel Gonzalez Whitaker

Friday 27 June 2014, 12:23 | By Chris Cooke

Def Leppard man receiving more chemo for Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Artist News

Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell is going through another round of chemotherapy after it emerged that cancer treatment he had last year was not as successful as initially hoped.

Campbell first announced he had been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma a year ago, and he went through a round of chemo to tackle the disease. By November it looked like the cancer was in remission, but a follow-up scan showed “some growth coming back”. He’s now getting further treatment as part of a “clinical trial” of a new kind of chemotherapy.

Talking to Utah newspaper the Daily Herald as his band tours the US with Kiss, Campbell said: “The remission [announcement] was a little bit premature. I don’t know if the cancer came back or it never totally went away, but the initial scan I did last fall after doing my chemo came back clean. [But] there was something about it the oncologist was unclear about and didn’t feel good about, so I was referred to another specialist”.

That’s when Campbell received the bad news that more treatment was necessary. He’s now going through what he calls a “new high-tech chemo treatment”. Campbell explains: “I’m about halfway through it already, and it’s really kind of easy going. It’s the first new drug that’s been discovered for Hodgkin’s since 1977 and they made this discovery in 2011, and it’s actually being pioneered at City Of Hope [a hospital in LA], so I’m part of this research clinical trial that’s going on”

“I don’t know how it works, obviously I’m not a medical person, but somehow or other it just manages to target the cancer cells. It’s not like old school, carpet-bomb chemo, where it kills all the fast-growing cells, so I haven’t experienced any hair loss or any issues with my skin or nails or anything this time around, which is good”.

As for where his treatment will go next, he added: “Assuming that it all works and I actually get to a perceived remission stage by August, then as soon as the tour is over in early September I’m going to get a stem-cell transplant, which I can’t say I’m looking forward to, but I’ve been told if I don’t do that, the cancer’s going to just keep coming back every couple [of] years. And every time it’s a little bit more resistant. It is what it is. It could be worse”.

Asked if all this had ever led him to consider standing down from his band’s tour, he added: “When I was going through the chemo last year and the band said to me, ‘We’ve been offered these shows. Can you do them? Do you want to do them? Or we can get someone to cover for you?’ I said, ‘Fuck that… I’m not having someone else do my job’. There’s nothing worse than sitting around the house concentrating on the negative”.

READ MORE ABOUT: Def Leppard | Vivian Campbell

Friday 27 June 2014, 12:22 | By Chris Cooke

1Ders: Stop throwing things at Niall’s knee

Artist News

What is it about human music fans that make them want to throw things at musicians they love?

Throwing things at musicians you hate I can understand, even if we can’t endorse such actions (not even throwing eggs in the general direction of Master Bieber, unless you’re that former neighbour and it’s simple retaliation), but why target bands you like? And especially their wobbly knees.

One Direction’s Niall Horan has pleaded with fans to not throw things in his general direction after one missile-lobbing audience member caught his knee during a gig in Amsterdam this week. And as you’ll all remember, that very knee required surgery earlier this year, partly because of injuries sustained in a not at all comical squirrel attack back in 2012.

Of course squirrels are unlikely to change their ways because of some 1D tweets, but Horan is hoping the same isn’t true of his own fans. After this week’s stage-missile left him hobbling, he took to Twitter to plead: “Guys! Can you limit what gets thrown on stage please! Coz somethin thrown at me tonight! Hit my knee! A lot of pain from it!”

He added: “Never wanna sound like I’m complaining! But only having my operation five months ago, I still get a bit of pain and I’m very scared about it”.

So take note One Directioners. No knee attacks. Learn from your pop idols, not squirrels.

READ MORE ABOUT: Niall Horan | One Direction

Friday 27 June 2014, 12:21 | By Aly Barchi

Tupac musical not closing, assures producer

Artist News

The producer of ‘Holler If Ya Hear Me’, the Broadway musical based on Tupac Shakur’s lyrics, has denied reports that it’ll soon be a ‘rap’ on the newly-premiered show, claiming that it won’t, in fact, be closing this weekend.

Whilst its credentials (especially the involvement of director Kenny Lyon, who captained the acclaimed recent ‘Raisin In The Sun’ revival) are great on paper; ‘Holler’, which stars musician Saul Williams, has had a rocky ride since its opening night last Thursday. It received mixed reviews and reportedly only took in $170,000 in its first week (making it the lowest-grossing attraction on Broadway at this moment in time), with critics arguing that there was no demographic to fit the show’s appeal.

Nevertheless co-lead producer Jessica Green maintains the show will go on, informing Billboard: “If we were going to close this Sunday, we would have had to post a closing notice last Monday, because there’s all these union rules between the cast, and the company, and the theatre, and all of that”.

An optimistic Green goes on: “We are increasing every week, we are getting in new audiences that have never gone to Broadway before. There’s a little bit longer of an acclimation period, let’s say, between education and actually coming out”.

READ MORE ABOUT: Tupac Shakur

Friday 27 June 2014, 12:20 | By Aly Barchi

John Cale details AV drone collaboration

Artist News Gigs & Festivals

London’s Barbican is to host the world’s first sighting/sounding of ‘LOOP>>60Hz’, a collaborative AV work by John Cale and ‘speculative architect’ and designer Liam Young.

Cale and his band will, on 12-13 Sep, play a live set of selected tracks, specially adapted “to durational forms, unusual tunings and unorthodox audio delivery”. Young will then create and provide a series of drone-like ‘disembodied instruments’ which will take flight in the auditorium.

Alongside ‘LOOP>>60 Hz’, a co-commission with The Space, the Barbican will from 4 Jul also lay on an interactive installation named ‘City Of Drones’, which will allow visitors to pilot a lost drone through an ‘abstract cityscape’.

Details and tickets and things are here.

READ MORE ABOUT: John Cale

Friday 27 June 2014, 12:19 | By Aly Barchi

Tinashe confirms London show

Artist News Gigs & Festivals

Still only 21, and with mixtapes titled ‘In Case We Die,’ ‘Reverie’ and ‘Black Water’ already released, and a TBA first LP on the horizon, LA-based R&B artiste Tinashe of ‘2 On’ fame has confirmed her first London headline show.

It’s at XOYO on 26 Aug, and tickets are on sale now, though going fast. In fact, tickets may already have gone. Still, go to this link to find out.

And this is her biggest single yet, the one I mentioned before, ‘2 On’:

READ MORE ABOUT: Tinashe

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