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Friday 29 July 2016, 11:09 | By Paul Vig
Vigsy’s Club Tip: The Orb (Live) – Adventures Of The Ultraworld 25th Anniversary at Electric Brixton
CMU Approved
So, somehow it is now 25 years since The Orb released ‘Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld’, the record that put them on the ambient electronic map and took the whole genre to new heights. It remains a great record, and it’s definitely worth a revisit or – for those not of this earth 25 years ago – possibly a first listen.
But hey, why not hear the damn thing performed live tonight at Electric Brixton as part of the celebrations for that 25th anniversary? Go on, tell me, why not? The “original family” is billed, so who knows what that means, and which former collaborators will be joining Alex Paterson on stage.
Friday 29 Jul, Electric Brixton, London, SW2 1RJ, 7pm-11pm, £25. More here.
READ MORE ABOUT: The Orb
Friday 29 July 2016, 10:47 | By Chris Cooke
All new SFX may sue former management
Business News Legal Live Business Top Stories
Could the all-new, revamped, streamlined, fresh faced, exuberant, exciting, exceptionally well formed and possibly divine SFX focus most its new found energies on suing the old SFX? Well maybe. That would be fun, wouldn’t it?
As previously reported, having abandoned its original plan for getting out of bankruptcy, a new proposal has emerged for the future of the flagging EDM business.
According to the Wall Street Journal, under the new deal, primary creditors Allianz SE and Axar Capital Management LP will take control of the company, with some other small creditors – probably including the founders of some of the companies SFX acquired – given the option to take smaller stakes in the new entity. Former owners, including founder and ex-CEO Robert FX Sillerman, will have no stake.
It’s widely believed that the new owners will then appoint former AEG Live chief Randy Phillips to run the all new SFX, focused on its core festivals business, with dance music digital platform Beatport possibly spun off as a separate company.
But what about the potential for bitter and nasty litigation, that’s why we’re all gathered here today, right? Well, IQ has noted new documents filed with the Delaware bankruptcy courts this week which say that the new owners may seek damages for “breaches of fiduciary duty by former directors and officers of [SFX], and avoidance actions, such as fraudulent transfer claims under federal and state law”.
It is likely that any such claims would focus on the various failed attempts by Sillerman to take the company he floated on Nasdaq in 2013 back into private ownership, and commitments made to SFX by its founder’s other companies. The new owners may also seek to recover “amounts reimbursed to Sillerman” during the bankruptcy process”.
The revised plan for taking SFX out of bankruptcy will go before the judge overseeing the process at the end of next month.
READ MORE ABOUT: SFX Entertainment
Friday 29 July 2016, 10:45 | By Chris Cooke
Alleged Kickass chief hires Kim Dotcom’s lawyer to fight criminal copyright charges
Business News Digital Legal
Alleged KickassTorrents owner Artem Vaulin has engaged the services of Kim Dotcom’s attorney Ira Rothken because, well, why wouldn’t you?
Even if you can’t fight the charges made against you by the American authorities, perhaps you can put off your extradition until the early 2040s, by which time the US – aka Trumptonia – will be a barren wasteland where the feral beasts of men who roam what’s left of that once great nation won’t be so bothered about bringing former copyright infringers to justice.
Especially those who live in Europe, who will still be contaminated from the nuclear winter, and what judge wants a radioactive defendant in their courtroom? None, that’s what. This, ladies and gentlemen, is what you call a legal strategy. I should give up this words lark and put my law degree to proper use.
Anyway, Rothken – who has advised Dotcom in his long running legal battle with the US authorities over his former business MegaUpload – reckons that Vaulin, arrested last week, can mount a decent defence against the charges filed against him over KickassTorrents. And to that effect the lawyer is trying to have the Ukranian released from the Warsaw jail where he’s been resided since his arrest in a bid to start work on that defence.
As previously noted, there are some parallels between the MegaUpload and KAT cases, in that both are criminal actions being pursued by the US government that require the accused to be extradited to the States. And both Dotcom and Vaulin are accused of copyright crimes and money laundering.
Though there are some significant differences too, because MegaUpload was a file-transfer and video-upload site, whereas KAT was a file-sharing hub. The big difference is that MegaUpload actually hosted unlicensed music and movie files on its servers, whereas KAT simply provided links to unlicensed content elsewhere on the net. Dotcom, if his case ever gets to the US courts, will rely heavily on the always contentious safe harbours of American copyright law. Vaulin’s defence, however, would likely rely on other legal arguments.
As a string of successful lawsuits against file-sharing sites have proven, saying “but we don’t host any of the infringing files” isn’t a valid defence, because most copyright systems recognise that helping others to infringe can in itself constitute infringement – something variously called contributory, secondary or authorising infringement, depending on the jurisdiction. This was the defence unsuccessfully used in the main case against The Pirate Bay, which is probably the closest comparable case to that now involving Vaulin
The founders and funder of the Bay were found liable for contributory infringement in a combined criminal and civil case, and all spent time in prison (or under house arrest in the funder’s case) as a result. But that all happened under Swedish law. And Rothkin reckons that, while file-sharing sites can and have been held liable for contributory infringement, or similar, in civil cases in the US, there isn’t a case under the criminal law. And the KAT man is accused of criminal copyright infringement.
The lawyer told Torrentfreak: “We believe the US criminal complaint lacks merit. Torrent sites and trackers are devoid of any content files. If any infringement occurs it happens offsite and leaves KickassTorrents behind. This type of copyright theory is known as secondary copyright infringement and there is no United States criminal statute for secondary copyright infringement – that type of theory is at most a civil liability issue”.
Rothkin will work with Polish legal reps to try and get Vaulin out on bail and to then fight the US authorities’ bid to extradite the alleged KAT chief. Attempts to extradite Dotcom from New Zealand to the US are ongoing four and half years after he was first arrested, and even though the NZ courts approved the extradition late last year, the former MegaUpload boss is now appealing that ruling, while getting busy setting up MegaUpload v2.
READ MORE ABOUT: Artem Vaulin | Ira Rothken | KickassTorrents | Kim Dotcom | MegaUpload
Friday 29 July 2016, 10:42 | By Chris Cooke
Sync platform Music Dealers heading into liquidation
Brands & Merch Business News Labels & Publishers
US-based Music Dealers, a business that aimed to link independent and self-releasing artists with companies interested in syncing their music, is being wound down. Despite raising over $9 million in finance since launching in 2008, the company says that a key client abruptly terminating its contact with the firm was enough to force it into liquidation.
A spokesman for the company confirmed the news, though with the positive spin that perhaps someone might want to buy the business and revive it moving forward. Which seems optimistic, but who knows? The spokesperson told Hypebot: “It is with a heavy heart that Music Dealers has made the difficult decision to discontinue operations. We are proud of all we achieved in our eight years in business and disappointed to be in this position. We remain hopeful and focused on finding a partner who will help revive Music Dealers and once again realise its potential”.
Hypebot is also reporting that some of the artists who had songs licensed via Music Dealers remain unpaid for those syncs, and are probably now unlikely to see their money. Producer and manager Tyler Neil Johnson told the site: “After countless emails and failed promises Music Dealers failed to pay out $2600 to one of my artists. I went to email again…they bounced back… did a quick Google search to find out they went bankrupt and their Facebook and Twitter had been deleted. It’s just sad because a lot of artists like my client were never given any warning about this and will probably never see that money”.
READ MORE ABOUT: Music Dealers
Friday 29 July 2016, 10:38 | By Chris Cooke
Pandora adds gig recommendations to app as ticketing ambitions gain momentum
Business News Digital Live Business
Pandora’s bid to generate new revenues by moving into ticketing was stepped up earlier this week when the streaming music firm announced it would start recommending gigs to users via its app as well as sending listeners a regular digest of upcoming shows they might be interested in, based on their listening habits.
Pandora is not unique amongst the streamers in adding gig recommendations as a service for users, but unlike its competitors it sees this not just as an added benefit for users – or, indeed, its music industry partners – but as a way of making more money. As you may remember, Pandora moved into ticketing itself by acquiring Ticketfly last year.
Says Pandora boss man bloke Tim Westergren: “Pandora is redefining the music experience, and that includes live events. There’s nothing like the magic of a live show, and there’s nothing worse than missing your favourite band because you didn’t know they were in town. Pandora and Ticketfly are solving that with personalised and effortless access to live, local events”. Yeah, whatever you say Tim.
READ MORE ABOUT: Pandora | Ticketfly
Friday 29 July 2016, 10:36 | By Chris Cooke
Eventbrite boosts dance music credentials with new hires
Business News Industry People Live Business
Ticketing platform Eventbrite has hired three new execs from the dance music and clubbing scenes in the US in a bid to enhance the firm’s services for and reach within that community.
Two of the new hires, Barak Schurr and Diego Carlin, come from the clubbing-focused Wanttickets.com, a rival ticketing platform that the former founded and the latter ran as CEO. The third is Senthil Chidambaram, founder of dance music website Dancing Astronaut, which he will continue to oversee in addition to his new full-time role with Eventbrite.
Confirming the new appointments, Eventbrite’s Director Of Music & Live Events, Greg Patterson, told reporters: “We’re excited to further our commitment within the dance music market and extend our proven success in dance music festivals to nightclubs and venues”.
He went on: “Barak, Diego, and Senthil share Eventbrite’s passion for live experiences and an aligned interest in helping nightclubs and venues run their event business as smoothly as possible. We look forward to marrying their deep industry knowledge with our global leadership in event technology to better serve this important and fast-growing part of the music ecosystem”.
READ MORE ABOUT: Barak Schurr | Diego Carlin | Eventbrite | Senthil Chidambaram
Friday 29 July 2016, 10:34 | By Chris Cooke
PJ Harvey writes score for new production of Franz Xaver Kroetz play
Artist News
Your good mate PJ Harvey is composing the music for a new theatrical production, a new translation of German playwright Franz Xaver Kroetz’s play ‘The Nest’, which will open at Belfast’s Lyric Theatre on 1 Oct before transferring to the larger of the studio spaces at London’s Young Vic on 28 Oct.
The play tells the story of a truck driver who is ordered to dump toxic chemicals into a lake, and explores “the moral cost of an increasingly materialistic society”, says its blurb. The show has been directed by Ian Rickson, who Harvey has worked with on similar projects before.
Harvey composed the music for the piece on her own, and then recorded the soundtrack with James Johnston in London.
READ MORE ABOUT: PJ Harvey
Friday 29 July 2016, 10:32 | By Andy Malt
Wiley cancels new album
Artist News Releases
Wiley is apparently now not releasing a new album in September. The rapper announced in March that he would be releasing ‘The Godfather’ on 2 Sep, but now he’s decided not to bother.
“I’m not dropping an album anymore”, he tweeted yesterday. “Pointless, I reckon”.
“I am Wiley. I am the Godfather. I am the eskibeat producer. What else do I have left to prove?” he added.
Wiley scrapped his last album ‘Snakes & Ladders’ and then re-recorded it, before announcing that it would be his “final solo” LP.
As previously reported, the new record was supposed to precede a documentary and autobiography by Wiley. Those are yet to be ditched, as far as we know.
READ MORE ABOUT: Wiley
Friday 29 July 2016, 10:28 | By Chris Cooke
CMU’s One Liners: Napalm Records, SB Projects, more
Artist News Business News Education & Events Gigs & Festivals Industry People Labels & Publishers Live Business Management & Funding One Liners Releases
Other notable announcements and developments today…
• Metal label Napalm Records has announced it is opening a new London office next month. The UK base will be overseen by Wally van Middendorp, who is “very pleased” about his new job.
• The longtime General Manager of artist manager Scooter Braun’s SB Projects company, Allison Kaye, has been promoted to the role of President of said business.
• Music consultancy Arising Artist has announced the appointment of Alan Pell to the role of General Manager, him have most recently been MD of the Distiller Music Group.
• Live Nation’s grass roots ticketing outfit TicketWeb will be headline sponsor on the next edition of Venues Day, which is organised by the Music Venue Trust of course.
• AlunaGeorge have released ‘Mean What I Mean’, the latest single taken from their upcoming second album ‘I Remember’. The LP’s out on 16 Sep, and they’ll play Koko in London on 25 Nov.
• Daughter have released the video for new single ‘No Care’. They’ve also announced UK tour dates for October.
• Frankie Cosmos has released the video for new single ‘Sinister’. She’ll be playing UK shows in September, including The Dome in London on 8 Sep.
• Ofelia K has another new track out, this one called ‘Killing Me’. “‘Killing Me’ is about the strange paradox that those who love you the most can also hurt you the most”, she says.
• Amatsuki releases his second album, ‘Hakoniwa Dramatic’, in Europe through JPU Records today. Here’s opening track ‘Shooting Star’.
• Trentemøller will be headlining the Islington Assembly Hall on 18 Sep. Tickets on sale now.
• Death Grips will play their first London show for three years at Village Underground on 17 Oct. Unless they don’t.
• There was some crappy fan-shot footage of Coldplay playing ‘Johnny B Goode’ going around recently. Now the band have uploaded an official video of that occurrence.
READ MORE ABOUT: Alan Pell | Allison Kaye | AlunaGeorge | Amatsuki | Arising Artist | Coldplay | Daughter | Death Grips | Frankie Cosmos | Napalm Records | Ofelia K | SB Projects | TicketWeb | Trentemøller | Venues Day | Wally Van Middendorp
Friday 29 July 2016, 10:18 | By Andy Malt
CMU Beef Of The Week #316: Uber v Lorde
And Finally Artist News Beef Of The Week
Regular listeners to the CMU Podcast will already know this story, but I think it bears repeating. Recently CMU’s Chris Cooke was getting into a taxi at Kings Cross station when the driver started talking to another prospective customer. It turned out they were both heading to the same place, and the driver seemed keen to have this other person’s business. Always wanting to be amenable (or possibly looking forward to splitting the fare), Chris agreed to share the cab with the other passenger.
The driver then asked about the office complex to which they were now all heading. The other man had a meeting with a digital agency about a sports project, but – Chris added – most of the companies at said complex worked in the music business. And he had a meeting to discuss all things digital music, he added. What did Chris think about streaming, wondered the other man aloud. Chris thinks a lot about streaming, and so chatted on about that rapidly evolving sector at length (something else podcast listeners will be familiar with).
This monologue took much of the rest of the journey. But it was only when the taxi reached its destination and the taxi driver asked to take a selfie with the other man that it dawned on Chris that this other man might not just be some random other man. And it was bit odd, was it not, that the taxi driver had started talking to another prospective customer after Chris had already got into the car and announced his destination? So who was the not random man with whom the taxi driver now wanted a photo, Chris enquired. It was footballing star Rio Ferdinand. Who knew? Not Chris.
So the moral of this story is that you can’t know the faces of ever celebrity in the world. That taxi driver was excited about picking up Rio Ferdinand, for sure. But he missed a trick by not knowing that he also had CMU’s Chris Cooke in his cab, who I’m sure would also pose for photos, if only asked. Though on the up side, at least that taxi man got to learn all about Spotify’s business model rather than having to talk football with a famous (ex)footballer.
I was reminded of all this earlier in the week when Lorde began tweeting from the back of a taxi. “Uber driver currently busting a nut about the fact that there was a ‘celebrity passenger’ just before me”, she wrote, adding: “I can tell our ride, by comparison, sparkles significantly less for him”.
“I can feel it from the back seat, his dazed glow”, she went on. “He’s probably now pretending that I am not here, that they are still together, and alone”. So that’s fun. And possibly funny. Though, those tweets do also feel a little like a passive aggressive 21st Century version of shouting, “Don’t you know who I am?!”
Now, OK, Lorde probably seems like the sort of person who would tweet about this event because she was amused rather than annoyed. She’s probably happy not being recognised. And used to it. At least, if the reaction of an alarming number of people sitting around me at this year’s BRITs (mostly politicians and non-music journalists, I should probably add as a caveat) when she performed a David Bowie tribute is anything to go by, she should be used to it.
But still, can it be right that a pop star – and someone who’s been on the TV – should go unnoticed when out in public? Should pop stars have to tolerate conversations about people other than themselves? Surely now that taxi drivers don’t need an inside out knowledge of the streets of their home city, thanks to sat-nav, The Knowledge (or similar) should be revamped. Every taxi driver – Uber drivers included – should go through rigorous training in a bid to recognise every famous face in the land, from A through to Z.
And celebrities, you can help here. Help ensure that the taxi drivers of the world have The Knowledge they really need. Don’t sit in the back quietly tweeting. Lean forward, stare into the rear view mirror, and calmly ask, “Would you like a photo?” Do it for yourselves. Do it for us. Do it for humanity. And especially do it for Chris Cooke if he happens to be sitting next to you, because he almost certainly won’t know who you are either.
READ MORE ABOUT: Lorde | Uber
Thursday 28 July 2016, 11:32 | By Andy Malt
SoundCloud reportedly considering $1 billion sale
Business News Digital Top Stories
SoundCloud is considering selling up for a cool billion dollars – or so reckons Bloomberg – because with all those licences now in place, the future is clearly both bright and orange, and who wouldn’t want to pay a billion for the company? I’m planning on buying two.
The company’s founders and investors are, according to Bloomberg sources, mulling over possible future strategies for the business, which might include a sale. Though finding someone willing to pay that billion dollars won’t be easy. Not least because a recent funding round valued the start-up at $700 million, and some would argue that that is too high.
It’s widely thought that previous attempts to sell SoundCloud were scuppered by the music industry’s then increasing anger that the firm was operating without licences, and was therefore not paying revenue back to rights holders. Indeed, with its original business model, the rights holders were the client.
SoundCloud did eventually enter into licensing negotiations with the music rights companies, partly because its own investors were demanding alternative revenue streams, and those would require the participation of the record labels and music publishers. Though the talks dragged on, and were in part delayed by PRS For Music suing the company.
Eventually deals were done with all the majors and many of the indies, and even the PRS dispute was settled. All of which has let the company get on with evolving the ad funded platform it first launched in the US in 2014, and the SoundCloud Go subscription service that went live Stateside in March. Both ads and subscriptions were added here in the UK in May.
But does all that really make the business a more attractive purchase? After all, although there are some differences, SoundCloud is increasingly moving into the territory of the more conventional streaming music services, all of which are struggling to make any profit. The challenge that poses would make a ‘let’s bail’ strategy sensible for current investors, but also mean it will likely remain a hard sell with possible billion dollar bidders.
READ MORE ABOUT: SoundCloud
Thursday 28 July 2016, 11:29 | By Andy Malt
Michael Jackson’s nephews sue RadarOnline over abuse claims
Artist News Legal
Michael Jackson’s nephews Taj, TJ and Taryll Jackson – also known as the pop group 3T – have launched a $100 million libel lawsuit against Radar Online, over claims that they were abused by their uncle as children.
The lawsuit follows a series of reports published by RadarOnline last month, purporting to be based on documents from a 2003 police raid on Michael Jackson’s Neverland ranch. Among various claims made in the reports, it was said that Taj, TJ and Taryll, the sons of Jackson’s brother Tito, accepted a gift of a car in exchange for keeping quiet about being abused by their uncle.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the lawsuit says: “Radar has tried to profit by launching a vicious and unrelenting attack on [Jackson] based on claims that, years ago, he was guilty of sexual abuse, even though, at the time, he was found ‘not guilty’ of that very charge. Radar represents its ‘reports’ as ‘new’ and based on official ‘detective reports’. Not only have those detective reports been available to the public for many years, Radar has misrepresented what the reports say”.
It goes on: “Radar falsely accused plaintiffs of committing a felony by participating in the concealment of criminal activity on the part of Michael Jackson and of being bribed to do so. Based on Radar’s libellous stories, the international media reported to the public that ‘Michael Jackson molested his own nephews … and silenced them with threats and gifts'”.
As previously reported, last month the Jackson estate published a statement in response to the reports, saying: “Everything in these reports, including what the County Of Santa Barbara calls ‘content that appears to be obtained off the internet or through unknown sources’ is false, no doubt timed to the anniversary of Michael’s passing. Those who continue to shamelessly exploit Michael via sleazy internet ‘clickbait’ ignore that he was acquitted by a jury in 2005 on every one of the fourteen salacious charges brought against him in a failed witch hunt”.
RadarOnline has not yet commented on the lawsuit.
READ MORE ABOUT: Michael Jackson | RadarOnline | Taj Jackson | Taryll Jackson | TJ Jackson
Thursday 28 July 2016, 11:27 | By Andy Malt
French artist loses Lady Gaga plagiarism case
Artist News Legal
French artist Orlan has lost a plagiarism lawsuit against Lady Gaga over the artwork for the musician’s 2011 album ‘Born This Way’ and the music video for its title track.
Orlan alleged that Gaga had ripped off two of her works: ‘Bumpload’, which depicts the artist with bumps over her face and shoulders, and ‘Woman With Head’, which features her severed head on a table. She was seeking $31.7 million in damages, deemed to be 7.5% of profits from the record. However, the High Court in Paris rejected the claim this week, reports Le Journal des Arts.
The court reportedly said in its ruling that Orlan’s art could not be boiled down to just its physical elements because, as conceptual art, its message must also be considered. But in the case of ‘Bumpload’, it said that the concept of transforming a human was not something that Orlan could own.
Under French law, Orlan must now pay 10,000 euros each to the defendants, Lady Gaga and Universal Music. However, the artist has told Artnet that she has already filed an appeal.
READ MORE ABOUT: Lady Gaga | Orlan
Thursday 28 July 2016, 11:19 | By Andy Malt
Warner Music signs up to Vadio
Business News Deals Digital Labels & Publishers
Warner Music has signed a deal with music video distribution platform Vadio, giving partnered brands and websites access to the label’s catalogue of video content. Lovely.
“Vadio provides a smart service that gives partners quick and easy access to our artists’ content, within a ready-to-go video platform”, says Ron Wilcox, Warner’s Executive Counsel, Business Affairs, Strategic And Digital Initiatives. “Vadio’s extensive distribution network of video channels expands the potential for Warner Music artists to connect with new fans, while creating new revenue streams on our artists’ behalf”.
Vadio CEO Bryce Clemmer adds: “We pride ourselves on empowering new business models that create new revenue streams for content creators and media partners. For that reason, we are very excited about our partnership with Warner Music Group. We believe video will get integrated into every digital media destination. Therefore we are making it possible for artists, brands, and media partners to deliver high quality videos by making Warner’s video library viewable across large scale consumer experiences”.
Late last year, Vadio raised $7.5 million in funding, as well as adding former Vevo CEO Rio Caraeff to its board of advisors. But he seemingly didn’t advise the company to find a better name than Vadio.
READ MORE ABOUT: Vadio | Warner Music
Thursday 28 July 2016, 11:15 | By Andy Malt
Lifehouse’s Jason Wade signs worldwide publishing deal with Sony/ATV
Artist News Business News Deals Labels & Publishers
Sony/ATV has signed one of those worldwide publishing deals with Jason Wade, frontman and lead songwriter of the band, Lifehouse.
Co-President of Sony/ATV US Rick Krim says of the deal: “I have known Jason since the release of Lifehouse’s debut album and have always been a great admirer of his immense songwriting talent. To be able to be his publisher as he embarks on this next phase in his career is truly a THRILL for me and the whole Sony/ATV team, and we are so happy to have him join our family”.
Wade’s manager Jude Cole adds: “Jason is a gifted and prolific writer who’s been touring and supporting his own hit songs since he was eighteen years old. This is a new chapter for an artist who could never be satisfied running on the fumes of his past. I know he’s THRILLED to be working with Rick and the whole Sony/ATV team and I expect great things to come from this partnership”.
Though, despite all that, in his own statement Wade said nothing at all about being THRILLED: “After years of focusing on my band, this is a much-needed and exciting change in my life. My attraction to music has always been about the song, and in the world of songs I consider Sony/ATV to be the best of the best”.
Maybe he was just tired out from being so THRILLED.
READ MORE ABOUT: Jason Wade | Lifehouse | Sony Music Publishing
Thursday 28 July 2016, 11:13 | By Andy Malt
The Cure’s Lol Tolhurst to publish memoir
Artist News
Former Cure drummer Lol Tolhurst has announced that he will release a memoir, titled ‘Cured: The Tale Of Two Imaginary Boys’, on 11 Oct.
“This is a record of the things that have kept me awake at 4am”, says the musician of the book. “The precious flowers of the past blooming in the dark corners of memory. I have tried my best to capture whatever that light shone on. I hope it illuminates events for you as much as it has for me”.
Read an interview with Tolhurst and an excerpt from the book on Noisey here, and watch a trailer for it here:
READ MORE ABOUT: Lol Tolhurst | Robert Smith | The Cure
Thursday 28 July 2016, 11:09 | By Andy Malt
The Radio Dept announce new album Running Out Of Love
Artist News Releases
The Radio Dept have announced their first album since 2010. Titled ‘Running Out Of Love’, it is inspired by the changing social political landscape in their native Sweden, which also seemingly reflects what is happening in the wider world.
“[It is] an album about life in Sweden in 2016 and how our society seems to be in regression on so many levels”, say the band in a statement. “Politically, intellectually, morally… It’s an album about all the things that are moving in the wrong direction. It’s about the impatience that turns into anger, hate and ultimately withdrawal and apathy when love for the world and our existence begins to falter”.
The album will be their final record for Labrador Records, against whom they launched an unsuccessful lawsuit over the terms of their contract after the release of last long player ‘Clinging To A Scheme’. Last year’s track ‘Occupied’, which features on the album, is about the court case, while “the Swedish weapon and arms industry [is covered] in ‘Swedish Guns’ and ‘We Got Game’ is about the proud police tradition of protecting Nazis and racists, whilst at the same time using brutal violence against opposing groups of protesters”.
“‘Running Out Of Love’ has moulded itself into a rather dystopian album”, the band conclude, perhaps slightly unnecessarily. “Mainly because it was created in a sense of deep frustration over the reactionary currents which characterise our time”.
The album is due for release on 21 Oct. Listen to ‘Occupied’ here:
READ MORE ABOUT: The Radio Dept
Thursday 28 July 2016, 11:05 | By Andy Malt
Girl Band announce return to touring
Artist News Gigs & Festivals
Girl Band have announced that they will begin touring again next month, starting with a handful of US dates.
The band cancelled all scheduled tour dates last October citing “health issues in the band”. Shows booked in for early 2016 were also pulled. They eventually returned with a show in Dublin in April, and have played a number of summer festival dates in recent weeks.
The band will be in the UK in December and early 2017. Here are the dates:
7 Dec: Brighton, The Haunt
8 Dec: London, The Scala
9 Dec: Manchester, Soup Kitchen
22 Jan: Birmingham, Hare & Hounds
24 Jan: Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
26 Jan: Edinburgh, Summerhall
READ MORE ABOUT: Gilla Band
Thursday 28 July 2016, 11:02 | By Andy Malt
CMU’s One Liners: Warner Music, Jenny Hval, Mick Harvey, more
Artist News Business News Gigs & Festivals Industry People Labels & Publishers One Liners Releases
Other notable announcements and developments today…
• Warner Music Nashville has promoted Peter Strickland to the newly created role of Chief Marketing Officer. Meanwhile, from 1 Jan next year, WEA President Matt Signore will become WMN’s COO. “I am THRILLED”, says CEO John Esposito.
• Jenny Hval has released new single ‘Conceptual Romance’. Her new album ‘Blood Bitch’ is out on 30 Sep.
• Having just released a third volume of Serge Gainsbourg translations, Mick Harvey has announced a fourth, ‘Intoxicated Women’, which will be released on 4 Nov. Here’s a sampler.
• Mass Gothic have announced new EP ‘Sup Goth’, which will be released on 5 Aug. From it, this is ‘A Run’.
• Sarah P has made three music videos to go with new single ‘Golden Deer’. One, two, three. Pick a favourite or watch them back-to-back as one whole mega-video.
• The Ramona Flowers will release their second album, ‘Part Time Spies’, on 9 Sep. Here’s the video for ‘Dirty World’.
• Punk duo PWR BTTM will release their debut album ‘Ugly Cherries’ through Big Scary Monsters on 7 Oct. From it, this is ‘Projection’.
• Twelve-string wizard William Tyler will be playing a full band show at Bush Hall in London on 20 Nov.
• Band-Maid will be in the UK this autumn, playing The Underworld in Camden on 12 Oct as part of a wider European tour.
READ MORE ABOUT: Band-Maid | Jenny Hval | Mass Gothic | Matt Signore | Mick Harvey | Peter Strickland | PWR BTTM | Ramona Flowers | Sarah P | Serge Gainsbourg | Warner Music | William Tyler
Thursday 28 July 2016, 10:58 | By Andy Malt
Darude lacks real world sandstorm experience
And Finally Artist News
Write about what you know, I was always told. But first Kelis admitted that she’d never made a milkshake, and now it turns out that Darude has never been caught in a sandstorm. What is this world?
The producer dropped the bombshell in a Reddit AMA (which was very ‘Sandstorm’ focussed), answering a direct question asking if he’d ever been in a sandstorm: “No, but in a smaller one, dust devil, or whatever you want to call it… AND, I’ve got a picture from a few years back, when I was landing in Arizona I believe it was, where I literally landed and … a sandstorm blew through the airport area and you can see the edge on the pic”.
Not fucking good enough, Darude. Being caught up in a mini sandstorm years ago does not provide the experience required to write about the phenomenon. And being near a full-sized sandstorm? Come on now. I can only advise that you focus future energies on writing about milkshakes.
READ MORE ABOUT: Darude
Thursday 28 July 2016, 10:25 | By Andy Malt
Approved: Lung Dart
CMU Approved
Lung Dart – aka multi-instrumentalists Tim Clay and James Rapson – have to date released a small but endlessly intriguing collection of music. Last year’s ‘Ebbs’ EP is now joined by ‘Healthy Functional Tissue’, the first single from upcoming mini-album ‘As I Lay Drying’, which is out on 2 Sep.
Following from the dense but warm, gospel-inflected sound of ‘Ebbs’, ‘Healthy Functional Tissue’ is a gorgeous loop that undulates slowly while new elements drift into the mix almost imperceptibly, drawing you deeper into the music.
The duo will be previewing the mini-album on 26-27 Aug at Holdrons Arcade in Peckham with an event that will be part listening party, part art installation. Listeners will be invited to enter, lie down and experience the record accompanied by videos created by Joe Wilson, Liam Healy, Billy Bolton, Edward Carvalho Monaghan, Oliver Hyde Mobbs, Estelle Birch and Lung Dart themselves.
Listen to ‘Healthy Functional Tissue’ here:
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READ MORE ABOUT: Lung Dart
Wednesday 27 July 2016, 10:34 | By Andy Malt
Approved: The Garden
CMU Approved
Twin brothers Wyatt and Fletcher Shears make weird, avant-punk as The Garden. Purporting to have invented their own genre – vada vada – there is lots to be distracted by in the way they describe themselves, but to dwell on it would detract from how much fun their music is.
Their latest album, ‘Haha’, was released through Epitaph last year, and now they are releasing the second in a series of five singles, ‘Call This # Now’.
As with part one of the series, ‘Play Your Cards Right’, which drifted into oddball hip hop, ‘Call This # Now’ takes a step away from the duo’s typical bass and drums focussed sound. Opening with an eight second blast of hardcore punk, it takes a sudden shift into funk that’s all whistles and warped synth brass.
You can catch them touring the UK in August and September, all leading up to an appearance at the End Of The Road festival.
Listen to ‘Call This # Now’ here…
Stay up to date with all of the artists featured in the CMU Approved column in 2016 by subscribing to our Spotify playlist.
READ MORE ABOUT: The Garden
Wednesday 27 July 2016, 10:24 | By Chris Cooke
Guvera to exit Australian market
Business News Digital Top Stories
Australian streaming service Guvera is pulling out of its home market it has been confirmed, as the digital firm continues to deal with the fallout of having its planned IPO blocked by the Australian Securities Exchange.
As previously reported, loss-making Guvera withdrew from a number of markets and put two of its subsidiary companies into administration after its ambitious attempt to float the company failed. Meanwhile, despite insisting that its core business is ad-funded free streaming, Guvera’s freemium level in Australia was cut back, with users told to upgrade to a paid-for account to access lost functionality.
Guvera confirmed to Aussie tabloid The Courier-Mail that it was exiting the Australian market this morning, after the company sent a memo to its shareholders that read: “Unfortunately, the time has come for Guvera to withdraw from the Australian market, this will come into effect in the following week”.
The note to investors went on: “We have decided that in order to achieve sustainable and long-term goals, we will focus all efforts in key emerging countries, such as India and Indonesia. Research shows that in these countries consumers simply can’t and won’t pay for the streaming of music and we feel we can return the greatest value for our shareholders [there]”.
There is some logic to that decision, in that the labels and music publishers who put a huge strain on streaming start-ups by demanding large advances and financial guarantees will generally be more flexible with services in countries that didn’t traditionally generate much revenue for the record industry.
Partly because rights owners recognise different business models may be required in these countries, and partly because there is less risk in participating in lower-return free services when there is no real CD, download or premium subscription market that might be negatively impacted by a ready supply of free music.
Though, while Guvera may be right to conclude that consumers in markets like India and Indonesia are much less likely to sign up to a premium service, therefore making ad-funded more attractive there, that still leaves unanswered the more important questions, is there enough interest from advertisers in those territories to fund free streams?
Co-founder Claes Loberg, who replaced Darren Heft as CEO earlier this month, has reportedly “temporarily relocated to Indonesia and India to work closely with several key partners”. So perhaps he can try to answer that question while he’s there.
READ MORE ABOUT: Guvera
Wednesday 27 July 2016, 10:22 | By Chris Cooke
Wolfe Trust appeals Led Zeppelin song-theft ruling
Business News Legal
The man who unsuccessfully sued Led Zeppelin over allegations they ripped off another song when writing ‘Stairway To Heaven’ has lodged an appeal because, well, of course he has.
As much previously reported, the trust that benefits from the estate of the late Randy Wolfe, aka Randy California, accused Led Zeppers Robert Plant and Jimmy Page of plagiarising ‘Taurus’, a song Wolfe wrote for his band Spirit.
But in a high profile court hearing, that included testimonies from both Plant and Page, a jury decided that the two songs were not sufficiently similar to constitute copyright infringement, even though it’s possible that the Led Zeppelin men had heard ‘Taurus’ before writing ‘Stairway’.
Aside from the celebrity testimonies, the ‘Stairway’ song-theft case also stood out because of the lawyer leading the case for the Wolfe Trust, whose seemed to annoy the judge at every turn. That lawyer, Francis Malofiy, has subsequently been banned from practising law in Pennsylvania for three months because of his conduct in another copyright case.
Meanwhile Warner Music, as a co-defendant in the litigation, has since hit out at both Malofiy and the Wolfe Trust’s Michael Skidmore, accusing the two men of “extensive and ongoing litigation misconduct” which pro-longed the case and added to the cost of fighting the action. The mini-major is seeking to force the Trust to pay its legal costs.
But Skidmore, it seems, is not yet ready to put this behind him. According to Reuters, he filed notice of appeal with America’s Ninth Circuit Court Of Appeals last weekend, with the court acknowledging receipt of the legal papers on Monday.
That Skidmore is appealing isn’t a surprise, though it remains to be seen what arguments are put forward in the appeal, and whether Malofiy will still be involved in the case. Though it’s thought oral arguments on Skidmore’s appeal are unlikely to take place until next year, and by that point we may be living in the Age Of Trump, and there’s a chance everyone will have bigger things to worry about by then.
READ MORE ABOUT: Led Zeppelin | Michael Skidmore | Wolfe Trust
Wednesday 27 July 2016, 10:20 | By Chris Cooke
Twentieth Century Fox accuses Kim Dotcom of breaching court order on frozen MegaUpload funds
Business News Digital Legal MegaUpload Timeline
Movie studio Twentieth Century Fox has accused former MegaUpload chief Kim Dotcom of breaching a court order relating to the funds frozen when his former business was shut down by the US authorities in 2012.
Millions of dollars were seized in multiple territories as MegaUpload was shut down and Dotcom and some of his former colleagues were arrested in New Zealand over allegations of money laundering, racketeering and copyright infringement.
Since then, Dotcom and his lawyers have successfully sought to unfreeze some of those funds to cover his living and legal costs, though the courts are still overseeing all the remaining monies linked to the former MegaUpload business.
The big music and movie companies take a particular interest in any legal wranglings around the seized funds because they are suing Dotcom et al for copyright infringement, and they want there to be a big pile of cash ready and waiting should they prevail in that litigation and be awarded mega-bucks damages by the courts.
And to that end, lawyer Matt Sumpter, representing the Fox film company, recently told the New Zealand courts that a recent financial transaction involving Dotcom was in violation of the order freezing his assets. The transaction at the heart of the complaint was a $220,000 loan Dotcom had taken from his lawyers on behalf of a trust for his children.
According to RNS, Sumpter says the loan basically amounts to contempt of court, and he wants the judge to “remind Mr Dotcom about his obligations”. But Dotcom’s own lawyer disputes the Fox man’s claims, arguing that the loan “was a new asset, not covered by the original freezing order”.
The latest legal skirmish between Hollywood and the MegaUpload man comes ahead of the latter’s appeal against a court decision late last year which said that the American authorities could extradite Dotcom et al to face those aforementioned charges in a US courtroom. A hearing to consider that appeal is scheduled for next month.
READ MORE ABOUT: Kim Dotcom | MegaUpload | Twentieth Century Fox
Wednesday 27 July 2016, 10:18 | By Chris Cooke
Record industry welcomes isoHunt settlement
Business News Digital Legal
The Canadian and global record industries have both responded to the previously reported settlement reached between the labels and the man behind former file-sharing platform isoHunt.
As previously reported, although Gary Fung took his file-sharing service offline back in 2013 after reaching a settlement with the movie studios, legal action being pursued by the record industry continued, but was finally settled last week.
For many years Canadian Fung denied that his file-sharing set-up was liable for copyright infringement, at one point actually suing the record industry in a bid to have a judge confirm that opinion.
Canadian copyright law was actually a bit ambiguous on the liabilities around file-sharing for a while, though Fung’s arguments as to why isoHunt was not liable for the infringement it enabled others to undertake had generally been rejected by courts in various other jurisdictions.
In his settlement with the record industry, made with Canadian trade group Music Canada, Fung agreed to pay the labels $66 million, breaking down as $55 million damages, $10 million in aggravated punitive damages and $1 million in legal costs. He said last weekend: “After ten long years, I’m happy to announce the end of isoHunt’s and my lawsuits”.
Confirming that a settlement had indeed been reached, Music Canada boss Graham Henderson told reporters on Monday: “Music companies in Canada stand shoulder-to-shoulder in the fight against illegitimate sites that distribute massive volumes of creative works without compensation to creators. Thousands of Canadian creators, our creative industries, and their employees are directly harmed by these activities. This settlement is a step forward towards providing consumers with a marketplace in which legitimate online music services can thrive”.
Meanwhile, speaking for global record industry trade group the IFPI, its CEO Frances Moore added: “Courts all over the world have confirmed that websites such as isoHunt infringe rights. Artists, creators and record companies pay a heavy price for that infringement, in lost revenues, lost jobs and lost investment. This settlement sends a strong message that anyone who builds a business by encouraging and enabling copyright infringement faces legal consequences for these actions”.
In addition to damages he must pay, under the terms of the settlement, which has been filed with the British Columbia Supreme Court, Fung also agrees not to be associated with any other service that makes sound recordings available without licence.
READ MORE ABOUT: International Federation Of The Phonographic Industry (IFPI) | Isohunt | Music Canada
Wednesday 27 July 2016, 10:15 | By Chris Cooke
Sony signs Martin Garrix
Business News Deals Labels & Publishers
Following his somewhat messy departure from former label Spinnin Records, producer Martin Garrix has signed with Sony Music, and will now work on future releases with the major’s RCA division in the US and Columbia Records in the UK. The first release under the new deal will be ‘The Name Of Love, a collaboration with Bebe Rexha, which will be available from this coming New Music Friday.
Sony Music Entertainment Netherlands is also involved in the deal, Garrix being Dutch and all, making it a rather international arrangement. Hence why we’ve got Adam Granite of Sony International providing the quotage from the major, him saying: “Martin is one of the pre-eminent DJ, producers and songwriters in the world today and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome him and his team to the Sony Music family”.
I bet they could be more excited if they really tried. I mean, Garrix himself is “super excited”, which is surely more than just “excited”. “I’m super excited to be working with such a hungry and passionate team at Sony Music Entertainment” said the producer. “Their forward thinking approach to streaming and incredible roster of talented artists combined with their passion and understanding for my vision of the future of my music made this a no brainer”.
READ MORE ABOUT: Martin Garrix | Sony Music
Wednesday 27 July 2016, 10:12 | By Chris Cooke
M.O sign US record deal with Interscope
Business News Deals Labels & Publishers
Having put out single ‘Who Do You Think Of?’ with Polydor in the UK back in May, English pop trio M.O have now signed up with another Universal label Stateside, good old Interscope Records.
Who says? Only bloody John Janick, CEO of Interscope Geffen A&M, that’s who. “I’ve been watching M.O connect with music fans, especially over the course of 2016”, says he of his new signings. “As well as being great writers, the group has a sound that draws on some of the greatest dance and R&B music, while being unique to them at the same time. We are really excited to build on the current UK success and break them here in the US”.
As for M.O, they said in unison of the deal: “Signing to Interscope feels slightly surreal, an absolute dream come true. We can’t wait for more people around the world to hear our music and what we’ve been working on for the last two and a half years!”
READ MORE ABOUT: Interscope | M.O | Polydor
Wednesday 27 July 2016, 10:05 | By Chris Cooke
Alexandra Palace raising money to re-open “frozen in time” theatre space
Business News Live Business
London venue Alexandra Palace has launched a fund-raising campaign in a bid to re-open a whole theatre space that has sat inside the complex totally unused for 80 years.
The theatre was founded in 1875 and was regularly used in the early decades of Ally Pally’s history. But it hasn’t been open to the public for over 80 years now and has been “frozen in time” as a result, which, says the boss of the trust that runs the building, makes the theatre “a unique and atmospheric space which you can’t fail to be moved by”.
A wider project is already underway to restore the palace’s whole east wing, which has received funding from both the Heritage Lottery Fund and Haringey Council, but the Alexandra Park And Palace Charitable Trust is now looking to raise £1 million from the public to specifically renovate and re-open the theatre, which could then be used for plays, comedy, film screenings and live music.
Says Trust CEO Louise Stewart: “Alexandra Palace is the original ‘People’s Palace’, held in trust for the public to enjoy forever, so we are appealing to the public to help us to make sure that this truly wonderful space can once again delight and entertain them, the audience it was intended for”.
READ MORE ABOUT: Alexandra Palace
Wednesday 27 July 2016, 10:02 | By Chris Cooke
Michael Kiwanuka collaborates with Nas on soundtrack to new Baz Lurhmann drama
Artist News
Michael Kiwanuka has collaborated with Nas on the soundtrack for a new drama series made by Baz Lurhmann for Netflix. Nas is also an executive producer on and the narrator of ‘The Get Down’, a “music-driven drama series” set in 1977 that “chronicles the rise of hip hop and the last days of disco”.
I think it’s fair to say Lurhmann is something of a Kiwanuka super-fan, hence him getting the musician involved in the project. “Michael Kiwanuka’s music came into my life at the same time we were evolving the story of ‘The Get Down'”, says the director. “While we’ve worked with many of the great classic artists from hip hop, soul, and dance, Michael’s music was perfect to illuminate our main character of Books, who like Michael himself, is stepping out into the world asking questions: who is he, where is he going, what is life about?”
Lurhmann went on: “What I find remarkable, is while his songs are immediately fresh on first listening, you have a feeling that they’re somehow classics that you’ve been hearing for years. I guess this only speaks to the influence of his heroes Otis Redding, Issac Hayes, Jimi Hendrix and Marvin Gaye, all iconic music figures performing and recording at the time that our story is set”.
The series will launch on Netflix next month, though a trailer featuring Nas rapping over a Kiwanuka track was posted on YouTube earlier this week. Kiwanuka also recently released his second album ‘Love & Hate’, but you knew that already.
READ MORE ABOUT: Baz Lurhmann | Michael Kiwanuka | Nas
