| CMU Daily - on the inside Monday 12th May |
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In today's CMU Daily:
- Another arrest for DMX
- Suge Knight knocked unconscious
- Madonna awarded adoption
- Radiohead criticise EMI
- Coldplay: label deny BOGOF, free tickets up for grabs
- Maximo Park tell fans not to come to benefit gig
- Winehouse in traffic jam cigarette search
- Jacko refinances Neverland
- Grohl writes fan letter to Metallica
- Andy Yorke to release solo album
- Sugababes delay new album
- Reverend names second Makers album
- Kiss man "too old for make up and jumping"
- Diesel:U:music radio launches
- Horse The Band seeking drummer
- Messhuggah hit the UK
- Album review: Delays - Everything's The Rush
- McBride pens new report for MusicTank
- New copyright report from AIM
- ASCAP expand on creators' bill of rights
- TorrentSpy applies for bankruptcy protection after multi-million dollar fine
- Rhapsody America chief steps down
- HMV financials looking good
- GCap to sell two Sky EPG slots
- Kerrang! breakfast show host sacked
- Virgin Sky dispute is ongoing
- BBC keep phone-in cash meant to go to charity
- Ant & Dec review ITV relationship in light of phone in debacles
- Single review: The Presets - This Boy's In Love
- Chart update
- Total Rock world album chart
- Sub.tv playlist
- Student Radio Chart
- Aguilera to launch new perfume
- Def Leppard irritated by chart success
- Jagger defends Adele's messy eating
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TOP BIT
As you may have seen in Friday's CMU Daily, Neil Young has been dissing MP3s.
But Young's dislike of MP3s has nothing to do with the fact that the format does not come with any digital rights management - the reason the major record companies resisted selling their music in the format for so many years.
No, Young's dislike of MP3s will be shared by many musos out there, rather than the bosses of the big music companies. Young doesn't like the MP3 format because of the inferior sound quality you get with it.
Announcing plans to launch his entire back catalogue on that new fangled high sound quality Blu-ray disk whatnot, he remarked: "Putting on a headphone and listening to an MP3 is like hell. [I want to give people] quality whether they want it or not".
Musos have been complaining about the sound quality of the average digital music file for quite a while now. It's just that people like me were so distracted with trying to persuade the major record companies that only selling music in non-iPod compatible DRMed formats was dumb, that we've generally ignored their moanings to date (despite the fact they have presumably recorded said moanings in a pristine format).
It has to be said that sound purists can often over exaggerate the need for music fans to have the most perfect sound quality recordings available. Young says he'll give his fans top quality recordings "whether they like it or not", which is a telling statement, because even many of his fans probably don't really spend too much time worrying about the sound quality of songs on their iPods.
And let's not forget, that consumers have not been especially enthusiastic for the various high sound quality disk formats that have come on the market in recent years, and have instead flocked to the dodgy sound quality on offer on YouTube, MySpace etc, and shunned the higher quality streaming audio and video services that are out their on the net. Though that is possibly because choosing the high quality option in those two scenarios is either expensive or not especially user-friendly.
But, while we shouldn't necessarily put the sound quality purists in charge of our digital music services, I think now is a good time for a debate on what levels of sound quality consumers should get, and what the technical implications are of delivering music at that quality (the need to re-ingest content, the capacity of players, the bandwidth of downloaders).
The MP3 has been positioned as the perfect digital music format in the DRM debate, because it is the one format that can work on pretty much any computer or digital music player, including the iPod, and is therefore perfect for those of us wanting digital music to be as user-friendly as possible. But, even MP3s 'encoded' at a much higher 'bitrate' than those on sale on your average download platform aren't necessarily offering you the best music in terms of sound quality.
I'm no muso, and am actually one of the people who has happily filled my PC with low bit-rate MP3s while watching my videos on YouTube, but I still think a bit of time considering sound quality should now be on the agenda in this post-DRM digital music age.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
You can now answer back to CMU polemic style Top Bits on our new blog on Yahoo! Music - http://new.uk.music.yahoo.com/blogs/cmu_blog
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CMU AT THE GREAT ESCAPE - THIS THURSDAY
The Great Escape, the three day music convention for music business types, takes place in Brighton this week. Don't forget that CMU will be running some events on day one at The Globe pub just round the corner from the main convention venue. Line up as follows...
12.30-2.00pm - CMU & unicornjobs.com Guide To Making It In Music
A beginners guide to working in or with the music business, for anyone looking to work in the industry, or hoping to make it as an artist. Find out how the music industry works, what jobs are available, and who aspiring artists should be looking to meet, and where they'll find them. Run by Chris Cooke, Co-founder and Editor of music business news service the CMU Daily, and Publisher of unicornjobs.com, the new graduate careers website. To come to this free workshop just email your name and number to [email protected]
2.30-5.30pm - CMU-Tube from the Great Escape
Come and hear from artists and industry people who are appearing elsewhere at The Great Escape this year. CMU Daily Editor Chris Cooke will be interviewing both artists and industry people for the all new CMU-Tube video clip service, coming soon to the CMU Music Network website. Any Great Escape wristband holders are welcome to come and nosey, and even throw in some questions.
6pm-8pm - Come Say Hello to CMU
Come meet us. Yes, us. And we'll tell you all about our tenth birthday celebrations, which will take place over Summer 2008.
To buy your tickets for The Great Escape, go to this URL:
http://www.escapegreat.com/buyTickets/
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JOBS N STUFF
FABRIC PRESS DEPARTMENT
We are looking for someone to join us within the fabric Press Department. We're looking for someone who has a few years experience within a London/UK music based PR agency or in-house department; experience in plugging/managing radio campaigns (London, national, regional & international experience all advantageous); who understands radio globally and has contacts appropriate to fabric within radio - online, digital, commercial, pirate, community, government subsidised radio, podcasts; has experience with print/online/digital PR campaigns (London, national, regional, student & international experience all advantageous); has experience with industry, trade, internal business, corporate and event press (advantageous but not essential); has strong copy writing skills; is friendly, passionate, savvy, honest, hard working, highly organised, very diligent and a completer finisher; has very strong administrational and organisational skills, is computer literate and numerate; is extremely flexible in time and outlook; has a good understanding of electronic music and knows what fabric's ethos is. Salary to commensurate on experience; start date is immediate. Please send CV and covering letter emailed to Pearl Jones - [email protected] Closing date for applicants: 5pm Wednesday May 21, 2008.
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INTERNSHIPS N STUFF
HELP! WE NEED HELP!
Intern wanted for 360 degree young, successful and friendly music company. Label, music publisher and management company with international success and rapidly expanding roster in indie pop / alt-country genres seeks bright spark with a thirst for knowledge and a great sense of humour. Get your hands dirty and in return you'll learn about every aspect of the music industry and we'll get your travel / lunch. SE London near New Cross. Hours to suit min 16 p/w. In 100 words, tell Nathaniel why it should be you at [email protected]
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CMU CLASSIFIEDS
DESK SPACE. £60 P/W. SE LONDON. NR NEW CROSS.
Music company has desk space for up to 2 desks in beautiful grade 2 listed building. Includes all bills and reasonable use of phone and unlimited cable broadband internet. Bright room divided by mezzanine with nice carpets, central heating, kitchen and bathroom. Would suit nice people in media / arts based businesses who like topping up the biscuit barrel! Contact Nathaniel at [email protected]
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SNAP OF THE DAY: RAUL MIDON
Having often been lumped in with Norah Jones et al following the release of his last album, 'State Of Mind', Raul Midon has thankfully reacted to such comments by stretching his repertoire on new record, 'A World Within A World'. Sure, he's technically still furrowing in the adult orientated and radio friendly arena, but the lite-soul of 'Pick Somebody Up' is full of the kind of irrestible pop hooks that Jones couldn't even fathom, from the swooping orchestral sample to the horn sounds, which, impressively, he creates using just his voice (see here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzaClXAt3aY). And though unlikely to be seen racing up the charts soon, Midon's new work will pacify existing fans just nicely, hopefully adding a few new followers in the process. See the link below as usual.
http://www.myspace.com/raulmidon
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ANOTHER ARREST FOR DMX
Rapper DMX has been arrested in relation to that raid on his home way back last August, during which police seized weapons and unspecified drugs, and also found dogs who, it is alleged, had been treated badly.
At the time of the raid there were rumours that police had found evidence that dog fights had taken place at the hip hopper's Arizona home, but officers subsequently stated no such evidence had been found. Nevertheless, it seems there was some evidence that the dogs kept at the property were not best cared for. After a seven month investigation both animal cruelty and drug possession charges were filed against the rapper, real name Earl Simmons. He was taken to a nearby jail last week, but released on a $7500 bail.
Confirming the arrest, police revealed that the rapper barricaded himself into a bedroom when the raid began at 3am in the morning, but later surrendered with out further resistance. On the dogs found at the property, Sheriff Joe Arpaio of the local police said last week: With all his money and fame, [Simmons] has no excuse for not providing proper care for his animals".
But Simmon's legal people continue to deny that their client is guilty of animal cruelty, telling reporters last week: "I think that the animal cruelty is not going to be able to be established and I think that this is Sheriff Joe's moment".
It is by no means DMX's first run in with the authorities, of course, and in fact he pleaded guilty to both animal cruelty and drug charges in a separate incident six years ago. Just last week he was charged for speeding after being clocked doing over 100mph in a 65mph zone by three separate speed cameras.
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SUGE KNIGHT KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS
More from the hip hop police files - or not, given no official complaint was made to the authorities. One time hip hop mogul Suge Knight was assaulted during an altercation outside a Hollywood club this weekend. It seems Knight got into an argument with another unnamed man outside the Shag nightclub. It's unclear who got violent first, some reports say Knight's entourage attacked the other man first. Either way, Knight was knocked out, and was reportedly unconscious for three minutes. The whole scenario was more dramatic because an unnamed woman took charge of a SUV in a bid to get Knight to hospital, but managed to bump into two other cars in the process. He was subsequently taken to a local hospital by a safer driver and treated for relatively minor injuries. He has so far refused to talk to the LAPD about the incident.
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MADONNA AWARDED ADOPTION
Madonna and Guy Ritchie have been granted permanent adoption of David Banda, the two year old Malawian boy the couple have been caring for since October 2006.
A court in Malawi ruled in favour of the adoption after social workers from the country, who have been monitoring David's progress and the suitability of his new family environment, said that under Madonna and Guy's care he had developed into "a happy, thriving toddler".
As you've no doubt noticed over the last year and a half, this whole process has been surrounded by controversy. Various human rights groups have claimed that Madonna was not going through the proper adoption channels and David Banda's biological father Yohande has variously claimed that he didn't know what adoption entailed.
The Ritchies will be formally made legal guardians of the boy on 15 May, when he will become officially known as David Banda Mwale Ciccone Ritchie.
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RADIOHEAD CRITICISE EMI
Radiohead's Thom Yorke has been telling Word Magazine about his band's departure from EMI and the greatest hits' album the label now plans to release.
Yorke said: "We haven't really had any hits so what exactly is the purpose [of the greatest hits album]? There's nothing we can do about it. The work is really public property now anyway, in my head at least. It's a wasted opportunity in that if we'd been behind it, and we wanted to do it, then it might have been good".
He was also angry about comments made by EMI boss Guy Hands after Radiohead signed to XL Recordings to release their last album 'In Rainbows', in which the EMI chief hinted that a deal could not be struck because the band were demanding £10 million. "The idea that we were after so much money [is] stretching the truth to breaking point. That was his PR company briefing against us. I was so angry. It was a clear indication that the relationship was over".
Asked why the band decided to leave EMI in the first place, Yorke said: "Personally I just wanted to forget about it. It didn't feel right. And now it's like when you move house: you don't want to peer through the window and see what they've done with the wallpaper because it will only upset you".
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COLDPLAY: LABEL DENY BOGOF, FREE TICKETS UP FOR GRABS
Coldplay's US record label, EMI's Capitol division, has denied claims by Chris Martin that tracks from the band's new album 'Viva La Vida' will be sold on a buy one get one free basis through download stores.
As we reported last week, Martin told the Daily Mirror: "Buy one get one free, it comes from working in Kwik Save I think. As I said before, nobody buys albums any more, certainly nobody buys full albums and we've made an album that you have to have from start to finish".
However, a Capitol executive told WENN on Friday: "I checked with [Coldplay's] management. This appears to be incorrect".
So that's apparently off the menu, but one thing that definitely is going ahead is that free show at Brixton Academy on 16 Jun. Well, they opened registration to win tickets, so I assume it's going ahead. To register and unlock special video content, go to http://www.coldplay.com/brixton/index.html. Registration will remain open until 1 Jun, with winners notified on 5 Jun.
The band have also announced details of their North American tour, which kicks off on 29 Jun in Philadelphia, following another free show at New York's Madison Square Garden. European dates are due to be announced shortly.
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MAXIMO PARK TELL FANS NOT TO COME TO BENEFIT GIG
Maximo Park are urging fans not to buy tickets for their upcoming benefit gig for London's Royal Marsden Hospital from secondary sellers - ie the online touts. The band will play the show in order to raise money to help rebuild the hospital's cancer unit, which burnt down earlier this year. But some tickets, as tickets tend to, have turned up at inflated prices on various websites.
In a statement, the band said: "We are all disappointed to see these tickets pop up on secondary ticket sites for an inflated fee. Please don't buy these tickets. We work hard to keep our ticket cost as low as possible and never like to see people pay more than the slated price, especially when it's for such a worthy cause and people are profiting from it".
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WINEHOUSE IN TRAFFIC JAM CIGARETTE SEARCH
There has been further speculation over Amy Winehouse's current mental state this weekend after it was revealed that on Friday she left her car in a traffic jam and went in search of cigarettes from other drivers. The incident happened on the M40 motorway as Winehouse travelled back from Henley-on-Thames, where she had been staying with friends.
The singer was photographed as she walked along the side of the road and leant into cars asking occupants for cigarettes. Witnesses apparently reported that her arms were covered in fresh cuts and scratches and what looked like a cigarette burn just above one of her wrists.
Last week Winehouse was questioned by police over that previously reported video of her apparently smoking crack, which in turn came only days after she had been cautioned for headbutting a man in Camden.
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JACKO REFINANCES NEVERLAND
After the recent speculation that Michael Jackson would lose his Neverland ranch because of his insecure financial situation, news this weekend that Jacko has successfully refinanced his mortages on the property, meaning he will avoid his former money lender from foreclosing on the legendary property over an unpaid instalment dispute. In a statement, Jackson said "I am pleased with recent developments involving Neverland Ranch and I am in discussions with [new financiers] Colony with regard to the Ranch and other matters that would allow me to focus on the future". Some reckon he will now sell the ranch in his own time, though I'm not sure that has been confirmed. As much previously reported, Jackson has not lived at the property since his acquittal on child abuse charges back in 2005.
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GROHL WRITES FAN LETTER TO METALLICA
Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl has written a letter to Metallica telling them that they are Metallica. Well, that was a small part of it and I've gone and taken it out of context. Anyway, he instructed the band not to release their new album "until it's kick-ass". You can't buy advice like that.
The letter reads:
"Hey, it's Dave! Remember me? Yeah, I'm the guy that's been listening to your band faithfully since 1983. I bought your first album 'Kill 'Em All' from a mail order catalogue called 'Under The Rainbow', I think. Actually I can't remember. It was 1983 for Christsakes! But that album changed my life and I've been listening to your albums ever since (even 'St Anger'!).
"I can't wait to hear the new shit, and no matter what you guys do I'll always be first one at the shop waiting to hear it. I'm sure you'll come out and blow everybody's fuckin' minds, because you're fuckin' METALLICA!
"Good luck. And don't release it until it's kick-ass.
"Yours, Dave Grohl.
"P.S. Are you finished recording the drums yet?"
As previously reported, the new, as-yet-untitled Metallica album is pencilled in for an October release. I hope Dave Grohl doesn't get to play drums on it. As a friend of mine said during Grohl's particularly prolific period of providing guest drums a couple of years ago, "Why don't you piss off and let someone else have a go?"
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ANDY YORKE TO RELEASE SOLO ALBUM
Former Unbelievable Truth frontman (and younger brother of Thom), Andy Yorke is back with a solo album - eight years since the release of his former band's second and final album 'sorrythankyou' in 2000.
Yorke will release 'Simple' via Aktiv Records on 14 Jul, including the single 'Rise & Fall', which is out now.
Here, have a tracklist:
Simple
Found The Road
Twist Of The Knife
Rise And Fall
Diamant
One In A Million
Always By Your Side
Let It Be True
Mathilda
Lay Down
Surrender
Ode To A Friend
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SUGABABES DELAY NEW ALBUM
Sugababes have announced that they will not release their new album, their seventh, this year, as had previously been planned. The group said the delay was down to the fact that they are writing all of their own songs, rather than paying other songwriters. The group's Keisha Buchanan, said: "We were supposed to release an album this year and we decided against it. With each album we feel we've produced a better one when we have been given time to write about stuff, and we have been through so much this year alone. I think sometimes people forget we do write our own material. Even when we have a co-writer, we're writing the bulk of the song".
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REVEREND NAMES SECOND MAKERS ALBUM
Reverend And The Makers frontman John McClure has told the Daily Record that he has already chosen a name for his band's second album, despite the fact that it won't be released until next year. He told the paper: "It's called 'A French Kiss In The Chaos' and I'm very proud of it. The idea is our world is chaotic and this is a bit of sense in the madness".
He also said that he felt musicians shouldn't glamorise drug use, before saying that, erm, cannabis is "brilliant": "People ask me to comment on my drug intake but it is not a good thing to brag about. Kids read papers and it's not for me to glamorise drug use, I'm a musician. I love weed, it's brilliant but I'm a strong person so I cope okay. You won't catch me in rehab". No, no, no.
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KISS MAN "TOO OLD FOR MAKE UP AND JUMPING"
Former Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley has said that he won't be reuniting with the band because he's too old to be "putting on makeup and jumping around".
Frehley originally left Kiss in 1983 but returned in 1996 for a reunion tour with the original line-up, before leaving again in 2001 to concentrate on his solo career.
Asked if he would rejoin the band again for their next world tour, which begins later this year, he said: "I don't see it happening. I never say never, but I just turned 57. I don't see myself getting up onstage with tights on and putting on the makeup and jumping around like, you know, a kid again. Because I don't physically think I can do it. On the last reunion tour, I saw a couple of videos. I think we looked a little tired, you know? I think it's maybe better to put that segment of Kiss to sleep".
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DIESEL:U:MUSIC RADIO LAUNCHES
Diesel:U:Music has launched a new radio station, which will broadcast across London on 87.7FM and via http://www.diesel-u-music.com until 30 May. With its studio based in The Amersham Arms in New Cross, the station aims to bring the "best new music"to its listeners.
Already confirmed to perform and host shows on the station are Kano, Har Mar Superstar, Simian Mobile Disco, Benga, Paul Thompson from Franz Ferdinand, MJ Cole, Pull Tiger Tail, A Mountain Of One, The Clik Clik, Lex Records, Clash Magazine, Hip Hop Connections and Pure Groove, amongst others.
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HORSE THE BAND SEEKING DRUMMER
American hardcore loons HORSE The Band are currently two months into their world tour, funded by a $50,000 credit card debt. So far they've been to "China and Korea and Serbia and Belarus and Romania, drove through Moldova, swam in the Black Sea, Red Sea, Baltic Sea, Mediterranean Sea, and almost got killed in Transnistria (look it up)".
If that sounds like your idea of fun, then this could be your lucky day, as the band are looking for a new drummer when Jon Karel returns to his main band The Number 12 Looks Like You. Interested parties should send an email containing youtube links of themselves playing HORSE The Band songs 'Hyperborea', 'Cutsman', and 'Sex Raptor' to [email protected]
Check out what the successful applicant is in for at these dates:
12 May: London, Underworld
13 May: Stoke, Sugarmill
14 May: Glasgow, Ivory Blacks
15 May: Sheffield, Corporation
16 May: Yeovil, The Orange Box
1 Jun: Dublin, Eamon Dorans
2 Jun: Belfast, Venue TBC
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MESSHUGGAH HIT THE UK
Much-loved Swedish metallers Messhuggah will return to the UK this September to promote their eighth album 'Obzen'.
Here are the dates:
4 Sep: Brighton, Concorde 2
5 Sep: London, Astoria 2
6 Sep: Newcastle, Academy
8 Sep: Glasgow, Garage
9 Sep: Manchester, Academy 3
10 Sep: Sheffield, Corporation
11 Sep: Birmingham, Academy 2
12 Sep: Bristol, Academy
13 Sep: Nottingham, Rock City
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ALBUM REVIEW: Delays - Everything's The Rush (Universal/Fiction)
Delays have long been favourites around CMU HQ and on listening to the first half of this, their third long player, it's very easy to see why. Soaring melodies, jangly pop and stadium rock style bluster, no doubt encouraged by producer Youth, make the first five tracks a joy. Opener 'Girl's On Fire' has a touch of Fleetwood Mac about it but overcomes that with energy reminiscent of early U2, while 'Love Made Visible' takes a totally different tack with its poppy rhythm. These tracks all have one thing in common, a catchy chorus, any of them could be a single, but 'Hooray' is the track that actually got the honour. Apparently about OCD, it starts with a tinkle before developing into full on power pop mode. The second half of the album I found a bit of a disappointment, never managing to reach the likes of 'Keep It Simple' it just meanders along without grabbing quite as much. It has been widely speculated that the kids aren't necessarily consuming "albums" as such these days anyway, so maybe cherry picking is the way of the future. Either way I imagine I'll be singing 'One More Lie In' for some time. IM
Release Date: 5 May
Press Contact: Fiction IH[CP, CR, RP, RR, NP, NR] Hyperlaunch [O]
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MCBRIDE PENS NEW REPORT FOR MUSICTANK
MusicTank have announced that later this week they will publish their second report on the state of the industry, following on from that one written by leading artist manager Pete Jenner last year. This time the report has been penned by another music industry veteran - Nettwerk Music chief Terry McBride. It will be formally launched as McBride gives his keynote talk at The Great Escape in Brighton later this week.
The report, co-authored by McBride and former Nettwerk GM Brent Muhle, analyses the changing music market by looking at the way young consumers react to, intereact with and consume music, with lots of talk about social networks and mash-up culture, and the copyright and revenue implications of such social phenomenon.
Commenting on the report, McBride told CMU: "If you can imagine it you know what it looks like, so just work your way backwards".
MusicTank chair Keith Harris added: "It is MusicTank's objective to continue to stimulate discussion about the variety of business models out there, in the hope of driving the industry towards a more prosperous future".
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NEW COPYRIGHT REPORT FROM AIM
The Association Of Independent Music has published a new report on copyright in the digital age, which essentially revisits that previously reported paper on the future of music copyright published in 2006, and represents some of AIM's opinions on new fangled ways of licensing music on the net in the context of licensing discussions that have begun as a result of the much previously reported government published Gowers Report on copyright law.
The paper covers all kinds of copyright type stuff, though much attention is sure to fall on AIM's opinion on the main copyright debate of the moment - the legalisation of private copying (or so called format shifting) and the introduction, or not, of a levy or licence in return for allowing that legitimisation - even though AIM's opinion is the same as the Music Business Group, to whom the indie trade body is affiliated, and who launched their viewpoint on the matter last month.
You can download the paper at this URL:
http://www.musicindie.com/254.asp?sub=General%2520Resources
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ASCAP EXPAND ON CREATORS' BILL OF RIGHTS
More copyright shenanigans, and US publishing royalty society ASCAP have also published a paper on copyright. This is related to that previously reported 'Bill Of Rights' that the society published last month, which, they say, 6000 artists have now signed up to.
The paper is basically a beginners guide to music copyright - with a publishing bias, obviously - and provides an overview of what copyright is, how it works, why it exists, and the implications of the internet age on copyright issues. I think it's an attempt to precede any review of copyright laws by restating why copyright exists in the first place, and why creators - and not just big evil corporations - rely on it.
The 6000 artists supporting the 'Bill' have signed up online, but some bigger name artists have pledged their support on a physical document too, including Lionel Richie, Justin
Timberlake and Quincy Jones.
The Bill and paper is available via http://www.ascap.com/rights/billText.aspx
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TORRENTSPY APPLIES FOR BANKRUPTCY PROTECTION AFTER MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR FINE
Unsurprisingly, the owners of Torrentspy, the BitTorrent tracker sued out of business by the Motion Picture Association Of America, and which was last week ordered to pay the film business $110 million in damages in relation to the copyright infringement they enabled, aint got no money. The now defunct service's owners, Valence Media, have filed for bankruptcy protection. Their attorney, Ira Rothkin, says they have "no appreciable assets" and accused the MPAA of pulling a "Hollywood publicity stunt" in pursuing the case to this point. That said, it may not all be over in a swift bankruptcy - Rothkin indicated his clients are considering an appeal.
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RHAPSODY AMERICA CHIEF STEPS DOWN
Michael Bloom has left his GM position at Rhapsody America. Bloom has headed up the division since the Real digital music service merged with MTV's Urge music service last year - he had previously headed up Urge. Bloom will move back to MTV, though it's not yet clear in what role. The GM role at Rhapsody will seemingly be split between existing execs Neil Smith and Rob Williams, who will reported directly to Real Networks boss Rob Glaser.
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HMV FINANCIALS LOOKING GOOD
HMV Group last week published its latest financials, and the company was upbeat, claiming the last year had seen the company begin a real period of financial recovery, after several years of struggling amid new competition from the supermarkets and internet. In the last financial quarter - on which last week's report centred - sales were up 11.9%, while like-for-like growth was 10.1%. And much of that growth came from the HMV stores in UK and Ireland, rather than other parts of the retail company.
CEO Simon Fox told reporters: "As we complete the first full year of our three-year turnaround plan, we are ahead of where we expected to be. We have made good progress driving forward our strategic initiatives to increase efficiency, revitalize our core business and establish new channels to market. We still have much to do but I am confident that the group is well positioned for the next phase of our transformation".
The full year-end results will be published on 1 Jul, and bosses say they expect profits before tax and exceptional costs to be at the upper end of expectations.
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GCAP TO SELL TWO SKY EPG SLOTS
GCap Media is inviting bids for two slots that it currently has on Sky's electronic programme guide. One of those slots is presumably that vacated by theJazz, the digital station that the radio firm closed down earlier this year. It is not known which of its other radio station slots on the Sky network it is planning to sell - ie which station will come off the EPG - though it may be Planet Rock, the other digital station that GCap said it would close down but which is still operational pending a review by the firm's new owners Global (assuming, of course, Global's takeover is completed). Doing his bit to flog the EPG positions, GCap Digital Radio Exec Ash Elford told reporters: "The available slots are ideal for existing broadcasters wishing to take up a more prominent position in the EPG, or for new broadcasters unable to gain access to the EPG due to the current high demand for EPG slots".
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KERRANG! BREAKFAST SHOW HOST SACKED
More sackings in radio land. Bauer's Kerrang! Radio has fired its breakfast show presenter Tim Shaw after some dodgy goings on in relation to a competition on the show. The presenter had been suspended since the 'competition mis-management' was first discovered last month. The station's programme director Gordon Davidson told reporters last week: "We have a very open and honest relationship with our listeners and no matter who breaks that trust we have to act. After a full investigation, we have decided to terminate Tim Shaw's contract". Simon James and Hill will move from drive time to fill in on the breakfast slot, while Shaw's co-host, Kate Lawler, will move to drive time, until a new schedule is announced.
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VIRGIN SKY DISPUTE IS ONGOING
The boss of Virgin Media says that there have been no real developments in the company's ongoing dispute with BSkyB over the inclusion of Sky's channels on the Virgin cable TV network. As previously reported, Virgin dropped the basic Sky channels, including Sky One and Sky News, after it couldn't reach an agreement with BSkyB as to how much it should pay for them. It seemed that Virgin wanted to negotiate down the price, after Sky had negotiated down the price it pays to take the Virgin owned channels like UKTV. There had been rumours that negotiations between the two media firms had started to move forward, but Virgin Media chief Neil Berkett now says otherwise, telling investors last week: "The doors are reportedly open at Sky and they are open here. We have had dialogue from time to time but as of today we still have no conclusion... there is no news to report". Virgin's legal case against Sky in relation to the dispute is still pending, but could go to court this summer.
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BBC KEEP PHONE-IN CASH MEANT TO GO TO CHARITY
Just as everyone started to forget about the BBC's dodgy phone in scandals, sidetracked, as we were, by ITV's multi-million pound fine for their phone in misdemeanours, and in particular the allegations that a people's choice British Comedy Award was rigged so to suit Robbie Williams, who was presenting it, the Beeb are back in the news for phone in corruption.
The Corporation has had to apologise after keeping £106,000 generated in premium rate phone ins that should have gone to charity. They also admitted that during the 'Making You Mind Up' Eurovision UK entrant poll last year they told viewers to phone in before lines were open, meaning viewers were charged but their votes not counted.
All the monies naughtily kept by the Beeb have been passed onto the charity, with interest. The BBC Trust has been looking into all the dodgy goings on, and will now look into disciplining a "handful" of staff.
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ANT & DEC REVIEW ITV RELATIONSHIP IN LIGHT OF PHONE IN DEBACLES
More on ITV's phone in debacles, and rumour has it Ant and Dec could quit the network because of the damage the dodgy phone-ins have had on their reputation. They were executive producers on one show where viewers were ripped off by phone ins, and it was them who were awarded the British Comedy people's choice award despite having not actually got the most phone votes. Their contract with ITV is up next year, and a source has told The Sun: "Ant and Dec have made it clear they're highly upset. It's not just one show caught up in the scandal it's two, plus the British Comedy Awards debacle. The gossip at ITV is that when their contract runs out they may not stay exclusive with ITV. They are not really BBC people but they have their own production company, Gallowgate, and could very easily make shows for every broadcaster and channel. It would be a blow for ITV if they didn't manage to keep them exclusive. Along with Simon Cowell they are their heavy hitters".
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SINGLE REVIEW: The Presets - This Boy's In Love (Modular)
With one amazing release after another, Modular can't seem to put a foot wrong at the moment; this glistening piece of euphoric electro-pop continues the trend. Whilst The Presets' last single 'My People' was slightly queasy and garish slice of stadium rave rock (a genre I've just invented, you'll be pleased to hear), 'This Boy's In Love' is a far sleeker and more sophisticated piece of pop. Though there's nods to Eurodisco/hi-NRG (and thus, inevitably, the Pet Shop Boys), the melancholy piano riff and soft falsetto vocals of the chorus reveal a wistfulness you might not have anticipated, showing The Presets to have a canny knack of pushing all the right electronic pop buttons. On the remix front, Jori Hulkkonen turns in the best of the bunch, exploiting the song's nascent acid heart by piling on the Roland TB 303 squelches for ten thrilling minutes. Shiny shiny shiny bleep bleep, then. MS
Release Date: 12 May
Press Contact: Darling [all]
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CHART UPDATE
So, everybody, Madonna is still number one. Well, in the singles chart, where she is, of course, aided by her new best chum Justin Timberlake in her bid to stay top. The whole top three is as last week, though Wiley and Sam Sparro swap places, so the former is a 2 with 'Wearing My Rolex' and the latter at 3 with 'Black & Gold'.
New entries wise on the chart this week, you'll find Coldplay going in at 7 with 'Violet Hill', which is a pretty good achievement given how many copies of that track the band gave away (the give aways not counting in chartdom, of course). Other new entries are from Kylie with 'In My Arms' at 10, James Fox and Cardiff City FC with 'Bluebirds Flying High' at 15 (yep, the FA Cup Final is almost upon us), Ne-Yo and 'Closer' at 22, Pigeon Detectives and 'This Is An Emergency' at 24, Sara Bareilles and 'Love Song' at 30, Wideboys and Shaznay Lewis (remember her?) and 'Daddy-O' at 32, and Santogold and 'Les Artistes' at 37.
Albums wise, Madonna has been knocked off the top by German techno types Scooter, which I wasn't expecting - took my eye off things there, sorry. Madonna is at two with 'Hard Candy' and Duffy at three with 'Rockferry'. New entries in the albums chart go Def Leppard with 'Songs From The Sparkle Lounge' at 10, Hadouken with 'Music For An Accelerated Culture' at 12, a Willie Nelson best of at 16, Jack McManus with 'Either Side Of Midnight' at 22, a Frankie Vallie and The Four Seasons best of at 25, Delays with 'Everything's The Rush' at 26, and Steve Windwood with 'Nine Lives' at 31.
The charts, in case you wondered, are compiled by the The Official UK Charts Company - http://www.theofficialcharts.com.
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TOTAL ROCK WORLD ALBUM CHART
It's the Total Rock World Album Chart, as counted down on Total Rock over the weekend - http://www.totalrock.com. New entries and re-entries marked with a *.
1. Rolling Stones - Shine A Light (Universal)
2. Story Of The Year - The Black Swan (Epitaph)*
3. Panic At The Disco - Pretty. Odd (Warner/Atlantic)
4. Children Of Bodom - Blooddrunk (Spinefarm)
5. Linkin Park - Minutes To Midnight (Warner Bros)
6. Whitesnake - Good To Be Bad (SPV)*
7. Nickelback - All The Right Reasons (Warner/Roadrunner)
8. In Flames - A Sense Of Purpose (Nuclear Blast)
9. Daughtry - Daughtry (SonyBMG)
10. Eagles - Long Road Out Of Eden (Universal)
11. Buckcherry - 15 (Eleven Seven Music)
12. Simple Plan - Simple Plan (Warner/Atlantic)
13. Led Zeppelin - Mothership (Warner/Atlantic)
14. Foo Fighters - Echoes Silence Patience & Grace (Roswell)
15. Eddie Vedder - Into The Wild (SonyBMG/J Records)
16. Elliot Minor - Elliot Minor (Warner Bros)*
17. Rush - Snakes & Arrows Live (Warner/Atlantic)
18. Kid Rock - Rock - N Roll Jesus (Warner/Atlantic)
19. Paramore - Riot! (Warner/Atlantic)*
20. P.O.D. - When Angels & Serpents Dance (SonyBMG/Columbia)
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SUB.TV PLAYLIST
Here they are again, the videos being played on the Sub.tv video screen network in students' unions all over the UK. New entries marked with a *.
A-List
Alphabeat - 10,000 Nights (Charisma)*
Born Ruffians - I Need A Life (Warp)
Feist - I Feel It All (Universal/Polydor)
The Futureheads - Radio Heart (Nul)
Guillemots - Falling Out Of Reach (Universal/Polydor)
Hot Chip - One Pure Thought (EMI)
Johnny Foreigner - Eyes Wide Terrified (Best Before)
Justice - DVNO (Ed Banger)
Kids In Glass Houses - Give Me What I Want (Warner/Roadrunner)
Mystery Jets - Two Doors Down (Warner/sixsevennine)
Paramore - That's What You Get (Warner/Atlantic)
The Pigeon Detectives - This Is An Emergency (Dance To The Radio)
The Ting Tings - That's Not My Name (SonyBMG/Columbia)
We Are Scientists - Chick Lit (EMI/Virgin)
Wiley - Wearing My Rolex (Warner/Atlantic)
The Zutons - Always Right Behind You (Deltasonic)
B-List
David Jordan - Move On (Universal/Mercury)
Does If Offend You, Yeah? - Epic Last Song (Virgin)
Go:Audio - Made Up Stories (SonyBMG/Epic)
Guildean Gang - Swirls (Unsigned)*
The Hazey Janes - New York (Roseangle)*
Isosceles - Kitch Bitch (Art Goes Pop)*
Ida Maria - Queen Of The World (SonyBMG/RCA)
Jacob Golden - On A Saturday (Echo)
Joe Lean and The Jing Jang Jong - Where Do You Go? (Universal/Mercury)
Late Of The Pier - Space And The Woods / Focker (Zarcorp / Parlophone)
Laura Marling - Cross Your Fingers (EMI/Virgin)*
Look See Proof - Discussions (Weekender)
The Metros - Last Of The Lookers (SonyBMG/1965)*
Natty - Coldtown (Warner/Atlantic)
Rogue Wave - Lake Michigan (Brushfire)*
Royworld - Dust (EMI/Virgin)
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STUDENT RADIO CHART
As played out live on air on student radio stations around the UK this Sunday at 3pm, it's the official Student Radio Chart from the Student Radio Association. More info at http://www.studentradiochart.com
1. [1] Hot Chip - One Pure Thought
2. [New] Coldplay - Violet Hill
3. [6] The Futureheads - Radio Heart
4. [Re] The Pigeon Detectives - This is an Emergency
5. [9] Pendulum - Propane Nightmares
6. [New] Hercules And Love Affair - You Belong
7. [New] Mystery Jets - Two Doors Down
8. [16] Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds - More News from Nowhere
9. [8] Goldfrapp - Happiness
10. [5] The Wombats - Backfire at the Disco
11. [New] Supergrass - Rebel in You
12. [17] Death Cab For Cutie - I Will Possess Your Heart
13. [New] Laura Marling - Cross Your Fingers
14. [New] Portishead - Machine Gun
15. [14] M83 - Graveyard Girl
16. [19] We Are Scientists - Chick Lit
17. [New] Last Shadow Puppets - Calm Like You
18. [Re] Panic At Te Disco - Nine In The Afternoon
19. [Re] Cajun Dance Party - The Race
20. [2] The Kooks - Always Where I Need to be
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AGUILERA TO LAUNCH NEW PERFUME
You're nobody until millions of people think they know what you smell like, that's what I've always said. Which must be why Christina Aguilera is releasing her third perfume. The new scent, 'Inspire', follows on from 'Xpose' and 'Simply Christina' and is due to hit the shops in the autumn.
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DEF LEPPARD IRRITATED BY CHART SUCCESS
Def Leppard have expressed surprise at the success of their latest album 'Songs From The Sparkle Lounge', which entered the UK album charts at number 10 and the US Billboard 200 chart at number five this weekend. Guitarist Phil Collen celebrated by complaining that no one bought their last two albums, 'X', in 2002, which was their least successful to date, and covers album 'Yeah!' in 2006. He said: "I am pleased but mildly irritated by the fact that we haven't done anything different but simplified it. I am irked that people didn't pay this much attention to the other albums which I felt were just as good. This one is stripped down and people seem to be going nuts for it".
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JAGGER DEFENDS ADELE'S MESSY EATING
Mick Jagger has leapt to the defence of Adele, who apparently horrified other diners in a swanky restaurant during a party held for Jagger's daughter Jade by eating with her fingers. The Rolling Stones frontman apparently said: "That girl is ace, man".
Adele herself said that she was very nervous when she met Mick. She said: "I wasn't making any sense when I was talking to him but he was really charming".