![]() |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NOTE: Make sure you 'enable images' to see this e-bulletin properly. WHAT IS THIS? You are receiving this e-bulletin because you are subscribed to the CMU Daily. Unsubscribe information is given at the bottom of this e-bulletin. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ROCKHAL - BOOKER/PRODUCER Boasting two concert halls (1,200 / 6,500 cap), the Rockhal (www.rockhal.lu), co-financed by the Luxembourgish State, is the premium concert venue in the Greater Region (France/Germany/Belgium/Luxembourg) with an international audience. We are recruiting a Booker/Producer Required skills: confirmed experience in booking/promoting shows, international contacts, fluent in French and English. Tasks: book shows and assist with the planning of concerts and festivals, negotiate, manage, organise and coordinate concerts and festivals. Expected date of entry: 1st September 2009 or to be negotiated. Please apply with CV, diplomas and letter of motivation to: Monsieur le Directeur Général de l'Etablissement public, Centre de Musiques Amplifiées, 5, Avenue du Rock'n'Roll | L-4361 Esch-sur-Alzette. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() KAROO INTRODUCES THREE-STRIKES As previously reported, customers of Kingston's Karoo broadband service who did that naughty file-sharing thing sometimes found their internet just stopped working. They then had to sign an agreement drafted by the internet service provider confirming they would never access or share unlicensed content again. The company could get away with such a draconian system because in Hull there is only one telephone company and therefore only one ISP - that being Kingston - not even BT operate in the city. Therefore any file-sharer unwilling to sign the Karoo document would have to rely on the less reliable mobile internet. Kingston claimed that they were simply fulfilling their responsibilities under copyright law, and protecting their customers from the risk of infringement litigation from content owners. But while it's true that record companies, movie studios and TV firms do want ISPs to take more responsibility for policing piracy, and maybe ultimately cut off the net access of persistent file-sharers, there isn't currently any obligation under the law for net firms to do so. And while, in theory, Karoo's customers could be sued for copyright infringement directly, such lawsuits are unlikely as all content owners have now admitted that such legal action is counter-productive. Said content owners would have mixed feelings about Kingston's file-sharing policies. Far removed from pretty much ever other ISP, who continue to resist taking on any role in policing piracy, in some ways Karoo's system for stopping file-sharing would be music to the content industries' ears. Though even the major record companies and movie studios recognise that there is such a thing as too draconian approach to the piracy problem - labels and studios don't want to be portrayed as the bad guys going around randomly cutting off people's internet connections. Which is why execs at those companies frequently talk about ISPs operating a 'graduated response' to file-sharing. Presumably suddenly realising that their file-sharing policies were way stricter than even the more extreme content owners were demanding, and presumably also keen to avert any story in which their telecoms monopoly in Hull comes under the spotlight, Kingston announced on Friday afternoon, just hours after BBC Radio Humberside ran their original story, that they were changing their file-sharing policy. They would be introducing one of these 'graduated response' systems of which the labels talk. The ISP's Director Of Consumer & Publishing Services Nick Thompson told reporters: "It is evident that we have been exceeding the expectations of copyright owners, the media and internet users. So, we have changed our policy to move more in line with the industry standard approach, whilst still taking the issues of copyright infringement and illegal internet activity seriously. Going forward, we will provide customers with three written notifications before their service is temporarily suspended. We encourage our customers to legally access copyrighted material through sites such as Spotify, Play.com and Amazon.co.uk via karoo.co.uk. Our technical support team is also available to provide advice to customers on how to ensure their broadband connection is secure and not open to abuse by others". In some ways this makes the Karoo story even more interesting because, rather than adopting a rather OTT shoot now ask later approach to piracy, the ISP is now operating the system advocated by the major record companies but so far shunned by every other net provider, and, for the most part, the UK government. Various consumer rights groups have already criticised the three-strike system, questioning whether anyone but a court of law should have the right to deprive a paying customer of internet access, and questioning whether such a system would really have an impact on piracy, given the availability of technology to hide file-sharing, and the growth of email-to-email and offline device-to-device piracy which is much harder to track. Nevertheless, if a three-strike system was to result in even a 10% cut in file-sharing, that would be a result for the content owners. Karoo is now providing a very interesting case study for the content industries, because if three-strikes can work in Hull, why not across the whole UK? -------------------------------------------------- JACKO TRIBUTE OFF AS DVD DEAL IS DONE - RUMOURS As previously reported, AEG Live have been busy trying to recoup their multi-million dollar investment in the doomed This Is It shows, that should have been running right now at the London arena had Jackson not bitten the dust last month. With insurance pay outs in doubt depending on the coroner's findings with regards what killed the late king of pop, the live music firm has been flogging This Is It merchandise and running that ticket scam where Jackson fans were encouraged to forego their ticket refund in return for a bit of souvenir cardboard. The other two grand plans to enable AEG to get back its rumoured $30 million investment into the This Is It residency were the tribute shows, probably featuring other members of the Jackson family and utilising some of the sets and routines already created for the axed Jacko live show, and the release of the footage of Jackson performing at rehearsals that the company had recorded, originally for a behind the scenes documentary for a planned This Is It DVD. Preparations for the tribute show at The O2 seemingly began pretty much as soon as Jackson died, and while Janet Jackson had reportedly declined to participate, the other four members of the Jackson Five were reportedly on board, despite being previously exclusively contracted to a Jacksons reunion show in the US next year. Various people involved in the preparations for This Is It were reportedly kept on board to help produce the tribute shows. What would have been Jackson's 51st birthday, 29 Aug had been pencilled in as the date for the first of the tributes. But in tandem AEG started shopping its recorded content of Jackson, filmed just days before his death, to various Hollywood studios with a view to releasing a DVD, and perhaps staging a cinema release of a "look at Jacko dancing just before he fell down dead" documentary. Sony Pictures were always the favourites to secure a deal, because the involvement of Sony Music will be necessary in order for any of Jackson's songs to appear on the film. Sony reportedly signed a $60 million deal with AEG last week, and in that deal, msnbc.com's The Scoop column claims, the movie studio insisted no tribute shows take place. I'm not quite sure why that would be, though, except that perhaps Sony are concerned the tribute would steal the thunder of their planned October release of the Jackson video content. Anyway, the rumoured cancellation of the tribute shows has rather pissed off some of those who had been held on to help produce them. The Scoop quotes a source as saying: "The show directors, choreographers, dancers, cast, crew all extended their stays in Los Angeles after Michael's death, worked on his memorial, began planning the tribute shows because we were told time and again that it would happen. Then we get a phone call late [Thursday] saying it was all off, and all work after 26 Jun - the day after Michael died - is considered volunteer work". Ouch. And it's not only the sudden cancellation of the tribute shows that is reportedly pissing off AEG's This Is It production team. There also concerns all round, The Scoop's source claims, regarding unpaid expenses. Said source says: "AEG had a budget for the tour, and Michael had a vision. To cover the difference, many of us paid out of our own pockets. We did this with the assurance from Michael that we'd be paid, and collectively we're out millions, and don't even know where to turn to get the money back. His estate? Sony? It's a nightmare". A nightmare indeed. I'm sure AEG would pay them in souvenir This Is It tickets if they asked nicely. AEG Live's financial position regarding This Is It remains unclear. Even if Sony's $60 million deal on the DVD is true, presumably much of that sum would be spent on producing, distributing and marketing the documentary - whether AEG are getting an upfront advance is not clear. While the promoter did talk to other studios about the doc, as we said, Sony Music's involvement was required giving Sony Pictures an obvious advantage. That may have helped them cut an extra favourable deal, meaning AEG may be relying on major sales of the DVD in order to see any serious income from it. AMY NOT GUILTY OF ASSAULT But the singer, on good form in court, claimed otherwise, saying that while a rather drunk Flash and her friend Kiaran Connolly had been somewhat rude to her, she did not lash out at either of them, arguing she was too short to have punched Flash in the way the dancer described. The judge hearing the case, Timothy Workman, said it was difficult to rule given the discrepancies between the claimant and the accused's testimonies, and the fact most witnesses were a bit the worse for wear drink wise (Connolly admitted to being "hammered"). But he said he'd assessed all the other evidence available to him, and felt the medical evidence presented by the prosecution did not show "the sort of injury that often occurs when there is a forceful punch to the eye". It could not, therefore, be said beyond reasonable doubt that Winehouse had deliberately punched Flash - it was quite possible, he thought, that a scuffle resulted in the dancer being injured by accident. Therefore, not guilty. Commenting on the ruling, a spokesman for Amy told reporters: "She has always maintained her innocence and is very happy to move on with her life and put the episode behind her". RIHANNA AND BROWN STAY IN SAME HOTEL SHOCKER But anyway, the former power couple of US pop - separated since Brown's pummelling of Rihanna after a pre-Grammy party earlier this year of course - reportedly spent the weekend in the same hotel, leading to speculation that some sort of resurrection of their former relationship is underway. It's the New York Post that reports that both pop stars stayed in the same Manhattan hotel this weekend - the Trump International - though it admits they "checked into separate rooms" and "spent the next two days coming and going in separate chauffeured vehicles". Given there's a court order in place banning Brown from getting too close to Rihanna, that would be a funny kind of relationship. I suppose you'd call it a short distance relationship. AVRIL TO GO BACK TO SINGING OVER SHOUTING Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Lavigne said: "[Third album 'The Best Damn Thing'] was intended to be fun, to be rockin. All I had in my mind was my live show, running around on stage, getting the crowd involved. This record, I just really, really wanted to sing". She added that while the new album will have more in common with early releases in terms of vocal style, musically the new material will be a lot more stripped down than any previous songs. She continued: "We started recording [many] songs with just an acoustic guitar and the vocal, and built them from there. It's stripped down. I love performing that way, so I really felt like it was time to make a record like that. To just make it all about the vocal and the performance, and the vibe, and the emotion". She concluded: "I was always really honest in my lyrics. I think more so when I was younger, and now it's kind of come back to that. Just like, you know what? I'm not trying to write a perfect pop song. I'm just trying to write a song that's honest right now, even if something sounds weird or a lyric might not make sense to someone". All this nonsensical but honest, non-shouty and stripped back music should be in the shops in November. -------------------------------------------------- RONSON TO PRODUCE BOYZONE Confirming Ronson was on board for their next album, the tedium master Ronan Keating told reporters: "I'm a big fan of Mark's. We wanted to do something really different for this album. We've all grown up and we want to show that with a new sound. It will be colourful, bright and uplifting". -------------------------------------------------- DIDDY FORMS A THREESOME FOR NEW ALBUM AllHipHop.com quote Diddy thus: "Dirty Money is not about no drug money, illegal money, or anything negative. Dirty Money is a look, a sound, a movement, [and] a crew. For my new album 'Last Train To Paris', I wanted to do something refreshing, something unique, something forward for myself as an artist... I'm a team player. I wanted to tell a love story... I couldn't just tell the male's point of view. I grew up listening to groups like Soul II Soul, Loose Ends, and it was always two guys and a girl. So let me flip it. Let me get two talented, bad divas to the left and the right of me". The new album will seemingly be a sort of concept album talking about a tumultuous relationship between a guy - possibly Diddy - and a woman who he refers to as his soulmate. It's also due for a November release. ARCTIC MONKEYS STAGE WEB PREVIEW OF NEW MATERIAL The video for current single 'Crying Lightning', which officially premiered on Channel 4 on Friday night, is also streaming on the official website - www.arcticmonkeys.com GREEN DAY TAKE ART ON TOUR He told someone: "I chose artists whom I felt had a similar visual approach to art as Green Day does to its music. Although most of the artists represented are well-established in their careers, they embrace the same emotional rawness with their art, which speaks from the heart and swings with the fist. Their subject matter is struggle and injustice - they shoot from the hip and their art is their weapon". The Day's Billie Joe Armstrong added: "We are really excited to be touring with this incredible show. Seeing the pieces that our new album has inspired is very exciting. Many of the artists Logan has chosen show their work on the street, and we feel a strong connection to that type of creative expression. We think the fans coming out to see us on the road will love it". For those of you who wonder about these things, and have heard of more than two contemporary artists, here is a list of who created pictures for what tracks... Song Of The Century by Broken Crow READING FESTIVAL: MORE PEOPLE, MORE NOISE As a concession to locals, festival boss Melvin Benn announced a scheme to give priority to some tickets to Reading people with, I think, the chance for those based in the area covered by Reading Borough Council to bag one of 3500 weekend tickets for this year's festival. Noise wise, Benn et al have got permission to turn up the volume from 65DB to 68DB, and up to 70DB for the headline acts. In another move that will come into effect this year, the number of people allowed to have 'early bird' status, something which allows them to enter the festival site the Wednesday before the fest kicks off, will increase from 7500 to 20,000. Confirming all these things, Benn told reporters: "We're very pleased. I think it shows for me how important it is for the council that Reading Festival maintains its position as the pre-eminent rock festival. None of the responsible authorities were objecting to the variations, so that should give residents sufficient assurance". PRS REVENUES DOWN The latter is no surprise, but the former is a bit disappointing since this has previously been a growth area. That said, the radio sector is streamlining which may have had an impact, and it's no secret most licensed online music services are struggling to meet the expectations of collecting societies royalties wise. And there's not been any major new arrivals in the online music space - new enterprises, who often make large upfront payments, have been good for music rights owners in recent years. Whether the society's fallout with YouTube - who are not currently hosting premium music videos in the UK - has had any impact is unclear. Porter previously said falling interest rates would also impact on the society's profits. In a statement, the PRS said that the society had shown "strong performance considering the difficult operating environment generated by the recession", while acting PRS chief Jeremy Fabinyi aired more caution, saying: "The economic outlook for the second half of the year remains challenging. However, we will continue to work hard to ensure a fair deal for our 60,000 songwriter, composer and music publisher members by delivering maximum revenue at minimum cost". -------------------------------------------------- BME DIRECTOR TO JOIN GRAPHITE He told Music Week: "It's been frustrating. It's the right offer at the wrong time. I've known Ben Turner for quite some time and it's a great company and they're at the point where they are taking a step up. Ben came to me, having seen the work I've done at AEG, and we got talking and he made me an offer." Confirming glover's departure, BME chairman Harvey Goldsmith said: "Matt has done a sterling job as commercial director for the British Music Experience, leading a team that, along with him, has firmly put the BME on the music industry and visitor attraction map. He will remain with us until October and we will announce a replacement in due course". SPOTIFY IPHONE APP ON ITS WAY Spotify's Communications Manager, Jim Butcher, told Pocket-lint: "We have a great relationship with Apple, think the iPhone is awesome and absolutely expect them to approve our app in the next few weeks. Apple has already approved several other music services such as Last.fm, Deezer and Pandora. We very much look forward to people being able to access their Spotify library wherever they might be and we've spent significant time and resources to ensure we've stuck to Apple's developer guidelines point by point". Although Butcher is talking about the app being available within weeks, some on the net are saying days - not sure where they are getting that from though. If you want to watch a video of the app in action you have too much time on your hands. Though there is one, here. -------------------------------------------------- LAST.FM PARTNER WITH SMARTCLIP ON VIDEO BRANDING According to Music Week, Last.fm's Miles Lewis said this: "Smartclip has the expertise and experience to assist Last.fm in creating engaging advertising opportunities for brands and sponsors that are targeting our audience". Smartclip UK MD Sam Kayum said this: "By bringing large brands like Last.fm into our network, we intend to demonstrate the ease at which online campaigns can be implemented, maintained and measured". Very smart. Presumably. And clipped. FRITH BECOMES TIME OUT EDITOR Confirming Frith's full time appointment, Time Out London MD Mark Elliott told reporters: "Mark has demonstrated an unquestionable understanding of the unique editorial blend of this business. His passion for evolving our print and digital content is infectious and we have big, exciting plans to exploit this. This is just the start. We're delighted to have secured his long-term commitment at such an exciting time". Frith added: "I've loved my time here at Time Out so far. It's a great magazine with an incredible history, we've got a fantastic team and I can't wait to get started in the job proper". Time Out is undergoing a radical revamp as it tries to compete with online listing services and a plethora of free news and entertainment titles in London. It remains to be seen if Frith can find a business and editorial model that works for a magazine that still heavily relies on its dwindling print edition subscribers. Given what he did for Heat - taking the gossip mag's readership from 50,000 to half a million - he might just be the man for the job. Though the Time Out faithful will presumably be keeping a keen eye on the celebrity versus culture ratio. -------------------------------------------------- TWO TLRC STATIONS TO REBRAND TO ALPHA CHART UPDATE Over in the album chart, 'The Essential Michael Jackson' is still at number one, and Florence And The Machine's debut is still right behind it at two. With five straight weeks at the top (four with 'The Essential...' and one with 'Number Ones'), Michael Jackson has now been at the top of the chart for longer than any other artist this year. And even though his singles are starting to slip down the charts, his albums are still going strong, with a total of nine in the top 40, including one new entry, 'The Collection', which goes straight in at 14. Other new entries this week are Jordin Sparks at 11 with 'Battlefield', and Rhythms Del Mundo's 'Classics'. The charts are compiled by The Official Charts Company. It's the name that gives it away. BOYLE FEARS RETURN TO OLD LIFE Speaking to the Sunday Mirror, he said: "Susan absolutely loves the life she is leading now. But it has left her fearful of going back to how things were, living on her own waiting for her singing dream to come true. She has asked me many times: 'Gerry, what happens if this all stops?'" Referring to his sister's brief stint in The Priory after her 'BGT' defeat, he continued: "Susan doesn't take rejection very well. That's not to say she doesn't bounce back, she does. It's a lack of confidence and a case of getting overworked up. With 'Britain's Got Talent' it all just became too much". I'm not sure you can get any worse rejection than a surprise defeat in the eyes of the world's media on a prime time ITV show, so surely any disappointments moving forward will be easier to handle by comparison. But let's hope she's got good financial advisors on hand, just in case interest does wane. -------------------------------------------------- SWINGERS GATECRASH DIZZEE VID |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SUBSCRIPTIONS>> CMU Daily is a free daily e-bulletin for people working in the music industry and music media, delivered direct to your PC each morning. If you want to stop receiving this e-bulletin click the 'unsubscribe' button below and follow the instructions. If any of your colleagues want to receive the CMU Daily tell them to email their name, company, job title and email to [email protected]. If you would like to recieve the CMU Daily as a text email, send a blank email from the email address you are registered at to [email protected]. MEDIA PEOPLE>> If you are looking for an independent quote on anything to do with the music business, or you need someone to come on your TV or radio show and talk music business, then we can help. There's nothing we don't know about. Email requests to [email protected] or call 020 7099 9050. CMU is published by and (c) UnLimited Media - www.unlimitedmedia.co.uk Send news stories to [email protected]. If we don't respond directly, we do apologise, only we get sent hundreds of emails a day and don't have time to respond to every one of them. However we do check every email sent to the musicnews email address, and do pull out stories that we feel are relevant to our readers. Send CDs for review to CMU, UnLimited Media, 221-222 Shoreditch High Street, London, E1 6PJ. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||