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PROMOTING MUSIC - MEDIA, SOCIAL MEDIA AND MORE
How to build a profile for your artists - the state of the music media, traditional and new publicity techniques, social media and the future of music PR. Wed 1 Jun 2011

MUSIC RIGHTS – INSIDE & OUT
A beginner's guide to music copyright – everything you need to know about copyright law, licensing, monetising copyright, the fight against piracy and the future of the music rights industry. Wed 15 Jun 2011

For more information or to book visit www.theCMUwebsite.com/training

EC SETS OUT PLAN FOR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY REFORM
The European Union's Internal Markets Commissioner Michel Barnier yesterday set out plans to overhaul intellectual property rules across the European Union, with most of the proposals focused on well-trodden issues, including online piracy and the simplification of pan-European digital licensing.

Among the proposals are plans to introduce common rules for collecting societies, in theory making it easier for organisations that want to license digital rights on a pan-European basis.

Digital service providers have long bemoaned that the licensing framework for multi-territory services is far too complicated. In theory it is simpler if rights owners license their music via collecting societies (which the record labels don't, but the music publishers, in many cases, do), though for pan-European services that approach can be even more tedious, because traditionally collecting societies only ever license you in one territory, meaning you need to do 27 collecting society deals to cover publishing rights across Europe.

The European Commission has, for some time, been pressuring the music publishing sector to enable its collecting societies to license on a pan-European basis, and in doing so to compete with each other, though some would argue efforts to date have, if anything, made the whole process even more complicated. It remains to be seen whether the EC's plans for 'common rules' will improve things, and whether the collecting societies will embrace those proposals or fight them.

While putting ever more pressure on the music industry to simplify pan-European licensing, the EC is also planning on stepping up its efforts to fight online piracy. The European Union has not, so far, got especially involved in the crackdown on file-sharing and suchlike, generally leaving this to member states to sort out for themselves. In fact, in the European Parliament at least, there has actually been talk of the EU stepping in to do the opposite, ie introducing European laws that limit the extent of some of the anti-piracy frameworks being put in place by individual governments, such as in France.

But yesterday Barnier said the European Commission would start to look into what role it can play in cracking down on piracy on a pan-European basis, saying that "all options" were on the table, and that commissioners would, among other things, be giving time to considering what role the internet service providers should be playing in the fight against online copyright infringement. The proposals also suggest giving more powers in this area to the European Observatory On Counterfeiting & Piracy.

Elsewhere in the IP domain, Barnier said he remained committed to introducing a Europe-wide patent, something the UK government's Hargreaves Review said should be a priority earlier this month too.

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WARNER FACES SECOND LAWSUIT FROM UNHAPPY SHAREHOLDERS
The Warner Music Group is facing a second lawsuit regarding the sale of the company to Len Blavatnik's Access Industries. As previously reported, shortly after the Warner board, whose members control 56% of the music major, announced they were selling the company outright to Blavatnik, one minority shareholder launched legal proceedings through the Deleware court arguing the company's directors had not secured the best possible deal for stockholders.

The new lawsuit, launched in the New York courts last week, makes pretty much the same claim. They also raise concerns about the sale process and the agreement between the Warner board and Blavatnik, which, they argue, make it very hard - and detrimental to all stockholders - for any other potential bidders to mount a hostile takeover by courting the 44% of shareholders not directly represented on the board. The introduction of a rival hostile bidder would, of course, most likely up the price Blavatnik would have to offer to buy up the Warner shares not controlled in the boardroom.

The new lawsuit also questions recent changes to the rules governing so called 'restricted stock' owned by Warner CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr, who is known to have supported the Blavatnik takeover bid, and who will stay in charge of the music firm under its new owners. The lawsuit says the rule changes have dramatically increased the cash payout Bronfman will receive for the restricted stock as part of the Access Industries deal.

Neither Warner not Access Industries have responded to either lawsuit so far.

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SUM 41 TOUR CONTINUES, DESPITE WHIBLEY COLLAPSING ON STAGE
Sum 41 have confirmed they are continuing with their Japanese tour, despite the band having to halt a gig last week after frontman Deryck Whibley collapsed onstage.

YouTube footage shows Whibley shortly after he collapsed, clearly in pain and writhing around the floor. However, after a short break, the frontman returned to the stage and continued with his show, and now plans to continue with the band's tour, even though the cause of the agony isn't clear.

Whibley is quoted as saying: "My knees were quivering and I couldn't stand... I don't know what happened, I never had that feeling".

Last August, the band were forced to cancel shows after Whibley sustained a slipped disc when he was attacked in a bar in Japan. Maybe he just shouldn't go to Japan.

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YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE WRITER DIES
Songwriter Joseph Brooks, probably best known for writing the Oscar winning track 'You Light Up My Life' for the film of the same name, has died seemingly after committing suicide in his New York apartment. He was facing a number of charges for rape and sexual assault prior to his death.

Brooks began his songwriting work in the advertising industry, writing jingles for ad campaigns. 'You Light Up My Life' was released as a single by Debby Boone in 1977 and became one of the most successful hits of the seventies in the US, selling over four million copies in America alone, and winning a Grammy, Oscar and Golden Globe.

Brooks went on to write music for a number of other films, and subsequently became a film and theatre director. His music career was halted after a stroke made it difficult for him to compose. In more recent years his life took a tragic turn, his son was accused of murder, and then a number of women accused him of luring them to his home under the guise of movie auditions and then sexually assaulting them.

The various rape and sexual assault charges, to which he pleaded not guilty, were still working their way through the courts system when he took his life this weekend. A police spokesman has confirmed they found a three-page suicide note near his body.

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MARILYN MANSON SHARES NEW MUSIC
Marilyn Manson has posted a 26 second clip of a new song on Vimeo. So that's nice. I don't really know anything else about it, sorry. The video is titled "I am among no one (excerpt from an undisclosed song with an unreleased title)". Oh, that Brian. He is a card.

Watch the video here, if you like: vimeo.com/24055099

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NAS ANNOUNCES NEW SOLO ALBUM
Nas has announced that he is ready to record his tenth solo album, the follow-up to his untitled 2008 long player. That record was originally to be titled 'Nigger', but eventually went out nameless, though it did still sport the controversial cover, which showed Nas' back with flagellation scars forming an 'N'.

Looking back, Nas is more concerned about the musical content of that album, rather than the controversy which surrounded its name and cover. He told Billboard: "I can look back at my last record and I know that some songs didn't belong there. I really over thought it. There was a lot going on".

This time around, he says he is very inspired by the quality of the current hip hop scene, remarking: "I'm happy about music, it's pushing me back into the studio. I just love what's happening: I love Odd Future, Wayne, Drake, Kanye West, Rick Ross. It's something that threatens my position. Or it makes me question what I'm going to do next. What kind of impact do I want to have now that I've been in the business this long? It's a challenge, it's scary even. But I'm very comfortable. I'm excited to see what comes out of me... I'm ready".

Despite a dispute with Def Jam over the delayed release of a rarities compilation last year, during which Nas wrote a latter to the label's bosses accusing the company of being "a rap label that doesn't understand rap", it seems he will stick with them for the release of this new album.

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THE RAPTURE ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM
You can't really buy publicity like this, can you? The Rapture haven't released an album since 2006, but a side effect of all that talk of the end of the world last weekend was that people started talking about them again. Come Saturday, the world didn't end, but yesterday The Rapture did announced plan to release a new album this year (a good month before the newly rescheduled end times).

Entitled 'In The Grace Of Your Love', the band's third album will be released on 5 Sep through DFA Records, which released some of their early singles before they moved to Universal.

The band are also scheduled to play two UK shows around the release, at Manchester's Club Academy on 7 Sep and XOYO in London on 8 Sep.

Here's the album's tracklist, like it means anything to you:

Sail Away
Miss You
Blue Bird
Come Back To Me
In The Grace Of Your Love
Never Gonna Die Again
Roller Coaster
Children
Can You Find A Way?
How Deep Is Your Love?
It Takes Time To Be A Man

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STEPHEN MALKMUS ANNOUNCES BECK-PRODUCED ALBUM
Pavement frontman Stephen Malkmus will release his fifth solo album via Matador on 22 Aug, it has been announced.

Well, OK, the press release says "post-Pavement album", not solo album. I'm never sure how we classify The Jicks. Let's just say it's a solo album, then we can avoid having a load of pointless waffle in this middle paragraph and just get to the news that Beck has produced it. OK, good.

Entitled 'Mirror Traffic', the new record will be last Malkmus album to feature his usual drummer Janet Weiss. She will be replaced by Jake Morris of The Joggers for the ensuing tour, which is soon to be announced.

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FUCK BUTTONS MAN ANNOUNCES SOLO ALBUM
One half of noise duo Fuck Buttons, Benjamin Power, will release his first solo album under the name Blanck Mass next month. The eponymous long player will be released through Mogwai's Rock Action label on 20 Jun.

Power says of the record: "I do like the fact that this album represents a pretty clear image of myself, that which I am aware of and that which might be controlled by some other type of subconscious guidance".

So there you go. As for possible future projects, he says: "Soundtracking nature documentaries would work out pretty well for me".

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MIDLER AND PACINO SET TO APPEAR IN SPECTOR TRIAL MOVIE
Bette Midler and Al Pacino are set to appear in a TV film for US network HBO about Phil Spector's murder trial. The film will dramatise the trials that led to the legendary record producer being jailed for nineteen years for the shooting of one time actress Lana Clarkson at his home in 2003.

Pacino will play Spector, while Midler is expected to play Linda Kenny Baden, one of the producer's defence team. 'Arrested Development' actor Jeffrey Tambor is also reportedly on board to play another of Spector's lawyers, Bruce Cutler.

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NORDIC ACTS HEAD TO LONDON FOR JA JA JA THIS THURSDAY
Andy CMU will be in Denmark for Nordic music showcase festival SPOT on Thursday evening. That doesn't mean we can't all have some Nordic fun closer to home without him, though. In fact, it'll probably be more fun without him there getting in the way.

Anyway, this Thursday evening will see the Ja Ja Ja night once again take over The Lexington, and as ever it has a great line-up of bands from the Nordic region.

Headlining will be Norwegians Young Dreams, a twelve-piece outfit who play Beach Boys and Phil Spector inspired pop. Before them will be Icelandic upstarts Retro Stefson, whose sound incorporates all manner of genres to create lush pop. Opening the show will be Finnish trio Eleanoora Rosenholm.

Check out interviews with all three bands and listen to their music at www.jajajamusic.com.

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ED SHEERAN ANNOUNCES TOUR DATES
Currently out and about on a sold out tour of the UK, rising singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran has announced some more tour dates for October.

Sheerean will release his debut album, '+', in September.

Tour dates:

2 Oct: Oxford, Academy
3 Oct: London, Shepherd's Bush Empire
4 Oct: Bournemouth, Academy
5 Oct: Falmouth, Princess Pavilion
6 Oct: Brighton, Concorde 2
8 Oct: Hatfield, Forum
9 Oct: Bristol, Anson Rooms
10 Oct: Nottingham, Rock City
11 Oct: Birmingham, Institute
13 Oct: Leeds, University Stylus
14 Oct: Glasgow, ABC
15 Oct: Newcastle, Northumbria University
17 Oct: Manchester, Academy
18 Oct: Stoke, Sugar Mill
19 Oct: Cardiff, Millennium Hall
20 Oct: Reading, Sub 89
23 Oct: Norwich, UEA
25 Oct: Cambridge, Junction

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FESTIVAL LINE-UP UPDATE

BERLIN FESTIVAL, various venues, Berlin, Germany, 9-10 Sep: Amongst the new introductions to Berlin fest's thriving bill are Aloe Blacc, The Rapture, CSS, Tune-Yards, Austra and The Naked & Famous. Alex Winston, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Housse de Racket are also new to the festivities, joining a truly wunderbar existing roster of acts including Suede, Primal Scream, Mogwai, The Drums and Health. www.berlinfestival.de

DEVON ROX, Powderham Castle, Devon, 6-7 Aug: Kicking off its inaugural event in style, Devon Rox welcomes a few more acts including Malefice, Stampede, Mordecai and Seven Year Kismet to its noise-heavy line-up, which prior to this latest announcement was already set to host Funeral For A Friend, The Quireboys, My Passion and Saint Jude. www.devonrox.com

JERSEY LIVE, Royal Jersey Showgrounds, Jersey, 3-4 Sep: Having scheduled their reformation to coincide nicely with recent apocalyptic rumours, The Rapture lead those acts added to this year's Jersey Live line-up, with non-relations King Charles and Craig Charles also new appearances on a bill that boasts the likes of Madness, Plan B, Annie Mac, Wretch 32 and Katy B. www.jerseylive.org.uk

ROCKNESS, LOCH NESS, SCOTLAND, 10-12 Jun: RockNess organisers have confirmed a monstrous list of acts set to appear in the brand new Bacardi-sponsored Get Together Arena. Partaking in the boozy communal vibes will be big names including Alex Metric, Alan Braxe, Casper C, Herve, The Glimmers and Disco Bloodbath. Subjects of previous announcements include headliners Kasabian, The Chemical Brothers and Paolo Nutini, plus an array of such other trendsetting bands as Two Door Cinema Club, Bombay Bicycle Club, and Chapel Club. www.rockness.co.uk

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ALBUM REVIEW: Alain Johannes - Spark (Domino)
'Spark' is a tribute to Alain Johannes' late Eleven bandmate and partner Natasha Shneider who died three years ago of cancer, and is a gorgeous record of many layers and depths in its short 29 minute run.

A man who has worked with and is lauded by many artists, from Queens Of The Stone Age's Josh Homme to Mark Lanegan and UNKLE, Johannes is also part of Brody Dalle's most recent formation Spinnerette, who produced what has to be one of my favourite albums of 2009. Johannes has a lot of that rock royalty behind him, permanently floating on his CV, but it shouldn't distract from this debut solo effort. It stands perfectly strong on its own, a solid record, at once arresting, haunting and something really quite different and unexpected.

Multi-layered acoustics create a recurrently captivating platform for Johannes' strong voice, a voice that's hard to hide any iota of emotion within. 'Speechless' sounds dark and ominous, like a lonely desert scene in the middle of the night, and the dream-like 'Spider' and 'The Bleeding Whole' are more transparently reflective and undeniably despondent and despairing, as is the backbone of this record and everything holding it together.

Don't let the darkness of 'Spark' deter you - it is an elegantly beautiful album with a lot to say, both sonically and lyrically, and is really something quite magical indeed. TW

Physical release: 23 May

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MUSIC STRATEGIST TO DISCUSS HIS HIT MAKING FORMULA
American music strategist Jay Frank is due to speak in London tomorrow night about his fifteen point plan for making pop songs more successful online and in the charts.

SVP of Music Strategy for CMT in the US, and a previous head of music programming for Yahoo!, Frank recently published a book called 'FutureHit.DNA' which analysed a raft of music-related stats to propose formulas for songwriters to follow if they want to score hits. While many will not agree with that approach to songwriting, his findings make for interesting reading, and a presentation of some of them caused a bit of a stir at a recent conference organised by collecting society ASCAP in the US.

Frank will make a similar presentation at the PRS headquarters at 6.30pm tomorrow night at an event staged in association with the Music Managers Forum. He'll also give some direct feedback to tracks written by members of the audience.

A handful of tickets are still available at £30 a shot, though if you use this special link here you can get your tickets for £20 plus VAT: thisisnewmusic.wordpress.com/632-2/

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JUSTIN BIEBER LAUNCHES PERFUME
Want to smell like Justin Bieber? I mean who wouldn't want to smell like a seventeen year old boy? Yes people, the Bieber has launched a perfume, because presumably his teen girl fanbase, while happy that their finger nails are all covered in Justin Bieber nail polish, want to ensure their fragrance has been approved by their idol too.

The blurb accompanying the new perfume says: "Justin created Someday [that's what it's called] to give fans a personal invitation and intimate access to his heart. It's a fragrance he can't get enough of and can't stay away from, making those who wear it irresistible. So take the experience past the music, beyond the performer, and journey deep into a world of possibilities".

And if that's already making you nauseous, whatever you do, don't watch the official Someday advert: www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_PXszrG1mI - probably safer to conform to norm and watch this classic Bieber vid instead: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e50vqY7Szo

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AIF RAISE CONCERNS OVER POLICE REFORM BILL
The General Manager of the Association Of Independent Festivals has issued a statement raising concern regarding the previously reported Police Reform & Social Responsibility Bill which is currently being considered in the House Of Lords.

As previously reported, one section of the Bill proposes giving local authorities more powers over the licensing of large scale music events, a development which many fear will further complicate the process of getting permission to stage festivals. Ironically the Police Reform Bill is being considered at the same time as the Live Music Bill, which is aiming to simplify the licensing process, especially for grass root events.

With the licensing section of the Police Reform Bill due to be considered in the Lords this week, AIF General Manager Claire O'Neill told reporters: "We are incredibly concerned that changes to the bill will be passed with a 'one size fits all' approach that could be a further blow to UK festivals and music events. Festivals are one of the few places that people come together to celebrate and enjoy life in a relatively incident free environment, certainly compared with town centres on a Friday night. We urge the House of Commons Committee to reconsider those aspects of the Bill that will be detrimental to this positive social and cultural phenomenon".

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DJ MAG MARKS 20TH ANNIVERSARY
DJ Mag today publishes a special edition to mark its 20th anniversary in its current form. As well as a feature detailing the history of the magazine, featuring contributions from former staff members and various DJs, including Fatboy Slim, Carl Cox, Armin Van Buuren, and John Digweed, the issue will come with a covermount CD mixed by Danny Tenaglia entitled '20 Years On The Dancefloor'.

Contributing Editor Carl Loben told CMU: "The fact that DJ Mag is still thriving is testimony to the continuing strength of the electronic music scene. Like the magazine itself, it's been through its ups and downs, but now it's stronger and more exciting than ever".

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THE BEATLES WERE NOTHING WITHOUT ME, SAYS RINGO
Ringo Starr's always good for a quote, isn't he? This week, he's been telling Live magazine how lucky The Beatles were that he decided to join them in 1962.

Starr explained: "Within Liverpool, I was a lot more well know than them. [Starr's then band] Rory And The Hurricanes were big shots in the city. We had the suits. That was our claim to fame. The Beatles were lucky to get me. It wasn't just that I was a big shot; I was a cool drummer".

He added that he'd like Paul McCartney to join his current outfit, Ringo Starr And His All Starr Band. He reckons it would be nice for Macca to play with a real Beatle, or something: "Every time I ask him to tour with the All Starrs, he says he is too busy. We're as close as we want to be. We're the only two remaining Beatles, although he likes to think he's the only one. I actually think it's people on the outside who perceive Paul as thinking he's the only member left, when actually it's me. I am the last remaining Beatle".

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