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

MUSIC BUSINESS MODELS - MAKING MONEY, FINDING INVESTMENT
How to make money out of music - both now and in the future, with a look at alternative investment and revenue streams, and a new approach to monetising artists and their music. Wed 29 Jun

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

ICLOUD TO ARRIVE TODAY
It is thought that Apple will wheel out Steve Jobs - who will take to the stage against doctor's orders - to launch the company's new music offering, iCloud, at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco later today. Fully licensed by all four major record companies and publishers - but with all but the smallest indies not on board - this will be Apple's big play in the digital content storage space.

Billboard cited sources this weekend confirming that the split of revenues generated by the iCloud service will be 58% to the labels, 12% to the publishers and 30% to Apple. As previously reported, at least one of the major record companies wanted their share to be 60%, but seemingly gave way in order to allow Apple to offer the big publishers the cut they were seeking. The US trade mag says that indie publishers are being offered the same as their major counterparts, but indie labels less than the big four record companies, which explains the delays on that front.

It seems almost certain that Apple's digital locker service will have limitations compared to those launched by Amazon and Google, who decided to go without licenses, and therefore don't have any content owners to placate. That said, Apple could more than compensate for any licence-created limitations simply by out-performing their rivals on user experience.

According to the New York Post, it wasn't just functionality limitations, nor Apple's dominance in the digital music market, that assured the IT giant major label support for their digital locker. The Post reckons each of the majors will get a $30-50 million advance for their involvement in the iCloud.

How Apple plans to actually divvy up the 58% and 12% of revenues going to the labels and publishers respectively (ie between companies), and how the majors will then share their share with their artists, well, that's where these sorts of deals become especially interesting, and are often most shrouded in secrecy.

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MUSIC VIDEOS SHOULD COME WITH AGE RATINGS
Music videos should come with age ratings to protect the kids from overly sexual imagery and lyrics, says a report commissioned by David Cameron which is due out today. It's one of a number of proposals put forward by Reg Bailey, the head of the Mothers' Union, as a way to curb the "sexualisation and commercialisation of childhood".

The retail and advertising industries are also expected to garner some criticism in Bailey's report, which will propose giving relevant industries eighteen months to put their houses in order, or face new government regulation. The focus on music videos follows recent tabloid outrage regarding TV performances and pop promos from various artists, especially female pop artists, and usually Rihanna.

As previously reported, the BPI recently announced plans to extend its parental advisory scheme, which results in stickers being put on CDs which contain strong language or adult themes, to the digital domain, including video sites like YouTube.

It's not entirely clear how Bailey would like any rating system for music videos to be administered, though the report will probably initially look to the music industry to create some sort of voluntary code.

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PATTI LABELLE SUED OVER AIRPORT FRACAS
Soul singer Patti LaBelle is being sued for allegedly ordering her bodyguard to attack a man at Houston airport because, the lawsuit claims, he was standing too close to her luggage.

Richard King is seeking actual and punitive damages against the soul star in relation to the incident, which took place on 11 Mar. King being attacked at the airport was caught on CCTV, though it's not clear if security tapes show any link to LaBelle.

Confirming the legal action, King's lawyer John Raley told reporters: "Apparently, LaBelle believed King was standing too close to her luggage, even though he was oblivious to her presence and the danger he was in. She lowered the window of her limousine and gave a command to her bodyguards. They sprang into action".

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ADELE CALLS OFF WHOLE US TOUR TO RECOVER FROM LARYNGITIS
Adele has now cancelled all remaining dates on her sold-out American tour because of that pesky laryngitis. As previously reported, the chart topper postponed a number of shows last week after coming down with the condition, but had hoped to get back on stage this weekend. But a medic in LA last week advised she take several weeks off to recover.

In a statement confirming the cancellations, the songstress said: "I'm really frustrated. I was hoping with a weeks rest I'd be better to sing again straight away. However, there is absolutely nothing I can do but take the doctors advice and rest some more. I'm so sorry. See you soon, love Adele".

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TAX CAMPAIGNERS TO PROTEST DURING U2'S GLASTO SET
Anti-tax-avoidance campaigners are planning on protesting during U2's headline set at Glastonbury later this month over the band's much reported tax arrangements. Bono et al controversially moved their business interests to the Netherlands in 2006 after the Irish government removed some tax breaks for artists.

A spokesman for the Art Uncut campaign, which will lead the protest, told The Guardian: "Bono claims to care about the developing world, but U2 greedily indulges in the very kind of tax avoidance which is crippling the poor nations of this world. We will be showing the very real impact of U2's tax avoidance on hospitals and schools in Ireland. Anyone watching will be very much aware that Bono needs to pay up".

Responding to past criticism of U2's tax arrangements, their manager Paul McGuinness has previously said 95% of the band's operations take place outside of Ireland, and that they pay tax on that income in various places around the world.

While, responding to this latest round of opposition to U2's tax arrangements, Bono's anti-poverty campaign group One were keen to stress this weekend why him being tax efficient wasn't contradictory to their aims, telling reporters: "U2's business arrangements have nothing to do with illegal tax evasion and transfer mispricing in developing countries, critical issues which Bono and One campaign on".

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MARTIN RUSHENT DIES
Record producer Martin Rushent has died, aged 63, his son has confirmed via Facebook.

Having entered the music business as a sound engineer in the early 1970s, working with artists as diverse as T Rex, Fleetwood Mac, Yes, David Essex and Shirley Bassey, Rushent came to wider attention at the end of that decade as the producer behind many of the key releases of the British punk scene, including the first three Stranglers albums, and records by Buzzcocks, Generation X and XTC.

As the 80s, dawned he became even more prolific, setting up his own record label and helping hone the then emerging new romantic scene, signing acts like Visage, Ultravox and Spandau Ballet. One of the peaks of his career was producing the 1981 breakthrough album from The Human League 'Dare', a project that also resulted in one of the earliest remix albums, 1982's 'Love And Dancing'.

In many ways that was the peak of Rushent's career. He subsequently resigned as The Human League's producer and sold off his label, working as a consultant to Virgin Records for a time before basically retiring from the music business. However, other occasional music projects did follow in later years, and Rushent had been working with a number of newer artists in recent years.

Writing on Facebook yesterday, Rushent's son Tim said: "If you hadn't clicked yet my Dad passed away yesterday... I was just letting it sink in for his wife before I announced it loudly on my FB page. My brother James has set up the Martin Rushent Memories page to share your experiences of him (and most of us have had one or two of those... that's for sure!) ... As many of you know I had a VERY factious relationship with my Dad, but I never doubted his work as a producer, friend and raconteur. Feeling even more proud of him professionally today than I have done for 37 years".

James Rushent's band Does It Offend You, Yeah? Also posted a tribute via their Facebook page, saying: "It is with great sadness that someone very close to us has passed away. Martin Rushent was not just James' dad, but also someone very involved with the shaping of DIOYY and countless other musicians he worked with. He had an amazing character and was great friend to all of us. Rest in peace, sitting at your mixing desk in the sky".

The tribute page mentioned by Tim is here: www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_216490505038835

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SUGABABES SIGN TO SONY
The Sugababes have reportedly signed a new three album deal with Sony Music, having been seemingly dropped by former label Universal/Island.

A source told the Sunday Mirror: "The Sugababes are far from over. Sony are very excited about the new material and are putting a lot of money into the new album. [New single] 'Freedom' has been picked as the theme tune for a Nokia campaign too. There's even talk about them going to the States with this record too".

The upbeat speak comes despite many writing off the latest incarnation of the Babes, who haven't enjoyed the same level of success since the final founder member, Keisha Buchanan, departed the outfit in 2009. Certainly there last effort to break America, working with Jay-Z's Roc Nation, came to nothing, with the hip hopper's label quietly dropping the Babes last year.

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AC/DC MIGHT CONSIDER NEW ALBUM FOR YEAR FORTY
AC/DC have indicated that they will mark their fortieth anniversary in 2013 with a new album and tour.

Frontman Brian Johnson confirmed to Popeater.com that the band would "chat to see how we're feeling" about "celebrating the milestone" very soon, though added: "We never ever say 'we're going in the studio January next year', if you do that you're straight under pressure and we've never worked like that".

Although the anniversary might result in some new touring activity, Johnson said it was unlikely to be a mega two-year trek like the last one.

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COLDPLAY SAY NEW SONG'S SIMILARITIES WITH OTHER TRACK DELIBERATE
Coldplay have been accused of ripping off someone else's song again, though don't worry, this time the ripping off was deliberate, which makes it a tribute not a rip off.

Since the new Coldplay track 'Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall' debuted online on Friday many have pointed out the similarities with the track 'Ritmo De La Noche', which has been recorded by various groups over the years. But a spokesman for the band says that is deliberate, they having taken the tune used in 'Ritmo De La Noche' - a piece called 'I Go To Rio' by Peter Allen and Adrienne Anderson - as inspiration.

A rep for the band told reporters: "Chris was inspired to write the song after watching the film 'Biutiful' by Alejandro Gonzalez. In the film, there is a nightclub scene - during which a track is playing in the background, based on 'I Go To Rio' by Peter Allen and Adrienne Anderson. As a result, Allen and Anderson are also credited as writers on Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall".

So, no Joe Satriani-style dispute here, people. Sorry.

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BOTTLETOP TO LAUNCH ALL-START BRIT-BRAZIL COLLABORATION ALBUM
Education charity Bottletop has teamed up with PledgeMusic to release an all-star album that brings together both Brazilian and British musical talent.

On the UK side are Carl Barât, Gruff Rhys, Matt Helders of Arctic Monkeys, Get Cape Wear Cape Fly, Money Mark, V V Brown, Babyshambles, Sam Sparro, Fink, Reverend & The Makers, Eliza Doolittle and Tim Burgess, which is a pretty good line up. They have collaborated with musicians and producers from Brazil, led by Beastie Boys producer Mario Caldato Junior.

The organisation is currently raising money through pre-sales and other offers on the Pledge platform, with the album itself due to come out in August. More at this URL:

www.pledgemusic.com/projects/bottletopband

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A TRIBE CALLED QUEST DOC TRAILER AIRED
The official trailer for 'Beats, Rhymes & Life', the previously reported tell-all documentary about the iconic rap posse A Tribe Called Quest, has been premiered with an introduction from actor-turned-director Michael Rapaport.

As previously reported, candid scenes of band-infighting in the movie have sparked public disagreements between the filmmaker and rapper Q-Tip, who voiced objections over his on-screen portrayal. But despite all this, having received rave reviews following its premiere at this year's Sundance festival, there are plans to roll the film out for a national release this summer.

In the clip, music stars including Ludacris, Beastie Boys, Questlove and Pharrell Williams speak about the influence of A Tribe Called Quest on their own careers. "Q-Tip just picks the best loops, man", says Pharell. "Myself, Kanye, we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for that Tribe album", he adds, probably referring to the group's sample-rich 1991 LP 'People's Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm'.

Click here to view the trailer on Yahoo: movies.yahoo.com/movie/1810201697/video/25421221

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FESTIVAL LINE-UP UPDATE

GLASTONBURY, Worthy Farm, Somerset, 22-26 Jun: The recently-released billing for Glasto's Latin American extravaganza The Common includes Friendly Fires, Example, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs and Toddla T. www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk

HARD ROCK CALLING, Hyde Park, London, 24-26 Jun: Amongst a score of names fresh on the bill are Lissie, The Heartbreaks and Frankie & The Heartstrings. E Street band guitarist and Sopranos legend Steve Van Zandt will also curate a stage of up-and-coming talents like Norwegian girl-garage quintet The Launderettes and hot tips Yellow Wire. Other acts featuring on the line-up so far are bill-toppers The Killers, Bon Jovi, and Rod Stewart, plus Kaiser Chiefs, Ray Davies, Imelda May and Rumer. www.hardrockcalling.co.uk

MUSICOSITY FESTIVAL, various venues, Bournemouth, 2-4 Sep: Reef are freshly confirmed to headline at this sprawling Bournemouth bash, alongside Benjamin Francis Leftwich, ThePeteBox, Checking Pulse, Friends Electric and We Start Partys. musicosity.com

ØYA, Middelalderparken, Oslo, Norway, 9-13 Aug: Ohio rock icons Guided By Voices will put on their first live performance since 2002 at this year's Oya fest, a recent announcement has revealed. Also heading up the latest portion of additions are Q-Tip, Aphex Twin, Wu Lyf, Noah & The Whale and Fang Island. Kanye West, Pulp, Fleet Foxes, Lykki Li, Warpaint and James Blake are a few modest picks from the existing line-up. www.oyafestivalen.com/pages/eng/

T IN THE PARK, Balado, Scotland, 8-10 Jul: Dappy, Tulisa and Fazer, otherwise known as delinquent rap cru N-Dubz, add another date at Scotland's finest T to their festival calendar, as lone additions to the roster. They join fellow musical luminaries including Arctic Monkeys, Coldplay, Foo Fighters, The Strokes, Beyonce and Plan B. www.tinthepark.com

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ALBUM REVIEWS: Gregor Tresher - Lights From The Inside (Break New Soil Recordings)
There's a stripped-down feel to this third album from Frankfurt DJ Tresher, which attempts to straddle various dance sub genres (techno, house and IDM). So, does minimal techno equal minimal tuneage? On this evidence, sadly the answer is yes, although there are occasional glimpses of well-crafted melodicism.

The opening two tracks are solid slices of moody electro (and the same goes for the closing track 'Destroy', or 'If Only', which is painfully short at less than two minutes) but sadly most of the album is rather muted. Too many tracks meander around a bit, consider going somewhere interesting but don't, and then call it a day. It makes for a frustrating listen as Tresher clearly has talent. And whilst some of these tracks will sound more impressive in a club environment, we're in worrying times if a dance music album you listen to at home just sounds boring.

'LFTI' is diverting in places but nonetheless feels like a missed opportunity. MS

Physical release: 6 Jun

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HMV CLOSE TO SECURING NEW LOAN DEAL
The HMV Group could be close to signing a new deal with its bankers, Lloyds and RBS, which will bring to an end the imminent uncertainty over the entertainment firm's finances.

As much previously reported, HMV has been struggling to meet the terms of previous loans - much of which were run up diversifying the retailer's business into live music and digital - resulting in several months of tense negotiations with the group's money lenders. It's thought that, with the firm's all important high street stores still flagging, the company now has in the region of £170 million in debts.

But the recent sale of the Waterstones chain for £53 million has, various newspapers claimed this weekend, helped persuade the banks to agree to a new loan package worth up to £210 million.

That deal is also in part based on HMV CEO Simon Fox's newish strategy to expand the technology and gadgets section in HMV stores, a move which has enjoyed some success in six test shops, insiders say.

Fox recently told MCV that he saw the Waterstones sale as a "turning point" for HMV, adding that he was now hopeful to have his company's finances restructured by late June "and then we will be free to drive the business forward and become an entertainment brand across all channels".

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UN REPORT SAYS THREE-STRIKES BREACHES HUMAN RIGHTS
A report presented to the United Nation's Human Rights Council on Friday says that any anti-piracy laws that could result in people losing their internet connections are "disproportionate" and breach human rights. The report, written by Special Rapporteur Frank La Rue, goes on to urge those countries which have already adopted such a system, including the UK, to repeal any three-strike laws.

In the UK that would mean the already controversial copyright section of the Digital Economy Act, which paves the way for 'technical measures' to be used against those net-users who continue to infringe copyright online after receiving two written warnings. The DEA is a bit vague on how those technical measures will work - it seems likely additional parliamentary consideration would be required before any net suspensions could begin - but La Rue thinks they go too far.

In France, of course, the similar Hadopi system already includes a much more explicit net disconnection clause for persistent infringers, although French anti-piracy efforts are yet to get to the point where disconnections are actually on the agenda.

La Rue writes: "The Special Rapporteur considers cutting off users from internet access, regardless of the justification provided, including on the grounds of violating intellectual property rights law, to be disproportionate and thus a violation of article 19, paragraph 3, of the International Covenant On Civil And Political Rights. This also includes legislation based on the concept of 'graduated response', which imposes a series of penalties on copyright infringers that could lead to suspension of internet service, such as the so-called "three-strikes-law" in France and the Digital Economy Act 2010 of the United Kingdom".

Similar concerns over human rights have previously been raised at a European level, although of late the European Commission seems to be more overtly supporting those EU countries who are introducing some sort of three-strikes process for combating online piracy.

TalkTalk and BT's efforts to have the copyright section of the DEA sent back to parliament via judicial review also originally referenced human rights, although their more recent application to the Court Of Appeal (them having lost the original judicial review) has dropped that justification for why three-strikes should never have become law.

Responding to the UN report, a spokesman for the government's Department Of Culture, Media & Sport stressed that any suspensions of internet access under the DEA would be temporary, and also that that element of the UK's graduated response system was someway off. But, the spokesman said, while the right of the individual to access the internet is important, "there are counter-balancing rights, including to intellectual property, and government must set the balance in a fair and proportionate way".

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CBS TO RELAUNCH MP3.COM
CBS plan to relaunch MP3.com this month, according to reports, taking the site back to its roots as a website for unsigned and independent music, possibly seeing an opportunity to pull in some of the unsigned bands looking for a new place to host their tracks and information as MySpace fades.

Confirming they had plans for the MP3.com domain, which CBS acquired when it bought CNET in 2008, the group's David Goodman told Music Week: "MP3.com is an interesting brand as it has global recognition and still gets around three million unique visits on a monthly basis. It's mainly from search, as when people look for free music online, 'MP3.com' comes up. We believe there is a lot of opportunity to refresh it".

It is thought the new look MP3.com will be very much marketed alongside CBS's other online music platform, Last.fm.

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COWELL STILL LOBBYING FOR COLE TO RETURN TO X-USA
Simon Cowell hasn't had his people issue a statement about Cheryl Cole being axed from 'X-Factor USA' because he is still trying to get her reinstated, Simon Cowell's people have said in a statement.

Actually, it was good old Max Clifford who told the BBC this weekend that Cowell is still busy negotiating with network chiefs at Fox in the US to try and get Cole back on the American version of his telly talent show franchise.

Clifford: "Simon's position is clear - he wants her to be on the show if that's possible. The reason Simon hasn't said anything [since Cole returned to the UK] is because he has been working to try and make sure she is on the show. But obviously there's other important people involved in this decision in America and they've all got to be happy".

Implying that Cowell wasn't entirely in the loop himself regarding decision making on the US version of 'X', the publicist continued: "Hopefully the situation [regarding Cole] will be clarified as soon as possible, because it's been as clear as mud for the last week - but talking to him a couple of hours ago, I think that's a pretty fair summary of where we are".

Clifford was speaking to the Beeb after a News Of The World report that speculated Cole would be back on the judging panel at the 'X USA' auditions by the end of this week, following her dramatic departure from the fledgling show last month.

As much previously reported, some expected the axed Cole to run back to the UK version of the programme, but then ITV announced its judging line up for 2011 without the Girl Aloud. There have been rumours the singer is also in talks with the BBC about judging on the UK version of the 'Voice' franchise, which will come to the Beeb later this year.

Clifford also denied speculation that Cole's sudden axing from the US 'X-Factor' show had been some sort of elaborate publicity stunt.

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NEW EDITOR IN CHIEF FOR PITCHFORK
US music website Pitchfork last week appointed Mark Richardson, formerly the site's Managing Editor, to the role of Editor In Chief, replacing Scott Plagenhoef, who is leaving the company.

Confirming the appointment, Pitchfork founder Ryan Schreiber told reporters: "Mark was one of the first writers I hired for Pitchfork and we're all excited to have him take on this new role. Mark has big shoes to fill, but I have no doubt he's the ideal person to lead us going forward".

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MORE ABSOLUTE SPECULATION
There was new speculation last week regarding the future of Absolute Radio, which current owners TIML are trying to sell. According to The Telegraph, both Global Radio and Midlands-based Orion Media Group, who had expressed an interest in buying the national station, have now pulled out of the bidding.

That leaves the favourite bidders as TalkSport owners UTV and the national station's original owners the Virgin Group. Some are speculating the two companies might collaborate on a takeover, with UTV using Absolute's nationwide AM frequencies for a second talk station, and then working with the Virgin Group to use Absolute's London FM frequency and digital channels to relaunch Virgin Radio.

Though none of the rumoured bidders are talking just at the moment.

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GOMEZ BACKTRACKS ON HER PINK HORSES
Selena 'girlfriend of the Bieber' Gomez has had footage of pink horses taken out of her next pop promo because of concerns as to how the pink creatures were pinked, not least from Pink herself, who is the UN's chief ambassador when it comes to the use of the colour pink.

You're following this, right? Basically pictures of Bieber's girl posing with the pinked-up horses were posted on the net shortly after she filmed her new promo, causing animal loving Pink to tweet some outrage, she being offended that horses would be painted in that way for a stupid pop video.

Such was the stir created by the pink one, Gomez's people - despite insisting no horses were harmed in the making of the promo, and that animal welfare types were on set to ensure that was so - have cut the horses from the final edit.

Which now means that not only were those horses forced to don pink body paint for a day, but doing so was a total waste of time. The horses of the world will not be impressed I'm sure. Let's just hope they don't decide to take out their anger on Selena's boyfriend, perhaps by throwing things at him on stage: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e50vqY7Szo

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