Paisley lawsuit could have digital royalties dimension
The royalties dispute between Brad Paisley and Sony Music could join the big fat pile of American litigation focused on digital payments from labels to artists.

As previously reported, the country star recently filed new legal papers relating to a long-running dispute with Sony Music, claiming that the major has underpaid him by over $10 million over the last twelve years.

A previous attempt to claim allegedly unpaid royalties as far back as 2002 was dismissed after a judge ruled that a 2006 agreement between the artist and the label meant that the former could only dispute royalties paid as far back as 2011.

But in his new lawsuit Paisley claims that that 2006 agreement was dependent on Sony providing various specific documents which his people needed to do a royalty audit, and because those documents were allegedly never provided that part of his deal with the major is void.

But that was last week's news. Over the weekend, Billboard noted the lawyer who is leading this new legal assault on the major music firm, that being Nashville-based Richard Busch, who worked for FBT Productions on the landmark digital royalties case in the US, and who is now repping 19 Entertainment in its legal battle over digital payments to various 'American Idol' alumni.

As much previously reported, there has been a lot of debate as to what cut of digital income labels should be paying to artists where record contracts - usually signed pre-iTunes - are ambiguous about such things. Labels tend to pass on small cuts to their artists when it comes to digital revenue, equating a download to a record sale, but many artists, managers and their lawyers argue that a higher 'licensing' split should be paid on all things digital.

The FBT Productions team successfully secured a high digital royalty from Universal on the early Eminem catalogue they have a stake in, and countless artists are now suing the majors using that case as precedent. Billboard reckons that Busch's involvement in the Paisley case, coupled with requests in the new lawsuit for digital sales reports, means that dimension will soon be added to this legal battle, meaning the allegedly unpaid royalties the country singer will be seeking to claim could be much higher than the current $10 million.

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The Great Escape this week, more networking opportunities than ever, plus three pitch parties
And so it's Great Escape week already! This Thursday thousands of music business people from across the world will gather in Brighton for three days of new bands, new business and new thinking on the industry of music.

In addition to the 400+ bands on show this year you will find the much previously plugged CMU Insights-programmed TGE Convention, which this time features six half-day insight strands covering music rights, global digital markets, building a fan business, developing new products, the festivals sector and the Blurred Lines debate.

On top of the insight strands there is also an expanded networking programme at this year's Great Escape, and while the deadline has passed to apply for places at this year's speed networking sessions, there are plenty of networking events open to all and any Great Escape delegates - including Label Services (Thursday 1.30pm), Marketing & PR (Thursday 4.00pm), Sync (Friday 11.30am) and Bookers (Friday 3.30pm), all in the Dome Studio Bar.

And then there are the ever popular Pitch Parties - of which there are three this year. These are informal sessions, also in the Dome Studio Bar, each day at 5.30pm, in which reps from a variety of businesses give short elevator pitches about their companies, after which there is informal networking and plenty of drinking.

The Thursday pitch party focuses on music tech start-ups, Friday's on digital music service providers and Saturday's on interesting live music platforms and projects, the latter a brand new pitch party event staged in association with the British Council and the Young Creative Entrepreneurs project. There are a couple of last minute pitching spots available at each party, email tge@unlimitedmedia.co.uk if you want them!

The Great Escape kicks off on Thursday morning at 10.30am with CMU Business Editor Chris Cooke presenting his overview of the music business year just gone. For the rest of what is on offer download the TGE convention programme PDF here. Meanwhile just a handful of delegate passes remain, so buy them quickly, they are likely to sell out imminently.

Lee Ryan given fine, road ban following drink-driving arrest
Lee Ryan appeared at Ealing Magistrates Court in London last Friday to face charges relating to his previously reported drink driving arrest in mid-April.

Ryan pleaded guilty to failing to 'provide a specimen', aka take a breathalyser test, at the scene of the incident, and also to a criminal damage charge incurred when he urinated in his cell. It has emerged that 'CBB' star and occasional Blue singer, who has received a £3,325 fine and two year driving ban, also swore at police officers whilst in custody.

Police spotted Ryan driving erratically in the early morning of 11 Apr. He'd spent the night 'partying' with Blue man (and birthday boy) Duncan James, who showed up at the court along with Anthony Costa and Simon Webb on Friday to support their bandmate. Officers found an empty bottle beside the driver's seat of Ryan's vehicle, and saw him to be in a "drunken state".

The prosecution's Majit Mahal said at the hearing that "officers could immediately smell alcohol from Mr Ryan's breath and his eyes appeared glazed", adding: "Asked if he had consumed some alcohol that night, Mr Ryan said, 'Yes, a few'. When Mr Ryan exited the vehicle, he was obviously unsteady on his feet, his speech was slurred".

After being taken to a cell at Acton police station, Ryan vomited and urinated on the floor, reportedly claiming at the time that he "didn't realise there was a toilet there".

Speaking in court, Ryan linked his behaviour to the online abuse he'd attracted since his appearance on 'Celebrity Big Brother'.

AIM announces framework deal with BBC for exploiting TV and radio recordings
The Association Of Independent Music has announced a new deal with the BBC and its commercial wing BBC Worldwide to simplify the licensing of live recordings made by the Corporation's TV and radio channels for future commercial exploitation.

Technically the BBC needs permission from the labels of any signed artists whose live performances are recorded for TV or radio shows, though it's standard for labels to provide such a waver for initial broadcast. However, should either party want to then commercially exploit that content, by releasing sessions as CDs or digitally, then a separate bespoke deal needs to be made, and this is where things often get complicated.

By having a standard agreement on how the commercial exploitation of BBC recordings can be undertaken by an artist's record company with BBC Worldwide, AIM hopes to make that process much easier for its member labels. Which is good news given that there are many more opportunities for making such content available beyond initial broadcast in the digital age.

AIM boss Alison Wenham told reporters: "The new agreement now means that we have in place a commercial licensing framework with the BBC that is free from red tape, user-friendly, transparent and fair, and which will allow AIM members to exploit both new and archive material across all physical and digital platforms".

Dominic Walker, Director Radio and Music at BBC Worldwide, added: "We are delighted that this unlocks archive content for joint exploitation and opens up many opportunities for mutual gain on level terms; we look forward to long and fruitful relationships with all AIM members".

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Roc Nation expands Rihanna deal
Rihanna has signed a new deal with Roc Nation which will see the Jay-Z-headed firm, which already manages the singer, also release her next album. However, Universal's Def Jam - the label she has been signed to since 2005 - will remain involved in some capacity, according to Billboard.

The news that Rihanna had signed a new label deal with Roc Nation was first reported by Complex yesterday, with the website saying that she had left Def Jam altogether. However, sources have told Billboard that Def Jam will distribute the singer's next album, the follow-up to 2012's 'Unapologetic'.

Rihanna was also originally signed to Def Jam by Jay-Z, while he was president of that label.

TalkTalk renews X-Factor sponsorship deal
'The X-Factor' has secured a new three year sponsorship deal with TalkTalk, reportedly worth £30 million.

The telecoms brand last renewed its contract with the TV show last year, getting the option to sponsor the show for three years, but only guaranteeing funds for one. This new deal seemingly re-commits for all three future series currently commissioned by ITV, as Simon Cowell and Cheryl Cole return to the judging panel.

Despite ratings continuing to slide for last year's series, TalkTalk Commercial Director Olivia Streatfield spoke positively of her company's association with the show, saying: "Thousands of TalkTalk customers join us every year at the live final, more tweets are sent about it than any other TV show and, with the return of Simon and Cheryl, we're hugely looking forward to the next series".

TalkTalk became the headline sponsor of 'X-Factor' in 2009, following two series sponsored by its former parent company The Carphone Warehouse.

Live Nation loses Marketing Director
Live Nation has confirmed the departure of UK Marketing Director Jasmine Skee, who joined the company less than two years ago from Telefonica.

Skee's links to Live Nation began while still Telfonica's Head Of Music Sponsorship, when she oversaw the rebranding of fifteen of the live music company's venues as part of O2's continuing sponsorship deal with the live giant.

She is currently offering consultancy and training services.

Viacom to increase Channel 5 original programming budget
It was confirmed that MTV owner Viacom was buying Channel 5 last week, and the US media firm has now said that it will increase the broadcaster's budget for original programming, currently £200 million per year, and will not convert any of its six free-to-air channels to subscription-only.

Viacom chief exec Phillippe Dauman told The Guardian: "We believe Channel 5 has had a great trajectory over the last few years, we are going to work with them and continue on that trajectory. We see a lot of opportunity to continue to improve programming".

He added: "We are excited to be part of the [free-to-air] mix, public service broadcasting, and we intend to preserve it. We want to increase the mix toward original programming. In the US and elsewhere as we increase overall spending, we are also shifting the mix gradually to make more original programming. It has more immediacy and freshness and monetisation opportunity so it will be a bigger part of the mix".

Viacom is buying Channel 5 from Daily Express and Daily Star owner Richard Desmond.

Paul Simon and Edie Brickell release duet, following arrest
Following their arrest in relation to a "family dispute" last month, Paul Simon and Edie Brickell have released a duet called 'Like To Get To Know You'.

As previously reported, the married couple appeared in court on Monday last week, managing to convince a judge that neither of them was at risk of violence from the other. A police report subsequently showed that it was Simon who made the 911 call, after Brickell slapped him, though both apparently sustained minor injuries during the argument, which began after Brickell confronted Simon about something he had done to "break her heart".

The song was posted to Brickell's SoundCloud page last Thursday, and it's indicated that it may have been recorded since their court hearing. The opening line is "You share my heart, you share my kids and my dog, but I swear I don't know you at all" - though the chorus adds that they "wouldn't trade places with anyone".

Have a listen here.

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Against Me!'s Laura Jane Grace to star in own online show
Laura Jane Grace, lead singer in Floridian rock band Against Me!, is to appear in a new online reality TV series, titled 'So Much More', tracing her transition from male to female.

The show will air later this year via AOL's On Network, and will feature Grace, who first revealed her desire to change sex in 2011, meeting and speaking with her gender-variant peers in a bid to navigate her experience, and de-mystify wider ideas on what it means to be transgender. It'll also chart Grace and band's touring the world in honour of the latest Against Me! LP, circa earlier this year, 'Transgender Dysphoria Blues'.

She says this via the show's trailer: "You build it up in your head beforehand, 'Should I transition or should I not?' And then you're like, 'Life is a transition. Everyone's in transition. That's just the way it is.' I'm not the person I was yesterday and I'm not the same as the person I'm gonna be tomorrow. I'm figuring it out just like anyone in the world".

And here is that trailer.

Splendour In The Grass ticket buyers hit by inflated credit card charges following possible website hack
Some people who bought tickets for this year's Splendour In The Grass festival in Australia found themselves charged over AUS$1000 in credit card fees, after ticketing website Moshtix was apparently hacked.

After tickets went on sale on Friday morning, offers of 50% off tickets began appearing for some customers on the Moshtix site, which then led to the massive credit card fees - over AUS$4000 for some people.

The festival tweeted a warning when the problem was noticed, saying: "High credit card fees happening on invalid 50% off tickets - DO NOT PURCHASE THESE 50% OFF TICKETS!"

In a subsequent statement after tickets sold out, the festival said via Facebook: "For those who are querying what went wrong, we are currently, in conjunction with Moshtix, investigating some of the complications that we experienced with the ticketing system but we can 100% confirm that nobody's personal information has been compromised".

The Splendour In The Grass festival takes place on 25-27 Jul.

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Barbican details Transcender festival
Listing details have appeared for this year's Transcender, which is the London-based Barbican's shape-shifting festival of international psychedelia, which takes place between 26 Sep and 1 Oct. And wouldn't you just like to know what those are?

Well, here, try this series of events for size. Transcender 2014 commences (at The Laundry, in Hackney) with the first ever British appearance by the 28 member Fire! Orchestra, a Swedish ensemble led by Wildbirds & Peacedrums' Andreas Weliin, who improvise a combo of cosmic jazz, avant-rock, garage and devotional chanting. So basically, it's going to be groovy.

Also on the programme are the Britten Simphonia, who'll do the world's first performance of late composer John Tavener's last major work 'Flood Of Beauty'. It's inspired by a Sanskrit ode to feminine beauty and divinity written by ninth century philosopher-poet Sankara, and will have small choirs and musicians placed around the Barbican hall in order, said Tavener, to encircle the audience with "bliss and beauty".

Go to the Barbican site to mine the ins-and-outs of the bill, which also includes 'Sahara Soul II' - a tribute to the music of North Africa's nomadic communities - and closes with a show from Iranian folk virtuosos The Kamkars.

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Festival Line-Up Update: ATP Iceland, Berlin Festival, Beacons and more
Fittingly, ultimate Scottish DJ Calvin Harris has joined the bill at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend In Glasgow. He'll headline the free festival's Coldplay-headlined Saturday line-up, whilst Rita Ora, Katy Perry, Ed Sheeran, Lorde and London Grammar are all down to play too.

Keeping it brief, Calvin says: "I would feel really left out to not be there, so I'm well excited".

Yeah, same. Feel free to get even well-er excited by checking this list of festival updates...

ATP ICELAND, Ásbrú, Iceland, 10-12 Jul: Mogwai, Slowdive, Devendra Banhart, Shellac, Low, Loop, Liars, Hebronix, Ben Frost, I Break Horses, Pharmakon, HAM, Singapore Sling, Kria Brekkan, Sin Fang, Náttfari, Pascal Pinon, Fufanu. www.atpfestival.com/events/atpiceland2014

BBC RADIO 1′S BIG WEEKEND, George Square, Glasgow, Scotland, 23-25 May: Calvin Harris. www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/bigweekend

BEACONS, Funkirk Estate, SKipton, North Yorkshire, 7-10 Aug: British Sea Power, 65daysofstatic, Indiana, Joan As Policewoman, Beaty Heart, Capua Collective, Charlie Straw, DZ Deathrays, Famy, Fickle Friends, Goodbye Chanel, James Bay, Jarbird, Jaws, Kult Country, Paris XY, Paul Thomas Saunders, Pawws, Post War Glamour Girls, September Girls, Serious Sam Barrett, Temple Songs, The Garden, The Horn The Hunt, Vaults, Vessels, Volte Face, Witch Hunt, Yumi Zouma. greetingsfrombeacons.com

BERLIN FESTIVAL, Tempelhof Airport, 5-7 Sep: Woodkid, Moderat, Editors, Darkside, Warpaint, Kid Ink, Chase & Status, KIZ, Fünf Sterne Deluxe, Genetikk, Crystal Fighters, Austra, Ellen Allien, Alle Farben, Mount Kimbie, Foreign Beggars, Mykki Blanco, Bilderbuch, Olson, The Acid, Nod Ones Head. www.berlinfestival.de

BROWNSTOCK, Morris Farm, Chelmsford, Essex, 29-31 Aug: De La Soul, Netsky & MC Script, Roots Manuva, Claude Von Stroke, Shy FX & Stamina, Matrix And Futurebound, The Cuban Brothers, The Milk, Young Kato, Ted Zed, Dexters, The Feud, M+A. www.brownstock.co.uk

Yearly Music Convention Awards voting open
This Saturday the Yearly Music Convention Awards will be presented on the final day of The Great Escape in Brighton at an exclusive late lunch gathering.

The awards, sponsored this year by ACUMEN MEDIA LAW, celebrate the best showcase festivals and music conventions from the year just gone, with events from all over the world nominated.

Anyone who attends these events is invited to vote for this year's YMCAs - online votes are taken until Friday, when the YMCA judging committee will meet to identify the overall winners. You will be able to vote here from later today.

To attend the YMCA event you need to buy a special ticket, which are on sale online now at £25 including a late lunch of fish and chips with a twist, plus choice of beer and wine. Click here to get your ticket.

Meanwhile, here are this year's YMCA shortlists...

Best Networking Event Or Service: Breakout West Rockies trip (Canada), MusExpo music supervisor networking (US), Tallin Music Week food programme (Estonia), Waves boat trip (Austria), Wide Days Edinburgh bus tour (UK).

Best Delegates Bag: BigSound (Australia), by:Larm (Norway), ILMC (UK), Nouvelle Prague (Czech Republic), Tallin Music Week (Estonia).

Best Delegates Bar: Breakout West (Canada), by:Larm (Norway), ILMC (UK), SonarPro (Spain), M&M Finland.

Best Convention Centre Or Showcase Venue: Buenos Aires International Music Fair & Conference (Argentina); De Oosterpoort, Eurosonic (The Netherlands); Handelsbeurs Concertzaal, Glimps (Belgium); Staropramen Brewery, Nouvelle Prague (Czech Republic); The Warren, The Great Escape (UK).

Best App: by:Larm (Norway), Eurosonic (The Netherlands), MIDEM (France), SXSW Go App (US), Reeperbahn (Germany).

Best New Showcase Festival (launched in last five years): Amplifico (Chile), Circulart (Colombia), Glimps (Belgium), MU:CON Seoul (Korea), Nouvelle Prague (Czech Republic).

Best Showcase Or Party: Aussie BBQ at CMW, Brazil party at MIDEM, Latvia Party at M&M Finland, M For Montreal at SXSW, Music Glue Party at The Great Escape 2013.

Best Export Office: Musik Initative (Germany), Music Export Latvia, Music:lx (Luxembourg), Music From Ireland, New Zealand Music Commission.

Best Host City Champion: Berlin Music Week (Germany), The Great Escape, Brighton (UK), Tallinn Music Week (Estonia), Reeperbahn, Hamburg (Germany), Waves, Vienna (Austria).

Fred Durst directing eHarmony advert
Dating site eHarmony is apparently trying to shift its image of being a bit boring by hiring Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst to direct its latest TV ad in the US.

So, basically, a little bit more "I did it all for the nookie", and a little bit less "I did it all for a bold, scientific approach to matching meaning more quality dates with deeply compatible singles that truly understand me". Maybe.

The company confirmed the news last week, tweeting a picture of eHarmony CEO Neil Clark Warren with Durst.

So far there's no information on the actual content of the advert, so just watch the trailer for Durst's first film, 'The Longshots', and pretend that's the finished product instead (though perhaps a relationship between Ice Cube and a teenage girl isn't quite what they're going for).