Beastie Boys win $1.7 million in Monster dispute
Take note kids, fight for your right to party without intrusion from the malevolent marketing men, and you might wind up with $1.7 million in your bank account. I think it's something for us all to aspire to.

Yes, the Beastie Boys have prevailed in their legal battle with the Monster Energy drinks firm, and while the $1.7 million in damages rewarded by the jury hearing the dispute isn't quite as much as the rap outfit had requested, its way more than the $125,000 the drinks maker argued was a fair settlement figure.

As previously reported, Monster used a montage of Beastie Boys tracks in a promotional video relating to a snowboarding event the brand sponsored, which was posted shortly after the passing of Beastie Boy Adam Yauch, who had included a line in his will about his oeuvre never being licensed for use in advertising or marketing materials.

Monster conceded that it had used the music without permission, but said that it had done so by mistake, after one of its marketeers mistakenly inferred from Z-Trip, the DJ the company had worked with on the party in the promotional video, that the music had been cleared.

Given it had infringed by mistake, and it had removed the video as soon as the Beastie Boys made a complaint, and the promo hadn't been so widely seen by that point, the drinks company argued that the $2 million in damages sought by the surviving members of the rap group was way too high.

The rappers split their damages request into two. Half was for the copyright infringing, based on the principle in US copyright law that damages should be paid separately for each infringement, ie each track used. The other half was for implied endorsement, mainly stemming from a closing shot in the video paying tribute to the then recently deceased Yauch with the line RIP MCA in lettering similar to the drink company's logo.

And in the main the jury sided with the rappers, rewarding the group $1.7 million for Monster's infringements and unpermitted implied endorsing. Needless to say, the drinks company has already announced its intent to appeal.

A legal rep for the company told Rolling Stone: "Although Monster Energy has great respect for the verdict of the jury, we strongly disagree with it. We will make an application to the court to set aside the verdict and we intend to file an appeal. From the inception, Monster Energy has been willing to resolve this matter in a fair and equitable manner and we will continue to make additional efforts to reach a just resolution of this dispute".

So expect more court-time fun from this case in the future. Meanwhile, talking of fun, Rolling Stone has also delved into the various legal submissions and arguments that were shared in the run up to and during this trial, and has noted that Monster's belief that it had the OK to use the Beastie Boys tracks stemmed from a marketing guy asking Z-Trip if he "approved" of the video they'd made of his post-snowboarding party, and him replying by email "dope!"

And while the court accepted that "dope!" could be interpreted to communicate "approval" of the video, the powers that be ruled that someone approving of a video doesn't necessarily mean they are approving use of any copyright material in it. Which is another important lesson for us all I think. Well, for idiots mainly.

Gary Glitter to face trial over new sexual abuse charges
Gary Glitter, real name Paul Gadd, has been charged with eight new counts of sexual abuse against children, the Crown Prosecution Service has announced.

Following an investigation into various new accusations against the singer, for which he was originally arrested in 2012, the CPS has upheld eight charges relating to alleged incidents between 1977 and 1980, involving two women, who were aged between twelve and fourteen at the time.

The majority of the charges relate to the younger of the two women, including four counts of indecent assault, one count of administering a drug or similar in order to facilitate sexual intercourse, and one count of sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of thirteen. The other two charges relate to the alleged indecent assault of the other woman.

The CPS said that it had also decided not to pursue five other allegations by two other complainants, due to lack of evidence.

Gadd will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 19 Jun.

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MegaUpload attempts to freeze labels' attempt to freeze MegaUpload unfreeze
No surprise here, really. Lawyers for Kim Dotcom and the defunct MegaUpload have hit back at attempts by the US music and movie industries to derail their attempts to reconnect their clients with assets seized in Hong Kong and New Zealand back in 2012.

As previously reported, the Motion Picture Association Of America and the Recording Industry Association Of America have both filed civil litigation against Dotcom et al over allegations the Mega men enabled and encouraged rampant copyright infringement via their former business. Team Mega, though, has asked for those cases to be postponed until criminal action over the same allegations has run its course in the US.

The music and movie industry reps don't especially object to that proposal, but have requested that the defendants' assets, taken when the US authorities shut down MegaUpload in 2012, be kept frozen until any civil action is done and dusted, to stop Dotcom and co putting MegaUpload money beyond the reach of the American courts.

This request comes as a New Zealand court has said that there is no case for extending the order that allowed MegaUpload assets to be taken there, and as Dotcom's lawyers submit arguments calling for the former company's assets to be returned in Hong Kong too.

And now said lawyers have made a court filing in the US disputing the movie studio and record companies' efforts to top their clients from getting their assets back, arguing that the content industries have a vested interest in the former MegaUpload directors not getting access to their former wealth, because it makes it harder for them to fight the criminal and civil cases against them.

Dotcom's lawyer Ira Rothken told Torrentfreak: "The recording and film studios are engaging in a procedural game to try to freeze Kim Dotcom's assets so they and the US Department Of Justice can win on procedure and not on the merits".

He went on: "These copyright cases cost tens of millions of dollars to defend. The studios and the DOJ have a healthy concern that if Kim Dotcom can have the funds and evidence to mount a fair defence, he and the others will prevail".

"MegaUpload and Kim Dotcom are entitled to assert the same copyright safe harbours that YouTube recently used to defeat similar claims, and that ought not be meddled with in a single hearing based on a flimsy record, with evidence locked away, and prior to a civil trial on the merits".

Secretly Canadian signs Electric Youth
Young electronic pairing Electric Youth, the ones that did 'A Real Hero' with College on the soundtrack to the film 'Drive', have signed to the Secretly Canadian label.

To date, the Toronto-based band, composed of Austin Garrick and Bronwyn Griffin, have approximately no LPs to their name, yet, says Secretly, that'll change later this year with the release of a TBA record.

One thing that's certain is that it'll feature Electric Youth's 2013 single 'Innocence', whose Ivan Grbovic-directed video goes like this.

Kaskade to quit SoundCloud, strike out on his own
American DJ and producer Kaskade has said that he will launch his own streaming site on which to share mixes, after receiving, so he claims, 32 emails from SoundCloud's automated copyright protection system over a 48 hour period this week.

While it's common for DJs who upload mixes containing lots of tracks to Soundcloud to see their work subsequently blocked, because the audio-sharing service itself has no licensing deals in place with the labels, it does seem like it was Kaskade's own music that was being removed, in that Ultra, the label that he is signed to, was identified as the source of the takedown request.

Possibly the result of some automated takedown software gone rogue, Team Ultra expressed confusion about the content removals, tweeting: "We don't know how it happened, but it should be back up asap!"

But the damage was already done. Kaskade followed up his original tweet by saying: "I imagine over the next week my entire SoundCloud will be taken down. Sorry but there is nothing I can do here. It's a bummer as I have worked to build that page up and put great stuff on there. I will move forward with constructing my own portal where I can share what I like when I like".

Quite what the DJ has in mind isn't clear, though, of course, last year Deadmau5 launched his own subscription-based streaming service, giving fans access to exclusive tracks and live sets for $4.99 per month. He added a mobile option last month.

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Samsung extends Deezer freebie offer to audio products
Samsung has extended its alliance with Deezer in the UK by offering a free six month subscription to the streaming service's premium platform with is wireless speaker range.

The Deezer service is integrated into Samsung's own Multiroom app, and people buying the consumer electronics giant's audio products anew will get free access to the streaming platform for half a year. The offer extends an existing alliance between Deezer and Samsung, with the tech firm already offering six month premium accounts on the streaming service with its smartphones in various markets.

Confirming the tie up, Deezer's VP of Europe Gerrit Schumann told CMU: "We're always looking for new ways to bring Deezer's best-in-class seamless experience to people, whether it is at home or on the go. Our huge catalogue, combined with tailored playlists and personal recommendations based on your very own tastes in music means that Deezer is the ideal solution for music lovers looking to expand and enjoy their music library. And what better way to enhance that experience than with a great range of Samsung audio products".

What better way indeed? Though Samsung isn't tying itself to just one way of streaming your tunes with Spotify just added to the electronics firm's wireless speaker system in some territories as well.

As previously reported, Samsung recently started winding down its own MusicHub platform, but continues to strike up partnerships with other digital music providers, including the alliance with Slacker Radio in the US that has resulted in its own-branded and bizarrely named Milk Music service for US customers.

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WiMP announces tel co deals in Poland and Pakistan
Want more streaming service/tech company tie-ups? Well here, have two, courtesy of the dudes from WiMP.

The Norway-based streaming platform has this week announced an alliance with T-Mobile in Poland, that will see its streaming service bundled in with the phone firm's mobile packages in the country, assuring WiMP-like musical goodness for Poles everywhere. Well, in Poland mainly.

Meanwhile further afield from its North European homeground, WiMP has also secured a partnership with Telenor Pakistan which will see the tel co bundle the music platform into some of its mobile packages and resell the service in Pakistan.

On the latter deal WiMP CEO Andy Chen told reporters: "We are aiming for high growth internationally and distribution partners like Telenor is a key element that has proved successful in our existing markets. We are happy they have chosen us as their partner in Pakistan and are confident that along with our new Asian team, this will give us an excellent platform for continued growth and expansion".

UK EDM magazine gains £175,000 in funding
EDM-focussed iPad magazine Electronic Sound has raised £175,000 in funding to aid international expansion.

Launched last year and now on its sixth issue, the title raised the money after presenting at UK Trade & Investment's annual Converge International Digital Forum event. Funding came from the Low Carbon Innovation Fund and a private investor.

Co-founder Mark Wernham told Business Weekly: "We're planning to capitalise on the US market and other English-speaking territories as well as expand into the Netherlands, Scandinavia and Germany".

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Radio 1 announces cuts to specialist presenter line-up
BBC Radio 1 has announced a shake-up of its specialist programme schedule, resulting in the departure of nine presenters across Radio 1 and 1Xtra. Controller Ben Cooper blamed budget cuts for the decision.

Cooper explained: "These cuts to our budget are hurting, it means I have had to make some tough choices and say goodbye to some friends and respected colleagues. I believe these new schedules continue to innovate, reflect and celebrate the UK's youth and music culture".

Amongst the changes, which will begin to come into effect from 1 Sep, Daniel P Carter has been given a three hour rock show from 7-10pm on Friday nights, Alice Levine will host a new weekend afternoon show, and Huw Stephens will extend his weekday evening slots.

Several presenters, including Skream, Annie Mac and Pete Tong, will all gain an extra hour of airtime, making up for the loss of Edith Bowman, Nihal, Mike Davies, Rob Da Bank, Jen Long, Ally McCrae, CJ Beatz, Crissy Criss and Robbo Ranx.

REM's Michael Stipe scores a movie!
Pop's fourth most famous baldie - behind Moby, Elton John and Britney circa 2007 - Michael Stipe, has revealed new material, his first, either solo or not solo, since REM split in 2011. Unless anyone's including that time Stipe sang 'Man On The Moon' to some NASA astronauts back in 2011, which I'm all but convinced they aren't.

There aren't any real singles per say, sadly, more a kind of four-part 'soundboard', if you will, written as the score to bonus footage from 2013 film 'The Cold Lands', which is directed by Mike's friend Tom Gilroy.

Having played keys and electronic drums on the piece, Stipe praises his collaborator on it, Andy LeMaster of the band Now It's Overheard, like so: "I went to Andy knowing that if I painted myself into a corner, he'd pull me out - and also that he'd be more than a neutral engineer/collaborator to work with. We work really well together. This is, in fact, the first thing that I've done musically since REM disbanded. So, of course, I wanted it to be for something that meant a lot to me. That was important".

And on taking on the score in the first place: "I have a pretty good sense of what people are asking me for when they ask me to participate in something musical. It's not what I wanted to do. This is something that was actually outside of my realm of experience and something that interested me. And, you know, it wasn't the follow up to 'Man On The Moon'.

Um, it kind of was actually. Anyway, hear Stipe's 'Cold Lands' soundtrack exclusively via Salon.

Wiley remakes Snakes & Ladders, sets new release date
Grime tyke Wiley is going for 'take two' on his latest LP 'Snakes & Ladders', having binned his first try at making it back in February.

Keeping things (weirdly, for Wiley) concise in confirming the 'Snakes & Ladders' do-over, the rapper simply announced its new release date, 16 Jun, via the Twitter yesterday.

So with that little bit of info to consider, I guess it wouldn't hurt to look back on the original take 'Snakes & Ladders', which proved a costly waste of time for Wiley, draining him of 42,000 Canadian dollars (a little over £15,000).

This is what he said at the time, again on Twitter: "I am gonna scrap 'Snakes & Ladders' and start again cos I ain't happy with it - [it] needs to be epic or else there is no point. I very rarely do this, that's why I am gonna try it".

Watch this space. Oh, and go catch Wiley playing live in Norwich on Tuesday. Kaboom.

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Interpol confirm fifth LP, Tile Porn
Post-rock's main gloom-harbingers Interpol have a fifth LP incoming, the band's first following a gap of four long years.

The record in question is titled 'El Pintor', which is Spanish for 'The Painter', AND clearly an anagram for 'Interpol', since seemingly neither 'Tile Porn', nor 'Loner Pit, nor indeed 'Pert Loin' fitted the bill. Pity.

Set to be released on 8 Sep, it features in the main Interpol's core trio Paul Banks - who plays bass in addition to guitar and vocals for the first time - Samuel Fogarino and Daniel Kesler, with The Secret Machines' Brandon Curtis, Beck/Air keyboardist Roger Joseph Manning, and Bon Iver's Rob Moose also guesting.

Watch the band playing isolated parts of 'El Pintor' in a 'making-of' clip now.

Sleep Party People announce UK shows
Sleep Party People, whose excellent new album 'Floating' was released this week, have announced a handful of live dates for later this year.

They will play the following dates:

24 Sep: London, Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen
26 Sep: Bristol, The Exchange
25 Sep: Manchester, Gullivers
27 Sep: Brighton, The Haunt

The CMU approved act have also just released a new video for album track 'Floating Blood Of Mine', which you can view right here.

Pharrell apologises for Native American headdress photo shoot
Pharrell Williams has apologised for causing offence by appearing on the cover of Elle's latest issue wearing a Native American headdress.

The fashion magazine revealed the cover earlier this week, saying: "We persuaded Elle Style Award winner Pharrell to trade his Vivienne Westwood mountie hat for a Native American feather headdress in his best ever shoot".

That wording, on the Elle website, has since been changed, following a rush of complaints to its Facebook page.

Unlike with the 'Blurred Lines' linked misogyny accusations against him, Williams was quick to offer an apology for his frontpage fashion choices, saying in a statement: "I respect and honour every kind of race, background and culture. I am genuinely sorry".

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CMU Beef Of The Week #209: Cam'ron v "Dumb ass gangstas"
US rapper Cam'ron was in London this week to play a one-off show at The Forum on Tuesday night. Which you might take to mean he actually played a show at The Forum in London on Tuesday night, though that would be a silly assumption on your part, because he didn't.

As those who were there will definitely know, and those who weren't might nevertheless be aware, the Dipset MC failed to take the stage for his headlining PA (despite being snapped chatting with Westwood backstage on the night), and gave paying fans little to no notice that he'd decided to cancel his set.

'Why though, why oh why oh why oh why, didn't Cam'ron perform at his own gig?', I hear you all cry like tired little babies. Well, he has had a fair go at explaining away his no-show. He really did try.

It was like this, you see... um... Cam'ron, apparently, received a tip-off that he was being "lined up" to get "rushed" by a big crowd of "dumb ass gangstas" during the show. So, upon learning this, he made an escape and went to a salsa bar with his homie JuJu. Or something like that.

This is what Cam'ron said happened, via the caption on a video post on Instagram: "So niggas brought 50 niggas to da show to jump me..in London? And rush da stage?!.. But me and juju was doing this... imum y'all better come wit... Lol... Sorry to all my fans dat came to da show but as u can see they tried to line me up. And only da barber lines me up... They had 15 niggas in front of da stage (that rushed the stage) and 35 niggas outside... And I was wit 2 niggas..."

That's chapter one of the story. This is chapter two: "The people that brought me here were very very nice... but when I asked where the 's was at?? (That they were suppose to have) they never showed them to me. Not shitting on them cause they were cool... But we can't play when it gets down to hammer time. So no I didn't get robbed. No I didn't get jumped. I was chillin doing da salsa wit #Juju. They tried to do my bro Juelz dirty.. Now me..foh.. Thx to da people who put me on to game!! To rest of London.. Love y'all... I really do and apologize again... But y'all other nigga. .. Lolololol y'all blew yak chance again.. Dumb ass gangsta's lmfaoooo".

Should you be dubious that any such stage-rushing went on, here's video footage of some people leaving the audience and climbing onto the stage at the gig. I'm not saying that's proof that Cam'ron's paranoia was reasonable, but there were definitely some people in the room. But who?

Well, hip hop site Ill Will reckons that the leader of the "dumb ass gangstas" was none other than So Solid Crew's Megaman. And there is seemingly a beef of old at play here, stemming from a 2003 show Megaman promoted where Cam'ron also failed to show up but nonetheless kept hold of the advance paid to him.

Meanwhile the references to Juelz in Cam'ron's statement seemingly relate to a rumoured robbery, or attempted robbery, of fellow Dipset member Juelz Santana at a 2008 London show, which may have no connection, but is at least perhaps a sign that Cam'ron generally distrusts the London crowd.

Either way, Megaman did confirm on Twitter that he had gone to the show, though said that he had been trying to organise a "sensible meet to clear up past issues", rather than attempting to stage a 50 man robbery. He added: "F the money, in the sense [that] expecting it back [is] obviously long [gone]. [But] I would never support any US artists that bumps fellow promoters in London".

So, people may not have seen Cam'ron actually perform, but for their ticket price they did get to be involved in some drama. Even if they didn't realise it at the time. And Cam'ron got to practice his salsa dancing.