Wednesday 25 April 2012, 12:40 | By CMU Editorial

British three-strikes now not likely to start until 2014

Digital Top Stories

Although the three-strikes enabling Digital Economy Act was passed in something of a hurry in 2010, the enforced sending of letters to suspected file-sharers that it allows is now not likely to begin until 2014, according to The Register.

A civil servant from the Department Of Culture Media & Sport called Paul Kirkman revealed the new target date at an event called Creative Coalition in London yesterday.

Record labels buoyed by the passing of the DEA two years ago had hoped the first stage of the so called graduated response system for combating file-sharing would have been well underway by now, but various issues around how the enforced letter sending will work (rights owners will identify suspected file-sharers but internet service providers will send the notes) and legal challenges by BT and TalkTalk have seriously slowed things down.

Some now wonder whether British three-strikes will ever happen, despite some research from France and elsewhere showing that stern warning letters can deter a lot of file-sharers, even without the third strike deterrent taking place (which is probably a good thing – we don’t even know what that would be in the UK).

Jennifer Hudson faces family members’ alleged killer

Legal

Singer Jennifer Hudson appeared in court on Monday as the first witness to testify in the trial of the man accused of murdering her mother, brother and nephew in 2008.

As previously reported, the bodies of Hudson’s mother, Darnell Donerson, and brother, Jason Hudson, were found at the family’s Chicago home in October 2008. The singer’s seven year old nephew, Julian King, was then discovered to be missing and a reward was offered for his safe return. Sadly, his body was found three days later.

In December the same year police arrested William Balfour, the estranged husband of Hudson’s sister Julia, and charged him with the murders.

It is claimed that Balfour, who at the time was on parole having already served seven years in prison for attempted murder and carjacking, had flown into a jealous rage after seeing balloons outside the Hudson family home, believing them to be from Julia’s new boyfriend. Prosecutors say he then went into the house and, using a gun he had stolen from Jason Hudson several months earlier, shot Donerson, went upstairs and shot Jason twice in the head, then drove away in Jason’s car with the seven year old Julian King, who he also shot before abandoning the vehicle.

Prosecutors claim that after the couple had become estranged in early 2008, Balfour had made a number of threats towards the Hudson family, telling Julia the day before the murders “I’m going to kill you, but I’m going to kill your family first”.

In court, Hudson said that her family had been unhappy with her sister’s decision to marry Balfour, which they had done in secret. She said: “None of us wanted her to marry him. We didn’t like how he treated her and I did not like how he treated my nephew”.

The case continues.

Lawyers in Love’s latest defamation case request to withdraw

Legal

Lawyers working for Courtney Love on a legal dispute with, erm, her former lawyers, have requested to be removed from the case because of a dispute over unpaid fees.

As previously reported, Love was sued by lawyer Rhonda Holmes and her firm Gordon & Holmes over allegations the Hole frontwoman made on Twitter. Holmes had been working with Love on allegations that money had been stolen from her late husband Kurt Cobain’s estate, but the two parted company, and the singer later claimed on Twitter that the lawyer had been “fired” because she had been “bought off” by the people she was meant to be investigating.

Holmes sued for defamation – the second such lawsuit Love faced in relation to comments made on the micro-blogging platform. The singer hired a new law firm, Pryor Cashman, to defend the legal action, but now it is in dispute with her too, claiming that Love has failed to pay associates of the company who have worked on the case, and that she has failed to make a “satisfactory proposal” to settle the debt.

Pryor Cashman needs court approval to withdraw from the case. It remains to be seen if the company then goes legal to get their unpaid fees. If so, Love would be fighting litigation by her lawyers who were helping her fight litigation by her lawyers. Which would be fun.

Jacksons told to give AEG more information in ongoing lawsuit

Jacksons v AEG Timeline Legal

An LA judge has told the mother and children of Michael Jackson that they still need to provide more information relating to their legal claim against AEG Live, which they are suing for hiring Conrad Murray as the late king of pop’s personal physician. Murray, of course, was found guilty of causing the singer’s death in 2009 through negligence.

Lawyers for the live music giant said that the Jacksons had not provided credible evidence to back up their claim that AEG employed Murray and was therefore liable for his negligence, and that a lot of the information that had been provided arrived late.

Reps for the Jackson family countered that it had taken some time to get the live firm the information it requested, not least because some of the questions asked of the late king of pop’s children were harrowing to answer, and that they had now provided extensive responses, including statements from two AEG execs saying Murray had been given the job as Jackson’s medic.

The live company, which was behind the ‘This Is It’ O2 shows abandoned after Jackson’s premature death, argues that while it may have paid for Murray, he was selected and hired by the singer himself, and the company had no control over the medic’s actions.

After both sides presented their arguments to the court, the Jacksons’ reps were asked to provide the information AEG claimed was still lacking, and to see that Katherine Jackson’s deposition on the case – which has only been half done so far – was completed.

At the same hearing, Katherine Jackson’s lawyer said he might request a “discovery referee” be appointed on the case, who would go through evidence provided by both sides and advise the judge on its competence. One of AEG’s attorney’s, Jessica Stebbins, said she didn’t think such a referee was required, but that her client probably wouldn’t object to that move if both sides could agree on who should perform the task.

The case continues.

Graham Coxon and James sign to BMG Chrysalis

Business News Deals Labels & Publishers

Graham Coxon has signed an exclusive publishing deal with BMG Chrysalis for his latest solo album, ‘A+E’. He joins fellow Blur bandmate Damon Albarn, who is already part of the BMG Chrysalis roster. BMG Chrysalis UK VP of A&R Ben Bodie told CMU: “It is an honour to represent a songwriter whose work has helped define rock music over the past two decades”.

Elsewhere in BMG news, the publisher has also signed the catalogue of Manchester band James, including all of their 1990s hits like ‘Sit Down’ and ‘She’s A Star’. On that deal Bodie said: “This is an outstanding catalogue of songs, and we are delighted that James have entrusted their catalogue to BMG Chrysalis”.

Rolo Tomassi discuss third album

Artist News

Rolo Tomassi are currently working on their third album, which will be their first since the departure of guitarist Joe Nicholson and bassist Joseph Thorpe earlier this year.

Keyboardist James Spence told NME: “We’ve nearly finished writing it. The plan is to go into the studio at the start of June and start recording then. We’re 70% of the way there, we’ve got a few weeks left though, so there’s no big rush”.

Of the direction their new music is taking he said: “It’s a more straight-up, heavy sounding and much more direct. You can get your teeth into it much quicker, people who didn’t have patience before with our music before will be into this record. It’s still technical, but we’re using the mathy bits more sparingly”.

Nas LP gains release date

Releases

Def Jam superiors have decreed that Nas’s new album, ‘Life Is Good’, will be released on 16 Jul.

The rapper’s tenth long player to date (and his first full-length in four years), it will include past singles ‘Nasty’ and ‘The Don’, plus forthcoming No ID production, ‘Daughters’, which so happens to be out next week.

Says Nas of the impending issue: “It’s been a long time; it’s been years since I released a solo studio album, so this record is everything. This is everything that I’ve got to say – I guess you’ve got to live a
little and you put that in your music, so it’s coming from my life”.

Aiden Grimshaw to release debut single

Releases

Former ‘X-Factor’ runner-up Aiden Grimshaw is to release his debut single, ‘Is This Love’, on 3 Jun via Sony/RCA. It’s fair to say, the drum n bass-influenced sound he’s gone for is a bit of a surprise.

Says Aiden of his time on the telly talent show: “I didn’t really know what I wanted from it. I love music, and I knew I could sing, but I didn’t think I was ‘X-Factor’ material. I’d been given this opportunity and I didn’t want to waste it. But I had no idea what sort of music was really me. Everyone else had their own ideas, but all I knew was what I didn’t want”.

He’ll release his debut album, ‘Misty Eyes’, on 13 Aug. For now, you can listen to ‘Is This Love’ here:

Modeselekor make sekond Modeselektions

Releases

German techno types Modeselektor, who announced the first volume of their ‘Modeselektion’ compilations series in 2010, have curated a second collection for release on 2 Jul.

Darker and, dare I say, more obscure than its predecessor – which featured Feadz, Bok Bok and SBTRKT – ‘Modeselektion Vol 2’ will carry this tracklisting:

Egyptrixx – Levitate
Monolake – Hitting the Surface (Electric Indigo edit)
Addison Groove – Manic Miner
Bambounou – Pixel
Clark – Nordic Wilt
Mouse on Mars – Humoslab
Lazer Sword – Landscape
Phon.o – Fukushima
Sound Pellegrino Thermal Team – Activate
Dark Sky – Ruk
Diamond Version – Mode Operator (Beispiel A)
Prefuse 73 – Death By Barber pt.1 (Haircut Zero)
Frikstailers – Sudaka Invasor
Siriusmo – Modern Talk
Jan Driver – Distorsione For Strings
Anstam – Observing The Patterns

Passion Pit album announced

Releases

Pop-aware American troupe Passion Pit are to release a sequel to 2009’s ‘Manners’ in forthcoming LP ‘Gossamer’, it’s been confirmed.

It’s set for release via Sony/Columbia on 23 Jul, and will comprise twelve as-yet-unspecified tracks.

Since facts on the actual content of the album are so scarce, I’ll add that it has been produced by New York-based Chris Zane, who dealt with Passion Pit’s debut and has since worked with Holy Ghost!, The Walkmen and Friendly Fires.

Asian Dub Foundation to score La Haine screenings

Artist News Gigs & Festivals

Asian Dub Foundation will soundtrack London and Paris-based screenings of Mathieu Kassovitz’s cult 1995 film, ‘La Haine’, as a pertinent means of marking the two capitals’ respective forthcoming mayoral and presidential elections. In fact, the movie will play on the very eve of said votes.

In London, one aim of the venture is to engage the community at the heart of the ‘La Haine’-esque urban violence that broke out during last summer’s riots, and as such the chosen site for a free locals-only screening on 2 May is the Broadwater Farm Centre in Tottenham.

Londoners at large will have a second viewing opportunity after the mayoral vote at The Troxy in Limehouse on 4 May, while residents of the film’s on-screen setting will have their chance at the live-scored version’s Parisian premiere on 5 May.

Find further details and ticket links here.

Oberhofer to tour

Gigs & Festivals

Having played a great show at London’s CAMP just last week, alt-pop sort Oberhofer has added a couple of extra appointments to his live itinerary. The dates – which take place at the Manchester-based Deaf Institute (21 May) and Hoxton Bar & Kitchen (22 May) – will serve to further promote Brad Oberhofer and band’s just released debut album ‘Time Capsules II’.

Taken from that, have a free copy of ‘Heart’, and/or a glance at the video for new single ‘Away Frm U’:

José González and Tinariwen to share live bill

Gigs & Festivals

Singer-songwriter José González will appear alongside Saharan band Tiniarwen at a joint concert, collaborating live at London’s Shepherds Bush Empire on 3 May.

The two rarely-seen acts will share a double bill coordinated by promoter SoundCrash Music, who incidentally are also hosting a three hour DJ set by Ninja Tune signing Bonobo on the other side of London just under a month later.

Taking place on 1 Jun at the 2932 East warehouse in Hackney, the latter line-up also co-stars Raffertie and Throwing Snow. Without wishing to steal José’s thunder, or anything.

Refer to the SoundCrash site for further details.

Chazzstock changes venue

Artist News Gigs & Festivals

The festival launched in memory of late Ou Est Le Swimming Pool frontman Charles Haddon, who tragically committed suicide in 2010, Chazzstock, has been forced to move to a new venue and become a one day, rather than two day event.

The event had been due to take place at Stanford Hall in Lutterworth on 9-10 Jun but yesterday organisers announced that they had been forced to cancel this due to licensing issues. Instead, a one day event at Wolverhampton’s Civic Hall and Wulfrun Hall will be staged on 9 Jun, with a number of the artists booked for the original event, including The Vaccines, The Horrors and Tribes, still performing.

The first Chazzstock was held at Koko in London just two months after Haddon’s death in 2010 and since then the singer’s friend Jack Bissell has been working to created a fully fledge festival to raise money for The Prince’s Trust.

In a statement, Bissell said: “It’s with a heavy heart that we have to pull the festival. It’s always a struggle for a brand new festival and as a non-profit event it has been even harder. We have fought hard to make Chazzstock Festival work, as we wanted to get the best possible result for Charles and the charity we are raising money for. [But] due to licensing restrictions and an impending festival date, it seemed a change of venue was the best possible solution”.

He continued: “The Vaccines have been very supportive of the venue change and we still want to put on an event that would make Charlie proud! I’d like to thank everyone involved in organising the festival and everyone who has bought a ticket for their support. It really means a lot to us all and we are sorry for any inconvenience caused. I still hope that one day, we can do a proper Chazzstock Festival. Maybe we should go with Charlie’s original plan and do it in the field behind his parents’ house!”

Tickets for the new event will cost £25, and anyone who bought a ticket for the cancelled festival can either claim a refund or exchange it for a VIP pass to the Wolverhampton show. More info here.

Festival line-up update – 25 Apr 2012

Artist News Festival Line-Up Update Gigs & Festivals

BILBAO BBK, Kobetamendi, Bilbao, Spain, 12-14 Jul: Brand new bookings Keane, The View, James Murphy and Pat Mahoney now co-occupy the Bilbao BBK bill with its established residents, several of those being The Cure, Radiohead, Garbage, The Maccabees, Mumford & Sons and Glasvegas. www.bilbaobbklive.com/2012

CHAZZSTOCK, Wolverhampton Civic Hall/Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton, 10 Jun: With organisers forced to cancel the Chazzstock’s original Leicester-based edition due to licensing issues (see above), the festival’s revised and relocated format will still present The Vaccines, The Horrors, and Tribes in tribute to late Ou Est Le Swimming Pool frontman Charles Haddon. www.chazzstock.org

EXIT FESTIVAL, Petrovaradin Fortress, Novi Sad, Serbia, 12-15: Now twinned with the UK’s very own Bestival, Serbia’s foremost live stronghold now houses the just announced Erykah Badu, Citizens!, Hercules & Love Affair and Skindred. This assorted quartet further reinforce a roster that includes Guns N Roses, Duran Duran, New Order, Plan B, Gossip, Wolfmother and Little Dragon. eng.exitfest.org

FESTIVAL NO 6, Portmeirion, Wales, 14-16 Sep: An intriguing late feature to this year’s festival calendar, this bespoke Welsh fest taking place in Portmeirion, the strange setting for 60s TV series ‘The Prisoner’, is so far prepared to host New Order, Primal Scream and Spiritualized, with mixsmiths Erol Alkan, Mr Scruff, Andrew Weatherall & Sean Johnston, Horse Meat Disco and Don Letts also down to deliver DJ sets. www.festivalnumber6.com

GREEN MAN FESTIVAL, Glanusk Park, Powys, Wales, 17-19 Aug: The Tallest Man On Earth, The Bees and The Staves lead the latest musical horde destined for Green Man glory, joining aforementioned festival guests Van Morrison, Feist, The Walkmen, Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks, Michael Kiwanuka, Friends and Ghostpoet. www.greenman.net

HARD ROCK CALLING, Hyde Park, London, 13-15 Jul: Second Stage supremos The Mars Volta join what’s unofficially billed as ‘Soundgarden day’ at Hard Rock Calling, also sharing Friday’s roster with Iggy & The Stooges, Cold Chisel, Blackstone Cherry, Kids In Glass Houses and Skindred. With Bruce Springsteen and Paul Simon ruling the roster roosts on alternative dates, the festival will also host Guillemots, Lady Antebellum, Jimmy Cliff and Alison Krauss & Union Station. www.hardrockcalling.co.uk

HEINEKEN OPEN’ER, Gdynia, Poland, 4-7 Jul: Yeasayer and The Ting Tings are notable amid a last minute influx to the 2012 Open’er roster, one that also features Björk, New Order, Justice, Major Lazer, The xx, Mumford & Sons, Janelle Monáe and M83. www.opener.pl

READING/LEEDS FESTIVALS, 24-26 Aug: Latecomers Graham Coxon, Mastodon, Passion Pit, Santigold, The Joy Formidable, Dry The River and The Hives are all just confirmed for Reading and Leeds’ NME/Radio 1 stage, and will thus play parallel to main stage attractions Foo Fighters, The Cure, Kasabian et al. www.readingfestival.com / www.leedsfestival.com

SLAM DUNK, Leeds University/University Of Hertfordshire, 26-27 May: With a similar event being staged in Scotland and Wales, Slam Dunk’s English editions share the news that Gallows, Capdown, Random Hand, Sharks and Hildamay will supplement both its northern and southern line-ups. Taking Back Sunday, The Black Out, Funeral For A Friend, Motion City Soundtrack and Architects rule the existing bill. www.slamdunkmusic.com/slam-dunk-festival

SUMMER SERIES AT SOMERSET HOUSE, London, 7-17 Jul: Gracing Somerset House’s grand courtyard stage this year are headliners Tim Minchin, Katy B, The Temper Trap, M83, Paloma Faith, The Enemy, Tindersticks and Jill Scott, with an Afrobeat spectacular featuring Fela Kuti disciples Olu Maintain, Cappo Snoop and Atumpan also amongst the festival’s diverse initial listings. www.somersethouse.org.uk/music/summer-series-2012

V FESTIVAL, Hylands Park, Chelmsford, Essex/Weston Park, Staffordshire, 18-19 Aug: New V add-ons Wretch 32, Gossip, The Feeling, Newton Faulkner and Childish Gambino cater to broad listening tastes at this dual-day popfest, which counts The Stone Roses, Noel Gallagher, The Killers, Nicki Minaj, David Guetta and more amid its alternating bill. www.vfestival.com

This Just-in: Bieber pens song for Mariah

And Finally

Justin Bieber has revealed that one of the songs on his new album, ‘Believe’, was written about Mariah Yeater, the woman who last year claimed to have become pregnant by the singer after a brief backstage liaison.

Speaking at a press conference, BBC Newsbeat reports that Bieber told reporters: “[I was inspired by things like] that girl – Mariah Yeater – who said she was going to have my baby. I wrote about that situation. We’ve recorded like 40 songs. Every song has a piece of me, it’s hard to pick. I wrote almost all of them or co-wrote them”.

Unlike Yeater, who, it turned out, didn’t have a piece of him at all. As previously reported, Bieber tweeted about Yeater last week too. Let it lie, Justin.

Approved: Last Days Of 1984

CMU Approved

This group’s name refers to what some might consider a significant moment in pop music, since the close of said year marked the end of that thrilling five year period of shiny new pop that was eventually trampled to death by Live Aid, opening the doors for all the over-produced, coke-addled bilge that was subsequently released until Acid House saved us all (or so music history goes).

Though, despite name-checking a golden era of pop music in their name, this Dublin duo actually manage the rare feat of being impossible to pigeonhole into a specific era or year. Their music is built on melancholy waves of dreamy electronics, with emotive vocals and mellifluous melodies straddling the insistent (and occasionally Afro-beat) rhythms. The end result is a kaleidoscope of tropical colour which, strangely, feels icily European in places at the same time.

Like Junior Boys gone chillwave, or Rainbow Arabia remixed by Visions Of Trees, their forthcoming debut album ‘Wake Up To The Waves’ is packed with similarly epic and euphoric electronic music. It’s out on Osaka Records on 7 May, whilst the video for ‘River’s Edge’ is up on Vimeo now:

Australian movie industry fails to force ISP to act on piracy

Digital Legal Top Stories

The Australian movie industry’s long running bid to force internet service providers in the country to act against file-sharing has failed, after a second appeal hearing ruled against it.

As previously reported, Aussie film and TV industry group AFACT began legal proceedings against ISP iiNet in 2008, arguing that the net firm knew some of its customers were accessing illegal sources of content via its servers, but did nothing to stop it, and that, under Australian copyright law, that amounted to so called authorising infringement.

Had AFACT won the legal fight, the ruling would have forced iiNet to routinely monitor the activity of its customers, and to put blocks in place to limit the accessing and sharing of unlicensed files. Quite how that would work isn’t clear, but that isn’t relevant anyway because at all stages the courts ruled against the movie industry body. Judges found in favour of iiNet at first instance in 2010, on appeal in 2011, and last week at Australia’s High Court, the last route of appeal for the anti-piracy organisation.

Authorising infringement is a similar concept to contributory infringement, that wider concept having been used to hold various file-sharing technology providers around the world liable for the infringement their services enable, even though they themselves do not get involved in distributing unlicensed content.

However, ISPs have generally been immune to authorising/contributory infringement claims, partly because in the US the Digital Millennium Copyright Act specifically protects them, while in Europe they can claim protection from certain bits of European Union law. But in Australia no such explicit protection exists, hence this being a test case.

Though with the precedent set in all three stages of this lawsuit, it’s now pretty clear that Australian ISPs do not have obligations in this domain – and at the final appeal hearing in the Australian High Court last week, all five judges ruled in the net firm’s favour. Distinguishing that opinion from the Kazaa case (the one P2P legal action that was successfully pursued under Australian law) the judgement said that, unlike the providers of P2P services, iiNet had “no direct technical power to prevent its customers from using the BitTorrent system” to infringe copyright.

Needless to say, iiNet welcomed the ruling, with its CEO Michael Malone telling reporters: “iiNet has never supported or encouraged unauthorised sharing or file downloading. [But] increasing the availability of licensed digital content is the best, most practical approach to meet consumer demand and protect copyright. We have consistently said we are eager to work with the studios to make their very desirable material legitimately available to a waiting customer base – and that offer remains the same today”.

Although a movie industry case, the final ruling in the AFACT lawsuit will further motivate both the film and music industries in Australia to push for some sort of three-strike system to be introduced in the country, as in France and neighbouring New Zealand (and technically in the UK, though the system is yet to go live), so that while ISPs may not be forced to monitor their users’ activities, they will be forced to send out warning letters to those customers rights owners suspect of accessing illegal content.

With that in mind, AFACT MD Neil Gane told reporters: “Now that we have taken this issue to the highest court in the land, it is time for government to act. We are confident the government would not want copyright infringement to go on unabated across Australian networks especially with the rollout of the NBN [National Broadband Network]”.

Record Store Day reports boom in sales

Business News Labels & Publishers Retail

This year’s Record Store Day seems to have been a resounding success, if stats released by the Entertainment Retailers Association are anything to go by. Vinyl sales were up 50% on the event last year, while some of the 230 participating stores have reported more than 100% increases over 2011. Also, seven of the 450 exclusive releases made available for the event appeared in last week’s top ten vinyl chart, while the entire top ten for physical singles is made up of Record Store Day releases, despite them only being on sale for one day.

Record Store Day coordinator and manager of Rough Trade East Spencer Hickman said: “I can’t believe just how busy RSD was again this year, there were queues round the block with fans both young and old enjoying the unique atmosphere indie stores provide ensuring that RSD has become the date music buyers are marking in their diaries. With vinyl sales again on the rise for the fifth year in a row indie record stores and RSD are proving to be more relevant than ever for the discerning music buyer”.

More detailed analysis of Record Store Day 2012’s sales data will be released later this week.

Slayer working on new album

Artist News

Slayer have nine songs written for a new album and recently began recording them with producer Greg Fidelman, who also handled the band’s last album ‘World Painted Blood’, guitarist Kerry King has confirmed.

Speaking to Loudwire, King said: “We’ve only been working on it for a couple of weeks right now, since our producer [Fidelman] had a small window. Me and Dave [Lombardo, drums] are working on nine songs, so we thought we could get in and finish two or three and demo everything else, so that’s what we’re trying to do now”.

He added that fans may be able to hear a new track before the band head out on this year’s Mayhem touring festival: “I don’t know if anything will come out by Mayhem or not. Hopefully we’ll get two done and we can get it out to Mayhem”.

Iggy Pop details covers album

Releases

So, Iggy Pop has corralled an assortment of covers for new LP ‘Apres’, as will be released on 9 May.

Most of its component tracks – which include standards written by Serge Gainsbourg, Edith Piaf and Georges Brassens – are homages to French artists, a decision avid Francophile Iggy says was taken because “French culture has most stubbornly resisted the mortal attacks of the Anglo-American music machine”.

He adds: “All popular music forms of today get their strength from the beat. Rap, hip hop, metal, pop, and rock producers will tell you that the beats they use imitate the human heartbeat and that is where the power lies. I’ve always loved this other feeling, one that is intimate, sometimes a little sad, and does not try to beat me on the head”.

Tracklisting:

Et Si Tu n’Existais Pas (Joe Dassin)
La Javanaise (Serge Gainsbourg)
Everybody’s Talkin (Harry Nilsson)
I’m Going Away Smiling (Yoko Ono)
La Vie En Rose (Edith Piaf)
Les Passantes (Georges Brassens)
Syracuse (Henri Salvador)
What Is This Thing Called Love? (Cole Porter)
Michelle (The Beatles)
Only The Lonely (Frank Sinatra)

Cat Power announces new LP

Releases

Hurrah! Cat Power aka Chan Marshall has a new album out reasonably soon! It’s to be titled ‘Sun’, and is slated for UK release via Matador on 10 Sep. And how can we be even vaguely sure of all this? Why, because Marshall tweeted a mini statement to that effect at the weekend.

“I HAVE FINISHED MY RECORD”, she wrote shoutily. “IT IS CALLED ‘SUN'”. Quizzed further by a fan, she wrote: “OUT 11 SEP BUT WILL GIFT ANOTHER SONG”.

That last part I take to mean that she’ll precede said LP with a single, perhaps a free download. So here’s to the tentative prospect of costless new Cat Power music. Hurrah again!

AlunaGeorge releasing debut vinyl EP

Releases

Vocalist Aluna Francis and producer George Reid – whose dovetailed first names form the duo’s collective pop hop moniker, AlunaGeorge – have announced the forthcoming physical release of their debut EP, ‘You Know You Like It’. It’s available now on iTunes, but will have a vinyl issue too via Tri Angle on 11 Jun.

In addition to the CMU approved sounds of its title track, the set also features ‘Put Your Hands Up’ and ‘Just A Touch’, the latter of which you can preview here:

Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, The Wanted booked for Capital FM ball

Gigs & Festivals

Coldplay, Katy Perry, Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, Jessie J and Example are amongst the guests confirmed for Capital FM’s Summertime Ball this year. Biebs, Chris Martin et al will also be joined by Flo Rida, Usher, Pitbull, Kelly Clarkson and CMU regulars (and Capital FM managed) The Wanted at the one-day event, which will take over Wembley Stadium on 9 Jun. Tickets, which went on sale yesterday, can still be purchased at this URL.

And here are Capital DJ Dave Berry’s comments: “The secret’s out… the best ever line-up for the Summertime Ball is finally out there. It doesn’t get much bigger than this and I can’t wait to be there!”

Spritualized announce tour

Gigs & Festivals

With their new album, ‘Sweet Heart, Sweet Light’ the subject of conflicting reviews (see Pitchfork’s 8.8 adulation vs The Quietus’ damning summation), a nonplussed Spiritualized have nonetheless arranged a live outing to mark its recent release.

You’ll also find the video for first ‘Sweet Heart’ single ‘Hey Jane’ beneath the following dates:

1 Nov: Gateshead, The Sage
2 Nov: Cambridge, Junction
3 Nov: Leeds, Metropolitan University
4 Nov: Coventry, Warwick Arts Centre
5 Nov: London, Roundhouse
6 Nov: Brighton, Corn Exchange

Flux Pavilion plots tour

Gigs & Festivals

Having sold out four national dates this month alone, dubstep artist Flux Pavilion will capitalise on his present popularity with an extended October tour.

The producer and multi-instrumentalist, real name Josh Steele, is to release his Example-featuring new single, ‘Daydreamer’, next week. Why not view the track’s official video after you’ve scanned the tour dates in question:

4 Oct: Cardiff, Solus
5 Oct: Oxford, Academy
6 Oct: Portsmouth, Pyramids
8 Oct: Birmingham, Institute
10 Oct: London, Koko
12 Oct: Manchester, Ritz
13 Oct: Leeds, Metropolitan University
14 Oct: Liverpool, Academy
16 Oct: Lincoln, Engine Shed
17 Oct: Norwich, UEA
18 Oct: Newcastle, Academy
20 Oct: Glasgow, ABC

Festival line-up update – 24 Apr 2012

Artist News Festival Line-Up Update Gigs & Festivals

AFRICA OYÉ, Sefton Park, Liverpool, 23-24 Jun: Britain’s foremost African/Caribbean music extravaganza will mark its 20th anniversary with assistance from The Rasites, Brinsley Forde, Yaaba Funk, The Endless Journey and Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Orchestra, who so far share an internationally-sourced roster with Samba Mapangala & Orchestra Virunga, Jaliba Kuyateh and Diabel Cissokho. Oh, and the entire two-day festival is free to enter. www.africaoye.com

BINGLEY MUSIC LIVE, Myrtle Park, Bingley, 31 Aug – 2 Sep: With Nero, Maverick Sabre, Kids In Glass Houses, Stooshe and Skinny Lister all brand new to the Bingley bill, festival-goers can also anticipate sets from the already announced Hard-Fi, DJ Fresh, The Charlatans, The Pigeon Detectives, Miles Hunt and Erica Nockalls. www.bingleymusiclive.com

RELENTLESS BOARDMASTERS, Watergate Bay, Cornwall, 8-12 Aug: Zinc, Clement Marfo & the Frontline, The Jezebels, Sissy And The Blisters, Jenny O and Gabrielle Aplin add extra pep to proceedings at Relentless’s most energetic live event, supplementing a line-up also given substance by Ed Sheeran, Dizzee Rascal, The Ting Tings, Maximo Park, The Big Pink and Lissie. www.boardmasters.co.uk

IBIZA/MALLORCA ROCKS, Spain, 5 Jun – 19 Sep: Plan B, Spector and The Milk are newly added to the line-ups of both dance-based Spanish fiestas, while Ibiza gains The Maccabees and Rob Da Bank, and Axwell is allocated to Rocks’ Mallorcan edition. Acts previously announced across the two rosters include Professor Green, Chase & Status, Tinie Tempah, New Order, Bloc Party, Azealia Banks and Two Door Cinema Club. www.ibizarocks.com / www.mallorcarocks.com

OFF FESTIVAL, Katowice, Poland, 3-5 Aug: Metronomy, The Antlers, High Places and Andy Scott are amongst those enlisted to OFF’s 2012 roster, as has hitherto starred Iggy And The Stooges, Battles, Death In Vegas, Iceage, Kurt Vile, Shabazz Palaces and Thurston Moore. www.off-festival.pl/en/2012/

T IN THE PARK, Balado, Scotland, 6-8 Jul: Acts including Here We Go Magic, Blood Red Shoes, Dog Is Dead, Ren Harvieu and Stooshe are new entrants to this year’s T running, further extending a line-up that also hosts co-headliners Snow Patrol, The Stone Roses and Kasabian alongside the pop-tacular likes of Nicki Minaj, Tinie Tempah, Calvin Harris and David Guetta. www.tinthepark.com

SZIGET, Budapest, Hungary, 8-13 Aug: As crowned by closing headliners The Killers, the most recent bookings for this high-profile Hungarian happening also include Saint Etienne, Wild Beasts, Flux Pavilion, DJ Fresh, High Contrast feat Dynamite MC, Azari & III, Lamb and The Black Seeds. This lot join those confirmed in prior announcements, namely The Stone Roses, Placebo, The xx, LMFAO, Korn, Friendly Fires, Noah And The Whale, The Vaccines, The Horrors, Two Door Cinema Club, Paolo Nutini and Glasvegas. www.sziget.hu/festival_english

WAKESTOCK, Abersoch, North Wales, 6-8 Jul: Welsh locals Funeral For A Friend are notable on Wakestock’s latest line-up listings, with Straight Lines, Ifan Dafydd, Al Lewis, Sen Segur, and Y Bandana also set to join such fixed festival features as Ed Sheeran, Calvin Harris, Dizzee Rascal, Rizzle Kicks, Azealia Banks, Katy B, Flux Pavilion and Disclosure. www.wakestock.co.uk

Mike Smith departs Columbia Records

Business News Industry People Labels & Publishers

Sony Music UK this morning announced that Mike Smith, MD of the major’s Columbia Records division, is leaving with immediate effect. No details about a replacement have been revealed.

Confirming the news, Sony Music UK CEO Nick Gatfield told reporters: “I want to thank Mike for his contribution to Columbia Records over the last six years. He is a strong creative executive and I wish him well in all his future endeavours. We are actively exploring ways for us to work together in the future”.

Meanwhile Smith himself added: “I have really enjoyed my time at Columbia Records running this legendary label for six years. This is a really exciting time for the music industry and I am looking forward to widening my horizons and embracing new opportunities and challenges”.

BMG amongst bidders for Universal’s songs for sale

Business News Labels & Publishers

According to Bloomberg, BMG is leading the bidding to buy the publishing catalogues Universal Music put up for sale last month.

As previously reported, Universal is selling three collections of songs owned by its publishing company – a catalogue of classical works, another of gospel music, and a third of German schlager music – to help fund its acquisition of the EMI record companies.

As the catalogues come from Universal’s publishing rather than recordings business, the sale isn’t intended as a concession to competition regulators who are assessing whether or not the major’s acquisition of the EMI labels would give it too much market dominance in the record industry.

Bloomberg’s sources say that both BMG and Providence Equity Partners are in talks with Universal about acquiring the songs and compositions. Some other independent publishers (very possibly Imagem) and equity groups have also expressed an interest, though one company expected to bid, Warner Music, has not come forward.

Of course if Sony and Universal’s bids to buy the EMI publishing and recordings businesses respectively go ahead, Warner will be dwarfed by its two remaining major label rivals – the opposite of what Warner’s top guard hoped for when they also bid for the EMI labels.

But nevertheless, while Warner bosses are presumably eager to grow through acquisition down the line, the company’s owner Access Industries seemingly remains keen to not enter races where it may be forced to overbid for catalogues, a policy which forced it out of the bidding for EMI.

Deezer announces Artrocker partnership

Media

Deezer yesterday announced a strategic partnership with Artrocker which will see it provide free streaming audio via the music magazine’s website.

The streaming music service will sponsor the reviews section of Artrocker online, making streams of featured albums available for free through the browser. A ‘jukebox radio’ service featuring tracks selected by Artrocker journalists will also be available via both the Artrocker site and within the Deezer platform.

Deezer’s announcement of the partnership notes that where its player is embedded on the Artrocker site, music will play through the browser without the user having to install any software, “unlike certain other streaming services”, a reference, of course, to Spotify’s recently launched Play Button widget, which let’s media embed playlists, but which then opens up the Spotify player to actually stream the content (forcing an install for those not already using the streaming service). That said, a sign-up is required on the Deezer/Artrocker service if users want to listen to any more than a 30 second preview of any one track.

Confirming the partnership with Deezer, Artrocker’s Commercial Director Chris Hornby told CMU: “We are excited about working with Deezer as they not only provide us the perfect platform to broadcast our reviews sections, which we are very proud of, but the partnership also allows us to extend our brand to a larger and more diverse audience. The launch of Artrocker Jukebox Radio is something we have always wanted to do since starting Artrocker, so we are over the moon that people will be able to visit www.artrocker.tv and listen to the non-stop brilliant cutting edge music we so passionately champion”.

Meanwhile Deezer UK’s Mark Foster said: “We are thrilled to be entering into this partnership with Artrocker. Always at the forefront of new music, Artrocker is the go-to destination for discovering the best music and as such this partnership marks an exciting new chapter in Deezer’s commitment to helping users discover new artists, and songs they will come to love”.

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