Thursday 30 January 2014, 12:48 | By

Lady Gaga announces UK artRAVE dates

Artist News Gigs & Festivals

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga’s ARTPOP ball is to heave its giant, slippery, artRAVE-y mass, like it’s The Blob or something, on top of lots of Euro arenas in October.

Of those based in the UK and Ireland, The Gaga Show (and all that jazz) will pause for ‘Applause’ at the following:

17 Oct: Dublin, O2 Arena
19 Oct: Glasgow, SSE Hydro
21 Oct: Manchester, Phones 4U Arena
23 Oct: London, The O2

Tickets will hit the open market on 8 Feb via ladygaga.co.uk, or, alternatively, Little Monsters linked to O2 can bag passes earlier (on 5 Feb) via o2priority.co.uk/ladygaga.

This is an advert – kind of like that one Beyonce did, only not so good – advertising that last ‘promotion’:

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Thursday 30 January 2014, 12:47 | By

The Cure, Suede, Ed Sheeran and Paolo Nutini to play in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust

Artist News Gigs & Festivals

The Cure

Roger Daltrey has chosen his fave bands The Cure and Suede, and, um… his grandkids’ fave acts Ed Sheeran, Paolo Nutini and OneRepublic, to each headline a show as part of the Teenage Cancer Trust’s yearly charity gala, which has been a (very beneficial) thing since the year 2000.

Co-curated by TCT patron Daltrey and Noel Gallagher, the line-up will all play live at London’s Royal Albert Hall from 24-30 Mar, a span that includes a night with stand-ups Jason Manford, John Bishop, Micky Flanagan, Patrick Kielty, Rob Beckett and Hall Cruttenden on 25 Mar.

Brett Anderson of Suede, who’ll play their 1994 LP ‘Dog Man Star’ as a finale to all the gigs (on 30 Mar), says: “It’s great being involved with Teenage Cancer Trust again. It’s a fantastic charity and we have a proud history of involvement with them. The gig we did for them at the Royal Albert Hall in 2010 was possibly my favourite ever show in 25 years of playing live”.

Roger Daltrey sums things up thus: “This is our fourteenth year at the Royal Albert Hall for Teenage Cancer Trust and I’m very happy to be back after handing the reins to Noel Gallagher for a year. The money raised is invaluable in helping young people with cancer, and in return for the public’s hard earned cash we put on some very special shows”.

And: “This year The Cure and Suede return to play for us. How great to have Paolo Nutini, who was a teenager when we first started these shows. Even nearer to the age group that we serve is Ed Sheeran performing songs some of which were written when a teen himself”.

Dates, details and ticket links are via www.teenagecancertrust.org

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Thursday 30 January 2014, 12:46 | By

Blood Orange to rep Converse in free London show

Artist News Gigs & Festivals

Blood Orange

Dev Hynes, aka Blood Orange, has tied laces with heritage sneaker-makers Converse to play one of those special Converse Gigs at London-based jazz dive the 100 Club.

It’s on 20 Feb, and will feature ‘special guests’, who – given Skepta, Chairlift’s Caroline Polachek, and Friends’ Samantha Urbani are all ‘guests’ on Dev’s 2013 LP ‘Cupid Deluxe’ – will likely be really quite special indeed. I wouldn’t count on Solange showing up, though.

Hynes appears as a guest of NYC magazine The FADER, which is partnering with Converse for the duration of the show.

As is usual practice with all Converse Gigs, tickets are free, but you’ll have to win a pair by applying via this very special link.

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Thursday 30 January 2014, 12:45 | By

Festival line-up update: Iceland Airwaves, Rewind, Parklife Weekender and more

Artist News Festival Line-Up Update Gigs & Festivals

Iceland Airwaves

The Flaming Lips will head up this year’s Iceland Airwaves, which is very, very cool. As Iceland. As is the rest of the bill as it stands, in that it features East India Youth, Jaakko Eino Kalevi and groovesome twosome Jungle.

As well as that, Ellie Goulding has been given headline billing at the first event confirmed for this year’s Eden Sessions, and so will entertain the Eden biodome on 8 Jul. Yay.

But wait, I’m coming over all nostalgic. Which must mean it’s time to talk a bit about 2014’s trio of Rewind parties, which look sassily back over popstars past, and rightly so. Featuring three line-ups which vary only slightly, Rewinds North, South and Scotland (which is apparently too northerly to class as North) all have the likes of the Boomtown Rats, Rick Astley, T’Pau, The Sugar Hill Gang and Hall & Oates playing in amongst them.

Oh, and Damon Albarn is doing Rock Werchter in Belgium.

The updates in full fall thusly:

CROPREDY, Banbury, Oxfordshire, 7-9 Aug: Fairport Convention, The Waterboys, Steve Hackett, Capercaillie, Conservatoire Folk Ensemble, The Wonder Stuff, The Travelling Band, Churchfitters, Benjamin Folke Thomas, Edwina Hayes, Deborah Rose, Cara Dillon, Treetop Flyers, Reg Meuross, Blackbeard’s Tea Party, Richard Digance. www.fairportconvention.com/cropredy

EDEN SESSIONS, Eden Project, Cornwall, full 2014 dates TBA: Ellie Goulding. www.edensessions.com

ICELAND AIRWAVES, various venues, Reykjavik, Iceland, 5-9 Nov: Flaming Lips, East India Youth, Samaris, Jungle, Mammút, La Femme, Grísalappalísa, Vök, Jaakko Eino Kalevi, Tiny Ruins, Muck, Snorri Helgason, Tonik, John Wizards, Blaenavon, Just Another Snake Cult, Highlands. icelandairwaves.is

PARKLIFE WEEKENDER, Heaton Park, Manchester, 7-8 Jun: Annie Mac, Sam Smith, MK. www.parklife.uk.com

REWIND NORTH, Capersthorne Hall, Cheshire, 29-31 Aug: Mike & The Mechanics, Billy Ocean, Rick Astley, Jimmy Somerville, Marc Almond, Go West, Nik Kershaw, Bjorn Again, Nick Heyward, The Real Thing, Cutting Crew, Doctor And The Medics, Level 42, Holly Johnson, Tony Hadley, Midge Ure, Heaven 17, Roland Gift, The Beat, The Straits, T’Pau, China Crisis, Toyah, Sonia. www.rewindfestival.com

REWIND SCOTLAND, Scone Palace, Perth, 18-20 Jul: Billy Ocean, 10cc, Heaven 17, The Sugarhill Gang, Midge Ure, Boomtown Rats, Daryl Hall and John Oates, Marc Almond, ABC, Roland Gift, The Selecter, Blancmange, T’Pau, Go West, Nick Heyward, Bjorn Again, Cheryl, Mike, & Jay Of Bucks Fizz, Doctor And The Medics, Steve Augeri, Johnny Hates Jazz, The Christians, Matt Bianco, The South. www.rewindfestival.com

REWIND SOUTH, Temple Island Meadows, Henley-on-Thames, 15-17 Aug: Boomtown Rats, Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey, UB40, Mike & The Mechanics, Holly Johnson, Tony Hadley, Bonnie Tyler, Level 42, Sister Sledge, Rick Astley, Marc Almond, Jason Donovan, Wang Chung, Nick Heyward, From The Jam, Martha Wash, Johnny Hates Jazz, Jimmy Somerville, Roland Gift, Howard Jones, Hugh Cornwell, The South, A Flock Of Seagulls, Hazel O’Connor. www.rewindfestival.com

ROCK WERCHTER, Rotselaar, Belgium, 3-6 Jul: Damon Albarn. www.rockwerchter.be

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Thursday 30 January 2014, 12:44 | By

BRIT Awards to broadcast live on YouTube

Artist News Awards Digital

BRIT Awards

This year’s BRIT Award ceremony is to be broadcast live worldwide via YouTube for the first time, it has been announced. Viewers globally will also be able to influence the new Best British Video Award. A shortlist for that will be announced in the run up to the show, with votes accepted via Twitter during the broadcast and the winner announced towards the end.

BPI and BRIT Awards chief exec Geoff Taylor told CMU: “The BRITs make an impact around the world, so we are very excited that music fans in all five continents [actually, there are seven continents] will be able to watch spectacular performances from British and global music stars live on YouTube and find out, as it happens, who is going home with a coveted BRIT Award”.

Having shunned Australia and Antarctica continents wise (we suspect), he continued: “The live vote on Twitter means that viewers worldwide will decide on the night who made the best British music video. Given the phenomenal success of British music overseas and the huge importance of social media to our artists, it’s right that the BRITs should become a truly global, digital event”.

As well as the ceremony, in partnership with Somethin Else, there will also be a whole load of behind the scenes content delivered via the BRITs YouTube channel too. Radio 1 presenters Dan & Phil will deliver backstage news, while YouTube c’leb Fleur De Force will cover all the fashion triumphs. Meanwhile, Zane Lowe will be interviewing artists backstage, after Georgia LA has caught them on the red carpet coming in.

All you saddos who still watch things on the telly can catch the ceremony on ITV, with a Red Carpet programme in advance on ITV2 and a behind the scenes thing on the same channel later in the evening.

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Thursday 30 January 2014, 12:42 | By

Reznor gets apology from Grammys

And Finally Artist News Awards

Trent Reznor

Grammy executive producer Ken Ehrlich has apologised to Trent Reznor for cutting short the TV broadcast of Nine Inch Nails, Queen Of The Stone Age, Lindsey Buckingham and Dave Grohl’s finale performance at this year’s ceremony.

The temporary supergroup made it all the way through NIN’s ‘Copy Of A’, but during a second song in their mini-medley, QOTSA’s ‘My God Is The Sun’, the credits for the show rolled and the broadcast came to an end before the big finish, the awards event having run over by 45 seconds.

Following the performance, Reznor tweeted: “Music’s biggest night… to be disrespected. A heartfelt FUCK YOU guys”.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Ehrlich said: “I’m sorry he was upset. I was really thrilled that we were finally getting him on the Grammys. The final jam started with Arcade Fire a few years ago, and LL Cool J last year. I want to end on a high, an up note. I did tell them we’d take it as long as we could. The number was about five, six minutes long, and we got to within a minute [and 20 seconds] of the end. We got as close as we could possibly get”.

Well, at least the Grammys has now finally had its ‘Adele moment’.

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Wednesday 29 January 2014, 11:58 | By

Approved: Chit Chat

CMU Approved

Chit Chat

Michigan psych band Chit Chat have, over the course of an eponymous 2012 seven-inch and its much younger brother, the just-out ‘Never Know’, ground down a sound founded on one common rule: rolling chords plus low-blow rock solos, with frontgirl Izzy Johnson’s voice driving high and strong over the top.

At least, that’s the basic equation, one you can prove (or otherwise) with a quick run-through of ‘Never Know’, which should, if you like it, be enough to hold you over until an LP comes along. Hear it and be deafened here:

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Wednesday 29 January 2014, 11:57 | By

Dutch court lifts “ineffectual” web-blocks

Business News Digital Legal

The Pirate Bay

The Dutch High Court has overturned a lower court order forcing two internet service providers in the country – XS4ALL and Ziggo – to block their users from accessing The Pirate Bay. Calling the blocks “ineffectual”, the court also stated that the blockades “constitute an infringement of [people’s] freedom to act at their discretion”.

As previously reported, whereas UK ISPs have, in the main, accepted web-blocks where instigated by court order, XS4ALL and Ziggo have been very vocal in their opposition of such anti-piracy tactics. So when a court case brought by anti-piracy group BREIN, though initially unsuccessful, did result in web-blocks against TPB being ordered by the Netherland’s lower court in 2012, the two ISPs appealed the case to the High Court at The Hague. And yesterday they won.

In a statement, XS4ALL said: “XS4ALL is relieved by the ruling. We are very pleased that the court of has protected the fundamental right of all Dutch citizens to freely access information”.

It added: “Like BREIN, we are against sharing copyrighted material without permission … [However,] XS4ALL believes in the potential of the internet. Unimpeded freedom to access the internet provides an unprecedented breeding ground for new possibilities and opportunities. For the entertainment industry, initiatives such as iTunes, Spotify and Netflix clearly show [the capacity for such possibilities]. The solution for downloading from illegal sources is not in the curtailment of freedom, but making the most of this freedom”.

In the UK, the film and music industries have successfully gained a long list of web-blocks against file-sharing websites, including The Pirate Bay. Critics of the web-block injunctions here would also argue that the blockades are ineffectual – because anyone with the slightest desire to access any of the blocked sites can still do so with little effort. However, the entertainment industry would likely counter that anything that makes it slightly more difficult or annoying to do so is a step towards convincing people to use easier-to-access legal services.

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Wednesday 29 January 2014, 11:56 | By

Swedish record industry sees 5% uplift in 2013

Business News Digital Labels & Publishers

IFPI

Following the recent news that the Norwegian record industry saw revenues increase in 2013, it was confirmed yesterday that record companies in neighbouring Sweden also had a good year last year. And as with Norway, Sweden is benefiting from a booming digital sector, led by growth in streaming services.

According to IFPI Sweden, streaming income grew by more than 30% last year generating about £66.5 million in revenue. That means streaming services now account for over 70% of the country’s recorded music income, up from 57.4% in 2012.

And while CD sales were down 30% again, and download income also slipped 22.6%, the streaming-led boom meant that the Swedish record industry overall enjoyed a 5% boost in sales.

Which is behind Norway in percentage increase terms, but nevertheless continues an optimistic trend for recorded music in the country, even if – in line with much of the rest of the world – the record industry is still a long way off returning to its 1990s peak in terms of yearly income.

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Wednesday 29 January 2014, 11:55 | By

Kobalt STIM reveals digital deals ahead of MIDEM reception

Business News Deals Labels & Publishers

STIM

Kobalt STIM Aggregated Rights AB, a joint venture between music rights firm Kobalt and Swedish collecting society STIM launched last year to facilitate multi-territory digital licences in Europe, has announced that it has now entered into agreements with most of the major digital service providers in music, including iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, Google, Amazon, Napster and Vevo.

The JV business says that because its pan-European licence, which gives DSPs access to Kobalt’s entire repertoire of over 300,000 songs, has been set up in a simpler fashion to the norm, it is able to negotiate and sign agreements with digital platforms more quickly.

STIM boss Kenth Muldin told CMU: “It’s fantastic that the business model we launched together with Kobalt has resulted in so many important agreements and also in record time. It’s a big step on the way towards a common European market for music rights and STIM’s aim is to be a key player on the market”.

Meanwhile Kobalt chief Willard Ahdritz added: “Through our one-stop digital licensing service and our unique shared technology platform, we are very pleased to be able to quickly satisfy the market need while uniquely giving our clients transparency and significantly accelerated access to their money”.

The announcement comes ahead of an invite-only reception due to be held by Kobalt STIM at MIDEM in Cannes on Monday, in which more details of the deals are expected to be shared. MIDEM kicks off on Saturday, and you can get yourself a 10% discount on a pass if you use the code CMUMIDEM when you register online.

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Wednesday 29 January 2014, 11:54 | By

SoundCloud launches redesigned player

Business News Digital

SoundCloud

SoundCloud has launched a new “visual player”, which adds bigger photos to embedded tracks so that they, er, sound the same. But look nicer. I think the looking nicer is the key thing.

Other changes have also been made, including extending the feature that literally no one ever wanted or asked for – continuous listening. So that’s good. It means that when users listen to tracks on SoundCloud, when the one they wanted to listen to is over, ‘related’ tracks will automatically play. SoundCloud will select what those related tracks are, though content owners with premium accounts have some control over what related tracks will follow their content.

As previously reported, SoundCloud last week gained a new round of investment reportedly totalling $60 million. Rumours now abound that the service is looking to do licensing deals with labels, and will begin running advertising to generate revenues for the content owners. There certainly is a lot of room for adverts in that new player, and the continuous listening facility possibly suggests plans to become an ad-funded streaming service of a sort.

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Wednesday 29 January 2014, 11:53 | By

Rap Genius launches mobile app

Business News Digital

Rap Genius

Rap Genius has launched a new iPhone app, which will make it easy for mobile users to access song lyrics held on the website.

Amongst other things, the app will show you lyrics for songs in your iTunes library, and offer a Shazam-like function to bring up lyrics of songs picked up by the device’s microphone.

Rap Genius co-founder Tom Lehman told CMU: “This is the true launch of Rap Genius. Right now, more than half of our traffic comes from mobile devices. Soon, it will be 100% – In 1000 years, when the aliens land, ‘Rap Genius’ will literally mean ‘that dope iPhone app’. This app has long been our users’ most-requested feature, and we’re pumped to finally deliver”.

For more information and to download the app, go here.

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Wednesday 29 January 2014, 11:52 | By

Pete Seeger 1919-2014

Artist News Obituaries

Pete Seeger

Songwriter, folk musician and activist Pete Seeger died in his sleep on Monday, following a brief stay in a New York hospital. He was 94. Best known for songs such as ‘Where Have All The Flowers Gone’, ‘Turn, Turn, Turn’, ‘If I Had A Hammer’ and ‘We Shall Overcome’, Seeger inspired the folk revival of the 1950s, while his political affiliations saw him brought before Congress.

Born in 1919, he began playing ukulele while at school, moving to his preferred instrument, the five string banjo, after seeing it played at a square dance festival with his musicologist father, Charles Seeger, who was collecting and archiving rural American folk songs. Similarly, Seeger Jr saw himself as part of a long musical tradition, learning and adapting songs passed down through generations throughout his career.

Politically active throughout his life too, many of his most famous songs have become synonymous with protest. In the early 50s he became very successful with his group The Weavers, but when his earlier membership of the Communist Party was made public, the group suddenly found themselves unable to get TV bookings anymore. Continuing on and off, Seeger eventually left the group when they provided a song to a Lucky Strike advert, citing his opposition to the promotion of smoking.

In 1955, he was called before Congress’s Un-American Activities Committee to answer claims about his political affiliations. Going before the committee, he refused to answer such questions, saying that they were “very improper questions for any American to be asked”. He was indicted and sentenced to a year in prison, though this was overturned on appeal.

Seeger continued to perform as a solo artist, and though his political past still caused occasional problems, he maintained popularity, drawing large audiences right up to the end of his life. He also founded the Newport Folk Festival, which continues to run today.

Toshi-Aline Ohta, whom Seeger married in 1943, died in 2013, shortly before their 70th wedding anniversary. He is survived by a son and two daughters, a half sister, and six grandchildren.

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Wednesday 29 January 2014, 11:51 | By

Mötley Crüe pledge to retire after upcoming tour

Artist News

Motley Crue

Mötley Crüe have announced that they will retire the band after the small matter of a 72 date tour of the US and Canada. And if you think this is just some gimmick to ensure that fans book their tickets, well, what a sad cynical person you are.

Because, see, this really is the last time the Crüe will play together – they wanting to “go out on top” and with some “dignity” – and the band’s four members have all signed a contract pledging to never use the band’s name for any future live activity. So ha, take that sad, cynical types.

Though the band have said that the 72 date North American trek may extend to a world tour before the retirement commitment kicks in, and that some new recorded material could materialise in that time. And even once the ‘retirement’ starts, the band will continue to utilise the brand, sell merch and re-package archive music. So ha, take that, you unsad, uncynical types.

According to Sky News, Crüe man Nikki Sixx said: “There will always be a form of Mötley Crüe around. Not as four musical band members. But you’re still going to see Mötley Crüe shirts and merchandise. We own our masters. So it’s endless, really. So the Mötley Crüe business machine will always run. It’s just one part of our business is closing down”.

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Wednesday 29 January 2014, 11:50 | By

Ali Campbell defends decision to set up rival UB40

Artist News

Astro & Ali Campbell

So, this is hotting up. After UB40 hit out at three of their ex-bandmembers for announcing plans to release new music under the same moniker, one of the three, former frontman Ali Campbell, has defended his intentions.

Speaking to the Birmingham Mail, Campbell, who quit the band in acrimonious circumstances in 2008, says that the remaining members of his former group, which include his brothers Duncan and Robin, have been destroying the UB40 former legacy.

After the current UB40 said that Ali Campbell’s planned use of their name was “now in the hands of our lawyers”, he joked to the Mail, referencing his former band’s recent change in artistic direction: “I think we should have taken legal action against UB40 for making that awful [last] album. When they released that country thing… that was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I thought I’m going to take the name back. The old UB40 are destroying the legacy while I’ve continued to fly the flag for reggae”.

As previously reported, Campbell is working with fellow former UB40ers Mikey Virtue and Astro on the new record. Astro, who only quit UB40 last year, added to the Mail that he felt reinvigorated since regrouping with his ex-bandmates. He said: “I did feel the weight of the world was on my shoulders having to stand in front of fans and convince them everything was OK. Now I’m having a great time. It’s almost like we’ve never been apart”.

As for the pending name dispute, and the fact two UB40s could be touring at the same time, Campbell reckons all parties should “let the music talk and the fans decide”. It remains to be seen what the two sides’ respective legal reps make of that proposal.

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Wednesday 29 January 2014, 11:49 | By

Fleetwood Mac to record, tour with Christine McVie

Artist News Gigs & Festivals Releases

Fleetwood Mac

Gird your loins, longtime lovers of Fleetwood Mac; it looks like you’ll soon get to listen to a new LP from the group. One including Christine McVie, who recently returned to the Fleetwood fold following a long time (1998-present) out of it.

Now, Christine plus Mick Fleetwood, Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks and her ex-spouse John (McVie) are – Mick told Maui News’ Jon Woodhouse only the other day – “composing new songs” and will “begin recording with most of the band members in March”.

Mick also hinted that the band would start a tour in “fall”, otherwise known as autumn. So that’s one more reason to look forward to walking through all the leaf mulch.

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Wednesday 29 January 2014, 11:48 | By

Release round-up: Paolo Nutini, Timber Timbre, Kelis and Arthur Beatrice

Artist News Release Round-Up Releases

Kelis

Rounding up the latest release news…

Paolo Nutini has announced his coming-soon third LP, ‘Caustic Love’, with a song titled ‘Scream (Funk My Life Up)’. Whilst I can barely write that with a straight face, Paulo will, no joke, release the ‘sexy’ new single – a kind of cod Rolling Stones groove-in – on 30 Mar, spilling his ‘Caustic Love’ all over the shop on 14 Apr. Hear the track of which I speak here:

Canadian band Timber Timbre are streaming a sleek yet slightly steamy new track, the title single to their new LP ‘Hot Dreams’, to pave the way for the latter’s big release via Full Time Hobby on 31 Mar. Bearing in mind that, and the fact that TT play a pair of UK dates at London’s Scala (16 Apr) and Manchester’s Roadhouse (17 Apr) – listings here – let’s take ‘Hot Dreams’, the singular single that is, for a spin, immediately:

As well as a headlining set at this year’s very great Great Escape festival, Kelis (pictured), we have to keep it mind, also has a new LP, ‘Food’, on her horizon, coming out via Ninja Tune on 28 Apr. She revealed its tracklisting yesterday, and this pic of herself looking uncertain in some kind of shipyard. In line with the whole ‘Food’ motif, the tracklisting reads like a shopping list, so make a note of it here:

Jerk Ribs
Breakfast
Forever Be
Floyd
Runner
Hooch
Cobbler
Bless The Telephone
Fish Fry
Change
Rumble
Biscuits N Gravy
Dreamer

The xx-esque London alt-pop group Arthur Beatrice did some unveiling of their own quite recently, too, taking the lid off the nice new clip for their pleasant new single ‘Midland’, which will arrive by the grace of Polydor, as part of the band’s first LP ‘Working Out’, on 24 Feb.

Look at it now via Gorilla vs Bear:

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Wednesday 29 January 2014, 11:47 | By

Willis Earl Beal shows cancelled

Artist News Gigs & Festivals Releases

Willis Earl Beal

So Willis Earl Beal’s upcoming tour of Europe, the one supposed to start on 18 Feb at London’s Village Underground, is now a no-go, it having been cancelled earlier this week. Not only that, but XL Recordings signing Beal claims not to know why the shows have been canned, which is odd because… well, you know, artist/label/management communication, and all that.

Willis writes on his Tumblr: “I want to thank the folks who bought tickets and assure them that this was NOT my decision. At this point, the reason that I’m not touring is as mysterious to me as it is to you. Hell, if it were up to me, I’d go down there and sing a cappella while standing on a milk crate on the sidewalk. Wouldn’t be the first time. I even told them this, but, to no avail. What can I do? Situations arise… before my eyes… stealing my body… neath ravenous tides”.

Neath all the ravening bad news, there is a silver lining in ‘ A Place That Doesn’t Exist’, a new EP Beal is streaming in the stead of his 2013 LP, ‘Nobody Knows’. Stream its eight tracks here:

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Wednesday 29 January 2014, 11:46 | By

Gigs & tours round-up: Little Dragon, Bonobo, Young Fathers and Black Lips

Artist News Gigs & Festivals Gigs & Tours Round-Up

Little Dragon

Rounding up the latest gig news…

Little Dragon (pictured) have committed to a show at Village Underground in London on 27 Feb, in anticipation of a fourth LP the band are issuing later in the year. A trippy bit of a jazz track titled ‘Nabuma Rubberband’, possibly the album’s title song, just got popped online at the same time the show was announced, so listen up to that here, and check the ticket link – which goes live this Friday – here.

One-man speaker stack Bonobo will bring his ‘North Borders’ tour, also the title of last his LP of 2013, to a close with a show at London’s Alexandra Palace on 28 Nov. Limited tickets are available now, whilst the majority will go on sale tomorrow, on this page.

And for anyone not in the know, avant rap family Young Fathers, from Scotland, are playing some shows starting this Saturday at Glasgow’s Stereo. The UK side of the run continues on until 14 Feb, when there’s then a show at the Twisted Pepper in Dublin. All shows go to support Young Fathers’ forthcoming LP ‘Dead’, which drops on 3 Feb. Bite a piece off it now c/o this new video for one of the songs on it, ‘Get Up’, or just SoundCloud the whole thing here:

And finally, the Black Lips. Having pitched a 17 Mar release date for their new LP, ‘Underneath The Rainbow’, the Lips will go off on a live stint of shows ranging from late-ish May, which hits the UK for a quite tiny show at Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club in London – on 4 Jun – before moving off to Greece. Find the appropriate links at this one, and look now to the promo for top ‘Rainbow’ single ‘Boys In The Wood’:

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Wednesday 29 January 2014, 11:45 | By

Festival line-up update: Primavera Sound, Live At Leeds, Outlook and more

Artist News Festival Line-Up Update Gigs & Festivals

Primavera Sound

Starting on a rather low note, organisers of Nottinghamshire’s No Direction Home, which first got going in 2012 only to have its 2013 edition cancelled, have confirmed the event will now be discontinued for good.

The team behind the festival, who, on cancelling last year’s event, said 2012’s had “lost a good deal of money”, say they will instead invest all their time in NDH’s sister fest End Of The Road, which will this year go ahead between 29-31 Aug. Tickets to EOTR are already available at this link.

Next it’s to today’s scenic line-up update. And in the lead, in terms of size and variety, is Spain’s Primavera Sound, which published its full 2014 bill overnight. Nine Inch Nails, The National and Queens Of The Stone Age will headline the Barca-based event, with Foals, Volcano Choir, Kendrick Lamar, Slowdive, Disclosure, St Vincent, Warpaint, Earl Sweatshirt and Shellac all set to appear over its three-day springtime festivities.

The vari-sited Live At Leeds has a good go at matching Primavera act for act with its initial influx of artists, one that features Chloe Howl, Clean Bandit, Albert Hammond Jr, Blood Red Shoes, Yuck and Los Campesinos! in its midst.

More on all that alongside not-quite-as-big act commissions over at the following hot tickets…

ALT-FEST, Boughton House, Kettering, 15-17 Aug: Combichrist, Satyricon, Peter Murphy, The Howling, Dead Harts, Sanctorum, The One Hundred, Skarlett Riot, Bad Pollyanna. www.alt-fest.com

BLOODSTOCK, Catton Hall, Derbyshire, 7-10 Aug: Rotting Christ, Sister Sin, Satan. www.bloodstock.uk.com

DEER SHED, Baldersby Park, Topcliffe, Yorkshire, 25-27 Jul: Johnny Marr
British Sea Power, Stornoway, Steve Mason, Dan le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip, Summer Camp, Police Dog Hogan, We Were Evergreen, Georgia Ruth, Denai Moore, PAWS, PINS, All We Are, Raglans, Withered Hand, Nordic Giants. deershedfestival.com

NORTHSIDE, Soren Frichs Road, Aarhus, Denmark, 13-15 Jun: Nina Persson, Mo, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Flogging Molly, Mount Kimbie, The Mountains. www.northside.dk

OUTLOOK, Forta Punta Christo, Pula, Croatia, 4-7 Sep: Busta Rhymes, Barrington Levy, DJ Premier, Buraka Som Sistema, Horace Andy, Jah Shaka, Goldie, Moodyman, David Rodigan, Digital Mystikz, Michael Prophet & Dub Asante Band, DJ Marky, Andy C, DJ Ez, Zinc, Submotion Orchestra, Chronixx & Zinc Fence Redemption, Ranking Joe, MJ Cole, Floating Points, The Bug feat Iration Steppas, Dillinja, Spy, dBridge, Calibre, Onra, Mungo’s Hi Fi Sound System, Youngsta, Pinch, Special Request, Andres, Kaytranada, Dub Phizix, Strategy, Icicle, Spectrasoul, Grooverider, The Heatwave, Channel One, Prince Fatty, Wookie, Author, Jonwayne, Eliphino, Bishop Nehru, Stwo, Applebottom, Hannah Wants, Andrew Ashong, Stylo G, Mickey Pearce, Daddy Freddy, Eglo Band, High Focus, My Nu Leng, Fatima, Kutmah, Doc Scott, Skeptical, Total Science, DJ Die, Source Direct, Radikal Guru + Cian, The Mouse Outfit, Necessary Mayhem, Goth Trad, Hatcha, Mr Williamz, Alex Nut, fLako, Vivek, J Kenzo, Commodo, Sunship, OBF, Blackboard Jungle, MC GQ, Stamina MC, SP:MC, DLR, Sticky, Klose1, Fracture, Bushkin, DJ Q, Ant TC1, Wilfred Gieroux, Charlie P, Sam Binga, Lowqui, Maffi, Seven Davis JNR, Proxima, Chimpo, Gantz, Logos, Wen, COMPA, MC Fokus, Rich Reason, Finwa, Onset. www.outlookfestival.com

ØYA, Tøyenparken, Oslo, Norway, 6-10 Aug: The National, Blood Orange, King Midas. oyafestivalen.com

LIVE AT LEEDS, various venues, Leeds, 2-5 May: Albert Hammond Jr, Catfish & The Bottlemen, Chloe Howl, Circa Waves, Clean Bandit, Courtney Barnett, Drenge, Ella Eyre, Fuck Buttons, Hudson Taylor, iLiKETRAiNS, Johnny Flynn, King Charles, Lauren Aquilina, Lizzo, Los Campesinos!, Nina Nesbitt, Pulled Apart By Horses, Royal Blood, Say Lou Lou, The Hold Steady, The Midnight Beast, Wolf Alice, and Yuck, Amber Run, Arc Iris, Arthur Beatrice, Autobahn, Bat and Ball, Blaenavon, Coasts, Crystal Seagulls, Cymbals, Darlia, Denai Moore, Dive In, Dolomite Minor, Eaves, Eliza and The Bear, Fair Ohs, Flyte, Frank Hamilton, Fred Page, Fyfe, Gambles, George Barnett, Happyness, Hero Fisher, Highasakite, Holy Mountain, Honeyblood, Indiana, Jack Garratt, Jamie Isaac, Jaws, Joel Baker, Khushi, Lanterns on the Lake, Laura Welsh, Lola Colt, Love Zombies, Lyger, Lyla Foy, Marika Hackman, Mausi, Menace Beach, Norma Jean Martine, Palace, Parakeet, Pawws, Primitive Parts, Pup, Rainer, Rhodes, Rosie Lowe, Sam Airey, San Fermin, Shy Nature, Sivu, Solids, Southern, Spring King, Superfood, Teleman, The Amazing Snakeheads, The Bohicas, The Creases, The Scenes, The Tea Street Band, The Wytches, Tourist, Vukovi, We The Wild, We Were Evergreen, Wild Cub, Youth Man, Alaska, Allusondrugs, Apollo Junction, Bearfoot Beware, Blue Laurel, Carnabells, Charlie Straw, City Of Lights, Disraeli Gears, Engine, Fans, Fawn Spots, Glass Caves, Glassbody, Goodbye Chanel, Harry Ridgway, Imp, Jonny Quits, Marsicans, Modo Stare, Munich, NARCS, OtherPeoplesLives, Pip Mountjoy, Quentins Basement, Samuel S. Parkes, Tabloids, The Mexanines, The Vendettas, Then Thickens, We Were Frontiers, Weirds, Witch Hunt, White Royal. www.liveatleeds.com

PARKLIFE WEEKENDER, Heaton Park, Manchester, 7-8 Jun: Jon Hopkins. www.parklife.uk.com

PRIMAVERA SOUND, Parc del Forum, Barcelona, Spain, 29-31 May: Nine Inch Nails, The National, Queens Of The Stone Age, Foals, Volcano Choir, Kendrick Lamar, Slowdive, Disclosure, St Vincent, Warpaint, Shellac of North America, Black Lips, Blood Orange, Caetano Veloso, A Winged Victory for the Sullen, Andy Stott, Antibalas, Bo Ningen, Caveman, Charles Bradley & his Extraordinaires, !!!, Angel Molina, Astro, Black Drawing Chalks, Body / Head, C+C=Maxigross, Darkside, Deafheaven, Demdike Stare, Dominick Fernow, Dr John, Drive-By Truckers, Factory Floor, Dj Fra, The Growlers, HAIM, The Haxan Cloak, Jagwar Ma, Jenny Lewis, Jesu, Joana Serrat, John Grant, Julia Holter, Chrome, Chvrches, Colin Stetson, El Petit de Cal Eril, El Ultimo Vecino, The Ex, Follakzoid, Fort Romeau, Gang of Youths, Glasser, Grupo de Expertos Solynieve, Jamie XX, John Wizards, Julian Cope, Julio Bashmore, Kosmos, Lasers, LNripley, Lunice, Majical Cloudz, Metronomy, Midlake, Moderat, Moveis Coloniais de Acaju, Pond, The Range, Real Estate, Rodrigo Amarante, Shelby Grey, Single Parents, Standstill, Sun Ra Arkestra, Svper, Touche Amore, William Dafoe, Wind Atlas, The Julie Ruin, Kvelertak, The Last 3 Lines, Laurent Garnier, Lee Ranaldo and The Dust, Leon Benavente, Linda Perhacs, Loop, Mas Ysa, Mick Harvey, Oso Leone, Pional, Prurient, Refree, SBTRKT, Sharon Van Etten, Slint, Belako, Boogarins, Caetano Veloso, Chromeo, Cloud Nothings, DJ Coco, Cold Cave, Connan Mockasin, Courtney Barnett, Cut Copy, Dani Baughman, Daniel Avery, The Dismemberment Plan, Dum Dum Girls, Earl Sweatshirt, Genius of Time, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Hebronix, Helen Love, Hospitality, Islands, Jonathan Wilson, Junkfood, Jupiter Lion, Kronos Quartet, La Sera, Marc Pinol, Mark Eitzel, Mishima, Mistakes Are Ok b2b Mattis, Mogwai, Seun Kuti and Fela’s Egypt 80, Silvia Perez Cruz & Raul Fernandez, Spoon, Superchunk, Teho Teardo & Blixa Bargeld, Television, Ty Segall, Univers, Volcano Choir, Za!, Flamaradas, Renaldo & Clara, Speedy Ortiz, Super Gegant, The Twilight Sad. www.primaverasound.com

TOWERSEY VILLAGE FESTIVAL, Thame, Oxfordshire, 21-25 Aug: Richard Thompson, Seth Lakeman, Norma Waterson and Eliza Carthy with The Gift Band, Lau, Michael McColdrick & John McCusker, Bootleg Beatles, The Chipolatas, Dick Gaughan, Georgia Ruth, John Smith, Nancy Kerr & James Fagan, The Urban Folk Quartet, Blair Dunlop, Debs Newbold, Josienne Clarke and Ben Walker, Merry Hell, Roy Bailey, Rusty Shackle, The Wilsons, Whapweasel, Will McNicol, Conservatoire Folk Ensemble, Folk Dance Remixed, and John Kirkpatrick, MoltenAmba, Sheryl and Russell Cormier, Bursledon Village Band, Cock And Bull Band, The Flatville Aces, Glorystrokes, The Melrose Quartet, Under Her Skin, Against The Grain, Jess And Richard Arrowsmith, Kerry Fletcher, Marc Block, Mrs Midnights, The Ship Band, Simon Care Trio, Vertical Expression. www.towerseyfestival.com

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Wednesday 29 January 2014, 11:44 | By

Lorde and Disclosure to team up for BRITs collaboration

Artist News Awards

Lorde

The BRIT Awards’ annual (not actually annual) throw-a-couple-of-artists-together-and-hope-for-the-best slot will this year be filled by Lorde and Disclosure, it has been announced. And that seems like a pretty safe bet.

It’s not clear yet if they’ll perform a new song, rework an old(er) one, or do one of those incredibly trendy and always successful mash ups. We’ll find out on 19 Feb though, when the ceremony takes place, if not sooner (probably sooner).

Lorde is nominated for the International Female Solo Artist award at this year’s BRITs. Disclosure, meanwhile, have three nominations for Best Group, Best Album and Best Single, the greedy scamps.

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Wednesday 29 January 2014, 11:43 | By

Clannad and Martin Carthy to receive Lifetime Achievement prizes at Radio 2 Folk Awards

Artist News Awards Media

BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards

BBC Radio 2 has announced that Clannad and Martin Carthy will receive Lifetime Acheivement trophies at the radio station’s annual Folk Awards next month. The event, which will take place at the Royal Albert Hall on 19 Feb, will also mark its fifteenth anniversary.

Clannad, who will also perform at the ceremony, said in unison: “We are absolutely honoured to be recognised in this way by the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. The BBC have been such great supporters of us since we first broke through in the UK with ‘Theme From Harry’s Game’. We are really looking forward to being part of the big night at the Royal Albert Hall.”

Of his prize, Carthy said: “I’ve just been lucky enough to follow my heart and pretty much do what I want over the past 50 years or so. If, along the way, I’ve been able to play a part, however small, in keeping the traditional music of these islands alive, then I consider myself a fortunate man”.

BBC Radio 2 Controller Bob Shennan added: “The Radio 2 Folk Awards exist to celebrate the very best in folk music. Clannad and Martin Carthy have made magnificent contributions to folk music over the years and are thoroughly deserving of these prestigious accolades. Many congratulations to them”.

The full list of nominees for the Folk Awards is as follows:

Folk Singer Of The Year: Bella Hardy, Fay Hield, Lisa Knapp, Lucy Ward

Best Duo: Ross Ainslie & Jarlath Henderson, Josienne Clarke & Ben Walker, Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita, Phillip Henry & Hannah Martin

Best Group: Breabach, The Full English, Lau, Melrose Quartet

Musician Of The Year: Aidan O’Rourke, Will Pound, Martin Simpson, Sam Sweeney

Best Album: Anaïs Mitchell & Jefferson Hamer – Child Ballads, The Full English – The Full English, Lisa Knapp – Hidden Seam, Martin Simpson – Vagrant Stanzas, Linda Thompson – Won’t Be Long Now

Best Original Song: Linda Thompson – Love’s For Babies And Fools, Chris Wood – None The Wiser, Olivia Chaney – Swimming In The Longest River, Lisa Knapp – Two Ravens

Best Traditional Track: Georgia Ruth – Codi Angor, Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita – Les Bras de Mer, Rant – Mary Macdonald’s, Anaïs Mitchell & Jefferson Hamer – Willie Of Winsbury

Horizon Award: Olivia Chaney, Josienne Clarke & Ben Walker, Greg Russell & Ciaran Algar, Georgia Ruth

BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award: Hattie Briggs, Gentlemen Of Few, Granny’s Attic, The Mischa Macpherson Trio

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Wednesday 29 January 2014, 11:42 | By

Bieber court date set for Valentine’s Day

And Finally Artist News Legal

justinbiebermugshots

Justin Bieber is due in court on Valentine’s Day to face the charges stemming from last week’s little run in with the law in Florida – you know, the DUI, resisting arrest and driving with an expired licence fun times.

Perhaps the Biebster, currently taking some much deserved time off from his busy law-breaking schedule to do some wakeboarding in Panama, could take a date along to his booking at the Miami-Dade County court room.

Actually, it’s just an arraignment so there’s a very high chance the pop star will be able to send along a legal monkey to deliver his plea.

But we’re sure he’ll send his attorney with some red roses and chocolates for the court staff. Or maybe a bucket of his over-priced fragrance. That’d be a nice gesture. Actually, probably best not to include a bucket in the gift.

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Tuesday 28 January 2014, 12:01 | By

Approved: Andy Inglis on independent venues

CMU Approved

Andy Inglis

Independent Venue Week kicks off today, beginning six days of celebratory shows in a selection of the UK’s finest venues.

Radiohead’s Colin Greenwood is acting as ambassador for the event this year, which may or may not mean anything beyond the headlines that grabbed upon the announcement of his role. He did give a lengthy interview to Drowned In Sound about small venues, though the quote most people focussed on was one explaining that Radiohead aren’t really doing anything much right now.

Anyway, enter Andy Inglis, one time owner of independent London venue The Luminaire, currently managing artists and tours. As such, he knows about venues from various angles. And, as you’ll remember from his CMU interview last year, he’s got opinions aplenty on them and the live business as a whole.

And over the last few days he’s been sharing those opinions. First in a piece for The Guardian last week, and then one in more depth for The Quietus yesterday. The latter breaks down into ten points changes he’d like to see made in order to improve and ensure the future of small venues in the UK. From the banning of guestlists to the repealing of the Live Music Act, Inglis’ articles are well-timed to start a debate that’ll probably do more for the indie venue scene than Greenwood’s smiley-faced ambassadordom.

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Tuesday 28 January 2014, 12:00 | By

MAMA confirms that founder James has departed

Business News Industry People Live Business Top Stories

MAMA & Company

Live music firm MAMA & Company has confirmed that co-founder Dean James is leaving the business “to focus on his outside interests”. As previously reported, James stood down as CEO of the company, in something of a surprise move, last August.

James co-founded MAMA in 2005 with business partner Adam Driscoll, morphing the Channelfly company that had grown out of the Barfly venue in Camden in the late 1990s into a multi-disciplined music firm, with interests in venue management, tour and festival promotion, artist management, and brand and media partnerships.

MAMA was then acquired in 2010 by HMV, becoming the live and talent division of the ailing retailer. Driscoll departed at this point, but James stayed on to lead the business as an HMV division before, three years later, realising that HMV was now ailing into oblivion, spearheading a management buy-out that put MAMA, minus its Hammersmith Apollo venue, back into independent ownership.

The MAMA & Company that James leaves behind continues to run a network of venues around the UK, as well as operating a tour and festival promotion business, which stages or has interests in events like Wilderness, Lovebox, Global Gathering and The Great Escape. The services side of the firm continues to offer music-focused brand, production and media services, in addition to owning monthly music mag The Fly.

Confirming James’ departure yesterday, the company told CMU: “MAMA has confirmed that Dean James has decided to leave the business. Having steered the business out of HMV in 2012 and back into independent ownership he has decided to focus on his outside interests. Dean has played a key role throughout the life of MAMA in its various forms having originally founded the business in 2005. The MAMA board thanks Dean for his contribution and wishes him well for the future”.

Details about the senior management structure at MAMA moving forward are expected in due course, though the firm said it had no further comment at this time.

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Tuesday 28 January 2014, 11:59 | By

Prince launches $22 million lawsuit against bootleg sharers

Business News Digital Legal

Prince

Prince has been looking like a pretty chilled out guy of late. He’s emerged as a Twitter comedian, appeared in a TV sitcom, and decided to give out all the details about his new band 3rdeyegirl’s upcoming UK tour in Lianne La Havas’s living room. But if you thought the burning rage that bubbles inside him whenever he sees his music shared online had died down, you would be wrong. Even though most people ceased to use the internet three and a half years ago.

The latest in a long line of lawsuits brought against internet users by Prince was filed earlier this week, addressing one of his particular bugbears – the sharing of bootlegged live recordings. Having forced offline a whole load of six second clips of his SXSW performance from Vine last year, he has now filed legal papers demanding a total of $22 million in damages from 22 people who have shared full live recordings of his music on the net.

The lawsuit notes that the evil file-sharers in question have all used Google’s Blogger platform and/or Facebook to share bootlegs of his performances, one in particular providing links to 393 recordings on various different file-sharing services. It also notes that Prince has not been able to identify the real names of any of the file-sharers, hence they are being sued under their online usernames.

The defendants, it’s also noted, often speak to each other to exchange bootlegs directly. Like, say, fans of an artist might do. However, according to the claim, the sharing of these recordings has “caused and will continue to cause substantial, immediate and irreparable injury to Prince for which there is no adequate remedy at law”.

As such, he is seeking at least $1 million in damages per defendant, as well as costs, legal fees and any profits (and interest on those profits) the defendants may have made from his recordings. He also wants the music impounded and returned to him. Though if he wanted it that badly, surely he could just download it himself.

The lawsuit demands that the 22 defendants are tried by jury. It remains to be seen how far this case gets.

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Tuesday 28 January 2014, 11:58 | By

Courtney Love cleared of Twitter defamation

Artist News Legal

Courtney Love

Courtney Love has been cleared of defaming her former attorney Rhonda Holmes in a tweet posted in 2009.

As previously reported, Holmes worked for Love at a time when the singer believed that the estate of her late husband, Kurt Cobain, was being mismanaged and that various unnamed individuals had stolen assets and posthumous earnings, which should have gone to her and daughter Frances Bean. The attorney investigated those concerns.

But Love’s working relationship with Holmes came to an end in 2009, after which she tweeted: “I was fucking devastated when Rhonda J Holmes esq of San Diego was bought off”, implying that the lawyer had done a deal with the people she was meant to be investigating.

Refuting that allegation, Holmes subsequently sued for defamation in 2011, claiming that her reputation had been harmed by her former client’s online outburst. But, after the case eventually reached court last week, it took eight days for a jury to decide that Holmes had failed to make a strong enough case.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Love herself argued that she had intended to send the tweet as a private message, and when she realised she had not, she quickly deleted it. Among the various people to testify was a social media expert who told the court that there was no evidence that the message had been retweeted, thus reducing its impact.

In the case, Love also spoke of the alleged theft of money from the Cobain estate, saying that she had hired Holmes after several other entertainment lawyers failed to help. Holmes apparently uncovered evidence of irregularities, which, Love added, left her feeling “elated, like I wasn’t wearing a tinfoil hat anymore”. But later she and Holmes stopped speaking (Love says she never fired Holmes, Holmes says different), which led her to believe that Holmes had been “bought off”. The fact that Love believed this to be true at the time she sent the tweet was key to her case, and the final verdict.

This is not, of course, the first Twitter-based defamation lawsuit against Love. Fashion designer Dawn Simorangkir also sued in 2009 after the singer called her an “asswipe nasty lying hosebag thief”. They eventually reached a settlement, but in September, Simorangkir sued the singer for defamation a second time, after Love appeared on Howard Stern’s radio show and discussed the case.

According to The Reporter, Simorangkir’s second lawsuit said that, despite Love initially saying in the interview that she’d learned her lesson, she then “in the same breath … blatantly defamed Simorangkir by falsely accusing her of stealing from Love and claiming that this purported theft was captured on closed circuit television videos. Love even went as far as to falsely claim that Simorangkir had engaged in prostitution”.

Making matters worse, Simorangkir says that Love then began posting defamatory messages about her on Pinterest. But at least that means Love knows not to say that stuff on Twitter anymore. Simorangkir is, as you may have guessed, seeking unspecified damages.

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Tuesday 28 January 2014, 11:57 | By

Apple users sight iTunes Radio outside US

Business News Digital

iTunes

iTunes users in the UK, Australia and Canada have reported that iTunes Radio, currently only officially available in the US, has begun appearing on iPhones and iPads in their countries, according to Apple Insider.

The sporadic appearance (and in some case disappearance again) of iTunes Radio for these users is being taken as a sign that a launch of the service outside the US is imminent.

The fact that Apple said it would launch iTunes Radio in the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand in early 2014 back in October is also a bit of a giveaway. But these sightings possibly mean it’s coming sooner rather than later.

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Tuesday 28 January 2014, 11:56 | By

UB40 hit out at former members’ use of their band’s name

Artist News

UB40

Somewhat unsurprisingly, UB40 aren’t impressed by the news that UB40 have gone into the studio with the intent on releasing some new material.

As previously reported, three founding members of the pop reggae outfit – Ali Campbell, Mikey Virtue and Astro – all of whom quit the band in recent years, earlier this month announced their intent to record new material having staged a reunion show together late last year. The trio have registered the domain www.ub40.org and have implied that they intend to use the moniker UB40 for their new collaborations.

But the band they all quit still continues to record and tour as UB40, with Ali’s brothers Robin and Duncan amongst its number, the former another founder member, the latter now frontman. And in a statement last week, that band said: “We are outraged at this latest desperate attempt by our former bandmates to hijack UB40′s brand name, business and legacy. As UB40 we have worked continuously for the last 35 years touring the world with our live show and promoting our recorded albums”.

The statement, on their website ub40.co.uk, continues: “As our fans know, Ali Campbell left UB40 six years ago citing issues with the band’s management, and has since pursued a solo career. In that time, Ali has repeatedly attempted to discredit his brothers and former bandmates, through the media and otherwise, but this latest attempt to confuse and manipulate UB40′s fans is, frankly, pathetic. We are disappointed that he feels it necessary to behave in this way and equally disappointed that Astro has joined with him.

“UB40’s five remaining founding members Robin Campbell, Brian Travers, Jimmy Brown, Earl Falconer and Norman Hassan will be touring extensively throughout 2014 and in the UK in March and April. As for Ali, Mickey and Astro, the matter is now in the hands of our lawyers”.

So that all sounds like fun, doesn’t it? It remains to be seen what name Ali Campbell, Virtue and Astro use if and when they put their new material out.

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Tuesday 28 January 2014, 11:55 | By

3/5 of The Wanted go solo (so far)

Artist News

The Wanted

And so it begins. Following confirmation that The Wanted will ‘take a break’ (which isn’t the same thing as splitting, apparently) after a last tour in March, the band’s planned “personal endeavours” are already taking shape.

The Sun claims that Wanted man Tom Parker is likely to be first to the solo table, releasing a single featuring bankrupt ex N-Dubz MC Fazer in February.

Hearsay is rife, meanwhile, that Max George and Nathan Sykes have both signed on a solo basis with Justin Bieber’s life-coach and manager Scooter Braun, who, as the world knows, was also involved in the management The Wanted. Though ol Scoot is probably quite busy elsewhere just now, drag-race-damage-limitation, and all.

Meanwhile, moaning on to The Sun, George has discussed the ‘mood’ within The Wanted of late: “Over the past year there has been a lot of tension. Our personal lives drove us apart – things started to happen and we were drifting. We used to be such a brotherly pact, but it started to feel like it wasn’t The Wanted anymore”.

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