Monday 27 October 2014, 11:44 | By Aly Barchi

Susanne Sundfør to send in new LP, Ten Love Songs

Artist News Releases

A one-time CMU Artist Of The Year, Norwegian songbird-songwriter Susanne Sundfør is soon (on 16 Feb 2015, that is) to release her fifth LP, ‘Ten Love Songs’. Despite featuring link-ins with past collaborators like M83’s Anthony Gonzalez, Röyksopp and Jaga Jazzist’s Lars Horntveth, and also the Trondheimsolistene Chamber Ensemble, it is, at heart, an intrinsically ‘solo’ record, with Sundfør taking on the body of its arrangements.

Writing an introductory note to the album, Sundfør says: “To me, love isn’t always what it seems. When I first started to work on the album, I wanted to make an album about violence, and then, as I was writing the songs, there were violent aspects, but they were usually about love or relationships, how you connect with other people. And in the end, that turned out to be ten love songs”.

And pointing to the tone of the LP’s ten minute midpoint, ‘Memorial’, which is perhaps its most candid and emotionally-defenceless track, she adds: “People try to describe their emotions with numbers today, and in terms of science, which I feel is like the religion of today. It is very taboo to be a vulnerable person. It’s almost like the biggest weakness today is to be a human being, because everything around us is about perfection, as if we’re trying to be like robots”.

Read this 2013 CMU interview to get a glance into Sundfør’s state of mind circa her last LP, ‘The Silicone Veil’, and find one of the ‘Ten Love Songs’ – ‘Fade Away’ – here:

Oh and this is the album’s official tracklisting:

Darlings
Accelerate
Fade Away
Silencer
Kamikaze
Memorial
Delirious
Slowly
Trust Me
Insects

CMU’s One Liners: Marr’s Plectrum Records, Låpsley, Drake and more

Artist News Business News Deals Gigs & Festivals Labels & Publishers One Liners Releases Retail

Other notable announcements and developments today…

• A shop claiming to be the UK’s littlest vinyl retailer, Marrs Plectrum Records, has opened in its Peterborough-based owner Matthew Hawton’s back garden. “This way we can keep the costs down which is great for our customers. I can’t complain about the commute to work either”, says he. Details here.

• Adele-esque singer Holly ‘Låpsley’ Fletcher has made a deal with XL Recordings, and will release her new ‘Understudy’ EP via the label on 5 Jan 2015. Listen in on lead track ‘Falling Short’ at this link.

• Fast-ageing rap star Drake celebrated his 38th birthday over the weekend by giving away three new tracks: ‘How Bout Now’, ‘Heat Of The Moment’ and ‘6 God’. Get them via the relevant links. And a very happy birthday, grandpa Drake.

• Iggy Azalea is now streaming a new track titled ‘Beg For It’, featuring the brilliant MØ aka Danish-popstar-with-bite Anne Marie Ørsted. ‘Beg For It’ will be released as one of the extras on ‘Reclassified’, the shiny new repackage of Azalea’s ‘The New Classic’ LP, on 24 Nov. No need to beg for ‘Beg For It’, for here it is now.

• Red Bull Music Academy is taking a coach-load of dance DJs over to Leeds’ Canal Mills on 15 Nov for a night of um… dancing. Kenny Dixon Jr aka Moodymann headlines, with George Fitzgerald, John Talabot, Daniel Avery and Erol Alkan all on the bill also. Basic info and tickets available here.

• Approved Philadelphia singer-songwriter Alex G has added to his live obligations via a new list of British dates; spanning 1 Mar 2015 at Brighton’s Green Door Store, to 7 Mar at Leeds’ Brudenell Social Club. This link is the link to get tickets.

“Hey kids, where’s your musical movement”, asks Roger Daltrey

And Finally Artist News

And in the ‘old popstar bemoans new pop music’ slot today, it’s Mr Roger Daltrey. Modern artists lack “angst and purpose”, see? Perhaps all the angsty kids with purpose are too busy sexually molesting strangers on their YouTube channels; when it comes to turning teenage rebellion into a revenue stream for the establishment, Google’s taken over from the labels.

Anyway, says The Who man Daltrey to the Mail On Sunday: “Here we are with the world in the state it is in, and we’ve got One Direction. Where are the artists writing with any real sense of angst and purpose? There are no movements at the moment: we had mod and then there was punk, but it’s so hard to start a movement now. Unless it’s ISIS”.

Oh, so all the angsty kids with purpose are too busy declaring war on Western liberal secularism on their YouTube channels? Well, if someone’s got to turn that into a revenue stream for the establishment, Google’s welcome to it.

Approved: Congo Natty & Dillinja at The Forum

Club Tip CMU Approved

Congo Natty rocked Ramsgate beach earlier this year at a free festival I stumbled upon, so I can confirm first hand his ability to energise a crowd.

The sometime Rebel MC is joined this weekend by drum & bass pioneer Dillinja, who really shouldn’t need any introduction, what with his excellent Valve label and sound system which he set up with Lemon D. Support comes from Mungos Hifi and Mala.

Saturday 25 Oct, The Forum, Kentish Town, London, 9pm-4am, tickets ¬£9.50-¬£19.50, info via this link.

IP crime policing unit gets two years more funding

Business News Digital Top Stories

The UK government yesterday confirmed another two years of funding for the City Of London Police’s Intellectual Property Crime Unit, or PIPCU, which has been spearheading a number of anti-piracy initiatives since its launch last year.

The specialist policing unit was set up with money from the government’s Department For Business, Innovation & Skills, though initial funding was only guaranteed until 2015. But back in April, Mike Weatherley MP, in his guise as IP Advisor to David Cameron, called on the future of the unit to be guaranteed beyond that initial funding period. And yesterday IP Minister Lucy Neville-Rolfe confirmed another £3 million had been allocated that will assure the unit’s work can continue until 2017.

She told reporters: “We’ve seen significant success in PIPCU’s first year of operation. This extra support for the unit will help them to build on this impressive record in the fight against intellectual property crime, which costs the UK at least £1.3 billion a year in lost profits and taxes. With more money now being invested in ideas than factories or machinery in the UK, it is vital that we protect creators and consumers and the UK’s economic growth”.

Meanwhile the City Of London Police’s Steve Head added: “Since launching a year ago PIPCU has quickly established itself as an integral part of the national response to a problem that is costing the UK more than a billion pounds a year. Much of this success is down to PIPCU moving away from traditional policing methods and embracing new and innovative tactics, to disrupt and dismantle criminal networks responsible for causing huge damages to legitimate businesses”.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, PIPCU has proven popular with the copyright industries, which appreciate having a specialist policing unit to liaise with on piracy matters, especially where they reckon criminal action rather than civil litigation is a better response to high-level copyright infringing activity. And indeed record industry trade body the BPI not only liaises closely with the unit, but also has one of its internet investigators on secondment there.

Welcoming the government’s new commitment to fund the City Of London Police’s IP work, the BPI’s Copyright Protection Unit chief David Wood said in a statement: “The work of PIPCU to date has been invaluable in tackling piracy, which is recognised as a significant threat to musicians’ income, investment in new businesses and the growth of the UK’s creative economy. This funding demonstrates the commitment of the UK government to promoting respect for intellectual property, which acts as the backbone of growth for our world-leading creative and digital media sectors”.

He went on: “Over the next two years, we hope that the combined efforts of the government, enforcement bodies and the voluntary measures undertaken by the creative sector – through Creative Content UK – will result in a step change in attitudes towards piracy and usage of legitimate channels for online content”.

US courts side again with EMI in Duke Ellington dispute

Business News Labels & Publishers Legal

A court in New York has denied the estate of Duke Ellington the right to reinstate a lawsuit against the EMI music publishing business which centred on a royalty dispute.

As previously reported, Ellington’s grandson went legal because local EMI subsidiaries were taking commissions off publishing royalties generated by the jazz great’s music before handing the money over to the major’s US division, which then pays the Ellington estate its cut.

Such a practice is pretty common in the music rights sector, but the lawsuit argued it was specifically forbidden in Ellington’s original 1961 contract with a US publisher subsequently acquired by EMI.

The lawsuit was first filed in 2010 and EMI prevailed, a court ruling that the term in Ellington’s contract regarding local subsidiary commissions only applied to international divisions that existed at the point the contract was signed.

Ellington’s grandson sought a second chance in court, with both sides presenting their arguments last month. But, while appeal judges were not unanimous on the matter, the majority concurred with the lower court’s interpretation of the 1960s contract.

As also previously reported, the widow of ‘Daydream Believer’ songwriter John Stewart also recently sued EMI Music Publishing – now controlled by Sony/ATV of course – about a very similar dispute. It remains to be seen how his legacy contract is interpreted in relation to this matter.

New Asia Pacific boss for Warner Music

Business News Industry People Labels & Publishers

Warner Music Group yesterday announced that Simon Robson, currently COO and CFO for Warner Music UK, will take over leadership of the major’s Asia Pacific division from 1 Jan next year, reporting into Stu Bergen, President, International at Warner Recorded Music. He takes over from Lachie Rutherford who will retire and step down in December this year.

Confirming Robson’s appointment, Bergen said: “Simon is one of our organisation’s most impressive executives whose strategic and operational expertise, as well as his keen commercial instincts and his deep knowledge of the region, mean he is ideally placed to lead Warner Music Asia Pacific into the next phase of its evolution. I am confident that Simon will help us seize the many new opportunities emerging for our artists and our business there and I look forward to all he will accomplish in his new role”.

Back in the UK, Peter Breeden will take over as CFO of Warner’s British business, a promotion from his current role as SVP & Finance Director.

Believe and Kartel collaborate on Poppy Appeal single release

Business News Deals Labels & Publishers Releases

Label services companies Believe Digital and Kartel Music Services are working together to oversee the release of this year’s Poppy Appeal single in aid of the Royal British Legion, which is a recording by Joss Stone and Jeff Beck of a 1970s song by folk man Eric Bogle, ‘No Man’s Land (Green Fields Of France)’.

Confirming his company’s involvement in the project, Believe’s Lee Morrison told reporters: “We are thrilled to be working alongside the prestigious Royal British Legion and close business partners Kartel on this momentous campaign for a truly great cause. We’re honoured to help deliver a brilliant single from Joss Stone and Jeff Beck, one which will contribute hugely towards RBL’s Poppy Appeal”.

Meanwhile Kartel’s Charles Kirby-Welch said: “We’re privileged to be working alongside The Royal British Legion with our partners Believe on this fantastic single and would also like to thank our UK physical distribution partners Proper Music Group for their support on this campaign”.

The Royal British Legion’s Director Of Fundraising, Charles Byrne added: “This is a wonderful tribute, inspired by two of our country’s greatest musical talents, Joss Stone and Jeff Beck. In partnering with Believe’s extensive digital distribution network and Kartel’s expertise in project management and physical distribution, we have every confidence the single will be a great success”.

The single will be released on 3 Nov ahead of Remembrance Sunday on 9 Nov. Listen to it here:

New editorial hires at Noisey

Business News

Vice’s music platform Noisey has announced the appointment of two new members to its editorial team in the form of Joe Zadeh, formerly at Clash magazine, who becomes Associate Editor, and Emma Garland, who has previously written for The Guardian and The 405, who joins as Staff Writer. They will work with Executive Editor Sam Wolfson and Assistant Editor Ryan Bassil.

Confirming the new appointments, Vice UK’s Head Of Music Alex Hoffman told CMU: “We’re thrilled to welcome two people as talented as Joe and Emma to the Noisey team; with them on board we’ll be bolstering the daily editorial output from the site, to sit alongside the existing plethora of world-class reporting, original music videos and hilarious shit that makes Noisey the unique music destination it is today”.

City Showcase finalises programme for Apple Store seminars

Business News Education & Events

The full programme has been confirmed for the previously reported ‘Finding The Future’, three days of talks and panels on all things music business aimed at future talent – both on stage and behind the scenes – taking place at the Apple Store on Regent Street from 13-15 Nov. It’s a free seminar programme presented by City Showcase.

The likes of Alex Boateng from Island Records, Colin Barlow from RCA, Claire Horseman from Coda, Daniel Lloyd-Jones from Sony/ATV, Ed Horrox from 4AD and Ivor Wilkins from MAMA & Company will all take part in the sessions, with moderators including that there Chris Cooke from CMU, who I’m referring to here in the third person, as if it wasn’t me writing this article. How pretentious is that? But I bet that panel on brand partnerships will be fab. In fact, I’m definitely going to that.

Meanwhile, here is City Showcase’s Nanette Rigg on the three day event, which will also include performances from buzzy new acts: “City Showcase has always stood for new artists, ideas and ways to market and this presents the perfect platform to encourage the next generation of creatives to keep pace with trends and be innovative, unique and stand out from the crowd”.

More info here.

Alvin Stardust 1942-2014

Artist News Obituaries

Singer, entertainer and glam-rock star Alvin Stardust has died aged 72 after a brief illness, this following his recently being diagnosed with prostate cancer. His manager confirmed yesterday that Stardust, real name Bernard Jewry, died at his home in Billinghurst, West Sussex, with his wife Julie Paton, four children and family at his side. His first LP in thirty years, titled ‘Alvin’, will be still released as he intended on 3 Nov.

Born in North London in 1942, Stardust’s first intro to showbiz came as a teenager when he did occasional work as a roadie for Shane Fenton And The Fentones. Original frontman Johnny ‘Shane’ Theakstone died suddenly at only sixteen of a heart condition, and the band later asked Jewry to replace him, with the outfit going on to have a string of moderate hits in the early 1960s.

After a quiet time playing the club circuit, a solo Jewry, then still going by Shane Fenton, was chosen by pop impresario and Magnet Records boss Michael (now Lord) Levy to front songwriter Peter Shelley’s ‘My Coo Ca Choo’, with Levy creating and shaping the mean, moody, black-haired Alvin Stardust alias to capitalise on the glam rock craze of the day. The track was released in 1973, and started off a chain of charting singles for Stardust spanning the 1970s and 1980s, not least ‘Jealous Mind’, ‘Pretend’ and ‘I Feel Like Buddy Holly’.

Having watered down his mean image considerably since ‘My Coo Ca Choo’, even teaching kids the Green Cross Code in a 1975 TV advert, Stardust moved more into family entertainment in later years, acting and singing in a number of musicals and TV shows, playing the Child Catcher in a 2005 production of ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ at the London Palladium, and appearing in series like ‘Hollyoaks’ and ‘Doctors’.

Paying his respects to the late star, Lord Levy has said: “He was one of the most professional artists that I had the privilege of working with. He was a real gentleman. Whenever he did TV or a radio appearance he would always thank the staff or the producer. He knew the score and knew what he was doing. He knew he had been given an opportunity and was prepared to graft to make the most of it”.

Meanwhile Stardust’s manager Andy Davies adds: “Alvin and I had only started working together over the last couple of years because he and I believed that musically he still had a great deal to give and explore, and so we recorded an album that is a testament to an artist who gave his career to music. I may not have known him long but even in that short time he proved to be one of the most genuine and likeable men I’ve ever met. His passing is a huge and sad loss”.

Run The Jewels stealth-release RTJ2

Artist News Releases

At last, a big and bold release to compensate for a fairly lax Q4 so far. And no, sorry, it isn’t anything to do with Rihanna and/or Kanye. It is, in fact, the Death Grips-style shock DIY-leak of the new Run The Jewels LP – ‘RTJ2’ – by RTJ’s Killer Mike and El P, earlier this morning (GMT). And it’s free, by the way. Here’s the link to go get it. GO!

The giveaway has only happened several days in advance of the official ‘RTJ2’ release date; which may prove an irritant for fans who’ve already ordered (ie paid for) the 11-track long-player on vinyl or CD via the band’s site. Still, the online reaction so far looks to be all-positive and appreciative, so maybe not.

Anyway this is a tracklisting to browse, and a featured ‘RTJ2’ track in the Zack de la Rocha-guesting ‘Close Your Eyes (And Count To Fuck)’, to take in while you wait for the download to… download.

Jeopardy
Oh My Darling Don’t Cry
Blockbuster Night Part 1
Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck) feat Zack de la Rocha
All My Life
Lie, Cheat, Steal
Early feat Boots
All Due Respect feat Travis Barker
Love Again (Akinyele Back)
Crown feat Diane Coffee
Angel Duster

Panda Bear trails Grim Reaper LP with creepy new single

Artist News Releases

Speaking of RTJ-style sneaky, ahead-of-time releases, Panda Bear has applied that very tactic to a new EP featuring a lead single in ‘Mr Noah’, this itself the first sign of a new LP he has waiting in the wings, titled ‘Panda Bear Meets The Grim Reaper’.

Fated to be Animal Collective man Noah Lennox’s first solo release of any length since 2011’s ‘Tomboy’, ‘Grim Reaper’ already has a microsite with its own trippy trailer, a tracklisting, and a sale-date of 14 Jan 2015.

Then there’s the EP, which is available either via iTunes, or as a free grat gift to anyone paying for the album in advance, or to stream via Spotify.

Climb the dizzying spiral stair of ‘Mr Noah’ following a quick skip over the ‘Grim Reaper’ tracklisting, now:

Sequential Circuits
Mr Noah
Davy Jones’ Locker
Crosswords
Butcher Baker Candlestick Maker
Boys Latin
Come To Your Senses
Tropic of Cancer
Shadow of the Colossus
Lonely Wanderer
Principe Real
Selfish Gene
Acid Wash

Elton and Britney staying on in Vegas, with J-Lo potentially on the way

Artist News Gigs & Festivals Live Business

It’s time for a go on the ‘popstars with Las Vegas residencies’ fruit machine of news, as present-day Vegas headliners Elton John and Britney get an extension and a ‘cash injection’ respectively, and gossip circulates that potential-Vegas-attraction-to-be Jennifer Lopez may or may not be in talks to take a paid vacation in Sin City herself.

So, point one. It’s been confirmed that Elton John’s big ‘Million Dollar Piano’ show at Caesar’s Palace, which premiered in 2011, will go on for another three years. John will also replace Celine Dion on a series of her headlining dates in early 2015, whilst she takes time off to care for her husband Rene Angelil, who has throat cancer. It’s unclear when (and even if) Dion will be back in the Vegas spotlight, and it’s also highly likely she won’t appear as initially billed at the Caesars Palace’s Colosseum arena on New Year’s Eve, a show that’s at the moment still pending a headline act.

Next, it’s relative Las Vegas newb Britney Spears, who’s been given a raise for ‘allegedly’ miming all her greatest hits at the Planet Hollywood-based Axis arena over the past year. Spears – who first revealed scant details of her ‘Piece Of Me’ residency by, basically, vomiting in a helicopter – has brokered a deal with Planet Hollywood promoters to play more shows (140 over two years as opposed to the initially-agreed 96), and be paid more per show. TMZ reports that Brit will bank $475,000 for each date she does, over $150,000 more than was stated in her original contract. Which isn’t half bad, as pay rises go.

Third and last, Jennifer Lopez might possibly be ‘doing a Celine/Britney/Elton’ and getting her own show, also at The Axis, soon. TMZ claims J-Lo is in the ‘final stages’ of sealing a deal with a $350,000 per show paycheque attached. Yeee-haaa, I sure hope some of that’s true! Let’s all maybe wait on official confirmation before booking our flights, though.

CMU’s One Liners: Brian Eno, by:Larm, Chuckles x Tinchy and more…

Artist News Digital Gigs & Festivals One Liners Releases

Other notable announcements and developments today…

• NASA has a SoundCloud now, space cadets, via which it’ll upload audio clips from various historic flights and current missions, such as a shuttle launching. Nothing from actual space, because in space no one can hear… um, anything. Boldly go and browse the clips now.

• Big CMU favourite Frankie Rose has made a GiveForward page to raise money for her family, who have been rendered “suddenly destitute and homeless” following a “random act of violence”. Have a look, and maybe give a little if you can, via this link.

• Having ‘hit if off’ on an eppy of ITV’s ‘Celebrity Juice’, Tinchy Stryder and The Chuckle Brothers have released a single together, and made a video for SBTV to go with it. I can’t even. ‘To Me, To You (Bruv)’ is on iTunes right now, and profits from all sales will go to the charity ACLT, which raises awareness of leukemia, blood cancers and organ transplants.

• Ambient man Brian Eno, is to re-release four of his LPs, from 1992’s ‘Nerve Net’ to 1997’s ‘The Drop’, via All Saints Records this December. Each will have a bolt-on disc of rarities, unreleased tracks, and other complicated goodies. Extensive info on the All Saints site.

• NYC rap mutts Ratking have let go the new video for ‘Cocoa 88’, the hidden closing track to their first and only LP ‘So It Goes’. Watch the trio and co-star DJ Dog Dick in it now.

• Scott Walker and Sunn o))) have unveiled the Gisèle Vienne-directed video for ‘Brando’, the doomy, halting first track on their fifty-minute-long collaborative LP ‘Soused’. Dance gaily (not) to it via this link.

• Oslo’s by:Larm festival has listed the first lot of acts confirmed to play its 2015 iteration. And they are: Samaris Anna Of The North, Karl William, Long-Sam and Sabina Ddumba. Tickets to/details of the event, which takes place between 4-7 Mar, are here.

• FKA Twigs, AKA the odds-on fave artist to win this year’s Mercury Prize next week, has listed a big-capacity new live date at London’s Roundhouse on 19 Feb. The link to get tickets has been live since 10am today, and here it is.

CMU Beef Of The Week #229: Mike Read v Mike Read

And Finally Beef Of The Week Business News Media

So, one time Radio 1 deejay Mike Read knows a thing or two about getting angry about pop songs. His boycott of Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s ‘Relax’ in 1984 – occurring while he was still spinning records at the nation’s favourite – propelled the track straight to number one in the charts. And maybe, for a few minutes earlier this week, the radio man thought the ‘self-defeating-boycott phenomenon’ might this time play in his favour.

Because you see, Mike Read isn’t just a champion player of other people’s pop records. Oh no, he’s a many layered man is Mike Read. For starters, he’s an accomplished songwriter. Few can forget his Oscar Wilde themed stage musical ‘Oscar’. Because it shut down after just one performance meaning hardly anyone ever heard it in the first place.

But that’s not the only additional layer to Readie. Oh no, he’s also rather political. In fact, he used to be a regular at the Conservative Party Conference. Few can forget his ten minute political rap at the big Tory bash back in 2006. Because everyone in attendance was euthanised shortly afterwards for the safety of both them and their family members.

These days, however, Mike Read has shunned even the rap-loving Tories, and is now a big fan of the UKIPs. Not because he’s racist, mind. No, he’s just very angry about THEM. You know, THEM. Bloody THEM. Coming over here, meddling with our stuff. If only we could stop THEM. Get rid of THEM. Show THEM who’s boss. THEM’s the problem, see. Get rid of THEM and it’ll be cream cakes for tea. For everyone. Forever.

But enough of reciting UKIP’s 2015 General Election manifesto and back to the Readster, who recently penned a song just for his new political friends, who are still on a high, of course, after their recent by-election win in Clacton. And as we all know, whereas the Tories love nothing more than a good old rap, the UKIPs prefer a calypso of an evening, and Read, it has to be said, knows his audience.

And so earlier this week UKIP announced via Facebook that their “celebrity member” had a record out and that all its supporters should buy a copy right away from iTunes or Amazon, to send the tune right to the top of the hit parade. Some people duly downloaded the track, though others got a little bit bothered about Read’s anti-immigrant lyrics and even more so the cod Caribbean accent the deejay adopted when performing his tune.

Some – including Read’s former employer – picked holes in some of the ‘fact’-based lyrics, while the charity which UKIP had declared would benefit from sales of the record announced it wouldn’t be able to accept the cash. Said the Red Cross: “As a neutral organisation, we cannot benefit from something which overtly supports one political party. In addition, the Red Cross has a proud history of helping refugees and asylum seekers who are negatively referred to in the lyrics”.

Clearly it was all political correctness gone mad. A conspiracy, no doubt, engineered by THEM again. Bloody THEM. I mean, clearly Mike Read’s ‘UKIP Calypso’ was no different than, erm, The Beatles. And Elvis. And The Rolling Stones. No different at all. As UKIP’s Commonwealth Spokesman Winston McKenzie said: “From ever since the beginning of time, The Beatles, Elvis, The Rolling Stones – they’ve taken up the black man’s music”.

I’m pretty sure neither The Beatles nor Elvis nor The Rolling Stones have been doing that from the “beginning of time”, but let’s not nitpick, clearly Read’s ditty was just “an old-fashioned political satire”. Or at least that’s what the deejay reckoned when he came out in defence of his record at the start of the week. And that accent? “You can’t sing a calypso with a Surrey accent” he cleverly pointed out. “I love all the cultures and creeds around the world”.

Go Readie. Stand your ground, why don’t you? Against all those right-on lefties trying to stop the working man from buying this record. People like, erm, Mike Read. “I’ve asked the record company to withdraw the single immediately” he subsequently announced on Wednesday. “I’m so sorry that the song unintentionally caused offence. That was never my intention and I apologise unreservedly if anyone has taken offence”.

Aha, clearly it was all political correctness gone right. And so it looks unlikely the UKIPs will top the hit parade after all thanks to the meddling of one Mike Read. Just another THEM.

Approved: Virginia Wing

CMU Approved

The first thing to say of SE London’s Virginia Wing – or Alice Merida Richards, Sam Pillay (ex-Let’s Wrestle) and Sebastian Truskolaski – is that the band have a new LP, ‘Measures Of Joy’, filed for release on 2 Nov, via the ever-great Fire Records. So write that date down.

Moving on, or rather, back, ‘Measures’ lights on top of a small pile of singles and EPs (dating back to 2012’s brilliant ‘A Worn Path’/’Divination’ tape), retailed on tight-knit labels like Sexbeat, Critical Heights and the Brighton-based Faux Discx. And over the lifeline of which VW’s basic line-up has shuffled back and forth a fair bit, with Richards taking over main vocals from one-time frontman-of-sorts Mike ‘Lightning’ Hankin early on. Or at least, I think that’s what happened… the band’s biog is kind of hard to track.

Anyway, that’s the history part over with, so now to listen to a pair of advance tracks off the Virginia Wing of today’s ‘Measures Of Joy’; namely the smoky, close-coiled ‘World Contact’ and after, with its own meditative and slightly chilly video, avant-pop-song-with-poise ‘Marnie’:

Kesha claims about Dr Luke contradicted in earlier deposition

Artist News Legal Top Stories

There were developments earlier this week in the high profile and emotive legal battle between Kesha and her long-time collaborator Dr Luke.

As previously reported, in legal papers filed earlier this month Kesha accused Luke, real name Lukasz Gottwald, whose label and music publishing outfit she signed to aged eighteen, of forcing her to “take drugs and alcohol in order to take advantage of her sexually while she was intoxicated”. Gottwald quickly fired back accusing Kesha and her mother of making false accusations as part of a dispute over contracts between the singer and producer.

A key development this week is the publication of a deposition – an out of court testimony given under oath – that was given by Kesha in relation to earlier litigation in which the singer and her producer were on the same side. The 2010 dispute was between the duo and DAS Communications, which had managed the singer for a time.

In the deposition, made public at the request of Gottwald’s lawyers, Kesha seemingly defended the producer over various allegations made about his conduct, denying he had ever assaulted her or forced her to take drugs. Those statements seem to directly contradict some of the allegations made in her new lawsuit.

But Kesha’s legal rep Mark Geragos has countered the release of the deposition transcriptions, implying that his client had been intimidated by the producer even during the 2010 litigation. He told reporters yesterday: “After the deposition, after the threats, she went into rehab and therapy and now she’s finally strong enough that she’s not going to be intimidated or threatened anymore”.

The case continues.

East London’s Vibe Bar closing over licensing issues

Business News Legal Live Business

East London’s Vibe Bar is to close after a run in between the venue’s owners and local licensing authorities. Owners of the space, which was one of the clubbing venues that helped spearhead the 1990s economic revival of the Brick Lane area of London, say that current strict licensing laws have turned clubs in the area into “prisons with airport-style security”.

According to the Evening Standard, Vibe Bar owner Alan Miller called the licensing rules put in place by Tower Hamlets Council “petty minded”, adding that they had turned Brick Lane “into a quieter place” during clubbing hours. Meanwhile a clamp down on one-off licence extensions for special events had led to a 30% drop in business.

A spokesman for the local council, though, said that licensing regulations hadn’t actually changed, and that it remained a “strong supporter” of Brick Lane bars and clubs.

As previously reported, near by venue 93 Feet East was shut for a time last year after having its licence revoked by Tower Hamlets, but it was able to reopen after taking successful legal action against the local authority.

MN2S recruits two more agents

Business News Industry People Live Business

The MN2S booking agency has added to its team by recruiting two new agents in the form of Joanna Miles, who comes to the firm from This Agency, and Lindsay Maclaren, who makes the move from IMD. The former brings with her acts like Saytek, Death On The Balcony and Tone Of Arc, while the latter will look after the likes of Terry Farley, Cristian Varela, and Utah Saints.

Commenting on her new role, Miles told reporters: “MN2S has always been an agency I’ve looked up to and being asked to join the team here is really exciting, for both me and my artists. You can tell it’s a successful place to work as soon as you meet everyone. It’s really great to be given the opportunity to work with such a talented group of agents and artists”.

Meanwhile Maclaren said: “It goes without saying that I am thrilled to have joined MN2S who are one of the leading and most admirable booking agencies in the industry. The company boasts a fantastic roster which continues to expand with outstanding talent from across the globe and I look forward to the months ahead working alongside their dynamic and knowledgeable team”.

Pandora launches data service for artists

Business News Digital

Pandora continues in its bid to convince the music community it’s not evil by offering artists access to listening data. As previously reported, the US-based streaming service, currently wholly licensed through the collective system in America, has faced a considerable backlash from across the wider music community because of its various attempts to reduce the royalty payments it has to pay to labels and publishers.

The latest in a number of initiatives to placate music people, Pandora AMP will offer artists access to a range of data based on how their music is consumed on the streaming platform. Fan data is all the rage in the music industry of course, and has a definite value to managers and labels, and Spotify has also offered some data services as part of its artist outreach programme. Music people, therefore, seem likely to check out Pandora AMP, even if they retain the right to grumble about the digital firm at every possible opportunity.

Announcing the new service in a blog post, Pandora founder Tim Westergren said: “With AMP, we hope to make the day in and day out easier for artists by eliminating the guesswork. From finding out what songs are performing well to informing singles or set lists, to mapping where an artist’s fanbase is to informing tour schedules, our ultimate goal is to help artists across the spectrum build and maintain their careers. We’re just getting started, but we have a strong vision for where this can lead and are excited to watch it take shape”.

RAJAR Round Up: Good quarter for 6, less so for Radio 1 and Heart

Business News Media

What five things do you need to know about the latest round of radio listening figures from the good old stat monkeys at RAJAR? Well…

1. 6 Music had a very good RAJAR quarter, with a weekly average audience of 1.99 million, putting the station which the crazy loons at the Beeb once planned to shut down (seems like a moment of madness with hindsight, doesn’t it?) ever so close to two million listeners. It also extended its lead over Radio 3 (the audience size for which was up slightly on the previous quarter, but down year-on-year). Digital only 6 Music having a bigger audience than the Beeb’s classical channel led to Tom Watson MP recently suggesting the former should get the latter’s prestigious slot on FM.

2. Radio 1 did not have a tip top RAJAR quarter, with its overall audience down 2.5% year-on-year to 10.6 million. Prime time DJ man Nick Grimshaw also saw his audience size slip quarter-on-quarter, to 5.82 million, although he was up on this time last year. And Radio 1 would like you to know that it is now operating in the super-duper multi-channel age, and that its brand exists beyond its FM/DAB channels. There are even plans for a Radio 1 channel on the iPlayer. The telly iPlayer. They have a point really, Radio 1 is now a multi-media brand. Which is why everyone should take notice of my proposal to merge Radio 1 and BBC 3, creating BBC 1.5. Possibly.

3. Chris Evans did not have a brilliant RAJAR quarter, in that his audience was down 600,000 on the previous period, though his is still the biggest breakfast show on British radio, and he’s working for the biggest radio station in the UK, Radio 2. So let’s not worry too much for Evans.

4. How about some commercial radio? Heart London had a bad quarter, with its lowest audience figures in fourteen years at 1.44 million weekly listeners. Though outside of London, Heart is doing a bit better. In those areas that got Heart recently as a result of Global’s rebrand of former Real Radio stations, weekly reach on those channels is up. Biggest in London on the commercial radio side is also Global-owned Capital FM, though its newer sister station Capital XTRA still isn’t doing so well. Maybe it wasn’t a great ‘choice’ to rebrand from Choice.

5. UK-wide on the commercial side, Bauer’s Absolute Radio topped four million listeners across its network of stations, though it is Absolute 80s rather than the brand’s main channel that is really delivering. The biggest digital-only commercial station, with 1.43 million listeners each week, the 80s version of Absolute isn’t now so far away from its flagship sister station, which also broadcasts on AM across the UK and FM in London, and has 1.87 million listeners.

Wilko Johnson free of cancer and feeling iconic

Artist News

More from Wilko Johnson’s pretty extraordinary recovery story now, as the one-time Dr Feelgood guitarist – who had a major operation to alleviate his long-standing (and, it was thought circa his initial diagnosis in 2012, terminal) pancreatic cancer back in June – says he is now free of the disease and doing well.

Appearing at yesterday’s Q Awards to accept this year’s Icon prize, Johnson said: “I feel so iconic, I feel like a little flat square thing that sticks on the computer screen. That’s an icon”. Iconic? Ironic, more like. Right?

Wilko went on to say that a holiday in Japan had helped him get his strength back following the big operation, which involved the removal of his whole pacreas, and parts of his stomach and other organs, adding: “I think very very soon I’m going to go into a rehearsal room with the band and see if I can remember how to do it”.

“This tumour weighed 3kg. That’s the size of a baby. Anyway, they got it all. They cured me”, he said finally.

Ain’t no party like a televised, charity-motivated S Club mega-party

Artist News

So. 4:3 girl:boy ratio pop superband S Club 7, aka the S Club Seniors, are back. Back to you, that is. Okay… fine, they’re “bring(ing) it all back to you”. I said it. I hope you’re happy.

Yes, that’s right. All seven S Club stars – even the still moderately high-profile ones (Rachel and Hannah basically) – have finally given in and, because they so love raising money for kids’ charities, will pretend to like each other for a limited time in aid of this year’s BBC Children In Need appeal.

First off, so you know it’s real, this is an audio clip in which the whole S Club bunch say their names, thus binding themselves in a verbal contract. Pop’s most magnificent seven will sing a megamix of their greatest hits on the big live Children In Need show, which airs on 14 Nov.

In the meantime, they’ve given the BBC a ‘band statement’ expressing their excitement. Which goes like this: “We’re massive fans of BBC Children In Need and it was great to be able to support the charity all those years ago. We’re really looking forward to bringing it all back for Pudsey, for BBC Children In Need and for all our fans who have been so great over the years. This is going to be the mega S Club party of all time!”.

If you’re too young to know or too old to care who and what S Club 7 are, this is a quickish history painstakingly compiled by Popjustice.

Kate Bush takes stock ‘After The Dawn’

Artist News

Dear everyone who went to one of Kate Bush’s 22 back-to-back ‘Before The Dawn’ shows at London’s Hammersmith Apollo earler this year, and dear everyone else, too.

Anyway, as I wasn’t saying, but will now, Kate has written a passage or two via her official site about what it was like to play live again after 35 years. And she writes that the experience was “one of the most extraordinary of my life”.

Mostly though, it’s a nice, polite thank you note (like your parents used to make you write to your grandparents at Christmas) to all the audiences who showed up to watch. Writes Bush: “I was really delighted that the shows were received so positively and so warmly but the really unexpected part of it all was the audiences. Audiences that you could only ever dream of”.

She goes on: “One of the main reasons for wanting to perform live again was to have contact with that audience. They took my breath away. Every single night they were so behind us. You could feel their support from the minute we walked on stage. I just never imagined it would be possible to connect with an audience on such a powerful and intimate level; to feel such, well quite frankly, love. It was like this at every single show”.

Japan Night steps up music export plans with international concert announcement

Business News Gigs & Festivals Live Business

A collaboration between the Federation Of Music Producers Japan and ad agency Dentsu, music export venture Japan Night today announced plans for a series of worldwide concerts to promote the country’s artists internationally in the run-up to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

Japan Night launched earlier this year with an event at the Kokuritsu Kyogijo Stadium, with artists such as pop trio Perfume and rock band L’Arc-En-Ciel playing to 120,000 people, including invited international guests, over two days.

And today it was announced that the event will now also take place in Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Singapore in 2015, followed by the US and Europe in 2016. Other events will then be held before it returns to the redeveloped Kokuritsu Kyogijo in 2020, ahead of the Tokyo Games.

Aiji Oda of one of the project’s partners, Sync Music Japan, explained at a press conference: “The aim of Japan Night is to spread the love and appreciation of Japanese music all around the world, and create new fans in the process”.

Today Japan Night hosted the final night showcase of this year’s Tokyo International Music Market conference, with three bands from different rock genres performing – Vamps, [Alexandros] and Sakanaction.

Of the three bands, Vamps have performed internationally the most, but still feel that there are barriers to going abroad as a Japanese act. Frontman Hyde said at today’s announcement: “We want to do as much as we can as a band, but currently our international options are limited. A project like this is a tremendous opportunity, so we are very happy to participate … tonight’s show will be short, but we want to communicate everything good about what we do in that time”.

Look out for a full interview with Vamps next week, plus a look at the current state of the digital music market in Japan in the next edition of the CMU Digest Report (subscribe now!).

Q Awards dished out

Artist News Awards

What’s this, an awards show just for music people, oh my Lord what did we do to deserve one of them? How lucky are we? Thank you Q magazine, for putting the music press’s depressing slide into oblivion on hold for a whole afternoon so that some music business egos could finally be shined. If only there could be more of these music awards shows. I mean, there’s definitely one morning in November when there isn’t one.

But who, you are all definitely asking right about now, won themselves a Q-like nod of approval? Well only this bloody lot. I see Kasabian were there. I do hope they served up chicken and broccoli for lunch.

Best Album: Elbow – The Take Off And Landing Of Everything
Best Track: Paolo Nutini – Iron Sky
Best Video: Jamie xx – Sleep Sound
Best Act In The World Today: Kasabian
Best New Act: Sam Smith
Best Solo Artist: Ed Sheeran
Best Live Act: Kasabian

Classic Album: Pink Floyd – Dark Side Of The Moon
Classic Songwriter: Andy Partridge
Gibson Les Paul Award: Johnny Marr
Inspiration: Simple Minds
Hero: The Charlatans
Innovation In Sound: Jean Michel Jarre
Icon: Wilko Johnson
Hero: The Charlatans
Outstanding Contribution To Music: Richard Russell

MOBOs dished out

Artist News Awards

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, after a long, long, long, long wait of, oh, I don’t know, I think it was about four hours, the music business finally got itself another awards event all of its own last night in the form of the MOBOs, beamed from the Wembley Entertainment Shed in London to a waiting world via the esteemed broadcasting bastion that is ITV2.

And here, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, after a long, long, long, long wait of, oh, I don’t know, I think it was about one click, is another list of music type winners. Relish it people, it’s not like you get a music awards show every week of the year. Because there’s that week in June when there isn’t one.

Best Male: Sam Smith
Best Female: Jessie J
Best International: Beyoncé
Best Newcomer: Ella Eyre

Best Song: Sam Smith ‘Stay With Me’
Best Album: Sam Smith
Best Video: Skepta ft J.M.E ‘That’s Not Me’

Best Reggae Act: Stylo G
Best Hip-Hop Act: Krept and Konan
Best R&B/Soul Act: Sam Smith
Best Gospel Act: Living Faith Connection Choir
Best Jazz Act: Zara McFarlane
Best Grime Act: Stormzy
Best African Act: Fuse ODG

Inspiration Award: Idris Elba

CMU’s One Liners: Sony/ATV, Son Lux, Slim Twig and more

Artist News Business News Deals Education & Events Gigs & Festivals Labels & Publishers One Liners Releases

Other notable announcements and developments today…

• Sony’s music publishing house Sony/ATV has promoted one Rich Christina to the position of SVP, Head Of East Coast A&R. Christina will be based at the company’s New York office, reporting to Sony/ATV’s American co-president Danny Strick. Meanwhile, Christina’s team has itself a new Director Of A&R in the form of Clip Massey, who joins Sony/ATV from Universal Music Publishing.

• Alternative pop artiste Son Lux, real name Ryan Lott, has signed to Glassnote Records, so there. His first release via the new deal will be his original score to James McAvoy’s new film ‘The Disappearance Of Eleanor Rigby’, on 4 Nov. From that, this is the Faux Fix-featuring ‘No Fate Awaits Me’.

• In a blast from the Approved past, Canadian pop auteur Slim Twig (pictured), aka Max Turnbull, has signed to DFA Records to give his 2012 LP, the startling ‘A Hound At The Hem’, an official release on 1 Dec. Prime your mind for that by watching the vid for one of its songs, ‘All This Wanting’, NOW.

• This year’s UK Music Video Awards in London on 10 Nov will be preceded by the first ever MusicVidFest conference, with Grammy Award-winning director Joseph Kahn confirmed as the event’s keynote speaker. Get all the God damn info at musicvidfest.com

• The first wave of artists and conference events at next year’s SXSW (the music bit) – taking place in Austin, Texas, between 17 and 22 Mar – have been named. Jessie Ware, Courtney Barnett, Bishop Nehru and Ibeyi are all playing; and topics of conversation at the convention will include ‘Ladies First: How To Be A Woman in Rap Journalism, ‘That Sync-ing Feeling!’ and ‘Getting Royalties From Streaming Music Services’. Details via sxsw.com

• Indie-pop-inclining five-piece Dutch Uncles will, on 23 Feb 2015, release their new LP. It’s titled ‘O Shudder’, an overarching banner for its contents, which are, says lead singer Duncan Wallis, a series of meditations on “pregnancy, terrorism, school discos, divorce, health scares, sexual dysfunction and job-seeking”. I dread to imagine. Here’s cringe-y lead single ‘In N Out’.

• Approved whispy-voiced folk singer Jessica Pratt has detailed her latest LP, ‘On Your Own Love Again’, which will be released via Drag City on 27 Jan 2015. It’s been in the making for several years now, so in place of an up-to-date track, here she is singing an early take of ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’ (which is in fact on the forthcoming long player) back in 2011.

• ‘Big in France’ Franco-Finnish pairing The Dø will release their latest LP ‘Shake Shook Shaken’ over in ol Britain on 26 Jan 2015. Inspired by ‘sisu’, the Finnish word for ‘resilience and bravery’, the album is, says vocalist Olivia Merilahti based on the idea of “finding oneself in chaos and knowing how to live with it”. Dip into that notion via featured track ‘Despair, Hangover & Ecstasy’ (so essentially an average weekend, then), here.

Taylor Swift makes fans pay for white noise

And Finally Artist News

In phase II of Taylor Swift’s deeply evil and slightly deranged experiment testing her fans’ ability to stay loyal to all-things T-Swizzy, in the face of a load of smoke and mirrors trickery and, let’s face it, total bullshit, the ‘Shake It Off’ star released a track earlier this week with a radical new sonic aesthetic.

Radical in that the song, priced at $1.29 per download, titled ‘Track 3’, and a special preview of Swift’s immeasurably-hyped new LP ‘1989’, was eight seconds of static. Or white noise. Or BASICALLY CRACKLY SILENCE. Which didn’t stop it from topping the iTunes chart in Canada within minutes of it going on sale (in Canada only).

So I guess Taylor’s sweet, faithful Canadian Swifties pass the ultimate test and win the big game; tolerating Swift’s nation-by-nation approach to promoting her new long player, cited after British fans wondered where the “available to all on iTunes NOW” ‘1989’ preview track ‘Out Of The Woods’ was last week (when it wasn’t available in the UK).

Slate writer Forrest Wickman, by the way, thinks the ‘Track 3’ trick was down to “some sort of glitch” in Canada’s iTunes, which is always possible I suppose.

Or it might be a publicity ploy, as if ‘1989’ hasn’t been shoved into the public consciousness quite enough already. And maybe if it’s played backwards you hear Taylor Swift whispering a satanic incantation… um, backwards. Like I said, it’s all a big, evil, scheme. And most importantly of all, can ‘1989’ please just be released already? I mean, really. Sick of it now.

Monday 27 October 2014, 11:44 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Susanne Sundfør

Monday 27 October 2014, 11:43 | By Aly Barchi

Other notable announcements and developments today…

READ MORE ABOUT: Alex G | Drake | Iggy Azalea | Låpsley | Marr's Plectrum Records | Moodymann | MØ | Red Bull Music Academy

Monday 27 October 2014, 11:42 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: Roger Daltrey

Friday 24 October 2014, 11:55 | By Paul Vig

Congo Natty rocked Ramsgate beach earlier this year at a free festival I stumbled upon, so I can confirm first hand his ability to energise a crowd.

READ MORE ABOUT: Congo Natty | Dillinja

Friday 24 October 2014, 11:54 | By Chris Cooke

The UK government yesterday confirmed another two years of funding for the City Of London Police’s Intellectual Property Crime Unit, or PIPCU, which has been spearheading a number of anti-piracy initiatives since its launch last year.

READ MORE ABOUT: City Of London Police | PIPCU

Friday 24 October 2014, 11:53 | By Chris Cooke

A court in New York has denied the estate of Duke Ellington the right to reinstate a lawsuit against the EMI music publishing business which centred on a royalty dispute.

READ MORE ABOUT: Duke Ellington | EMI

Friday 24 October 2014, 11:52 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: Simon Robson | Warner Music

Friday 24 October 2014, 11:51 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: Believe | Jeff Beck | Joss Stone | Kartel Music Services | Royal British Legion

Friday 24 October 2014, 11:50 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: Emma Garland | Joe Zadeh | Noisey | Vice

Friday 24 October 2014, 11:49 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: City Showcase

Friday 24 October 2014, 11:48 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Alvin Stardust

Friday 24 October 2014, 11:47 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Run The Jewels

Friday 24 October 2014, 11:46 | By Aly Barchi

Speaking of RTJ-style sneaky, ahead-of-time releases, Panda Bear has applied that very tactic to a new EP featuring a lead single in ‘Mr Noah’, this itself the first sign of a new LP he has waiting in the wings, titled ‘Panda Bear Meets The Grim Reaper’.

READ MORE ABOUT: Panda Bear

Friday 24 October 2014, 11:44 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Britney Spears | Elton John | Jennifer Lopez

Friday 24 October 2014, 11:43 | By Aly Barchi

Other notable announcements and developments today…

READ MORE ABOUT: Brian Eno | by:Larm | FKA Twigs | Frankie Rose | NASA | Ratking | Scott Walker | Sun O))) | The Chuckle Brothers | Tinchy Stryder

Friday 24 October 2014, 11:41 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: Mike Read | UKIP

Thursday 23 October 2014, 11:57 | By Aly Barchi

The first thing to say of SE London’s Virginia Wing – or Alice Merida Richards, Sam Pillay (ex-Let’s Wrestle) and Sebastian Truskolaski – is that the band have a new LP, ‘Measures Of Joy’, filed for release on 2 Nov, via the ever-great Fire Records. So write that date down.

READ MORE ABOUT: Virginia Wing

Thursday 23 October 2014, 11:56 | By Chris Cooke

There were developments earlier this week in the high profile and emotive legal battle between Kesha and her long-time collaborator Dr Luke.

READ MORE ABOUT: Dr Luke | Kesha

Thursday 23 October 2014, 11:55 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: Vibe Bar

Thursday 23 October 2014, 11:54 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: Joanna Miles | Lindsay Maclaren | MN2S

Thursday 23 October 2014, 11:52 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: Pandora

Thursday 23 October 2014, 11:51 | By Chris Cooke

What five things do you need to know about the latest round of radio listening figures from the good old stat monkeys at RAJAR? Well…

READ MORE ABOUT: RAJAR

Thursday 23 October 2014, 11:50 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Wilko Johnson

Thursday 23 October 2014, 11:49 | By Aly Barchi

So. 4:3 girl:boy ratio pop superband S Club 7, aka the S Club Seniors, are back. Back to you, that is. Okay… fine, they’re “bring(ing) it all back to you”. I said it. I hope you’re happy.

READ MORE ABOUT: Children In Need | S Club 7

Thursday 23 October 2014, 11:48 | By Aly Barchi

Dear everyone who went to one of Kate Bush’s 22 back-to-back ‘Before The Dawn’ shows at London’s Hammersmith Apollo earler this year, and dear everyone else, too.

READ MORE ABOUT: Kate Bush

Thursday 23 October 2014, 11:47 | By Andy Malt

A collaboration between the Federation Of Music Producers Japan and ad agency Dentsu, music export venture Japan Night today announced plans for a series of worldwide concerts to promote the country’s artists internationally in the run-up to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

READ MORE ABOUT: Japan Night | Sakanaction | Tokyo International Music Market | Vamps | [Alexandros]

Thursday 23 October 2014, 11:46 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: Q Awards

Thursday 23 October 2014, 11:45 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: MOBO Awards

Thursday 23 October 2014, 11:44 | By Aly Barchi

Other notable announcements and developments today…

READ MORE ABOUT: Dutch Uncles | Jessica Pratt | MusicVidFest | Rich Christina | Slim Twig | Son Lux | Sony Music Publishing | SXSW | The Dø

Thursday 23 October 2014, 11:43 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Taylor Swift