Thursday 25 February 2016, 11:15 | By

Richard Ashcroft discusses new album

Artist News Gigs & Festivals Releases

Richard Ashcroft

Richie Ashcroft has got one of those solo album things to share, his fourth, and the first since 2006. Titled ‘These People’, it’ll be released by his own Righteous Phonographic Association in partnership with Cooking Vinyl on 20 May.

The album is produced by longtime collaborator Chris Potter, and reunites the Verve man with string arranger Wil Malone, with whom Ashcroft has worked several times before, most recently on his 2000 debut solo album ‘Alone With Everybody’.

Of the new album, Ashcroft says: “Some personal and world events take a darker turn, leading to a sense of urgency and clearing of the mind. My lane in the chaos becomes clearer. To be a modern day troubadour, to play a set of songs in front of 30,000 Mexicans all singing back with six strings and one voice – this influences the final stages of the new album”.

And as if that wasn’t clear enough, he adds: “To do nothing would be a crime – this sick nihilistic age of war. The line has been drawn – who are these people?”

You may or may not get more chat like this from Ashcroft at the two live shows he’s playing in support of the album at the Albert Hall in Manchester on 14 May and The Roundhouse in London on 16 May.

Here’s the album’s first single, ‘This Is How It Feels’:

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Thursday 25 February 2016, 11:09 | By

CMU’s One Liners: Southbank Centre, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Singtel, more

Artist News Business News Digital Gigs & Festivals Industry People Live Business Media One Liners Releases

Southbank Centre

Other notable announcements and developments today…

• London’s Southbank Centre has appointed Bengi Ünsal to the role of Senior Contemporary Music Programmer. She previously ran the venue at the Istanbul Foundation For Culture And Arts.

• Amazon will live stream a Macklemore & Ryan Lewis show taking place in Seattle tomorrow night. And you don’t need to be an Amazon Prime subscriber to watch it. Which is a fucker. I accidentally signed up last month while trying to sneak some free delivery on an ink pad.

• Singapore-based tel co Singtel has allied with rival streaming platforms Spotify, KKBOX and AMPed for its Singtel Music service. Customers can sign up to any one of those services at a slight discount, plus streams will not come out of a user’s mobile data allocation.

• Frankie Cosmos has released a new video for ‘Is It Possible/Sleep Song’. Her new album ‘Next Thing’ is out on 1 Apr.

• Hey! Lovespeake have released their second single, ‘Tightrope’. Have yourself a listen here.

• Make music? Unsigned? British or Irish? Want to perform at the Isle Of Wight Festival? Over 18? Got an internet connection? Available to play at a final in London on 29 Mar? Capable of clicking on a link? Sorted.

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Thursday 25 February 2016, 10:59 | By

Dermot O’Leary to return and rescue X-Factor, reckons The Sun

And Finally Business News Media

Dermot O'Leary

With everyone abandoning the sinking ship that is ‘The X-Factor’, ITV and Syco need a strong swimmer on board, and who swims stronger than one time captain Dermot O’Leary? Lots of people probably. But, says The Sun, it’s O’Leary that ‘X’ bosses reckon could return the telly talent tosh fest to its former glory.

Of course, O’Leary only recently insisted he’d never go back to the ITV franchise, while telling the Radio Times that the show probably needed to take a year off. But The Sun reckons that ‘X’ boss Simon Cowell wants him back now, and has told the presenter to “name his price”, with the hope the host may be lured back to a three series deal.

The tabloid quotes one of those insiders as saying: “Dermot will come back to ‘The X-Factor’. Talks are under way on his deal but everything is positive. Everyone, including Dermot and Simon, has the will to make it work”.

And the will to backtrack on past remarks on O’Leary’s part, presumably. As long as they pay him enough to buy the biggest water wings in history, all will be fine.

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Thursday 25 February 2016, 10:24 | By

Approved: White Lung

CMU Approved

White Lung

White Lung have long stood out as a band of above average talents, something signing to Domino for the release of 2014 album ‘Deep Fantasy’ helped to bring to wider attention. And that attention should hopefully widen further with the release of their fourth album, ‘Paradise’, on 6 May.

The first single from the new LP, released this week, ‘Hungry’, definitely sets them up for bigger things. Although recognisably White Lung, it’s a step forward for their sound and songwriting, and an ear-grabbing start to the band’s year.

“There’s this really stupid attitude that only punks have where it’s somehow uncool to become a better songwriter”, frontwoman Mish Barber-Way told Annie Clark in a recent interview. “In no other musical genre are your fans going to drop you when you start progressing”.

“That would be like parents being disappointed in their child for graduating from kindergarten to the first grade” she went on. “‘Paradise’ is the best songwriting we have ever done, and I expect the next record to be the same. I have no interest in staying in kindergarten”.

Watch the video for ‘Hungry’ here:

Stay up to date with all of the artists featured in the CMU Approved column in 2016 by subscribing to our Spotify playlist.

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Wednesday 24 February 2016, 12:34 | By

P2P may be down, but music piracy continues to grow, says new research

Business News Digital Labels & Publishers Top Stories

MusicWatch

Following some chatter that occurred during the whole “Kanye’s Tidal-exclusive album is on the file-sharing networks, shocker!” moment last week – to the effect that music piracy has waned in recent years – US research firm MusicWatch has stepped up with a big fat “no, no, no, no”, aided by the results of a survey it conducted back in December.

MusicWatch confirms that while the number of Americans tapping P2P file-sharing networks for free unlicensed music has likely halved in the last decade (it estimates there were about 41 million such file-sharers in the US in 2004, compared to about 22 million in 2015), that doesn’t mean online piracy across the board is declining.

Because, reckons MusicWatch, the “badquirers” are still involved in plenty of “badquisition” (yeah, those are the firm’s actual terms), they’re just using alternative methods like “streamripping”. I think they missed a trick there to be honest, why not call it “stripping”?

The point is, the sharing of links to content stored in digital lockers and the ripping of music streams, especially off platforms like YouTube, have become increasingly popular ways for people to get free music as P2P file-sharing has gone into decline. Overall, MusicWatch estimates that 57 million Americans are now “badquiring” music through the various piracy channels, including 35% of those who are still buying CDs and downloads.

Given that the music industry has gone out of its way to provide legitimate free streaming services in recent years – partly ad funded, partly through tel-co partnerships, and partly as loss-leader marketing platforms that attempt to upsell subscription services – MusicWatch also questioned the thousand Americans taking part in its most recent survey as to why they still tap illegal sources of content.

Among the reasons given are that the pirates still want to own the music they really like, so free streams are good for day-to-day, but they want MP3s of the best stuff. Plus mobile listening is key, and the free streaming services often don’t work when a phone is out of range, and even when they do, they might eat up a consumer’s mobile data allowance.

The classic excuses for online piracy were also raised – including that people access tracks illegally that they can’t find on the legit platforms, and that people use piracy as a try-before-you-buy service, and: “If we like it, we buy it, promise, guvnor”. Meanwhile 73% of respondents said that they assumed any app providing free music that comes from an official app store must be legit. Even though many are not.

Of the stats, that last one will be of most concern – but also, possibly, most use – to the music industry. Those who pay attention to these things know that online piracy has shifted in recent years. Which is why there was quite of a bit of litigation against the digital locker platforms, of which the ongoing MegaUpload legal battle was the highest profile. Meanwhile others have expressed concern about the number of apps available in the Apple and Google stores that give users a ready supply of free, illegal music, or which aid with the ‘stripping’ process.

Pressure has been put onto the tech giants on this point in the past, though plenty of apps still remain, and some score highly when people search app stores for “free music”. Even though – with both Apple and Google now in the streaming music game themselves – you’d think there’d be support within those companies for a crackdown on such software.

The fact that MusicWatch’s survey suggests that there is considerable consumer confusion over which music apps are legit and which are not – a confusion that is presumably furthered because some legit music apps do offer free music – might be grounds to pile more pressure onto Apple and Google on this issue.

Meanwhile, in the ongoing battle with Google over YouTube, labels and music publishers could be more vocal in their demands that the video site do more to hinder the stripping of audio off its platform. Those demands have been made before, and YouTube did make a few nominal moves to target the makers of the stripping apps, though this issue doesn’t seem to get the same attention as the “charge more for your ads” and “down with safe harbours” side of the YouTube debate.

All that said, as has always been true in the long-running battle against online piracy, technical and legal solutions will only ever go so far. Ever better legal services and more copyright education are also key. Though we’ve probably got enough mediocre murals to be getting on with for now.

Read the MusicWatch blog on its latest piracy survey here, and here’s one of those infographic things:

MusicWatch piracy infographic

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Wednesday 24 February 2016, 12:26 | By

Charli XCX launches Warner imprint

Artist News Business News Labels & Publishers Releases

Vroom Vroom

Charli XCX has announced the launch of her new record label, Vroom Vroom, which will run as a subsidiary of Warner/Atlantic. She marked the occasion with a new EP of her own, as well as singles from new signees Rivrs and CuckooLander.

“Vroom Vroom Recordings is my new, experimental pop label and it will combine my love for bubblegum pop with mystery and darkness”, says Charli XCX. “The artists coming up through it will be sharp, potent, deadly, and ultimately, will leave their mark on pop music”.

On the first signings, she goes on: “RIVRS and CuckooLander are two artists who have so much intelligence, pop sensibility and potential – they know what they want and both have great vision. That inspires me and it’s why I want to work with them. I’ve always been fascinated by shy and introvert people – it’s something that I am mostly not – but I feel both [of these] acts are in a way. It captivates me and sucks me in, and I think their music will do the same for others”.

The tracks showcased as the label goes live are ‘Friend/Lover’ by Rivrs and ‘Beating Myself Up’ by CuckooLander.

On her own music, she continues: “I’ve worked with Sophie on the new EP and what we create together speaks for itself. Sometimes we get aggressive, sometimes we get beautiful; he pushes me and I push him. I’m making beautiful party songs right now and this is just the start. The album goes to other places and I can’t wait for people to hear it. I feel the most creative I have in a long time and I couldn’t be more excited for the next chapter”.

You can listen to a bit of lead track ‘Vroom Vroom’ (hey, that’d be a good name for a label) here:

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Wednesday 24 February 2016, 12:16 | By

Sony Music launches new West Africa hub in Lagos

Business News Labels & Publishers

Sony Music

Sony Music yesterday announced it had opened a new office in Lagos, Nigeria as part of a plan to expand its active presence in key African markets. The Lagos HQ will become a hub for the major’s operations in West Africa, while moves are also afoot to set up a base in Nairobi in Kenya, which would provide a hub for East Africa.

It’s part of the major’s ongoing efforts to step up operations in emerging markets, where it’s hoped there are new opportunities in the recorded music space, in no small part enabled by the potential of mobile music services in countries where the global record industry has not previously seen much revenue. And Sony isn’t the only big music rights firm with its sights on Africa – where operations to date have often been focused on South Africa – even though challenges remain in many markets on the continent.

Michael Ugwu has been appointed Sony Music’s General Manager for the West African region, while last month the major signed Nigerian superstar artist Davido to a worldwide deal, in a bid to make a splash with its arrival in the region.

Confirming all this, Sony’s President of Northern/Eastern Europe & Africa, Adam Granite, told reporters: “Expansion in Africa has been part of our strategy for several years. As the region continues to grow, we see significant opportunities to market the incredible local talent in Africa to the rest of the world as well as import our repertoire and exploit it on emerging digital platforms”.

Meanwhile the MD of Sony Music Africa, Sean Watson, said of the major’s ambitions in the region: “We are really keen to partner with African artists to deliver local, African and global success stories. With over 800 million people living in Sub Saharan Africa, the African continent is a market with huge potential for local artists wanting to expand their horizons”.

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Wednesday 24 February 2016, 12:14 | By

Metallica accept Record Store Day 2016’s ambassadorial position

Artist News Business News Retail

Metallica / Record Store Day

Metallica have been announced as the official ambassadors for this year’s Record Store Day, a role which someone will one day properly explain to me. Right now I can tell you that Metallica will be talking about how much they like record shops, and releasing a new live album, as part of the festivities.

“Independent record stores are part of Metallica’s DNA”, said drummer Lars Ulrich, partly confirming what I just said. “They have been pivotal in shaping each one of us into the music fanatics we’ve all become. We could not be any prouder to be Record Store Day Ambassadors for 2016 and are looking forward to screaming from every rooftop the next few months about everything independent record store and beyond”.

Now, that live album. It’ll be released on Record Store Day (of course) and is titled ‘Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité, Metallica! – Live at Le Bataclan. Paris, France – 11 Jun 2003’. Recorded thirteen years ago at the Paris venue that was the scene of a terrorist attack during an Eagles Of Death Metal show last November, proceeds from sales will go to Fondation de France’s Give For France charity.

Watch Metallica’s full announcement here:

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Wednesday 24 February 2016, 12:11 | By

US investment firm takes “major position” in PledgeMusic

Business News Deals Digital Management & Funding

PledgeMusic

The entertainment division of New York-based investment firm Magna has announced a number of new investments, including taking a “major position” in direct-to-fan and pre-order platform PledgeMusic.

As MusicAlly notes, Magna already has an alliance with Pledge, with the boss of its entertainment division, former record industry exec Russell Rieger, joining the direct-to-fan firm’s board a year ago.

Magna CEO Joshua Sason is also a board member, alongside PledgeMusic co-founder Benji Rogers. The size of Magna’s investment is not known, but the backing will presumably provide some stability for Pledge as it continues to grow and evolve.

Confirming the new investment in Pledge and other entertainment ventures, including a short-form video platform and some film projects, Rieger said: “Content has never been more in demand, nor more accessible through an abundance of new platforms. We bring a new perspective to investments in the space, but also communicate the needs of investors and the financial community to the corridors of the entertainment industry. We see ourselves as a bridge that is uniting both approaches and perspectives”.

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Wednesday 24 February 2016, 12:08 | By

Trinity Mirror launching brand new daily newspaper without website

Business News Media

The New Day

If you’ve been worrying that the newsagents of Great Britain might have a hole in their shelving system when The Independent ceases to exist as a print publication next month, well, worry thee not kind sir, as the cool kids are prone to say. Because Trinity Mirror is launching a new daily print title to takes its place.

Whereas the publisher of the Indy was all like “print’s dead granddad, get with the moment, website, website, website, let’s get appy”, rival newspaper firm Trinity Mirror is all “woo, print, that’s what it’s all about baby, boo to the internet, no dead tree, not for me!” I’m paraphrasing slight, I should add. But only a little.

So, yes, The New Day, the new daily paper from the Daily Mirror publisher, will launch next Monday. And while it plans to be active on the socials, the new title won’t have its own website. Because, says The New Day Publishing Director Zoe Harris, the new paper isn’t about breaking news, but about providing a concise, one-stop-shop summary of what happened in the world in the last 24 hours. They should do it as an email. Everyone knows that all the best concise, one-stop-shop summaries of what happened in the (music) world in the last 24 hours come in an email.

“When we talked to consumers about the type of content they wanted, they were able to articulate that there was a gap in the market when it comes to newspapers”, Day told Marketing Week. “There are many places where you can get breaking news online, and with The Mail Online and The Huffington Post, consumers are super served in that space already. When we looked at the opportunity, we thought about where we excel, which is why we’re all about the print experience. Readers can lean back and spend 30 minutes with one title, which is very different from how [consumers] use online”.

The new title in many ways apes the streamlined sister title of the aforementioned The Independent – i – which was sold to the Johnston Press earlier this month, but which will still be able to tap content from the online Indy under a licensing deal. Trinity Mirror was also tipped as a possible buyer for i at one point, but decided to launch its own concise-news-summaries-for-time-light-consumers title instead. The resulting publication, which will operate autonomously from the Mirror, will likely be more tabloidy in feel to its concise paper rival.

The New Day will cost 50p, but will be free on launch day, and 25p for the first two weeks. It will be interesting to see if the whole project finds enough readers and advertisers to be a viable venture long-term. Because unlike other newspapers, it won’t be able to excuse disappointing print sales by saying “oh well, it’s promoting our website, and blimey is that going to be a cash cow operation one day soon… maybe”.

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Wednesday 24 February 2016, 12:03 | By

BBC Music launches mobile app

Business News Digital Media

BBC Music

BBC Music has launched a new mobile app, pulling together music and other content from across the broadcaster’s TV, radio and online divisions. So akin to the BBC Music website. But in an app. And with some integration with the big streaming music platforms.

Building on the BBC Playlister service – and doing roughly what was laid out in last year’s ‘British. Bold. Creative’ report on the Beeb’s future – the app has a number of functions.

It offers curated playlists, as well as the ability to track down any song played on BBC radio in the last week and listen to a clip of it. It also puts all of the broadcaster’s live performances and interviews in one place. Plus, it offers a personalised feed based on your musical preferences, and the ability to listen to tracks in it in full via Spotify, Deezer and YouTube.

“The BBC Music app lets you get straight to the music you love, from In Concert and Live Lounge sessions to Jools Holland, with the tap of a button”, says BBC Music Director Bob Shennan. “This is just the start for us, and we want to hear from users over time to make the BBC Music app the best that it can be, so they can enjoy music from across the BBC – whenever and wherever they are”.

The app will be available for iOS and Android devices today.

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Wednesday 24 February 2016, 11:57 | By

Rosamund Pike stars in dark Massive Attack video

Artist News Releases

Massive Attack / Rosamund Pike

Rosamund Pike stars in a new video for Massive Attack’s ‘Voodoo In My Blood’. Taken from the recently released ‘Ritual Spirit’ EP, the track features Young Fathers.

Directed by Ringan Ledwidge, the video is a sci-fi homage to Andrzej Żuławski’s 1981 film ‘Possession’, recalling its unsettling subway scene. It sees Pike walking through the Joe Strummer Subway under West London’s Westway, when a floating orb takes control of her body in what sits somewhere between contemporary dance and violent attack.

“Am I involved?” asks Pike of the video. “Someone said the girl in the video looks like me. I have been to the Joe Strummer subway. I did have a strange encounter there once”.

It is her, yes. Watch for yourself here:

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Wednesday 24 February 2016, 11:49 | By

CMU’s One Liners: Danger Mouse, BMG, VP Records, more

Artist News Business News Deals Digital Gigs & Festivals Industry People Labels & Publishers One Liners Releases

Kobalt

Other notable announcements and developments today…

• Kobalt Music Publishing has signed a worldwide administration deal with Danger Mouse. Though I read the headline on the press release as “Kobalt sings Danger Mouse”, and then had the ‘Danger Mouse’ theme tune in my head all day. The deal covers future works, of which I’m sure they’ll be many. He is, after all, the strongest, the quickest and the best.

• BMG has announced an alliance with Space Station 12, which isn’t quite as exciting as it sounds. It’s the new record label from Roxette’s Per Gessle. Though, the press release brags that Roxette “remain second only to ABBA as the most successful Swedish recording artists of all time”, so perhaps Gessle could afford to house the label on an actual space station.

• Legendary reggae label VP Records has extended its existing alliance with Warner Music’s label services division ADA, which will now provide physical distribution in North America and digital distribution worldwide. ADA Worldwide boss Eliah Seton is “THRILLED” about it all. Obviously. Who wouldn’t be?

• Remember that new app SoundCloud launched for creators last year, but only on Android? Just imagine if that was available on iOS too! What, haven’t got an imagination? Well, worry not, you need imagine no more. I present: “SoundCloud Pulse: now on iPhone”.

• That new All Saints single is playable here. It is a hell of a lot better than you probably thought it would be.

• Efterklang offshoot Liima have released a new track called ‘513’. Their debut album, ‘ii’, is out on 18 Mar.

• Lafawndah has released a new video for ‘Ally’ from her latest EP, ‘Tan’.

• Kero Kero Bonito have a new track up on SoundCloud called ‘Lipslap’.

• Let’s Eat Grandma have shared another new track, ‘Sink’. It’s the b-side to debut single ‘Deep Six Textbook’.

• The Great Escape has added 150 artists to its festival line-up. 150! That’s loads! And just the Stormzy Spotlight Show is exciting enough. You can get access to them all, plus the CMU Insights @ The Great Escape conference, when you buy your delegates pass.

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Wednesday 24 February 2016, 11:43 | By

Now Justin Bieber claims NOT to be the Messiah

And Finally Artist News

Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber is not the messiah, just a disappointing popstar, he has confirmed.

This is particularly upsetting news after his suggestion last September that he might at least be something close to Jesus. However, despite him being the world’s nicest guy, he is not a religious figure and should not be worshiped as such, he’s told The Mirror in a new interview.

“I would really suggest to people, ‘Don’t put your faith in me'”, said Bieber. “Because I’m gonna disappoint you every time. Yeah. It’s scary. But I want them to know that I’m not going to be able to solve their problems… I’m not that higher power”.

Bieber is not God. Repeat: Bieber is not God. But is there a chance that one day he might be?

“I’ll never be”, he continued, dashing all last hope. “I’m not perfect. I’ve made so many mistakes. I just want to get to a place where… I just want people to know humans aren’t meant to be worshipped. We’re just not. So when a human is being worshipped, this is dangerous. Cos it does nothing but give you pride”.

What should we do, o mighty Bieber? Give us a sign. “I feel like the fans, they gotta understand: you can love me, you can be passionate about me, you can fantasise, you can do whatever you want. But it’s a finicky thing when you start putting your trust in me. And I’ve seen certain people just break down…”

This is exactly the sort of thing the actual Messiah would say, of course. I still have total faith in you, Justin. This was a good test. I look forward to you commencing the rapture at tonight’s BRIT Awards.

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Wednesday 24 February 2016, 10:42 | By

Approved: Gold Panda – Time Eater

CMU Approved

Gold Panda

Gold Panda has announced that he has signed a new record deal with City Slang, and will release his third album, ‘Good Luck And Do Your Best’, on 27 May.

The record began as a collaboration with photographer Laura Lewis to create an audio/visual document of a trip to Japan based around field recordings made while in the country. But a chance comment from a taxi driver provided a creative spark, and took the project in a whole new direction.

“One afternoon we had taken a taxi, and as we got out, the Japanese taxi driver’s parting words to us as we left, were ‘good luck and do your best'”, explains the producer. “It was [the driver] speaking in English. He didn’t know English that well, but there’s a Japanese phrase called ‘ganbatte, kudasai’. And roughly translated, it basically means ‘do your best’, or it can also mean ‘good luck’. Once you have a title, for me, things come together a lot easier for what it’s going to be”.

Recorded back in the UK, the music was actually inspired by two trips to Japan and the photographs that Lewis took while there. “The album was recorded at home in Chelmsford, but I had that visual inspiration or documentation from Japan”, he says. “So it was a look back … You don’t control the music you make. The tracks need to reveal themselves. Personally I don’t think I can choose to make it how I want”.

The first single from the album, ‘Time Eater’, certainly has a Japanese feel about it. It’s also possibly Gold Panda’s most musically interesting work to date, filled with a warmth and spark that makes his return all the more welcome.

Watch the video for ‘Time Eater’ here:

Stay up to date with all of the artists featured in the CMU Approved column in 2016 by subscribing to our Spotify playlist.

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Tuesday 23 February 2016, 11:54 | By

Book publishing industry seeks web-block against Russian social network vKontakte

Business News Labels & Publishers Legal Top Stories

vKontakte

The global record industry’s litigation against Russian social media firm vKontakte had, at best, mixed results last year. Now the book industry is now pursuing an alternative legal action against the social media firm, which has – of course – been widely accused of turning a blind eye to rampant copyright infringement on its networks.

As previously reported, Universal Music and Warner Music sued vKontakte through the Arbitration Court Of St Petersburg, which last year ruled that the social media firm had a duty to do more to combat piracy on its networks, but then decided that the majors were not due damages over the alleged past infringement of their recordings. Though in a separate lawsuit pursued by two Russian record companies, damages were awarded.

Nevertheless, in both cases vKontakte insisted that it is already doing more to help copyright owners enforce their rights, to the extent that it reckoned it was already complying with the obligations put on the company by the Universal/Warner ruling.

Now an organisation representing a number of book publishers, called the Association For The Protection Of Copyright On The Internet – or AZAPO for short, which sounds more exciting – is pursuing its own legal action against the social network, and it is trying an alternative approach. It is taking action through the Moscow City Court and is pushing for a one of those trendy web-block injunctions that would force local internet service providers to block access to the social network on copyright infringement grounds.

The Moscow court is empowered to grant such injunctions, and AZAPO has secured web-blocks there before against more conventional piracy sites. Though targeting a social networking platform as popular vKontakte in this way is pretty much unprecedented.

At the heart of the case is a single book, Zahara Prilepina’s ‘Resident’. AZAPO seems to claim that while vKontakte has responded to some of its takedown requests in relation to unlicensed digital copies of this work, not all copies have been removed. This, says AZAPO Director General Maxim Ryabyko, according to Torrentfreak, confirms that the social media firm is “not taking proper protection measures”.

Asked why he was taking the matter to the Moscow City Court, rather than filing a copyright infringement lawsuit with the Arbitration Court Of St Petersburg, as the record industry did, Ryabyko said that the latter approach is a time-consuming and costly endeavour, and that copyright owners need a more efficient way of enforcing their rights.

If there was a credible risk of vKontakte being the subject of a web-block injunction, the company would have to speedily improve its relationships with the book, movie and music industries, many of which have, in the past, accused the social networking business of paying only lip service to its copyright obligations, while continuing to turn a blind eye to the rampant infringement it enables online.

Given that web-blocking on copyright grounds is now possible in Russia, you might wonder why other entertainment industry groups haven’t gone this route before. Though Russian newspaper Izvestia says that unnamed copyright owners it spoke to said the country’s telecoms regulator Roskomadzor urged them not to, arguing vKontakte was making moves to collaborate with rights owners.

If that’s true, AZAPO is breaking rank. Though Ryabyko did add that while it is true vKontakte has been negotiating with music and movie companies about legitimising the distribution of their content on its networks, no such talks have been initiated with book publishers. The desired outcome of the web-block application, then, may be such talks.

vKontakte itself is predictably critical of the legal action, while insisting that it has already had talks with Russia’s largest book distributors. AZAPO possibly wants more talks, and more talking about how vKontakte can help book publishers generate revenue online.

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Tuesday 23 February 2016, 11:49 | By

Dr Luke comments on legal battle with Kesha

Artist News Business News Labels & Publishers Legal

Kesha

Following a surge of coverage and discussion about his legal battle with Kesha, producer Dr Luke has commented on the case via Twitter. He again denied her claims that he raped the singer, and called into doubt the integrity of her lawyer, Mark Gregaros.

As previously reported, Kesha Sebert accuses Lukasz Gottwald of plying her with drugs and alcohol and raping her as a teenager. Gottwald claims that the allegations and resulting lawsuit are an attempt to get out of her contract with his Kemosabe label, a Sony imprint.

Last week Sebert was denied a temporary injunction to allow her to record with another label outside the Sony empire. The judge noted that the major had already offered to allow Sebert to work with another producer, and possibly another label within the group. However, Geragos argued that Sony’s offer to his client was “illusory”, because the major’s loyalties really lie with Gottwald, who generates more income for the music company.

That ruling generated by far the most attention that this long running case has had so far, which prompted Gottwald to issue his own statement yesterday. He said that the case “should be resolved in court not here on Twitter”, but that he was commenting now because “there’s so much speculation out there basing itself on so little information”.

“The only truly objective person who knows the facts is the judge”, he wrote. “The judge did not rule in Kesha’s favor on Friday”.

“I understand why people without all the information are speaking out”, he continued. “I can appreciate their compassion. But lives can get ruined when there’s a rush to judgment before all the facts come out. Of course any sane person is against rape and sexual assault, but everybody who is commenting is doing so without knowledge or facts. They are getting behind an allegation only – motivated by money”.

“I didn’t rape Kesha and I have never had sex with her”, he stated, before pointing out that the singer had denied the accusations in a 2011 deposition, which was unsealed as the case went to court. Gregaros said last year that his client had been coerced into giving that testimony.

It was Gregaros who came under particular fire in Gottwald’s statement, with him noting that the two had a separate legal battle last year – Gottwald suing the lawyer for defamation after he claimed that the producer had also raped Lady Gaga, which she denied.

Gottwald also brought up that Gregaros represented Chris Brown after he assaulted Rihanna, and worked for Scott Peterson, who was convicted of murdering his wife. “How can [Gregaros] pretend he cares about women’s rights?”, Gottwald asked in relation to these cases.

Back to the ongoing case with Kesha, Gottwald went on: “Kesha and I made a lot of songs together and it was often good, but there were creative differences at times. It’s sad that she would turn a contract negotiation into something so horrendous and untrue. But I feel confident when this is over the lies will be exposed and the truth will prevail”.

He then concluded by saying that he would make little or no further comment on the case while it continued to work its way through the courts.

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Tuesday 23 February 2016, 11:47 | By

Sony/ATV signs Grimes via Jack Antonoff’s Rough Customer

Artist News Business News Deals Labels & Publishers

Grimes

Sony/ATV has signed Grimes – aka Claire Boucher – to a new worldwide publishing deal, via its Rough Customer imprint. This is the first contract signed by the joint venture launched with Bleachers and Fun’s Jack Antonoff in December.

“I wanted to start a publishing company to work with friends who are making important work”, says Antonoff. “It really couldn’t be more special to start things with Claire. She’s one of my all-time favourite artists and a wonderful person. Her work matters on the highest level and I feel deeply proud to know her, have worked with her and now be involved here as well”.

Sony/ATV SVP Creative Jennifer Knoepfle adds: “Grimes is a rare and special talent and we are so pleased that she has chosen Rough Customer and Sony/ATV as her publisher. An accomplished songwriter, producer and visual artist, she is truly a triple threat and a phenomenal addition to the Sony/ATV Rough Customer family”.

Grimes offered no comment, so please take this as one:

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Tuesday 23 February 2016, 11:44 | By

Studio where Bowie recorded final albums to close

Business News Labels & Publishers

Magic Shop

The studio where David Bowie recorded his final two albums, The Magic Shop in New York, will close next month. The operation has been forced to shut down because of dwindling business and spiralling rent.

Opened in Manhattan in 1988, the studio is known for its collection of analogue recording equipment. This makes it an attractive option for many artists, but also expensive to hire as record industry budgets fall and alternative options become cheaper. Still, over the years it has attracted the likes of Coldplay, Lou Reed, Arcade Fire, Norah Jones, Sonic Youth, Kurt Vile and more.

After featuring the Magic Shop in his ‘Sonic Highways’ series, Dave Grohl last year loaned owner Steve Rosenthal $50,000 to pay off rent arrears. The Foo Fighters frontman then backed a $3 million bid to buy two floors of the building in which the studio is housed. This was rejected and, according to the New York Times, it’s thought that the floor on which the studio sits could fetch almost four times what Rosenthal is currently paying. Which leaves the studio with no more options.

In a statement announcing that the studio will close on 16 Mar, Rosenthal said: “I get that New York City is always changing and adapting like the living city it is. Maybe what I believe in is no longer of value, but it was for us and we lived it. As the city becomes more of a corporate and condo island, some of us wish for a better balance between money and art, between progress and preservation, and we hope that one day we will see a reversal of the destruction of conscience and community we are witnessing”.

He added that he intends to continue restoring and archiving analogue tapes from the studio and elsewhere, which has been the growth area of the Magic Shop’s business in recent years.

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Tuesday 23 February 2016, 11:41 | By

New Attitude Is Everything report highlights need for Access Starts Online campaign

Business News Live Business

Attitude Is Everything

Attitude Is Everything, the charity that encourages the live music sector to improve accessibility to its events for deaf and disabled music fans, yesterday published its third State Of Access report, which sets out to review “live music accessibility and the barriers that disabled music fans are facing at gigs and festivals”.

A key finding of the report is that venues and festivals frequently fail to provide decent information online for disabled consumers, something that requires minimal investment on the part of the live industry to resolve. According to the report, a third of venue and festival websites provide no access information at all, two thirds of indie venues provide no such info online, and less than a fifth of the live sector’s websites provide sufficiently comprehensive information.

The charity notes that: “For disabled fans, the first barrier to accessing live music typically happens before they’ve even purchased a ticket. Detailed access information on venue and festival websites is essential for 20% of the UK population to be able to determine whether they can attend an event. Disabled audiences are unlikely to attend live music events unless they know their diverse range of access requirements can be met”.

As for what that information should include, the charity goes on: “Comprehensive information is crucial – knowing whether there are two steps, or two flights of stairs, or whether you can bring a personal assistant, or find an area to sit down, could be the difference between a fan buying tickets or not”.

As previously reported, Attitude Is Everything has already launched an initiative encouraging venues and festivals to provide better access information on their websites. The Access Starts Online campaign began via a partnership with the Association Of Independent Festivals last year, and yesterday the charity called on all venues and festivals to sign up.

The organisation’s CEO Suzanne Bull added: “Digital has revolutionised the live sector and how music lovers buy tickets, find information and share their experiences. However, as highlighted in the State Of Access report, a lack of decent online access information websites has become a constant source of frustration to millions of disabled fans. Evidence suggests that many will not risk attending an event if they are unsure about access facilities. We should not be letting these online failures hold back the tide of progress, especially when they are so easy to fix”.

She went on: “Signing up to Attitude Is Everything’s Access Starts Online initiative is something all live music businesses can do. Not only does it cost nothing, but it represents a vital first step towards greater inclusivity and improved customer service that help these venues and festivals to reach new audiences. Working together, we can make the UK’s live music sector the most accessible in the world”.

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Tuesday 23 February 2016, 11:37 | By

UK Eurovision hopefuls unveiled

Artist News Media Releases

Eurovision 2016

This Friday the UK public will decide which of six quite boring songs we’re going to send forth to lose the Eurovision Song Contest for us in May. It’s all part of the BBC’s plan to shift the blame for that inevitable failure onto us, the people, despite it presenting us with very little choice.

All six songs are roughly the same in tone, though if they were members of The Spice Girls they would be nicknamed Piano-y, Reggae-y, Folk-y, Weep-y, Country-y, and Heavily Layered Vocals In An Attempt To Make The Chorus Rousing-y. And I think we can all agree that those would be terrible nicknames for members of The Spice Girls, thus proving my point that none of these are very good songs.

The actual names of the outfits set to sing these songs are: Joe & Jake, who met while individually auditioning for ‘The Voice’; Bianca, who used to be in girl group Parade; Dulcima, a duo of former (and future) buskers from Canterbury; Matthew James, who used to be in Bad Boys Inc; Darline, whose first gig was supporting The Shires; and Karl William Lund, who has been to Greece.

You can listen to all six tracks here. You will then be forced (if you choose to participate, I guess) to pick one as a ‘winner’ this Friday on ‘Eurovision: You Decide!’, which begins at 7.30pm on BBC Four. The 90 minute show will be broadcast live from The Forum in London and will be presented by Mel Giedroyc. In an attempt to make it all a little less depressing, there will also be performances from last year’s winner Måns Zelmerlöw and the last UK Eurovision victor, Katrina And The Waves.

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Tuesday 23 February 2016, 11:35 | By

Fable and Paul Hartnoll reveal rejected Eurovision entry

Artist News Releases

Fable

As the six potential UK entrants for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest were unveiled on BBC Radio 2 yesterday morning, Fable and Orbital’s Phil Hartnoll released a song that they had put forward but which was rejected by the Beeb. Unfortunately, they hadn’t received the memo that the theme for this year’s UK entry was ‘crushingly dull’, and they went instead for something judges felt might be ‘a bit much’.

“I’ve been working with Paul for a while on various things, and he had this mad idea to write a track for the Eurovision Song Contest”, explains Fable to CMU. “They said they were going to be brave and put some interesting tracks in, so we cooked up ‘Human Pretending’ to test that theory out, but I think we scared them off”.

To be fair, it is not the most obvious Eurovision entry, but it’s not dissimilar in tone to songs that have appeared in the competition before and done well. What’s wrong with not being obvious, anyway? Maybe standing out is what we need to do after almost two decades of fading into the background at Eurovision. And as we all stand up and threaten to leave Europe altogether, maybe something a bit darker than usual would have been apt.

Anyway, here is ‘Human Pretending’, which will now never have the opportunity to shake Sweden:

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Tuesday 23 February 2016, 11:30 | By

Ukrainian Eurovision entry may fall foul of ‘no politics’ rules

Artist News Releases

Jamala

Ukraine has selected a song about Josef Stalin’s mass deportation of the Crimean Tatar people as its entry for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. Though it may fall foul of the competition’s ‘no politics’ rule.

Written and performed by Susana Jamaladinova, under her stage name Jamala, the song ‘1944’ is inspired by the musician’s great-grandmother, who was one of those deported. The Crimean Tatar people were forced out to Central Asia after Stalin accused the entire 240,000 person population of collaborating with the Nazis. Many died en route, and none were able to return to Crimea until the 1980s.

While the song makes no specific comment on any other events in history, the subject matter has links to Russia’s 2014 occupation of Crimea, which had previously been an autonomous republic within Ukraine of course, and the continued assertion by the Kremlin that the territory is under its rule.

And Jamala herself has admitted this link, telling RFE/RL: “Now the Crimean Tatars are on occupied territory and it is very hard for them. They are under tremendous pressure. Some have disappeared without a trace. And that is terrifying. I would not want to see history repeat itself”.

Although the song was put forward as Ukraine’s entry for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest by both the public vote and a formal judging panel, it may yet been barred from the competition. In order to go through, Eurovision bosses would have to be convinced that the lyrics were not explicitly political and were simply describing a historical event that happened over 70 years ago. That may prove difficult.

A spokesperson for the competition told The Hollywood Reporter: “All entries for the upcoming contest, including the Ukrainian song, will be assessed under the rules by the [European Broadcast Union] and the reference group by the submission deadline [on 14 Mar]”.

Various songs have failed to go through to the main competition due to politically charged lyrics in the past. In 2009, Georgia’s entry ‘We Don’t Wanna Put In’ was turned away for making fun of Vladimir Putin less than a year after the country had been at war with Russia.
And in 2005, GreenJolly were forced to rewrite the lyrics of their song for Ukraine ‘Razom Nas Bahato’, it having been the unofficial anthem for the Ukrainian Orange Revolution the year before.

Whether this new song will make it through remains to be seen, but you can see Jamala perform ‘1944’ here:

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Tuesday 23 February 2016, 11:27 | By

CMU’s One Liners: TI, Pearl Jam, BPI, more

Artist News Business News Deals Digital Gigs & Festivals Industry People Labels & Publishers One Liners Releases

Roc Nation

Other notable announcements and developments today…

• TI has allied with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, via a distribution deal around his upcoming album ‘Dime Trap’. As part of the deal, TI will also become one of Tidal’s celebrity shareholders. But every deal has a downside, I suppose.

• Pearl Jam have signed a worldwide publishing agreement with Universal Music Publishing. The major will represent the band’s entire catalogue and frontman Eddie Vedder’s solo work. Guess how the band’s manager Kelly Curtis is feeling about the deal. Go on, guess. I’m going to put ‘THRILLED’ on a t-shirt and make these people buy one.

• Record industry trade group BPI has a new Head Of Content Protection, with Tom Cooper joining the organisation in April. He takes over the anti-online-piracy role from John Hodge, who is departing to join PhoneplayPlus. Cooper joins from anti-piracy agency NetResult.

• The video wing of the UK record industry’s collecting society PPL – which is VPL, in case you wondered – has announced Geoff Kempin as its new Chairman following the retirement of former PPL CEO Fran Nevrkla from the role. Co-founder and Executive Director of Eagle Rock, Kempin has been a VPL director since the organisation’s inception in 1983.

• Sentric Music has a new board member and Creative Director in the form of music publishing veteran Peter McCamley. Based in London, he will sign up songwriters to Sentric’s rights management services, while also seeking talent interested in signing more conventional publishing deals with the company.

• Tour production firms Cato Music and Production Park are joining forces, with the former set to become part of the latter’s group of companies. The deal will also see the two organisations’ respective education initiatives – the Cato Academy and Backstage Academy – ally to create a “centre of excellence for training the next generation of touring and production professionals”.

• Live Nation has acquired one of those “controlling interests” in a South African firm that stages lots of big concerts. It’s called Big Concerts. That’s how big. The Chairman and CEO of the firm – Attie van Wyk and Justin van Wyk respectively – will continue to lead the business day to day.

• Following Nick Grimshaw’s departure this weekend, Olly Murs has announced that he’s also jumping the sinking ship that is ‘The X-Factor’, with the handy get out that he simply must “concentrate 100% on making my next album and getting back to performing”.

• When I was at university, a friend ran out of clean clothes and bought a load of branded clothing from the university shop to avoid having to go to the laundrette. Not sure why I’m reminded of that watching the video for ‘Work’ by Rihanna.

• Saul Williams has released the video for ‘The Noise That Came From Here’, filmed in Fergusson.

• Highasakite’s recently approved new single ‘Someone Who’ll Get It’ now has a video. It’s quite dark, have a watch.

• Inga Copeland will release a new album, ‘Live In Paris’, on 29 Feb. That’s quite soon.

• All Saints will play their first headline show in more than ten years at Koko in Camden on 4 Apr. New single ‘One Strike’ is out this week, and their new album ‘Red Flag’ is out on 8 Apr.

• Hey all you “the music industry just isn’t creating headliners anymore” moaners, you forgot about Beiber. Because yes, the Biebster is headlining V Festival this year. Ha! Though I’m mainly mentioning this here because it’s been months – I mean, many months – since we last linked to this. Which is an embarrassing oversight for which we can only apologise.

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Tuesday 23 February 2016, 11:12 | By

Will.i.am dials up new smartwatch

And Finally Artist News

Will.i.am

Is that Puls smartwatch you’re wearing looking a bit tired? Well, it’s OK, Will.i.am has a new one coming out in April, called The Dial. Which is a shame, cos I always enjoyed saying Puls. Say it now. Puls. Pu like poo, not pu like pulse. Puls. What fun.

Will.i.am has been showing off the new wristwatch, which he may or may not still be insisting on calling a ‘smartband’, at Mobile World Congress this week. It seems he is now insisting that his Puls watch was just a beta version of the technology, which is why it wasn’t very good and no one bought it. This is the real one now. The Dial.

As with the Puls, The Dial will have its own sim card, meaning it’s not tethered to a phone. “The reason we built the platform this way is that it is for areas where you are truly mobile – in the gym, in a car, on a bike, on a hike, areas where the phone really isn’t meant for”, explained Will.i.am to The Telegraph. “The phone isn’t really meant for a bike in New York. It certainly isn’t meant for a gym where, you have a phone in your pocket, wires everywhere, as you are jump roping”.

The device has its own operating system, ANeedA, which he describes as “artificial intelligence that’s personal to you”, quite possibly misunderstanding the quite specific definition of artificial intelligence.

In the UK the new watch will be sold by Three, while, according to Bloomberg, on mainland Europe it’ll be hawked by Deutsche Telekom.

Is Will.i.am news still considered music news these days? Quick, let’s find a justification for this report. Well, the Puls had music pumped into it by 7digital. It is not yet known who will provide music services to The Dial. News!

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Tuesday 23 February 2016, 10:06 | By

Approved: Hana

CMU Approved

Hana

After several years of writing and relentlessly touring music that she wasn’t entirely happy with, a couple of years ago Hana Pestle took a moment to re-evaluate where her career was going – a story she recounts in this enlightening interview with Fader. This – along with meeting Blood Diamonds and Grimes – proved to be a pivotal moment.

Co-produced by Blood Diamonds, ‘Clay’, the lead track from her debut EP ‘Hana’, which is out on 25 Mar, may already be familiar. Originally released on SoundCloud last May, it received a boost when Pestle was touring as a member of Grimes’s band, when Grimes was supporting Lana Del Rey. Grimes gave up a few minutes of her stage time for Hana to perform the song, then the pair cut together a video using footage from the shows.

You’ll be able to catch Hana supporting Grimes on her upcoming UK tour, as well as playing two headline shows in London at The Old Blue Last on 17 Mar and The Waiting Room on 18 Mar. Check out another track from the EP, ‘Avalanche’, here, and the new video for ‘Clay’ here:

Stay up to date with all of the artists featured in the CMU Approved column in 2016 by subscribing to our Spotify playlist.

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Monday 22 February 2016, 11:26 | By

Kesha fails to secure injunction against Sony and Dr Luke

Artist News Business News Labels & Publishers Legal Top Stories

Kesha

For a legal battle that has been going through the motions for some time now, there was much a stronger spotlight on the latest act in Kesha’s ongoing dispute with Dr Luke and his Sony imprint Kemosabe on Friday, as the New York State Supreme Court refused the singer’s request for a preliminary injunction to temporarily nullify her record contract.

As previously reported, Kesha Sebert sued Dr Luke, real name Lukasz Gottwald, in 2014 alleging sexual assault and battery, and accusing the producer of plying her with drugs and alcohol and raping her as a teenager. He in turn sued the singer, claiming that she had invented these accusations as a means to get out of her record contract.

In this latest chapter in the case, Sebert’s lawyer Mark Geragos requested an injunction that would allow his client to make and release recordings with another record company, despite her contractual commitments to Sony and Kemosabe. Kesha argues that the legal dispute with Gottwald has put her entire career on hold.

The judge overseeing the case refused to comply, concluding that doing so would undermine New York State contract law. The judge added that Sebert’s agreement with Kemosabe was pretty standard for the music industry, and that Sony had offered a compromise in saying that the singer could record new material with another producer. Shifting Sebert to another Sony label has been previously proposed as a solution here.

Geragos argued that Sony’s offer to his client was “illusory”, because the major’s loyalties really lie with Gottwald, who generates more income for the music company. To that end, he reckons that Sony won’t properly promote any recordings Sebert makes with producers other than Gottwald, meaning the offer would buy the major time in the legal battle, but not help the singer overcome concerns that her career is now faltering because of this long drawn out dispute.

Plenty of artists know the feeling of falling between the cracks at a major record company once they have lost their internal champion, and not getting the promo support their new releases need as a result. But the judge said that Geragos had failed to successfully argue the case as to why Sony’s proposed compromise was not a workable solution.

Beyond the injunction to put Sebert’s record contract on hold, the court also discussed the allegations at the heart of this case. Again the judge said Geragos’s arguments were not strong enough, this time with regard to his clients allegations against Gottwald. Though the judge postponed making a decision on Sony’s application to have the whole case dismissed.

Whatever the legalities may be in this case, Sony Music is facing a mounting PR challenge over the way Sebert is being treated by her main corporate partner. A plethora of artists spoke out in support of the singer this weekend, while Taylor Swift donated $250,000 to Sebert to “help with any of her financial needs during this trying time”.

All of which may mean that, even if Sony and Gottwald succeed in having Sebert’s case dismissed, the music major may need to do something significant to demonstrate some compassion for the singer.

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Monday 22 February 2016, 11:25 | By

Danny Howard label signs Mr H’s

Artist News Business News Deals Gigs & Festivals Labels & Publishers Releases

Nothing Else Matters

Nothing Else Matters – the new label from Radio 1 DJ Danny Howard and his former colleague at the station Nigel Harding – was fully launched last week with the news that the Sony imprint had signed upcoming producer Mr H’s, and would release his ‘Alternations’ EP on 18 Mar.

The new label was initially unveiled last year when it released the 99 Souls track ‘The Girl Is Mine’. On Mr H’s, the new venture said in a statement last week: “The 21 year old has long been supported by Danny, playing alongside him at his event series for the past year. Having originally honed his skills on the Manchester club circuit, ‘Alternations’ showcases the full extent of his talents, whilst establishing a high standard for Nothing Else Matters as a label”.

Other signings to the new venture include Ryan Blyth and Saint Wknd. The latter will join Mr H’s at a Nothing Else Matters night being staged with LWE and SJM Concerts at The Steelyard in London on 30 Apr.

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Monday 22 February 2016, 11:21 | By

Soho Estates planning to re-open Madame Jojo’s

Business News Live Business

Madame Jojo's

Soho hangout Madame Jojo’s is returning, apparently, it having been shut down in 2014 after a “serious incident of disorder” involving the venue’s security staff. The operators of the space – an important venue on the London cabaret scene and home to decade-old industry music franchise White Heat – subsequently lost their licence.

Despite the drama surrounding the closure, many saw the shutting down of Jojo’s as yet another nail in the coffin of Soho’s cultural past, assuming the building would be repurposed into offices, apartments or some horrible bar. But the MD of Soho Estates, which owns the property, told London Live last week – according to Thump – that the plan is to open a new venue on the site using the Madame Jojo’s name.

Though quite what that venue will be like remains to be seen. John James told the London TV network that the current venue space “isn’t fit for purpose”, but that he had plans to “build a bigger and better basement club which is going to re-appear as Madame Jojo’s”. Quite what that means, we’ll see if and when it happens, I guess.

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Monday 22 February 2016, 11:18 | By

Digital fan club platform Drip to wind down

Business News Digital Labels & Publishers

Drip

With the true potential of direct-to-fan almost certainly yet to be realised, one start-up with an interesting approach to that side of the music business has decided to call it a day.

Drip, a platform that enabled labels and artists to offer subscriptions services – so, basically a digital version of the good old fashioned fan club – has announced it will wind down operations on 18 Mar. It will try to find alternative platforms for its clients before then, as well as assuring all the labels and artists using Drip receive any monies they are owed.

Announcing that they had “a tough message to share” on their blog last week, the people behind the popular service confirmed: “We’ve decided to conclude the Drip platform on 18 Mar”.

They then reminisced that: “We started Drip five years ago because we believed existing networks hadn’t yet [met] the needs of creators: recurring income, support from their fans beyond likes and follows, and the data needed to have more control over their careers”.

Noting that labels like Stones Throw and Domino, and artists like They Might Be Giants, had all signed up to the service, they added: “Fans joined these communities; they paid their favourite creators directly; and they got access to high quality, often rare and exclusive music plus more. From live events and guest list spots, to one-on-one hangs and exclusive products, we were constantly inspired by the types of interactions that Drip encouraged”.

But, well, here comes the but. “At the top of the year we took a hard look at Drip, our future, and the various routes we could take to get there. Between timing, funding, and everything needed to realise this future, we made the decision that now was the time for Drip to come to a conclusion. For now, we’ll be taking this moment to regroup and refocus”.

The blog post went on: “There were no subscription services that met the needs of our creators, so we built it. We experimented, we had a great time, and we’ve made some great friendships along the way. In the time since we began, we’ve been happy to see several services emerge to tackle some of the same problems. We like to think we even inspired some of them. Throughout the next month we’ll be looking to partner with these services to help our creators continue”.

Members will also be able to export their music and data from their accounts on the platform before it winds up next month.

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