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Friday 22 July 2016, 10:04 | By Andy Malt
SFX took Beatport off the market because it’s so bloody successful
Business News Digital
Beatport is not for sale, people. And not because SFX couldn’t find a buyer. No, because it’s become so bloody successful of late.
As previously reported, a month after Beatport parent company SFX declared bankruptcy in February, it announced that the dance music-focussed digital music service would be one of the assets offloaded to keep the company afloat. Attempts to find a buyer stalled though, and the Beatport operation was cut back to just its original download store. Then a court filing earlier this month showed that it was no longer up for sale.
But the tone of that last paragraph demonstrates just the sort of negative spin the bloody media puts on everything. It’s all fine. SFX doesn’t want to sell Beatport anymore. Beatport is great. Beatport is keeping everything ticking along.
“Our renewed focus on the Beatport Store, following our announcement of platform changes in May 2016, has been well-received and successful”, says a statement from SFX. “The changes we implemented have laid a strong foundation for Beatport that have dramatically improved its profitability”.
It continued: “As a result of these improving trends, SFX has determined that retaining ownership of Beatport is in the best interest of the company and has withdrawn its motion to sell Beatport through the Chapter 11 [bankruptcy] process. We look forward to emerging from Chapter 11 in the next few months a strong and vibrant business, positioned to pursue both organic and strategic growth options”.
So, get ready for SFX to bounce back everybody. It’s already doubled its share price from a recent all time low of one cent. Good times.
READ MORE ABOUT: Beatport | SFX Entertainment
Friday 22 July 2016, 10:01 | By Andy Malt
My Chemical Romance not reuniting, duh
Artist News Releases
The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry, they say. And My Chemical Romance’s cryptic teaser of an announcement is a fine example of that. All they wanted everyone to do was wait patiently until September for them to announce a re-issue of ‘The Black Parade’ album, but you all went and assumed they were getting back together, didn’t you?
As previously reported, MCR uploaded a short video to YouTube earlier this week, which did little but flag up 23 Sep this year as a date of interest in the 2016 calendar. That happens to be the nine year and eleven months anniversary of ‘The Black Parade’, so it was fairly safe to assume that something related to that album was happening.
We could all have just noted that and gone about our days, but people can’t help themselves, so the internet was immediately filled with talk of a reunion. As a result, the band have had to reveal that the actual secret is [a] what you could have easily guessed it would be, and [b] not that interesting.
“We’ve been really touched and blown away by the response to the teaser trailer”, the band said on Twitter yesterday. “We are not touring and there is no reunion planned – only a release for the anniversary of ‘The Black Parade’. Thanks so much for continuing to keep MCR in your minds and in your hearts”.
Yeah, thanks guys. And thanks for spoiling everything.
READ MORE ABOUT: My Chemical Romance
Friday 22 July 2016, 09:59 | By Andy Malt
Temple Of The Dog to mark 25th anniversary by going on first ever tour
Artist News Gigs & Festivals Releases
Temple Of The Dog, the short-lived group formed by members of Soundgarden and Pearl Jam in 1990, are to re-issue their one album and reunite for a US tour later this year.
Temple Of The Dog were formed by Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell to record songs he had written in tribute to Andrew Wood, the frontman of Mother Love Bone. Wood died from a drugs overdose in March 1990, days before the release of his band’s debut album.
“I was compelled to write them and there they were – written in a vacuum as a tribute to Andy”, says Cornell of the songs that sparked the project. “My thought was that maybe I could record these songs with the remaining members of Mother Love Bone and that maybe we could release them as a tribute”.
And so that is what he did. For the ‘Temple Of The Dog’ album, Cornell was joined by MLB members Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard, plus a friend of theirs, guitarist Mike McCready. They then went on to form Pearl Jam with vocalist Eddie Vedder, who also contributed to the album. Drums were handled by Soundgarden’s Matt Cameron, who later went on to join Pearl Jam also.
“Temple was about making an album simply for the joy of doing it”, continues Cornell. “We weren’t concerned what anyone outside of our group of friends would think of it. It was the first and maybe only stress-free album that we all made”.
After the album was recorded, Pearl Jam formed and began recording their debut LP, and Soundgarden started work on their third, ‘Badmotorfinger’. As a result, by the time ‘Temple Of The Dog’ was released in April 1991, the band was no longer a going concern.
“We wanted to do the one thing we never got to do – play shows and see what it feels like to be the band that we walked away from 25 years ago”, says Cornell of the reunion. “This is something no one has ever seen. We wanted to stop and recognise that we did this and pay homage”.
The repackaged album, newly mixed by Pearl Jam producer Brendan O’Brien, will be released on 30 Sep in various formats. The band will then play five shows – in Philadelphia, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Seattle – in November. $3 from each ticket sale will be split between the Chris and Vicky Cornell Foundation and Pearl Jam’s Vitalogy Foundation.
READ MORE ABOUT: Chris Cornell | Mother Love Bone | Pearl Jam | Soundgarden | Temple Of The Dog
Friday 22 July 2016, 09:50 | By Andy Malt
Radar Awards winners announced
Artist News Awards
The winners of the first ever Radar Awards for excellence in music videos were unveiled at a recent ceremony at London’s YouTube Space.
“The Radar Awards were a blast”, says Radar Music Videos boss Caroline Bottomley. “The awards connected talented new filmmakers from across the world – including USA, Canada, Ireland, Croatia, Berlin, France, Iceland and Norway – with experienced and influential industry tastemakers and all was good”.
She adds: “A great venue – thanks YouTube! – plus great prizes – thanks Vevo, Marshall and all! – plus drinks all made for a great party and a lot of happy people”.
But what about the winners? Well, the winners were…
Director categories
Best Director: Bob Gallagher for Girl Band – Paul
Art Department / Styling: Girl Band – Paul (Dir: Bob Gallagher)
Animation / VFX: De Staat – Witch Doctor (Dir: Studio Smack)
Cinematography / Lighting: Hammock – In The Middle Of This Nowhere (Dir: Seth Fuller)
Concept / Narrative: Death From Above 1979 – Virgins (Dir: Eva Michon)
Edit: V V Brown – Lazarus (Dir: Daniel Price)
Live: Lady Leshurr – Queens Speech 4 (Dir: Wowa)
Location / Character: Zebra Katz – BLK Diamond (Dir: Elvar Gunnarsson)
Radar Commissioned: Lea Porcelain – Out Is In (Dir: Ethan Graham)
Student: Øst – Skræmmende Tomt (Dir: Emil Øllgaard Vilhelmsen)
Artist categories
Best Artist: Fakear – Animal (Dir: Antoine Besse)
Dance: Fakear – Animal (Dir: Antoine Besse)
Grime / Hip Hop: Open Mike Eagle – Celebrity Reduction Prayer (Dir: Ryan Calavano)
Indie: Susanne Sundfør – Accelerate (Dir: Stian Andersen)
READ MORE ABOUT: Radar Music Creatives
Friday 22 July 2016, 09:49 | By Andy Malt
CMU’s One Liners: Major Lazer, Korn, Giggs, more
Artist News Gigs & Festivals One Liners Releases
Other notable announcements and developments today…
• Major Lazer have teamed up with Justin Bieber and MØ for new single ‘Cold Water’. The song is a co-write with Ed Sheeran. Watch the lyric video here.
• Korn have announced that they will release their twelfth album, ‘The Serenity Of Suffering’, on 21 Oct. They’ve also released the video for new single ‘Rotting In Vain’.
• Giggs has revealed the video for new single ‘Whippin Excursion’. The track is taken from the rapper’s new album ‘Landlord’, out on 5 Aug.
• The new Of Montreal single is online. This is it, it’s called ‘My Fair Lady’.
• They – as in the hip hop duo They, whose name is never going to get less awkward – have another track out, called ‘Deep End’.
• Myrkur has released a cover of Bathory’s ‘Song To Hall Up High’, taken from her new live acoustic EP ‘Mausoleum’, which is out on 19 Aug.
• Drugdealer – aka Michael Collins – has announced his debut album. Guests on the record include Ariel Pink and Weyes Blood, the latter of whom appears on new single ‘Suddenly’.
• Trudy And The Romance have released a new single, ‘Wild’. They’ll also be on tour in October, mostly supporting The Big Moon.
• Kesha has announced the US tour she was teasing earlier in the week. The ‘Fuck The World Tour’ will see her performing with new project Kesha And The Creepies. “Until I can release my own music I will be re-inventing some of my old songs and some of my favourite songs from my musical idols”, she explained in an Instagram post.
• Donald Trump’s daughter Tiffany once released a pop single. A mixture of autotune and poor diction makes it quite hard to hear the lyrics, but I think the chorus goes “Feel like a spotter ball, crowning through the liquid love, you came when you tweeted me, baby you know big big bee”. And I think we can all take something from that.
• Shaun Ryder has put himself forward to replace Chris Evans as the host of ‘Top Gear’ in an interview with NME. Yeah, you already wrote the punchline for this in your head, didn’t you?
READ MORE ABOUT: Donald Trump | Drugdealer | Giggs | Kesha | Korn | Major Lazer | Myrkur | Of Montreal | Shaun Ryder | They | Tiffany Trump | Trudy And The Romance | Weyes Blood
Friday 22 July 2016, 09:43 | By Andy Malt
CMU Beef Of The Week #315: Third Eye Blind v The Republican Party
And Finally Artist News Beef Of The Week
You may have thought that I was going to write about that whole thing with Taylor Swift and Kanye West this week. But, come on. Unless Kim and Kanye actually end up going to prison, I don’t think there’s any more humour to be drawn out of that story. People are dicks. The end. Hurling abuse at people because of their political views though? That I can get on board with.
Yeah, alright, it does little to further any debate, but politics is a scary place at the moment, so you’ve got to take your laughs where you can get them. Luckily, in the UK we can just watch videos of politicians being asked why the fuck Boris Johnson is the new Foreign Secretary at high profile events.
Theresa May has been praised by some for stepping up and providing decisive-looking leadership in a time of crisis. But just look at how she stumbles her way through the answer to this question about Johnson. And then from earlier in the week, Johnson himself trying to get around the thorny issue of all the insults he has thrown at the people he’s now supposed to be working with is amazing. Look at John Kerry wince. How often do you get to see a politician actually wince? It may not solve any of our problems, but it is glorious nonetheless.
All this Brexit nonsense has been so all consuming that you could almost forget that America has its own stupid vote coming up. I mean, imagine how much heat would be taken off us and our silly decisions if the US was to actually elect the actual Donald Trump as its actual president. He does awkward so much more efficiently than any of our politicians too. I’m starting to think it might be in our interests to lobby for him to defeat Hillary Clinton.
Luckily, not everyone shares my view. Not least Third Eye Blind frontman Stephan Jenkins, who, as we found out this week, would really rather the Republican Party and all of its supporters go away.
People in the UK might remember Third Eye Blind as ‘that band that did that song’, though in the US they are somewhat more well known. As a result, they get asked to play the odd high profile event.
Jenkins has previously made his views on the Republican Party more than clear, writing an article for the Huffington Post in 2012 on why he had refused an invitation to play the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. It’s because they are “a party dedicated to exclusion”, if you were wondering.
However, this year he did agree to appear at an event linked to the same party’s big convention. Although not actually politically affiliated, the benefit show for the Musicians On Call charity, hosted by the RIAA and headlined by Third Eye Blind, was nevertheless billed as being part of said convention’s festivities. It also coincided with Trump being named the official Republican presidential candidate.
Knowing full well that the audience would therefore be filled with Republicans, Jenkins set about letting them know his disdain for their views. He apparently said repeatedly through his set that he “repudiates” what the party stands for. Plus there were quips like “raise your hand if you believe in science”, which drew boos from parts of the audience. “You can boo all you want, but I’m the motherfucking artist up here”, he told them.
As well as changing the lyrics of songs to further criticise the Republican Party, he resolutely refused to play any of his hits, except 1998’s ‘Jumper’, which was written about the suicide of his gay cousin. “To love this song is to take into your heart the message and to actually, actually have a feeling to arrive and move forward, and not live your life in fear and imposing that fear on other people”, he said, introducing the song.
In a statement the following day, the band said via their website: “We did not play an RNC event. We performed at a benefit for Musicians On Call because we support their mission in bringing music to the bedsides of patients in hospitals. Given that the benefit was held in Cleveland, we suspected that convention types might show up and we let it be known we were there to support Musicians On Call and that we in fact repudiate every last stitch of the RNC platform and the grotesque that is their nominee”.
Listing the beliefs they feel are at odds with the Republican viewpoint, they went on: “Science is science. Coal is not clean. Black Lives Matter. LGBTQ = equal. Separation of church and state (still a good idea). We could go on”.
“We have Republican friends, family members, and fans, and we love them all”, they added, recognising the offence they caused some during and after the show. “What we reject is what their party has come to stand for. But in keeping with Musicians On Call’s message, we believe in the gathering power of music. With that spirit we don’t step back from our audience wherever or whomever they are”.
Speaking to Rolling Stone, Jenkins said that he hadn’t expected the performance to draw the attention it has. Explaining the introduction to ‘Jumper’ at the event, he said: “To engage with that song means that you are participating in the belief system that all people are equal and deserving of dignity and protection, which is not what the Republican platform is. They think my gay cousin should be in conversion therapy”.
“The fact that I’m on stage nineteen years after I wrote [‘Jumper’] and we’re still talking about equal dignity for the LGBTQ community is absurd”, he continued. “But we are. And to yell ‘who believes in science?’ and have half the room boo is… their ideology is crumbling”.
Well, their ideology is something, certainly. We’ve still got another four months of campaigning in which to see if it’s actually falling apart at the seams. Only four months, guys! Yes, after what seems like most of the existence of life on Earth, the 2016 US presidential election campaign is now only four months away from being over.
And if I could just reiterate again, if you’re reading this in the US, it would really help us out over here in the UK if you would ignore Third Eye Blind and elect Donald Trump as your hilarious and terrifying leader. I believe that is what the ‘special relationship’ is all about.
READ MORE ABOUT: Donald Trump | Third Eye Blind
Friday 22 July 2016, 08:42 | By Paul Vig
Vigsy’s Club Tip: Carl Cox at Space Ibiza
Club Tip CMU Approved
From time to time the Tip moves to places further afield. And hey, it’s holiday season, so it’s time for some hedonism in the Balerics. Because Tuesday sees the three deck wizard Carl Cox take over Space in Platja d’en Bossa on the White Isle to celebrate his birthday.
Among the many names on the night’s solid line-up, Dubfire, James Lavelle and Ibiza stalwart Tania Vulcano all stand out. If you’re heading out for some sun and clubbing next week, this is definitely one to check out. Awesome.
Tuesday 26 Jul, Space Ibiza, Platja d’en Bossa, 07817 Sant Josep de sa Talaia, Ibiza, Spain, 8pm-6.30am, 50 euros. More info here.
READ MORE ABOUT: Carl Cox
Thursday 21 July 2016, 09:41 | By Chris Cooke
Alleged Kickass Torrents chief arrested in Poland, US begins extradition proceedings
Business News Digital Legal Top Stories
The alleged boss of file-sharing hub Kickass Torrents has been arrested in Poland and will now have to fight off attempts by the US to extradite him there to face charges of criminal copyright infringement and money laundering.
Launched in 2008, Kickass overtook The Pirate Bay to become the most visited torrent directory in the world in late 2014, meaning it now often appears alongside its older rival on the list whenever the music industry goes to court seeking web-block injunctions.
The US Department Of Justice claims that to date Kickass has facilitated the illegal distribution of over $1 billion worth of music, movies, TV shows and games. In a criminal complaint filed in the Chicago courts, the DoJ adds that Kickass currently receives over 50 million unique visitors a month, making it the 69th most visited website on the net.
Artem Vaulin, the man accused of running the operation, is from Ukraine but was arrested in Poland. The authorities allege that Vaulin was involved in designing the original Kickass website and subsequently oversaw the operation, most recently via a Ukrainian-based front company called Cryptoneat.
Confirming the arrest and impending extradition proceedings, US Attorney Zachary T Fardon told reporters: “Copyright infringement exacts a large toll, a very human one, on the artists and businesses whose livelihood hinges on their creative inventions. Vaulin allegedly used the internet to cause enormous harm to those artists”.
The legal man continued: “Our cybercrimes unit at the US Attorney’s Office in Chicago will continue to work with our law enforcement partners around the globe to identify, investigate and prosecute those who attempt to illegally profit from the innovation of others”.
Embellishing on the current case, US Assistant Attorney General Leslie R Caldwell continued: “Vaulin is charged with running today’s most visited illegal file-sharing website, responsible for unlawfully distributing well over $1 billion of copyrighted materials”.
She went on: “In an effort to evade law enforcement, Vaulin allegedly relied on servers located in countries around the world and moved his domains due to repeated seizures and civil lawsuits. His arrest in Poland, however, demonstrates again that cybercriminals can run, but they cannot hide from justice”.
There are obvious parallels between the arrest of Vaulin and both the MegaUpload shutdown and the criminal case against the founders of The Pirate Bay.
The former was also led by the US and resulted in immediate extradition proceedings. MegaUpload domains were seized as its founder Kim Dotcom and others were arrested, and the feds made similar efforts to seize Kickass domains yesterday.
Though operationally speaking, Kickass is obviously much closer to The Pirate Bay, and legal arguments here are more likely to mirror the Swedish criminal prosecution of that site’s founders (albeit under American law).
In many ways the US will be hoping that the case runs more like the 2009 Pirate Bay trial, in which all four of the men accused of founding or funding the piracy site were convicted of copyright crimes.
Meanwhile America’s attempts to extradite Dotcom from New Zealand – and all but one of his colleagues – have been caught in a legal quagmire. The US authorities finally got an extradition order out of the New Zealand courts late last year, nearly four years after first asking, but that is now under appeal. And even if they get Dotcom to the US, a messy trial testing America’s safe harbour laws will ensue.
Then the American authorities did manage to take the MegaUpload file transfer platform and sister video sharing site completely offline at the time of Dotcom’s arrest, aided by the fact the firm used servers in both the US and other friendly jurisdictions.
And, while Dotcom did launch a second file-transfer platform called Mega, and is now promising a MegaUpload v2, in the main the file-sharing hub that was the original MegaUpload has stayed down.
Meanwhile The Pirate Bay – now run by a different team – continues to happily operate as normal, despite the four convictions in the big trial and more recent attempts by the Swedish authorities to shut it down.
So operationally speaking, US authorities will be hoping for something more like MegaUpload. Though, while there have been reports of the main Kickass domain wobbling a little overnight, as we go to press proxies of the site seem to be working just fine.
READ MORE ABOUT: Artem Vaulin | KickassTorrents
Thursday 21 July 2016, 09:39 | By Chris Cooke
EMI Publishing shareholder named in major Malaysia corruption scandal
Business News Labels & Publishers Legal
The boss of one of the private equity groups that invested in the Sony-led acquisition of EMI Music Publishing back in 2012 is caught up in a major corruption scandal involving the Malaysian government’s sovereign wealth fund.
The American authorities have accused various people linked to Malaysia’s state-owned investment fund – including, it seems, the country’s Prime Minister Najib Razak – of siphoning off over $3.5 billion of monies for their own means, including business ventures and lavish purchases like art and jewellery. The US is now seeking to seize assets in the region of $1 billion linked to the alleged fraud.
One of the key executives accused of involvement is Malaysian businessman Taek Jho Low – generally known as Jho Low – who has no formal role at the sovereign wealth fund, but who is allegedly deeply involved in its operations; though that’s something he denies.
Low’s private equity business Jynwel Capital was one of the vehicles that helped fund Sony’s $2.2 billion acquisition of EMI Music Publishing in 2012 and, according to his official biography, his involvement in that deal resulted in him becoming Non-Executive Chairman of the music publisher in Asia. But according to the Americans, the $106 million Low invested in the EMI songs business was misappropriated from Malaysia’s state fund.
A number of investors joined Sony and its long-term business partner, the Michael Jackson Estate, to acquire the songs side of EMI after Citigroup repossessed the British music major and put it up for sale in 2011. Although EMI Music Publishing technically remains a standalone business, with a different ownership structure, it operates as if it was a unit of Sony/ATV, Sony’s Music publisher.
The ownership of Sony/ATV is currently under the spotlight, of course, because Sony is trying to buy the Michael Jackson estate out that business, which would give Sony Corp complete ownership of the company, though that wouldn’t affect the ownership structure of EMI Music Publishing.
In sort of related news, pan-European indie labels trade group IMPALA has confirmed it has now submitted its objections to Sony taking complete control of Sony/ATV to the EU competition regulators who are considering the deal.
IMPALA wants the European Commission to instigate a fuller investigation into the acquisition, which would mean launching a phase two investigation – rather than approving the deal – at the start of next month. Sony has until tomorrow to propose remedies that might overcome the concerns IMPALA and others in the music publishing domain have raised, in a bid convince competition regulators to just green light the deal.
Says IMPALA boss Helen Smith: “The Sony/ATV deal would have a transformative effect. The European Commission knows the situation and the solutions, having already identified concerns about the impact of Sony’s increased market power on prices, and other terms and conditions in the digital market. Brussels has set a limit on how much power Sony should have and it now needs to enforce it”.
If Sony’s deal were to get blocked, perhaps bosses there could see if their mate Low has any more (allegedly) shady Malaysian cash in his pot to buy out the Jackson Estate instead.
READ MORE ABOUT: EMI Music Publishing | Sony Music Publishing | Taek Jho Low
Thursday 21 July 2016, 09:37 | By Andy Malt
Esben And The Witch sign to Season Of Mist
Artist News Business News Deals Labels & Publishers
Esben And The Witch have signed to French metal label Season Of Mist for the release of their fourth album.
“We are delighted to announce that we have signed with Season Of Mist”, say the band, which is lucky. “It has been quite the journey so far, always learning, always growing and 2016 finds us settled here in Berlin. Now as we embark towards the glowing horizon, we do so in good company. Season Of Mist will help us blaze new pathways and find more like-minded souls as we go”.
The new album release will be a partnership with the band’s own Nostromo label, through which they put out their last long player, 2014’s ‘A New Nature’.
The band add: “We think this collaboration will be a great thing for Nostromo as well, enabling us to release more music by ourselves and others in time. We are excited to see where this will lead, come with us”.
Further details on the band’s new music will be announced in due course, but for now we know that the as-yet-untitled new record is due out in the autumn.
READ MORE ABOUT: Esben And The Witch | Season Of Mist
Thursday 21 July 2016, 09:33 | By Andy Malt
Is it time for more Spotify IPO rumours already? They come around so fast
Business News Digital
Spotify IPO, yeah? It’s happening next year. Sometime in the second half of it. For definites. Or so say not one, not two, but five sources who have spoken to Bloomberg.
While having five people eager to anonymously set out a timeline for Spotify’s long-awaited IPO might seem like a swell of confidence, it’s not an entirely new prediction. From next March, financiers who provided $1 billion in cash to Spotify earlier this year get ever bigger discounts on stock at the point of IPO, so it’s not in the company’s interest to delay flotation too long after that.
As previously reported, Spotify raised its most recent round of funding in March via debt financing, rather than selling off more stock. However, it’s believed that the terms of that finance allow lenders to convert the loans into stock at IPO at a discount of 20%. After a year, and every six months subsequently, that discount goes up 2.5%.
This would mean, if the IPO finally occurred in the fourth quarter of 2017, the discount would rise to 25%. Though most expected that to be the earliest date of the IPO – and therefore the minimum discount – even when March’s financing was first confirmed.
When the IPO happens, the question will be whether or not Spotify can match its very silly $8 billon valuation. The fact that the company is yet to turn a profit is a big issue there. An aggressive growth strategy means high costs, and the minimum guarantees it must pay labels and publishers mean that, while in theory it should get to keep about 30% of revenues after paying royalties, it is currently keeping something closer to 15%.
Aware that the high pay-outs to the music industry will be an issue for potential investors at the time of IPO, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek has – according to Bloomberg – been attempting to negotiate lower rates with the rightsholders. Though so far this has been unsuccessful.
The aggressive growth strategy, meanwhile, will have to continue for the foreseeable future, because attracting enough paying subscribers is the only way to make Spotify’s business model work long term. But how many paying subscribers is enough? Well, that’s the big question, isn’t it?
You could worry that however many paying subscribers are needed, there just aren’t that many people in the world willing to pay for a streaming music subscription. But that would single you out as a big old pessimist. And with the music industry now increasingly reliant on streaming royalties, there’s no room for pessimists around here. So fuck off Mr Pessimist. Go and stand behind Ms Spotify IPO Date Speculator. She’s much more interesting.
READ MORE ABOUT: Spotify
Thursday 21 July 2016, 09:32 | By Andy Malt
Bids for Crowdmix due in today
Business News Digital
Bids to take Crowdmix on as a going concern are due in today, after the company went into administration earlier this month.
As previously reported, following the departure of CEO Ian Roberts, staff reportedly not being paid on time or at all, and a failed attempt to raise more funding, the music-focussed social network called in the administrators just over two weeks ago. All before the company’s app was properly launched – it having been available for invite-only accounts since May.
The sale is being managed by Lambert Smith Hampton, according to Music Week. LSH Machinery & Business Assets Director Paul Proctor says: “This sale provides a unique opportunity to acquire an exciting and fast growing social media brand, which benefits from a growing fan base and a highly talented pool of employees. By marketing the companies and their assets to potential buyers we hope to not only secure a good result for our client, but safeguard Crowdmix’s employees and ensure the group fulfils its undoubted potential”.
Yeah, so if you think that a music-focussed social network is not only a thing that the world needs, but a thing that you would like to own, LSH wants your bid in by 5pm today.
And if you are dithering between buying this failed digital music business or that other failed digital music business Omnifone – also in administration – well, the rumour that Apple is buying the latter has ramped up somewhat this week.
Though so has the counter-rumour that – actually – having considered a purchase, Apple has decided not to buy the digital distribution and data business. But whatever, no one wants to be bidding against Apple. So Crowdmix it is! Good luck with that.
READ MORE ABOUT: Crowdmix
Thursday 21 July 2016, 09:30 | By Andy Malt
Mykki Blanco announces debut album
Artist News Gigs & Festivals Releases
Mykki Blanco has announced that he will release his Woodkid and Jeremiah Meece produced debut album, ‘Mykki’, on 16 Sep.
“I realised as an artist I need to focus on myself and on my work”, says Blanco of getting into the mindset to make the record. “Arguments with people online distract from that. I used to have a problem with the media trying to define me, either as a drag queen, or a transvestite, as a homosexual rapper, a transsexual or an HIV positive popstar, but most people need labels and my true fans know who I am and what I’m about”.
The first track from the album, ‘The Plug Won’t’, was released yesterday. Explaining the lyrics, Blanco says: “We’ve all fallen in love under the influence. We’ve all realised in the morning it was just the drugs leaving us numb, confused and empty”.
You can catch Blanco live in the UK at the following dates this October too:
4 Oct: Brighton, Patterns
5 Oct: London, XOYO
6 Oct: Bristol, Exchange
7 Oct: Sheffield, The Harley
8 Oct: Manchester, Soup Kitchen
Listen to ‘The Plug Won’t’ here:
READ MORE ABOUT: Mykki Blanco
Thursday 21 July 2016, 09:27 | By Andy Malt
Mary J Blige and Maxwell announce co-headline shows
Artist News Gigs & Festivals
Mary J Blige and Maxwell are to co-headline three UK shows this October, kicking off with an appearance at the O2 Arena in London as part of BluesFest.
“Mary is the epitome of soul”, says Maxwell of his touring buddy. “She embodies all that is woman and speaks for the everyday struggle and triumphs of all women. I can’t wait to get on the road with her”.
In a weirdly similar quote, Blige says: “Maxwell’s music is amazingly soulful and calm with a colourful tone that speaks to the hearts of women. His music makes them feel loved and I’m excited to get on the road with him”.
Anyway, dates:
28 Oct: London, O2 Arena
29 Oct: Birmingham, Genting Arena
30 Oct: Manchester Arena
READ MORE ABOUT: Mary J Blige | Maxwell
Thursday 21 July 2016, 09:24 | By Andy Malt
Dear Esther videogame to be performed with live score
Artist News Gigs & Festivals
Screenings of films with live music are two a penny these days. Videogames though? Not so much. But the Barbican Centre in London will buck that trend in October with the staging of a live scoring of ‘Dear Esther’ by composer Jessica Curry.
Originally released by The Chinese Room in 2012, ‘Dear Esther’ is not your usual videogame. Opening with a man standing on a lonely and desolate Hebridean island, which may or may not be a representation of his grief, the game travels through various abstract scenes.
The live performance will see the game played through in full by writer Dan Pinchbeck, accompanied by Curry and a live band, with its narrator Nigel Carrington also performing his contributions in person.
Have you got your head round all that? Well, it all takes place on 14 Oct and there are more details here.
You can watch the original trailer for the game here:
READ MORE ABOUT: Jessica Curry
Thursday 21 July 2016, 09:21 | By Andy Malt
CMU’s One Liners: Downtown Records, Universal Music Publishing, Warner/Chappell, more
Artist News Business News Deals Gigs & Festivals Industry People Labels & Publishers One Liners Releases
Other notable announcements and developments today…
• Downtown Records has signed a distribution and label services deal with Universal Music and its Interscope division. The American indie previously worked with Sony’s Red on distribution gubbins. The new deal will seemingly provide extra services for the independent via Team Interscope.
• Universal Music Publishing in the US has promoted David Gray to the job of EVP/Head Of West Coast A&R because – says UMPG boss Jody Gerson, – he is “a dynamic creative executive with stellar ears, great relationships and a real gift for identifying and developing talent”.
• Warner/Chappell has announced Paul Smith as its new Senior International Creative Manager in the UK. He joins from management firm 365 Artists, and replaces Jane Bell, who relocated to the Warner music publishing division’s New York office last month.
• Aphex Twin and µ-Ziq are re-issuing their 1996 collaborative LP as Mike & Rich, ‘Expert Knob Twiddlers’, on 16 Sep. The release will feature seven bonus tracks, one of which you can listen to here.
• Tom Petty’s Mudcrutch have a new video out for their song ‘I Forgive It All’. It was directed by Sean Penn and Sam Bayer, and stars Anthony Hopkins. Ladidah.
• John Foxx’s ‘Cathedral Oceans’ trilogy will be available on vinyl for the first time from 30 Sep. From ‘Cathedral Oceans III’, this is ‘Oceanic’.
• White Lung have released the video for new single ‘Dead Weight’, coinciding nicely with their Polaris Prize nomination.
• Hip hop duo Makola have released new single ‘This Is London’.
• Izzy Flynn has released her second single, ‘Gracious’, taken form her forthcoming debut EP.
• Sophie Ellis-Bextor will play an album launch show at Bush Hall in London on 26 Aug. That album, ‘Familia’, will then be released on 2 Sep. Here’s the first single, ‘Come With Us’.
• Nite Jewel will play two UK shows in November, at Stereo in Glasgow on 16 Sep and the Jazz Café in London on 17 Sep.
READ MORE ABOUT: Aphex Twin | David Gray | Downtown Music | Interscope | Izzy Flynn | John Foxx | Makola | Mike & Rich | Mudcrutch | Nite Jewel | Paul Smith | Sophie Ellis-Bextor | Tom Petty | Universal Music | Universal Music Publishing | Warner Chappell | White Lung | µ-Ziq
Thursday 21 July 2016, 09:17 | By Andy Malt
My Chemical Romance planning announcement for nine years and eleven months anniversary of The Black Parade
And Finally Artist News
Oh my God, are My Chemical Romance getting back together? The world seems to think so. Well, some people in the world. And I’m not sure how convinced a lot of them are. But there’s a mysterious video up on YouTube, so we might as well speculate.
Right, so, this video appeared yesterday on the My Chemical Romance YouTube channel. It is 34 seconds long. It’s all ambient and flaggy, and at the end “9/23/16” pops up. When you rearrange those numbers into the correct order, it reveals that fans should expect something MCR-related to happen on 23 Sep 2016.
What could it mean? Well, that date does mark the nine years and eleven months anniversary of the release of the band’s ‘The Black Parade’ album. Which is, of course, a landmark traditionally celebrated across the world. So it could be that the band will announce their reunion to mark the occasion. Or it might be an announcement that they’ll be re-releasing the record a month later around the less commonly celebrated tenth anniversary of the album.
Who knows? I don’t. And maybe MCR guitarist Frank Iero doesn’t either. He’s releasing an album with new project Death Spells on 29 Jul. And then he’s touring in August and September, which doesn’t suggest he has much else planned. But then Death Spells aren’t really playing that many shows, so maybe he had to cut all that short so he could get ready for his former band’s triumphant return.
Or maybe the planet will have exploded or have been destroyed by aliens by then. It’s just too exciting. Calm yourself down with this soothing video:
READ MORE ABOUT: My Chemical Romance
Thursday 21 July 2016, 08:13 | By Andy Malt
Approved: Yip Man
CMU Approved
Yip Man is the solo project of Al Nero, the former frontman of Glasgow band Le Reno Amps and co-founder of the Armellodie Records label. To date, he has released two singles, both of which are a delight. ‘Not That Easy’ came out in April and ‘For Your Own Good’ arrives all fresh and shiny this week, ahead of the release of his debut album, ‘Braw Power’, in April.
Both tracks are laced with a Weezer-esque sense of fun and appreciation of guitar pop. ‘For Your Own Good’ is, in the words of the man himself, “based on a completely unoriginal chord progression”. Upon that base, he lays down guitar riffs and a good amount of horns to amply bulk out the song’s three and a half minutes.
The video for the track lightly mocks various YouTuber tropes, bookended with a tutorial in how to play the song itself. Watch that here:
Stay up to date with all of the artists featured in the CMU Approved column in 2016 by subscribing to our Spotify playlist.
READ MORE ABOUT: Yip Man
Wednesday 20 July 2016, 10:10 | By Chris Cooke
French courts reject search engine ban on the word ‘torrent’
Business News Digital Labels & Publishers Legal Top Stories
While many in the music industry would probably rightly argue that Google and its ilk should be doing more to combat piracy – principally by de-listing websites that the courts have deemed rampant copyright infringers – a blanket ban on the word “torrent” is surely a step too far. Well, that’s what the French high court has ruled anyway.
French record industry trade group SNEP has failed in its attempt to force Google and Microsoft to introduce a filter that would basically stop the two firm’s search engines from returning any results if a user typed in the word ‘torrent’ alongside an artist’s name – three specific artists were identified in the lawsuit. The trade group also wanted the search engines to basically block searches for websites with ‘torrent’ in their name.
The label group’s argument went that when an artist name is paired with the word ‘torrent’ in a web search, the vast majority of the links that appear are to copyright infringing content. Which is possibly true, though – of course – the BitTorrent protocol is just a clever way of sharing content over the internet and can be used for entirely legitimate sharing too.
Now, the “we have legitimate uses too, don’t you know” defence didn’t work for specific file-sharing technologies and platforms when facing allegations of authorising or contributory copyright infringement in most courts. But the BitTorrent protocol isn’t quite the same as the Kazaa or LimeWire apps, or The Pirate Bay’s website.
According to The Register, in responding to the action against Microsoft’s Bing, the French court said: “[SNEP’s claims] do not concern an identified site, but all sites accessed by the requested terms, regardless of the identification and even determining the content of the site … The measures sought are similar to general surveillance measure and could cause the blocking of legitimate sites”.
Meanwhile Torrentfreak – which could itself have been blocked under the proposed ban – adds that the court noted how the word ‘torrent’ has meanings beyond the file-sharing protocol in both French and English. And even the P2P definition of the word “refers to a neutral communication protocol developed by the company BitTorrent that enables access to lawfully downloaded files”.
So, injunction denied SNEP-ers. Though, while this case was always somewhat optimistic, there remains the argument that somewhere between identifying specific URLs that host copyright infringing content and the blocking of broad search terms, there is something significant that a Google or Bing could and possibly should be doing.
Which is to say, the aforementioned delisting of sites like The Pirate Bay and Kickass Torrents if and when a court concludes that those sites are sufficiently liable for copyright infringement to be blocked by local internet service providers.
READ MORE ABOUT: Google | Microsoft | SNEP
Wednesday 20 July 2016, 10:08 | By Andy Malt
Beggars Group warns US customers of website hack
Business News Digital Labels & Publishers Legal
Beggars Group has warned that customers’ credit card information may have been compromised, after the website of its US distributor was hacked.
A letter to potentially affected customers sent earlier this month, and published by the California Department Of Justice, states that in May “suspicious files” were discovered on the website of Matador Direct, which distributes records released by Beggars Group labels in the United States.
The files were removed and a cyber security firm was employed to assess any possible risk. It was found that customers who placed orders through the various Beggars websites operated by the distributor between 28 Apr and 4 May this year may have had personal details intercepted by a third party. This includes credit card information and account passwords.
Passwords for all potentially affected customers have been reset, and the company says that it has “remediated the websites and continue[s] to strengthen security of the websites”. Customers are also advised to “remain vigilant to the possibility of fraud and identity theft”.
READ MORE ABOUT: Beggars Group | Matador Records
Wednesday 20 July 2016, 10:06 | By Chris Cooke
Shempire re-opens after roof work is completed
Business News Live Business
The Shepherd’s Bush Empire is open for business again, and with a working roof and everything. By working, I mean it keeps the rain out. Not that we need that at the moment. With this sudden heatwave, it would actually be quite nice if there was a big fat hole above the auditorium to let in some fresh air. Typical, isn’t it? Roof falls in during the winter, you spend a fortune fixing it, the hole is gone, and then God sends a heatwave. But then God famously hates pop music. Especially when performed in Shepherd’s Bush.
Though please stop saying that the Shempire’s roof “fell in”, will you? “Contrary to reports, nothing collapsed, nothing fell in, nothing fell down or otherwise”, says the venue’s GM Bill Marshall. “During a routine inspection we discovered that an isolated section of our roof was in need of attention and it was a wise decision taken by our board back in December 2015 to start work straight away”.
As you may remember, that decision to start work straight away was taken just before a Courteeners gig was due to take place in December. It was initially hoped the building work could be done within a few weeks, but it ended up taking months, with a plethora of shows having to be shifted to other venues in London.
Thanking everyone for their patience, Marshall explained earlier this week that the work proved to be more time consuming than hoped because of the age and listed status of the building. “[The] repairs to the roof and its supporting structure had to be accurate and faithful to our original Frank Matcham design, as well as being safe, sound and secure”, he said. “We are extremely grateful for the advice from our many building experts and structural engineers”.
He added: “Most certainly a challenging project for all concerned due to our listed status, our roof is obviously one of the most important parts of the building. It was a major and intricate project that involved supporting the entire building structure from inside ‘up’, from recording every load balancing point to preserving the venue’s original early 1900s architecture and interior balcony facades”.
So next time you’re at the West London venue, please do look up, a lot of work went into that not-falling-down roof. Oh, and then move your head around and take in the rest of the splendour. “Being closed to the public for six months gave us a small window to address a number of other areas for improvement, which we hope you’ll take notice of next time you visit and we’d really appreciate your feedback”, says Marshall.
That includes rejigging the PA for better sound, giving the entire auditorium a thorough clean, uncovering some signage from the venue’s days as a BBC studio, better toilets and a better cooling system. So see, you don’t actually need a hole in the roof to get some fresh air into the building after all.
Useless O2 is still jamming its brand into the venue’s official name, though I suppose all that tel co dosh will be coming in extra useful now that Live Nation’s Academy Group has had to pay all those builders and such like, so we’ll let them off. For now.
READ MORE ABOUT: Shepherd's Bush Empire
Wednesday 20 July 2016, 10:05 | By Chris Cooke
Richard Branson invests in Sofar Sounds
Business News Deals Live Business
That there Richard Branson – you know that there Richard Branson, right, yeah, that’s right, that there Richard Branson – well, he has invested some of that cash of his into the gigs-in-weird-places company Sofar Sounds. And why not, I say. They could put on a gig on one of Branson’s trains. Because they are very weird places.
“Like all the best ideas, Sofar Sounds started life as the solution to a personal problem somebody was facing”, writes Branson in a blog post about his new investment. “Co-founders Rafe Offer, Rocky Start and Dave Alexander were fed up of going to gigs and hearing people talk and play on their phones rather than engage with the artist. So they began organising secret, intimate gigs in their living rooms with the simple idea of making every show magical”.
Sofar Sounds reminds Branson, he says, of the recording studio he opened in the early days of Virgin Records, which came about after he “had the idea of turning my home into a music hub, where artists could practice, write, record, relax and perform.
This vision turned into The Manor, where everyone from Mike Oldfield to The Rolling Stones, Frank Zappa to Paul McCartney played. Later, I originally conceived of Necker [Branson’s Caribbean island and luxury resort] as a recording studio and retreat for artists, and we still often have performances everywhere from the beach to the tennis courts”.
“In the years since, the idea of music being performed in unusual, spontaneous places has slowly been eroded by established concert venues and protocols”, Branson muses on. “You know the drill: go to a soulless hall, look into the distance while a band plays on a raised stage, and everyone stands around looking at their phones. The connection between artist and listener was being lost. This is where Sofar Sounds comes in”.
The average Sofar gig doesn’t take place on a Caribbean island, but they are still kinda cool. “So far there have been more than 4000 Sofar Sounds events featuring over 12,000 artists, and they are growing fast”, Branson says of the firm he has just invested in. “There will be 290 events this month, and the average show is oversubscribed by ten to one. This is the main reason I am excited to be investing in Sofar – the opportunity to help it expand and reach even more music fans. By creating more events in its inimitable style, they will in turn be able to support even more artists”.
Hurrah! Sofar is short for ‘songs from a room’ by the way. It has nothing to do with gigs being held in people’s homes so that you can enjoy them sitting on a sofa. Which I may or may not have assumed when first hearing of the venture back in the day.
READ MORE ABOUT: Richard Branson | Sofar Sounds
Wednesday 20 July 2016, 09:59 | By Andy Malt
Deezer not bothered which Americans sign up now
Business News Digital
Deezer is available in the US, everyone. Alright, yes, Deezer Elite was there already, but come on. And, yes, the streaming firm had already made its standard option available through a partnership with Cricket Wireless, in part facilitated by its purchase of Muve Music last year. However, the thing to note here is that Deezer has never been available to everyone in the US before. So, basically, I got the words in the first sentence there a bit jumbled up. I’ll try again. Deezer is available [to] everyone in the US. Happy now?
Back in the good old days when every statement that Deezer made seemed like a parody (2011), the company claimed that it had no intention of launching in the States at all, ever. In fact, it said that it had decided to stay out of the US and Japan because together they “only represent 25% of global music consumption”.
Now it seems that a portion of that quarter of all the world’s music listeners is of interest, so yesterday Deezer switched on its service Stateside. The other reasons cited for not hitting the US back in 2011 were “market saturation and low growth forecasts”. Although the marketplace is perhaps now a little less crowded, certain rivals that have been happily streaming Stateside over the last five years have seen significant growth, in some cases putting them somewhat ahead of Deezer in terms of paying users.
Though Deezer does seem to be launching in the US without a loss-leading freemium level, which is possibly easier to do now that no-freemium-thanks Apple Music and Tidal are key competitors, rather than just Spotify.
Whatever, Deezer’s Global CEO Dr Hans-Holger Albrecht shouted yesterday: “We are THRILLED to make Deezer available to all music fans in the US, at a time when the company is growing stronger and developing new technologies that enable us to deliver a much more personalised experience. We’ve already received an overwhelmingly positive response since offering Deezer via our partners Sonos, Bose and Cricket, and now look forward to making our service available to everyone”.
I just noticed that Deezer is also claiming to have “the world’s biggest music library” now, so maybe it’s still got a bit of that outlandish spirit of yesteryear in it. Maybe that dream of launching in more countries than actually exist is still alive.
READ MORE ABOUT: Deezer
Wednesday 20 July 2016, 09:57 | By Andy Malt
Björk to bring VR exhibition to London, announces Royal Albert Hall show
Artist News Gigs & Festivals
Björk is bringing her previously reported virtual reality exhibition to London, coinciding with a live performance at the Royal Albert Hall in September. The exhibition will take up residence at Somerset House in London from 1 Sep to 23 Oct.
Announcing the news, the musician said on her website: “I am so excited to invite you all to [the] ‘Björk Digital’ exhibition at Somerset House. We are showing the virtual reality videos from ‘Vulnicura’ on dozens of headsets and premiering in London some pleasant surprises”.
“This is a further step into completing the full ‘Vulnicura’ VR album which will come out soon”, she added. “I feel the chronological narrative of the album is ideal for the private circus virtual reality is. A theatre able to capture the emotional landscape of it, I’ve put importance in the exhibition on the interactive element, that folks can watch ‘Vulnicura’ on VR and try [app-based album] ‘Biophilia’ with iPads”.
She will also appear in actual reality at the Royal Albert Hall on 23 Oct, backed by an actual real orchestra. Tickets go on sale this Friday.
‘Björk Digital’ opened in Sydney last month before transferring to Tokyo.
READ MORE ABOUT: Bjork
Wednesday 20 July 2016, 09:55 | By Andy Malt
Unknown Mortal Orchestra release First World Problem video
Artist News Releases
If you’ve listened to 6 Music lately, you’ve probably got ‘First World Problem’ by Unknown Mortal Orchestra stuck in your head. I’m afraid this really isn’t going to help you get shot of it.
The band have just released the video for the stupidly catchy track, of which co-director and choreographer Kiani Del Valle, who also features as a dancer in the vid, says: “With ‘First World Problem’, I aimed to create a dialogue between both art forms. I wanted the video to be the response to Ruban’s lyrics and musical melodies rather than showing literally what the song is saying”.
“There are always two sides to one story and the video piece is her side of the story”, she continues. “I am a heavy fan of silent films and how unspoken language could add a second layer to the one we speak. The directorial collaboration with James Lees came really organically as we have been planning for a while to do something together. James is really good at storytelling and has a great eye, while I am more abstract and conceptual”.
Watch the video for ‘First World Problem’ here:
READ MORE ABOUT: Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Wednesday 20 July 2016, 09:45 | By Andy Malt
Skepta cancels Lollapalooza appearance due to “ongoing visa issues”
Artist News Gigs & Festivals
Skepta will not perform at the Lollapalooza festival later this month. Announcing the news in a tweet, the festival blamed “ongoing visa issues” for the rapper’s withdrawal.
The festival’s flagship edition in Chicago is due to take place from 28-31 Jul, with Skepta’s Friday afternoon slot now filled by Joey Purp. The grime MC himself has not commented on the cancellation.
This is the second time Skepta has had to pull out of a US festival appearance this year, after a visa was refused in April ahead of Coachella and a planned US tour. “Love to everybody that wanted to see me on tour this month, my US visa has been denied and I am not allowed in America right now”, he tweeted at the time.
Having to replace Skepta is the latest piece of bad luck to hit the Lollapalooza franchise, the Colombian edition of the festival being cancelled entirely earlier this month, after a headliner (thought to be Rihanna) pulled out shortly before the line-up was due to be announced.
READ MORE ABOUT: Lollapalooza | Skepta
Wednesday 20 July 2016, 09:39 | By Andy Malt
CMU’s One Liners: Universal, David Lynch, Afropunk London, more
Artist News Business News Gigs & Festivals Industry People Labels & Publishers Live Business One Liners Releases
Other notable announcements and developments today…
• Maria Alonte is now SVP of Film & Television Synchronisation for the US-based Universal Music labels Def Jam, Republic and Island. She previously worked as SVP Film & TV at Dr Luke’s label and publishing firm.
• Rebecca Kane Burton, currently General Manager at the big fat O2 tent in London, is moving over to Really Useful Theatres where she will be MD. Really Useful chief Andrew Lloyd Webber is “absolutely delighted” with the hire, while Kane Burton herself is “THRILLED’ about her new gig.
• There’s a new book coming out about the music in the films of David Lynch called ‘Beyond The Beyond’. The book “so perfectly describes my music, and our longtime, warm and personal working relationship”, says the director’s long-time musical collaborator Angelo Badalamenti.
• Alt-J drummer Thom Sonny Green has released another new track from his upcoming solo album. Here’s ‘Palms’.
• Billy Bragg and Joe Henry have released another track from their forthcoming album of railway-themed covers. This is their version of Jean Ritchie’s ‘The L&N Don’t Stop Here Anymore’.
• Here’s Sleigh Bells’ new single, ‘Hyper Dark’.
• Goat will release new album ‘Requiem’ on 7 Oct. From it, this is ‘Try My Robe’.
• Connie Constance has released her new single, ‘Lose My Mind’. Here’s the video.
• Former At The Drive-In guitarist Jim Ward features on this new song by Prints Jackson, ‘Sail On Phaelon’.
• Gothic Tropic have released the video for new single, ‘Stronger’.
• The Pet Shop Boys will be touring the arenas of the UK next February. Tickets on sale this Friday.
• Those Pixies will be touring the UK at the end of November and on into the beginning of December. They’ll start with two nights at that Brixton Academy in London on 28-29 Nov.
• Grace Jones has been announced as the replacement for MIA at the Afropunk London festival.
READ MORE ABOUT: Afropunk Festival | Alt-J | Billy Bragg | Connie Constance | David Lynch | Goat | Gothic Tropic | Grace Jones | Jim Ward | Joe Henry | Maria Alonte | Pet Shop Boys | Pixies | Prints Jackson | Really Useful Theatres | Rebecca Kane Burton | Sleigh Bells | Thom Sonny Green | Universal Music
Wednesday 20 July 2016, 09:35 | By Andy Malt
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian might not be going to prison after all
And Finally Artist News Legal
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian may escape prison sentences for recording and sharing a private conversation with Taylor Swift. And not just because it’s very unlikely that anyone would bother to prosecute them over it.
As previously reported, in a bid to set the record straight/draw attention to herself/boost ratings for her TV show, on Sunday night Kardashian posted excerpts of a videoed phone conversation between Swift and West to Snapchat. It showed West calling from the studio to inform Swift that he’d written a line on a new song in which he suggested that they might one day have sex.
Although she seems to give her blessing for West to go ahead with that line, Swift noted in her response to the video that he does not mention the following lyric, which she subsequently took exception to, where he refers to her as “that bitch”.
So that was a thing. But then some people started suggesting that a crime could have been committed. Under California state law, it is illegal to record a private conversation without consent from both sides in advance. Breaking this law carries a sentence of up to a year in prison, or three years if it’s deemed to be a felony.
Speaking to BuzzFeed, LA attorney Troy Slaten said that Kardashian would be aware that sharing the recording was illegal, as Swift’s lawyers had previously sent a latter warning her of this when they became aware of the video in February.
What’s more, MTV points to a clip from the new series of that TV show she’s in, filmed around the same time as the West/Swift conversation, which suggests prior knowledge of the law on this point. Backstage at a filming of ‘Saturday Night Live’, West and Kardashian are heard discussing whether or not it’s illegal to record a conversation without consent, and she tells him “not in New York, not in New York”.
For some reason, MTV reckons that this makes Kardashian “an actual real life genius” and “criminal mastermind” for working out how to avoid going to prison for recording a conversation without a participant’s permission. Though quick-thinking readers might note, while New York – where ‘SNL’ is recorded – is indeed in the state of New York, Los Angeles, where everyone seems pretty certain that the Swift call was taped, is not.
But that’s all by the by, reckons TMZ, because California law does not ban the recording of conversations that “may be overheard”. Producer Rick Rubin is also seen in the studio during the video, and a small film crew were apparently also in the room. All of these people speak up during the phone call in the full recordings, says TMZ. Therefore, Swift would have been aware that other people were listening in, even if she was not at that time aware that she was being recorded.
There may also be one more get out for West and Kardashian, if all else fails. Attorney Darren Kavinoky informs BuzzFeed that prosecutors “have real stuff to worry about” and would therefore be unlikely to bother pursuing this nonsense.
READ MORE ABOUT: Kanye West | Kim Kardashian | Taylor Swift
Wednesday 20 July 2016, 09:31 | By Andy Malt
Approved: The Pictish Trail
CMU Approved
The Pictish Trail, aka Johnny Lynch, returns this September with his latest album, ‘Future Echoes’. The latest track from the record, ‘Dead Connections’, was released earlier this week, following on from first single, ‘Far Gone (Don’t Leave)’.
The new album was apparently written in a caravan on the isle of Eigg, off the west coast of Scotland. Lynch then transported himself down to London to record it, working once again with producer Adem Ilhan – or just Adem, as you probably know him.
‘Dead Connections’ is one of Lynch’s most polished productions to date, embracing a full pop sound, but retaining enough of the self-conscious charm that music written in a caravan on a small island should have.
Listen to ‘Dead Connection’ here:
Stay up to date with all of the artists featured in the CMU Approved column in 2016 by subscribing to our Spotify playlist.
READ MORE ABOUT: Pictish Trail
Tuesday 19 July 2016, 10:27 | By Chris Cooke
US creator groups welcome proposals for copyright complaint fast-track system
Business News Digital Labels & Publishers Legal Top Stories
Creator groups in the US have welcomed legislation proposed in the House Of Representatives last week by Hakeem Jeffries that would introduce a cheaper, quicker system for smaller copyright claims. Though some in the tech community are, somewhat predictably, already expressing concerns.
The Copyright Alternative In Small-Claims Enforcement Act – clumsily named to allow the acronym the CASE Act – would basically establish an arbitration process via which copyright owners could pursue smaller infringement claims without having to go the full litigation route. The statutory damages available via this process would be limited, though could still reach $15,000 per infringement. Much of what Jeffries is proposing was actually first suggested by a US Copyright Office report in 2013.
The aim of the small claims system would be to overcome what many consider a major weakness of copyright law, which is that the law says to sue infringers, but many smaller and individual copyright owners can’t afford to pursue litigation, even if victory in court is pretty much assured.
Such a small claims system might also be relevant in the safe harbours domain, in that while a site like YouTube may be able to hide behind the safe harbour when one of its users uploads content without a licence from the copyright owner, the user has no such protection, except that few rights owners are going to go to the hassle of filing a full-on lawsuit. But an action through this new small claims system might be viable.
Which is one of the reasons why some in the tech community are criticising Jeffries’ proposals, because it could result in a flood of complaints being filed against individuals uploading content to YouTube or similar platforms, or even those tapping the file-sharing networks for music. Which would be rather reminiscent of the unsuccessful sue-the-fans strategy pursued by the US record industry in the early days of file-sharing.
Some copyright owners still pursue that strategy to this day. Writes Mike Masnick on TechDirt: “We already see that [copyright owners] are flooding the federal court system, where multiple rulings against joinder – ie the ridiculous bundling of thousands of possible file sharers together – has meant that when [rights owners] do sue, they’re generally limited in how many people they can sue”.
“Making the process cheaper”, Masnick continues, “but still offering statutory damages amounts that can be quite scary to the average American” could result in a ramping up of actions against individual file-sharers, and/or the sending of letters demanding out-of-court settlements from suspected infringers (what Masnick would call copyright trolling).
But for individual creators – who, in the main, have no interest in targeting thousands of suspected casual file-sharers, though might want to stop people using their content on YouTube channels – Jeffries’ proposals could be liberating, giving artists and songwriters actual rather than theoretical copyright protection.
The US Authors Guild is one of the organisations which has been lobbying for something like this, and its Executive Director Mary Rasenberger told reporters last week: “The legislation will finally provide authors with a means of enforcing their rights. Federal court litigation is unaffordable to most authors and other creators, and so they have been left with unenforceable rights. We look forward to continuing to work with Congress to ensure that the legislation creates a tribunal that is accessible, navigable, and fair to authors – without having to hire lawyers”.
Meanwhile, in a post on The Trichordist, the President of the Songwriters Guild Of America, Rick Carnes, also welcomes the proposals. He writes: “The average cost to bring a single, full-blown copyright infringement claim today is estimated to approach $350,000 in legal fees. At the same time, statutory damages for such infringements are currently capped under the US Copyright Act at less than half that amount per title!”
This means, he says, that “copyright law is useless to songwriters when the cost of enforcement of our rights far exceeds the compensatory damages able to be recovered against infringers”.
Welcoming Jeffries’ proposed new act, Carnes says: “We believe that this bill strikes the right balance between consumers and creators, establishing an alternative, opt-in arbitration system to resolve copyright infringement cases without necessitating the time and expense of filing and defending a ‘Federal Case'”.
In a bid for balance, Jeffries proposes that this new fast track system would also hear complaints from people who feel that a copyright owner is misusing the takedown element of the safe harbour provisions of the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act, especially when it comes to the fair use of copyright material. Though critics might argue that there remain ambiguities in quite how all that should work even in the federal courts, making it harder for an arbitration panel to rule on such matters.
Nevertheless, Jeffries will certainly argue that it’s not just copyright owners who could benefit from his proposed fast track system for copyright complaints. It remains to be seen how the proposals fair in Congress.
READ MORE ABOUT: Hakeem Jeffries | Songwriters Guild Of America | US Authors Guild | US Congress
