Kim Dotcom sues New Zealand government for billions over 2012 MegaUpload raid
Kim Dotcom marked the sixth anniversary this weekend of the shutdown of his file-transfer platform MegaUpload by suing the New Zealand government for billions of dollars in damages because, well, of course he did.

Dotcom's home in his adopted country of New Zealand was raided by police in January 2012, just as authorities in the US swooped to shutdown Dotcom's MegaUpload business, which was accused of knowingly facilitating rampant copyright infringement.

Assets and domains were seized as the MegaUpload websites went offline. Meanwhile Dotcom and his fellow MegaUpload managers were arrested and charged for alleged money laundering and racketeering in addition to copyright crimes.

Six years on, efforts to extradite Dotcom and those other MegaUpload execs based in New Zealand continue to go through the motions. Courts in the country have ruled that extradition can go ahead, but Dotcom et al are yet to exhaust all routes of appeal.

There has been plenty of legal wrangling over those six years in relation to the case against Dotcom. His lawyers have argued that copyright infringement isn't covered by America and New Zealand's extradition treaty; that the US is wrong to continue depriving their client of his former assets; and that the New Zealand authorities broke their own rules when raiding the MegaUpload chief's home all those years ago.

It's the latter claims, which have been aired plenty of times before, that are at the heart of new civil proceedings filed by Dotcom against the New Zealand government.

As the sixth anniversary of the MegaUpload raid began, Dotcom declared on Twitter: "Today, six years ago, the New Zealand government enabled the unlawful destruction of MegaUpload and seizure of my global assets. I was arrested for the alleged online piracy of my users. Not even a crime in NZ. My lawyers have served a multi-billion dollar damages claim against the government today".

He added later: "Our damages claim against the government is strong. Any jury will be absolutely shocked by the malicious and unjust persecution that my family had to endure in the last six years. The bullying will result in an unprecedented award of damages and full exposure of those responsible".

Actually, it turns out, Dotcom's lawyers started that lawsuit last month. His chief legal rep Ira Rothken told Torrentfreak: "We confirm that our legal team filed a statement of claim in the New Zealand High Court for monetary damages on 22 Dec 2017, on behalf of Kim Dotcom against the United States and NZ governmental entities, alleging that defendants pursued with malice and material non disclosure an erroneous arrest warrant".

As Rothken states, the new legal claim again argues that the arrest warrant issued for Dotcom was invalid. It then criticises the New Zealand authorities for collaborating with the Americans in their bid to shut down MegaUpload.

Those actions, the legal papers argue, cost Dotcom not only his freedom but also his business that - they add - was worth billions and which - with plans underway in 2012 to IPO - could have delivered a handsome pay-day for the MegaUpload chief later that year.

Hence the claim for mega-bucks damages now. An exact figure isn't provided in the legal filing, though it says a conservative valuation for the MegaUpload company as of January 2012 was $2.6 billion and Dotcom had a 68% stake in the business.

It remains to be seen how this latest bit of MegaUpload legal shenanigans plays out. Current New Zealand Prime Minister played down the new lawsuit, telling reporters: "This has obviously been an ongoing matter, so no it doesn't surprise me".

Meanwhile, given this marks the sixth birthday of our extensive coverage of the MegaUpload shutdown, let's all celebrate by reminding ourselves how the often controversial file-transfer service got its first mention in the CMU Daily. Yes, let's all listen to the MegaUpload Song!

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Stormzy's #Merky label joins Warner's Atlantic UK division
Stormzy has signed a new deal with Warner Music to bring his #Merky record label under the umbrella of the major's Atlantic UK division.

Announcing the deal on Instagram, the rapper said that it was the "beginning of a new chapter", adding: "Looking forward to delivering more music, more bodies of work and to start developing and working on new talent on the #Merky roster. Let's work".

In a statement, Warner's recorded music boss Max Lousada said: "Stormzy and #Merky are a cultural force whose music makes everyone listen. Talent, truth, energy and relevance - they represent music at its most powerful. We're proud to have them in the family".

The deal extends Stormzy's existing alliance with the mini-major. Released through #Merky last year, his debut album 'Gang Signs & Prayer' was distributed by Warner's label services unit ADA.

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Parliament to put spotlight on live sector
As the UK government confirmed last week that it was going to incorporate the agent of change principle into planning rules, Parliament's culture select committee announced it was launching a new inquiry into other challenges affecting the British live music industry, especially at the grassroots.

Confirming its new live music inquiry, the select committee stated: "The British live music industry attracted over 30 million music fans in 2016, with music tourism contributing £4 billion to the UK economy that year. However, despite the fact that festival and concert attendance continues to grow, the number of grassroots music venues have seen a drastic decline".

Although getting agent of change into planning rules is a good step forward - reducing the potential negative impact of new residential developments being built next to existing music venues - plenty of other challenges remain for the grass roots music circuit. Yet pretty much everyone agrees that circuit is key for helping future music talent develop and find a fanbase.

The wide-ranging new review will cover things like the status of small music venues, the impact of music tourism, the potential impact of Brexit on live music, and the link between music education and the live sector. Oh yeah, and good old secondary ticketing. Again.

The culture select committee has looked at ticket touting before, of course, with the secondary ticketing sites not coming across particularly well at the committee's public hearings on the issue. Viagogo, meanwhile, just didn't show up, a highly unusual move for a company with significant operations in the UK.

Those investigations were cut short by the 2017 General Election, something the select committee notes. It states: "MPs will use this inquiry to continue investigating [the ticket touting] problem, since the 2017 General Election cut short the previous committee's inquiry looking into ticket abuse. This inquiry launched today will aim to incorporate the findings and evidence that were submitted previously, and MPs will once again invite ticket reselling companies such as Viagogo to contribute evidence".

Commenting on the wider inquiry, committee chair Damian Collins MP said: "The committee welcomes the government's announcement today that the agent of change principle will form part of the National Planning Policy Framework for housing. As part of this new inquiry, we'll be exploring other ways in which the government can support upcoming artists and grassroots venues that form such a crucial part of the music scene in the UK".

More information about the inquiry and how to submit evidence is available here.

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Birmingham's Rainbow Venues launches campaign to help fund appeal against closure
Birmingham's Rainbow Venues has launched a campaign to raise funds for its legal battle against the previously reported revocation of its licence last year.

Similar to the situation in which London's Fabric found itself in 2016, the Rainbow Venues complex had its licence revoked in November following a drug-related death on its premises. Nineteen year old Michael Trueman died at a Halloween event due to the drugs he had taken, and was the second person to die at the venue due to drugs in two years. A police spokesperson said that this left them with "no option but to call for Rainbow's licence to be revoked".

However, like Fabric, Rainbow had very strict anti-drugs policies and had worked with police to try to limit the amount of drugs that entered its venues. Despite this, the local council decided to revoke the company's licence, effectively putting it out of business.

The venue argued that this was counterproductive in many ways. Closing down a club will not stop people from taking drugs, and may put them in more dangerous situations, where specialist medical support is not on hand. Also, it added, it had invested a lot of money in regenerating warehouse buildings that were previously derelict, and invested profits from its main venue into cultural events less likely to make money.

Launching its Educate Not Revocate campaign last week, Rainbow called for donations to help it launch an appeal against the decision to take away its licence. As well as paying for lawyers, the company says, money raised will go towards covering rent and rates while the venues are out of action, and supporting the venues' suppliers, who are at risk of going out of business themselves while the venues are closed.

The company also plans to launch a new festival, aiming to improve drugs education, change government and local authority views on youth culture and nightlife, and encourage investment in the nighttime economy.

"The authorities need to acknowledge the huge significance The Rainbow Venues have, to millions of visitors to Birmingham, and what impact [the closure] will have on the city's nighttime economy", says The Rainbow Venues in a statement. "We want our voice to be heard and we want to see if we can make a difference".

On its appeal, the company says: "We did not breach our licence conditions, we were informed that we were completely compliant, yet still had our licence revoked. This is why we will be appealing". However, it goes on, the appeal may take up to four months and cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Similar to calls made on national government by Fabric during its campaign, Rainbow also adds: "Premises in Bristol and Plymouth have also had tragic losses of life [but] they haven't had their licences revoked. We need some consistency across the country".

It goes on: "If someone breaks the law, should the premises lose its licence or should the individual be held accountable? The Rainbow Venues has some of the most stringent drugs policies and measures in place in the country to help prevent the use of illegal drugs. Is closing down venues that pro-actively [work on drug safety initiatives] the sensible thing to do?"

You can donate to the campaign here, and watch a video detailing the effect the closure of The Rainbow Venues has had here.

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Independent Venue Week documentary in production
A feature length documentary about this year's Independent Venue Week is in production, it has been announced. With the working title 'The Long And Winding Road', the aim is to screen the final film during next year's event.

Producer Rob Taylor, who also worked on independent record shop documentary 'Last Shop Standing', says: "'The Long And Winding Road' will open a window onto the amazing and often quirky world of the UK's smaller independent venues, both past and present, interviewing the venue owners, industry insiders, and the emerging and established artists for whom the venues were, and are, an essential part of their development. The film will stay relevant by looking at contemporary issues, challenges and obstacles as well as being historical and biopic".

Independent Venue Week founder Sybil Bell adds: "People that own and run music venues are, first and foremost, huge music fans. They aren't in the business for fame or fortune - they're passionate about music. These people are some of the most charismatic, driven and maverick people you could ever wish to meet. 'The Long And Winding Road' will introduce you to these personalities as well as artist, promoters, local music fans and those from the industry who rely on these spaces to develop careers. Get a glimpse of places you've heard of but never been to".

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Tom Petty died from accidental overdose, coroner's report confirms
Tom Petty died from an accidental drugs overdose, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's office confirmed on Friday. The musician's death was recorded as "multi-system organ failure" due to a "mixed toxicity" of seven prescription medications. The manner of death is documented as "accidental".

Petty was found unconscious in his Malibu home last October and died later in hospital. His death came shortly after completing a Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers 40th anniversary tour.

In a joint statement, Petty's wife Dana and daughter Adria said: "Unfortunately Tom's body suffered from many serious ailments including emphysema, knee problems and most significantly a fractured hip. Despite this painful injury he insisted on keeping his commitment to his fans and he toured for 53 dates with a fractured hip and, as he did, it worsened to a more serious injury".

"On the day he died he was informed his hip had graduated to a full on break", they added. "It is our feeling that the pain was simply unbearable and was the cause for his over use of medication".

Saying that they "feel confident that this was, as the coroner found, an unfortunate accident", they went on to say that they recognise that the confirmation of the cause of Petty's death "may spark a further discussion on the opioid crisis"

"We feel that it is a healthy and necessary discussion and we hope in some way this report can save lives", they said. "Many people who overdose begin with a legitimate injury or simply do not understand the potency and deadly nature of these medications".

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George Ezra announces new album, Staying At Tamara's
I can barely leave the house these days without someone asking me when George Ezra is releasing another album. "When will George Ezra release another album", they clamour, a look of pained desperation in their eyes.

Some of these people are in a really bad way. Some have been there, sitting outside my house, for months now. I suspect that at least one has died and has been eaten by the others. And yet each day there are more of them demanding information, and each day I have to tell them that I have none. I do not know when George Ezra will release a new album.

Today was different though. When I stepped outside this morning to manoeuvre the bins around the still sleeping bodies of all those George Ezra fans on my drive, one of them stirred. He whispered, still half asleep, "Please sir, any word?"

"Yes", I replied. "The new George Ezra album will be released on 23 Mar, and it will be called 'Staying At Tamara's'. The first single, 'Paradise', is available to stream and download now".

A single tear formed in the corner of the man's eye. As he broke into a sob, the others awoke. Could it really be true? Had the day finally come? Was there really word of a new George Ezra album?

"Yes", I told them. "After all this time, I would not lie to you. By the end of March you will have your new George Ezra album".

The relief I saw spread over the crowd filled me with a sense of enormous pride, even though I knew that all I had done was deliver the message. The real hero was George Ezra himself. Still, I couldn't help but feel that I'd played a small role in all this, as I watched the people who had for so long meant I'd had to park my car up the road a bit rise up as one and walk away, finally contented.

"I just hope the release doesn't get pushed back", I thought to myself, as I turned and walked back into the house. Seeing my wife in the kitchen, I informed her too of the joyous news that George Ezra will release a new album, called 'Staying At Tamara's', on 23 Mar.

"Ugh", she bristled. "His voice is too deep for his face".

I decided not to tell her that George Ezra had also announced tour dates for March and April. I hadn't told the people outside either. But then, they had never asked.

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The Smiths (minus a couple of members) reunite for classical show
It's happened. It's finally happened. They said it never would - perhaps never could - but everyone has their price. That's right, The Smiths have announced a reunion. OK, sure, not everyone's involved, but how much input did Steven Morrissey and Johnny Marr ever really have in that whole venture anyway?

Andy Rourke, Mike Joyce and Craig Gannon (the former Aztec Camera bassist who was briefly a member of The Smiths in 1986) are getting back together, replacing the other two with the Manchester Camerata Orchestra. Together, they will tour a new show by the name of Classically Smiths.

"To have been there the first time round and seen it first hand, and to still be such a big fan of The Smiths today, I am both THRILLED and excited to be involved in Classically Smiths", says Rourke. "I'm really proud of the band's work, and being able to present those songs again in this particular production format promises to be a real gift for audiences everywhere".

Enthusing further, Joyce adds: "I'm really looking forward to fans being able to hear the songs in a way they've never been heard before, either on record or live. On the stage, or out front, this is going to be quite an experience for us all".

The Manchester Camerata Orchestra is currently best known for its Hacienda Classical show, a collaboration with DJs Mike Pickering and Graeme Park. Whether performing orchestral version of Smiths songs can have the same success remains to be seen.

There will be performances of the show in Manchester, London and Edinburgh in June and July, followed by a full UK tour later this year. Tickets for the initial dates go on sale on Friday. More info here.

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Drake, U2, Rudimental, more

Other notable announcements and developments today...

• Drake went and released two new tracks at the weekend. Just like that, out of nowhere. He's a tricky one, that Drake.

• Say what you like about U2.

• Sorry, I ended that last one a bit early. I meant to say, you can say whatever you like about U2.

• Right, I'll have another go. It's quite hard to add a 'but' to this, but you can say whatever the hell you want about U2 as far as I'm concerned.

• Hang on, that wasn't the 'but'. Look, I think the new U2 video is alright. Okay? There, I said it. Are you happy now?

• Rudimental have released new single 'These Days'. It features Jess Glynne, Macklemore and Dan Caplan.

• Laurie Anderson and the Kronos Quartet have released another track from their upcoming 'Landfall' album. Here's 'The Water Rises/Our Street Is A Black River'.

• There's a new I Am X album coming out on 2 Feb, called 'How To Get Away With Murder'. Here's lead single 'Alive In A New Light'.

• Check out our weekly Spotify playlist of new music featured in the CMU Daily - updated every Friday.

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Ed Sheeran to quit music once he has children
Ed Sheeran has said that he will quit music the second he and now fiancée Cherry Seaborn have a baby.

According to The Daily Star, Sheeran said: "My ambition is going to go to zero as soon as I have kids. I am going to be like, 'I do not really care anymore as I have another life to take care of'".

I think if there's one thing parents know, it's that you can't really predict how becoming one is going to affect you. But, to be fair, if we could all use our kids as an excuse to quit our jobs we probably would.

"It is totally understandable", he goes on, "because you have children and your ambition shifts to be like, 'I want to be a good father'".

Sure, Ed. Sure. Although, having all quit our jobs (financial implications aside), how long it would then take for each of us to go and beg for it back would depend on the parent I guess. And the job I suppose. Let's just say, I think we can fairly confidently expect an album from Ed within six to twelve months of delivery.

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