Government extends rules for ticket resellers, publishes guidelines for the touts
Culture Minister Matt Hancock seized ownership of the "look at me, I'm banning the bots" line at the start of the year. So now UK Consumer Minister Andrew Griffiths has jumped on the 'fuck-the-touts' bandwagon by declaring five big new rules to regulate online ticket resellers. True, most of the new rules are actually old rules. But at least one is brand new, and another is clarified. So that's two things. Hancock only had one bots ban. So, that's a win for Griffiths. Well done him.

In a statement issued this morning, the UK government's Department For Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy declared: "Fans of live events are set to benefit from new rules which will demand more information from sellers on secondary ticket websites. Under the new rules, which will come into force in April 2018, ticket resellers will be required to provide purchasers with additional detailed information about tickets including the location of seats, disclosure of any restrictions and the original price of the ticket itself".

Actually, all of those requirements already exist in UK law, them coming from the 2015 Consumer Rights Act. It was back-bench MPs Sharon Hodgson and Mike Weatherley who managed to sneak some secondary ticketing regulation into that round of consumer rights legislation. That act also instigated the Waterson Report on touting and, arguably, motivated the much more proactive and organised campaigning we've seen from the music community against industrial-level ticket touting and the websites the touts utilise.

However, Griffiths's announcement does provide some clarity on exactly what ticket restrictions must be declared when a tout is touting. Also, there is a brand new obligation to provide the unique ticket number of any ticket being resold, assuming there is such a thing.

This is a key development for those promoters who have been proactive in cancelling touted tickets. The terms and conditions of a ticket usually state that it cannot be resold, meaning a show promoter can cancel it if it is then touted. Some promoters have been doing just that in a general bid to encourage people to stop buying tickets from unofficial sellers.

However, to cancel a touted ticket a promoter needs to know that it has been touted. If resellers comply with the rule to publish seat numbers, that might enable a promoter to identify and then cancel a ticket. Although, up until arena-sized venues, music shows often don't have numbered seating. Therefore an additional rule to also publish a specific ticket number will help with that process.

To work, that will require promoters and primary ticket sellers to allocate unique ticket numbers and be very clear about it. Most ticket transactions already come with unique codes of some description, but to capitalise on this new obligation for resellers, promoters may need to provide a much clearer unique number for each ticket sold. Touts and the touting platforms would then be obliged to ensure this information is declared when a ticket is advertised.

Commenting on both the not really new and the actually new secondary ticketing regulations, Griffiths said: "All too often people are left feeling ripped off when buying tickets from resale websites. Whether it's a major music festival or a stadium concert, people want to know they're paying a fair price for tickets to see the events they love".

Noting the aforementioned ban on the bots some touts use to hoover up large quantities of tickets from primary ticketing sites, and the Competition & Market Authority's ongoing investigation into the secondary market, Griffiths continued: "We are already taking steps to crack down on touts using bots to bulk buy tickets for resale and the CMA is investigating suspected breaches of consumer protection law online. Today we are going even further, making it easier for consumers to understand what they are buying to help save them from rip off ticket prices".

As part of today's announcement, new guidelines have been published for ticket resellers, summarising the various consumer rights and trading standards laws that impact on touting and the penalties for breaking those laws. Griffiths has also confirmed that later this year a new green paper will be published examining how government can help people "engage with markets to find the best deals".

Commenting on the government's latest moves on secondary ticketing, the anti-touting campaign group FanFair stated this morning: "Under the Consumer Rights Act, secondary ticketing sites and their sellers have a shared responsibility to provide certain key information whenever a ticket is listed for resale".

"They must show would-be buyers the original ticket's face value, it's specific location, and details of any restrictions relevant to it's use. With this updated guidance we now have clarification that 'restrictions' also include resale restrictions. For instance, if the original terms and conditions state that a ticket is personalised and ID is required to gain entry, secondary sites must make this information clear".

On the new rule, it added: "From April, event organisers will also have an opportunity to better protect standing tickets by identifying them with a unique ticket number or UTN. Secondary platforms must provide this UTN if such a ticket is listed for resale".

"If properly enforced, we believe these clarifications and updates will better protect UK audiences, artists and event organisers. They should also provide greater clarity to secondary ticketing platforms of their legal responsibilities, and increase overall transparency in what is still a murky and under-regulated sector".

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Vice Media faces class action lawsuit over gender pay gap
Vice Media is facing a class action lawsuit in the US accusing the company of routinely paying women less than men for doing the same jobs. The legal action has been brought against the company by a former project manager, Elizabeth Rose.

In the lawsuit, Rose claims that she hired a new male employee to work under her, who she later discovered was earning more than she was. He was then promoted above her and became her supervisor. She says that she was told by a senior member of staff that he had been chosen for the promotion because he was more suited to liaise with male clients at Live Nation.

She goes on to say that she discovered an internal memo, listing the salaries of 35 employees. This, she claims, showed the extent to which women "made far less than male employees for the same or substantially similar work".

The lawsuit proposes three classes that women employed by Vice Media in the last six years would be eligible to join. This could total up to 700 current and former employees of the company.

The lawsuit seeks damages, adjusted wages to bring pay in line with male counterparts, and an end to discriminatory pay policies.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Vice said: "We have just been made aware of the complaint and are reviewing it. As a company, we have made a significant commitment to a respectful, inclusive and equal workplace. That commitment includes a pay parity audit started last year, a goal of 50/50 female/male representation at every level by 2020, and the formation of a Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Board".

The company is already dealing with sexual harassment allegations against senior staff members, which emerged in a New York Times article last year. Last month, it was announced that Chief Digital Officer Mike Germano would not be returning to work, having been placed on leave after being named in that article. Although he denies that his departure is related to those allegations.

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Industry backs EU's pilot programme to support music community
An entire blancmange of music industry trade groups (hey, why not join me in my bid to make that the official collective noun?) amassed in Brussels yesterday. They were there for the launch of Music Moves Europe, a new pilot programme from the European Union's culture directorate. The initiative will test various schemes that could become part of a fully-fledged EU music programme that would launch in 2021. Which is exciting. Something else the music community of Brexited Britain will miss out on. Woo!

As well as attending the launch, the blancmange also put out an open letter to European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker welcoming the new initiative and urging him to support a decently funded permanent music-centric support programme at the end of the pilot. When it comes to cultural stuff, the EC has a history of putting a lot more effort into supporting the European movie industry than anything else.

In the letter, the blancmange writes: "Together, we are marking the launch of the Music Moves Europe Preparatory Action, a pilot project adopted by the European Parliament that will help test ideas and projects which could be replicated at a larger scale in the next generation of EU programmes. Seizing the opportunity provided by this event, the undersigned organisations from across the spectrum are joining their voices to call on all EU institutions to endorse the idea of a dedicated EU music programme as part of the next multi-annual financial framework".

"The Preparatory Action is designed to be a first step towards filling a gap in today's EU cultural policy", it goes on. "The next step is a tailor-made EU music programme with a budget which is proportionate to its economic, social and cultural contribution. Among other things, a fully-fledged music programme would help trigger more investment in the sector, boost diversity and increase the mobility of artists and repertoire across borders. Let's give ourselves the means to make this one of the EU's great success stories".

The letter concludes: "The signatories of this letter are committed to making this Commission project - which has already garnered significant cross-party support in the European Parliament - a reality. We ask you to join us in support of a dedicated EU music programme with an appropriate budget corresponding to the sector's challenges. To fully unlock the potential of the EU creative sectors, we join others in the larger cultural sector in urging all institutions to double the overall budget dedicated to culture. Adequate funding for culture is the essential foundation on which a genuine pan European cultural economy can be built. Creativity is where Europe excels. Let's make our culture shine even brighter".

One of the trade groups involved is indie-label repping IMPALA. Its Public Affairs Manager Matthieu Philibert said: "Building on the Commission and Parliament's ground-breaking work so far, a music programme would fill a gap in the current European cultural framework. Such a programme would be a strategic move to boost music, which is one of Europe's key economic sectors. It would be a first and would help the sector to continue to shape and adapt to a fast-changing environment".

Thinking about it, I wish I'd gone with a 'cacophony' of trade bodies. Can we make that the collective noun? After all, I hear that an entire cacophony of music industry trade groups amassed in Brussels yesterday for the launch of Music Moves Europe, a new pilot programme from the European Union's culture directorate.

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Dice responds to accusations of secret booking fees
Dice has responded to accusations made recently by the band Shame that the company has been quietly sneaking booking fees onto ticket prices. The mobile ticketing app originally launched with an unusual but popular 'no booking fees' approach.

"Everyone's favourite 'no booking fees' vendor Dice have slyly added a 10% booking fee to shows costing above £10", tweeted the band last week. "We knew absolutely nothing about this. Sorry to anyone who's been stung by this".

They went on: "We've used Dice for every headline show for the last year because it benefits music fans who don't want to get ripped off by fees. Here they are charging £20.85 for a £16 show. We will not be using Dice again from here on out. Fucking money grabbers".

This resulted in a back and forth on Twitter, where Dice attempted unsuccessfully to placate the band and explain the situation - pointing out that the company had long supported the outift and that its platform meant that their tickets were not appearing on secondary sites. Now the company's Managing Director Russ Tannen has issued a statement further attempting to clarify things.

"On Friday some of you might have seen that we got into a bit of a Twitter back-and-forth with the band Shame", he writes. "This obviously sucks because a) we love the band and b) we started Dice to fix ticketing for fans, not piss them off".

He continues: "When we started Dice in 2014 our tagline was 'Best Gigs. No Booking Fees'. For the whole time we used that line we didn't have booking fees and lost money on every ticket sold. Why? We were trying to figure out how this thing works. As we grew we discovered that to get a significant allocation of tickets for bigger shows, we had to agree to include a 'booking fee'. This was particularly the case for our expansion in North America".

This led to much internal debate about how the company should proceed, he said. Ultimately, it was decided that they should accept fees on some tickets.

"Ultimately, it was a case of either drop 'Best Gigs' or drop 'No Booking Fees'", he says. "So we decided to start incorporating some fees to a small number of shows and dropped the 'no booking fees' line in January 2017. What didn't change is our commitment to always try [to] be the lowest price".

The fees constitute "a small markup that covers some of our costs, and fulfils contractual obligations to some of our partners". The total price the customer will pay is also always stated up front, rather than at the end of the transaction. Tannen added that there are still "lots of shows where we don't have any markup at all".

He did, however, concede that the company should have explained this change in detail when it was implemented.

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Peace announce kindly new album
Peace released a standalone new single last week, and you were all, like, "Huh, weird they're not putting out a new album". But they are. They are putting out a new album. They fooled you. Just like everyone fools you. You are an idiot.

That's right, Peace have just announced that they will release a new album, called 'Kindness Is The New Rock N Roll', on 4 May. Hmm, if that title's right, then maybe I shouldn't have called you an idiot just now. Sorry. You're not an idiot. You're just very willing to take things at face value. But that's fine. It's endearing really. Honestly, I think it's nice.

Anyway, this album was written in a National Trust property out in the middle of nowhere somewhere in Herefordshire. "I was a total townie", says frontman Harry Koisser of adjusting to these surroundings. "I spent six months out in an actual forest. It was very Hobbit-ish, very Hobbit-esque. Extremely isolating and scary".

Still, this and working with producer Simone Felice brought out a new creativity in the band, Koisser continues: "Simone doesn't do any sounds. He gets into your soul. He'll take you into a room and touch your heart, he'll drive you down into the Catskill Mountains and say, 'Smell the pines! Go and splash your face in the stream!' Then he'll take you back to the studio. I never ever thought I could sing like that. Simone found that. He physically massaged it out of my chest with his hands".

So that's cool. But with the album finished, the band now have to head back into all those bullshit cities to play their songs live to all you idiots. I mean, all you gullible but endearing fools. By which I mean they've announced some tour dates. Here they are:

5 May: Newcastle, Meet The North
5 May: Live At Leeds
6 May: Liverpool Sound City
8 May: Glasgow, St Luke's
9 May: Sheffield, The Leadmill
11 May: York, Fibbers
12 May: Derby, The Venue
13 May: Hull, The Welly Club
15 May: Norwich, The Waterfront
16 May: London, The Forum
19 May: Southampton, Engine Rooms
20 May: Bristol, SWX
22 May: Reading, Sub89
23 May: Dryden Street Social
24 May: Birmingham, Academy

Last week's new single 'Power' will be on the album. As will 'Under Liquid Glass', which they released last year. And you thought both those tracks were just random standalone songs. I take it back. You're an idiot. I despair, I really do.

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Camila Cabello announces UK tour dates
Camila Cabello will be right here over in the UK in June. What for? To perform some of her songs live, that's what. She'll play three shows as part of her first ever solo headline tour.

Tickets are due to go on sale at 9am on Friday on Cabello's official website. A portion of proceeds from the sale of various VIP packages will be donated to the Children's Health Fund. The one founded by Paul Simon in the US, I think. Not Jamie Oliver's UK one.

Here are the dates, anyway:

5 Jun: Glasgow, Academy
6 Jun: Birmingham, Academy
12 Jun: London, Brixton Academy

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BRITs announces white rose initiative in support of Time's Up campaign
Organisers of next week's BRIT Awards have announced a formal initiative in support of the Time's Up movement, the entertainment industry-led campaign that is demanding proactive measures to stop sexual assault, harassment and inequality in the workplace.

The BRITs initiative has been inspired by Voices In Entertainment, which encouraged attendees to this year's Grammy Awards to wear a white rose to the ceremony to show solidarity with survivors of sexual assault. BRITs organisers will offer artists, presenters and guests a white rose pin which they can choose to wear at the awards bash if they so wish.

The Voices In Entertainment initiative at the Grammys was widely supported and well received. Though, of course, it was somewhat overshadowed by the lack of gender diversity at the awards show itself, both in terms of artists who won and acts who performed. Misguided comments from the old white man who runs the Grammys didn't help, resulting in widespread calls for a significant overhaul of the big American music industry awards bash.

Grammy bosses gave similarly unhelpful responses to previous criticism about the lack of ethnic and genre diversity in its programme and winner lists. When similar accusations were made against the BRITs a couple of years back, organisers there quickly acknowledged the issue and considered measures to address it, in particular ensuring that the Academy which votes for the awards was much more diverse.

Given that conversations about the lack of gender diversity at the Grammys continue, plenty of people will be looking at how the BRITs perform in that regard. Officially embracing the white rose initiative is another good move, though the event's line-up and winner lists will no doubt also be dissected.

Commenting on the white rose initiative, the event's Maggie Crow wrote in a note to members of the BRITs voting academy: "The BRIT Awards with Mastercard will show support to the movement on 21 Feb by providing white rose pins - adopting the symbol for all the same reasons that VIE did - because of its historical importance; representing hope, peace, sympathy and resistance".

Voices In Entertainment co-founder Meg Harkins welcomed the gesture, commenting: "This is not only an important conversation in the US but all over the world and the BRITs will help focus attention on these ongoing issues".

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NME Awards hands out prizes to people who it was decided should win them
It was the NME Awards last night. And a right old time was had by all. Everyone said that they just really enjoyed being there and that the awards given out were a mere bonus. Makes you wonder why they even bother with the actual awards at all.

"Blimey, what a night", says NME guy Mike Williams, confirming the right old time that was had. By all. "Liam Gallagher proved he's the ultimate Godlike Genius and inspired some amazing rock n roll moments in the room, Shirley Manson and Boy Better Know got the recognition their amazing achievements deserve, and the list of winners was like a who's who of the most relevant and exciting artists in the world today".

He went on: "After such a huge year for NME where once again our audience is bigger than it's ever been in our history, it's great to give everyone such a brilliant night to remember (hangovers notwithstanding...)"

Who were the winners though? Do you know what? I don't know. I thought we just agreed the actual awards don't matter. But, if you insist on having that knowledge, luckily for you, I have this list here:

Best British Band: Alt-J
Best British Solo Artist: Loyle Carner
Best International Solo Artist: Lorde
Best International Band: Haim
Best New Artist: Stefflon Don
Best Live Artist: Kasabian
Under The Radar Award: Pale Waves

Best Track: Charli XCX - Boys
Best Mixtape: Avelino - No Bullshit
Best Album: J Hus - Common Sense
Best Collaboration: Craig David & Bastille - I Know You
Best Reissue: Radiohead - OKNOTOK

Best Festival: Glastonbury
Best Small Festival: Festival No 6
Best Festival Headliner: Muse

Best Film: Baby Driver
Best Music Video: The Big Moon - Sucker
Best Music Film: Gaga: Five Foot Two
Best Book: Wiley - Eskiboy
Best TV Show: Stranger Things 2

Music Moment Of The Year: One Love Manchester
Hero Of The Year: Ariana Grande
Villain Of The Year: Piers Morgan

NME Icon: Shirley Manson
NME Innovation Award: Boy Better Know
Godlike Genius: Liam Gallagher

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Rita Ora, Ellie Goulding, Anna Von Hausswolff, more

Other notable announcements and developments today...

• Rita Ora has been cast in the new Pokemon movie, 'Detective Pikachu'. And that's about all we know about that.

• Everyone's covering Don Maclean's 'Vincent' at the moment. Everyone. James Blake did it recently, now Ellie Goulding has too. Everyone.

• Anna Von Hausswolff has released new song 'The Truth, The Glow, The Fall'. Anna Von Hausswolff is brilliant.

• Eleanor Friedberger has announced that she will release new album, 'Rebound', on 4 May. Here's first single, 'In Between Stars'.

• The Lovely Eggs have released the video for new single 'Wiggy Giggy', which will be available for purchasing purposes this Friday. Their new album, 'This Is Eggland', is out on 23 Feb.

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

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Publishing rights in Prince's first single for sale on eBay
Would you like to have written a Prince song? Well now you can have. Sort of. Well not really. But the publishing rights owned by the co-writer of his debut single, 'Soft & Wet', are up for sale on eBay. What would that set you back? A million dollars? Half a million? No, a bargain $490,000.

Chris Moon produced Prince's original demo tape in 1976. Everything on the tape was done by Prince, from songwriting to playing all 27 instruments that appeared on it. All except for 'Soft & Wet', for which Moon contributed lyrics. Fortuitously for Moon, although Prince also took over production duties on his music after he signed to Warner, the song he co-wrote was selected as the musician's debut single in 1978.

The single was not exactly a hit, although it reached number twelve in Billboard's Hot Soul Singles chart. However, it later received a new lease of life when it was sampled by MC Hammer for the song 'She's Soft And Wet' on his debut album 'Please Hammer, Don't Hurt Em' in 1990.

Moon puts the entire financial value of the song at the feet of MC Hammer, rather than Prince. In his eBay listing, he writes: "Around 1990, MC Hammer came out with one of the top albums of the year featuring his hit song 'Can't Touch This' and on that top selling album was my song 'Soft & Wet', licensed by MC Hammer to be used in a rap version of that very same song".

He brags on: "When it came out he sold 10,000,000 copies of that album, which meant I sold 10,000,000 copies of 'Soft & Wet'. To date that MC Hammer album has now sold over 22 million copies worldwide and each time that album sells so does a copy of 'Soft & Wet'".

That's right, think about all the future sales of that MC Hammer album. That's what makes this copyright so valuable. Sure, the song might also get included on a Prince re-issue or two, and gain a boost from renewed interest in the musician's catalogue since his death. But that's nothing compared to the continued success of MC Hammer.

"I have owned 'Soft & Wet' since I wrote it", continues Moon. "I have enjoyed hearing the song countless times over the years, been paid well and am proud of it. I would now like to see someone else enjoy owning it. It has achieved everything and more for me so I feel it is time to pass the torch to a Prince fan who will continue to cherish and enjoy owning it as much as I have. If you love Prince and his music I cannot imagine anything better than co-owning his first hit song with him".

Oh I see, it's not about the money. It's about the closeness to Prince. And, by association, a closeness to MC Hammer. What a treat! Buy it here now.

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