| TOP STORIES | Music publishers will seek alternative licensing solutions in Spain if collecting society won't address TV cash controversy READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| DEALS | Arsenal announces tie-up with Tidal READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| LABELS & PUBLISHERS | Labels and publishers join scheme to simplify licensing for app developers READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| LIVE BUSINESS | Gary Barlow apologises for messing up the Eden Project READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| ARTIST NEWS | As I Lay Dying acknowledge controversy surrounding reunion READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| RELEASES | Spiritualized announce new album, And Nothing Hurt READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| GIGS & FESTIVALS | Nicki Minaj releases new track with Lil Wayne, announces tour with Future READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| AWARDS | Metal Hammer Golden Gods hammered out READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| ONE LINERS | Arcade Fire, Gaz Coombes, Ólafur Arnalds, more READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
| AND FINALLY... | Guns N Roses bassist Duff McKagan attends miniature railway open day READ IN THIS EMAIL | READ ON THE WEBSITE |
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KOBALT MUSIC GROUP - SENIOR MANAGER, CONTENT OPERATIONS (LONDON) Kobalt is looking for an experienced Content Operations Manager to join the expanding AWAL team. The successful candidate will be responsible for leading the global Content Operations function, ensuring the continued quality of our release deliveries and maintaining excellent relationships with priority partners. For more information and to apply click here. |
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THE ORCHARD - DIGITAL ACCOUNT MANAGER (LONDON) The Orchard has an immediate opening for a digital sales specialist to manage key digital retail relationships in the UK. The role will involve working closely with the label management team and Orchard’s marketing teams to create compelling retail campaigns for our content and labels. For more information and to apply click here. |
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DHP FAMILY - LONDON VENUES PROMOTERS (LONDON) DHP Family is seeking Venues Promoters to provide a marketing function for a club event operation in London, maximising awareness, and promoting growth in attendance figures and revenue by maintaining current in-house club brands and events. For more information and to apply click here. |
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UEA(SU) - ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL ENTERPRISE (NORWICH) The students' union's Assistant Director of Social Enterprise (Venues) will be at the centre of developing and managing the union’s Venues operations, including the operation of the largest music venue in the region, multiple bars and student club nights alongside a unique and renowned venue in Norwich city centre. For more information and to apply click here. |
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Music publishers will seek alternative licensing solutions in Spain if collecting society won't address TV cash controversy
The global music publishing community is piling more pressure on the often controversial Spanish song rights collecting society SGAE, stating yesterday that if the society's board and/or the wider collective licensing community can't deal with ongoing issues, key publishers may be forced to seek alternative ways to license their rights in the country.
SGAE has been subject to various controversies in recent years. The most recent relates to an alleged scam dubbed 'the wheel' which impacts on the way royalties paid by TV networks are distributed to the society's members.
It's alleged that certain SGAE members have colluded with a number of executives at Spanish TV stations in order to shuffle a disproportionate amount of the TV royalties the collecting society collects into their own bank accounts. The scam chiefly involves TV stations playing music by certain SGAE members overnight, so that those members can claim a portion of the broadcasters' royalty payments.
The scam has resulted in police raids, boardroom bickering and an investigation by the World Intellectual Property Organisation. Then in February, the International Confederation Of Music Publishers called on CISAC, the global grouping of song right collecting societies, to suspend SGAE's membership until it dealt with the controversy in a way other than just locking its critics out of board meetings.
And yet the wheel keeps spinning. In a new statement yesterday, the ICMP said: "Despite having been reprimanded in recent months by a WIPO Arbitration Panel, the international publishing community and the international community of collective management organisations, the society is returning to its inappropriate and unbalanced television broadcast distribution scam by rejecting the decision of the WIPO Arbitration Panel to which it is bound".
Noting that SGAE's critics in the publishing and songwriting community continue to endure "discrimination and intimidation" by the society, the ICMP added: "In light of this situation, which has been going on for years and which SGAE's governing bodies seem unable and unwilling to solve, ICMP and individual music publishers are being forced to consider unilateral actions. This may include finding alternative licensing options in order to protect their repertoire in Spain".
ICMP also expressed concern yesterday about "the lack of firm action coming from the collective management community to address the seriousness of this situation", which is presumably a coded dig at CISAC. ICMP Chair Chris Butler added: "We've said it before and we'll say it again: it's time for the collective management community to work decisively towards a definitive solution. If they don't, we will have no choice but to look at alternative licensing options".
Arsenal announces tie-up with Tidal
Arsenal football club has announced a tie-up with Tidal which will see it offer participants in its various membership schemes six months of free access to the streaming service of choice for fans of Beyonce exclusives, high quality audio and bad maths (allegedly).
Actually, only members of Arsenal's platinum and gold schemes will get the high-quality audio version of Tidal, with those on the silver and red scheme having to make do with standard quality. Though a bunch of Arsenal players will be picking their favourite tunes for exclusive playlists on the Tidal platform and those will be available to all. I wonder if that will basically be the same Beyonce and Kanye tracks a million times each? We all know footballers love Beyonce and Kanye and dodgy maths. Allegedly.
Did I tell you about the time I accidentally shared a taxi from Kings Cross to Tile Yard with Rio Ferdinand and - having no idea who he was - ignored the cab driver's attempts to talk about football and spent the entire journey telling him about the latest trends in the streaming market? This is definitely how the footballer fraternity got sold on the streaming music business ultimately resulting in this deal with Tidal. I can only apologise.
Confirming the deal, which is worth a million pounds according to footballing site Goal, Arsenal FC's CCO Vinai Venkatesham said: "Football and music are great passions of so many of our global supporters. This partnership combines these two passions in a unique way and will give our members access to some fantastic benefits. It is also a celebration of our shared belief in young talent, and will create opportunities to bring together our players with Tidal's rising artists".
Meanwhile Tidal's COO Lior Tibon, pulled out of emergency maths class (allegedly) to quote on the footballing tie-up, had this to say: "Football and music are two of the most universal languages around the world and we're THRILLED to spotlight promising young talent in both of those areas. This initiative is so synergistic with our shared belief in young talent - we're looking forward to sharing an elevated music experience to Arsenal and its members".
Labels and publishers join scheme to simplify licensing for app developers
Warner Music, Sony/ATV, Beggars and Bucks have all signed up to a new service which aims to make it easier for app developers to legally access music while developing and testing their products.
The new service is called Totem and comes from London-based company OCL. The aim is to overcome licensing issues faced by many app developers, many of which are put off developing music products because of the complexities and costs of music licensing, even in the development stage. Others may just go into development with unlicensed music or fudge things by pulling in tunes off user-upload platforms online, both of which can cause legal issues down the line.
There have been initiatives before to try and make it easier for start-ups to access music while developing products. OCL reckons that its service is particularly helpful because it pulls in repertoire from multiple rights owners, including both labels and publishers.
Of course complexities will remain because of the need to have both song and recording rights licensed in any one track, which is further complicated by song rights often being co-owned, and some elements of the song rights actually being controlled by the songwriter's collecting society rather than the publisher.
However, the more rights owners come on board, the more crossover of rights there will be, and talks are ongoing with other labels, publishers and societies about them participating in the project.
OCL's SVP Music PJ Dulay says: "We are confident that our approach and technology will open up significant new revenue for the music industry. We've listened to rights holders and licensees and developed a licensing solution that addresses both their needs. Simplicity is the hardest thing to design and we're delighted that many rights holders have faith in us".
Talking up the venture on the label side, Warner Music's VP of Digital Strategy & Business Development John Rees said: "Warner Music is excited to work with OCL's rights transaction solution, to help facilitate music licensing within the app developer community. The partnership aims to bring innovation and development around music, delivering great new consumer experiences, whilst ensuring rights holders and artists are equitably compensated".
Meanwhile Simon Wheeler, Director Digital at Beggars Group, added: "We love the idea that we can accelerate the use of high quality licensed music within the app ecosystem via OCL technology. Enabling the massive developer community to use, report and pay for music rights as simply as they buy in servers or bandwidth will be a new area of growth for the music industry and finally remove any arguments for 'launch first and pay for forgiveness later'".
Gary Barlow apologises for messing up the Eden Project
Gary Barlow - or GazBaz as he insists on being called - has apologised for spraying bits of plastic all over the Eden Project complex in Cornwall in an attempt to look cool. Bad luck GazBaz, no one likes plastic anymore. We'll add that to the list of things you've misjudged, alongside hanging out with David Cameron and your tax bill.
Calor Gaz - as he likes people to call him - was performing as part of this year's Eden Sessions concert series, when he fired off some of those confetti cannon things. Inside the cannons were hundreds of bits of shiny plastic film, which gracefully shimmered down to the ground, and then became just some crap on the floor.
Campaign group Cornwall Against Single Use Plastic tweeted that it was "appalled" to see Barry Garlow - as he thinks it's funny to refer to himself - covering the Eden Project in this stuff. Particularly as the venue is "working so hard at getting rid of SU plastics".
Garlow - which he thinks is a fun way to shorten his name - tweeted yesterday: "Apologies to [The Eden Project] for firing our confetti cannons. I hope this doesn't mean we won't be asked back? We've cancelled all ticker tape at outdoor shows because the reality is, beyond the effect it just turns into litter".
I'm not sure what the ticker tape turns into at indoor shows. But I'm not about to attend a Garyb concert to find out.
| Approved: Haiku Salut Haiku Salut have released new single 'Cold To Crack The Stones'. The track is taken from their forthcoming third album, 'There Is No Elsewhere', which will be their first released on PRAH Recordings. The band are known for blending electronic, neo classical and folk sounds, and this time they threw a brass band into the mix as well. "The idea of togetherness and community inspired us to work and record with a brass band", says the trio's Sophie Barkerwood. "We took a mid-winter trip to Somerset to record with Glastonbury Brass which was an incredibly humbling experience. To hear our songs being played back at us by championship musicians was something else. There was such a warmth of feeling and hope and community". "The electronic elements sound processed and glitchy and the physical instruments - brass, accordion, guitar - all lead the emotion and provide the human element, the fallibility", she explains. "We recorded sounds of the woodland and chopped it all up into wonky rhythms and textures and nestled it all next to the familiar warmth of electric guitar and the triumph of the brass band". Listen to 'Cold To Crack The Stones' here.Stay up to date with all of the artists featured in the CMU Approved column by subscribing to our Spotify playlist. |
As I Lay Dying acknowledge controversy surrounding reunion
The until recently former members of metal outfit As I Lay Dying have responded to outcry after they announced that they have reunited with frontman Tim Lambesis. Sort of.
Lambesis was jailed in 2014 after he admitted to attempting to hire an undercover police officer, who he believed to be a hitman, to kill his estranged wife. Upon his release in 2016, he issued a statement via the As I Lay Dying Facebook page apologising for his actions.
After their frontman's conviction, the most recent line-up of the band formed new outfit Wovenwar with Oh, Sleeper vocalist Shane Blay. But a statement on the As I Lay Dying website at the time indicated that the band nevertheless planned to reunite at some point in the future. However, guitarist Nick Hipa then said that he and his bandmates had no part in writing that statement and that Lambesis was the only person who had access to the official website.
But now they have reunited. Last week they unveiled new track 'My Own Grave', which was met with a very mixed response. Many were excited to hear new music from the band, although countless others were dismayed to see Lambesis able to seemingly pick up where he left off after such a serious conviction.
Referencing the controversy surrounding their reunion, a new post appeared on the band's Facebook page yesterday saying: "It's difficult to encapsulate all of the topics we want to address with a written statement. We understand there are many questions and we plan to address them this week".
Exactly when and how they will address these issues this week is unclear, although they are booked to play a comeback show at Soma in San Diego on 16 Jun, so presumably it will be on or before that date.
Spiritualized announce new album, And Nothing Hurt
Spiritualized have announced that they will release a new album, 'And Nothing Hurt', on 7 Sep, before playing a one-off show at the Hammersmith Apollo later the same month.
"Making this record on my own sent me more mad than anything I've done before", says frontman Jason Pierce. "We'd been playing these big shows and I really wanted to capture that sound we were making but, without the funds to do [that], I had to find a way to work within the constraints of what money I had. So I bought a laptop and made it all in a little room in my house".
Having never worked outside a traditional recording studio before, he initially found the process slow going, as he taught himself a whole new set of techniques from scratch. "I didn't have all the short cuts people use as when they're making records", he says. "I just sat there for weeks... for months... moving every level up bit by bit just to try to get the sounds right".
Eventually, though, he found ways of achieving what he wanted, in particular creating a grand orchestral sound without access to the necessary musicians. "With a bit of trial and lot of error, I found ways of doing something that's quite simple if you've got the resources", he recalls. "I spent two weeks listening to classical records and strumming the chord that I wanted on my guitar. When I found something I wanted to match, I'd sample that bit and go for the next chord and try to match that. It took weeks, trying to put together and layer convincing string sounds".
In interviews conducted during the recording of the album, Pierce indicated that this would be the last Spiritualized album. Looking back now, he says: "I was quite sincere about that and I still feel like it might be the case. It was such hard work. I found myself going crazy for so long. It's not like there's no coming back, I'm fine now... it's just such a hard thing to do, to make a record like this on your own. It's almost as if, if I'm not pushing myself to point of madness, it's not going to be right".
"I think the biggest goal is to make something that's worthy of all that time and effort", he goes on. "And the more time and effort, the bigger the goal. I knew I had to make something that was good enough that it should be made. And a massive positive about making the record is that we get to play it live. That's always the most joyous thing; this amazing thing that seems to go right through the roof".
Tickets for the Hammersmith Apollo show go on sale on 15 Jun. You can watch the video for the album's first single, 'I'm Your Man', here.
Nicki Minaj releases new track with Lil Wayne, announces tour with Future
Nicki Minaj had a busy day yesterday. As well as releasing a new collaboration with Lil Wayne, titled 'Rich Sex', she also announced a co-headline tour with Future. And then Ariana Grande announced that her own collaboration with Minaj will be out on Thursday. She'll want a sit down after all that.
'Rich Sex' is the latest track from Minaj's upcoming 'Queen' album. The track is a detailed analysis of what it's like when wealthy people engage in sexual intercourse, as well as acting as a warning to anyone who is not moneyed but would seek to woo Nicki Minaj. And they say artists run out of ideas as they become more affluent.
Anyway, ensuring that she makes her money work by sharing some of the costs of touring with Future, the pair of them will be over in the UK and Ireland for some dates on their NickiHndrxx tour next year. These are those dates:
11 Mar: London, O2 Arena
14 Mar: Birmingham Arena
15 Mar: Dublin, 3Arena
17 Mar: Glasgow, Hydro
18 Mar: Manchester Arena
Metal Hammer Golden Gods hammered out
It was the Metal Hammer Golden God Awards last night, and I am led to believe that prizes were handed out.
Hosted by Hatebreed frontman Jamey Jasta, among the winners was Ozzy Osbourne, who took the main Golden God award, Japanese band Lovebites were named Best New Band, Myrkur took Best Album, and Tool's Maynard James Keenan was named an Icon.
"The Golden Gods aren't just the biggest metal awards on the planet - they're the only music awards that put our community at the very heart of it all", says Metal Hammer Editor Merlin Alderslade. "Thank you to everyone who came out to support the awards and who continue to support the magazine. What a night. Same again next year, yeah?"
Well, just hold on there, because Ozzy Osbourne has now been on stage to pick up the Golden God award two years in a row. I think a third might be overdoing it. "What an immense honour it is to be getting a second Golden God Award after Sabbath picked one up last year", he said last night. "The fans who have supported me and this music mean everything to me, which is why getting this award is so special".
Here's the full list of winners:
Best British Band: Judas Priest
Best Live Band: Lacuna Coil
Best International Band: Arch Enemy
Best New Band: Lovebites
Best Underground Band: Wolves In The Throne Room
Breakthrough: Code Orange
Best Album: Myrkur 'Mareridt'
Best Independent Label: Sumerian Records
Best Event: Download Festival
Riff Lord: Wes Borland
Global Metal: Kaoteon
Inspiration: Meshuggah
Spirit Of Hammer: Jessica Pimentel
Icon: Maynard James Keenan
Golden God: Ozzy Osbourne
Arcade Fire, Gaz Coombes, Ólafur Arnalds, more
Other notable announcements and developments today...
• Get a daily news summary, our latest job ads and more via our Messenger bot. Click here to get started.
• Arcade Fire have released a video for 'Chemistry' from their most recent album, 'Everything Now'.
• Gaz Coombes has released the video for 'Wounded Egos', taken from his latest album, 'World's Strongest Man'. He starts a UK tour later this week.
• Ólafur Arnalds has released new track 'Unfold', taken from his upcoming new album 'Re-member'.
• Say Lou Lou are back with new single, 'Ana'. Their second album, 'Immortelle', is out on 21 Sep.
• Emika has released the first track from her upcoming 'Falling In Love With Sadness' album. Here's 'Close'.
• Lyla Foy has released 'Far Behind You', the first single from her upcoming second album. The track features Mercury Rev's Jonathan Donaghue.
• David Byrne has announced a UK arena tour in October and November, including a date at the O2 Arena in London on 29 Oct.
• Check out our weekly Spotify playlist of new music featured in the CMU Daily - updated every Friday.
Guns N Roses bassist Duff McKagan attends miniature railway open day
Guns N Roses's headline set was the talk of Download last weekend, but bassist Duff McKagan was keen to attend another festival too. The musician was spotted taking in an open day at the Stapleford Miniature Railway, close to where the band were staying.
McKagan was quite right to be excited about this day out. Stapleford Miniature Railway features two miles of track and numerous models of vintage trains to ride around on. It only opens to the public over two weekends each year, so he was very lucky that it happened to coincide with Download.
Unfortunately, according to the BBC, although he purchased tickets to ride the railway, he missed his slot while chatting to some firemen.
"It's a shame Duff didn't get the chance to ride on the miniature railway", said the railway's Nigel Spencer. "He's obviously quite keen on fire engines too".
The good news is, the railway will be open to the public again on 25-27 Aug. I'm not sure what McKagan's schedule is like for that weekend, but GNR will be between tours, so maybe he could pop over.
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