Glasgow's ABC venue destroyed after art school fire spreads
Glasgow's ABC venue - part of the Academy Music Group network of venues - has been severely damaged by fire, which spread from the adjacent Glasgow School Of Art's Mackintosh Building in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The historic Mackintosh Building had been under renovation following another smaller fire there in 2014, and caught ablaze again late on Friday night. As flames tore though the art school building, they then spread to the ABC, the roof of which eventually collapsed. It may take weeks to fully assess the extent of the damage of the venue.

Promoter Paul Cardow, whose company PCL Presents is a shareholder in the ABC, told the Daily Record that he "sat in the street and cried" when he saw the venue burning.

"I arrived at the venue within the first hour of the fire", he said. "I sat in the street and cried, but it wasn't until we got the aerial photograph that we got an idea of just how bad the damage is ... Nobody knows what happened, but I don't know many buildings that can survive having a roof falling in and 24 hours of high pressure water poured into it".

Although the full extent of the damage is not yet known, Cardow says that he is "assuming it will be horrific".

"The ABC is a massive part of the community and a venue that is hard to replace", he added of the 143 year old building. But, he said, "it won't be the end of the venue. The venue will eventually re-open".

Attempts are being made to move upcoming shows to other venues, although some have already been cancelled. Updates on all shows will be added to the ABC website in due course.

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Kesha and Dr Luke's lawyers argue over Gaga texts
Kesha's legal team have commented on the inclusion of text messages she sent to Lady Gaga in her ongoing legal battle with Dr Luke, who is suing her for defamation.

It emerged last week that Dr Luke's legal action focuses on three allegedly defamatory remarks made by Kesha: the already known allegations that he drugged and raped her, but also text messages to Lady Gaga that alleged he also raped Katy Perry.

In a statement to Variety, a spokesperson for Kesha said: "With respect to the recent story regarding Katy Perry, the statement that Dr Luke assaulted her came from the CEO of a major record label, and was told by that executive at the same time to Kesha and Lady Gaga".

It goes on: "The startling statement was subsequently discussed in a private, one-on-one text message between Kesha and Lady Gaga. It was neither published nor further distributed. It would have remained completely private, except that Dr Luke and his team took an email obtained only in [the] discovery [phase of this lawsuit] and decided to publish it to millions of people in his amended complaint against Kesha, and then claim reputational harm from his own widespread publication".

They continued: "Dr Luke disclosed the private conversation between Kesha and Lady Gaga for no purpose other than to attack, harass, and ultimately bankrupt Kesha. His claim that Kesha's private one-on-one text message about a statement from a record label CEO - to someone who had already heard the same statement - caused damages for which Kesha should be held liable is baseless".

Responding in a statement of their own, Dr Luke's legal team insisted that it was Kesha's legal reps, not them, who had originally made public the accusation that the producer had raped Perry.

Team Luke said: "Kesha and her legal team are fully aware that Ms Perry has unequivocally confirmed that she was not raped by Dr Luke. Kesha and her attorneys should be ashamed of themselves for not publicly acknowledging this and apologising. Instead, they continue to publicise this and other falsehoods. In fact, Kesha's false accusation involving Ms Perry came to public light only because Kesha's attorneys filed the accusation publicly".

The statement continues: "Kesha's latest press release saying that a music executive told her that Dr Luke had raped Katy Perry is fully contradicted by that executive. He denied saying that. Contrary to her latest defamatory press statement, the evidence, including sworn testimony, will show the full extent and scope of the scurrilous falsehoods Kesha spread. As the old and true adage goes: Oh what a tangled web you weave when first you practice to deceive".

One time collaborators Kesha and Dr Luke have been embroiled in a multi-layered legal battle for years now, of course. That legal battle is now centred on Luke's defamation action.

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Ticket tout repping group launches code of practice
The Fair Ticketing Alliance - the recently launch lobbying group that aims to speak up for ticket touts - or what it would call 'ticket brokers' - last week launched a new code of practice which it says it hopes will "build greater trust with live entertainment and music fans and help raise the ethical standards of the secondary ticketing sector".

The FTA says that its code of practice goes beyond even the recently ramped up rules governing the resale of tickets for profit in the UK.

Among other things, it says that FTA-allied resellers must adhere to the most recent secondary ticketing requirements set out by the UK's Competition And Markets Authority and must therefore avoid any resale platforms that are not themselves compliant, which mainly means Viagogo. Other commitments include refraining from reselling tickets to events where proceeds go to charity.

The FTA wants to tackle some of the shadier tactics employed by some ticket resellers in return for safe-guarding and beefing up the right to resell tickets in the first place. Although UK law currently allows the resell of tickets for profit, if a promoter explicitly forbids resale in its terms and conditions, touted tickets can be cancelled. Which is something some promoters are starting to do much more prolifically.

Launching his organisation's code of practice on Friday, Fair Ticketing Association Chairman Stephen Lee said: "We strongly believe there is a rightful place for secondary ticketing within the whole ticketing eco-system".

"The secondary market is thriving as consumers value the choice, convenience and guarantees that it offers, which are simply not available in the primary market", he went on. "But we know we have to behave responsibly to build consumer trust in our businesses, weed out any bad apples and generate repeat custom from fans".

He continued: "We're music lovers as much as anyone else. We just want to provide a great service to other live entertainment fans and do the right thing by them. That's why we have produced our industry-leading code of practice, which goes above and beyond what is required by law".

While the FTA is seeking to address some of the specific criticism that has been levelled against ticket resellers in recent years, the FanFair Alliance - which has led the campaign against touting of late - reckons that questions remain about the new pro-resale organisation and its members.

FanFair's Adam Webb told CMU: "While it's telling that even ticket touts are taking a stand against Viagogo, I think some fairly fundamental questions need to be asked about the Fair Ticketing Alliance. Such as, who are its members? How do they lawfully obtain large volumes of tickets? And what would the consumer benefits be in giving these businesses a 'right' to resell?"

You can read the FTA's code of practice here.

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New online CMU Library provides one-stop hub of music industry resources
CMU has today launched a brand new online resource called the CMU Library, which brings together all the articles published across the CMU sites that provide background information on how the music industry works and summaries of current trends and best practice in the business of music.

Chris Cooke, Managing Director of CMU, explains: "While the CMU Daily is very much focused on timely developments in music and the music business - which is to say what happened yesterday - the various resources put out by our consultancy business CMU Insights and our education programme CMU:DIY have a much longer shelf-life, in that together they provide a good beginner's guide to different aspects of the music industry".

"Meanwhile, the CMU Trends articles our premium subscribers have access to dig much deeper into the inner workings of the music industry, providing lots of context and explanation, so that readers don't just know what's going on in the business, they understand it. Again, these articles have a much longer shelf-life, in that trends articles published two years ago may be explaining something about copyright law, or record contracts, of streaming business models, that are really relevant today".

He concludes: "This is why we've launched the CMU Library, a new hub that makes it much easier to navigate all these materials, which may be sitting on the main CMU site, or on the CMU Insights or CMU:DIY websites. You can navigate all these materials by theme, and we'll keep adding to each section as we publish more of these resources".

The CMU Library is structured around a number of thematic sections, including the streaming business, music copyright, music piracy, live music and ticketing, music marketing and PR, music media and direct to fan. Each section includes background blog posts, notes that accompany CMU lectures and workshops, guides and slides that can be downloaded, and relevant CMU Trends articles.

There are also reports from relevant CMU Insights conference sessions from recent years, including the CMU conferences that take place at The Great Escape. And, with the CMU Library now open, reports from this year's TGE conferences will resume this week.

You can check out the CMU Library here. To get full access to all the content, including the CMU Trends articles, go premium with CMU for just £5 a month.

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Rebecca Fergusson calls for music industry regulator
Singer Rebecca Fergusson has launched a petition calling on the UK government to set up a regulatory body for the music industry, in order to protect artists from being taken advantage of early in their careers.

"The music industry is not regulated; therefore abuses of power are being allowed to happen", she explains. "Music artists are entering into contracts under duress and without the aid of sound independent legal advice. There is no protection for young artists entering the industry, some having had no prior knowledge".

"A regulatory body would enforce policies that protect artists and introduce a disciplinary procedure for those who do not adhere to the policies set out", she goes on. "I recognise we have unions etc, but none of [them] have the powers to enforce and therefore protect artists".

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, she added: "I know two young artists who attempted suicide at the hands of these [music industry] people. So, you know, it's all fun and games for people to say 'well, you're rich enough, and it's showbiz'. I think, no, not actually".

She went on: "We're human beings and we want to be in this industry to perform and give our God-given talent. We are not here to be slaves, to be abused, to be misused, to be targeted. We're here to give our gift and share it with you, the world. And the least you can do for taking our gift and enjoying it, is giving us a regulatory body that looks after us".

"If Parliament don't hear it, I'll take it to the EU", she says. "If the EU don't hear it, I'll take it to the UN. I think it's going to take a lot of partnership with people like the FAC, politicians and other much bigger artists. But I think if I push and I'm determined, if it takes me ten years, I do think that I can get a regulatory body in the music industry and I actually think that's it'll make artists a lot happier, it'll make it a much safer environment, and it'll get rid of the old fat cats, who've frankly had their day".

The petition currently has nearly 17,000 signatures, with a goal of 100,000.

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SZA says her voice is improving, no permanent damage
SZA has said that those fears that her voice had been permanently damaged have turned out not to be true. In a new tweet over the weekend, she said that she is making a slow recovery and that she should be able to restore her vocal cords to full health.

The singer dropped out of the TDE Championship Tour in May due to swollen vocal cords. She returned to the tour to play Madison Square Garden in New York at the end of the month. However, after the show, she said in a series of since deleted tweets: "My voice is permanently injured. Tonight was the test. That settles that. I just wanna be left alone, my priorities are fucked up. They've been fucked up. I need space, goodbye".

She has subsequently begun performing again, and ahead of a show at the Firefly Festival in Delaware yesterday confirmed on Twitter that her voice is improving. "Thank you to the incredible team of doctors and vocal technicians that have taken time to see me over the last few weeks in every city", she wrote. "I'm blessed to say my voice is not permanently damaged and I've been working daily to get back. Slowly but surely".

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As I Lay Dying explain decision to reform in tell-all interview
Metal band As I Lay Dying addressed the controversy surrounding their decision to reunite in a 30 minute tell-all video over the weekend. The classic line-up of the band recently released their first new music since frontman Tim Lambesis was convicted of attempting to hire a hitman to kill his wife.

The video was released as the band prepared to play a comeback show in San Diego on Saturday night. In it, Lambesis explains that convincing the band to work with him again had been a slow process. His bandmates talk about how his arrest and the subsequent fallout affected them, and how strongly they came to resent him.

Guitarist Nick Hipa, one of the strongest critics of Lambesis in recent years, says that at one point his feelings towards the vocalist had become "blind hatred". He felt that Lambesis had no real understanding of the effect his actions had had or how much his crimes had become part of the other band members' identities as well.

But eventually, and very slowly, he goes on, they began to rebuild their relationship. After several years, he eventually agreed to meet Lambesis face to face. "When we met up, it wasn't very positive at first", he says. "I said, 'Look, I've seen you say you're sorry, you've said it how many times, but when has it ever been real?' ... And it was nothing but genuine remorse on his end and taking responsibility for everything that he's done".

"That's what it took", says Hipa of his decision to work with Lambesis again. "It took all of those years, him facing punishment, the consequences for his actions, living in the ruin that he made for himself, and also acknowledging that it would never end. What he did was very public, and it can never be forgotten, and it shouldn't. But that's part of what he has to endure for the rest of his life".

"When I saw who he was, and who he had genuinely become, I let go of that", he goes on. "I wanted to let go of it, because I had never handled it and that pain and that hope and that helplessness, I let it become my life for worse in the form of hatred. I used that as my strength for all those years, but it devastated me on the inside".

Watch the full interview here.

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Beyonce and Jay-Z release joint album, Everything Is Love
Beyonce and Jay-Z released a surprise new album together over the weekend. 'Everything Is Love' is available exclusively on Tidal. I bet it's had a billion, trillion, gazillion streams already. According to Tidal maths anyway. Allegedly!

The album was released as the couple played the final show of their UK tour at the London Stadium on Saturday night. "Because we love you all so much we have something special for you", Beyonce told the audience. The video for new track 'Apeshit' was then played, ending with the words "ALBUM OUT NOW" flashed up on the screen.

This all follows two solo LPs where both musician's referred to Jay-Z's infidelity. On 'Everything Is Love', they celebrate having overcome this and having found love again, as well as providing some political commentary, taking aim at President Trump and the NFL, among others.

The 'Apeshit' video was filmed in the Louvre art museum in Paris, highlighting the lack of non-white faces in the art displayed there, and also another theme of the album: the immense wealth they share between them.

Watch the video here.

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Rudimental & Mr Lazer, Stefflon Don, Alice Glass, 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.

• Rudimental and Major Lazer have released new track 'Let Me Live', featuring Anne-Marie and Mr Eazi.

• Stefflon Don has released the video for new single 'Senseless'.

• Alice Glass has released new track 'Mine'. "'Mine' is about someone who hurts themselves in an attempt to regain control of their own life and experiences", she says. "I do not condone self-harm, but - like a lot of my music - 'Mine' is about my struggle with coming out of an intensely abusive relationship. In the ritual of hurting myself or taking something from myself I am at the very least in control of that act, when in so many other aspects of my life I felt hopeless".

• D Double E has released new track 'Back Then', from upcoming new album 'Jackuum'.

• Die Antwoord have announced that they will release tracks from what is to be their final album, '27', "over the next year or so" in an unusual fashion. A ten track album will be released at some point, with another seventeen tracks "hidden in various places".

• Highasakite have released new single 'Elastic State Of Mind'. They've also announced that they'll play Omeara in London on 20 Nov.

• Yizzy has released the video for 'Let That Go', featuring Gemin1 and Blacks.

• Pitou has released the video for 'Give Me A Glass', from her recently released mini-album 'I Fall Asleep So Fast'.

• Courtney Barnett has announced UK tour dates in November, kicking off at Brixton Academy on 14 Nov.

• Myrkyr has announced that she'll be touring the UK in December, starting with a show at The Dome in London on 18 Dec.

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

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Eminem warns of "loud noises" in Firefly Festival set
Eminem was criticised for using gunshot-like sounds without warning in his Bonnaroo festival set earlier this month. So you may be pleased to hear that he has did put a warning up prior to his Firefly Festival show this weekend. Although you should probably hold judgement until you've read it.

As fans waited to see Eminem perform his headline set at the festival on Saturday night, screens warned: "If you are easily frightened by loud noises or offended by explicit lyrics you shouldn't be here". The rapper's manager Paul Rosenberg then shared a picture of the statement on Instagram.

Criticism of the Bonnaroo set came after a series of loud bangs went off as the rapper performed his track 'Kill You'. A spokesperson for Eminem denied that these were gunshot sound effects, saying that they were a simple pyrotechnic effect and had been part of the rapper's show for more than a decade.

However, of course, festival audiences in the US are a little more nervous now than in the past, in the wake of the Route 91 Harvest shooting last year, in which 58 people were killed and hundreds injured when a man opened fire from a nearby hotel.

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