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Secret Productions specialises in cutting edge outdoor & indoor event programming, design and production. Amongst the events it runs is The Secret Garden Party; twice voted the best festival in the UK. We are looking for a new Operations Manager who will primarily be focused on all areas of budget and systems management relating to production of Backwoodsman's projects, which includes the Secret Garden Party. In addition he/she will be required to oversee all back office processes and suggest and design improvements. Operations Manager will be also responsible for overall operational efficiency and general business administration eg PAYE, systems data integrity, providing accurate and timely forecasts and processing of customer invoices. They also need to offer input on decisions that require sound business practices and perspectives.
Please send CVs to James Brennan at brennan@secretgardenparty.com, or call 020 8617 3017 for more information.
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Advertise your jobs here: £100 for five editions - ads@unlimitedmedia.co.uk
Name are one of the UK's leading music PR and marketing agencies, with unrivalled specialist knowledge and direct links to the heart of the UK music industry.
With over 10 years of experience, Name deliver full-spectrum PR services for a wide range of music clients, both trade and consumer. These include [PIAS] Entertainment Group, the Association of Independent Festivals, Merlin, Digital Stores, MusicTank, WeGotTickets, Blink TV, Corsica Studios and the Soundwave Festival.
For more information or to see how Name can help your business, visit www.namemusic.co.uk or email sam@namemusic.co.uk
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SHOREDITCH OFFICE, 764 SQUARE FOOT (15-20 DESKS), £1000 PER MONTH
Self-contained office space available in the centre of Shoreditch, on the corner of Shoreditch High Street and Great Eastern Street, next to the CMU HQ. 5-8 minutes walk from Liverpool Street and Old Street tube stations. A top floor workspace with plenty of natural light in an exciting neighbourhood that is home to numerous music, media, PR and creative companies. 764 square feet, with room for 15-20 desks plus its own kitchen area and adjacent toilets. £1000 per month plus service charge and business rates (full breakdown available on request). Includes heating. Available from November. For more information contact ashka@unicornjobs.com.
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Advertise your stuff here: £120 for five editions - ads@unlimitedmedia.co.uk
COURT ORDER WOULD BE PART OF UK THREE-STRIKE PROCESS
Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw yesterday spoke some more about the government's plans to put a three-strikes style system to combat illegal file-sharing onto the British statute book, and revealed some specifics which some see as new proposals to placate those who have criticised the so called 'graduated-response' piracy deterrent.
As much previously reported, the record industry and others in the music business are advocating a new anti-piracy system that would be administered by the internet service providers, who would send those who illegally file-share music warning letters alerting them that they are infringing copyrights and then, if said warnings were not heeded, cut the bandwidth of those customers, or ultimately suspend their net connection for a time.
Variations of this system are currently being introduced in France and New Zealand, though the British government were not keen on the idea to start with, with their 'Digital Britain' report earlier this year only suggesting such an approach as a last resort somewhere down the line. But then in August Peter Mandelson stepped in and a consultation began on how exactly such a system could be introduced over here much sooner.
The proposals have been controversial in all the territories where they have been seriously considered. In the UK not even the whole music industry would give the proposals their support, with some joining consumer rights groups and internet service providers in expressing concerns about the three-strikes approach, and cynicism regarding the impact such a thing would actually have on the levels of file-sharing.
The biggest issue in France and New Zealand has been whether or not a court of law would be involved at some point in the three-strike process - ie before any suspension or disconnection of net access occurs.
In France the government's three-strikes proposals, although passed by parliament, stumbled at the last hurdle when the country's Constitutional Council ruled that allowing a government department, rather than a judge, to deprive someone of net access was unconstitutional. French ministers have since added an extra stage to the three-strike process (possibly making it 'four-strikes' - the proposed UK system is about six strikes), in which a judge would rubber stamp net disconnection orders. The judicial stage would also have some sort of appeals process.
Similar concerns - the lack of a judge and appeals process - have been raised by some of those who oppose three-strikes in the UK. To that end Bradshaw told the House Of Commons Culture Committee this week that copyright owners would have to obtain a court order as part of the three-strikes system being proposed here. As part of that process, the Culture Sec assured the parliamentary committee, those who felt they had been falsely accused of file-sharing would have a formal right to appeal.
Some have suggested the court order stage has been added late in the day to placate those who expressed opposition to the three-strikes proposal, though it's possible some sort of judicial involvement had always been anticipated, though there has been talk of OfCom being somehow involved also.
Responding to Select Committee concerns that the suspension of file-sharers' net connection was too draconian, Bradshaw said, according to the Guardian: "The suspensions to which you refer would be a very last resort for serious ... infringement. It wouldn't just happen ... on the basis of [just] an accusation".
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WINEHOUSE DRUG FREE FOR A YEAR, SAYS DAD
Amy Winehouse's father Mitch has said that his daughter has now been completely drug free for a year. He made the claim in front of a Home Affairs parliamentary committee while presenting the findings of a documentary he is making about rehabilitation services for heroin addicts.
Speaking about Amy's recovery, and the film, he told the MPs: "We were very fortunate - we were able to afford the best doctors, clinical psychologists, rehabilitation and hospitals. We're making a film about people who can't afford it and unfortunately we found there are very few facilities and very little help available for people like that. We've spoken to addicts who have told us people are desperately committing offences just so that they have a chance of receiving treatment. The truth is there is very little treatment available to people who walk in off the street and say 'I need help'".
However, Chief Executive of The NHS's National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse, Paul Hayes, refuted Winehouse's claims, saying: "Drug treatment in England has never been more available to members of the public who need it. We think it is important that the public knows that, if they or a family member needs help, they can get it on the NHS".
LUDACRIS FOUNDATION SUED
The Ludacris Foundation, a charity set up by rapper Ludacris, is being sued by a lawyer who claims the organisation refused to pay a legal bill.
Carton Fields filed legal papers at the Fulton County Superior Court last Friday, alleging that the Foundation is withholding payment of $61,680. The fee relates to a personal injury claim against the charity, for which it hired Fields for legal representation. He ended his professional relationship with the charity in April this year, he says, after the organisation "refused to pay" him. He is seeking court costs on top of the outstanding amount.
Set up in 2001, The Ludacris Foundation "inspires youth through education and memorable experiences to live their dreams by uplifting families, communities and fostering economic development".
ADDAMS FAMILY THEME TUNE COMPOSER DIES
The writer of possibly the catchiest piece of music ever, the 'Addams Family' theme tune, Vic Mizzy died at home in LA on Saturday aged 93, his manager Jonathan Wolfson has confirmed.
Born in New York, Mizzy began writing music for TV in the late 1950s, starting with the music for 'Shirley Temple's Storybook'. However, he had been writing songs for the stars of the day, including Doris Day, Dean Martin, Billie Holiday and Perry Como, for more than fifteen years by that point, with many of his biggest hits becoming popular while he was serving in the Navy during the Second World War.
He continued to write for TV and film right into the 21st century, with his most recent work used in 'Spiderman 2'. But it was the 'Addams Family' theme tune which remained his most successful piece, both in terms of popularity and financially. Mizzy insisted on retaining the publishing rights for the song after submitting it to the makers of the show. It was an unusual move but one that proved sensible, as it has been used regularly since it was composed in the 60s, including in the 90s 'Addams Family' films, at basketball games played by the LA Lakers, and on a recent Tetley Tea TV advertising campaign (albeit with the lyrics re-written).
Wolfson told Billboard: "He was smart enough to demand to own the song, which was unheard of at the time. So any time you go to a Lakers game and they play that song, he made money".
Mizzy is survived by a brother, daughter and two grandchildren. The cause of his death has not yet been announced.
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FLOWERED UP FRONTMAN DIES
The frontman of short lived London-based baggy band Flowered Up, Liam Maher, has died, according to the NME.
Formed in 1990, Flowered Up worked with both Heavenly and London Records, the latter releasing their one and only album, the former their highest charting single, the thirteen minute long 'Weekender'.
Notable perhaps as one of the few London bands to have a distinctly Manchester sound, the band released their album, 'A Life With Brian', in 1991. They enjoyed some critical acclaim around the time of the release.
The band split up in 1994 and while keyboardist Tim Dorney went off to form Republica, Maher dabbled with a solo career, signing to Alan McGee's Poptones label in 2001. However nothing was ever released.
The band attempted a reunion in 2007, but it failed to get off the ground because Dorney refused to participate.
Details of Maher's death are not yet known, though the NME says it expects more information to be released later today.
COMPOSER AWARDS NOMS ANNOUNCED
The nominations for the 2009 British Composer Awards are out. The basically classical music awards bash (though not all categories are classical - there's a jazz award this year, for example), staged by the British Academy Of Songwriters, Composers & Authors, takes place in London on 1 Dec and will be broadcast by Radio 3 the next day.
Commenting on this year's shortlists, BASCA Chairman Sarah Rodger told reporters: "These are some of the most remarkable results we have had in the seven-year history of the Awards. The panels are required to judge works, rather than composers and the all-encompassing scope of the nominations proves the integrity of this approach. Emerging talent is a strong feature of this year's list of nominees and we truly celebrate that".
Confirming his support, Radio 3 boss Roger Wright said this: "This is the seventh year of Radio 3's association with the British Composer Awards. The Awards continue to reflect the immense creativity that flourishes in this field today and we are delighted to support them. Contemporary music is central to the work of Radio 3, the world's most significant commissioner of new music".
The full list of nominees is as follows:
Chamber: 'String Quartet: The Tree Of Strings' Sir Harrison Birtwistle; 'Since Brass, Nor Stone... Fantasia For String Quartet And Percussion Op 80' Alexander Goehr; 'In Time Entwined, In Space Enlaced' Christian Mason.
Choral: 'Shakespeare Requiem' Judith Bingham; 'The Death Of Balder' Bernard Hughes; 'The Spacious Firmament' Gabriel Jackson
Community Or Education Project: 'My Secret Heart' Mira Calix; Moving Music' Howard Moody; 'More Glass Than Wall' James Redwood.
Contemporary Jazz Composition: 'Schweben; Aye But Can Ye?' Barry Guy; 'Rain On The Window' John Surman; 'Rhythm & Other Fascinations' Jason Yarde.
Instrumental Solo Or Duo: 'The Message' Sir Harrison Birtwistle; 'Prism' Patrick Nunn; 'Soliloquy V - Flauto Acerbo' Thomas Simaku.
International: 'Doctor Atomic' John Adams; 'Dominoeffekt' Peter Helmut Lang; 'Seht Die Sonne' Magnus Lindberg.
Liturgical: 'Voce Mea' Tarik O'regan; 'Stay With Me' Roxanna Panufnik; 'Ex Maria Virgine' Sir John Tavener.
Making Music: 'A Few Seconds' Anthony Powers; 'I Can't Do This Without You' Robert Szymanek; 'The Serious Side Of Madness' Elizabeth Winters.
Orchestral: 'Speakings' Jonathan Harvey; 'A Table Of Noises' Simon Holt; 'Mambo, Blues And Tarentella' Mark-Anthony Turnage.
Sonic Art: 'Entomophonix' Robert Jarvis; 'A Quiet Reverie' Mark Peter Wright.
Stage Works: 'Into The Little Hill' George Benjamin; 'The Minotaur' Sir Harrison Birtwistle; 'Reel' Graham Fitkin.
Vocal: 'Good Dream She Has' Luke Bedford; 'The Dream Of The Rood' John Casken; 'Riverwork' Anthony Powers.
Wind Band Or Brass Band: 'Penlee' Simon Dobson; 'Farewell' Adam Gorb; 'The Gilded Theatre' Kenneth Hesketh.
COLE ON TRACK FOR YEAR'S FASTEST SELLING SINGLE
It's looking pretty certain that Cheryl Cole's debut solo single, 'Fight For This Love', will be the UK's fastest selling single of the year come Sunday.
The existing record was only set by 'X-Factor' winner Alexandra Burke last Sunday, when her second single, 'Bad Boys (feat. Flo Rida)', sold just over 187,000 copies. Cole managed to shift over 120,000 copies of her massively disappointing single after just a day on sale (40,000 more than Burke achieved in the same period), proving that if you build your brand well enough, you can put out any old rubbish and people will still buy it
Official Charts Company big boss Martin Talbot said: "This will be second successive week of massive single sales - led by Cheryl. Her first day's sales are just amazing and put her in pole position to top the Official Singles Chart on Sunday. Together with Alexandra Burke, she is likely to set the sales standard by which everyone will be judged for the rest of the year, in the run-up to Christmas".
SIA REGRETS REFUSING DUFFY
Zero 7 collaborator Sia has revealed that she refused to give Duffy one of her songs when asked to submit it for the Welsh singer to use on the follow-up to her 'Rockferry' album. However, she now regrets that decision a little.
She told The Daily Star: "Duffy's people were really, really trying to get a song to put out as a single but I kept thinking I didn't have enough ballads for my next album so I said no. Now I hear it among the rest of the songs on my record ['We Are Born'] and it doesn't fit. I should have given it to her. It's a good learning curve as to what an idiot I can be".
Duffy's second album is expected to be released next year, but it might take longer if no one will give her any songs.
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JONAS BROTHER GOING SOLO
I can barely move for people asking me when one of the Jonas Brothers is going solo. I would say that question accounts for around 87% of all the emails and phonecalls I get. And that's not to mention the people who just stop me in the street, begging for an answer with a mixture of fear and desperation in their eyes.
Well, you can stop grabbing at my collar with your disgusting, greasy fingers now. The word on the street is that Nick Jonas is currently recording a solo album. But this isn't the end of the band, so don't worry your filthy little face.
A source told E! Online: "Nick Jonas [is] secretly working on [a] solo album. [He] may tour alone in 2010. JB is not ending or even breaking. [This is] just a side-project between JB albums".
RIHANNA DONE A SONG
The wait is ova, apparently. I have no idea what waiting has to do with eggs, but if you go to the below link you can hear Rihanna's new single, 'Russian Roulette'. It's a pretty bloody long way from the brand new, exciting and experimental sound I was promised.
The album the song is taken from, 'Rated R', is out on 23 Nov and has a lot of making up to do.
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THE PRODIGY ANNOUNCE SPECIAL INVADERS
The Prodigy will release a special edition version of their latest album, 'Invaders Must Die', next month.
The three-disc release of the album will feature Liam Howlett's rare 'Lost Beats EP', remixes by the likes of Josh Homme, Sub Focus, Chase & Status, Benga, Hervé and Rusko, as well as live tracks and videos. Oh, and the album itself, obviously.
You can by it with money from 9 Nov onwards.
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FUCKED UP TO RELEASE SINGLES COMPILATION
Fucked Up have released a lot of singles. A lot. Some of them were collected on the band's 2004 compilation, 'Epics In Minutes' and now some more (but by no means all) of them have found their way on to its sequel, 'Couple Tracks: 2002-2009', which will be released by Matador on 25 Jan.
Spanning two CDs, the band have categorised the songs into 'hard stuff' and 'fun stuff' with a whole load of rare stuff, including five previously unreleased tracks. Tracklistings below.
Disc 1: The Hard Stuff
No Pasarán
Neat Parts (7" Version)
Generation (7" Version)
Ban Violins
Dangerous Fumes
Triumph Of Life (7" Version)
Fixed Race
Toronto FC
Black Hats
David Christmas
No Epiphany (Fast Version)
Crooked Head (Video Version)
Disc 2: The Fun Stuff
I Hate Summer
Teenage Problems
Carried Out To Sea
Looking Back
Anorak City
I Don't Want To Be Friends With You
Mustaa Lunta
Dream Come True
Magic Kingdom
Magic Word (Daytrotter Version)
Last Man Standing (Year Of The Dog Version)
He's So Frisky
David Comes To Life (Daytrotter Version)
ROBBIE COMEBACK GETS GOOD REVIEWS
There seems to be generally good feedback spinning around this morning to what has been billed as Robbie Williams' comeback gig, which kicked of the BBC's Electric Proms in London last night. I think half the pop faithful were secretly hoping it would be a car crash following the Robster's somewhat lacklustre guest spot on the 'X-Factor' recently.
But playing to 3000 hard line fans and celebrities, he seemed to rediscover his old performing ways. According to the Beeb, the two opening songs - new tracks 'Bodies' and 'Morning Sun' - felt like the singer was going through the motions, but once he hit more familiar territory, with 'Come Undone', the audience joined in and things seemed to return to the norm.
The BBC report that Robbie told his audience: "It's a bit nerve-wracking - first gig for three years. Thank you for making me feel comfortable".
Insiders say Williams has so far held back from committing to a full-blown tour having suffered from a severe bout of stage fright on his last European trek, which was cut short.
The Williams machine will be hoping last night's success will give him the confidence to commit to more. Especially if new long player, next month's 'Reality Killed The Video Star', doesn't hugely exceed last album 'Rudebox' in terms of UK sales, that famously being William's worse performing long player to date. The jury is out on whether the new Trevor Horn produced album has the potential to repeat the levels of success of Robbie's earlier long players.
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CHRIS BROWN TOUR ANNOUNCED
Also planning a tricky comeback, but for very different reasons, is US popster Chris Brown. His people have just announced a North American tour in addition to previous confirmation that he will headline a live show being staged by New York radio station Power 105.1. The live shows are Brown's first really commercial endeavours since his widely reported violent run in with ex-girlfriend Rihanna.
The Brown camp will be hoping that albeit late in the day online apologies for his actions that night in LA will help the R&B star draw a line over the whole 'beating up Rihanna' thing. They possibly also assume that a lot of the Brown fanbase have never stopped loving their idol. And they are possibly right.
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EDITORS ANNOUNCE UK TOUR
Currently at number one in the album chart with 'In This Light And On This Evening', Editors have announced UK tour dates. They won't happen until March, but you can buy tickets from Friday.
Tour dates:
6 Mar: Lincoln, Engine Shed
7 Mar: Preston, Guildhall
8 Mar: Bradford, St. George's Hall
10 Mar: Glasgow, Academy
11 Mar: Dundee, Fat Sam's
12 Mar: Inverness, Ironworks
13 Mar: Aberdeen, Music Hall
15 Mar: Newcastle, Academy
16 Mar: Manchester, Apollo
17 Mar: Cambridge, Corn Exchange
19 Mar: Bournemouth, Academy
20 Mar: Brighton, Dome
21 Mar: Cardiff, University
23 Mar: Folkestone, Leas Cliff Hall
24 Mar: London, Brixton Academy
28 Mar: Portsmouth, Guildhall
29 Mar: Liverpool, Philharmonic Hall
30 Mar: Birmingham, Academy
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MALCOLM MIDDLETON ANNOUNCES TOUR AND FREE DOWNLOAD
Malcolm Middleton has announced another run of tour dates. He's also giving away a free download, but only to people who come to the shows. To get hold of the exclusive track, 'Ten Green Bottles', you just need to turn up and declare your desire to download it at the merch stall.
Tour dates:
24 Nov: London, Bush Hall
25 Nov: Brighton, Hanbury Club
26 Nov: Norwich, Norwich Arts Centre
28 Nov: Exeter, Phoenix - Voodoo Lounge
29 Nov: Oxford, Jericho
30 Nov: Cardiff, Barfly
1 Dec: Cambridge, Junction 2
2 Dec: Bristol, Thekla
7 Dec: Newcastle, Cluny 2
8 Dec: York, The Basement
9 Dec: Wakefield, The Hop
10 Dec: Glasgow, Oran Mor
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BEAK> TOUR DATES CORRECTION
There was a small error in the Beak> tour dates we published yesterday - the tour will take place in December, not November. To see a corrected version of yesterday's story, take a look at it on the CMU News Blog, here: newsblog.theCMUwebsite.com/post/Beak3e-tour-dates.aspx
CAMDEN CRAWL 2010 LAUNCHES
The Camden Crawl is back for its ninth year (and sixth in a row) on 1-2 May next year, which is nice. As ever, the event will feature a line-up of cutting edge bands, plus established acts and some that really aren't any good at all. But with 200 acts playing over the course of two days, the probability that you'll see some kick ass shows is high.
But why are we even talking about something that's not happening for more than half a year? Simple, friends, there is a special launch gig happening in just two weeks, on 4 Nov at the Blues Kitchen in Camden. People who buy Camden Crawl tickets before the gig will get in for the discounted price of absolutely nothing, while all others will be punished with an £8 entrance fee (all of which will be donated to War Child). The line-up is currently a secret, but some acts will be revealed next week, with secret special guests announced via the Camden Crawl Twitter feed at twitter.com/thecamdencrawl on the day of the event.
Earlybird tickets for the Crawl itself go on sale tomorrow morning at 9am. The first 1000 people to purchase them will also receive a Christmas card and a compilation CD called 'Camden Heroes', featuring ten tracks from some of the finest acts to have played the Camden Crawl over the years. Plus, £2 of their money will go to War Child in an effort to make The Young Soul Rebels shut up.
Initial line-ups for the Crawl itself will be announced in January. If you wanted further details on all of this, it would probably be sensible to go to www.thecamdencrawl.com
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CREAMFIELDS MOVES TO ABU DHABI
UK dance festival Creamfields has announced that it is to host a special one-night version of the event in December in Abu-Dhabi, organised by local promotions company Flash Entertainment. Creamfields Abu Dhabi will take place on 11 Dec.
Announcing the event, Flash MD John Lickrish said: "To be staging the [UAE] capital's first multi-stage outdoor dance festival is tremendously exciting not only for Flash, but also for music fans across the region. Not only this, we are bringing out the very best with such a respected brand as Creamfields. Creamfields is the ultimate dance festival with a globally recognised brand and a worldwide following. We will be offering up an unprecedented line up of the best international DJs to a hungry crowd who are used to seeing their favourite dance DJs play sets in the region but never together in an event on this scale. Hosting Creamfields Abu Dhabi will ensure that the city instantly becomes recognised as a key destination on the dance festival circuit and we are proud to be making this happen".
Cream Group CEO James Barton added: "Since we started out we have stayed true to our ambition to get dance music out to the crowds and the loyalty we enjoy for the Creamfields brand is exactly for this reason. Festival-goers know what they will be getting with one of our events and that is a great outdoor set-up with the very best line-up of DJs who aren't scared to push musical boundaries and who are every bit as enthusiastic about playing their set as the crowd are for hearing it. It's great to be partnering with Flash who like us are passionate about developing the music scene and producing events that make a huge impact on the local audience and the city itself".
ALBUM REVIEW: Let's Go Outside - Conversations With My Invisible Friends (Soma Records)
After eighteen years, Soma Records is still as consistently good as ever, and very much keeping the side up is techno producer Let's Go Outside, aka Stephen Schieberl, with his latest offering 'Conversations With My Invisible Friends'. There are a few skits and snippets padding things out, but when he gets to work with some electro moodiness on 'I See You Dancing' and a housey groove with 'Machismo', you know everything's going to work out well.
The highlight of the album is 'Emergence', a collaboration with Scott Sunn, which takes a good while to kick in, although pleasantly so with its steel drum flecks. When it finally releases after six minutes, for 90 blissful seconds you are there in dance heaven with beats smashing and a haunting melody, before it comes to rest again.
Also of particular note, 'Let Us Pray' has an air of techno menace with its tech bass and Eastern-influenced strings - creating a slightly paranoid world, while 'Giving You Up' gets more techy and 'Sweet Memories' stays in the same vein to end the disc in slightly moody fashion.
All in all, some good touches in this LP. And watch out for Schieberl's own Slant label, which is due to drop some 12-inches soon, as this chap clearly knows a thing or two about what makes a good electronic cut. PV
Physical release: 26 Oct
Press contact: Soma IH [all]
Buy from iTunes
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PUBLISHERS, COLLECTORS AND DIGITAL TYPES AGREE ON ROAD-MAP FOR EASIER MULTI-TERRITORY LICENSING
A meeting of the European Commission's Online Roundtable On Music, which does, in fact, really exist, has published a statement signed by European political types, music publishers, collecting societies and digital music retailers stating some agreed aims for the future of pan-European online music licensing.
Which is an achievement, given these peoples have been prone to bitch about each other of late. Especially European commissioners and the publishing collecting societies, the former having accused the latter of anti-competitive practices and cartel culture.
Among the signatories on the statement that stemmed from a meeting on Monday were EMI and Universal's publishing divisions, collecting societies PRS Form Music, SACEM and STIM, and Nokia and iTunes.
The statement included an agreement to pursue new Europe-wide licensing platforms, a commitment to ensure transparency in royalties collection and distribution, and the "establishment of a working group to create a common framework for the identification and exchange of rights ownership information, in order to make it easier for commercial users to identify the relevant right owners and secure the necessary rights".
Commenting on the agreement, European Commissioner for Competition Neelie Kroes said, according to Billboard, these words: "European consumers want and deserve better online music offerings. [The] agreement by the Roundtable on core principles represents real progress in this direction. It is the first time that players from various parts of the market have agreed on a common roadmap. I also welcome the concrete steps and commitments that have been made and which should improve the availability of online music for consumers".
Meanwhile EMI Music Publishing said in a statement: "[This is] a significant step forward in the development of market-based solutions for the licensing of music to the benefit of consumers".
As previously reported, while music publishers and European collecting societies have been working towards creating more cross-territory licences, the International Confederation Of Societies Of Authors And Composers (or CISAC) has been critical of the European Commission's various declarations accusing the music royalties sector of being anti-competitive, and have argued that some EC proposals to make the sector more competitive will, in fact, have the opposite effect. I wish I understood all this sufficiently to have an opinion on that.
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SPC BECOMES PART OF MARSHALL ARTS
SPC Live, a South England based concert promoter headed up by Matt Jones, will become part of bigger live music firm Marshall Arts. Jones and his team, Mark Kemp and Dan Kemp, will all join Marshall Arts, and run a new division utilising the SPC Live name.
Confirming the deal, Marshal Arts CEO Barrie Marshall told reporters: "Matt recognises that each artist needs to be promoted to reflect their passion and the commitment to their music. He loves music and has a good business brain".
MALCOLM DUNBAR TO HEAD UP PLEDGE
The previously reported new fan-funding web platform Pledge Music this week confirmed that A&R veteran Malcolm Dunbar will be heading up the company as Managing Director. Dunbar has previously worked in A&R roles at a number of major and independent record companies, including Universal, Warner, V2 and Sanctuary. Over the years he signed artists as diverse as Orange Juice, Julian Cope, The Christians, Tanita Tikaram, Idlewild and Liberty X.
Also on Dubar's team at Pledge will be Jonathan Smith, former CFO of Sanctuary and EMI; Dan Symons, formerly Marketing Manager at Rough Trade and Sanctuary; and former Warner and V2 A&R Coordinator Cecelia Lewis.
Pledge was founded by its CEO Benji Rogers, who recently told CMU: "We have devised Pledge Music to be transparent and open. We have designed Pledge Music to be beneficial to all involved. Musicians will get the funding and promotional support that they need, the fan will get the music that they want at the price that they want to pay, the studios will get paid half up front and half on delivery, and charities [will also benefit]. In effect we have sought to create a system in which nobody loses".
Confirming his involvement, Dunbar added: "I have spent most of my career working within record companies and it is obvious that the music industry landscape is changing dramatically. The existing label structures still have their place, but there are ever increasing opportunities for artists to take control of their careers while retaining rights ownership. Pledge Music is a brilliantly thought out model that allows artists to work closely with their fans and empowers them to make all the key decisions affecting their work. We will offer support and guidance where necessary and provide a platform for artists and their managers to create their own infrastructure. We have a great team in place and we're all really looking forward to launching Pledge Music in the coming weeks'
Pledge is currently beta testing at www.pledgemusic.com
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APPLE STILL DOING REMARKABLY WELL
Yeah, it's good to be Apple at the moment. The IT firm has just reported another record quarter in terms of sales and profits. Remember the days when us Mac users were laughed at, and everyone reckoned they'd be bankrupt by Christmas? Oh those wacky pre-iMac pre-iPod days.
The iPhone continued to do well for the computer firm, though actually it's Mac computers that have been doing particularly well of late. Overall revenue rose by 25% to $9.87 billion while net profit rose to $1.67 billion. Lovely.
BBC TRUST BLOCKS FREE SHARING OF IPLAYER
The BBC's plans to share its iPlayer technology have been scuppered by the BBC Trust, who say that giving away the on-demand platform to commercial broadcasters would not be in the best interest of licence fee payers. They don't necessarily have a problem with sharing the iPlayer platform, just not for free.
Speaking as a licence fee payer who frequently gives up on ITV, Channel 4 and Five's rival on-demand players, and who is desperate for Xfm to have something nearing a usable listen-again system, I'm not sure what the Trust are talking about. Surely getting Channel 4 and Xfm on an iPlayer interface would be brill? Still, I've long suspected the Trust was overseen by idiots. That said, some insiders reckoned there would be too many technical issues in making the iPlayer available to other broadcasters anyway, so perhaps it was never as good an idea as it originally seemed.
BBC management proposed offering its iPlayer technology and know-how to other broadcasters, some for free, in a bid to placate those who reckon the Beeb should share some of its licence income with commercial media who have public service obligations, such as ITV and Channel 4. As much previously reported, the BBC really don't want to share their licence fee cash.
KANYE FLASHES X-RATED VIDEO
Kanye West put a short film, starring himself and directed by Spike Jonze, up on his blog on Monday afternoon, but quickly took it down later the same day. All reports seem to be linking this in some way to his recent interruption of Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards, which seems idiotic at best.
Anyway, the fourteen minute film, called 'We Were Once A Fairytale' and featuring an unreleased remix of West's song 'See You In My Nightmares' as its soundtrack, shows the rapper stumbling drunkenly around a nightclub, harassing women, before a brief sex scene, after which he stabs himself in the stomach to release a demon.
West offered no reason for removing the video, other than "I had to take it down". Someone probably pointed out that it was a little bit racey for a website that kids probably look at. Or he realised that Beyonce had already made the best 'Smack My Bitch Up' rip-off of all time.
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SUGABABE HEIDI BREAKS DOWN ON STAGE
What with Amelle Berrabah currently in a private clinic recovering from nervous exhaustion, the Sugababes were unable to perform at a public appearance in Leeds at the weekend. Heidi Range and new girl Jade Ewen went along anyway for a little chat with the audience. It lasted all of one minute, as Range broke down in tears before she could say much.
If watching women cry makes you happy, click here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8Pm6KtwsX4
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TULISA: LA ROUX'S A TWAT
N-Dubz are still a bit annoyed about comments La Roux's Elly Jackson made about R&B back in July.
N-Dubz vocalist Tulisa Contostavlos told Heat this week: "She basically said all women who do urban music and UK R&B dress too sexily, so when I heard that, I was insulted. I'm not one to bitch. Even if I don't like someone, it's not my style to do that. Then I hear that she's dissing everyone and saying the music is crap. I mean, that's just rude. Where was she brought up - in a barn? You don't talk about other people's jobs like that. It's just wrong. I think she's a twat".
Aside from the fact that Jackson didn't say anything about the way women in R&B dress, if I remember correctly she was more speaking about the lyrical content of the genre, and that barn thing is more designed as a comment on people who leave doors open, she kind of has a point. I would never diss anyone else's work, no matter how shit at it they are. Well, maybe.
Asked who would win in a fight between her and Jackson, Tulisa said: "Oh, definitely me. She wouldn't last five minutes with me. I've been sparring with [bandmates] Fazer and Dappy since the age of five. I don't have to tell you the amount of black eyes I've given. No doubt about that. She don't wanna go there".
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