WHAT IS THIS? The CMU Daily - to which you are subscribed. Unsubscribe information is at the end.
NOTE:
Make sure you 'enable images' to see this e-bulletin properly. CLICK HERE to read this online.
TUESDAY 17 JULY 2012
CMU WEEKLY PODCAST
The CMU Weekly Podcast is published each Friday, reviewing the week in music and the music business. On the latest edition, the last in the current series, Editor Andy Malt and Business Editor Chris Cooke discuss the Bloc shutdown and the subsequent fall out from it, other festival gloom, Chris Moyles leaving Radio 1 and optimistic record industry stats from Sweden more>>
APPROVED: THE XX - ANGELS
First coerced into the spotlight via their unfailingly beautiful eponymous debut, The xx's Romy, Oliver and Jamie have kept close to their original label Young Turks for the release of second LP 'Coexist'. The new LP's marketing campaign - which will lead up to a 10 Sep release date - began in earnest with the studio recording of new track 'Angels' materialising on the band's website yesterday more>>
TOP STORIES
- IMPALA co-president backs Universal's EMI deals, subject to concessions
- Live Nation Europe chief explains why Springsteen was cut short
IN THE POP COURTS
- Prosecutors claim MegaUpload had enough US connections to face American criminal law
OBITUARIES
- Jon Lord 1941 - 2012
CHARTS, STATS & POLLS
- 50 Shades Of Grey propels sixteenth century chant to classical number one
IN THE STUDIO
- New The Wanted LP may feature Rita Ora, Dappy, LMFAO
RELEASE NEWS
- Mumford & Sons detail new album
- Flying Lotus LP to include Thom Yorke cameo
- Odd Future's MellowHype, Domo Genesis share new audio
- Purity Ring stream LP online
GIGS & TOURS NEWS
- Kasabian to play Brixton Academy
- Cass McCombs announces tour
- Rustie to premiere live set in London
FESTIVAL NEWS
- Festival line-up update
THE MUSIC BUSINESS
- Universal fined in Japan over tax dispute
THE DIGITAL BUSINESS
- UK web-block has had no affect on traffic, says The Pirate Bay
- Live Nation buys Rexly
AND FINALLY...
- Carly Rae Jepson didn't expect success
- 1D arse not a 1D arse
DESK SPACE AVAILABLE
Two desk spaces for rent in our vibrant and stylish Anorak London office at Spitalfields. Use of kitchen area with sink, microwave + use of big, furnished meeting room. Office looks good and is an inspiring, creative place to work. Would suit like minded folk working in creative industries or music industry. We promote free working in our offices (no fixed desks).

Price: £500 each per month, prices includes phone use and internet + FREE yoga lesson in the office every Weds evening

Contact: [email protected]

GIGANTIC.COM, EVENT MANAGER
Gigantic.com is looking for an Event Manager to work in its Nottingham based online ticket agency. Duties will involve setting up events for sale on the Gigantic system, and the ongoing management of events throughout their life cycle. You'll need excellent communication skills, be adept at writing copy, have a keen eye for detail, and the ability to work accurately under pressure whilst meeting tight deadlines. You'll have a strong educational background, a knowledge of ticketing and ideally previous experience in a venue or events role and a keen interest in music.

For more information including a full job description and how to apply click here.
   
SYNC MANAGER - LABEL
A sought-after role, driving new business opportunities in sync and responding creatively to client briefs. Dealing with an exciting, large and diverse repertoire, you will generate revenue and promotional opportunities through licensing, and building relationships with agencies, film companies, music supervisors, broadcasters and video games clients. This is a fantastic opportunity for an accomplished and pro-active Sync Manager to further your career with one of the biggest names in music.

For more information including a full job description and how to apply click here.
   

DEMON MUSIC GROUP, PRODUCT MANAGER
Demon Music Group (one of the UK's largest independent record companies owned by BBC Worldwide) is looking to recruit a Product Manager for its 100 Hits and Crimson Productions ranges. You will be based in our Foley Street office. Demon controls a vast catalogue of rights, and key artists include: Al Green, Suede, Ian Dury, T. Rex, Steve Miller Band and Average White Band.

For more information including a full job description and how to apply click here.

Please note this role is being re-advertised, previous applicants need not apply

   
FUTURE, EVENTS MANAGER
Future is looking for an Events Manager to on work its London based music, technology and gaming events. These events range from Classic Rock Roll of Honour and Metal Hammer Golden Gods to the T3 Gadget Awards and the Golden Joysticks.

For more information including a full job description and how to apply click here.
   
DOMINO RECORDS, ROYALTY ADMINISTRATOR
A fantastic opportunity has arisen to join the Royalty Department based in Wandsworth. Duties include the processing of both incoming and outgoing royalty statements, maintaining catalogue data, mechanical reporting and invoicing as well as other ad hoc tasks.

For more information including a full job description and how to apply click here.
   
FABRIC, DIGITAL MARKETING OFFICER
We are seeking a self-motivated, proactive individual to take a key role in further developing and executing a cutting edge digital marketing strategy. The successful candidate will have strong artist and industry knowledge and excellent relevant digital marketing experience.

For more information including a full job description and how to apply click here .

IMPALA CO-PRESIDENT BACKS UNIVERSAL'S EMI DEALS, SUBJECT TO CONCESSIONS
In a surprise move, one of the key players in Europe's independent label sector, Naïve Records' Patrick Zelnik, has come out in support of Universal's bid to buy the EMI record company, subject to certain provisions, which he outlines in an article in today's Financial Times, neatly timed to fall into the laps of European regulators just as they consider what concessions they should ask for from the mega-major as it seeks approval for its big EMI deal.

The opinion piece arguably puts Zelnik in conflict with pan-European indie labels trade body IMPALA, of which he is co-president. Though, while IMPALA has, officially at least, been vehemently opposed to the Universal bid from the start, insisting European regulators must block the deal outright, realists in the indie label community have long assumed that the battle against the EMI acquisition was more about securing the best possible concessions from the Vivendi-owned music major, rather than blocking the transaction completely.

Zelnik cautions against outright war within the record industry, between Warner and the indies on the one side, and the two big acquisitive players, Sony and Universal, on the other. The Naïve man argues that there are bigger threats to the record business. First, the risk of failing to find a truly mutually beneficial framework for working with the web and tech giants who now dwarf even the bigger music majors. And second, allowing private equity to come into the industry, asset strip the lucrative catalogues for a five year return on investment, to the detriment of new talent development, which safeguards the industry's future ten years down the line.

Universal buying EMI is probably the lesser of various evils, Zelnik concludes, despite his past involvement in the fight against the consolidation of the music rights industry. Providing, that is, as part of Universal's big EMI bid, certain provisions are met.

He writes that Universal should commit "first, to transparent, non-discriminatory, easy licensing to new platforms. This should encompass Universal, EMI and independents, representing the majority of the market - the rest would soon follow. Second, Universal should make targeted, surgical divestitures to independents instead of to hedge funds, private equity or pension funds. Independents reinvest their profits better in signing new artists and developing new genres, and are instrumental in musical and technological innovation that is the lifeblood of music. Third, there should be direct financial support for industry groups that aid in levelling the playing field between small and large labels, so that the innovations of entrepreneurial labels are quickly adopted by the rest of the industry".

It should be noted that Zelnik is not entirely neutral in all of this. He has long been an advocate of more transparent licensing in the digital domain, and clearly sees this as an opportunity to force Universal into a commitment on transparency that isn't necessarily in its best commercial interests. While point three, if fulfilled, would presumably see Universal more proactively supporting organisations that support the indie sector, such as, for example, IMPALA, in which Zelnik is so involved. (A few years back, when the indie sector struck up a deal with then Warner chief Edgar Bronfman Jr in which it agreed to not oppose his ultimately unsuccessful bid to buy EMI, it's thought a similar request was made).

But point two is perhaps where Zelnik's real conflict of interest exists, given separate reports this morning that the Naïve chief is preparing to bid for EMI's Virgin Records division, should Universal decide to sell it in a bid to placate European regulators. Zelnik, who launched the then independent Virgin record label into the French market in 1980, is apparently planning to bid for the modern day Virgin Records, in Europe at least, in partnership with Richard Branson. Though Branson would be a junior partner in the deal, it's thought, mainly guaranteeing use of the Virgin brand, with the newly independent Virgin, should it be achieved, run by Zelnik.

Also speaking to the FT, Zelnik said: "If Universal is ready to sell Virgin Records, then Richard Branson will support a transaction and support me in doing it. He wants Virgin to be in my hands".

Responding to Zelnik's FT piece, IMPALA says that it reflects his opinion, and not that of the trade body, which remains opposed to Universal's EMI deal. The group's Executive Chair, Helen Smith, told CMU: "Our board took a clear decision yesterday to continue its opposition to the Universal/EMI merger, rejecting remedies which do not deal with the specific problems set out in the EC's statement of objections. The issue isn't just digital, it's physical and access to media-exposure for new artists, as well as the foreclosure of independents when it comes to signing artists. We all respect Patrick Zelnik's view, but the FT article is the Naive position, not the Impala position".

As previously reported, having responded in writing to the European Commission's statement of objections to its bid to buy the EMI labels, Universal will now meet with EC officials face-to-face to discuss the terms on which they might green light the acquisition. Universal hasn't officially proposed any concessions to regulators, but boss man Lucian Grainge has said he will, and rumour has it the major's share in VEVO and EMI's Virgin division may be among the assets he will propose his company sells.

A separate regulatory investigation is ongoing in the US, though regulators in New Zealand and Japan have approved the deal without remedies.

back to top

--------------------------------------------------

LIVE NATION EUROPE CHIEF EXPLAINS WHY SPRINGSTEEN WAS CUT SHORT
While Live Nation depriving Bruce Springsteen one more duet with Paul McCartney on Saturday night might have made the British news headlines on Sunday, just imagine what would have happened had something similar occurred in the US. You don't mess with The Boss over Stateside, and turning off the power just as he's about to play with a Beatle would almost certainly lead to at least four resignations - two commercial, two political - and at least one new bit of State law.

Which is presumably why the live music major's COO for Europe, Paul Latham, felt the need to email the Wall Street Journal yesterday to set the record straight on why his company had pulled the plug on Springsteen at the end of his headline set at Saturday's Hard Rock Calling, explaining that in London the wealthy neighbours of Hyde Park are even more influential than the Boss, meaning licensing rules must be stuck to. He also added that Springsteen wasn't too pissed off (despite the drunken rant his guitarist Steven Van Zandt posted online), and that he hoped the premature shut down would just make the show all the more memorable.

In the email, published by the Journal, Latham writes: "For the last twelve months we have been fighting the good fight with the local authority and their licensing teams to retain the ability to stage concerts in Hyde Park. The current licences were granted on very strict noise restrictions, traffic plans and curfews with the 'sword of Damocles' hanging over any future events if we broke any of the conditions. Suffice to say the residents of Park Lane and Mayfair may not be numerous but they wield inordinate power over the Gogs and Magogs of City Hall and Parliament".

Adding that he had hoped that a three and a half hour slot would have been sufficient even for Springsteen, Latham admitted that his team didn't foresee the planned brief McCartney guest spot turning into a Beatles medley. Showery weather also messed with the evening's schedule, he added.

He concluded: "We were assured that they [Springsteen and McCartney] were going to only do a couple of numbers so we could turn a blind eye to a ten minute over-run and risk the wrath of our naysayers, but then the couple of numbers happened to be Beatles medleys and when Bruce went to change guitars to start again I'm afraid the power had to come off on music history in the hope that we will be allowed to create more in the future. Suffice to say we were most concerned that Bruce and co would have been discommoded by our actions, but they were unanimous in their opinion that it had been one of their greatest gigs for many a year, and being thrown off the stage added legend to the myth".

back to top


PROSECUTORS CLAIM MEGAUPLOAD HAD ENOUGH US CONNECTIONS TO FACE AMERICAN CRIMINAL LAW
Government representatives in the US have told a court in Virginia that MegaUpload had plenty of business connections with America, and therefore the company should be made to face criminal charges in the country, even though it was incorporated in Hong Kong.

As previously reported, the US government wants to prosecute both MegaUpload and its key executives for alleged copyright infringement, money laundering and racketeering. But legal reps for MegaUpload and its founder Kim 'Dotcom' Schmitz claim that as the Mega corporate entity was based in Hong Kong, criminal proceedings cannot be filed against it. And while the US could still go after the MegaUpload boss directly, Dotcom's lawyers say the charges against their client are not sufficient to justify extradition from New Zealand, where he currently resides.

But last week, in a filing with the Virginian court, prosecutors said that MegaUpload had plenty of connections with America, and therefore is subject to US criminal law. The filing notes that the firm rented vast amounts of server space in the States (which was how US officials were able to shut the MegaUpload site down), that it utilised American financial services companies like PayPal, and that it had large numbers of American customers.

It adds that MegaUpload's own terms of service were self-proclaimed to be "governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State Of California", and that when the digital firm was annoyed at Universal Music having its promotional 'Mega Song' taken down off YouTube last year, it chose to sue through the US courts. That it didn't have an actual legal address in America, the prosecutors concluded, was just a technicality.

The court filing concluded: "It appears that defendant MegaUpload, for its own convenience, would subject itself and its users to the jurisdiction of courts in the United States, even as the company now argues that it cannot be brought before a federal court to face criminal charges".

As previously reported, Dotcom recently said he would voluntarily go to the US to face the charges against him and his company providing the American authorities guaranteed him bail, and gave him access to frozen Mega funds to pay for legal fees. Though the offer was made via Twitter.

back to top


JON LORD 1941 - 2012
Former Deep Purple keyboard player Jon Lord died yesterday, aged 71. Lord had been receiving treatment for pancreatic cancer since last August, and died after suffering a pulmonary embolism at a London Clinic surrounded by his family.

Born in 1941 in Leicester, Lord learned classical piano from the age of five. However, when he moved to London in 1959, his intention was to become an actor. Studying at the Central School Of Speech And Drama, he played piano in clubs in the evenings and as a studio session musician merely to pay the bills.

However, one of the bands he played with, The Artwoods, found brief success with their single 'I Take What I Want'. After that, in 1967, he formed Santa Barbara Machine Head with the brother of Artwoods frontman Art Wood, a certain Ronnie Wood, who would, of course, go one to become a member of The Faces and The Rolling Stones. The band was short-lived, but did help Lord to create his signature sound before joining Deep Purple in 1968.

Deep Purple were put together by manager Tony Edwards, with the initial line-up also featuring bassist Ian Simper (who Lord had recently worked with during a brief stint with The Flowerpot Men), guitarist Richie Blackmore, vocalist Rod Evans and drummer Ian Paice.

Over the eight years the band initially performed, Lord and Paice were the only constant members, with Lord writing many of their biggest hits, including 'Smoke On The Water', and under his direction they undertook various classical projects too.

When the band split, he and Paice formed a new band with singer Tony Aston - Paice, Aston & Lord - who recorded just one album, 'Malice In Wonderland', in 1977, before splitting. Lord then joined Whitesnake, fronted by Deep Purple's last frontman David Coverdale, until 1984, when Deep Purple reformed with the 'classic' early 70s line-up of Lord, Paice, Blackmore, vocalist Ian Gillan and bassist Roger Glover.

The band enjoyed considerable success during the mid-80s, particularly as a touring act, although a strained relationship between Blackmore and Gillan led to the singer being replaced by Joe Lynn Turner for two years; Gillan only returning for the band's 25th anniversary after Blackmore had been given $250,000 to agree to the reunion.

Line-up changes continued through the 1990s, and Lord eventually left the band in 2002, when his request that they take a year off from touring was declined.

From 1970 up to this year, Lord also composed numerous solo works and albums, many of them orchestral compositions, and until his death he was working with supergroup WhoCares, with Ian Gillan, Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi, HIM guitarist Mikko Lindström, ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newstead, and Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain.

Jon is survived by his second wife Vickie (twin sister of Deep Purple drummer Ian Paice's wife Jacky), their daughter Amy, and his daughter from his first marriage, Sara.

back to top


50 SHADES OF GREY PROPELS SIXTEENTH CENTURY CHANT TO CLASSICAL NUMBER ONE
Erotic novel '50 Shades Of Grey' has now seen its grasp on popular culture stretch to music, after a piece of sixteenth century choral music, described as being listened to by one of the book's characters during one of its bondage scenes, appeared at number one in the Classical Singles Chart this weekend.

The Tallis Scholars' recording of Thomas Tallis' 1570s piece 'Spem In Alium' has been rising up the classical countdown for the last six weeks, eventually bringing Luciano Pavarotti's recent three week run at the top of the chart to an end on Sunday.

'50 Shades Of Grey' author EL James told OfficialCharts.com: "I am delighted to have introduced so many of my readers to this amazing sixteenth century piece of music. It is absolutely wonderful and the recording from the Tallis Scholars is particularly special. A deserved number one!"

Meanwhile Peter Phillips, director of The Tallis Scholars, added: "I am thrilled that 'Spem In Alium' has attracted such a large new audience. It is one of the most remarkable achievements of the human brain, an extra-ordinary and moving piece written for 40 individual singers. After performing 'Spem In Alium' for nearly 40 years I still cannot conceive how Thomas Tallis set about writing it. Even with 21st century computers it would be a daunting task! For me it ranks alongside the best works of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci and confirms Tallis as England's greatest composer".

The Official Classical Singles Chart was launched in May of this year to reflect the growing trend for classical music to be bought as single tracks, rather than full albums. "It shows the changing ways in which classical fans are buying their music", said Official Charts Company MD Martin Talbot.

Listen to The Tallis Scholars' recording of 'Spem In Alium' here.

back to top


NEW THE WANTED LP MAY FEATURE RITA ORA, DAPPY, LMFAO
Ah, The Wanted. "What rude Christina Aguilera comment have they made this time", I hear you ask? Well, not a single one, actually... because the boyband's Siva Kaneswaran kept things strictly businesslike when speaking to BBC Newsbeat this week, just sharing enticing notes on the Brit-Irish pop quintet's tbc third LP, which apparently is out in "roughly November".

Revealing that Rihanna-alike Rita Ora, ex-N-Dubz rapper Dappy and 'Sorry For Party Rocking' hitmakers LMFAO are amongst the guests set to feature on the "worldwide album", Shiva added: "It's gonna be another one of those mixed bags; anthemic, some high-hitters, some slow songs... something for everyone, again".

So that's good for everyone across the world to know. And speaking of 'good' things, Shiva assures us that if said collaborations aren't good, they won't make the final tracklisting. "Some songs are a bit too extravagant, too iffy", he said, adding: "It's all about the music. I'm excited".

After much shouting to and from the band's backstage trailer, curly-haired Jay McGuinness was eventually able to confirm the LP's release date, saying: "Roughly November. Our marketing team probably care about the Christmas sales. Hi marketing team, thanks for your diligent work!"

back to top


MUMFORD & SONS DETAIL NEW ALBUM
Touring-obsessed folk lot Mumford And Sons have announced that they have at last managed to resist the call of "the road" to instead prepare their previously hinted-at second LP, 'Babel', for release on 24 Sep.

The band have this to say of the new long player, which is released via Island Records in partnership with their own label Gentlemen Of The Road: "We are more than excited to release 'Babel' into the world. We had started writing new songs well before we got into the studio to record. At first, we peeled ourselves off the road quite reluctantly. We love playing live, obviously, but it had also become an important part of our creative process, we had been writing and rehearsing in sound checks, and sort of 'road-testing' new songs on our very gracious audiences. But then we fell in love with recording again".

Adding their appreciation to the album's producer Markus Dravs (also responsible for Arcade Fire's 'The Suburbs' and Mumford's 2009 debut 'Sigh No More') and engineer Robin Baynton, they continue thus: "As a band, we've never been closer or more collaborative, all working to our strengths. And so we feel that this record is a natural progression that we're proud of, and we cannot wait to take it out on the road".

The road, the road, the road. And now, why take this 'Babel' tracklisting out for a trial spin:

Babel
Whispers In The Dark
I Will Wait
Holland Road
Ghosts That We Knew
Lover Of The Light
Lovers' Eyes
Reminder
Hopeless Wanderer
Broken Crown
Below My Feet
Not With Haste

back to top

--------------------------------------------------

FLYING LOTUS LP TO INCLUDE THOM YORKE CAMEO
Hip hop cosmonaut Steven Ellison, aka Flying Lotus, has given word of his new LP, 'Until The Quiet Comes', as follows 2010's 'Cosmogramma'. Set for release via Warp on 2 Oct, the long player will include an appearance by Radiohead's Thom Yorke, who - as we all know - also lent his voice to 'Cosmogramma' track '... And The World Laughs With You'.

back to top

--------------------------------------------------

ODD FUTURE'S MELLOWHYPE, DOMO GENESIS SHARE NEW AUDIO
Yesterday was declared an official Odd Future day (by me, at least), as both MellowHype and Domo Genesis of the LA-based rap collective previewed tracks from their respective new releases.

First up, MellowHype cohorts Hodgy Beats and Left Brain, whose very playable first LP 'BlackenedWhite' came out last year, are soon to share a sophomore set in the forthcoming 'Numbers'. The first anyone has heard of it, a track entitled 'Fakuoy', is available for free download via the OFWGKTA Tumblr.

Not to be outdone, OF's live-in "weed rap" protégé Domo Genesis also premiered audio from his new collaboration with producer The Alchemist. Featuring verses by Action Bronson and Genesis's Odd Future associates Earl Sweatshirt and Vince Staples, it's also free to collect via the OFWGKTA Tumblr.

back to top

--------------------------------------------------

PURITY RING STREAM LP ONLINE
Fancy previewing 'Shrines', the debut LP from CMU approved Canadian pop futurists Purity Ring, prior to its official 23 Jul release date? If so, NPR is hosting such a thing via this URL, which links to a complete stream of the record.

back to top




KASABIAN TO PLAY BRIXTON ACADEMY
Kasabian will precede headline bookings at this year's Reading and Leeds festivals with a one-off date at the Brixton Academy, playing the South London landmark on 20 Aug.

Tickets go on sale this Friday at 9am. Be there, or be Serge Pizzorno's hair.

back to top

-------------------------------------------------

CASS MCCOMBS ANNOUNCES TOUR
Having released his acclaimed last LP 'Humor Risk' towards the end of last year, morose folk raconteur Cass McCoombs has arrange several (well, three) live dates to follow billings at this year's Green Man and Beacons festivals.

Tour dates:

21 Aug: London, Birthdays
22 Aug: London, Birthdays
23 Aug: Brighton, The Haunt

back to top

-------------------------------------------------

RUSTIE TO PREMIERE LIVE SET IN LONDON
Scottish bass maestro Rustie is to debut a brand new live set at London's Elektrowerkz on 5 Sep. In case you haven't yet heard it, his first LP 'Glass Swords' is well worth listening to in the interim.

Tickets for the standalone date, details of which are available via its Facebook event page, go on sale tomorrow.

back to top


FESTIVAL LINE-UP UPDATE

ATP NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, Pontins, Camber Sands, 30 Nov: Wire, Mission Of Burma, Bear Claw, Alix and The Ex + Brass Unbound are amongst the first acts announced for ATP's Nightmare Before Christmas, as will also feature a rare live sighting of its guest curators Shellac. www.atpfestival.com/events/shellacxmas.php

BINGLEY MUSIC LIVE, Myrtle Park, Bingley, 31 Aug - 2 Sep: With Bingley Music Live's special Sunday night guests just announced as White Lies, the festival's diverse on-stage array will also include Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, The Charlatans, Jake Bugg, Maverick Sabre, Kids In Glass Houses and Citizens! www.bingleymusiclive.com

ONE LOVE FESTIVAL, The Hop Farm, Kent, 10-12 Aug: Bunny Lee, Jah Tubbys and popular TV rodent Rastamouse have all just received invites to play this year's One Love happening and thus join such existing bookings as Macka B, Dawn Penn, Don Campbell, By The Rivers and Ragga Twins at this, the UK's only reggae-based camping festival. www.onelovefestival.co.uk

REWIND FESTIVALS, Perth, Scotland/Temple Island Meadows, Henley-on-Thames, 18-22 Jul: Familial pop quintet Five Star form the latest feature of Rewind's nostalgia-rich listings, as will host The Bangles, Kool & The Gang, Grandmaster Flash, Rick Astley and Soul II Soul playing across the festival's twin sites. www.rewindfestival.com

SOUTH WEST FOUR, Clapham Common, London, 25-26 Aug: Soon-to-be-ex Swedish House Mafia man Steve Angello has been confirmed as the latest DJ joining South West Four's sizeable dance roster, as also houses Skrillex, Pete Tong, Seth Troxler, Maya Jane Coles, Skream & Benga and Flux Pavillion. www.southwestfour.com

back to top


UNIVERSAL FINED IN JAPAN OVER TAX DISPUTE
While regulators in Japan have approved Universal's bid to buy EMI, that doesn't mean all Japanese authorities are pleased with the mega-major. The Tokyo tax authorities have just fined the music company $38 million for failing to declare nearly $101 million in taxable income, according to Variety.

Though, to be fair, the tax issue has arisen as a result of money moving around and between different corporate entities within the Universal group. The major says that it believes its actions were all "appropriate procedure under tax law", but the Tokyo tax man reckons the company did some restructuring simply to trim its tax bill in the country.

back to top


UK WEB-BLOCK HAS HAD NO AFFECT ON TRAFFIC, SAYS THE PIRATE BAY
The Pirate Bay has published a blog post confirming and commenting on a BBC report that said traffic to the controversial file-sharing site had returned to normal after a brief dip following the blocks put in place by the UK's biggest ISPs in June and July. In fact, the site claims to have not noticed any real impact from web-blocks whatsoever.

The Bay's blog writer wrote: "We never really noticed a blockade ... The only thing we noticed were comments on blog posts, and lots of journalists e-mailing us more about the UK than other things for once. We never bothered to reply, so journalists wrote what they wanted us to say. In a few days everything was back to normal for everyone".

However, Geoff Taylor from the BPI, the record label trade body that secured the court injunctions that forced the ISPs to block the Bay in the first place, disagreed, telling the BBC: "The goal of our action was to reduce UK use of The Pirate Bay, which was causing particular harm to British musicians and labels. Before the court case, the site was one of the top 50 most popular sites in the UK. Today it has fallen to number 282. [Though] we recognise there is more to do to reduce illegal P2P use overall".

But for its part, the Bay questioned the reliability of the figures Taylor quoted. It wrote: "These ranking systems (like Alexa) are guestimating traffic. The information comes from people that aren't tech savvy ... And we've seen that we have more traffic than most sites we've compared e-penises with even though they are ranked 50-100 positions over us in these charts. Put simply, they're not really accurate".

It added: "And speaking of these guestimates. They're not only guessing how much traffic we have, but also what and how much is being shared and so on. We've never given out that information - we never even stored it. When we've done measurements ourselves we kind of laugh at how crappy other peoples estimates are. People that charge millions to guestimate will not give their clients a number that is against their interests... so look at these numbers with sober eyes and look at what is in the earnings for the people that hand out these numbers".

back to top

--------------------------------------------------

LIVE NATION BUYS REXLY
Live Nation's tech development unit Live Nation Labs, led by BigChampagne co-founder Eric Garland, has bought a San Francisco start-up called Rexly Inc, which developed a Last.fm-style mobile app that tracks what music a user is listening to on their iPhone, and then shares that data via social media and such like.

Garland says that he sees the Rexly acquisition as helping his company push ahead with data tools in the mobile space, while Live Nation will help with the marketing and distribution of the start-up's existing app.

back to top


CARLY RAE JEPSON DIDN'T EXPECT SUCCESS
Carly Rae Jepsen has said that she didn't expect her infuriatingly catchy and insanely popular single 'Call Me Maybe' to be a mainstream success, despite it being a hefty swing towards mainstream pop from the sound of her 2008 debut album, 'Tug Of War'.

She told the AP: "[When we were writing 'Call Me Maybe'], we used the idea of [it] being like a modern-day Annie Lennox-type pop [song], like 'Walking On Broken Glass'. I want to do songs like that. So, we decided to add some different instruments like strings, things you don't normally hear in pop songs right now. [But] we weren't expecting that it was going to be a game-changing song, we just thought it was a little bit of a tune and now we're all just kind of looking at each other like: 'What happened?'"

With her next album due to feature collaborations with such underground heroes as Owl City, LMFAO's Redfoo, fun. guitarist Jack Antonoff and Justin Bieber, she added: "Style-wise, I think my love affair with pop music is just getting stronger. If anything I want to go further down that road - I'm inspired by Robyn, La Roux and Dragonette, I love those artists. I'm hoping to add my little spin to pop music so that it's a little refreshing, like something you haven't heard yet".

back to top

--------------------------------------------------

1D ARSE NOT A 1D ARSE
So, bad news, people. It transpires that the photo of Louis Tomlinson from One Direction's arse that appeared online last week and which, supposedly, originated from the Instagram account of his bandmate Niall Horan, was no more genuine than the picture that circulated in January which some claimed showed Harry Styles' genitals. That is to say, it was a genuine arse (and those were genuine genitals), but the bottom didn't belong to Tomlinson (like the cock wasn't attached to Styles).

We are blaming The Sun for this, which initially claimed the naked snap of Tomlinson in the shower had been posted online by Horan, though the tabloid did suspiciously remove the article a few hours later. Last week a spokesman for the band told E! News that the Instagram account in question didn't actually belong to a member of One Direction, and nor did the arse it featured.

So, consider that resolved. And that's it, we're not reporting on any more naked photos of One Direction unless they are hand delivered by the group themselves (which may or may not be the PR strategy planned for tricky album number three). Meanwhile, as The Sun story we previously linked to featuring the photo was deleted, presumably leaving all the 1D fans who came to theCMUwebsite.com having Googled "One Direction arse" very disappointed, here's a link to the E! News page that does have the photo. If you can convince yourself that 'What Makes You Beautiful' is one of the best pop songs ever written, you can probably convince yourself that's really a 1D boy in the shower.

back to top

 
If you want to stop receiving this e-bulletin click the safe unsubscribe button at the bottom of this email and follow the instructions.

If you want to change the email address where you receive the CMU Daily, or to opt for the text-only version, click the update profile button at the bottom and follow the instructions.

Friends or colleagues can sign up for free at www.theCMUwebsite.com/subscribe
 
CMU Editor Andy Malt and CMU Business Editor Chris Cooke are both available to comment on music and music business stories. Together they have provided comment and contributions to BBC News, BBC World, BBC Radios 4, 5, 6music and Scotland, Sky News, CNN, Wired and the Associated Press. Email [email protected] or [email protected].

UnLimited Media also provides creative, training and consulting services for the music, media and communication industries. More at www.unlimitedmedia.co.uk.
 
Email press releases or random news to [email protected]
(PLEASE NOTE: Press releases sent to any other address will be ignored)

Email suggestions for Q&As or playlists to [email protected]

Email suggestions for Approved to [email protected] / [email protected]

To discuss advertising and sponsorship opportunities email [email protected]

If you have a complaint email [email protected]

Send CDs to CMU, UnLimited Media, 221-222 Shoreditch High Street, London, E1 6PJ.
 
Concept and content © UnLimited Publishing.

Published by UnLimited Publishing, a division of UnLimited Media,
Floor 2 Unicorn House, 221-222 Shoreditch High Street, London, E1 6PJ.

UnLimited Media also provides creative, training and consulting services for the music, media and communication industries. More at www.unlimitedmedia.co.uk.