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MORE UNIVERSAL/EC TALKS EXPECTED TO TRY TO REACH A RESOLUTION ON EMI As much previously reported, despite initially saying no concessions should be needed to get regulator approval for its EMI bid, last month Universal said it would sell a wide-range of EMI's assets in Europe, including the Parlophone and Chrysalis divisions in the UK. However, it's thought European regulators have asked for more, in particular the offloading of worldwide rights for certain key artists who particularly dominate in Europe. Universal bosses have so far resisted complying with that wish, but with the deadline now approaching when the mega-major must hand over the money it promised to pay US bank Citigroup for the EMI record company - even if regulator approval is still pending - the music giant could really do with resolving this matter sooner rather than later. Some insiders at the major have suggested threatening to pull out of the EMI deal completely, selling it on to a third party in its entirety (maybe one of those evil equity outfits who might just asset strip), in a bid to persuade EC regulators to accept the Euro-focused concessions already on the table, though it's not thought that threat has been formally made to officials. Whether the major will instead arrive with a couple of high profile artist catalogues to sell on a global basis to get the green light once and for all remains to be seen. -------------------------------------------------- VIRGIN MEDIA BLOCKS NEWZBIN As previously reported, the first legal action by the movie industry against Newzbin resulted in the site itself being issued with a court order to stop enabling infringement, but instead its owners moved the site's servers to Sweden and outside the court's jurisdiction. The MPA then launched a successful case last year to force BT to block access to its customers to Newzbin. This set an important bit of precedent in UK copyright law, ie that the English courts could force ISPs to block access to websites that prolifically and persistently helped others to infringe copyright. Although the UK Digital Economy Act of 2010 contained some new provisions to allow such blocks, that element of the DEA was all but deleted, with the three-strikes approach to combating file-sharing prioritised. However, the Newzbin case showed no new legislation was actually needed to enable web-blocks in the UK (meaning web blocking has ironically occurred before three-strikes has even got off the ground). Confirming it had now blocked access to Newzbin, Virgin Media said in a statement: "As a responsible ISP, Virgin Media complies with court orders addressed to the company, but strongly believes that changing consumer behaviour to tackle copyright infringement also needs compelling legal alternatives to give consumers access to great content at the right price". Both BT and Sky have previously blocked access to their customers to Newzbin, while all the major UK ISPs have similarly blocked access to The Pirate Bay following legal action by record label trade body the BPI. Though the operators of both file-sharing services say the blocks haven't affected their traffic, more web-savvy file-sharers being able to circumvent such blocks pretty easily. SPOTIFY SUED OVER PATENT ALLEGATIONS In the lawsuit, Nonend, which says it specialises in peer-to-peer and online streaming technology, accuses Spotify of "making, using, offering to sell, and selling streaming music services to users which incorporate methodologies that infringe" its intellectual property. Of course these days you're not a proper technology company if you haven't got at least one rival accusing you of patent violations, though Spotify has already faced one such challenge - from San Diego-based PacketVideo last year - so probably doesn't need another just to claim legitimacy. The streaming service is yet to respond to Nonend's litigation. -------------------------------------------------- PIZZA HUT AND HOME DEPOT DENY BLACK KEYS SONG THEFT The Keys accused Pizza Hut and its ad agency of using the song 'Gold On The Ceiling' without permission, while US DIY chain Home Depot was accused of using the band's hit 'Lonely Boy'. When the band filed their lawsuit, a legal rep told reporters that the offending ads were a "brazen and improper effort to capitalise on the plaintiffs' hard-earned success". But in separate court filings in LA last week, both the Hut and the Depot denied any wrongdoing. According to Billboard, both also asked the judge to rule that if the band's lawsuits fail that they should cover the defendants' legal costs. FIVE HURT IN BARONESS BUS CRASH REMAIN IN HOSPITAL One member of the band, lead guitarist Pete Adams, and three members of their five strong crew were released from hospital with minor injuries. Frontman John Baizley broke his left arm and leg, while drummer Allen Blickle and bassist Matt Maggioni each suffered fractured vertebrae. The driver of the bus, who was most seriously hurt in the crash, remains in a critical condition. DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN PART COMPANY WITH GUITARIST In their statement, the band said: "Jeff Tuttle has been a valuable member of The Dillinger Escape Plan since the beginning of the 'Ire Works' cycle. He started his time with us in mid 2006 in a period of turmoil, and his positivity and team player mentality, his enthusiasm, and his fire onstage, will always be appreciated and will never be forgotten. That being said, for now, as you will read, his future with us is uncertain, but whatever the future holds for our relationship with him, we love him and wish him well and success as a brother who has gone into battle with us for six years, and we hope he enjoys and finds creative fulfilment in film school and his future endeavors". Tuttle added: "To the fans of Dillinger, and to the multitude of people I've met, kicked, guitar-smashed, face riffed, or otherwise touched, I'm writing this to formally announce that as of today I will be taking my departure from The Dillinger Escape Plan. The years I've spent with this band have been some of the greatest in my life. I've seen and done so many things I never thought possible and I will forever be grateful to these memories and to the band that made them possible. I'd like to thank everyone who has given me support and encouragement along the way and to express all the gratitude that fills my bones. Dillinger is a beast that cannot be contained and I have no doubts that the band will continue on the road of destruction. I wish them nothing but the best in the years to come". However, as the band also hinted at in their statement, he did not rule out returning to the band at some point in the future, saying: "Life may lead me back to the Dillinger fold in the future, but for now I've decided to pursue these creative paths. The past six years have been amazing and I'm lucky to have made it out alive. I'll never forget the time we shared on stage... the scars won't let me". Tuttle will also continue to work with his other band Old Gods, and on his solo project Malo Konjche. PERE UBU SIGN TO FIRE RECORDS The band, whose career spans 32 years and thirteen LPs, will have the long player in record stores in time for January 2013. CARL BARAT TO RECORD WITH NEW BAND Speaking to the NME, Barat said: "If I say I'm doing it for the love, will I sound like a member of Bon Jovi? It's because I met a band I really believed in. I met a band who do something very different to what I do, and thought it'd be good to step in. There was obviously a little bit of extra pressure, but it's the feeling of being in a band again. I didn't want to hold a band on my own, and I didn't want to be in a band and have to sort of apologise for not being The Libertines. And this is totally different". Confirming a forthcoming studio session, he said: "I'm going to record a few songs with the boys. It's the first time I've felt natural with a band in a long time". And a good thing, too; Eyes On Film's SoundCloud discog could do with the extra content. -------------------------------------------------- JONAS BROTHERS MAKING "OUT-OF-THE-BOX" LP Middle JoBro Joe muses for the benefit of MTV: "I wish it could be released tomorrow. Obviously, there's just so many other things you have to think about. But we've been working on music for about three, four months now and got into a place now where it's just a rhythm, and we're creating the music, and it's really coming together really well. I would say [by the] fall hopefully you'll hear some stuff". His elder Bro Kevin interjects: "We've done some out-of-the-box things. We've done some things that are rocky, poppy, country-ish. We've done everything. Really, we've been cultivating [the new music] for so long, we really want to spend the time needed to make it as perfect as can be because so much is riding on this album for us ... We've been gone for so long that if it's not right, then it could go very badly". Yes, that it could. MOUNT EERIE PREVIEW NEW LP Billed by the collective's principal songwriter and composer Phil Elverum as the "weird and darker and heavier" sequel to May's acclaimed 'Clear Moon', 'Ocean Road' the long player is released on 3 Sep. Listen to its three minute counterpart here. And just in case you care, here's how it slots into the LP's overall tracklisting: Pale Lights DOOM SETS DJ DATE, LONDON SHOW Details of the show, which takes place on 2 Nov, reside here. A solo DOOM will also appear in DJ guise at east London bunker Concrete on 25 Aug. Info on that via this link. ------------------------------------------------- EXAMPLE TO TAKE ARENA TOUR And the dates are: 11 Feb: Bournemouth, BIC For the time being, pray silence as we all look at 'Say Nothing', Example's new video. It has a single to match, by the way, and that's being released on 16 Sep. CITY SHOWCASE PROMISED MORE ACTS AND EVENTS THAN EVER BEFORE FOR TENTH ANNIVERSARY Acts confirmed to play at showcases as part of the festival include: Mark Morriss, Lillian Todd Jones, Daniela Brooker, Josephine, Yellowwire, Magazine Gap, Big Cloud Kid, Fractures, Pink Cigar, Rev78, Floodliners, Shanel Brown, Robert Vincent and Ash Graham, winner of the new talent competition held at City Showcase's sister event in New Zealand. Admission to each showcase will be £5, though anyone who registers online by the end of September can get a wristband getting them free entry. In addition to the music, City Showcase will stage a series of panels and events in the Apple Store and Gibson Guitar Studios, including a day aimed at students and those at the start of their music careers on 12 Oct. More at www.cityshowcase.co.uk ------------------------------------------------- FESTIVAL LINE-UP ADDITIONS ATP NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, Pontins, Camber Sands, 30 Nov: Neurosis, Mono, Melt Banana, Uzeda, Prinzhorn Dance School, Three Second Kiss, Buke And Gase. www.atpfestival.com/events/shellacxmas.php SEMIBREVE, various venues, Braga/Guimaraes, Portugal, 2-6 Oct: Pole, Mouse On Mars, Vladislav Delay, Grischa Lichtenberger, Roly Porter, Emptyset, Ben Frost, Ryoji Ikeda, Most People Have Trained To Be Bored, Jacob Kirkegaard. www.festivalsemibreve.com BPI ISSUES TAKEDOWN NOTICE FOR NEGATIVE DRAKE REVIEW Adaso wrote: "Last month, UMG filed a DMCA complaint urging Almighty Google to drop my 'Take Care' review for 'copyright infringement'. Makes absolutely no sense. The only UMG property on that page is the artwork, and IT IS fully credited. So what's the issue here?" He added that after "looking at the DMCA complaint closely", he noticed that as well as two links pointing to his review, the AV Club review was also listed on the same DMCA takedown notice, he asked: "Why did AV Club get flagged? To deflect suspicion? These guys are good". But, while "looking at the DMCA complaint closely", there was one thing that Adaso missed. Right at the top, in large letters, the title read: "BPI DMCA (Copyright) Complaint to Google". And just in case there was any doubt, record labels trade body the BPI is also listed three times on the document as its sender. Asked for confirmation of its involvement by Billboard, the BPI said: "BPI uses the DMCA process to request the removal of millions of links in search results to infringing sound recordings every year. We have no intention of ever trying to remove links to reviews or writing about music. In this case, we regret that an isolated error occurred with the effect that we mistakenly asked for a few links to reviews to be removed. Immediately on learning of the mistake, we asked Google to reinstate the links concerned and are undertaking a review of our processes to ensure this does not happen again. We apologise to all concerned for our mistake". As previously reported, Google revealed earlier this year that the BPI filed 182,805 takedown requests with the search engine between May 2011 and July 2012, the second highest number after Microsoft. What this issue seems to highlight, rather than a dislike of negative reviews on the part of the record industry, is how open to error this system is. And, of course, Google announced earlier this month that in future the number of legitimate takedown notices a site has received would negatively affect its Page Rank score, making incorrect takedowns all the more frustrating for legitimate website operators. Incidents such as this will likely cause many to argue for an overhaul of the current system. Although in this case the error was spotted and corrected, it is not clear how many may go past unnoticed. MEGADETH FRONTMAN ACCUSES OBAMA OF MURDERING PEOPLE TO PROMOTE GUN SAFETY You'd have thought those were enough bizarre theories for one man to be getting on with. But no. He has another one. And this one's worse because it warps awful things that actually happened and affected real people - the recent mass shootings at a cinema in Colorada and at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin. Speaking during a performance in Singapore last week Mustaine said: "Back in my country, my president... he's trying to pass a gun ban, so he's staging all of these murders - Aurora, Colorado, all the people that were killed there and now the beautiful people at the Sikh temple. I don't know where I'm gonna live if America keeps going the way it's going". I think there are quite enough murders in the US as it is, so the logic that Obama would need to stage a few to pass a new law banning guns doesn't really hold very well. And then there's the fact that Obama has never proposed a law banning guns anyway. Both the National Rifle Association and Mitt Romney have accused him of being an "anti-gun president", but it's not a topic he's actually brought up very much at all during his time in office. Speaking to popular conspiracy theorist Alex Jones last Thursday, Mustaine justified his comments saying: "In the heat of the moment, when you're onstage and you're talking, sometimes you're not as eloquent as you'd like to be... [But] we really need to investigate this. I love our country and my whole thing with this is that I think we should just look into it... I just think that we deserve to know the truth - that's it". He added: "I'm a patriot. I've always been controversial. I'm a political songwriter. And this wasn't done to hurt any of my fellow countrymen. I think that it's something that we really, really need to look into". That's right, someone should just quickly check and see if Barrack Obama is ordering mass murders in order to help gain public support for his non-existent proposal of a new law. Good work, Dave. I'm sure everyone appreciates your tireless efforts to ensure that all Americans will be allowed to safely fill their houses with guns forever more. Because that's been going really well over the last 236 years. Anyway, you can hear Dave spouting off to James in full here. -------------------------------------------------- "LIMP BIZKIT'S MOMENT IN TIME IS OVER", SAYS FRED DURST Having asked why LB cancelled a Stateside tour last year, Kerrang! (via Metal Injection) quotes an uncharacteristically modest Durst as saying: "The reason? We just don't know what's going on in America. It's all about the new catchy thing and that's always changing. America is driven by record sales. It's the home of corporations. We're just Limp Bizkit, so we don't know how to do anything but Limp Bizkit". He continues: "But here's the deal: say in 2000, there were 35 million people who connected to this band. Twelve years later, lots of those people have moved on. We were a moment in time and it's over". So that's that; Fred Durst classifying the 'music game' as a case of 'adapt or die', whilst at the same time resigning himself and his band to... well, death. Oh dear. |
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