A round up of music and music business events happening in the next seven days...

BRIT Awards. It's the BRIT Awards this Wednesday, which is exciting, isn't it? They'll kick off at 8pm, with a live broadcast on ITV, and will feature performances from Taylor Swift, Robbie Williams, Muse, Ben Howard, One Direction, Mumford & Sons, Emeli Sandé and Justin Timberlake (if he gets there on time - more on that below). Plus, you know, some awards will be handed out.

The Oscars. Over in that America, The Oscars will attempt to sail in on the BRITs' coat tails this Sunday. Its stupid organisers have decided to give awards to film people though, and no one cares about film people. That said, Adele is up for an award, so they might just about get away with it.

Justin Timberlake live in London. So, pop polymath Justin Timberlake is playing a one-off show in London. It's at The Forum, a fairly 'intimate' space as JT's live dates go, since it isn't an arena, and is in Camden. I can't imagine Justin Timberlake in Camden, it's weird. Will he go to Cyberdog and/or buy a bag of shrooms? Who can say? Shrooms or none, he'll be playing tracks from his very 'visual' new LP 'The 20/20 Experience' on Wednesday. And yes, that is the night of the BRITs, at which Timbers is also meant to be playing.

Table Talks. Tonight the second of three Table Talks events will take place at creative hub The Old Vinyl Factory - EMI's former vinyl pressing factory in Hayes, West London. Having debated whether or not music has lost its cutting edge last night, tonight a new panel will discuss access v ownership, with a look at the state of the UK live industry on Tuesday.

Last Shop Standing screening. On Wednesday night, if you're not attending the BRIT Awards or rushing home to watch the BRIT Awards on TV, you could head over to The Strongroom in Shoreditch. The venue is hosting a free screening of documentary 'Last Shop Standing' and a Q&A with the author of the book of the same name, Graham Jones.

New releases. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds have a new album out this week. What more do you need to know? Actually, there's quite a bit of good stuff out in addition to that this week, so I'll stop stalling. Albums by Jamie Lidell, Mazes, Iceage and Girls Names are all now available. As is the first single from Petite Noir under his new Domino/Double Six deal. Oh, and Tom Waits and Keith Richards have a collection of sea shanties out. Obviously.

Gigs and tours. Well, that Justin Bieber is still knocking about the place, and Girls Aloud start their reunion tour in Newcastle on Thursday. Meanwhile The Killers play two Manchester shows rescheduled from last year, Bloc Party will play Earls Court, Joy Orbison will curate a night at the Oval Space in Bethnal Green, AlunaGeorge will play XOYO and the Tru Thoughts label will take over Koko. Meanwhile there are more gigs in London and beyond from Wet Nuns, FIDLAR, Taken By Trees and (if you happen to be in Atlanta) Kris Kross.

back to top

ERA BOSS RECKONS MORE HMV STORES COULD CLOSE, THOUGH ADMINISTRATOR SIGNS NEW SUPPLIER AGREEMENTS
The boss of the Entertainment Retailer's Association has told Radio 1 that she reckons more HMV stores could as yet be closed by administrator Deloitte, but that she is still hopeful a leaner, fitter company will emerge from the current administration.

As previously reported, since going into administration last month, reps for HMV have announced the closure of 66 loss-making stores in the UK and have confirmed that the company's Irish shops, shut down last month, will remain closed.

However, most commentators have predicted a more radical downsizing of the HMV business ever since the retail company fell into administration, predicting that at least half of the firm's 240 stores could close, and that maybe as many as three quarters could be axed in a bid to assure the long-term future of the HMV brand, both on the high street and beyond.

Restructuring firm and HMV Canada owner Hilco remains the favourite to acquire the HMV brand. As a result, Hilco will like influence how many stores are operated by the all-new HMV Group, and the extent to which other HMV shop units can be sold on to other retailers.

Speaking to Radio 1's Newsbeat, ERA's Kim Bayley said: "I think there will definitely be more HMV closures over and above the 66 that have already been announced. [But] everyone in the industry hopes that they come through the other side, and that with a slimmer and leaner organisation HMV can still make a high street presence work".

Adding that she felt entertainment products still had a place on the high street, she continued: "[Consumers] want to go to stores such as HMV. We're in danger of having a high street with fewer outlets selling CDs and DVD, which would disenfranchise lots of customers. So, as a trade association, all of our members, including digital members, realise HMV has a very important role to play in the CD and DVD ecosystem".

Last week Deloitte confirmed that it had signed new trading agreements with the majority of HMV's suppliers, allowing the retailer to stock new releases. Nick Edwards, Joint Administrator at Deloitte, said: "We are pleased that these agreements are now in place, allowing us to replenish stock and bring in new titles. The support of suppliers over the past few weeks has been significant and these agreements demonstrate their ongoing commitment to supporting HMV".

Regarding ongoing discussions to rescue the HMV company, he added: "Good progress has been made to date and we have received a positive level of interest in the business. Discussions are progressing with a number of parties interested in both the business as a going concern and individual assets despite the high fixed cost base associated with a store network. Landlords have been generally flexible and supportive and we hope to continue working closely with them to restructure the business and seek to secure its future".

back to top

DAPPY GIVEN SUSPENDED SENTENCE OVER PETROL STATION BRAWL
Dappy has been given a six month sentence, suspended for eighteen months, after being found guilty of assault and affray earlier this year. He was also ordered to do 150 hours of community service, and to pay £4500 in compensation and £2000 costs to his victims.

As previously reported, Dappy was accused of approaching two nineteen year old women, Grace Cochran and Serena Burton, at a Guildford filling station in the early hours of 28 Feb last year. When they refused a request to get into his car, he became angry and spat at them. Another man, David Jenkins, came to the women's defence and a fight broke out.

Dappy and two of his entourage, Kieran Vassell and Kalonji Stewart, pleaded not guilty to the charges against them, and Dappy's defence was that he had simply been trying to promote his new single when he himself was attacked. But, while a jury last month found him not guilty of common assault by spitting at the two women, he was found guilty of assault by beating and affray.

Vassell was jailed for fourteen months and ordered to pay £1500 compensation and £500 costs, while a fourth man, Alfred Miller, was sentenced to nineteen months in jail and ordered to pay £4500 compensation and £1000 costs. Stewart was found not guilty of affray.

Commenting on his decision to give Dappy a suspended sentence rather than sending him straight to jail, Judge Neil Stewart told the singer: "The report I have on you suggests you do not present overtly criminal attitudes and this offence has been a wake up call for you. Your culpability in the affray was considerably less than that of your co-defendants. The sentence I have decided on is not affected by any consideration of whether a person is well-known to the public".

back to top

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

MP3TUNES CASE RETURNS TO COURT
With MP3tunes.com filing for bankruptcy last May, and EMI basically no longer existing as a standalone music company, you'd be forgiven for assuming that the EMI v MP3tunes lawsuit might have fizzled out. But oh no, legal reps for EMI were back in court last week appealing the original ruling in the case, which mainly went in favour of MP3tunes, in part arguing that the previously reported appeal court ruling in the flagship Viacom v YouTube case should now be considered.

As much previously reported, MP3tunes.com, created by original MP3.com founder Michael Robertson, was one of the original music-specific digital locker services to reach the market. EMI sued the new company and Robertson himself in 2007, claiming that the MP3tunes.com operation infringed their copyrights. And so a long drawn out legal squabble began.

It initially looked like the case might throw some clarity on to what extent a basic music-focused digital locker service could operate without a licence from the music companies, though in the end much of the legal argument focused on a specific side-service offered by MP3tunes.com that enabled users to compile and share lists of music files they had found online (much of which was available via a sister site called Sideload.com).

Many of those listed links pointed to unlicensed sources of music, something EMI reckoned constituted copyright infringement. But, said MP3tunes.com, the digital firm operated a 'takedown system', removing links that pointed to illegal content if made aware of them by copyright owners, and therefore the company had protection under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

Although the judge originally hearing the case in 2011 was critical of MP3tunes.com for failing to enact some takedown notices, and ruled that Robertson was personally liable for infringement for posting links to unlicensed content on his own Sideload.com account, he said that in the main MP3tunes's argument that it was protected from widespread infringement claims because of the DMCA was sound.

EMI pledged to carry on with its legal assault though, initially by targeting MP3tunes.com over links it published pointing to pre-1972 sound recordings, which are protected by State rather than Federal copyright law in the US, and therefore possibly not subject to the DMCA - an argument Universal has been using in its fight against Grooveshark, albeit with little success to date.

But last week EMI's lawyers were using a different argument: an appeal court ruling in the Viacom v YouTube case that was made last spring. Viacom's lawsuit against YouTube, regards the video-sharing site's allegedly shoddy takedown systems in its early years, is something of a landmark case when it comes to the extent to which YouTube-type sites must go in order to stop their services being used to infringe copyright.

The original ruling in Viacom v YouTube, in YouTube's favour, set the standard pretty low, ie even a shoddy takedown system should be enough to ensure protection against infringement claims under the DMCA. Many content-sharing sites have subsequently since pointed to the case as proof they too cannot be held liable for the infringements of their users.

However, last year a US appeals court kicked Viacom v YouTube back to a lower court for new consideration, while also positing some opinions on the relevance of "wilful blindness", ie operators of content-sharing sites who deliberately ignore rampant copyright infringement on their networks, because they know the infringement is driving sizable amounts of traffic, and is therefore good for business.

And, according to Law360, that is what EMI's lawyers focused on in a new hearing relating to the MP3tunes.com case last week. The major's lawyer, Andrew Bart, claimed: "[Robertson] said, 'You know what, I can drive traffic to this site by taking advantage of all the free infringing music out there'". To what extent MP3tunes was run to induce infringement, Bart added, was an issue of fact rather than legal interpretation, and therefore should be considered by a jury.

Speaking for MP3tunes, Ira Sacks disputed Bart's claims, saying the evidence does not show that his clients knew about the infringement committed on their site (even if any such lack of knowledge seems rather unlikely). He also called for the ruling against Robertson personally to be overturned.

The case continues.

back to top

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

CIAPC SAYS 'BRING IT ON' IN LEGAL SQUABBLE OVER PIRATE BAY-APING ANTI-PIRACY SITE
A Finnish anti-piracy group looks set to call The Pirate Bay's bluff in a possibly amusing legal battle over a parody of the controversial file-sharing website that aims to promote legal sources of music.

CIAPC (aka TTVK) recently launched a site that looks rather like The Pirate Bay, albeit with version of the file-sharing service's logo in which the TPB ship is sinking. Also a search engine, the rival site links users to legitimate sources of content relating to artist names searched for, rather than the most likely copyright-infringing content sources the Bay would highlight.

Which seems like a good idea, though, somewhat ironically, it seems that the CIAPC's copyright-friendly site might be infringing The Pirate Bay's copyright. Because while the spoof logo is an original work, and the wording on the home page is probably sufficiently different to avoid an infringement claim, a bulk of the code used to generate the anti-piracy site seems to have been pulled straight off The Pirate Bay's website.

Whereas in the US there might be grounds for the CIAPC to claim protection from any infringement claim under the parody provisions in America's fair use system, it seems no such protection exists in Finnish law. Resulting in a TPB spokesman taking the moral high ground last week, and telling Torrentfreak: "We are outraged by this behaviour. People must understand what is right and wrong. Stealing material like this on the internet is a threat to economies worldwide".

Now you might think that an anti-piracy body would not be too pleased with the prospect of being accused of copyright infringement (not that it would be the first time, or the second), but a rep for CIAPC said this weekend that he would welcome any legal challenge from TPB, mainly because it would force the file-sharing site's current owners to identify themselves.

Since the Bay's founders were given jail sentences of up to a year by the Swedish courts for their involvement in the copyright infringing site, the people who now run the shutdown-resistant file-sharing service have generally kept a very low profile. But legal action would require at least one person to be officially associated with the service. And CIAPC chief Antti Kotilainen told Finnish newspaper Ilta Sonomat: "It is good if the people behind Pirate Bay identify themselves [and submit the lawsuit] in their own names".

Nevertheless, word has it the Bay continues to consider its options regarding the CIAPC's site, and may call the anti-piracy body's counter-bluff and sue. Though given it's seemingly in a fighting mood, perhaps CIAPC could respond next by declaring: "The Pirate Bay should be grateful for the free promotion we've given it, and anyway, can't the file-sharing site make money by gigging?"

back to top

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

US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CALLS MEGA CLAIMS "SENSATIONALIST RHETORIC"
The US Department Of Justice has described as "sensationalist rhetoric" and a "conspiracy theory" claims by lawyers working for MegaUpload that the American authorities misled the digital company and the courts in a bid to entrap the Mega business and secure shutdown warrants.

As previously reported, Team Mega last month filed papers with the US courts accusing the DoJ of telling MegaUpload to keep a chunk of unlicensed movie content on its servers, as evidence for a case against a customer of the file-transfer service, only to list the very same infringing content when officials launched legal proceedings against the Mega company itself. Proceedings which kicked off with the entire MegaUpload operation being taken offline.

In their legal filing last month, Mega's lawyers asked for a so called 'Franks hearing' into whether or not US officials misled the courts to secure warrants against the file-transfer company. But United States Attorney Neil MacBride last week argued that doing so would allow MegaUpload to "circumvent" the Federal Rules Of Criminal Procedure, while denying the allegations of wrong doing against the DoJ.

MacBride wrote in his filing: "The government made no preservation request, and the government is not aware that the service of a search warrant creates an obligation on the part of the recipient of a search warrant to preserve infringing content on a computer in a way that continues to make it available for illegal download".

On the recent misconduct claims, he added: "MegaUpload has supplied nothing but a conspiracy theory; this is not enough. Because MegaUpload's claims are insufficient as a matter of law to authorise its intervention in this matter, MegaUpload has wrapped them in layers of sensationalist rhetoric. However, MegaUpload's claims regarding government misconduct are unfounded".

Elsewhere in Mega-land last week, lawyers for the digital company and its founder Kim Dotcom were in court in New Zealand, where the country's Government Communications Security Bureau were fighting a court ruling of last December ordering the spy-agency to hand over all its files relating to its Mega investigation. The ruling followed an admission by the New Zealand government that the GCSB had acted "unlawfully" in its investigations into Dotcom and MegaUpload.

Dotcom was given access to the files so to ascertain what damages he could claim for the GCSB's unlawful conduct, but reps for the government agency are arguing that it's not necessary for all their files to be shared, while accusing Dotcom's lawyers of trying to use the spy-record squabble to further delay their client's extradition hearing, at which the US will try to force the Mega founder to face the various charges against him and his original company in America.

But Team Mega denied the delay claims while, in a 'Yes Minister' type sequence, explained that although they probably didn't need all of the GCSB files, they couldn't know which ones they did need without first seeing the ones they don't, or in the words of Dotcom's rep William Akel: "You don't know what you don't know".

Dotcom himself, of course, is too busy running new file storage site Mega to be too concerned about the intricacies of the various legal cases he's involved in. In the last week alone he's talked about adding secure email, chat, voice and mobile services to his recently launched Mega platform, which he also reckons he might be able to float on the New Zealand Stock Exchange in about eighteen months time. Which, at this rate, could just about coincide with his extradition hearing.

back to top

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

TUNECORE FOUNDER TENSIONS COULD GO LEGAL
TuneCore's falling out with its founders, that led to the sacking of top man Jeff Price last summer, could go legal according to a report by Digital Music News.

As previously reported, Price's departure from the independent digital distributor came as something of a surprise last August, he having been very much the face of the company since its launch. In a subsequent interview with DMN, Price blamed a falling out with Gill Cogan, a partner at one of TuneCore's early investors Opus Capital, as being behind his departure. The outgoing CEO added that he feared his former company now lacked coherent leadership, though he wished the firm well.

DMN subsequently said that TuneCore itself had refused to give an interview about the future of the company, because the digital news site wouldn't agree to refrain from asking about Price's departure in any conversation. Rumour then had it that TuneCore management were getting antsy about Price's public statements, and were trying to claim ownership of his Twitter handle, which they argued belonged to the company.

But tensions between TuneCore and Price, and his fellow co-founders Peter Wells and Gary Burke, could now go legal because of reports the company's creators are developing a new service, which the TuneCore board fears could compete with their business. According to papers seen by DMN, TuneCore bosses also believe Burke was working on the new venture while still employed by his original firm.

A confidential TuneCore memo DMN says was passed to them by an insider source notes: "It has come to the attention of the board that Mr Jeff Price, Mr Peter Wells, and Mr Gary Burke have been working together to launch a new company that may be competitive with TuneCore while Mr Burke was still employed at and paid by TuneCore. These actions are in breach of various legal agreements, and are in direct conflict with outcries from Mr Price and Mr Wells that they have TuneCore's best interests in mind. The board is considering legal action at this moment".

Should all this reach court, it could make for interesting viewing. Whether all this shenanigans is having any impact on the number of artists and grass roots rights owners using TuneCore for their digital distribution isn't yet clear.

back to top

MORRISSEY CANCELS MORE SHOWS, THOUGH IS "CERTAINLY ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY"
Morrissey has been forced to cancel more shows on his current US tour as he continues to receive hospital treatment, his latest problem being anaemia. It's now hoped that he will be able to restart the tour in San Diego on 27 Feb, while other missed dates will be rescheduled.

As previously reported, Morrissey was hospitalised in January, later revealing that he was suffering from a bleeding ulcer, concussion and a throat condition. It had been hoped that he would be ready to pick up the tour on 12 Feb in El Paso. However, in a statement published on the True To You fansite over the weekend, he explained his continuing medical problems.

He wrote: "I am certainly on the road to recovery, but caution and prevention demand further IV blood work lest I keel over and die before your very eyes ... My ulcer is now under reins, even if neither asleep nor dead, but the continued cause for concern is a slightly embarrassing absence of blood - most of which the bleeding ulcer relieved me of. Anaemia sets its own terms with quite obvious biological conclusions, and I have spent these last weeks under expert medical care in Los Angeles with an almost erotic dependency on various IV drips".

Apologising for being forced to postpone more dates on the tour, he continued: "I apologise to an almost annoying degree for any trouble I've caused to anyone by way of travel plans and dog-sitters and ticket-outlay and re-moulded hairstyles. I should be as fit as a ferret for San Diego ... I fully realise that the word 'cancellation' in every known dictionary is followed by my own name, but no morale drops as low as my own at the mere suggestion of re-jigging shows. I sincerely ask for your pardon and your understanding".

He also added that he was well enough to enjoy the odd evening out, asking fans not to get upset if they saw him in the audience of someone else's gig. This, apparently, is all part of his rehabilitation. He explained: "Please don't be too appalled if you see me out and about this week in the Hollywood area. Perversely, it's all in accordance with doctor's orders: to have myself re-integrated with the call of the greasepaint and the smell of the crowd; the flash of light and the full thrust of mosh pit sound. Illness turns the body into a complete stranger, and I'll be testing the capabilities of my strides at the most unlikely music shows this week. The will to get on with it runs strong. Even death can be used as a springboard".

Read the full statement in one incredibly long, glorious paragraph here.

back to top

MINDY MCCREADY 1975-2013
US country singer Mindy McCready has died, seemingly from a "self-inflicted gunshot wound". The troubled singer had reportedly attempted to take her own life twice before, and battled addictions to both alcohol and prescription drugs.

Arriving in Nashville in her late teens, in the early 1990s, McCready scored a recording contract with BNA Records, who released her first three albums. 1996's 'Ten Thousand Angels' sold over two million copies, and brought McCready to wider attention, particularly with the hit single 'Guys Do It All The Time'. Three other tracks from the debut album also scored places in the US country charts, with follow up long player 'If I Don't Stay The Night' - while not as big a seller as the debut - also shifting good units, and spawning three more singles.

Third album 'I'm Not So Tough', her last for BNA, was not so successful, and despite subsequent releases and attempts to score another hit, McCready became better known for her troubled personal life. A custody battle with her mother over one of her sons led to the singer fleeing with the child in 2004, and later, in 2010, McCready was briefly hospitalised after police responded to an overdose call. Drink and drugs were an ongoing problem for the country star, though when appearing on US TV's 'Celebrity Rehab With Dr Drew' nearly three years ago she declared herself clean from drugs.

But earlier this month McCready entered court-ordered rehab at the request of her father, her addictions having seemingly taken a turn for the worse following the death last month of her longtime boyfriend, and the father of her younger son, David Wilson. His death is currently being investigated, but is also believed to be the result of suicide. Following his passing, McCready told NBC's Dateline that she had "never gone through anything this painful".

Arkansas police confirmed McCready's death this weekend, leading to an outpouring of tributes from fans and the country music community online. She is survived be her two sons, Zander and Zayne.

back to top

PETE DOHERTY SPLITS FROM MANAGEMENT
Pete Doherty is currently without management. And contrary to what you might have thought, this is a development which is fairly recent.

In a blog post on his Albion Rooms website on Saturday, Doherty stated: "Andy Boyd and Adrian Hunter are no longer representing my professional interests. The future is uncertain - and progression is not possible without deviation of the norm - this is not from me, it's from Zappa, via Cyril Bodin. Cyril, along with Anais Duquesne, is currently helping me out with a view to managing me in the future".

He added: "My French agent Jean-Louis Schell will remain a man to trust and work with. Also there's options there. Any proposals of a professional nature should go through these guys. They all have other commitments in the wicked world of music and shall we say entertainment. The future is bright and what rhymes with orange? Je n'est sais pas".

back to top

MAY AND IOMMI TO MAY MAKE "ALBUM OF RIFFS"
Queen's Brian May and Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi are apparently planning to put together a compilation of their unused riffs for other people to use.

In an interview with both guitarists in the new issue of Kerrang!, Iommi mentions an "album of riffs", to which May responds: "I'm very, very keen. The record he's talking about was supposed to be a secret but I guess he's blown it now!"

May says he came up with the idea when he visited Iommi's studio and realised how much unused material the guitarist had in his archive, explaining: "I thought it would be great to make a compilation out of them. The idea was to put all these riffs out in some form so that people could build their own songs from them. You could make your own music with Tony Iommi on guitar!"

back to top

TYLER, THE CREATOR TO RELEASE WOLF
Rap rake Tyler, The Creator has shared a 'pack' of info about his new LP 'Wolf' via a press release. Well, really less a press release and more a video of Tyler's OFWGKTA affiliate L-Boy sky-diving. You might like to watch that now.

But what L-Boy is trying to say is that Tyler, The Creator's first post-'Goblin' LP will bear the title 'Wolf', and that it's set to be released on 1 Apr. As an extra luxury, TTC will play a show at London's Islington Academy on 30 Mar.

And this is the self-directed vid for what'd appear to be a first single off 'Wolf', as is titled 'Domo 23'.

back to top

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

ALICE IN CHAINS SHARE LP TITLE
Alice In Chains are to release a new LP, the band's first since the death of bassist Mike Star in 2011 (and second since the death of original vocalist Layne Staley in 2002). According to this official AIC Facebook missive, 'The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here' will be "available worldwide" in May.

When in May, it fails to say. But in place of a release date, this is the weird new video for the band's single 'Hollow'.

back to top

MODESELEKTOR PLAYING LIVE IN LONDON
Berlin-based IDM DJs Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary, aka Modeselektor, are playing a very special set at London's Roundhouse on 17 May.

'Special' because it's to be their 'first and last' appearance in the capital this year. Extra 'special' because the night will co-star Apparat and Mouse On Mars, so that's nice... three for the price of one.

Go to this page to buy tickets.

back to top

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

GHOSTPOET ADDS MORE LIGHT DATE
Having given an initial intro to his new LP - the slightly hard-to-say 'Some Say I So I Say Light' - just last Thursday, rapper Ghostpoet has confirmed a live date via which to promote it. He'll appear at London's Village Underground on 30 May as part of a larger 'More Light' tour, whose additional listings are presumably still tba.

back to top

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

ICONA POP TO PLAY ELECTROWERKZ
Warner/Atlantic signings Icona Pop are releasing their iconic new pop hit 'I Love It' on 17 May.

It features Charli XCX, and is part of the official soundtrack to HBO's on-trend new TV serial 'Girls', if that adds anything to its charm.

You'll all be able to hear it live when IP make an 'intimate' live PA at London's Electrowerkz on 20 Mar.

In the meantime, this is the non-live version.

back to top

FESTIVAL LINE-UP UPDATE
So we begin today's FLUUs at the 20th ever T (In The Park), as Team T reveal that the festival's Slam Tent will feature the dance-y likes of Richie Hawtin, Seth Troxler, Eats Everything, Joy Orbison and a back-to-back DJ-off by Ben Klock and Marcel Dettmann. Non EDM-fans can find consolation in the fact that Mumford & Sons, Rihanna and The Killers are headlining T overall.

Oh, and what's this? It's only the 65daysfostatic-starring ArcTanGent, as is based in the idyllic confines of Cheddar, Somerset. Non-cheesy new additions to that festival - specifically Fuck Buttons, Future Of The Left, Bo Ningen, Gallops and Talons - make for a fine billing when considered alongside the already-named Rolo Tomassi, Johnny Foreigner, Islet and Brontide. Hurrah for that.

But what of Jake Bugg, who's going back to his spiritual beginnings by headlining Splendour festival in Nottingham, aka the city of his (relatively recent) birth? Well, that's about the size of it really, bar an enthusiastic speech by Bugg, who says: "It's great to be headlining Splendour in my hometown. It'll be my biggest crowd to date. It's hard to believe I was playing the courtyard stage two years ago! Thanks to everyone in Nottingham for their support".

Yes, thanks Nottingham. Thanks a bunch. And thanks, too, to this lot:

ARCTANGENT, Fernhill Farm, Cheddar, Somerset, 29-31 Aug: Fuck Buttons, Future Of The Left, And So I Watch You From Afar, Islet, Bo Ningen, Gallops, Turbowolf, Arcane Roots, Blacklisters, You Slut!, Talons. arctangent.co.uk

BOOMTOWN FAIR, Matterley Bowl, Winchester, 8-11 Aug: Beat The Red Light, Chris Murray, Citizen Fish, Dirty Revolution, Faintest Idea, First Degree Burns, Graveyard Johnnys, Inner Terrestrials, L.O.C., Left Alone, Neck, Rotfront, Sicknote, Smokey Bastard, Street Dogs, The Brains, The Casualties, The Junk, The Mahones, The Peacocks, The Restarts, Roughneck Riot, Will Tun and The Wasters, Worldly Savages. www.boomtownfair.co.uk

HEINEKEN OPEN'ER, Gdynia, Poland, 3-6 Jul: Editors, Skunk Anasie, Modest Mouse, Alt-J. opener.pl/en

HELLFEST, Clisson, France, 21-23 Jun: Def Leppard, Europe, Ghost, Black Breath, Hellyeah, POD. www.hellfest.fr

SPLENDOUR, Wollaton Park, Nottingham, 20 Jul: Jake Bugg, Squeeze, KT Tunstall, Maximo Park. www.splendourfestival.com

STOCKTON WEEKENDER, Riverside Park, Stockton, 27-28 Jul: Primal Scream, Dexys, The Proclaimers. www.stocktonweekender.co.uk

T IN THE PARK, Balado, Kinross-shire, Scotland, 12-14 Jul: Richie Hawtin, Adam Beyer, Seth Troxler, Ben Klock & Marcel Dettmann, Slam, DJ Sneak, Derrick Carter, Mark Farina, Nina Kraviz, Claude Von Stroke, Eats Everything, Jackmaster, Joy Orbison, Silicone Soul. www.tinthepark.com

ULTRA EUROPE, Poljud Stadium, Split, Croatia, 12-14 Jul: Steve Aoki. ultraeurope.com

V-DUB ISLAND, County Showground, Northwood, Isle Of Wight, 15-19 Aug: Gareth Icke. v-dubisland.com

back to top

VEVO TALKING TO POSSIBLE INVESTORS
VEVO, the video site owned by Sony and Universal, has approached around a dozen possible investors as it looks to raise finance to fund a new round of expansion, according to reports.

It was already known that Google's YouTube was considering an investment in the music video service as part of its contract renegotiations regards VEVO's use of its technology and the provision of VEVO content to the YouTube platform. Allen & Co and Guggenheim Partners are among the others being tapped for investment, according to Billboard.

Talks are thought to be at an early stage as yet, but new investors could be secured in the next few months.

back to top

IPC OWNER COULD BE SOLD
Time Warner is reportedly in talks to sell off its magazine publishing business Time Inc, which includes UK-based NME and Uncut publisher IPC.

Fortune, itself a Time Inc-owned magazine, has cited several unknown sources as saying the entertainment giant is indeed in talks with a possible bidder for some or all of its publishing division. The business title calls the talks "formative".

The latest gossiping about a Time Inc sale follows the announcement two weeks ago of a 6% headcount cull across the publishing company, which will likely result in about 150 job losses at IPC.

back to top

ONE DIRECTION TOLD TO TONE DOWN WOMANISING
With Harry Styles' on-again-off-again fun times with Ms Taylor Swift getting so much press, and then Zayn Malik's one-night-stand-while-supposedly-attached-to-a-Little-Mixer winning the 1D boy a few Sun front pages all of his own, One Direction's label and/or management (the Star isn't clear) have reportedly told the boy band's members to "tone down their womanising" because it's distracting them from their music careers.

Well, this story comes from the Daily Star Sunday, which possibly noted the recent spate of Styles/Malik stories, and then delved into their Big Book Of Space Fillers for some generic "management worried about boy band shagging" quotes, but it's Monday, so let's not allow such conspiracy theories to stop us from running a bit of 'and finally' nonsense

The tab's sources say: "One Direction are having number ones all over the world but all anyone seems to be talking about is their relationships. Harry and Zayn were told the focus needs to move away from which girls they're getting intimate with and be more about the music. They've been told to behave themselves. Label bosses reminded them they're singers, not reality stars".

Well, singing reality stars really, surely? Anyway, whatever, 1D managers might now have bigger problems on their hands than Malik cheating on a Little Mixer, given the really sinister figure the entire group has been papped hanging out with.

back to top