APPLE FURY AT REAL NETWORKS 'HACKER TACTICS' 31/07/04
Apple has said it is looking closely at the software firm RealNetworks'
claim that they¹ve created a program that mimics Apple's protection software so that consumers who own an iPod can now download music from RealNetworks as well as from Apple's own iTunes online music store.
The Apple protection software is designed to allow tracks downloaded from iTunes to be played only on iPods. RN has explained that its engineers used publicly-available information to work out how to make files compatible saying it had been developed it so that consumers could buy music once and play it anywhere. Apple has released a statement in which it said they were "stunned" by RN's "hacker tactics" while RN has hit back saying that the consumer and not Apple should decide what music goes on their iPod. Apple claim that they are investigating the implications of the RN actions under the provisions of DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) and other laws. Apple also added that when Apple updates its iPod software from time to time it is highly likely that Real's Harmony technology will cease to work with current and future iPods.
Source:www.xfm.co.uk
JAY-Z HEADS MTV VIDEO NOMINATIONS 31/07/04
Whilst he has now retired from the business of making music, hip-hop star Jay-Z tops the MTV Video Music Awards 2004, with six nominations for his last video, '99 Problems'.
Beyonce , No Doubt, Usher and OutKast follow with five nods each, with the UK's Franz Ferdinand and The Darkness representing the UK with two nominations each. The most contested category for Best Video Of The Year will see OutKast up against Usher, D12 and Jay-Z for their theatrical video for their international hit, 'Hey Ya', along with Britney Spears for 'Toxic'.
US TRADE COMMISIONS GREEN LIGHTS SONY-BMG MERGER 31/07/04
The US Federal Trade Commission has given the thumbs-up to the proposed merger between Sony Music Entertainment (SME) and Bertelsmann Music Group (BMG).
The FTC ruling comes a week after the European Commission approved the deal which will create a company controlling a quarter of the global recorded music market. Sony / BMG will account for just over 25 per cent of the market, just below current market leader Universal, which also owns just over a quarter of the business.
Together, independent labels account for a further 25 per cent, with EMI and Warner splitting the remaining quarter roughly half each. The merger is for the recorded music arms only and does not include any of Sony's technology or other media interests or any of BMG's music pubishing interests.
Source: The Register
MERCURY MUSIC PRIZE NOMINATIONS 26/07/04
The nominations for the 2004 Mercury Music Prize have been announced, the winner will be announced in September.
Source:www.nationwidemercurys.com
AUSTRALIA'S LIVID FESTIVAL CANCELLED 26/07/04
Australia's annual Livid outdoor music festival will take a break this year because of a lack of headline acts on the touring circuit but the Sydney Morning Herald reports that the Festival will be back in October 2005 and will be held in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.
Livid , which has been running for 15 years, is the country's longest-running outdoor rock festival.In recent years Livid has featured headliners such as Linkin Park, The White Stripes, Jurassic 5, Powderfinger and Oasis.
A host of other big name acts who have played the festival include The Cure, Green Day, Morrissey, Lou Reed, The Offspring, Garbage and Sonic Youth.
SCOTTISH PROMOTERS USED 'WEDDING' TO FOIL LICENSING LAWS 26/07/04
A local authority has banned a music festival in the Lothians after organisers tried to bill it as a wedding to help escape the need for licensing. Twisted Events, the company behind Green's Music Festival, had hoped to overcome problems licensing the event with West Lothian Council by rebranding it as a private wedding party. Two Lovebirds had offered to take the plunge on stage to help push the event forward as licensing negotiations between organisers and council chiefs rumbled on.
As a private party, entertainment and alcohol licensing was not required and twenty four local young rock acts were due to perform for 1000 revellers on farmland near Broxburn. The bands had taken part in a competition. But the local authority took the organisers to court, threatening to ban the event entirely. At Linlithgow Sheriff Court the parties reached an out-of-court settlement but an array of restrictions were slapped on the "wedding".
All bands enlisted to perform were cancelled while restraints were placed upon music played and numbers of guests permitted. In addition, council and police officials had to be informed fully about all plans. The couple who had planned to get married said the lack of bands was 'bad news'. The scotsman.com reported that a spokesperson for Twisted Events had said "We're all hugely disappointed. We can't understand this. This whole fiasco has been a nightmare." A West Lothian Council spokesman confirmed an all-out ban on the event had been averted but restrictions had been enforced. The council has been assured that this event will be organised as a wedding for 200 guests and that they would be provided with details of security arrangements, sound system and marquee.
Source:www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com
MICROSOFT AND SONY MAKE PLANS TO ENTER DOWNLOAD MARKET 26/07/04
Music fans are facing a 'nightmare' clash of technologies as software giant Microsoft and hardware giant Sony enter the legal downloads market currently dominated by Microsoft's main rival, Apple.
Microsoft have said that they will open an online music site to compete with Apple's i-Tunes; Sony are launching a new portable player to rival Apple's i-Pod. However Apple will use the Advanced Audio Coding format, Microsoft will use the incompatible Windows Media Player and Sony's Network Walkman will use another incompatible format, ATRAC3.
BEASTIE BOYS, GREEN DAY LEAD VOODOO FESTIVAL LINEUP 26/07/04
The Beastie Boys, Green Day, Kid Rock and Velvet Revolver are among the more than 60 acts that will play the sixth annual Voodoo Music Experience. Following last year's expansion to a three-day format, promoter Stephen Rehage has scaled this year's event back to a two-day event in New Orleans' City Park on Oct. 16-17.
Source:www.billboard.com
TICKET SALES SLUMP IN USA 24/07/04
"For whatever reason ticket sales dried up around the middle of April it
was widespread across the industry," said the editor in chief of Pollstar, Gary Bongiovanni. The US industry has noticed a marked drop in the sale of concert tickets for the summer and has been looking at pricing structures to see if this will effect attendace as many fans are simply refusing to spend large amounts of money for a concert only to end up sitting on a lawn.
Artists like Madonna who have not toured in a number of years are doing well. And the Vans Warped Tour where fans can see up to 50 bands for a $25 ticket are selling well. Taking notice of this, Clear Channel Entertainment sold tickets for $20 at one outdoor venue in Northern California, but it was only for one day. Some 50 to 60 thousand tickets were sold in that one day. But some concert promoters and concert venues are not following the example and a number of concert tours have been cancelled even before they started due to poor ticket sales.
Source: Soulshine Magazine
SACHA DISTEL DIES AGED 71 24/07/04
England's favourite frenchman, Sacha Distel, has died aged 71. President Chirac hailed the star saying it was "the
passing of one of the greatest French artists". Distel's biggets hit was 'Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head' in 1970 but his career spanned five decades. He regularly appeared in television variety shows in the 80s and in 2000 he appeared in 'Chicago' in London's West End.
BOWIE FALL
DEATH TECHNICIAN HAD "TAKEN COCAINE" 23/07/04
The spotlight technician who fell to his death during final preparations for a David Bowie concert had traces of cocaine in his blood, according to a toxicology report from the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner's Office (see previous ILMC News).
Walter "Wally" Thomas , fell 30 feet onto the darkened stage at the James L. Knight Center on May 6, minutes after the opening band finished its set.
Thomas apparently lost his footing while climbing up a ladder to work on spotlights near the ceiling, and had not clipped a tether line onto his safety harness.The medical examiner's report completed showed Thomas had used cocaine "two
to three hours before he died," at about 8:30 p.m., said Dr. Lee Hearn, director of toxicology for the office.
Miami police have ruled his death an accident. Officials at the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) office in Fort Lauderdale said the presence of cocaine in Thomas' system "is
not significant" to their ongoing probe into what happened the night he died.
"We don't take into account what impairment an employee may have;
that's a workplace issue," said Luis Santiago, OSHA's regional director. "We
investigate whether safety guidelines were followed or violated."
Source:www.nbc6.net
SONY - BMG MERGER GETS THUMBS UP FROM EU 23/07/04
The planned merger between music giants Sony and Bertelsmann (BMG) has been given the green light by the European Union, with no strings attached. The proposed marriage will leave four industry majors with about 75% of the world music market.
"The merger
was approved without conditions," said a spokesman for the German media group. The EU said initial concerns that the deal could lead to higher CD prices and fewer customer choices were unfounded. Japanese Sony and German Bertelsmann are the second and fifth biggest record companies worldwide.
Sony and BMG first announced their tie-up plans in November 2003, saying the deal would be a merger of equals.
Source:www.bbc.co.uk
MUSIC LINKED CIGARETTE SPONSORSHIP CHALLENGED IN US 23/07/04
The Attorney General of Maryland has filed a lawsuit against the maker of Kool cigarettes, charging that the company is illegally targeting young people with a marketing campaign built around hip-hop music.
The suit announced by Attorney General J. Joseph Curran asked that the marketing campaign organisers, Brown & Williamson, be fined at least $5.3 million and prohibited from continuing with its Kool Mixx 2004 promotional campaign in Maryland. Brown & Williamson defended the campaign saying that it celebrated hip-hop music and the art form of the mixers, and the DJs, who mix music. Contests are held in bars where alcohol is sold and young people are not admitted.
The suit was filed in the Baltimore Circuit Court. Maryland is the second state to file suit against the Kool Mixx campaign. The New York attorney general got a preliminary order last month from that state's Supreme Court, halting use of the Web site and a live audio webcast of DJ contests along with the recall of special cigarette packs and brand merchandise.
SCOTTISH CD PIRATE JAILED 23/07/04
A man who boasted on TV he "could not care less" that his business was illegal has been jailed for five months for selling pirate CDs and computer games.
Stephen Reid's illicit trading deprived the music and computer
industries of more than £1million in lost revenue. Glasgow Sheriff Court heard police and trading standards officers then swooped on the 51-year-old's premises. Sheriff William Holligan told him he had shown "a
flagrant breach of legislation" after he pleaded guilty to three infringements of copyright. The Sheriff added: "A
custodial sentence is unavoidable for such offences."Reid had previous convictions for selling counterfeit videos. His sale of counterfeit music, computer games and software was particularly targeted at students at nearby Glasgow University.
In February, breakfast show GMTV carried out an investigation into piracy in which they visited Reid. The court was shown a foul-mouthed interview with him in which he threatened cameramen and reporter Lyn Faulds-Wood. Police and trading standards officers then carried out surveillance on Reid and made "test purchases" before raiding the premises and seizing 6349 CDs believed to contain pirate material.
HONG KONG COURT JAILS PIRATES FOR SIX AND A HALF YEARS 23/07/04
A Hong Kong court has passed jail sentences of six and a half years on two former directors of a Hong Kong-based company found guilty of involvement in a massive disc piracy operation. Tsoi Chung-wang and his wife, Ng Yee-nei, both former directors of the Hong Kong based company Golden Science Technology Limited, were charged by Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) for counterfeiting HK$300 million worth of copyrighted optical discs.
The pair were found guilty yesterday by the Court of First Instance in Hong Kong of one count of conspiracy to defraud. The charge stated that Tsoi and Ng had conspired with other persons to defraud copyright owners in relation to the illegal copying, manufacture and distribution of sound recordings, films, games, and computer software between June 1997 and April 1998. The discs were believed to be destined for the People's Republic of China.
The investigation into the activities of the Golden Science Technology companies followed what remains to this day the biggest-ever single anti-piracy seizure - 19 million discs in Hong Kong in 1998. The court heard that when ICAC officers raided four factories, an office and warehouse premises in Fanling on April 26, 1998, over one million counterfeit discs, covering 75 titles, were seized. A total of 41 replicating lines, 38 of which were working at the time of the raid were found.
Of the 38 replicating lines, 31 were making unauthorised discs worth HK$300 million. Tsoi and Ng were arrested by the ICAC in April 1998 during a corruption inquiry, and subsequently charged. The couple was ordered to stand trial at the Court of First Instance on November 19, 2001. However, they failed to turn up for the trial. The court ordered the forfeit of the couple's bail money, totalling HK$1.25 million, and issued warrants for their arrest. With the assistance of the Interpol NCB (National Central Bureau) China, Lanzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau, and the Hong Kong Police's Liaison Bureau, Tsoi returned to Hong Kong from the Mainland on October 14 last year. Ng was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Vancouver on October 30 last year on ICAC's behalf. She waived extradition proceedings and returned to Hong Kong to face trial on November 19 last year. The prosecution is currently seeking forfeiture of the seized 41 replication lines, 12 printing machines, mastering machinery, 37 hundred weight of polycarbonate and 17.94 million pirate compact discs and 3,600 pirate stampers - moulds used to make the recordings.
Source:www.ifpi.org
WALES ROSEHILL FESTIVAL CANCELLED 18/07/04
A planned pop festival with headliners Blue and Girls Aloud in Pembrokeshire has been cancelled. The Rosehill Festival was due to take place at Slebech, near Haverfordwest, on August Bank Holiday Monday.
Organisers were hoping to attract up to 18,000 people but an application to the council's licensing committee was withdrawn at the last minute. Although it attract opposition from some, others say such events are desperately needed in the county. Slebech Community Council and a number of local residents had objected to the application made by Fun Time Entertainment Limited. There were concerns about traffic congestion, litter and disruption in a rural area. BBC.co.uk reported that Funtime said escalating costs of staging the event, including policing costs, were behind the move to cancel the concert.
U2 RECORDINGS STOLEN 18/07/04
A CD containing songs from U2's forthcoming album has been stolen from the band's guitarist Edge. The CD disappeared whilst the band were engaged in a photoshoot in Nice, France. French police are already investigating the theft.
The CD contained some unfinished works although it is understood that most of the album is near completion and the album is already titled 'Vertigo'. The tracks could be worth millions of pounds to bootleggers and commercial music pirates. Illegal early release could cost the band and their label, Universal, a massive loss in sales.Tracks from the band's 1996 album 'Pop' were digitally 'siphoned' out of a recording studio in that year and put up illegally on the internet.
MINELLI AND AGUILERA FANS WAIT FOR REFUNDS 18/07/04
In Hungary a planned concert by Lisa Minnelli has been cancelled and the Budapest Police (BRFK) have launched an investigation into the organizers of the event.
The concert was due to be held at 9pm on Friday July 10 at the 14,000 seat capacity Kisstadion, in Budapest's District XIV. "The number of complaints we are receiving are growing,"Illes Szabo, spokesman for BRFK told The Budapest Sun. He explained that by Monday, 73 angry people had filed complaints that they had been conned into buying tickets to the show and wanted their money back.
Fans believe that Minnelli cancelled her trip days ahead of the planned event but that organizers led people to believe that everything was still in order. The Budapest Sun said that "Agnes Bona, chief organizer was avoiding all calls on her mobile during the week". However she told Hungarian television that all who purchased tickets and did not use them would be reimbursed within two weeks and that they had tried to convince Ms Minelli to perform.
Meanwhile in the US Christina Aguilera fans hoping to see the star perform live this summer have been dealt another blow - her one-off show has been cancelled. The singer abandoned her 28-date American tour - which was due to start in May - in April, citing doctors' orders to rest her voice as the reason - But she signed up to do a private concert at an all-night dance party called Elements on Saturday 11th July in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
But that show - which would have been Aguilera's first public performance since cancelling her tour - was also scrapped because the promoter filed for emergency bankruptcy at the last minute. Though a total number of fans who bought tickets has not been disclosed, up to 20,000 of them paid between $75 (E61) and $150 (E122) for passes to the event. Ticketholders now have to wait for bankruptcy court to review the promoter's assets and debts.
WARNERS SET LIVE AID DVD RELEASE DATE 16/07/04
The historic US/UK 1985 Live Aid concert organised and championed by Bob Geldof will finally be released on DVD this Autumn. Earlier this year, the Band Aid Trust agreed to auction the global rights for the concerts for the first time, after pirated copies were found for sale on the Internet.
Warner Vision International won the bidding and has set a November 10th release date for a four-disc DVD package. The iconic Live Aid, held at London's Wembley and Philadelphia's JFK Stadium, raised more than $70 million for famine relief in Africa. Stars taking part included Queen, Phil Collins, U2 and Status Quo.
NEW YORK DOLL'S ARTHUR KANE DIES 16/07/04
Fresh from their success at the Morrissey curated Meltdown Festival in London the New York Dolls have announced that bassist Arthur Kane died on July 13 in Los Angeles due to complications from leukemia. He was 55. A memorial service will be held Saturday at the Westwood chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Source:www.billboard.com
NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR US VISA 16/07/04
The US Department of State regulations require that, as of October 26, 2004, all overseas posts collect finger scans from people applying for visas. As finger scans can only be collected in person, this will mean that almost all visa applicants will be required to apply for a visa in person through a prearranged appointment.
The US Embassy in London is to introduce the finger scan requirement on August 9. From that date, most non-immigrant visa applicants aged 14 to 79 will be required to schedule an appointment for an interview. Diplomats and government officials traveling on official business will be exempt from this requirement.
Source: Razcovisas
COURTNEY HOSPITALISED AS WARRANT ISSUED 14/07/04
Courtney Love has been taken to hospital in New York just hours after a warrant for her arrest was issued on Friday 9th July. Her spokeperson said that her hospitalisation was not drugs or suicide related. The warrant was issued on Friday after Love failed to appear to appear in Court in Los Angeles for arraignment for a charge of assault with a deadly weapon arising from the April 25th incident at the home of her former manager and boyfriend Jim Barber.
BOWIE HAS HEART SURGERY 14/07/04
Reports of a trapped nerve (see previous RTC News) which allegedly lead to David Bowie's European tour cancellation were overturned when the singer was rushed into hospital for emergency heart surgery. The singer had a blocked artery.
Reports say that the 57 year old singer is comfortable in hospital and planning to write new material during his enforced stay.
MUSIC BOOTLEGGER
MADE £15 MILLION PROFIT 14/07/04
A UK bootlegger who was so prolific that Sir Paul McCartney, Jimmy Page and Liam Gallagher all offered to give evidence againt him, faces up to ten yers in jail.
Mark Purseglove had been illegally recording concerts since 1990 and at the time of his arrest in June 2002 had a catalogue of over 2,400 concerts on CD which he sold at an average of £10 each (E15). He began by recording concerts himself but progressed to using others to do this for him or bribing sound engineers for desk copies. Purseglove was made the subject of a restraining order obtained by the Rolling Stones in 1991 and was trapped in a international sting in 1997. In 1999 he received a four month prison sentence for selling bootlegs of the Reading Festival. He has admitted one count of conspiracy to defraud at Blackfriars Crown Court. Police estimated his profits at over £15 million (E22 million) and the bootlegger had a £1.1 million london townhouse, coastal retreat and Aston Martin sports car.
GEORGE MICHAEL SHUTS WEBSITE CHATROOM 14/07/04
George Michael has taken the unusual step of closing a fans chatroom on his own website. MIchael found the website was "full
of negative comment" and the singer added that he tried to avoid "negativity
in the media". Michael's long awaited album 'Patience' has been released to mixed reviews but the website comments attacked the singers looks, weight and the quality of recordings.
HMV REVAMPS ONLINE POLICY 14/07/04
HMV is putting its online marketing under scrutiny in a bid to boost e-commerce. The retailer is implementing WebTrends' On Demand package to measure and analyse online sales and marketing initiatives. It then aims to increase the effectiveness of content and navigation to drive on- and offline sales.
HMV plans to develop a system to manage detailed reporting of online visitor behaviour. WebTrends will enable it to discover which promotions generate the best return on investment, and whether multiple visits are needed to generate conversions into sales.
Source: CRM ITtoolbox
BMG LAUNCHES NO FRILLS CDS 05/07/04
BMG have announced a cut price CD range to sit alongside 'luxury versions' of
the same release. The new CDs will have have the title and cover artwork
printed directly onto the disc in a move to compete with pirate copies. The
new range will retail at E9.99 (£6.70) in Europe. Martin Stienkamp, the head of BMG in Germany, admitting that labels had done too little too late said the CD's were 'our anti piracy CD'. BMG will also launch premium release product with bonus tracks and audio visual material for the top end of the market.
KAZAA PARENT COMPANY FACES TRIAL 05/07/04
Sharman Networks , the parent company of controversial file-sharing service Kazaa, will face the music by the end of the year following an Australian federal court ruling. Last Thursday, Justice Murray Wilcox set a tentative trial date of November 29 and said that directed discovery and affidavit proceedings should be completed by October.
Wilcox also dismissed a range of procedural matters that had been raised by Sharman Networks regarding access to evidence seized from its offices and from affiliated parties earlier this year. On Feb. 6th, the music industry's copyright enforcement arm, Music Industry Piracy Investigations (MIPI) raided the Australian division of Sharman Networks along with the homes of key executives and several Internet service providers. MIPI was seeking documents and electronic evidence to support its case against the peer-to-peer companies.
Source: CNET
MUSE TRAGEDY AT GLASTONBURY 01/07/04
MUSE have pulled out of a gig in Italy after Bill Howard, father of drummer Dominic died on site at the GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL. The band had just played a show stealing set.
A statement issued to NME.COM reads: "It is with great sadness that we must announce that Mr Bill Howard, father of Muse drummer Dominic, died earlier today (Monday 28th June) at the Glastonbury Festival, a short time after the band's headlining set.... our heartfelt sympathy extends to Dominic and the Howard family."Muse have cancelled their show in Bergamo, Italy, on Wednesday (June 30), with decisions on other shows pending.
CANADA'S SUPREME COURT ASSERTS JURISDICTION ON ALL INTERNET TRANSMISSIONS INTO CANADA 01/07/04
The Supreme Court of Canada today confirmed that internet transmissions into the country from outside are covered by domestic Canadian copyright law, regardless of the origin of the transmission. The ruling arises from a court case in Canada, in which the international and Canadian Recording Industry organisations, IFPI and CRIA, and other rights holders organisations sought to confirm that communications which travel across Canada's border, and are received in the country, should be subject to Canadian copyright law.
The intervention took place following an appeal by Canadian Internet companies against a tariff by the Society of Canadian Composers, Authors and Music Publishers (SOCAN), a performing rights society. The Supreme Court confirmed the industry's understanding of the law, ensuring that rights holders are protected under the Canadian Copyright Act against unauthorised transmissions in Canada, regardless of where they originate.
Source:www.ifpi.org
BOWIE CANCELS EUROPEAN TOUR 01/07/04
David Bowie has lost his battle against a pinched nerve and the pain has forced the artist to cancel his European tour. Bowie previously cancelled four shows after cutting short a concert complaining of pain in his shoulder. Doctors later diagnosed it as a pinched nerve. Now the pain put the breaks on the remainder of his tour dates.
"Due to the continuing pain and extreme discomfort from a trapped/pinched nerve in his shoulder and to prevent possible further injury, David Bowie has been advised by his doctors to cancel his performances at the 11 remaining European festival dates throughout July," a statement on Bowie's web site said. "Due to the unpredictable nature of the condition and in an effort to give fans as much warning as possible, (and indeed, to aid promoters in finding a replacement headliner in time for the festival dates) David Bowie very reluctantly agreed to take the advice."
The artist's tour has been dogged by cancellations - a number of dates on the US leg of Bowie's tour were cancelled when the artist develpoed bad influenza and in May the Miami date on the tour was cancelled when a stage hand died just before Bowie was due to go on stage (News 12/05/04).
PROFITS SURGE AT HMV 01/07/04
Music and book giant HMV yesterday announced it had beaten
analysts' forecasts and fought off intense competition from the major supermarket
chains to post a 22% rise in annual pre-tax profit. Pre-tax profit for the
group was £117.6 million for the year to April 24 compared with estimates of £114m to £117m.
Turnover rose 5% to £1.79 billion, led by over 50 per cent growth in DVD sales which now account for 37 per cent of sales and where the company also leads the UK market with a 25 per cent share. Future sales are expected to be bouyed by upcoming music releases including new albums by U2, Oasis and REM, and the release of 'Kill Bill 2' and Troy on DVD. Shares in the company, which floated in May 2002 at 192p, closed up 4p last night, at 242p.
Source:thescotsman.scotsman.com