MusicTank Newsletter - Dec 07

People have been making Nostradamus-style predictions regarding the demise of the album since the beginning of the digital music revolution. While physical singles have fared even worse than albums in recent years, the market dominance of iTunes and the rise of p2p-based internet piracy have prompted a definite shift towards single-track consumption, whereby entire music collections are spliced, shuffled and re-arranged in accordance with the listener's own tastes.

While the CD offered a glimpse of these possibilities with the introduction of the 'shuffle' function, as listeners we were still required to actually change the disc to introduce something new…Actually physically changing a disc? You can imagine the vacant stares of future generations increasingly weaned on Sky Plus and iPods; this kind of strictly linear consumption is going to become evermore archaic.

All this we know. But still, when one of the UK's most important bands suggests they might be about to discard the album, a few eyebrows will as likely be raised. “We might not necessarily record and then release an album. We might just do little bits at once or [release] singles”, said Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders when quizzed on the band's '08 release schedule. “It just depends how it goes, which is a nice change.”

This is, of course, hardly a withering indictment, but it does show that some artists no longer feel obliged to release in the traditional way. The album, as a 45-70 minute collection of songs packaged and released together, may well be a technological artefact born of a succession of evolving physical formats, but this does not change the fact that these restrictions have, for better or worse, helped define the creative process over the past half-century. Thank the Lord too, when you consider what some 70s bands might have done unhindered by the time available on an LP!

Indeed, many artists see these format traditions as something worth defending. Radiohead’s album back-catalogue is unavailable on iTunes as a result of their disapproval of albums being sold in piecemeal fashion, meanwhile the business will closely watch the outcome of their negotiations with iTunes over sale of their latest album 'In Rainbows'. Similarly, Jay-Z's recent decision to pull his latest album 'American Gangster' from iTunes is another staunch defence of the album as a 'complete work'. “Movies are not sold scene by scene”, he said. “This collection will not be sold as individual singles".

While his defence of the album is commendable, there are a couple of problems with the comparison he makes. While a few concept albums are bound together thematically (e.g. Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side Of The Moon'), and an even smaller number form a complete narrative (e.g. The Streets' 'A Grand Don't Come For Free'), most albums are not like this. Many are collections of unrelated tracks that just happen to have been recorded around the same time, meaning little stands to be lost by enjoying tracks in isolation. Rather than being analogous to a film, your average album is better approximated by a collection of short stories, each of which exists as a complete work in its own right. Additionally, many commercial pop albums exist merely to house two or three charting singles, with the remaining running time being padded out with inferior 'filler' material. When some albums exist merely to fulfil such a convention, we are probably due a rethink.

The most important issue as ever, is what fans think. Whether it’s DRM, format-shifting or piracy, all recent consumptive trends point to the same conclusion: they don’t like being told how and when they should listen to music. Unfortunately for the likes of Radiohead and Jay-Z, this includes butchery of their treasured albums.

People are more aware than ever before of the impact they themselves can have on the music, from painstakingly constructed multi-artist playlists right through to the remixability of U-Myx and Digimpro released tracks. Fans involved in the creative process, even in a small way, are likely to only increase their love for the music.

Throwing off the physical format shackles has led to a genuine renaissance in the way fans interact with music: a bona fide, 21st century shot-in-the-arm for mixtape culture. It would be foolhardy for any artist, no matter how important or successful, to dismiss these opportunities straight out of hand.

Who knows, maybe format freedom will prove to be a watershed for artists? Released from the 'requirement' to produce regular albums, we might see a little more in the way creativity and a few less duff full-lengths that should’ve been EPs. After all, a little bit of experimentation never went amiss…

Editorial by Sam Shemtob & Jon Ramsay

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OUT & ABOUT: MusicTank Events

JOE POX: Leon Jackson / X Factor

INDUSTRY DIARY: Other industry events

LEADING LIGHTS: Hamish Birchall on live music

MERRY-GO-ROUND: Industry announcements

WISE MONKEY: DAB Radio

5th Feb '08: DEAL OR NO DEAL? THE ARTIST/LABEL TRADE-OFF

“We need to enter into a new relationship with our artists, where they see us as partners rather than the enemy."  [Ged Doherty, Chairman & CEO Sony BMG, earlier this year.]

Building on December's sell-out think tank, this session will further explore the redefinition of the artist-label relationship - would 360 models become more attractive if labels took another look at unattributable recording income?

As if the looming dread of Christmas wasn't enough, the British public has just voted for The Most Boring & Characterless 'Pop Star' In The Entire History Of Recorded Music as the winner of X Factor.

Leon Jackson is basically a yawn with a wig and in serious need of dental work.  He is so completely forgettable that, even if you were watching him on TV and closed your eyes for a second, you'd struggle to find him on-screen when you opened them again.  I'm sure his own mother, on finding him sitting watching GMTV and eating Sugar Puffs on the sofa in the morning, would think that someone had broken into her house and was ruthlessly eating her cereal.

Yes, this year has been all about how Leona Lewis 'saved' the industry in Q4 with the speedy sales of her debut.  She's somehow been hailed as proof that the UK has produced a credible – ah – artist with – um – longevity.  OK, she sold a few records in the UK, but let's just reserve judgement until she cracks the US (which, let's face it, is probably more interested in the off-side rule in 'soccerball' than it is about her).  If Leona is the 'best' we can do, then surely Leon is the very worst we can do.  Imagine if Heston Blumenthal had a change of heart and decided to cook up the least perfect meal in the world; the end result would basically be Leon Jackson in puff pastry.

In a flip of the old maxim about dogs at this time of year, I say this: Leon Jackson isn't even FOR Christmas. God save us all, every one.

17 & 25th Jan '08 - WELSH MUSIC INDUSTRY CONFERENCES

Thu Jan 17 '08 - Galeri, Caernarfon
Fri Jan 25 '08 – Chapter, Cardiff

The Welsh Music Foundation is hosting two separate days of conferences addressing key issues relating to the Welsh Language Music Industry.  The conferences are being held in Caernarfon and Cardiff and following research into the needs of the Industry, will feature seminars covering a variety of relevant and topical subjects aimed not only at Welsh speaking companies and individuals, but to anyone involved in the music industry in Wales and will be covered bilingually.

The day in Caernarfon will concentrate on a variety of key issues including licensing issues for gigs, how to start arranging your own festival and legal matters within the music industry.

In Cardiff, the media’s Welsh Language output will be discussed along with subjects from the digital music world that will examine how to market your music digitally, the future of digital music and much more.

The days are free to attend, but you must register...

http://www.welshmusicfoundation.com

5 & 6th Feb '08 - MPA INDUCTION COURSE

The next MPA Induction Course will take place on Tuesday 5 February 2008 from 9.30am – 4.30pm and Wednesday 6 February from 9.30am – 1.30pm.  Places cost £130 for MPA members and £210 for non-members.  If you would like to book a place on the course, please fill in and return a registration form and payment to Richy Chandler at the MPA.  You can download and print a registration form using the following link:

http://www.mpaonline.org.uk/Events

1st Mar '08 -  MUSICAL SCHOOLS

An ISM seminar exploring the role of specialist music schools in education, including state secondary music colleges.  Whatever their role in music education – as head teachers, subject heads, class or instrumental teachers – presentations, discussions and practical activities will offer opportunities to consider how music as a specialism can be a powerful force for school improvement as well as for community outreach.

9.30am – 4.30pm, University of Westminster, London, W1B 2UW

ISM Full members £50; ISM Student members £10; non-members £60.  Details and booking:

http://www.ism.org/musicalschools

THE DCMS "SURVEY OF LIVE MUSIC IN ENGLAND AND WALES IN 2007"

With the publication yesterday of the bad news that live gigs had decreased in the wake of the Licensing Act, the DCMS smoke machine is off again with "New plans to help live music thrive":

http://www.culture.gov.uk:80/Reference_library/Press_notices/archive_2007/dcms153_07.htm

The headline is £500k towards a few new rehearsal rooms around the country - the government's response to one of the Live Music Forum's 28 recommendations published on 04 July.  Further down, a little more flesh is put on the bones of their commitment to explore an additional exemption for small gigs.  In their detailed response to the LMF report, which reads like a manifesto for the micro-management of live music, the government graciously accepts 'the spirit' of this key recommendation.  However, it warns that there cannot be a 'blanket exemption' and restates the plan to consult on possible solutions (para 19):

http://www.culture.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/384FA317-FE3F-4341-931E-C2C506129196/0/govtresponselivemusicforum.pdf

Back in the press release, culture secretary James Purnell adds: "Clearly we’d only be looking at exemptions for events that don’t cause public nuisance or compromise public safety."

In the light of that observation, let's review what the Licensing Act 2003 meant for small gigs:

The regulation of live music through licensing was dramatically increased on the grounds of controlling public safety, crime, and noise, including for the first time, school concerts for family and friends (usually considered private and exempt under the old regime), one or two musicians in a bar (indeed almost anywhere public), and even small private concerts seeking to raise money for good causes. 

MAXIMUM PENALTY for unlicensed performance, where a licence is required: £20,000 and six months in jail.

At the same time:

All bars converting their old alcohol licence to the new premises licence in 2005 were given automatic permission to play recorded music, which includes hosting DJs; but their long-standing exemption for one or two live musicians was abolished;

The blanket exemption for big screen broadcast entertainment was maintained, despite police objections at the time citing a link with disorder in pubs.
The government has never produced any research linking live music to widespread disorder, noise or crime. So much for evidence-based policy.

Even while ministers earnestly lecture the public on the need for entertainment licensing to ensure public safety, prevent crime and noise nuisance, they enjoy occasional free gigs at Portcullis House sponsored by the music industry. Portcullis House, being part of the Houses of Parliament, is historically exempt not only from alcohol and entertainment licensing, but also from health and safety legislation.

Hamish Birchall
Professional musician and former adviser to the Musicians' Union on entertainment licensing reform.

hbdrums(A)hotmail.co.uk

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CITY SHOWCASE - CALL FOR MUSICIANS AND BANDS

City Showcase, London’s leading festival for new music, is now looking for up-and-coming musicians to take part in its annual event,to be held between 2-6 June, 2008.  Previous acts that have played at City Showcase include Newton Faulkner, Keane, Seth Lakeman, Razorlight, Amy Winehouse, Hot Chip and many more.

Covering many genres of music, if you want to take part in this exciting festival please send a web link (if you have one), a brief biography, a photo and a CD demo to City Showcase, PO Box 2212, Pulborough, RH20 2XJ.

Clearly mark your envelope as a City Showcase application. Full details:

http://www.cityshowcase.co.uk

EMPLOYERS SOUGHT - CREATIVE AND CULTURAL SKILLS APPRENTICESHIP

There are over 180,00 courses in the creative and cultural sector yet 73% of employers say that applicants are coming through the system without the right skills.

City and Islington College are looking for employers willing to take on an apprentice in one of the following areas and to be part of this great initiative!

1. Live Events and Promotions;

2. Community Arts Management and;

3. Music Business.

The College is offering:

1. A new programme leading to national qualifications specific to the industry sector;

2. A flexible programme developed by the industry for the industry;

3. This as free training for your employees leading to nationally recognised qualification;

Interested in being involved or in finding out more? Contact Rossana Leal – Work Placement Manager – 020 7700 8689

mailto:rossana.leal@candi.ac.uk

Possibly just in time for Christmas, thanks again to Which? magazine, here are the results of their recent survey of the latest clutch of DAB radios. With the UK and Denmark being the most enthusiastic European adopters, more than a quarter of UK adults now listen to digital radio.  The success is partly due to the breadth and quality of the stations on offer.  DAB+ is the standard that many other European countries will be adopting, offering potentially higher quality and the ability to transmit more stations, yet the UK has no plans to roll out in the foreseeable future.  Big shame.

Not sure if you can receive DAB in your area?  Visit http://www.digitalradionow.com for a postcode check.

Price is not always an indication of quality, with some of the cheaper models out-performing the more expensive ones.  The test covered many more models than those shown here - over 50 in fact, with the information being regularly updated with new models, prices and availability. Those shown below are the top-6 rated best buys.

1. 74% Lagio MagicBox

2. 69% Roberts Gemini RD46

3. 68% Dualit DAB Kitchen radio

4. 66% Vita Audio R1

5. 62% Pure One

6. 60% Pure Evoke-3

Results based on a combination of the following factors: Sound Quality 40% | Ease of Use 30% | Battery Life 15% | Features 15%

Source: Which? Nov 2007

http://www.which.co.uk/digitalradios

If you have any queries regarding any of our events or activities, please call Jonathan on 020 7915 5412, or e-mail: info@musictank.co.uk

The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily condoned or shared by MusicTank. MusicTank is a non-profit organisation owned and operated by University of Westminster. University of Westminster is a charity and a company limited by guarantee. Reg Number: 977818, England. Registered Office: 309 Regent Street, London, W1. MusicTank is based at University of Westminster, Fifth Floor, Copland Building, 115 New Cavendish Street, London, W1W 6UW.