MusicTank Newsletter - Sep 07

The confusion surrounding the future over allofmp3.com, the Russian discounted mp3 download site (and current bugbear du jour for the global record industry) shows little sign of dissipating.  The business had barely finished celebrating its recent closure by the Russian authorities (largely due to international pressure from trade bodies and indeed the U.S. State Department), when a recent ruling by a Moscow court seemed to suggest that the offending website had in fact been operating in accordance with Russian copyright law, much to the dismay of an industry convinced it had won a timely and decisive victory.

The website remains closed for the time being, yet promises to return in a matter of weeks, and has already spawned a clone, mp3sparks.com (operated by the same parent company, MediaServices), also offering a wide range of heavily discounted music to fans worldwide.

The sites operate illegally, without the permission of the rights holders who have no agreements in place with the Russian collecting society (ROMS), to which miniscule royalties are being supposedly being paid.  The IFPI are appealing the decision, which appears to ignore a fair tranche of Russian copyright law, and is one of three cases ongoing in Russia.  The BPI meanwhile are attempting to issue proceedings that could lead to an injunction in the UK.  While the legal route is often lengthy it's fair to say that Russia's casual approach hardly helps - something the threat of barring WTO entry is hoping to address.

A parallel approach, which has arguably proven more effective, is the blocking of credit card payments by the international merchant providers (Visa, Mastercard etc), whose policies outlaw illegal use.  This has reduced revenues to a trickle.

All in all though, taking on allofmp3.com (should the Russian brawler actually stay down for the count), has taken over two years, which doesn't bode well given the potential for proliferation in such enterprises.  After all, the industry succeeded in subduing Napster only to be confronted with Kazaa, and went through the same laborious process again only to be confronted with eMule, BearShare, Ares and BitTorrent.  Cutting off the Hydra’s head only to see two more sprout from the stump?

That said this was the test case, with many lessons learned which make things easier next time round.  As an example, the initial hurdle of educating the international merchant providers has been overcome, and while persuading them to block these sites will always require evidence and due process, it should become easier.

More generally, shutting down an illegal commercial venture should be an easier proposition than taking on a network of p2p users where no-one is looking to make any money.  Still, there is little reason to suspect that dealing with its inevitable imitators should be entirely straightforward. Many non-WTO member states lack the will and resource to implement copyright law with any haste and have little to lose through inaction.

It is inevitable that sites rising to global popularity will be reigned in once noticed, but innovation and Internet word-of-mouth spreads so quickly that it seems likely an undercurrent of such activity will pervade. P2P mark II? Perhaps not, but discount download sites could yet represent another thorn in the side of our already troubled industry.

Editorial by Sam Shemtob & Jon Ramsay

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OUT & ABOUT: MusicTank events

JOE POX: Hip-Hop rivalry

MUSICTANK LOUNGE: Competition - win a copy of The Unsigned Guide

FROM OUR OWN (FESTIVAL) CORRESONDENT: The Big Chill

INDUSTRY DIARY: Other Events

MERRY-GO-ROUND - Announcements

WOULD YOU ADAM & EVE IT? - Website Of The Month

Please remember all MusicTank events MUST be booked and paid for in advance! Become a member of MusicTank and enjoy priviledged discounts on all MusicTank events...

http://www.musictank.co.uk/about/membership-benefits

**EVENT DATE CHANGE** - IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE TO THE IMMINENT CONFIRMATION OF A NOTED GUEST PANELLIST (TO BE CONFIRMED LATER TODAY - 12 SEPT) , PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT WILL NOW TAKE PLACE ON WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 3RD AND NOT AS PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED IN THIS NEWSLETTER.  THE DATE BELOW HAS BEEN CHANGED TO REFLECT THIS.

3rd OCT: MUSIC'S NEW CONUNDRUM: TOO MUCH CHOICE?

Whereas the public once received their weekly dose of music via the all-important Top 40 and Top of the Pops, they are now faced with a head-spinning level choice. Indeed,  TOTP's own demise is growing evidence that the 'old guard' of trusted mass musical filters and channels are becoming less relevant in an age where people are free to follow their own paths into the musical wilderness, rather than swallow the industry's prescribed diet.  Most people would agree that choice is a good thing, but there is a flip side to this vision of a musical consumerist's paradise.  When the consumer is king and we can access over 420,000 rock acts and 400,000 hip hop acts via MySpace alone, can we really be expected to sort the wheat from the chaff amidst the clamour of a thousand different advisory voices?

This think tank explores the idea that the liberalisation of digital media, whilst entirely democratic, serves to confuse the consumer with a bewildering array of choice and quality.  With so much content vying for our attention, does this merely cloud the picture, making it harder to find great music?

SPEAKERS:
Keynote:  Tom Robinson (Broadcaster & Songwriter).  Panel:  Paul Brown (Pandora); David Jennings (DJ Alchemi Ltd & Author);  others tbc.  Moderator:  Keith Harris (Keith Harris Music Ltd/MusicTank Chairman/PPL Director).

DIARY:
Date:  Wed 03 October '07;  Venue: MCPS-PRS Alliance, Berners Street, London;  Time:  18.30 - 21.00hrs.

**PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A CHANGE TO OUR USUAL VENUE**

Price: £20 MusicTank Members | £25 Trade Body Discount | £30 Full Price (See website for full details)

Full Details:  http://www.musictank.co.uk/events/musics-new-conundrum-too-much-choice-2

SPECIAL OFFER: We are pleased to be able to offer attendees a 20 per cent discount on David Jenning's book, 'Net, Blogs and Rock'n'Roll'.  This new publication will be available on the night directly from the publisher for £12 (normal RRP is £14.99).

'Net, Blogs & Rock'n'Roll'
As digital convergence promises to make every track available, discovering new and interesting material becomes an anarchic process. 'Net, Blogs and Rock'n'Roll' examines how fan communities interact with new developments in recommendation systems, wikis and Web 2.0 to make sense of the digital discovery journey.

"Net, Blogs and Rock'n'Roll is a great summary of just about everything one needs to know about Music 2.0, and where it's going. Read it and get smart!"  Gerd Leonhard, author of 'The Future of Music' and CEO of Sonific LLC.

Hip-hop has always been defined by a 'beef' between rival rappers as a means of making them appear more dangerous than they actually are (when we all know they go home and gurgle in front of a basket of kittens while wearing Little Lord Fauntleroy blue velvet shorts).  Now 50 Cent has raised the hip-hop 'beef' to new levels of monotony.

Apparently 'Fiddy' (a man who raps with all the 'edge' of a pensioner poaching eggs) said that he'll retire from the 'biz' if Kanye West's new album outsells his latest dry-heave of remedial nursery rhymes.  Anything that gets 50 Cent to hang up his spit-flecked mic is clearly a good thing, but he may just have bitten off more than he can chew here (invariably with his mouth open).

Kanye is a pioneer with flash, panache and wit. 50 Cent is so much scar tissue in a vest.  I suggest that you all go out and buy 10 copies of Kanye's album so that the world will finally be rid of the most pointless 'star' of the modern age (excluding Victoria Beckham, of course).  Vote Kanye.  Your grandchildren will thank you.

We all love the idea of getting a discount, better still something for FREE...so we're pleased to be able to announce a special 10 per cent discount on industry bible The Unsigned Guide, and offer one lucky reader the chance to WIN their very own copy!!

The Unsigned Guide (second edition) is a 'must-have' addition to the armoury of knowledge essential for navigating the music industry.  Although pitched at emerging artists (and sensibly priced accordingly - RRP £43.35), this is more than a reference book of contacts and will appeal to the established/professional user, containing as it does, a comprehensive list of resources and practical, sector-specific information in an appealing and well-designed publication.  Coming in at a whopping 872 pages, this is an impressive, well-researched tome that no artist, manager or bedroom label should be without.

Thanks to those good people at The Unsigned Guide, MusicTank has been given a free copy of the Unsigned Guide to give away.  And as if that’s not enough, they have also kindly agreed to a generous 10 per cent discount on their already discounted online price of £38.25 for all purchases made by MusicTank subscribers for a limited period only.  This brings the price down to just £34.43 AND includes free p&p to any UK mainland address!  Details for both promotions follow:

1) For a chance to WIN a free copy of the latest Unsigned Guide, please answer the following question:

Q:  'Bis' were the first unsigned band to appear on Top of the Pops. Where is this three-piece from?

Submit your answer by e-mail ONLY to: jonathan(a)musictank.co.uk complete with the following information:

• State 'Unsigned Guide' as the subject heading;

• Your answer;

• Your full contact details including postal address.
  

Entries MUST be received by 12 noon, Tuesday 18 September.

The lucky winner will be notified by e-mail by Wednesday, 19 Sept. and will receive their copy directly from the publisher.

2) To BUY your discounted copy you MUST order by telephone only  - 0161 907 0029 - and quote promotional code IND07.

This promotional discount period runs from 11-28th September inclusive.

Terms and Conditions:  Entrants must be UK residents. Only one competition entry or discounted purchase per person, and entrants must use a valid and working e-mail address.  'Mail box full' or other e-mail bounce-back replies will invalidate a winner's entry and entitlement to the prize!! The winner will be drawn at random from all correct entries received, notified by MusicTank by e-mail by Wednesday 19th Sept and receive their copy carriage-free, directly from publisher mcr:music. Failure to quote promotional code IND07 when ordering a copy by telephone, or ordering a copy by any other method will result in the full cover price being charged. Proof of sending entry is not proof of receipt and MusicTank is not responsible for lost or late entries, nor is it responsible for lost or damaged deliveries.  There is no cash alternative.  Entrants will be deemed to have accepted these rules and to agree to be bound by them when entering this competition.   Privacy: All entries are confidential and contact details will not be passed on to any 3rd party company or organisation.

Thanks partly to three days of glorious sunshine, this year's Big Chill was one of the best.  The atmosphere on Thursday night was one of friendly exuberance, people dancing and meeting old friends, new friends, randoms, it didn't matter.  This served to blow away, before the festival had even begun, one of its recent criticisms - that it was verging on becoming a middle class clique-a-thon.

Great to see the added artwork around the site - from installations on each of the lakes to a great big TV monitor up in the hills, though we'd love to see the art trail returning to its former glory - what happened to the ice-sawing and tree trunk embers of yesteryear?

As ever, the event got full marks in the hygiene stakes - hot showers aplenty, toilets as good as new every morning and free valuables lock-ups open 24hrs in each of the fields.  The Big Chill should run sanitation courses for the other festivals - two sets of showers across the whole of Glastonbury just doesn't cut it...

The music was plentiful and brilliant - highlights in no particular order include Chilled by Nature with Goan musician Remo Fernandez, Kruder & Dorfmeister (with Earl Zinger and Ras Mc T-Weed) playing a 4hr set that fused on-it with chilled - sort of Ben Watt meets Cinematic Orchestra, the mighty Red Snapper, who were Friday night’s highlight (how can four people make such sublime music?), an impromptu performance by Celtic Klezmer fiddlers Sheelanagig, Tom Middleton, human beatbox Sholomo, the Birds Eye View shorts with Shri, Danny Rampling’s spacey love-in set, Coldcut's Return To Goa and Phil Hartnoll’s lush orchestral electronica (which included Orbital's Way Out - mmm!)

And then there were the 'Big Chill Moments', those self-referential instances where the crowd were having such a brilliant time that that they realised the specialness of the occasion and enjoyed it even more.  BCMs were given by amongst others Tuung - who played one of their best ever sets, Idjut Boys playing 'Love Is In The Air', Hexstatic’s Ninja Tune and Simon Bonobo playing a ten minute trumpet/gospel version of Marvin Gaye's 'Sexual Healing'.

We wished we'd heard more of the Skatalites, Norman Jay, Ojos De Brujo, Richie Havens, Mr Scruff and no doubt others...And then there were the artists who were simply on too early, such as Kate Rogers and Patrick Watson, but there are only so many hours in the day.

Best of all was the random and weird goings on, from the walking zebras to the Bubble Man wafting metre-long bubbles over the main stage crowds, making the atmosphere that bit more special.  Then there was the Bank of Subversion: you had to book an interview with the Manager (questions included 'do you own a pair of Crocs?') to, if successful, get a limited edition voucher for £2300 which you could trade, if desperate, for a cup of tea. The bank lost £1/2m on Saturday alone...

SS

17 SEPT - ROYALTY ACCOUNTING & TRADEMARKS EVENING

Royalty accounting and trademarks are most probably not the main reason we started our labels, but both are crucial to our businesses.  Come and hear about Digital Accounting with Bob Kohn from Royalty Share, how to deal with UK royalty accounting issues and how to protect your trademarks with experts from Withers & Rogers LLP.

This FREE event takes place at BPI County Hall, 5.30pm - 7.30pm

To register for a place please e-mail:

mailto:Amy.Olds(a)bpi.co.uk

1st OCT - MARKETING ON A SHOESTRING: THEORY AND PRACTICE

AIM's next event, 'Marketing On A Shoestring: Theory and Practice', will teach independent labels the techniques and skills needed for successful music marketing on a shoestring.

Taking place at the MCPS-PRS Alliance Boardroom in central London, the event will include a brief lecture from a marketing professional on the essentials of music marketing (devising a marketing plan, what to do when, essential elements of a marketing campaign, common pitfalls etc), followed by 3 case study presentations from independent label marketers, detailing successful marketing campaigns they have executed.  Attendees will then be able to ask questions, and the event will close with networking drinks, included in the ticket price. The event's speakers will be announced shortly.

This is an essential event for any label looking to improve their marketing success at minimal cost.  Spaces are limited so book early to avoid disappointment!

Schedule:
18.00-18.30 - Registration
18.30-19.15 - Essentials Of Music Marketing - The Theory
19.15-19.30 - Break
19.30-21.00 - Label Marketing Campaign Case Studies - The Practice
21.00-22.00 - Networking drinks

Costs:
£10 per person for AIM Members & Friends of AIM;
£30 per person for non-members, subject to a 20 per cent discount for members of affiliate organisations.

Prices incl. VAT and refreshments.  For full information and to book:

http://www.musicindie.com/242.asp?sub=Events#

30 & 31 OCT - MPA INDUCTION COURSE

This is the last opportunity to attend the MPA's highly successful Induction course this year.  Taking place on Tuesday 30 October 2007 from 9.30am – 4.30pm and Wednesday 31 October from 9.30am – 1.30pm, this one and a half day course is designed to provide an essential overview of the music publishing industry, its organisations and their roles and is delivered by a range of speakers drawn from the MPA, member publishers, MCPS, PRS and British Music Rights.

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/

Music Charity, Sound Connections, the not-for-profit organisation that works to strengthen London's youth music training & development sector is looker to move to a larger office.  Whilst a central location is preferred, we're open to suggestions/offers are keen to be in a location with other creative organisations.  Suitable space should be able to accommodate 6 desks, and we're happy to consider an office-share or similar.

If you can help, please contact:

Hannah Mason - 020 7378 7227

allmusic.com

We have all had discussions involving useless music, movie, TV or sports trivia. When it comes to music, there is an excellent site you can use to resolve any arguments that may arise. AllMusic has information on a plethora of artists and albums, including biographies, discographies, songs, credits, Billboard charts and photos. They even cover many local artists not known at the national level.  How DO they do it?!

http://www.allmusic.com

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.