Label:Life

The title of yesterday’s [04/15/04] panel discussion at Johnson & Wales was “Pirates of the Web: The Ethics of Downloading,” but the panelists were in basic agreement that downloading music from the Internet is anything but piracy.

In recent months, the Recording Industry Association of America, on behalf of the “Big Five” record labels, has launched wide-ranging prosecutions of thousands of downloaders across the country, accusing them of violating copyright law.

All three panelists yesterday agreed that the laws, said to protect artists, do little more than feed corporations. One panelist called the prosecutions an attempt to maintain “complete control of an expanding marketplace” and another said they created “a culture of fear.” [more @ www.miami.com]

Media companies and artists have protested a ruling made against U2 frontman Bono over his use of a swear word at the 2003 Golden Globe Awards.
The Screen Actors Guild and CBS owner Viacom were among those protesting against regulator, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

They said the FCC’s ruling against Bono is “chilling free speech across the broadcast landscape”. [more @ www.news.bbc.co.uk]

This week’s pick is a track called ‘Cut Throat’ from self styled ‘alternative rap specialist’ Geist, produced by Big Beat supremo ESP, featuring world champion turntablists Mr.Thing and Woody.

This cut is actually the B-side of new release ‘Rage’. Unfortunately you can’t hear much of Geist’s lyrical delivery on this clip but the production is killer. The snare drum from hell underpins some filthy electronic riffs and blinding turntablism making for a fresh, raw sound that only makes you want to hear more.

‘Rage’ is available online at www.geistweb.com and instore in all major HMV ’s + independents throughout the Kingdom / parts of the U.S and Australia too.

Check it out HERE and visit www.geistweb.com for more info on this cracking artist.

I’ve had one of those days today…Couldn’t find anything remotely funny and music related to show you due to a temporary sense of humour bypass.

So..instead here’s another one of those daft online games for you to play!

A Polish (I think!) ‘Kill Bill’ game, where you get to be Uma and chop lots of nasty Yakuza’s arms off…great fun, if you’ve had one of those days!

Have a go HERE. (Click ‘Hrat’ to play).

Music sales in the US rose by more than 9% in the first three months of 2004 compared with the same period last year – signalling an end to a four-year dip.
The 9.1% upturn in sales of CDs, music DVDs and legal downloads is a ray of light for an industry that has battled online piracy and new technology.

For the first time since 2000, two albums – by Norah Jones and Usher – had weekly sales of more than one million. [more @ news.bbc.co.uk]

Global sales of recorded music slid again in 2003 as piracy and illegal downloading continued to inflict damage, a leading industry group said Wednesday.

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry said sales fell 7.6 percent in 2003 from 2002. That suggests something of a pickup in the second half of the year, since sales were off 10.9 percent in the first half of 2003. [more @ www.news.yahoo.com]

The European Commission said on Tuesday it had suspended its review of the merger of Sony’s and Bertelsmann’s music units to seek more information, stressing that such deals require careful scrutiny.

Sources at the German group said they expected the Commission, which polices mergers throughout the European Union, would ultimately send out a statement of objections over the deal, in which it would set out its competition worries.

“This additional request concerns information on a variety of markets concerned by this merger,” European Commission competition spokesman Tilman Lueder told a news conference. [more @ www.reuters.com]

Industry network MusicTank is holding the next in its series of think tanks on music retail.

Taking place 6.30-9.30pm Wedneday 21/4, Music Retail: Dying or Diversifying? will look at the technology-fuelled blizzard that is music retail, and attempt to see through the storm..

Panelists confirmed so far include –

- Paul Zimmerman, Head of Digital at Entertainment UK
– Andy Lown, Ex MD Tower Records Europe (currently Executive Director Origgio)
– Kim Bayley, Secretary General BARD
- Russel Coultart CEO Recordstore.co.uk
Date April 2004, tba
Venue The Red Room, Bertorelli’s, 11-13 Frith Street, Soho, London, W1
Time 18.30 – 21.30hrs
Cost £20, £15 for trade body members
To book Go to www.musictank.co.uk

Internet media company RealNetworks is preparing to launch its Rhapsody online music service in Europe within the next year, its chief executive told a German newspaper on Thursday.

“Six months to a year from now is realistic,” Rob Glaser told the Financial Times Deutschland, in an interview two weeks after his company won a landmark case against Microsoft that could boost adoption of RealNetworks’ media player. [more @ www.news.com.com]

Italian ISPs must now “monitor, control and report to Police authorities their customers and are subject to stiff fines of they don’t actively do it,” says ALCEI (Electronic Frontiers Italy).

This follows a March 12 ‘decree-law’ issued by the Italian government that’s a “messy and poisonous mixture of unrelated issues, treating peer-to-peer sharing of music, video or software with criteria that were conceived to fight terrorism,” states ALCEI.

“The result is useless, ineffective and dangerous.”

The music industry has been able to buy its way into legislation in the US under which the FBI works as a record label enforcement unit and as soon as the Italian ruling is in place, DIGOS (roughly the Italian equivalent of the FBI) will add to its key role of dealing with organized crime, terrorism and the safety of state, says ALCEI.

“The decree-law issued by the Italian government on March 12, 2004 adds to an already long list of laws and rules that, with a variety of pretexts, interfere with freedom and personal rights,” it says. [more @ www.p2pnet.net]