Lily Allen defends file sharing

Wednesday, 16 September 2009 21:59

Even as the Conservatives have announced their resistance to government intentions to disconnect repeat file sharers from the internet, Lily Allen took to her blog to speak out against the big name artists who have spoken out against those same proposed laws.

Allen wrote: “I think music piracy is having a dangerous effect on British music, but some really rich and successful artists like Nick Mason from Pink Floyd and Ed O’Brien from Radiohead don’t seem to think so. Last week in an article in The Times these guys from huge bands said file-sharing music is fine. It probably is fine for them. They do sell-out arena tours and have the biggest Ferrari collections in the world.”

Dame Vera Lynn out-charts the Beatles

Monday, 14 September 2009 19:04

It seems that the collection We’ll Meet Again – The Very Best of Vera Lynn has outdone the Beatles’ much-hyped remastered albums in order to make Dame Vera Lynn the oldest living artist to ever top the UK album charts.

The album features a number of songs that recall a wartime Britain – “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square,” “White Cliffs of Dover” – which are so time-honored that they actually topped the commercial successes Kings of Leon and Arctic Monkeys on the charts on Sunday.

Blood Brothers to feature Mel C

Thursday, 10 September 2009 16:08

Melanie Chisholm, formerly of the Spice Girls, will be making her West End debut when she stars in a production of Blood Brothers. According to the BBC, the former pop singer will be cast as Mrs. Johnstone in the musical.

Mel C will replace former X Factor contestant Niki Evans in the musical about twins that are separated at birth, only to cross paths later in life.

Chris Brown signs up for live Michael Jackson musical tribute

Wednesday, 09 September 2009 19:47

According to the Time Online, Jermaine Jackson announced on Tuesday that Chris Brown – convicted of assaulting pop star ex-girlfriend Rihanna in June – would be headlining a Michael Jackson memorial concert in Austria this month.

This show will mark a comeback for the shamed R&B singer, who was once referred to by Rolling Stone as the next Michael Jackson.

The tribute will also host performances by Natalie Cole, Mary J. Blige and Akon. The show will be held on the property of Schoenbrunn Palace September 26, and will also feature appearances from actress Angela Bassett, German boy band US5 and disco-wielding American girl group Sister Sledge.

Jermaine Jackson said of Brown: “Michael was his idol and he dedicated his first No. 1 hit in the US to Michael, called ‘Run It.’ Chris is a very, very talented artist.”

Pixie Lott flies herself to Berlin

Tuesday, 08 September 2009 17:10

Pop singer Pixie Lott proved that she has more than just musical talents when she took the controls of her private chartered jet on the way to her first international gig.

Lady Gaga’s ‘Poker Face’ breaks UK download record

Monday, 07 September 2009 20:22

Lady Gaga’s single “Poker Face” has just made its way to the top of a chart that tracks the first five years of downloads in the UK, according to MTV UK.

Licensing deal to return thousands of music videos to YouTube

Friday, 04 September 2009 18:42

Six months of negotiations between Google-owned YouTube and the Performing Rights Society ended with the two parties coming to an arrangement that will restore thousands of music videos to the site.

According to the Telegraph, during March of this year thousands of music videos were pulled from YouTube when negotiations between the two parties broke down.
The deal reached will function until June 2012, and according to the agreement YouTube will pay PRS some multi-millions in pounds. PRS in turn is responsible for paying royalties to songwriters, publishers and composers. The accord involves a lump sum, rather than the standard per-listen/view model of payment.

Technology reunites John Lennon and George Harrison with the living

Thursday, 03 September 2009 18:34

In a new commercial advertising the upcoming Beatles version of Rock Band, all four Abbey Road-era Beatles are digitally incorporated into modern times in an uplifting effort to sell video games.

New Gorillaz album to feature The Horrors

Wednesday, 02 September 2009 21:49

The Horrors have collaborated with Damon Albarn for the upcoming Gorrilaz album, due for release next year. After Albarn listened to the Mercury nominated band’s second album, Primary Colors, he got in touch.

Rhys Webb, bassist for the Horrors, tells BBC 6 music news: “He got a copy of it really early, contacted us out completely out of the blue and told us how much he liked it.”
Albarn was also quick to offer his services mixing the Horrors’ upcoming single, “Whole New Way.”

Kings of Leon will not return to England for a long time

Tuesday, 01 September 2009 20:26

The Leeds Festival was wrapped up last night by Kings of Leon, who informed the gathered masses that they wouldn’t be performing for an English crowd “for a long, long time.”

According to NME, the band’s frontman Caleb Followill told the festival audience watching the headliners on the main stage: “This is the last show we have booked in England for a long, long time, so I’m gonna get my buzz on. We’re gonna miss you guys – we’ll see you next year.”