bmusic - Newsletter No. 239

bmusic
Newsletter No.239
October 9th - October 15th 2006

I was reading a very interesting article regarding popular video sharing site YouTube and the challenges it faces with regards to copyright in the future. This was written to follow up on the recent content sharing deal announced between Warner Music Group and YouTube. YouTube users are effectively granted licence to post Warner Music videos, which includes material from their labels such as Atlantic, Warner Bros., Rhino and Sire, amongst others, and YouTube will, in return, ensure copyright restrictions are adhered to and royalties paid to Warner. Warner will also use the site to promote their artists by posting video clips themselves as well as other promotional videos and material.

You'd think, if considering the copyright issue briefly, that this applies to music videos and live footage of concerts etc., but consider it further and you begin to realise the enormity of what is at stake copyright-wise. If someone posts a clip of them playing along to their favourite song, or merely jumping on a trampoline in their backyard with a stereo on in the background, in the strict sense of the term they've breached the copyright to whatever song is playing in the background. Even performing a copyrighted song without backing to show the world how well you can play the saxophone or something is a breach.

Of course YouTube is an incredible tool for promotion for artists of all walks of life, and it's not exactly high quality sound and video, at least not at this stage of technology. So, as opposed to the Napster saga, YouTube is not necessarily seen as an alternative to buying CDs and DVDs. Technology, however, will evolve and this will change down the track. But for now, record companies have not been thrilled with YouTube, excepting Warner who have taken the smart step of harnessing it. However, it remains to be seen whether YouTube can afford to pay it's end of the deal which, for now, remains undisclosed. Either Warner is all for it and harnessing it as it appears from the outside, or it has an alterior motive to get all companies on board and cripple YouTube's ability to financially honour the deal in much the same way as the RIAA appears to have done with the Kazaa agreement.

So that's it from the Warner perspective. Universal Music Group, on the other hand, have a radically different feeling toward YouTube and similar sites if CEO Doug Morris' comments are anything to go by. "These new businesses are copyright infringers and owe us tens of millions of dollars". Pretty damning words, and understandable from a guy who is desperate to keep record companies as the powers that be over their artists and the buying public.

It's no secret I was anti-Napster and Kazaa but YouTube, at least until technology is at such a level where the file quality is of a much higher level, I see as the best promotional tool for everything from bands to macaroni & cheese since the internet itself began. No sooner do the RIAA, representing record labels in the States, tackle one problem before another presents itself with even more complications than the last. This is no different, and there'll be something after this, I'm sure. But it would appear that before too many more generations pass the music business will have undergone the biggest shake up since the inception of recorded music and the industry that grew around the distribution of it. Or, as some would suggest, the industry that attached itself parasite style to the aspirations of musicians.

All this as rumours surfaced in the last day or so that Google Inc. has speculated about buying YouTube for a reported US$1.6 billion. No confirmation that this is indeed true, but a lot of chatter has surfaced around the rumour in the past twelve hours or so. Not a bad price for a company with 60 employees, three founders and venture capitalist only pouring in around $13 million or so thus far. It wasn't so long ago that BMG Entertainment bought Napster for around US$8 million, essentially to pay out it's creditors after the record industry brought it to it's knees. Nowhere near the money they're talking for YouTube, but previous to it's troubles Napster was worth significantly more. It wouldn't take the Chairman of the New York Stock Exchange to work out that BMG would have had more success with their $8 million flushing it down the dunny. So, does Google buy YouTube on it's current value only to see the record industry get stuck into it, or does the record industry get stuck into it now and buy it for a song Napster style? All speculation of course, but there are so many adversities facing both YouTube in terms of copyright and the recording industry in trying to maintain their place in the game that there's sure to be some sort of showdown or extreme shift in the way things work very, very soon.

Don't forget the current bmusic.com.au Seymour Duncan 2006 Australian Tour Commemorative Pickup Set Competition where every purchase from bmusic.com.au adds up to an entry to win the hand-wound, hand-engraved Seymour Duncan pickup set created to commemorate Seymour's recent tour of Australia. Click HERE if you've not yet checked out how you can go about winning this rare set of pickups valued at $800 IF you could actually buy them (which you can't)!

While we're on winning stuff, check out www.joematera.com, site of our mate, renowned Australian rock journalist and guitarist and this week's Featured Artist, to win a copy of Jet or Iron Maiden's new albums. Simply click on the "Interviews & Reviews" link on the left hand menu of Joe's page for details on how to be in the running to win one of the 5 copies of each up for grabs.

A repeat Where Are They Now? this week, one of the features we oft get the opportunity to update with new information thanks to subscribers and fans or friends of the guys letting us know. This week is no exception, new relevant information has been passed on to us and duly noted in the updated feature.
Regulars including Feature Article, The Week Ahead in Music History, Featured Artist and more are all inside Issue 239 of the bmusic Newsletter.
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Thanks to everyone for reading, we'll see you next week!

TABLE OF CONTENTS (You will need to be online to use the Table of Contents to jump through sections)

Where Are They Now? - Uncanny X-Men

This week's Music Quote

Featured Product - Jim Dunlop Guitar Strings

This week's Specials

This week's Feature Article - Setting Up A Successful Tour: Part 1

This week's Feature Artist - Joe Matera

Musicians Wanted

Gear Wanted

Band Links

The Week Ahead In Music History
           Events
           Births
           Deaths

Give us your suggestions

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In 1955, nineteen-year old Buddy Holly and his sidemen, Larry Welborn and Bob Montgomery, opened a concert in Lubbock, Texas for Bill Haley & the Comets. Eddie Crandell, a Nashville talent agent, was in the audience and within weeks had Holly record his first demo.

In 1955, one day after opening for Bill Haley & the Comets, nineteen year-old Buddy Holly opened for Elvis Presley in the same town.

In 1957, Little Richard, after finishing a concert in Sydney, Australia, announced he wanted to give up rock and roll. "If you want to live for the Lord, you can't take rock and roll too. God doesn't like it", he explained. Clifford Burks, the sax player in Richards touring band, asked him to prove his new-found faith in God and to prove it Little Richard threw four diamond rings valued at US$8,000 into the Hunter River. The next day he flew to Los Angeles and was baptised a Seventh Day Adventist so he could "prepare for the end of the world".

In 1964, Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts married Shirley Ann Arnold in secret.

In 1969, three people were killed and blues legend Muddy Waters injured in a serious road accident outside Chicago, Illinois.

In 1971, in the Los Angeles District Court, Arco Industries, the music publishing firm that owned copyrights on all material released on Specialty Records, filed a US$500,000 lawsuit against Creedance Clearwater Revival singer/songwriter John Fogerty. The suit claimed that Fogerty's song 'Travelin' Band' "contains substantial material copied from the music of the song 'Good Golly, Miss Molly'". The suit was eventually dropped.

In 1972, Creedance Clearwater Revival issued a statement announcing the group's break-up. The statement read "We don't regard this as breaking up. We look at it as an expansion of our activities. We will devote our time to individual rather than group projects."

In 1972, Joe Cocker, along with six of his bandmates, was arrested in Adelaide, South Australia on drug charges. Police claimed that, in an after-show raid, they confiscated marijuana, heroin and hypodermic syringes. Cocker was released on bail and given four hours to leave the country.

In 1975, Neil Young underwent surgery to have something scraped from his vocal cords that had been "bothering" him. Young resumed work in the studio soon after but by mid-1976, during his US tour with Stephen Stills, Young was forced to rest his vocal cords again because of the strain he had put on them.

In 1977, the classic Fleetwood Mac album 'Rumours' was released.

In 1978, singer Steve Tyler and guitarist Joe Perry of Aerosmith were injured in Philadelphia when a cherry bomb was thrown on stage. For some months following the incident Aerosmtih performed from behind a cyclone fence.

In 1979, Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull suffered a minor eye injury when a fan throws a rose at him and one of the thorns pierces his eye. Two shows after the Madison Square Garden gig had to cancelled before Tull could resume the tour.

In 1980, AC/DC's 'Back in Black' was certified platinum in the US.

In 1992, Guns N'Roses guitarist Slash married model Renne Suran.

In 1992, the US Supreme Court ruled not to reinstate lawsuits against Ozzy Osbourne citing his songs as responsible for the suicides of two American teenagers.

In 1992, Irish singer Sinead O'Connor was booed off the stage at a show honouring Bob Dylan at Madison Square Garden. The crowd was reacting to O'Connor's attack on the Pope two weeks earlier on TV show Saturday Night Live. During the SNL show O'Connor tore up a picture of the Pope.

In 1995, Tupac Shakur was released from jail after serving eight months for groping and fondling a woman in a New York hotel room.

In 1996, Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee was charged with attacking a cameraman. The cameraman was trying to take pictures of Lee and his, then, wife Pamela Anderson Lee outside an L.A. club.

In 1998, the Crossroads addiction recovery center centre in Antiqua, which was founded with US$6.5 million underwritten by Eric Clapton, opened.

In 2004, Dicko quit his judging job on Australian Idol after quitting his BMG role earlier in the year. Perhaps Dicko saw the writing on the wall for Australian Idol, he was a record company exec after all, if he didn't know what the industry is planning to do next then no one would.

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Births In 1935, Sam Moore of soul group Sam & Dave.

In 1942, singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Paul Simon.

In 1942, former Temptation, the late Melvin Franklin.

In 1943, Bachman Turner Overdrive bassist Fred Turner.

In 1944, Chicago keyboardist and vocalist Robert Lamm.

In 1946, Moody Blues vocalist Justin Hayward.

In 1947, ex-Ronnie Montrose and ex-Van Halen vocalist Sammy Hagar.

In 1947, Grateful Dead guitarist/vocalist Bob Weir.

In 1949, Daryl Hall of Hall & Oates fame.

In 1955, former Van Halen singer, David Lee Roth.

In 1962, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea.

In 1991, Shane Cody Fogerty was born to proud parents John and Julie Fogerty.

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Deaths In 1969, Leonard Chess died of a heart attack. Leonard and his brother Phil founded Chess Records in the early 50's.

In 1978, Nancy Spungen, the girlfriend of Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious, was found dead of abdominal knife wounds in the couple's room at Chelsea Hotel in New York. Vicious, nearly unconscious due to the effects of several different drugs, was charged with her murder, jailed, then soon after released. Months later, he died of a heroin overdose before the case ever went to trial.

In 1985, B-52's guitarist Ricky Wilson died of complications from AIDS at the age of 32.

In 1990, jazz drummer Art Blakey (Abdullah Ibn Buhaina) died at the age of 71. Blakey was the leader of the Jazz Messengers and had also worked with many of the jazz greats of his time. Artists he'd performed or recorded with included Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, Johnny Griffin, Jackie McLean, Donald Byrd, Bobby Timmons, Cedar Walton, Benny Golson, Joanne Brackeen, Billy Harper, Valery Ponomarev, Bill Pierce and many others.

In 1993, Savatage guitarist and singer Criss Oliva was killed when a drunk driver struck his car head on.

In 1995, jazz musician Don Cherry (Donald Eugene Cherry) died of liver failure from hepatitis. Cherry recorded with Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane, among others, and was a member of The New York Contemporary Five, Codona and The Jazz Composer's Orchestra. Don Cherry is the father of contemporary musicians Neneh and Eagle Eye Cherry.

In 1996, founding Australian Crawl guitarist Brad Robinson died after a battle with cancer. After Australian Crawl Robinson became a presenter with the 'Page One' current affairs show, then worked as a presenter and co-producer of documentaries. In the 1990s he managed James and David Reyne, and worked as an agent for the Advantage Sports Management Group.

In 1997, singer/songwriter John Denver was killed in a plane crash when the 2-seater he was piloting crashed into Monterey Bay.

In 1998, Zulu musicians West Knosi died in a car accident. Nkosi was the saxophonist and producer of Mahlathini And The Mahotella Queens and with the group had worked with Paul Simon and Sting.

In 1999, guitarist Bruce Cameron committed suicide. Cameron had recorded with Jack Bruce, Mitch Mitchell, Ken Hensley, Buddy Miles and Billy Cox.

In 1999, slide guitarist Thomas Durden, who co-wrote "Heartbreak Hotel" with Mae Axton, died at the age of 79.

In 2001, US Songwriters Hall Of Fame Inductee Jay Livingston died of pneumonia at age 86. Livingston collaborated with Ray Evans to write "Mona Lisa" and "Que Sera, Sera". The pair also wrote the television theme songs for "Bonanza" and "Mr. Ed".

In 2001, Australian singer Peter Doyle died after a long battle with throat cancer. Early in Doyle's career he was a member of The Virgil Brothers and The New Seekers, and later went on to sing for Standing Room Only and Regis. The latter part of Doyle's career saw him writing advertising jingles for products such as Ribena and Sugar Puffs.
In the '70's Doyle was actually offered the role of vocalist for the Little River Band by Glenn Wheatley when the group was being put together.

In 2002, Derek Bell, pianist for Ireland's legendary Chieftains, died in the USA after recovering from minor surgery. 67 year old Bell was a member of the Irish group for 30 years and had played on more than 30 Chieftains albums.

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