INDIE NEWS BEAT Week of February 13, 2004

Posted by inanglia on 2004-02-18 22:03:52 (1951 views)

* 100,000s Complain To FCC About Nipplegate
* National Youth Survey On CBS, The Super Bowl & Janet Jackson
* Downloads Outsell Physical Formats For 1st Time In UK
* British Bands Salute Getmemusic.com
* RadioDevil Broadcasts Worldwide Music Events
* 2004 Kweevak.com CD Of The Year Awards Submissions Deadline
* Music Memorial For Indie Music Unsung Hero Alan Mann
* Rich Millett's "Ugly Radio" Licensed For MTV Television Shows

FCC Acknowledges Hundreds Of Thousands Who Have Complained About Super Bowl Halftime Show

The FCC acknowledges the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have registered their complaints about the broadcast of this year's Super Bowl halftime show. The FCC has received more than 200,000 complaints on this subject.

On February 2, the day after the Super Bowl, FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell issued a statement calling the halftime broadcast a "classless, crass, deplorable stunt" and instructed the Commission to immediately began a "thorough and swift" investigation. While it is impossible to respond to each individual complaint, the Commission will issue a decision that will be posted on its Web site at www.fcc.gov at the conclusion of the investigation.

National Youth Survey On CBS, The Super Bowl & Janet Jackson

Blue Fusion, a new youth marketing consultancy formed out of a partnership between DC consulting firm Westin Rinehart and teen-marketer BuzzMG announced results today of a national survey of Three Hundred and Ten (310) buzzSpotters from all across the U.S. detailing their views on the Janet Jackson controversy. Respondents ranged in age from 12-20 and in the survey, which was administered between Saturday, February 7th and Sunday, February 8th.

CBS Is Overreacting!

In response to the question " Do you think CBS is overreacting about the Justin/Janet situation?", Seventy-Four (74) percent of youths said "Yes", and Twenty-Six (26) percent said "No."

In response to the question, "Do you think the media would have reacted the same to any other artist?", Sixty-One (61) percent of youths said "Yes", Twenty-Nine (29) percent said "No", and 10% said "Don't know."

Janet & Next Steps....

In response to the question, " Who do you feel was to blame - Janet or Justin?", Thirty-Nine (39) percent of respondents said "Janet", Twenty-Three (33) percent said "both", Nineteen (19) percent said "Justin", and Thirteen (13) percent said "neither."

In response to the question, "Do you think that Janet should have been replaced by Patti LaBelle at the Grammy's?", only Thirteen (13) percent said "Yes", and Sixty-One (61) percent said "No."

Legal Downloads Begin To Make Their Mark

New figures from the Official Charts' Company reveal that over 150,000 downloads were sold in January 2004 with 50,000 sold in the week of MyCokeMusic's launch alone. This means that a digital format has outsold physical formats for the first time, with downloads now outselling vinyl, cassettes and DVD.

These figures add to the anticipation surrounding the UK's first Official Download Chart which entered its test phase last October. The Official UK Charts Company reports tests are going well, and an announcement on the launch of the chart is expected soon. Plans to integrate downloads into the Official Singles Chart are expected to follow later this year.

British Bands Salute Getmemusic.com As Their Preferred UK CD Outlet

With so many U.S. online CD retailers and music vendors dominating the internet, British bands are feeling the pinch when it comes to finding an outlet for their CD sales.

Firstly, there's the costly transit costs of their CD consignments to the USA...then they face another loss when the vendors take their commission of the CD sales.

But lately, the more shrewd British bands have been turning to UK music site Getmemusic.com as their preferred distributer.

Ever since Getmemusic.com (run by Brit musicians Mikey J and Pauline Golds) launched their CD retail operation last year, Brit bands have been steadily choosing the site as their main CD retail outlet.

Getmemusic caters for worldwide acts, but mainly focasses on the UK and European market. This has proven very popular with UK bands who now save on postage fees; thus creating a larger profit margin in their sales.

RadioDevil Broadcasts Worldwide Music Events

The One World Beat music festival on March 19-21 2004 is an opportunity for local musicians and bands to participate in a global charity project and make a real difference with their music. United artists perform in music venues around the world. Proceeds are donated to an AIDS project selected by One World Beat.

The One World Beat global music festival is not just a fusion of music styles from all around the world‹it is also a platform for different methods of artist presentation. Several One World Beat events, including concerts in England, Spain and Australia, will be broadcast live on the Internet. With the help of RadioDevil, New York rock artist Larry Edoff is taking music's technical revolution a few steps further. RadioDevil will work with Larry to stage a three-day, One World Beat Internet radio broadcast.

2004 Kweevak.com CD Of The Year Awards Submissions Deadline

This is the final call for bands and artists to submit their CDs for inclusion in this year's 2004 Kweevak.com "CD of the Year" Awards festivities.

This year will mark the fifth anniversary of our independent music awards and we will once again nominate several dozens CDs for this year's "Viewer's Choice" and Kweevak "CD of the Year" awards.

To be eligible for nomination your CD must be sent to Kweevak.com under our CD membership listing program. All CDs that are sent to us under our membership program get listed in an exclusive artist page and are also are considered for CD review, main page feature and airplay on our (2) Kweevak Radio programs.

Alan Mann Musical Memorial Set For February 28, 2004

When Philadelphia singer/songwriter/bandleader/independent music pioneer Alan Mann died tragically in 1987, there was talk of a public memorial to be held at JC Dobbs, the storied nightclub that was home to Alan and his band and saw the breaking out of many now world famous artists. Close to seventeen years later, around the time that Mann would have turned 50, the memorial is finally being held. JC Dobbs no longer exists; so the event will take place virtually around the corner from the old South Street landmark, at the Tokio Ballroom, a new live music venue at 122 Lombard Street, Philadelphia, PA, run by David Simons of Five Year Plan Entertainment.

According to ongoing scribe and occasional Prime Time A&E contributor, Paul Mick, "Alan was one of the founding fathers of the Philly indie rock and singer-songwriter movement. His music was relevant when it was being created and committed to vinyl a quarter century ago, and not only sounds fresh today but maybe even better."

Holiday Songs Wanted For HOSPICE Awareness Project

Volunteer Records have announced an open-call for submissions of (winter) holiday-themed songs for their second collection in their Ho Ho Ho Spice series. All sounds from a rock/folk base, and artists of all levels of popularity (or lack there of), are welcome to enter material.

Ho Ho Ho Spice is an on-going project that utilizes holiday music to enlighten people of the support available through Hospicea mode of medically directed care, that comforts patients, and their families, confronting the final stages of any life-ending illness, not just cancer.

As the collection's eclectic sounds will promote holiday cheer the liner-notes educate about hospice. This odd pairing was conceived by Spiro Ballas, a Volunteer Coordinator for Saint Barnabas Hospice and Palliative Care Center. "Ho Ho Ho Spice allows me to bridge my past with my present," said Ballas, who published a music tabloid for several years during the late 80's and early 90's. He added, "Plus, I hope that the mix will make learning about hospice less heavy and frightening."

Net proceeds will be donated to the two hospices in the Saint Barnabas Health Care System (New Jersey): Van Dyke Hospice (Toms River) and Saint Barnabas Hospice and Palliative Care Center (Millburn).

Pop Head Music, LLC Licenses Rich Millett's "Ugly Radio" For Use In MTV Television Shows

Pop Head Music, LLC (ASCAP), the music publishing company for Rich Millett announced that it has signed a licensing agreement with Bunim/Murray Productions to allow the use of material from "Ugly Radio" to be used on the television shows they produce for MTV Networks. Bunim/Murray Productions is responsible for the production of several television shows including "Real World", "Road Rules" and "Making The Band".

"We are excited that MTV's production company has chosen "Ugly Radio" said Mike Shamus, spokesman for the company. MTV is the home of today's music culture so we are proud they have selected our music to accompany their productions."