Partnership with Turntable.fm with giveaways for Diplo, Flying Lotus, A-Trak, ?uestlove events at SXSW* -

Turntable.fm does SXSW 2012

Turntable.fm blasted into the music scene just after last year’s SXSW conference –since they missed the party in 2011, the human-powered social music service is making up for it in a big way.  Turntable.fm is happy to announce its SXSW debut featuring such heavy hitters as Diplo, ?uestlove, A-Trak, Flying Lotus, Araabmuzik and more performing at two high-profile concert events at SXSW on March 10 and 15, 2012.

The Event:

Thursday, March 15 – Music Event (8pm – 2am)
Venue: 1100 E. 5th St, Austin
Diplo / A-Trak / ?uestlove / Araabmuzik /
Jimmy Stack / Nick Hook / The Jane Doze

Tickets: If you would like to go please send a email to contests@theconfluencegroup.com  and put X-RoVision or SoulPublicRadio 3/15 in subject line.

Roc-A-Fella Republican

Two Florida state representatives got into a debate over the lyrics to Jay-Z’s “99 Problems” on the floor of the Florida House of Representatives Wednesday while discussing an amendment to the Florida Evidence Code regarding allowing certain types of hearsay as evidence:

REP. ALAN B. WILLIAMS: I think one of the reasons why were supporting the amendment is because we got such a warm and fuzzy farewell from you to set the mood to support this amendment. To go even further, you think about a wise businessman. He even said he knows his rights. And Jay-Z…I think Jay-Z said it best and I’m going to quote for you. “I know my rights and you’re going to need a warrant for that.” And he even went further, “Aren’t you sharp as a tack, are you a lawyer or something?” Members, when you look at it, support this. If you support Jay-Z, support this amendment. Thank you.

SPEAKER DEAN CANNON: I must respectfully disagree with a correction, Rep. Williams. In the song, it was the officer who said, “Aren’t you sharp as a tack?” or something. “You should try for lawyer or something,” so I got you on that. It’s an unspoken rule, if you’re going to invoke Jay-Z, you must get the lyrics correct. I’m not sure Jay-Z would support this amendment.

Both representatives misquote the lyrics. It is the cop that asks the question, as Cannon says, but Williams has the actual line correct:

(COP) Do you mind if I look round the car a little bit?

(JAY-Z) Well, my glove compartment is locked, so is the trunk in the back,

And I know my rights so you gonna need a warrant for that.

(COP) Aren’t you sharp as a tack? You some type of lawyer or something,

Somebody important or something?

via Roc-A-Fella Republican | Washington Free Beacon.

Erykah Badu Concert In Malaysia Canceled Over Her ‘Allah’ Tattoo, Report Says | Fox News

Music – ENTERTAINMENTErykah Badu concert in Malaysia canceled over her ‘Allah’ tattoo.

. A publicity photo of Erykah Badu has gotten the singer, and the newspaper that published it, in trouble in Malaysia.Badu had her concert canceled by the Kuala Lumpur’s Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry when a photo showing a tattoo of the Aarabic word “Allah” written on Badu’s upper body was published in the Malaysian newspaper The Star, BBC News reports.A Malaysian official reportedly called the photo “an insult to Islam.”The Star has already issued an apology, BBC News reports, calling the publication of the photo “inadvertent.”"We deeply regret any offence caused to Muslims and sincerely apologize for the oversight,” the paper said on Tuesday.Badu, already in Kuala Lumpur for the concert, is reportedly “worried and dismayed.”Tattoos are a no-no in Islam, as is using the word “Allah” in any way deemed disrespectful. Malaysia is predominantly Muslim.There were already protesters outside The Star offices when the paper issued its apology, BBC News reports.

via Erykah Badu Concert In Malaysia Canceled Over Her ‘Allah’ Tattoo, Report Says | Fox News.

Music Fan Owes $675,000 For Illegal Downloads, Court Rules | Fox News

Music Fan Owes $675,000 for Illegal Downloads, Court RulesPublished September 19, 2011| FoxNews.com Print Email Share Comments Text Size Pirate FlagWikipediaEnjoy that song: It’ll cost you.In 2009, a Boston jury downgraded a ruling against Joel Tenenbaum for illegally downloading music files from $675,000 to just $67,500, deeming the original penalty “unconstitutionally excessive.”Not so fast, an appeals court has ruled.On Friday, following pleas for further leniency from Tenenbaum and indignant filings from the Recording Industry Association of America RIAA, a federal appeals court revisited the ruling — and decided Tenenbaum ought to pay.“We affirm the finding of liability against Tenenbaum and in favor of plaintiffs,” U.S. Circuit Chief Judge Sandra Lynch said in the written opinion released Friday — reinstating the $675,000 judgment against Tenenbaum, a 28-year-old graduate student pursuing a physics PhD at Boston University.A spokesman for the RIAA did not respond to FoxNews.com requests for comment.”We’re pls’ed the crt agreed that the finding of liability was correct and that the d crt erred in finding the verdict unconst,” wrote Jonathan Lamy, senior vice president of communications for RIAA, on Twitter.Tenenbaum’s lawyers argued that federal copyright laws and the Digital Theft Deterrence Act were not meant to target consumers. Lawyers representing the recording industry argued that the economic impact of illegal downloading is much greater than the sharing of one song.The case ultimately came down to one of constitutionality, according to the ruling. The appeals court determined that original judge Nancy Gertner did not have the power to reduce damages in a copyright trial.There’s one ray of hope for Tanenbaum, however: an open question about just how the Copyright Act is being applied.”This case raises concerns about application of the Copyright Act which Congress may wish to examine,” it reads.

via Music Fan Owes $675,000 For Illegal Downloads, Court Rules | Fox News.

The Cost to Release a Superstar Album? $4.65 Million… – Digital Music News

Some investors won’t spend more than a few hundred thousand on a promising startup – especially now. Yet major labels are still pouring millions to push releases and develop artists like this $1.1 million cost for one song. In fact, the IFPI estimates that a newly-signed pop act requires $1 million in capital to break. Similarly, an already-established, superstar artist breaks the bank with roughly $4.65 million invested around an album and related assets. Here’s the estimate from a recently-released, investment-focused IFPI report.

UK Riots: Music & Film Industry Affected by Sony Warehouse Fire — Shocklee Entertainment Universe ● The Future Frequency

A Sony DADC, major distribution warehouse for music and video located North of London in Enfield, was burnt to the ground yesterday during the riots happening throughout the UK. This 3-story, 20,000 square meter warehouse owned by Sony, was a major hub for physical distribution company PIAS and was holding stock for hundreds of independent music labels, many who no doubt will be devastated by this loss.

A fundraiser is being organized to help these businesses. Sadly, this will have a huge effect on physical distribution of music and video as many of these labels may not be able to recover from such a financial impact.

Independent film distributors will also be greatly affected by this as the warehouse also contained the UK’s largest DVD stock.

via UK Riots: Music & Film Industry Affected by Sony Warehouse Fire — Shocklee Entertainment Universe ● The Future Frequency.

Spotify goes to America, gets sued! – Irish Innovation News – Siliconrepublic.com

 

 

European digital music service Spotify, which in recent weeks launched in the US and has close collaborative ties with Facebook, has already become embroiled in a patent suit over the creation and business execution of a digital music service.

Spotify is being sued by a company called PacketVideo Corporation for allegedly breaching its patent for a “device for the distribution of music information in digital form”. The patent in question was filed in 1995 by Swiss Inventor Rolf Brugger – long before Napster came along and Apple brought out its iPod and iTunes – and broadly describes a mechanism for distributing music digitally.

PacketVideo is an early pioneer of streaming audio but is only understood to have acquired the patent in question in recent years.

Where is this all going, patently speaking

The technology industry is built on patents. But it is clear the patent legal battles in America are reaching ridiculous proportions and instead of protecting innovation it is clear this activity will ultimately kill or stifle innovation.

European or Asian firms that want to break into the North American market or bring their technology to Silicon Valley where it can be finessed, matured, repurposed for growth and attract investment, must be thinking twice because of the exploitation of patent laws.

Spotify has more than 10m songs on its database. Users can choose a free-of-charge advertising-backed service or pay a subscription to hear their music without viewing or listening to ads.

Napster co-creator and Facebook’s first president Sean Parker is an investor and managing partner at Spotify.

In recent weeks, it began to emerge that Facebook and Spotify were working together on music integration features that would enable Facebook’s 750m users around the world to stream and share music.

via Spotify goes to America, gets sued! – Irish Innovation News – Siliconrepublic.com.