The rights deal for the new MediaWorks C4 spin-off C42 looks interesting. As much as I can decipher it, it means that conventional rights income will not accrue to tracks from Independent Music NZ member companies. But there will be some money, along with robust airplay for IMNZ catalogues? Can someone help me out with this one?
[Update: spoke to Damian Vaughn from IMNZ about how the C42 deal works.
No money changes hands -- the quid pro quo is a share of C42 advertising inventory on the channel, which can be used by members of IMNZ and PPNZ.
The arrangement was Mediaworks' initiative -- they brought it to IMNZ, who consulted with PPNZ (which collects on behalf of IMNZ members).
It now forms part of PPNZ's blanket TV deal with Mediaworks, but this particular agreement applies only to C42.
Damian couldn't confirm the exactly level of the "high proportion" of IMNZ member artists to air on the channel, but said the arrangement is favourable to IMNZ, whose members want their music videos played on a music channel.
It seems like a practical arrangement.]
The deal comes at an interesting time, given that commercial broadcasters are muttering about bypassing Phonographic Performances New Zealand and negotiating rights agreements directly with music labels if PPNZ sticks to its demand for increased performance fees. I'll believe that when it happens, but I can't see it coming off.
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Like Ben Gracewood, I have an invite to next Tuesday's briefing from TVNZ and Sony Electronic Entertainment. He's picking that Sony's PlayTV system for the PS3 is finally getting Freeview compatibility. But if that was the case wouldn't it be a Freeview announcement?
My wild guess is that perhaps it relates to a PS3 application that plays TVNZ ondemand. That would certainly work for me.
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Meanwhile, LCD Soundsystem are streaming their new album, This Is Happening, in advance of its May 17 release. Sweet.
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Go get 'History Town' by Mos Def With Desmond Dekker & The Aces, from the Mos Dub mash-up album by Max Tannone. It's gorgeous.
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Dubdotdash has some local info on International Record Store Day.
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The Guardian published the Glastonbury 2010 lineup yesterday. It's extraordinary.
The main stage has U2, Muse and Stevie Wonder headlining on successive nights, but the "Other Stage" lineup -- The Flaming Lips, Hot Chip, Florence and the Machine, La Roux, Phoenix all on the Friday, and the Pet Shop Boys, Orbital, LCD Soundsystem and Grizzly Bear over the next two nights – is more exciting. Other stages feature Mos Def, George Clinton, Jerry Dammers Spatial aka Orchestra, Toots and the Maytals, Dr John, The Xx and On-U Sound. Blimey. Wouldn't mind being there …
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Musical nerdery incoming …
Many readers will be familiar with R.E.M.'s 'Superman', from the 1986 album Life's Rich Pageant. Some of you may know that it's a cover version of 1969 b-side by the obscure Texas group The Clique, who even have an official MySpace page.
Here it is:
But did y'all know that Roger Troutman, the late founder of funk masters Zapp, recorded this killer version of the same song in 1998, for a proposed movie version of Superman starring (yes, really) Nicholas Cage?
The movie never got made (and Roger was shot dead by his brother the following year) but the track is a monster. Thanks to Jordan, of 95bfm's Thursday 7-9 show, for alerting me to its existence. Just quietly, there's a link here.
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And the next big thing is … cats with iPads.
PS: This just in! Matt Gibbons of misshapenfeatures has a new mash-up online. You may recognise some of the source material ...