Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Something up with Apple?

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  • Tomorrowpeople,

    Speaking of Blowfish Sushi, I went to the one in West Hollywood and it was very good indeed. Those US-based sushi chefs really know how to make the stuff - much more adventurous than the standard 'sushi' we get in NZ.

    Didn't see Julian Lennon which was a bonus.

    The Craps tables at the B… • Since Nov 2006 • 188 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Speaking of Blowfish Sushi, I went to the one in West Hollywood and it was very good indeed. Those US-based sushi chefs really know how to make the stuff - much more adventurous than the standard 'sushi' we get in NZ.

    Yep, I went to the San Francisco one, and it was not at all yer standard sushi house. Great cocktails, too. I'm just glad it was a freebie, because we'd have been up for a bloody big bill that night ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Tomorrowpeople,

    Jalpeno chilis in anything is good by me!

    The Craps tables at the B… • Since Nov 2006 • 188 posts Report Reply

  • Compie,

    now way off task,

    dry ribs at cactus club vancouver

    Dunedin/Vancouver • Since Nov 2006 • 114 posts Report Reply

  • Tomorrowpeople,

    If I could actually spell that would be good.

    The Craps tables at the B… • Since Nov 2006 • 188 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    If I could actually spell that would be good.

    Don't worry. Your job is making pictures. Leave the spelling to us.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Tomorrowpeople,

    I have to be able to spell too!

    So, what do you get when Bono goes to Blowfish Sushi and launches iTunes?


    "iBlow" of course!

    The Craps tables at the B… • Since Nov 2006 • 188 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    I would assume a NZ iTunes store would be run off shore ie Australia with content uploaded to them for inclusion, and, possibly have a NZ-based staff member to license content.

    this is complicated by the fact that one of the major labels does not report to Australia (EMI) therefore its royalty stream from NZ sales cannot go through the OZ Opco. So the accounting for their acts would need to be treated separately if the sales came out of NZ.

    Then there is the mechanical (songwriting) royalty which is still, I think, at a different rate for NZ and Australian sales, so all sales originating from the NZ side of the pond would need to be treated differently if it was simply a part of the Australian store. And then of course there are the NZ indies, some members of IMNZ, some not. Our industry in NZ is still quite different to the Australian one, its not just a matter of plugging in.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • Chris Bell,

    this is complicated by the fact that one of the major labels does not report to Australia (EMI) therefore its royalty stream from NZ sales cannot go through the OZ Opco.

    [...]

    Then there is the mechanical (songwriting) royalty which is still, I think, at a different rate for NZ and Australian sales, so all sales originating from the NZ side of the pond would need to be treated differently if it was simply a part of the Australian store.

    Again, these are just IT middleware problems. In Europe, GEMA and the other societies or IFPI would intervene, the income would be collected and distributed once agreement had been reached.

    There are people out there smart enough to solve these problems - it's not the first time they've had to work with different percentages, members and non-members of various industry bodies. The industry has been shortsighted to have focused on the differences instead of problem solving. Meanwhile, industry entropy looms.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 49 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    I agree it's not insurmountable but its hard to overstate the panic out there in major record label land...witness the suits against MySpace and YouTube from UMG. The thought of losing a small percentage of turnover through a software glitch..well its hard to overstate.

    The entropy described in the Slate story is nothing new...as the story points out Bridgeport has been around since 1969 and there are plenty of others out there...but the granddaddy of them all is Allen Klein, the ultimate parasite..he makes the likes of Bridgeport and Morris Levy look like amateurs. His swoop on Bittersweet Symphony is a case in example.

    When we released How Bizarre he rang PolyGram Music Publishing who were administering it on our behalf, and threatened a law suit (he controls the Spector copyrights including Spanish Harlem which has a passing...no I can't put it in writing). I was in the Sydney office at the time and Roger Grierson, the MD came running thru grinning..we are gonna have a hit! The fact that Klein had rang and threatened was evidence of that...he sniffs around everywhere.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • Alst,

    http://10layers.com/2006/11/itunes-new-zealand-ready-to-launch/

    here we go, here we go, here we go.......

    New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 8 posts Report Reply

  • Compie,

    Nice,

    now all I have to do is convince myself to get the credit card out of hiding.

    Some of the coolest things out of iTunes stores are the lists. Maybe I am a list kind of guy, perhaps in some inane need for acceptance of groups or some other sociological/psychological need, but in the vein of the lead character Rob of the movie High Fidelity, I like lists and top 5 lists.

    So in the absence of a NZ iTunes store I check out the UK one from time to time, if nothing else to check out the lists.

    A particularly cool list going at the moment is 50 great British albums. And having 32 of the 50, I guess I am a BritPop kinda guy.

    http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewRoom?fcId=206095618&pageType=playlists&id=130

    Dunedin/Vancouver • Since Nov 2006 • 114 posts Report Reply

  • Jeremy Matthews,

    Maybe we're getting a proper Apple presence as well. Apple.co.nz dns info was changed today. It is now registered to Apple Australia as well, the same people that bought itunes.co.nz

    Christchurch, New Zealand… • Since Nov 2006 • 29 posts Report Reply

  • Tomorrowpeople,

    I was wondering - do I buy shares in Renassiance or not - lol

    The Craps tables at the B… • Since Nov 2006 • 188 posts Report Reply

  • Gary Hutchings,

    Maybe we're getting a proper Apple presence as well. Apple.co.nz dns info was changed today. It is now registered to Apple Australia as well, the same people that bought itunes.co.nz

    curiouser and curiouser,

    wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 108 posts Report Reply

  • Jeremy Matthews,

    I also see that there was a company registered on the 20-Mar-2006 called Apple Sales New Zealand. Of which the single shareholder is Apple Australia. The directors are two Australians and the Apple CFO.

    Christchurch, New Zealand… • Since Nov 2006 • 29 posts Report Reply

  • Compie,

    How do you people find out this shit.

    Keep it up :-)

    Dunedin/Vancouver • Since Nov 2006 • 114 posts Report Reply

  • Chris Bell,

    http://10layers.com/2006/11/itunes-new-zealand-ready-to-launch/

    here we go, here we go, here we go.......

    Really? Nothing happened while U2 was in the country, though - or are they still here, hanging around, like the rest of us...? iTunes is trying to take me directly to the Australian store when I sign in.

    Yawn. It's déjà vu all over again.

    Cute icon, though. :-)

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 49 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    I know U2 have an iPod tie in but I would doubt that their contract, negotiated by a third party on their behalf, includes them doing a iTunes launch in NZ. I would imagine that's the last thing on their mind frankly.

    I can just imagine McGuiness trying to sell them on that on on the plane here.

    I may be wrong but Dec 3 still stands as the most likely date, as Russell said elsewhere

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • Tomorrowpeople,

    McGuniness: "Righto boys, Apple NZ want you to go to Sylvia Park Noel Leemings and launch the NZ iTunes store".

    Bono: "Fook that, ya Irish tw*t! We're back over to Mercury Island to drink the rest of Fay's wine cellar!".

    The Craps tables at the B… • Since Nov 2006 • 188 posts Report Reply

  • Jeremy Matthews,

    There are some more changes today. Apple.co.nz was last modified at 0415 this morning, still has the Clear DNS servers as primary and secondary.

    http://www.apple.com/nz now redirects to http://www.apple.co.nz it used to provide a 404 error.

    nserver.apple.com now has DNS information for apple.co.nz listed. This wasn't the case previously. The IP listed is the same as that for apple.com.au and it is also using the Apple Australia mail server.

    Make from that what you want.

    Christchurch, New Zealand… • Since Nov 2006 • 29 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I'm given to understand that we very nearly saw something significant happen at www.apple.co.nz this week, but there was a hitch. Next week then ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Tomorrowpeople,

    The site seems faster....

    The Craps tables at the B… • Since Nov 2006 • 188 posts Report Reply

  • Jeremy Matthews,

    Quite interesting that today is the 28th (in the US) which is the first date that you mentioned. A large number of the stores are offering sales on 1st Dec, it sure would be nice if we got to be a part of that.

    If not we must wait for next Thursday that Russell also you mentioned was the new date.

    Christchurch, New Zealand… • Since Nov 2006 • 29 posts Report Reply

  • Wammo,

    So does anyone have any ideas on how much individual songs or full albums will go for? The Australian store prices are very reasonable, I was one of the lucky ones with an account in city "New Zealand".

    I'd be very dissappointed if the New Zealand record companies have negotiated Apple up to $30 an album.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 42 posts Report Reply

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