Epic Records signs Alkaline Trio who has been a band together for 10 Years. Years ago, these indie bands remained indie on smaller labels, but these types of artists are looking more attractive to major labels who are willing to partner with bands who have built a touring business for themselves. Andy Gershon, Epic’s Executive Vice President, shared his enthusiasm about the signing, saying, “My personal and professional appreciation for Alkaline Trio is immense. They’re the type of band any label would be lucky to partner with: They’re passionate, important, fiercely conscious, and we look forward to expanding the band’s boundaries.”

Rap gets another bad Rap: Sales continue to Plummet:
CNN recently linked the Hip Hop and Rap culture to dog fighting. The recent NFL Star Michael Vick who is charged for a brutal dog fighting ring brought these cruel disgusting acts to light. Hip-hop culture put Vick in this bind,” declared the headline on a recent column in The Kansas City Star. The Humane Society of the United States points to a number of CD’s from rappers and to videos which features a pit bull lunging at the camera. Russel Simmons says the Vick case “is a blessing in the fact that he’s brought this to light, that this is happening in our society.” The question now is “how we handle it now that it’s on the front page.”

EMI Still on the Market: Terra Firma was Forced To Extend EMI Deadline Again and new sources claim that China Mobile is expected to acquire EMI for 3.2 bln stg through Terra Firma. But China Mobile denies the claim. We haven’t heard of any such deal,’ a spokeswoman for the Hong Kong-listed firm said.