According to Hits, Richard Branson sold its stake in V2 Records to Morgan Stanley. Branson, an English entrepreneur best known for Virgin supposedly chose its name because a female friend involved in setting up the initial record label commented “We’re all virgins at business“. Branson who is known for his outlandish media events has signed such groups as The Sex Pistols and Culture Club. Branson is currently working a new space tourism company, Virgin Galactic, which will license the technology behind SpaceShipOne to take passengers into suborbital space.
We hear Branson is working on a compilation called “See You On the Moon”……….
Former Wind-Up artist Alterbridge is currently in negotiations with several majors. Expect a deal to be made rather soon. For more information email Jeff Cameron & Randy Dease.Â
Indie critic’s darling Jeff Klein is currently working on new demos for his third album, recently free from his One Little Indian recording contract, he’s currently entertaining offers from several labels. Klein will be on tour in the U.S. in May & June as the support act for The Twilight Singers. He’s toured with Joseph Arthur, The Honorary Title & People In Planes in 2006. For more information contact Keith Hagan at 212-334-6116. Â
KOAR Higher Learning artist My Favorite Highway is heading to NYC and will be performing private showcases for majors. For more information email Dan Friedman
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“MTV, the US cable television music channel owned by Viacom, will launch a digital music download service on Wednesday designed to compete with Apple Computer’s highly popular iTunes service.”
“The service, called ‘Urge’, will use Microsoft’s latest Media Player technology and represents perhaps the most serious challenge to Apple’s dominance of the legal digital music download market to date.”
“While other rival music download services have had limited success, none has had the marketing muscle of MTV behind it or been as tightly integrated with Microsoft’s technology – the latest version of Windows Media Player software will launch along with Urge this week.” Read the full article.
Somewhere between indie and mainstream, between emo and pop/rock, you’ll find My Favorite Highway. Quickly expanding their fanbase through polished and exhilirating performances as well as the spread of their self-released EP ‘The Pre-Release,’ My Favorite Highway are rapidly becoming the unsigned band to watch. With their unique spin, MFH somehow sound like The Rocket Summer, Coheed and Cambria, Saves The Day and a number of others without sounding anything like them. Currently in the process of releasing a full-length album and preparing for a tour this summer. For more information contact legal Daniel R. Friedman at 314.497.1060
Expect The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Stadium Arcadium to top 400K+. Looks like the calculated press and public break up will pay off for Nick Lachey who is expected to reach 160k+. KOAR mentioned artist The Outline has signed to Capitol/Fearless.
Hotspur will be showcasing this Wednesday (May 17) at Kenny’s Castaways in NYC with multiple labels attending, Hollywood, Octone, Warner & Virgin just to name a few.
Fermata will be releasing their new cd ‘Vessel’ this Thursday (May 18) at The Whiskey in LA. Open to industry. Fermata takes the stage at 10pm. For more information, contact Steve Augustyn
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