Born in Melbourne, Australia, Katie Cole recently relocated to Los Angeles to record her full-length record with producer Howard Willing (OK Go, The Smashing Pumpkins, Civet, Cheap Trick) who sent her an email after stumbling across her demos on the web. Katie falls between Sheryl Crow and Sara Bareilles. She will be performing for labels this Thursday in Los Angeles at The Viper Room. Check out the track Always. For more information contact justinrube@gmail.com

Chicago emo act Danger Is My Middle Name will be showcasing for labels on April 23rd at Arlenes Grocery.

Danger Is My Middle Name has hit the ground running after members of well known Chicago bands, (August Premier, Blacktop Mourning, The White Tie Affair, and Witroy), decided to form a group that was dedicated and hard working right from the start. In 2007, The band recorded a two song EP with producer Mike Hari (Witroy, Triumph & Parade, The Alumni Club). Later in March 2007, the band recorded a 3 song EP with Matt Kirkwold (Lucky Boys Confusion, American Taxi), as DIMN was added to Summerfest 2008 and Warped Tour 2008. Our favorite track is Home. For more information contact danielrfriedman@aol.com

Empire of the Sun is a 1984 novel by J. G. Ballard, but it’s also a electroacoustic act that are rooted in Australia. There debut album album Walking On A Dream was released February 16th via Capitol Records. The album debut at #21 on the UK album chart and the album and single Walking On A Dream went platinum in Australia. The new single We Are The People will be released in the UK on May 4th.

Flashback: Pet Shop Boys – West End Girls

Los Angeles singer songwriter Jay Nash who falls into folk rock has a string of dates in California. Check out the track Statues and Memories. For more information contact karl.rybacki@songwisemusic.com

The founders of file-sharing website The Pirate Bay have been charged for breaking copyright laws and have been sentenced to a year in prison in Sweden for helping millions of users download music, movies and games.

Some believe that this landmark trial could be the initial first step in ending illegal downloading which has cost entertainment companies billions of dollars.

“The four were also ordered to pay $3.6 m (£2.4m) in damages to copyright holders, including Warner Brothers, MGM, Columbia Pictures, 20th Century Fox Films, Sony and Universal, according to Swedish media reports.” (Telegraph)

File sharing sites like Pirate Bay diminishes the value of music , undermines investment in music, and do nothing to reward artists and creators.