The illegal hack site myspacemp3.org which allowed users to rip streaming audio off of Myspace sites into MP3’s has been suspended. Unfortunately, the thieves are back in town — New illegal hack sites have popped up that allows music thieves to defile themselves with their guilty pleasure.

http://www.downloadhelper.net/
http://www.eches.net/myspace-music/
http://myspacegrab.com/

If I were an artist, I would remove all my songs on Myspace until they can fix these security issues. I would also sue or jail the creator of these sites. A recent spammer was recently imprisoned for up to seven years.  KOAR is asking Myspace to recognize the problem and take immediate action. It would also make sense for Major and indie labels to remove songs on myspace or at least put up 15 seconds of a clip.

Myspace and News Corp. are obligated to tell it’s customers and advertisers that pay thousands of dollars for placements that their music will be free rather than purchased.  Myspace also needs to update their security tools and techniques that prevent hackers.

 

EMI Group’s new owners Terra Firma have ousted Eric Nicoli and shaken-up the music company’s board.

Nicoli, the CEO of EMI Group and EMI Music, has agreed to “step down” ahead of the music major’s expected Sept. 18 de-listing from the London Stock Exchange.

The European equity firm’s managing directors Chris Roling and Ashley Unwin have been inserted into EMI’s board.

Terra Firma is also forming a new governance structure, which will see the EMI board reporting into a new supervisory board chaired by the equity house’s CEO Guy Hands. (Billboard)

 

Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards has demanded an apology from Swedish newspapers for their scathing reviews of the group’s performance in the country earlier this month.

Critics gave thumbs down to the Aug. 3 concert at Ullevi stadium in Goteborg, with Expressen suggesting Richards was “superdrunk” on stage.

“This is a first!” the 63-year-old rock star wrote in a letter published by Stockholm daily Dagens Nyheter. “Never before have I risen to the bait of a bad review.

“But this time … I have to stand up … for our fans all over Sweden … to say that you owe them, and us, an apology.”

“There were 56,000 people in Ullevi stadium who bought a ticket to our concert – and experienced a completely different show than the one you ‘reviewed,'” the letter said.

“How dare you cheapen the experience for them – and for the hundreds of thousands of other people across Sweden who weren’t at Ullevi and have only your ‘review’ to go on.

“Write the truth. It was a good show.”

“I am not going to apologize for my subjective opinion,” Larsson told the paper’s Web edition on Wednesday. “It is Keith who should apologize. After all it costs around 1,000 kronor ($145) to see a rock star who can hardly handle the (guitar) riff to ‘Brown Sugar’ any more.”

It appears controversial site AllOfMP3 will appear in the near future. AllofMP3 sells non-protected audio formats at a significantly lower cost than other online music stores — it also operates illegally and engage in music piracy. Of course AllofMP3’s previous CEO was not guilty of breaching Russian copyright laws, and therefore the AllofMP3 service was legal. Russia receive royalties for the use of foreign artistic works, but never pass on that money to the artists or music companies, according to the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers. These collecting agencies are thieves and frauds because they accept money while pretending to represent artists,” said Eric Baptiste, director general of the confederation. “They play off a bizarre aspect of the Russian law that we are lobbying to change.”

The Escape Frame have signed with Immortal Records. (AP)

CD Baby is now selling MP3 album downloads at its website.

It looks like Apple will release a new IPod September 5th….

Father-In-Law: Boycott Winehouse Albums….

Reviews and ticket sales have been mixed for the old time rockers including The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Genesis, the Who, the Police and Black Sabbath who have been hitting Germany’s concert circuit.

Older rockstars touring Germany are part of a wider trend as bands try to compensate for falling record sales, but never before have so many old-established acts swept the country, known for its loyal rock fans, efficient organization and high ticket sales.

“You can see the trend most clearly in Germany,” said Christian Diekmann, chief operating officer at Deutsche Entertainment — one of Germany’s main concert organizers

“It’s got Europe’s biggest economy and the most purchasing power,” he told Reuters. “There are good-sized cities across the country and they all have football stadiums or good venues.”

“The question is ‘why are they bothering?’,” said Harald Peters, culture editor and music critic. “Some of these groups are just plain burned out. Others are just old and boring.

“They’re getting torn to shreds in reviews. I’m not saying all of them should have stopped at 40. But with some, it’s so bizarre and you wonder why. Do they need the money? Didn’t they get an education? Can’t they do anything else for a living?” CONTINUE READING