AMPLITUDE The LOOP Music Emailer

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AMPLITUDE
The LOOP Music Emailer

11 April 2000

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News
Events
Review

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NEWS

MCCARTNEY AFTER MORE CASH

Paul McCartney's publishing company has joined the Recording Industry Association of America in filing suit against MP3.com, claiming that the online music company's My.MP3.com service violates copyright law. The suit - filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York - contends that My.MP3.com, which allows users to store and manage CD collections online, violates copyrights because it has "systematically copied tracks from over 80,000 copyrighted audio CDs onto its servers". My.MP3.com users therefore download "these infringing copies and not, as defendant has misrepresented to consumers, the user's own CDs," according to the suit. The publishers call this "a cynical attempt to exploit the value of famous songs without the copyright owners' consent." Litigants are asking the court to order the removal of their copyrighted works and pay damages of $150,000 per infringed work. (Launch)

MP3.NET.NZ

MP3.net.nz is finally up and running. Over 30 New Zealand artists all have their own page and features, including Joel Haines, Fang and The Racketeers. A chart measures the top songs downloaded, and steaming and downloading of songs is imminent. Selling music direct from the site is still a wee way off, but for the moment all those registered go in the draw to win an mp3 player pack before Easter. At http://www.mp3.nz.net.nz

Further afield, EMusic.com has announced that its inventory of 90,000 MP3 tracks is now available for purchase and download through co-branded websites, including ICQ (http://www.icq.com), Winamp (http://www.winamp.com) and Spinner.com (http://www.spinner.com).

TEENYBOPPER.NET

The brothers from the group Hanson - Isaac, Taylor and Zac - are now just a click away from the fans and paedophiles who find them irresistible. On Thursday, the band will launch http://www.hanson.net, a full-service ISP (internet service provider). The site provides dial-up access for $14.95 a month and offers users a 'virtual backstage pass' to the group's upcoming tour. The site, described as "a totally interactive online destination for Hanson fans," debuts on the eve of the release of Hanson's new album, This Time Around. The site is the latest creation from rocker David Bowie's entertainment internet company UltraStar Internet Services. (AP, LA)

PLAID-CLAD PERVERT

Former Bay City Rollers drummer Derek Longmuir was spared jail time after admitting to possession of child pornography. An Edinburgh Sheriff Court judge in Scotland sentenced the 48-year-old Longmuir to 300 hours of community service after he confessed to having indecent films, videos and photos at his home. Longmuir has said that although the items were in his possession, they belonged to a friend. He did, however, admit to downloading four indecent pictures from the internet onto his computer, reports the BBC. When police raided Longmuir's home last August, they seized more than 150 videos, six projector reels and 73 floppy discs. More than 1,000 images were retrieved, with 117 containing sexual activity involving children. Two computers were also examined and police found more than 6,000 images - many containing children - in a file. Following the allegations, the ex-drummer - now a nurse - was suspended from his job. His position at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary is now being reconsidered. The plaid-clad Bay City Rollers had several hits in the mid-'70s, including 'I Only Want To Be With You' and 'Saturday Night'. Rumours that Longmuir is a fan of pop group Hanson are unconfirmed.

PRINCE WILLIAM IN GAY KARAOKE SHOCK

Prince William and three classmates from Eton College performed a karaoke version of the Village People's hit song YMCA at a hotel bar during a school trip to the north of England. Queen Elizabeth II's 17-year-old grandson was among 40 Eton students who stayed at the Crossways Hotel in Thornley, northeast England, hotel owner John Hudson told the news agency Press Association. "On Thursday night we were holding our usual karaoke evening when William leant over to me and suggested we make it into a challenge match - with the Eton pupils representing the south (of England) and our regulars representing the north," said Hudson.

HEADLESS CHICKENS NAMESAKE IMMORTALISED

For 18 months in the 1940s, Mike the headless chicken appeared to be immortal. Mike belonged to Colorado farmer Lloyd Olsen, who had planned to put the rooster into a cooking pot. He lopped off the chicken's head at the base of the skull, but Mike just fluffed up his feathers - although he could only go through the motions of pecking for food. He was still alive the next morning. When Mike was still alive a week later, Olsen took him to University of Utah scientists, who theorized Mike had enough of a brain stem left to live headless. Last week the beheaded rooster was immortalised in a 4-foot metal sculpture in his hometown of Fruita, Colorado. (AP, Colorado)

HUMAN INSTINCT

Were they influential in developing a unique Kiwi style or just a noisy bunch of rockers best forgotten? Are they counter culture heros that deserved greater recocgnition than they got? A book on the group, based around interviews with Maurice Greer, Billy TK, band members and industry onlookers is being put together. Contact author Keith Newman (wordman@wordworx.co.nz) if you're interested.

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EVENTS

BASS FRONTIERS

Friday 7 April 2000, Studionine, Edward St, Wellington Mr Steel and Medelin are in Welli, direct from the shady back alleys of Christchurch. These selectors have been doing their thing for a few years now, most recently Mr Steel supported Goldie and Medelin supported Randall. In support will be local breaks doctors Conspiracy and B-Low. You are urged you not to miss what will undoubtably be another night of intense drum and bass pressure, building up to the visit by Grooverider and MC GQ at the end of April. $10 on the door from 11pm

JACKIN PRESENTS... ONION

Saturday 15th April, Studionine, Edward St, Wellington Stinky grooves to make you sweat. With Chris Cox, John Saunders, JP Flex. $10 on the door http://www.whatisjackin.com

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REVIEW

ALGORYTHM 2 (Reliable Records)

The latest release from the Kog crew follows up the enormous success of the first Algorythm compilation. So successful in fact, that new imprint Reliable Records has been set up with the sole aim of releasing NZ house tunes on vinyl. Good idea, that. Algorythm 2 is a compilation of broadly-defined house music, hitting the shelves right after Easter. Some sounds a bit too familiar (Greg Churchill's remix of Subware's Disco Hoopla is far too deja-vu), but most tracks are new and the overall sound is more varied than the first compilation. Standout track: Kingsland Housing Project's 'He's in Fashion'. Very nice indeed. Algorythm 2 is out on April 26. Watch out for the nation-wide release tour in early June.

We have one copy of Algorythm 2 to give away to the first person to tell us the name of the album that Subware's Disco Hoopla originally appeared on. Email office@loop-e.com with the subject line 'Algorythm 2'.

ENDS

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