BMG and KKR Scoop ZZ Top
JAPANESE BREAKFAST’S ELECTRIC LADY
Following their critically acclaimed 2021 album, Jubilee, SESAC’s Japanese Breakfast has released their exclusive Spotify EP, Live at Electric Lady. Alongside string accompaniment, the album has stripped-down versions of “Be Sweet,” “Savage Good Boy” and “Tactics,” as well as a cover of Weezer’s “Say It Ain’t So.”
GOOD TO BE KEB’ MO’
Sharing time between Nashville, TN and Compton, CA over the past year, blues singer-songwriter Keb’ Mo’ (aka Kevin Moore) has released LP, Good To Be, featuring collaborations including Darius Rucker, Kristin Chenoweth and Old Crow Medicine Show. Keb’ Mo’ is currently on tour through July 2022.
Following the announcement of their partnership last Spring, music label and publisher BMG and investment firm KKR have teamed up to acquire “music interests” of ZZ Top for an estimated $50 million. The deal includes full publishing rights, recording and performance royalties. Selling over 50 million albums worldwide, ZZ Top’s hits include “Tush,” “Cheap Sunglasses,” “Gimme All Your Lovin” and “Legs.” BMG was previously copublisher and administrator for the band and ZZ Top’s Manager, Carl Stubner (owner of Shelter Music Group—who partnered with BMG as an investor in late 2019), is also manager for Mick Fleetwood, who sold his royalties to BMG early last year.
New Public Domain Material
As part of 2018’s Music Modernization Act, 40,000 early sound recordings will enter the public domain this year. Copyright protections for recordings before 1923 expired as of January 1, 2022. Many of the songs touch on women’s suffrage (“She’s Good Enough to Be Your Baby’s Mother and She’s Good Enough to Vote with You”), prohibition (“Everybody Wants a Key to My Cellar” by Broadway star, Bert Williams), and early blues (“Crazy Blues” by Mamie Smith).
Warner Adds Bowie
With a price tag upwards of $250 million, Warner Chappell Music (WCM) has acquired global publishing rights to the entire David Bowie Estate music catalog, covering songs from Bowie’s 26 studio albums, two Tin Machine studio albums, and numerous singles—including top hits, “Space Oddity,” “Changes,” “Modern Love,” and “Let’s Dance.” Posthumous album, Toy, is also included in the agreement. The WCM deal follows last year’s global licensing agreement with the Bowie Estate wherein Warner secured worldwide licensing rights to Bowie’s entire catalog, which go into full effect in 2023.
Desmond Child Fantasy Camp
David Fishof’s Songwriting Fantasy Camp will take place April 7-10 in Nashville, with participants gathering to learn, write and perform with legends from all over the world and present in front of top producers and writers. Running four full days, the camp will include writing and co-writing with fellow campers, as well as critiques and assistance from professional songwriting mentors. Talent this year includes Grammy-winning hitmaker, Desmond Child (best known for “Livin’ On A Prayer,” “You Give Love A Bad Name,” “I Was Made for Lovin’ You” and “Dude Looks Like A Lady”), joined by iconic songwriters including Emmylou Harris, John Hiatt, Marti Frederiksen (Aerosmith), Felix Cavaliere (The Rascals), Damon Johnson (Stevie Nicks, Santana), Steve Cropper (STAX Records, Otis Redding). All levels of songwriters are welcome. More at: rockcamp.com/ fantasy-camp-songwriting.php
The CCC and NFTs
1921... BLACK WALL STREET MUSIC
DARKEST DAYS’ SNAKES & LADDERS
With breakneck drumming and technical riffs, Quebec’s skatepunk band, Our Darkest Days, deliver Snakes & Ladders via Thousand Island/Lockjaw, following Set It Back (2014) and A Common Agony (2016). The new LP includes guests Steve Rawles, Étienne Dionne, Geir Pedersen and Valérie Morin. 28
February 2022
musicconnection.com
A new generation of musicians celebrates the spirit of rebuilding following the 1921 Tulsa massacre in compilation album, 1921…The Black Wall Street Music Project (via Isotopia Records). It includes songs and spoken word of O’Malley B, Branjae, Taylor Hanson, Majeste Pearson, Kode Ransom and Wayman Tisdale.
The California Copyright Conference presents “WTF Are NFTs: What You Need To Know Now FTW!” on Tuesday, March 22 from 7:30 pm to 9pm at Catalina Jazz Club for a dinner and panel discussion about Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), the digital media space, and its impact on the music industry. Explanations of NFTs, as well as legal and ownership considerations for creatives will be discussed. The evening will be moderated by CCC Board Member, Jane Bushmaker, with panelist announced soon. For details and registration go to theccc.org/ events/wtf-are-nfts-what-youneed-to-know-now-ftw
