MYSPACE MUSIC AUSTRALIA LAUNCHES WITHOUT LEADING LOCAL & GLOBAL INDEPENDENT CONTENT

-      Service launches without repertoire from The John Butler Trio, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, The Temper Trap, Midnight Juggernauts, Nick Cave, Sia, Urthboy, Adam Brand, Birds of Tokyo, The Getaway Plan and thousands of independent artists

-      Shock, Inertia, MGM, Liberation/Mushroom and leading global independents excluded from launch.

MySpace’s disregard for the value of independent music has been exposed by yesterday’s Australian launch of MySpace Music prior to having finalised a license with Australia’s leading independent labels and artists.
MySpace Music Australia launched with the support of the four major record labels (Warner, EMI, Sony and Universal) all of whom are venture partners in the service.

The inequity of this situation is clear:
 
·      40% of the equity in MySpace Music is owned by major labels, the rest by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation and its US launch was beset by criticism from leading US and European labels who are still not present on the service.  
 
·      In not finalising an equitable deal with the most important independents in the world, including Australia’s leading companies such as Shock, Inertia, MGM and Liberation/Mushroom, MySpace Music have shown, as they did with the launch of their US service, scant regard for the value of independent rights.
 
·      Approximately 30% of Australia’s market share is independent. This includes artists like The John Butler Trio, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, The Temper Trap, Urthboy, The Herd, Midnight Juggernauts, Bertie Blackman, Adam Brand, Birds of Tokyo, The Getaway Plan, Nick Cave, Sia, Eddy Current Suppression Ring, The Drones and thousands of others. NONE OF WHOM ARE AVAILABLE FOR STREAMING ON MYSPACE MUSIC.

While it is acknowledged that MySpace has immeasurably changed the music landscape, it cannot be forgotten that its success was built on the back of millions of independent artists.

At the launch of their US service in 2008[1] .. , Charles DeWolfe’s (Founder and CEO of MySpace) comments that “indie bands are really the heart of MySpace” took on an air of hypocrisy when MySpace launched without the major independents  represented by independents global licensing agency Merlin - which collectively represents 10% of all music sales , including the world’s largest indies such as Beggars Group, Epitaph Records, PIAS, Koch/E1, Cooking Vinyl and Domino and Australia’s leading independent labels Shock, Inertia and Liberation.

Since then the venture has attracted much criticism in the USA for its lack of commercial success, including comments by its venture partners such as Warner Chairman Edgar Bronfman Jr who branded the service “Disappointing”[2] .. .
The deal offered to independents means the venture’s major label partners, who together dominate the market, would profit from independent repertoire without giving independents an equivalent opportunity to share in the venture’s success. The implication being that MySpace considers independent music to be of inherently less value than music owned by the major labels.
 
Said Charles Caldas, Merlin’s CEO: “MySpace Music’s ongoing disregard for the value of independent repertoire is underlined again with this Australian MySpace Music launch. For MySpace, which has build its brand on the breadth and diversity of its music, to launch a service without the valuable global independent repertoire Merlin represents is disappointing enough, but to launch without offering the repertoire of any of the major Australian independents shows an enormous arrogance towards the Australian independent community. 

“As a result, Australian consumers are being presented with a significantly inferior offering via this launch, with a gaping hole left by the local and international companies that have been excluded. For MySpace Music Australia to be successful, the artists we and our Australian members represent must be onboard, and their absence will be instrumental in turning the most active music fans away from the service”

Commented Marcus Seal, Managing Director of Shock Group of Companies: “Whilst MySpace: has played a role in providing access to a diverse range of Australian artists’ music, it has generated huge advertising revenue without any recompense to those from whom it has profited. Shock has worked with thousands of emerging Australian artists and we’re deeply affronted at MySpace’s appalling attitude to this most creative sector of the artistic community”.

Ashley Sellers, PPCA Board Member, Founder of Inertia Records said  Inertia is a proud supporter of Australian independent music and we are extremely disappointed with the disrespect with which MySpace has treated our local independent sector”

David Vodicka, Chairman of The Australian Independent Record Labels Association and Owner of Rubber Records, referring to the fact that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Arts Minister Peter Garret as well as the oppositions leader Malcolm Turnbull and Deputy Oposition leader Julie Bishop have provided personal playlists on the service: “It is extremely disappointing that Australia’s leading politicians have provided their tacit endorsement of this new service, without regard to the rights of Australian independent creators and content owners. Small business within the Australian music industry is the big loser here”   

check out my first podcast, on itunes NOW!

Just a quick update to let you know that the venue for the Bournemouth show on 5 August has changed to Sixty Million Postcards - just up the road at 19 Exeter Rd Bournemouth.

See you all there!

Rossi Boots have sponsored my tours over in WA, which makes them straight-up good people. Now they are helping the Hutt St Centre 'Walk a Mile in My Boots' event, so if you are in the area on Friday get your boots on, or bid on some fancy painted boots to help the homeless:  Walk a Mile in my Boots

Ash in the UK

After the smashing success of his latest Australian national tour, Ash is heading straight back over to the UK. He’ll be playing some major festivals, a couple of his own headline shows in between, a quick trip over to Belgium & to Ireland, and some super special workshops for the International Guitar Foundation in Bath. It's a whirlwind tour, and it's already happening, so check out all the dates on MySpace or go to Ash's Tour page on his website, and don’t miss your last chance this year to see Ash in the UK! Of course there will be facebooking, blogging, myspacing and tweeting all the way, so if you can't make it, you won't miss a thing!

Canadians - Ash is coming!

Without missing a beat after the UK, Ash will be heading straight over to Canada – stay tuned for all the details of that one…

iPhone Grunwald has landed

You may or may not know that Ash’s iPhone is very near and dear to his heart, so for all you iPhone-having, app-addicted Grunwald fans, we have a special little surprise – Ash has his very own iPhone App available in the itunes app store! It has Ash’s best songs available for streaming, pics & videos, you can keep up to date with all his latest gigs, and best of all, you can put your own comments & stuff up on the fan wall for all to see – what more could you ask for, really? It’s all a bit new and exciting and you can be one of the first people to get it! Check it out at the app store now!

See you all at the shows!
Yeeooooooooooooow!


Wed 15 July
LARMER TREE FESTIVAL, Salisbury
www.larmertreefestival.co.uk

Thu 16 July
LARMER TREE FESTIVAL, Salisbury
www.larmertreefestival.co.uk

Fri 17 July
The Jersey Longboard Club, Channel Islands
www.watersplashjersey.com
 
Sat 18 July
LOVE BOX, London
www.lovebox.net

Sun 19 July
SHEEP FESTIVAL, Leominster
www.sheepmusic.info

Thu 23 July
SECRET GARDEN PARTY
www.secretgardenparty.com/2009

Sat 25 July
IGF SUMMER SCHOOL, Bath
www.igf.org.uk

Sun 26 July
IGF SUMMER SCHOOL, Bath
www.igf.org.uk

Mon 27 July
IGF SUMMER SCHOOL, Bath
www.igf.org.uk

Tue 28 July
IGF SUMMER SCHOOL, Bath
www.igf.org.uk

Wed 29 July
IGF SUMMER SCHOOL, Bath
www.igf.org.uk

Thu 30 July
IGF SUMMER SCHOOL, Bath
www.igf.org.uk

Fri 31 July
IGF SUMMER SCHOOL, Bath
www.igf.org.uk

Sat 1 August
CHARLOTTE STREET BLUES, London
www.charlottestblues.com

Wed 5 August
THE WINCHESTER, Bournemouth
tix: 01202555455

Fri 7 August
Relentless Boardmasters ‘Unleashed’ Festival, Newquay
www.relentlessboardmasters.com

Sun 9 August
DRANOUTER FESTIVAL, Belgium
www.folkdranouter.be

Wed 12 August
Whelans, Dublin
www.whelanslive.com

Fri 14 August
SUMMER SUNDAE WEEKENDER, Leicester
www.summersundae.com

Sat 15 August
TELFORDS WAREHOUSE, Chester
www.telfordswarehousechester.com

Sun 16 August
CROISSANT NEUF PARTY, Monmouthshire
http://partyneuf.co.uk/09/

Hey guys,

Ash has just landed in the UK and is ready to rock
some huge shows over there. He's playing everywhere from Newquay to
Newcastle, and even a bit of a trip over to Dublin....check the dates
here for more info: http://www.ashgrunwald.com../tour/?loc=4 - if you are in the UK and you don't get yourself out to see a show, don't you tell us we didn't try to help you out!

And
for those of us back here in Australia, you can catch Ash when he gets
back at the East Coast Blues & Roots Fest in Byron Bay.


YEOOOOOW!

Team Grunwald

I'm sure people are aware of the devastating bushfires affecting Victoria & New South Wales; our thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones and homes, and hats off to the brave men & women that are out there fighting fires. We lost a wonderful friend in the Kinglake bushfires. He stayed in the house to protect his Nephew and Niece and it burned to the ground. I've known Danny Clark for about 8 years; he was a hardcore blues fan. He was always hooking me up with rare Delta Blues recording and could be seen at many a gig hanging out and having a good time. If you look on Youtube, there's an old little film clip of me playing Open Road. Dan shot that one. He had a super mellow nature and was always up for a laugh. My heart goes out to his best mate and co conspirator, Tony. The two were inseparable. I know Tony will be feeling it right now just as much as his parents. Rest in Peace, brother. You will be missed. If there a heaven I hope you're up there drinking moonshine with Son House and Wolf right now. If you are able to help, please dig deep and donate to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund - 1800 811 700 or donate online @ Red Cross

Festival Season is upon us!

The Fish Out Of Water Tour was a massive success and radio and press for the album was the best ever. Thanks to everyone who made those gigs feel like mini festivals, and thanks for making the album Ash's most successful ever.

For  the next couple of months Ash is playing heaps of the best Aussie festivals, and he's taking Benny (with car door & hammer, of course) as well as a couple of the best drummers around - you can catch him and the guys ripping it up at Falls, Southbound, Sunset Sounds and Woodford to name just a few - hope to see you out there!

Chill Island Festival

Guess who's playing at Chill Island in Feb 09? Yep, Ash will be there, and YOU can be too - Phillip Island's Chill Island Festival have announced their full line up, with Ash playing along with Pete Murray, Josh Pyke and some other very cool peeps...

There are tickets still available for you faithful Grunwald fans - if you're interested head over to www.chillisland.org to get details.

The Road Dog Diaries

Ash is still blogging with the best of them, and will definitely be adding some more cool pics and crazy rantings direct from the festivals - check it all out here - http://ashgrunwald.wordpress.com/

People not in Australia

We hear you - England & Canada, look out! Ash is on his way over early 2009 and we guarantee it’ll be worth the wait!!! Check the website for tour updates very soon, and subscribe to the RSS feed to be notified about updates by the magic internet fairies...

Fish Out Of Water out now - go get it if you haven't already and check out the new tour dates on MySpace or Ash's website