MARCH 2002

© Copyright 2002 by SLI - SongLink International
Editor & Publisher: David Stark
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Winners at the Brit Awards on February 20th included Dido (best UK female artist & album), Travis (best group), Robbie Williams (best male), Blue (newcomer), S Club 7 (best single); Westlife (pop act), So Solid Crew (best video) and Basement Jaxx (best dance act). International winners were Kylie Minogue (best female & album), Shaggy (best male), Destiny's Child (best group) and The Strokes (best newcomer). The outstanding contribution award went to Sting.

Shaggy led the winners at the 14th annual World Music Awards in Monte Carlo on March 6th with four awards (best-selling male artist, male R&B artist, reggae artist, and American artist). Enya, Destiny's Child and Dido each picked up three awards. Proceeds from the show, which will be broadcast in the UK on March 31st, benefit the Monaco Aide and Presence Foundation, which helps children worldwide.

Winners at Germany's Echo Awards in Berlin on March 7th included Popstars winners girl group No Angels (best rock/pop band and single 'Daylight In Your Eyes'), Sarah Connor (national artist) and Schiller & Heppner (dance act).

Contenders for Best Song at the Academy Awards on March 21st include Paul McCartney (theme tune from 'Vanilla Sky'), Sting ('Until' from Kate And Leopold), Enya with Nicky and Roma Ryan ('May It Be' from Lord Of The Rings), Diane Warren ('There You'll Be' from Pearl Harbour) and Randy Newman ('If I Didn't Have You' from Monsters Inc.).

Pop Idol winner Will Young's double A-side of 'Evergreen/Anything Is Possible' (S Records/BMG) is the UK's fastest-selling debut single ever, with over 1.1m sales in its first week. It is expected to replaced at No. 1 by runner-up Gareth Gates' debut single 'Unchained Melody,' which also features his own versions of Young's hits.

Adam White, VP of Billboard Music Group and international editor-in-chief of Billboard for 12 years, is moving to Universal Music International as VP of communications from April 2nd, reporting to UMI chairman/CEO Jorgen Larsen.

Edel Publishing CEO David Hockman has left the group following Edel's sale of three key publishing companies (Dizzy Heights, Glissando Music and Denmark's Megasongs) to Warner/Chappell. Further sell-offs are likely of Edel's remaining publishing assets, while VP Phil Hope now assumes Hockman's duties.

Chrysalis Music Benelux has been launched as a joint venture with Dutch-based Stengholt media group, with former Warner/Chappell A&R manager Lucas Van Slegtenhorst as general manager. In Italy, musician, producer and TV star Federico Monti Arduini of CafÈ Concerto heads newly-formed Chrysalis Music Italy. Meanwhile UK creative manager Pauline Grant is leaving on March 21st.

Parlophone A&R director Miles Leonard also becomes head of the company's associated labels division, which include Junior Boys Own, Credence and Regal.

Alex Reay has joined BBC Worldwide as acquisition and development executive, working on such projects as the Tweenies, new band Stamford Amp, and the revival of Bill & Ben The Flowerpot Men. Reay was previously a consultant to Edel Music.

The Sanctuary Group has acquired Westside Studios, the west London complex founded by producers Alan Winstanley and Clive Langer.

A new online licensing system has been developed by MCPS and PRS following consultation with EDiMA (European Digital Media Association). Online music providers can now clear both mechanical and performing rights for most types of online use with a single royalty payment. First signees include Vitaminic and OD2. Over 150 delegates attended the MPA's recent Access To Finance seminar in London, which highlighted methods of obtaining start-up funds for new music ventures. A possible regional version of the event is now being considered.

PRS has announced its sponsorship of the Ivor Novello Awards through to 2005. The new agreement encompasses the 30th anniversary of PRS' support of the event organised by the British Academy of Composers & Songwriters.

V2 Records act Liberty have become Liberty X following their recent court course with a London group of the same name... Current incarnations of 60's groups the Troggs, the Spencer Davis Group and the Yardbirds are currently touring the UK, culminating at London's Royal Albert Hall on April 10th.

Universal Music has acquired the Koch Group's European recording and music publishing operations, which include 14 labels in Austria and Germany.

Former Virgin Records MDs Asa Torneryd and Per Eirik Johansen become presidents of EMI Recorded Music Sweden and Norway respectively, while former MD's Stefan Gullberg (Sweden) and Nils Heldal (Norway) both exit. In Denmark, Michael Ritto is new president, while Virgin Records MD Henriette Blix exits.

ASCAP presented its Golden Note Award to Garth Brooks in Washington DC on March 12th, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to American music as a performer and songwriter. The event also featured a musical tribute to Brooks by Jimmy Webb, David Gates, Beth Nielsen Chapman and others.

Rod Stewart has signed to Clive Davis' J Records following his exit from Warner Brothers after 25 years. A new studio album is due in October.

Former Hamstein Music VP Chip Hardy has joined Nashville's Marathon Key Music, reporting to company president Billy Joe Walker Jr.

RCA A&R VP's Patrick Clifford and Larry Hamby have relocated from LA to New York... John Doelp becomes senior VP of A&R operations at Columbia (NY), while Kawan Prather joins as VP A&R (Urban)... Dean Geistlinger has joined J Records (NY) from Interscope (LA).

Producer Tony Brown, formerly president of MCA Records Nashville, heads new label Universal South with partner Tim Dubois, former Arista Nasville president. Mike Owens is A&R director and Amy Russell is executive assistant.

Tommy Boy has ended its joint venture with Warner Music Group after 15 years. Warners will acquire Tommy Boy's record and publishing catalogues, and will retain certain acts including De La Soul, Kim Burrell and Everlast. Tom Silverman will retain select artists and the Tommy Boy name, continuing as an indie label.

RIP: Nashville songwriter Harlan Howard (74), witer of over 4,000 country songs including 'I Fall To Pieces.' His songs were covered by numerous major artists, and he was inducted in three Halls of Fame - Country Music, National Songwriters and Nashville Songwriters. Most recently he ran Harlan Howard Songs with his wife Melanie... Percy Dickins (80), co-founder of the New Musical Express and the UK singles chart, and father of industry executives Rob and Barry Dickins... comedian Spike Milligan (83), co-founder of The Goons and succesful author, poet, songwriter, recording artist, and major influence on two generations of music and comedy... Mick Tucker (54), drummer with Sweet, from leukemia... Roy Colegate (53), co-founder of Cool Music Sweden and creative consultant to Warner/Chappell Scandinavia.