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Pocket-Lint interview with FAC CEO Mark Kelly

April 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment
This is recent interview of FAC CEO and Marillion keyboardist Mark Kelly by Libby Plummer of tech news site Pocket-Lint:

“It’s a difficult one to judge. I can understand why Spotify is doing what it’s doing and why it’s doing it as there’s a lot of pressure on the brand as it’s trying to get into the US market. Our main criticism of Spotify is the deals that it’s made with the labels under Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA). That means that the artists have no idea what the details of the agreements are but we very much doubt that the labels will be sharing all the money that they make off the back of them with the musicians that provide the content in the first place.”

Read more here…

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The Guardian – Music is thriving, but the business is dying. Who can make it pay again?

February 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Billy Bragg

There is an interesting feature in The Guardian today by Dan Sabbagh on the future on the music industry, looking at the release of the latest Radiohead album, and featuring comment from the FAC from Billy Bragg:

“The record industry is now in a very serious situation,” says veteran protest singer Billy Bragg, who lobbies for the rights of performers through a body called the Featured Artists Coalition. “Partly these are problems of the industry’s own making, but the result is there is no longer, for example, the record-shop culture that has proved so important at the start for so many musicians.”

Read the full article on The Guardian web site.

Filed Under: FAC News, Press coverage

Blur’s Dave Rowntree On The Future Of The Music Industry

January 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment

(extract from gigwise.com)

In a radical shake-up to the music industry, Sony And Universal have announced plans to change the way they release music. From February, artists’ singles will be available on the same day they are released to radio for the first time. It is hoped the “on air, on sale” initiative will encourage music fans to buy singles rather than download an illegally copied version.

The policy follows months of campaigning from the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC), a group with over 1,500 artists, including Blur’s Dave Rowntree and Ed O’Brien of Radiohead, who collectively campaign for the protection of UK performers’ and musicians’ rights.

Following the announcement, Gigwise editor Jason Gregory spoke to Rowntree about what the new policy will mean for established bands as well as those just starting out.

As a member of the FAC, how do you feel about Sony and Universal’s decision?

Dave Rowntree

Dave Rowntree

“This is something that FAC has been pushing for for years. It’s an analogue-age solution trying to be applied in the digital age and failing dismally. When I was in my early days of being in a  band it was a marketing tool to delay the release of a single before it’s been released to radio for a number of weeks, and it kind of worked in those days, it pumped up some demand and hopefully brought things to a fever pitch and then it would be released and go into the charts at number one. But all it does these days is encourage people to download it illegally, so we felt it was an untenable position for the record companies to be complaining about piracy but encourage it this way. We’ve been badgering them mercifully, I have to say, and hopefully it’s going to be Universal and Sony are going to make the announcement with the indies.”

READ FULL ARTICLE ON GIGWISE.COM

Filed Under: Blog, Press coverage

FAC Names New Co-Chairs

November 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The Featured Artists Coalition is reaching out to students and new bands as it names two new co-chairs and launches an advisory board.

Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason will be joined as co-chair of the organisation by Radiohead guitarist Ed O’Brien and singer Sandie Shaw, while recent chart star Rumer has also joined the group.

Ed O'Brien

While the three chairs will not have specific titles, their responsibilities will be broadly divided thus: O’Brien will oversee education, Shaw will look out for female artists and musicians and Mason’s role will be more ambassadorial. Blur drummer David Rowntree, who previously served as co-chairman, has had to stand down from the role due to other commitments including his legal career.

Nick Mason

“I have been co-chairman for a year but finally they realised I can’t do it alone,” Mason says. “The belief is that in this organisation, it suits us to have a number of chair people.”

“We are all working artists,” adds Shaw, who has been inspired by her work with the FAC to restart her singing career. “We don’t want to be businessmen and we all have our own roles.”

“I want to foster, to help create enthusiasm and to empower if possible,” says O’Brien of his educational remit. “And with the FAC we have the possibility of doing that.” [Read more...]

Filed Under: FAC News, Featured, Press coverage, Press Releases