It’s got to that stage in this industry, where almost everyone knows that getting signed isn’t really that cool anymore, and you’re probably better off doing things yourself. That’s not news, but if it IS news to you, then you should go and read this article by Steve Albini to find out why being signed is rubbish.

It’s a tough life though, trying to make it in a band. No one is ever on your side. The small amount of money there may be flying around through gigs and record sales is always taken off you by someone else trying to make their living from ‘being involved’. Small time promoters, this is usually you – go away, look at your job title, and THEN tell me that it’s my job to promote.

Online distribution has made things far easier to release material though, and the latest website to pop up is the artist friendly ‘RawRip‘.

I’ll say that again – Artist Friendly.

Yup. 100% of the royalties go to the artist, and when you sign up you get 10 free downloads yourself.

Here’s how those guys at RawRip roll:

*  RAWRIP is a music distribution service making history as the first to give artists 100% of royalties earned from every downloaded track. In addition to pay as you go downloads, fans can stream music for free, store songs in their own personal music library, and explore new music using the ‘The Rippler.’ Artists can also sell their tracks through portable ‘Raw Stores’, a widget that allows them to earn 100% from sales to fans on websites such as their own band site, blogs, MySpace, or Facebook.

*  A patent pending smart search engine using proprietary recommendation technology, ‘The Rippler’ was developed by RAWRIP’s sister company Rockbury Media International. The exploration engine automatically analyses each track by a number of characteristics that are indexed and cross-referenced with RAWRIP’s catalogue of over 1 million songs. Through this, independent artists can now finally get instantaneously recommended (Rippled) from major acts and acquire new fans.

I’m not really sure who this girl on the left is, but she seemed to work at one of the venues, and obviously didn’t want her picture taken.

Wonder how that worked out for her.

Shout outs should definitely go to my tour family, who I sort of miss on the very welcome days off. I wouldn’t want to embarrass anyone by naming names, so I’ll just say that they’re all great, a pleasure to work with, and really top guys, keen to have a chat and share experience and knowledge.

Except for Monitors Dave who is just a nob. Hi Dave. Want a link to your website? OK.

By the way – Arbiter have bought out Sound Control to save them from extinction. You heard it hear first.

Transom Capital Group announced recently that it has completed the acquisition of Blue Microphones

Skipper Wise and Martins Saulespurens, the founders of Blue, will retain an ownership interest in the Company.

Russ Roenick, Managing Director at Transom Capital, said:

“This transaction presents an excellent opportunity to work with the team at Blue to achieve the next stage of growth for the Company,” Mr. Roenick said. “Relationships with major retailers and artists based on its history of design, innovation, and great products. The Company has several extremely compelling growth opportunities.”

“We chose Transom as our acquisition partner because they provide the operational expertise that will allow us to create value while continuing to focus on what we do best – making microphones with the best look and sound in the world,”

says Skipper Wise, President and Co-founder of Blue. “From our first meeting they demonstrated that they really understand our business and were willing to roll-up their sleeves to help us grow the Company.

“The acquisition of Allen & Heath is a strong complement to our Calrec and D&M Pro brands,” said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Eric C. Evans. “This acquisition broadens our product offerings to our longstanding DJ customer base and expands our business in the professional market into installed live sound.”

Founded in 1969, Allen & Heath supplies digital and analog consoles through a global sales force to a network of distributors in more than 80 countries. The company operates from its Cornwall England manufacturing facility and has more than 150 employees in R&D, sales, marketing, manufacturing and administrative functions. The Company will continue to be led by Glenn Rogers and its current management team.

“We’re adding another dimension to our position in the professional audio marketplace with this acquisition,” said Evans. “Allen & Heath is a strong brand in the professional live sound performance market and well suited to benefit from the D&M business platform. Like our other premium brands, Allen & Heath can continue to focus on innovation while D&M provides expanded global market reach and other support. We also see useful tie-ins with Calrec, our live-to-air broadcast console brand, and Denon DJ.”

Statscan – Operating revenues exceeded operating expenditures for each of the three major segments of Canada’s music industry (record production, music publishing and sound recording studios), but music publishing was the only industry able to achieve true revenue growth in 2006.

The majority of record production industry revenues, roughly 63%, continued to be generated by foreign-controlled companies.

Conservation International is a high-profile international nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting Earth’s natural heritage. Under the agreement, AV Concepts will provide audio-visual services for all of Conservation International’s benefit fundraisers for the next 2 years.

Audiotechnews would suggest it’s a good time to approach the company for some AV work.

The move comes after a number of years of growing success for the Pro Audio brand that is known for its high quality analogue and tube recording equipment. In recent months, they have overseen the introduction of a brand new Discrete Class A outboard range, titled the ‘Ebony Series’ as well as an award-winning and innovative tracking, summing and monitoring all-in-one device, the ‘Fat Track’.

TL Audio have also enjoyed the rapid growth of their sister brand ‘Fatman‘, which has taken the consumer world by storm with its high quality tube docking station, the award-winning ‘iTube’.

Sarah Crone AAT/CIMA (28) who joined the company in 1998 is being promoted to Finance Director for the TL Audio Group. Sarah Yule BA (hons) (25) who joined the company in 2005 is being promoted to Sales Director for TL Audio Ltd.

Tony Larking, Managing Director, comments

“I am very pleased to welcome Sarah Yule & Sarah Crone to the board of directors, their energy and professionalism has helped TL Audio improve product ranges and increase sales and profitability over recent years. I’m looking forward to working together with them as a successful team for many years to come”.

The company recently announced the acquisition of leading Southampton-based, AV and technical production company Lite Relief, as a new division within its business.

MCM’s client base boasts John Lewis, Royal Bank of Scotland, Warburtons and Mothercare. The acquisition of Lite Relief comes with a large store of AV equipment, warehouse space and an existing client portfolio including Southampton FC, Hampshire Chamber of Commerce and Hampshire Cricket Club.

Lite Relief has so far operated two distinct services:  Audio Visual and Technical Solutions to the corporate sector across the South Coast, as well as renting specialist and general AV equipment to local businesses and theatre companies.

MCM’s southern office will manage the entire AV, technical, design and production stock and be operationally managed by two newly created positions which will support all areas of the business – from corporate clients through to smaller, local businesses.

Neil Crespin, Managing Director of mcm Productions, said of the purchase:

 “Meeting the demands of delivering tangible and successful results for clients in an increasingly competitive market has never been more challenging.  Lite Relief has been a long term supplier to mcm, and this strategic acquisition strengthens our position in the market place at both a local, national and European level.”

SAE Institute is set to open the world’s biggest technology school this year, alongside the very best seats of learning in the UK.

Not only will the Oxford campus be the largest SAE Institute to date – more than 14,200 square meters – it’s also set to become the global headquarters of the SAE operation.

Based in Littlemore, Oxford, the new campus will offer state of the art facilities with a number of fully residential places available for the anticipated influx of overseas students.

SAE founder Tom Misner, who has recently relocated to the UK in order to oversee the development of the new HQ, is extremely pleased with the new acquisition.

“For over 30 years now SAE Institute has consistently raised the standard, and this shows that we have no intention of resting on our laurels when it comes to delivering excellence to our students, no matter what field of study they pursue. And with the Oxford campus we’re moving the very heart of SAE to what many consider to be the homeland of global academic excellence.”

More about SAE

SAE is spending £12million updating the old Littlemore hospital for the new campus (a further £8million will be spent on the company’s London college later this year). It will have bespoke teaching facilities, individual workstation areas for students, recording studios equipped with the latest technology (including one capable of recording an entire 88-piece orchestra), student accommodation and an extensive library packed with books, films and other creative new media.

About SAE

SAE Institute was founded in 1976 as the world’s first audio school. It has since grown to become a network of around 50 colleges in 20 countries offering courses in Audio Engineering, Digital Film, Web Design and Interactive Entertainment. With 32 years of teaching experience, SAE teaches students the skills necessary for successful integration into the audio and media industries. The concept of SAE is practical hands-on training, combined with solid theory knowledge.

SAE offers courses in Audio Engineering, Electronic Music Production, Web Design + Development, Interactive Entertainment and Digital Film Making.

Students have the option to progress to Degree programmes, validated by Middlesex University, at SAE’s dedicated Degree Centres around the world.

Below is an artists impression of how SAE Oxford will look.

‘The Voice’ announces instructions for the users like an authority figure would to a hyperactive child. In 6 different languages!! It indicates the status of the Bluetooth device and it announces the name ( or phone number if contact not loaded to kit) of the incoming caller!

Its special features include Full DSP Noise Cancellation/Echo Cancellation . Thus, it provides an advanced audio quality. It is designed for easy handsfree operation and superior performance.

To give you an idea of the effiency of the Supertooth Voice, lets first analyse the PR team behind this cool little product.

I received an email yesterday, asking whther I’d like to review it, and at about 3.30pm today, I got a knock at the door.

After a moments hesitation, based on the fact that I’m still too hungover from last night to want to go outside, I decided to answer the door, as I did have recollections of giving out my address, so it wasn’t unlikely it would be the postman. I’m also an Ebay freak, and I have no friends, so the postman is the only person who knocks on my door except for my girlfriend when she forgets her keys.

The point is the PR firm – efficient or what?

So it’s not quite half an hour since this event took place, and I’ve already opened the package, thrown the instructions on the floor, as is the Ilett way, and got the device sync’d up to my phone. If I can do it in this state, without instructions, it must be easy.

Receiving calls? No problem. Just say ‘OK’ and the speaker blasts out the caller on the other end up to volumes even your Grandad cant deny when he pretends to be deaf to annoy you.

At this juncture, I should point out that if you’ve already got voice commanded dialing set up on your phone, it becomes a truly handsfree kit, as the Supertooth Voice can handle this too.

The only negative I can find with this is that because it IS so easy to set up, and it does everything it claims to SO well… it almost seems too simple, when it’s actually a bit beyond other handsfree devices. You should never leave this in your car, though, which kind of goes without saying, but it just looks so good, it would be gone within seconds.

Even the magnetic device that hooks it onto your sun visor is really cool.

Features at a glance:

- Full Duplex
- Built in rechargeable battery
- Support handsfree and headset profile
- Compatible to any Bluetooth handset
- Charging time: 3 hours
- ON-OFF Switch

Voice Identification / Voice Control
• Supertooth Voice tells you the name of the caller, and simply say “ok” to answer the call.

Magnetic Mounting
• Metal mounting clip that can be installed on the drivers’ side sun visor, up or down.
• Install and detach the SuperTooth Light with ease using the magnetic mounting clip.

Strong speaker
• Speaker provides crystal clear conversation.

Easy access volume control
• Allowing users to adjust the speaker volume to the desired level.

Accept Button
• Easy access during answering a call.

Internal Digital Signal Processor (DSP) Technology
• DSP filters both mic input and speaker output, giving communication clarity.

Not only that, but they sent me a Supertooth jumper which is a bit like a rugby shirt. I’ve put it on, and it’s cured my hangover.

Seriously. Here I am in my kitchen. Who wants to touch me?