Brit Music Scene

Lily Allen Walks Away From Filesharing Debate – And Music

Posted: 25 Sep 2009 08:00 PM PDT

Just a couple of days after it was claimed Lily Allen had announced her decision to quit music, she has also walked away from the debate over illegal filesharing and copyright infringement. Lily started a blog called It’s Not Alright to share her views on the filesharing debate in light of the British government’s attempts to bring in tough new laws to cut off persistent offenders.

The debate surrounding illegal filesharing – not just of music but also movies, TV shows, software, etc. – is a very complicated one with strong opinions on both sides of the divide. So I guess it was never the most sensible idea for Lily Allen to blindly rush in and spout her controversial opinions on the issue.

Allen is a firm believer that illegal filesharing is bad in all its forms and wants to see severe punishments meted out to offenders. She gained a lot of support from fellow musicians but most commenters on the blog were critical of her position.

Her role as a spokesperson for the music industry on this issue crumbled when she was caught scanning newspaper articles on to the site (copyright infringement), stealing an article from Techdirt without attribution (copyright infringement) and offering unauthorized mixtapes from before her career took off (copyright infringement of the highest order).

So she has now deleted her blog after claiming on Twitter that "the abuse was getting too much." Having read the blog daily since its creation, I must say I didn’t see much abuse, merely people vociferously disagreeing with Allen’s point of view. And there is a big difference.

It’s a shame Lily Allen threw her toys out of her pram over this issue, and a shame too that it looks as though she could have quit music for good. For all her faults, Allen invokes debate and controversy, and that is something the music industry needs at this point in time.

[Photo Source: Newscom]

Post from: Brit Music Scene

Amy Winehouse Unveils ‘Introducing Dionne Bromfield’

Posted: 25 Sep 2009 11:06 AM PDT

Way back in January of this year, Amy Winehouse announced she was starting her own record label with her own money. What’s more, she had already signed her first act, her Goddaughter Dionne Bromfield. Fast-forward nine months and Lioness has finally launched. And to celebrate, Winehouse revealed details of Bromfield’s debut album, Introducing Dionne Bromfield.

We first saw Dionne Bromfield when she appeared in a video filmed by Pete Doherty singing alongside Winehouse. That was in May of 2008. She has since been papped out on the town with Winehouse despite only being 13-years-old.

The thing is, Bromfield can clearly sing and seems a precocious talent. While Winehouse has probably been blinded by her relationship with her Goddaughter (I don’t see her signing other 13-year-old singers) it’s a good thing if Bromfield gets a leg-up in a notoriously hard industry. If your Godmother was Amy Winehouse wouldn’t you milk it for all she’s worth?

Introducing Dionne Bromfield will be the first release on Lioness records, and as can be seen by the tracklisting below, it’s a covers album featuring soul classics. However, Winehouse claims Bromfield is also now writing her own material.

‘Introducing Dionne Bromfield’ Tracklisting

‘Tell Him’
‘Mama Said’
‘Foolish Little Girl’
‘My Boy Lollipop’
‘Beechwood 4-5789′
‘Two Can Have A Party’
‘He's So Fine’
‘With A Child's Heart’
‘Until You Come Back To Me’
‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’
‘Am I The Same Girl’
‘Oh Henry’

[Photo Source: Newscom]

Post from: Brit Music Scene