Music News & Notes

Arcade Fire’s ‘The Suburbs’ To Feature Eight Different Album Covers

Arcade Fire are set to release their new studio album, ‘The Suburbs‘, later this year. The forthcoming album will reportedly have eight different album covers including the one pictured above.

Although yet to be officially confirmed, a sales catalog distributed by the Alternative Distribution Alliance, one of the companies that distributes the album to retail stores, list eight different album covers for the release.

‘The Suburbs‘, the band’s third studio album, is set for release August 3 (August 2 in the UK/Europe).

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Michael Jackson Father Sues Over Wrongful Death

Michael Jackson’s father has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the doctor charged with administering him a lethal dose of anaesthetic. In papers filed at a federal court in Los Angeles, Joseph Jackson accused Dr Conrad Murray of negligence and secrecy. The lawsuit also claims that clinics the doctor was registered had failed to provide adequete training.

The lawsuit, which is seeking $75,000, was filed exactly one year since Jackson’s death on June 25, 2009.

Dr Murray has pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter in connection with Jackson’s death.

The doctor’s spokesperson told the Press Association defended his client and said they were aware of the wrongful death suit.

Only $75,000?? Something fishy here......

--------------------------------------------------------------------

A bust from the past - Cops raid UK's 'largest' vinyl bootleggers

In a bust from the past, cops have raided a vinyl record forgery factory in West London.

Police and anti-piracy officers from the UK record industry think the fraudsters ran the biggest vinyl copyright theft operation in the country.

200 'stampers', used to press vinyl records, were seized during the raid, including some used to press copies of rare Rolling Stones bootleg recordings. Two German men were apparently at the property when police entered, both of whom were charged with copyright offences. It's been suggested that the plant might have been responsible for producing the majority of illegal vinyl releases in the UK.

It seems that this raid was linked to another that recently took place at Scenario Records in the Ladbroke Grove area of West London, though the exact link isn't clear.

The industry, which had been in terminal decline since the advent of CDs in the mid 80s has seen a major revival as CD users embraced downloads but music lovers craved the nostalgia and technical superiority of the physical format.

--------------------------------------------------------------------


Optional Cover Art of Michael Jackson's Final Album

A never-before-seen picture of Michael Jackson which serves as an optional cover art of his tenth studio album "Invincible" has hit the web. It features the short-haired Michael with a sad expression and a blue glittery ring painted on his left eye.
The picture emerged on the heels of Michael's upcoming one-year death anniversary which will be marked by various tribute shows on June 25. Entitled Michael Jackson's Blue Eye, it was taken by French photographer Arno Bani in 1999.

Along with 11 other never-before-published portraits of the late King of Pop and 50 contact boards, the image will be auctioned by Auctionneers Pierre Berge & Associes in Paris in December this year. Auctioneer Frederic Chambre claimed bidding for each portrait is expected to start at around $1,228.

One would expect lots of bidding......