In Birmingham there exists a company called uknewsound.

They have gigs, a website that sells mp3s and are a publisher.

On their myspace page their About Me section reads (in full):

"uknewsound Ltd / Newsound Records are a company who sets it's aims in getting new, and up an coming artists on sites such as i-tunes, and to be recognized in the place's where it counts. As publishers of music, uknewsound will help you protect your music, and not charge anything for the service that we provide.We as a company can only be as good as you the artistes."

The last sentence is interesting because elsewhere, in regard to getting a gig with them, they say "first come, first served" which is hardly a guarantee of quality.

What particularly interested me was there comment about other promoters:

"Due to others posing as promoters we have now hidden our friends and comments sections..........We have dome this to protect you the artistes from being exploited and ripped off. Many of these "promoters" are unlincensed. If these so-called promoters are so good why do they need to steal our bands/artistes?"

Questions from me:

1) What the bloody-buggery is a promoter's licence? (A professional promoter need all relevent business licences, but what does a promoter need who is doing it as a hobby?)

2) Stealing bands? Do uknewsound in some sense "own" the bands?

They continue: "we're registered".

With whom? The Masonic Guild Of Promoters Of Rock????

What do you think?

Bullshit or useful contribution to the independent msuic scene?