Defending Russia’s EU neighborsWelcome to Startups Weekly — your weekly recap of everything you can’t miss from the world of startups. Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Friday. This week we’re looking at an AI startup that wants to help people get creative with video; Kudos, which raised $3 million to help get rid […]
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From Blackstone’s Hipgnosis deal to the US Copyright Office’s ‘landmark’ ruling… it’s MBW’s Weekly Round-UpThe biggest stories from the past week – all in one place
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Iron Man Arc Reactor Clock Is A Stylish PieceIron Man was the film that kicked off the Marvel craze, and is widely regarded to be better than a lot of the movies that followed. If you’re a big fan of the OG, you’re probably already drowning in Iron Man helmets and arc reactor doo-dads, but here’s one more for you. After all, you probably don’t have an arc reactor clock yet.
The build comes to us from [jerome95]. It starts with an off-the-shelf ring of addressable LEDs, which serves as the basic defining dimension for the project. The ring gets a 3D printed support structure and some non-functional copper coils to complete the basic “arc reactor” look. Inside the center sits a small 7-segment display which displays the time under the command of an ESP32. It uses a network time server so it’s always on the dot.  Meanwhile, if you’re not a fan of the 7-segment version, you can always try the OLED variant of the build instead.
It’s not a complicated build; that could have been easily achieved, though. The builder could have displayed the time by making the LEDs flash different colors, instead of using a 7-segment display. However, that would have made a far more confounding clock. As it is, this design would make an excellent gift for any Marvel fan. Particularly those that acknowledge the supremacy of the film that started it all.

‘There is no legal or indeed moral excuse for the commercial use of music by AI companies without the prior permission of songwriters and rightholders.’John Phelan, Director General of ICMP, explores the implications of the EU's new Artificial Intelligence Act
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Apple Music has added requirements for all new uploaded musicApple Music has added requirements for all new uploaded music designed to enhance the listener experience. The changes Apple has shared with digital music distributors that all songs uploaded must include both lyrics and one or more of the roles in each of its three contributor groups.
The post Apple Music has added requirements for all new uploaded music appeared first on Hypebot.

Music isn’t getting worse; genres are [MIDiA’s Mark Mulligan]What if music isn't getting worse, but instead, the limitations of traditional genres are what is holding back creatives?
The post Music isn’t getting worse; genres are [MIDiA’s Mark Mulligan] appeared first on Hypebot.

Top Social Media Management Tools for MusiciansElevate your music marketing with the Top Social Media Management Tools for Musicians designed to boost your online presence and engage your audience like never before.
The post Top Social Media Management Tools for Musicians appeared first on Hypebot.

Festival launches “IVF stage” to broadcast sets to sperm and eggsSweden’s Way Out West festival is hoping to nurture a new generation of fans – literally – as it launches an “IVF stage” where live recordings from its headliners will be broadcast to sperm and eggs in a clinic.
Way Out West will take place in Gothenburg from 8-10 August this year, and will also host sets from Fred again…, Chase & Status, Peggy Gou and many more. There will also be a special show dedicated to the music of the late MF DOOM from Yasiin Bey.

READ MORE: Watch Fred Again..’s surprise ambient set at Glastonbury’s Strummerville stage

As reported by DJ Mag, the “world’s smallest, fully-functional stage” has been designed in collaboration with Love Hultén, and will play sets from some of its biggest acts. Cleverly named as the Future Fan Stage, it will be located off-site at Eliva IVF clinic in Stockholm, and has been created in response to studies that suggest music can improve IVF success rates.
On its official website, Way Out West says of the new stage, “To stay relevant, new fans are crucial. New generations of fans are vital for keeping both artists and music festivals alive and kicking. This year, we’ve added an additional stage to help create future fans of great music by ‘injecting’ live recordings by the headlining artists into their DNA at the earliest stage possible – before they even develop into foetuses.”

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A post shared by Love Hulten (@lovehulten)

It adds, “In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a medical procedure that involves joining a woman’s egg and a man’s sperm in a laboratory dish. It helps millions get pregnant every year. Recent studies show that music improves the fertilisation rate during an IVF process.
“So, in collaboration with renowned designer Love Hultén, we’ve created a unique, fully functional stage that will play live recordings from Way Out West’s headlining artists for what might be the largest, yet smallest crowd in history: Sperm and eggs getting ‘ready to rumble’ in laboratory.”
Find out more in the video below:

Find more information or grab tickets for Way Out West festival.
The post Festival launches “IVF stage” to broadcast sets to sperm and eggs appeared first on MusicTech.

Alcons Audio update M-Series monitors Alcons Audio are currently showcasing the latest advancements to their new series of high-end studio monitors.

Group claims Ticketmaster breach is “far bigger than previously anticipated”, with 440,000 Taylor Swift tickets reportedly stolenThe Ticketmaster hack which occurred back in May is reportedly “far bigger” than initially thought.
At the time, it was reported that hacker group ShinyHunters had illegally obtained 1.3 TB of customer data, affecting 560 million users. The data breach allegedly included “full names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, ticket sales and event details, order information, and partial payment card data.”

READ MORE: “Human-created works must be respected”: 50 major music tech brands sign Principles for Music Creation with AI

ShinyHunters previously claimed it accepted a “rushed” ransom offer of $1 million from Live Nation – Ticketmaster’s Parent company – but now states that it has assessed the hacked data and revised its demands. Ticketmaster refutes any claim that it paid out any money to ShinyHunters.
Cybersecurity outlet Hackread has shared screenshots taken from Breach Forums, where ShinyHunters shared an announcement on 4 July stating that it believed the data breach to be more valuable than originally thought, and that it has therefore risen its demand to $8 million.
The group claims it has obtained 193 million ticket barcodes, valued at over $22.6 billion in total, including 440,000 tickets for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, plus 30 million more barcodes for 65,000 other events.
The ShinyHunters statement suggests that instead of Swift performing on her tour, she will be “performing in front of Congress” and goes on to state, “We found out how to make way more expensive and insurance surely accepts this; we restart negotiations at $8M let the negotiator and insurance know.”
On 6 July, Ticketmaster provided a statement regarding these claims to Hackread: “Ticketmaster’s SafeTix technology protects tickets by automatically refreshing a new and unique barcode every few seconds so it cannot be stolen or copied,” it begins.
“This is just one of many fraud protections we implement to keep tickets safe and unassailable. Some outlets are inaccurately reporting about a ransom offer. We were never engaged for a ransom and did not offer them money.”
As of 9 July, the BBC reports that it has seen emails sent by Ticketmaster to customers in North America warning them to take action. Emails were reportedly sent to Canadian customers, urging them to “be vigilant and take steps to protect against identity theft and fraud.” The outlet reports that Ticketmaster has not commented on the notification process, but says that similar emails have reportedly been sent to customers in the US and Mexico.
MusicTech has contacted Ticketmaster for further clarification on these emails.
The post Group claims Ticketmaster breach is “far bigger than previously anticipated”, with 440,000 Taylor Swift tickets reportedly stolen appeared first on MusicTech.

Rave planned atop UK’s tallest mountain, Ben Nevis, for charityThe Council of Bens are hosting a charity rave on Ben Nevis, the UK’s tallest mountain, to raise awareness for mental health.
The group, made up of a bunch of music-loving individuals named Ben, first came together at last year’s Boomtown Festival under the lead of founder Ben Bradley.

READ MORE: “Everything is f**king shit” Hardwell rages at SAGA Festival organisers after equipment failure

Now boasting over 3000 members, The Council of Bens have organised numerous fundraising events and raffles, benefiting various charities such as mental health organisation Mind, and Bens Centre, a community hub in Sheffield that supports those affected by substance misuse.
The upcoming rave will take place on 13 July, with over 20 members set to make the climb up Ben Nevis. Several DJs within the group will be carrying the gear needed (there’ll be a Pioneer DDJ 400 controller, for one); the members will also be livestreaming the rave if they have sufficient internet service.
“Safety is a critical part of planning this so we are ensuring the Bens who are climbing with us are ready for this challenge and also are all up for a pop up party at the top,” Bradley told DJ Mag.
Upon reaching the peak, the group will also reveal the winner of their Boomtown ticket raffle (each ticket costs £2.50) on their BIG BENUE Instagram account. All proceeds will be donated to Mind and Bens Centre.
“Both these charities already do such good and as much as we want to grow into an entity that can help those in need first hand, we understand that currently we are still a growing unit and there are others out there much better equipped to do what we can’t quite yet,” said Bradley (via DJ Mag).
“We also understand not everyone has the money to spare and that’s absolutely fine, sharing the link or any of our posts surrounding this fundraiser are all great helps to the cause.”
“Even sharing the pages of the charities after this fundraiser has been and gone could do a world of help for someone out there. We don’t plan on stopping these fundraisers anytime soon so keep up to date and keep sharing the love. Also make sure to look out for future activities that are not just Ben specific – believe me they’re coming.”
The post Rave planned atop UK’s tallest mountain, Ben Nevis, for charity appeared first on MusicTech.

Moog’s new Labyrinth semi-modular synth is a fresh take on the classic ‘West Coast’ soundMoog has announced the release of Labyrinth, a semi-modular analogue synthesizer that boasts a new voice architecture with unique oscillators, a different filter topology, wavefolding, and parallel processing.

READ MORE: Moog’s Spectravox: A slice of classic Moog for its semi-modular line

Designed to take you through an “endless journey of sonic rabbit holes”, the synth features dual intertwining generative sequencers to help inspire new compositional ideas. With parallel analogue signal paths, the unit shines when adding colour to the static backdrop of a drum pattern or bassline.
As part of Moog’s semi-modular family, Labyrinth stands out as a unique tool for auditory exploration. The instrument is inspired by “classic percussion synthesizers and modern generative techniques”, and combines a newly designed voltage-controlled wavefolder with a state-variable filter, allowing for both additive and subtractive synthesis.
The dual sequencers, inspired by shift register sequences commonly found in Eurorack systems, offer intuitive and flexible control over melodic and rhythmic patterns. Users also get two decay-only envelopes, which can be used to shape both melodic and rhythmic content.
Arriving in a compact 60HP format like the Mother 32, DFAM, Subharmonicon and Spectravox, Labyrinth can function as a standalone unit or as part of a larger Eurorack setup. The device’s patch bay facilities (32 patch point patchbay with 12 outputs and 20 inputs) also enables extensive modulation and connectivity with other modular gear.
“Labyrinth is designed to be an engine of sonic exploration,” says Rick Carl, Moog’s System Architect and Lead Hardware Engineer on Labyrinth. “It allows users to create evolving sequences and rich timbres. It’s like having a compositional companion that navigates through a labyrinth of sound, constantly reconfiguring and surprising you with new sonic landscapes.”
Priced at $599, Labyrinth is now available worldwide.
Check out the Labyrinth in action below.

The post Moog’s new Labyrinth semi-modular synth is a fresh take on the classic ‘West Coast’ sound appeared first on MusicTech.

MO-1 MkII monitors from ME Geithein ME Geithein's MO-1 monitors have been treated to a complete redesign that helps them surpass their predecessor in both performance and functionality. 

US lawmaker asks Congress to treat Binance exec in Nigeria as a ‘hostage’Rep. Rich McCormick called on the US government to formally declare Tigran Gambaryan as a hostage if his criminal case in Nigeria was not resolved by mid-July.

The Zombies founder Rod Argent recovering from a stroke, Announces retirement from touringFrom The Zombies’ Management:

We are saddened to report that Rod Argent, founder, keyboardist & primary songwriter of The Zombies, has suffered a stroke. Rod had recently returned home from a triumphant Zombies tour of the UK, and spent a weekend in London with his beloved wife Cathy, celebrating his 79th birthday and their 52nd wedding anniversary, before the stroke occurred. He was hospitalized overnight, and released the next day. Doctors have advised that Rod will need several months of rest and recuperation.

Rod has asked us to convey that he has made the very difficult decision to immediately retire from touring in order to protect his health. He was already preparing to wind down his live performance schedule after health scares on recent tours (a Fall 2024 USA run was in the works that was intended to be his final overseas tour, and a farewell to the country that launched The Zombies’ career in 1964). However, the stroke was an unmistakable warning sign that the risks are too great. Rod still firmly intends to continue his other creative joy of writing and recording with The Zombies, and has already been back at his piano for some much-needed “Bach therapy”.

The Zombies - Photography by ALEX LAKE insta @twoshortdays WWW.TWOSHORTDAYS.COM

We have managed The Zombies together for the past 11 years, and Chris was their US booking agent for the 11 years prior. We have witnessed hundreds of times how Rod transforms back into an 18-year-old during the 100-minutes he’s on stage each night with The Zombies. The energy he receives from his musical symbiosis with the current lineup - original singer Colin Blunstone, drummer (and cousin) Steve Rodford, guitarist Tom Toomey and bassist Søren Koch - is doubled by the energy that flows back from the audiences, with fans of all ages joyfully singing along to their classics and new songs. Each year, we’d secretly marvel at how this band could possibly be playing at an even higher level than the previous year, instead of diminishing with age. That being said, the other aspects of touring can be grueling, and can take their toll on 18-year-olds, never mind a musician approaching 80. As heart-breaking as this is for us, the band, our crew and our team, we are a family and fully support Rod in this decision.

Rod had retired from touring once before, in 1975 after spending his late teens and 20’s on the road with both The Zombies and his eponymous band Argent, in order to focus on his family, along with songwriting and production. This didn’t change until 1999, when Colin coaxed him to fill in on 6 of his solo gigs, after a keyboard player had dropped out at the last minute. Rod reluctantly told him, “I’ll do it...but 6 shows, that’s it.” On tour last month, Rod remarked to us how incredible and unexpected it was that those 6 shows turned into 25 years of touring and recording with the new incarnation of The Zombies, almost a third of his life.

And it’s been a helluva run.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. Festivals like Glastonbury, StageCoach and KAABOO. Unforgettable shows like Central Park Summerstage, Santa Monica Pier, Stern Grove San Francisco, London Palladium, and Stubb’s at SXSW Austin. TV appearances with Jimmy Fallon and Jools Holland. Sharing stages with Tom Petty and Brian Wilson. Too many moments to count. The UK tour The Zombies just completed in June added two more highlights - a sold-out show for 2000 fans at London’s Barbican Centre with special guests like Paul Weller, and closing to a multi-generational crowd rapturously cheering them despite endless rain and mud at the Eden Festival in Scotland.

As Rod’s experience shows, we don’t know what the future holds.

What we have to tell fans today is that all upcoming performances by The Zombies will be canceled. However, our 2nd annual “Begin Here Festival” in St Albans UK (November 8-10, 2024) will continue. This fan weekend celebrating The Zombies and the historical and vibrant city where they formed is made even more important by this news. Our hope is to replace the scheduled Zombies performance with a special show honoring Rod, and ask fans to hold on to their tickets until we’ve had time to regroup and announce new plans. Colin Blunstone’s upcoming November performances of his seminal 1971 solo album One Year, at Begin Here Festival and other UK cities, will also continue as planned. Most importantly, know how much you are loved and appreciated by the band, and how grateful we are for your continued support. In the meantime, we will all get to enjoy The True Story of the Fake Zombies, an 8-episode true-crime Podcast detailing the 1969 story of an imposter version of the band on iHeart Radio starting today, and the official Zombies documentary, Hung Up On A Dream, directed by Robert Schwartzman, slated for theatrical and streaming release later this year.

Our last message is that if a classic artist that has made music you love is performing nearby, don’t miss the opportunity to see them. You can sit on the couch and binge Netflix another day. The communal experience of a live performance by a veteran artist is a singular and joyous moment. These artists are treasures who have stood the test of time and are giving their all, but they are fragile human beings like all of us. Don’t miss out.

Chris Tuthill & Cindy da Silva

The Rocks Management 

The post The Zombies founder Rod Argent recovering from a stroke, Announces retirement from touring first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.