Category Archives: Musicology

Happy Birthday – the worlds most popular song is not under copyright according to lawsuit | Music | The Guardian

Posted on July 28, 2015 by Paul Carr

A recent article in the Guardian reports that the song Happy Birthday has ran out of copyright without the publishers realising! This means that Warner Chapel have some compensation to pay! Copyright expires anyway in the EU – meaning we … Continue reading →

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Songwriting and Grief: Creative Unifying Principles

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Paul Carr

I was thinking this week about Sting’s creative process when writing both Nothing Like The Sun and The Soul Cages. It is well documented how Nothing Like the Sun was written during a time when Sting’s mother died from cancer, … Continue reading →

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The History of Acid Jazz: Part 2

Posted on July 25, 2015 by Paul Carr

I was involved in an interesting discussion last week for Loose Goose Radio on the history of Acid Jazz. I got the opportunity to reflect on my time in the James Taylor Quartet and how without even realising it – … Continue reading →

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Why Do Artists such as Sting Receive Criticism When Engaging in Fundraising and Protest?

Posted on July 19, 2015 by Paul Carr

When doing some of the last bits of research for my Sting book – I have been pondering on why he received so much criticism off the press for his stance on human rights protest. Before I get around to … Continue reading →

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Noel Gallagher dominates vinyl sales in the UK in 2015

Posted on July 7, 2015 by Paul Carr

There is an interesting post in the Guardian stating that no other than Noel Gallagher is dominating both the single and album vinyl charts. If this is not surprising news – I am also alarmed at the number of male … Continue reading →

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Apple Music to pay royalties during free trial

Posted on June 22, 2015 by Paul Carr

Common sense has prevailed. Well done Apple Music for having the guts to make a U Turn! via Apple Music to pay royalties during free trial: 'We hear you Taylor Swift' | Technology | The Guardian.

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Apple Music: Are we on the verge of indi labels getting no royalties for three months

Posted on June 16, 2015 by Paul Carr

As we move toward the launch of Apple music, I am trying to understand what will happen during the free three month trail period to indi artists? According to a recent article, Apple sent a ‘take it or leave it’ … Continue reading →

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Sting Interview: BBC Radio Newcastle on May 29th 2015

Posted on May 29, 2015 by Paul Carr

My interview on Radio Newcastle on my Sting book is available for the next week below. The interview links into Geordie Identity and the progressive ‘love/hate’ relationship with a region. It also covers how it is possible to negotiate your … Continue reading →

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Save our Sounds HLF funding – The British Library

Posted on May 25, 2015 by Paul Carr

I am so pleased to hear that this funding has been given to the British Library to develop this sound Archive. Really interested to see what music is included. See below for details. The British Library has received *earmarked funding … Continue reading →

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“Music was better back then”: When do we stop keeping up with popular music?

Posted on May 12, 2015 by Paul Carr

Originally posted on Skynet & Ebert:
After sixty years of research, it’s conventional wisdom: as people get older, they stop keeping up with popular music. Whether the demands of parenthood and careers mean devoting less time to pop culture, or…

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