All four members of Arctic Monkeys, George Michael, Take That’s Gary Barlow, and Katie Melua have all been implicated in a tax avoidance scam.
The high profile musicians have been listed among a list of over 1,600 British celebrities, power brokers, and prominent cultural figures who collectively have attempted to shelter £1.2 billion (AU$2.2 billion) overseas as part of a tax avoidance plot, as Billboard reports.
Called the ‘Liberty’ tax strategy, a database of investors leaked to UK paper The Times names Arctic Monkeys’ Alex Tuner, Jamie Cook, Nick O’Malley and Matt Helders, accusing the band of dodging tax by reportedly sheltered between £557,000 (AU $1.2 million) and £1.1 million (AU $2.1 million) in the Channel islands.£6.2 million ($10.6 million) in record and tour sales after paying £443,000 ($750,000) in fees to Mercury Tax Group, the Leeds-based company that ran the scheme.
George Michael has allegedly pledged even more, sheltering £6.2 million (AU$ 11.3 million) in record and tour sales over seven years after paying £443,000 (AU$ 812,000) in fees to Mercury Tax Group, the Leeds-based company that ran the Liberty scheme.
There’s speculation that the tax dodging on behalf of the musicians may not have been intentional, which is the suggestion by the lawyers of UK singer Katie Melua – reportedly sheltering £850,000 (AU$ 1.5 million) through Liberty in 2008. They say Melua invested in Liberty at the suggestion of her accountants.
In any case, Britain’s HM Revenues and Custom (HMRC) isn’t so sure. It’s been investigating into the legality of the Liberty scheme over the last decade and plots to take it to court next year, if it’s found that the practice is illegal, those investors – including the music-makers – will have to pay back the hundreds of millions of pounds in disputed tax.
This Week’s New Tracks On Triple J
Adds:
Tkay Maidza – U-Huh [Dew Process] (Pictured)
DMA’s – Feels Like 37 [I OH YOU/Mushroom]
Husky – I’m Not Coming Back [Liberation]
Interpol – All The Rage Back Home [Soft Limit/PIAS]
Lido – I Love You [Pelican Fly]
LUCIANBLOMKAMP – Help Me Out [Yes Please/Remote Control]
Movie – Ads [Skelly Records]
Royal Blood – Figure It Out [Warner]
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Baauer – Clang [Lucky Me Records]
Cold War Kids [Downtown/Create Control]
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Indian Summer – Shiner {Ft. Ginger And The Ghost} [Sweat It Out]
Industry News
Tame Impala, Springsteen, Bluesfest & More Nominated For 2014 Helpmann Awards
The nominations for Live Performance Australia’s annual Helpmann Awards have been announced, including the full list of nods in the Contemporary Music category (one of 41 total). Tame Impala’s national tour with Chugg Entertainment, Hunters & Collectors’ Frontier-backed reunion tour, The Presets and ACO’s VIVID collaboration, and Flume’s Infinity Prism Tour are all nominated for the Best Australian Contemporary Concert Award. Over in the Best International Tour category, the nominees are Frontier’s Springsteen return, Chugg’s Eddie Vedder solo tour, and Live Nation’s Australian tours from Beyoncé and Pink. Last but not least, the music festival category is populated by Bluesfest, Laneway, Falls Music & Arts, and Vivid LIVE. View the full list of nominees here. The 2014 Helpmann Awards will be held on Monday 18th August at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre.
Pono Competitor Crowdfunds Over $1.3 Million
Neil Young’s hi-fidelity Pono Music may have been snagging all the headlines with its all-star testimonials and record-breaking Kickstarter numbers, but it’s already got competition in the form of Geek Wave. Promising to offer “the highest resolution audio available” in a portable music player, Geek Wave’s Indiegogo campaign has now raised US$ 1,323,073 – smashing its original crowdfunding target of $38,000. Geek Wave features 32GB of storage (upgradable to 128GB), the ability to synch with smartphones, tablets, and other bluetooth devices, and a large rechargeable battery for the starting price of US$ 167. Take a look at the Geek Wave Indiegogo page for more details.
Chinese Laundry Partners With Ministry Of Sound Australia
Chinese Laundry, one of Sydney’s most iconic underground clubs, has announced a brand new partnership with Ministry of Sound Australia’s events arm Soapbox events, for the launch of a new music program that kicks off on Friday 1st August. The new features include two new weekly nights (BASSIC and LNDRY), two new monthly events (KLPARTY and BOSS BASS), sensational garden parties, hotly tipped residents, and a lineup of international headliners. (via Ministry Of Sound)
AIR Announces New Partner For Carlton Dry Independent Music Awards 2014
The Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR) has announced that that Levi’s has come on board as a supporting partner for the upcoming Carlton Dry Independent Music Awards. As part of the Partnership, Levi’s will present the Best Independent Single/EP Award at the ceremony and also help co-present the Official 2014 Awards Afterparty, the first time a partner has had the opportunity. (via AIR)
RTRFM Announces Dates For 2014 Radiothon
Perth’s esteemed community radio station, RTRFM 92.1, has announced the dates for the biggest event on its annual calendar. Asking listeners to ‘Feed Your Independence’ the RTRFM’s 2014 Radiothon will run from Friday 15th until Sunday 24th August, calling for supporters and subscriptions so that it continue to offer the best independent music programming and unique events in WA. There’s a series of live events and prizes available to donations and subscribers to help sweeten the deal. View full details here. (via RTRFM)
Moshcam Launches New Gigs As CEO Steps Down
Stephen Preach, the CEO of Moscham, the Aussie creator of one of the world’s largest online catalogue of live music videos, has announced his resignation after working with the company for three years. Moshcam Chair Deanne Weir will now rise to Executive Chair until a new CEO is found but Preach’s stepping down has not affected Moshcam’s progress. Following a successful online campaign through PledgeMusic, Moshcam’s online library will expand with new live concert films featuring ex-Live frontman Ed Kowalczyk, acclaimed UK rock duo Roayl Blood, nu-metal pioneers Korn, and Finland’s HIM. (via Moshcam)
Artist Signings
Klo Sign To Dot Dash/Remote Control
Klo is the musical cretoion of cousins Chloe Kaul and Simon Lam (I’lls, The Ocean Party, Kins) and also the latest addition the Dot Dash/Remote Control roster. The news arrives as the duo release their sophomore single ‘False Calls‘, the follow-up to ‘Make Me Wonder’ which earned Klo attention from BBC Radio 1 and the blogosphere. ‘False Calls’ is taken from Klo’s debut EP to be released later in 2014 via Dot Dash. The band will also appear at BIGSOUND 2014.
DMA’s Sign Deal With Primary Talent International
Much-hyped Sydney trio DMA’s have signed on with European booking agency Primary Talent International, joining a roster that includes fellow Aussie artists Gossling, Children Collide, and Atlas Genius, as well as internationals like Daft Punk, Ben Folds Five, Azealia Banks, Basement Jaxx, and more. Having released their self-titled debut EP in March and embarked on their first headline tour, the I OH YOU-signed band are set to perform at this year’s Splendour In The Grass and BIGSOUND 2014.
