Author: JD
BMW’s New X7 SUV
BMW’s new seven-seat SUV will be built in the US and will be hitting the streets in 2016. The new model, which will go head to head with the full-sized Range Rover, the Mercedes-Benz GL and the Audi Q7, is expected to only be offered with permanent all-wheel drive and with a choice of six- and eight-cylinder engines. It is also expected to arrive in 2016 with enough seats for seven. All of which suggests that BMW is targeting the US more than Europe with the new model. All of which means that 2016 is going to be a very busy automotive year for the SUV segment. As well as the X7, Alfa Romeo, Lamborghini and Bentley have all scheduled 2016 launches for their own off-roaders.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“You can have anything you want if you want it desperately enough. You must want it with an exuberance that erupts through the skin and joins the energy that created the world.” -Sheila Graham
Jermaine Dupri Among New Panelists and Programming Highlights for 2014 ASCAP EXPO
We’re excited to announce the latest round of panelists and programming for the 9th annual ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO, which includes Grammy Award-winning songwriter, producer and artist Jermaine Dupri. The hip-hop impresario, known for founding record label So So Def Recordings and social networking community Global14, as well as collaborating with everyone from Jay Z to Mariah Carey, will lead a Master Session at this year’s conference. A full, detailed schedule will be released later this week, but you can check out some of the major programming highlights now below. And if you still haven’t registered, it’s not too late! Click here to register now and save money off the full registration pricing. Just added panelists include: Neal Acree Russell Brower Joel Douek Derek Duke Jermaine Dupri Ben Gordon Jason Hayes Joseph Lawrence Peter Lloyd Derek Minor Glenn Stafford The ASCAP EXPO programming will include: Keynotes and Conversations Dr. Luke and Prescription Songs “We Create Music” Master Sessions Master Session with Jermaine Dupri Heart in Motion: Master Session with Amy Grant Master Session with John Beasley: Anatomy of a Music Career Master Session with Bear McCreary Radiant Voices: Master Session with Morten Lauridsen Creative Panels Artists Turned Film & TV Composers (Presented by Variety) The Alchemists: How Hit Producers Turn Music Into Gold From Billboard to Broadway: Hit Songwriters in Musical Theatre Video Game Music: The Music of Diablo Murphy’s Laws of Songwriting Interactive Panels Desmond Child: Brought In For Questioning Live Multi-Genre Song Feedback Panel with Darrell Brown – Two Parts (Presented by The Recording Academy) Diverse Topics Women Behind the Music Where No Music Supervisor Has Gone Before (Presented by the Guild of Music Supervisors) The Gospel Truth A View from the Top: Today’s Music Business, Tomorrow’s Opportunities How to Prepare for Your Big Break Making the Most of Your ASCAP Membership Road Dogs: Touring in the New Media Age Break Through and Build Your Career Online (Presented by the Creative Industries Division, State of Hawaii DBEDT and the Creative Lab at the Hawaii International Film Festival) Europe: Is The Phoenix Rising? Business, Legal and Legislative Discussions Congressional Review of the Copyright Act: An Opportunity to Secure Equitable Treatment for Songwriters and Composers Nuts & Bolts of the Music Business with Don Passman, Esq. The Social Economy of Music: Distribution and Monetization (Presented by AdRev and CD Baby) Getting Creative: How Publishers and Writers Work Together Selling Your Musical Babies: What to Know Before You Sign a Publishing Deal (Presented by Lommen Abdo) Website Demolition Derby (Presented by Bandzoogle) Building Your Team Performances The Writers Jam “I Create Music” Center Stage ASCAP EXPO iStandard Producer and Rapper Showcase ASCAP EXPO Attendee Showcase Plus Music Feedback sessions for Pop/Rock, Country, Film/TV Scoring and R&B/Hip-Hop Dozens of Sponsor Sessions consisting of workshops and product demos One-on-One and Lunch Roundtable Mentor Sessions Music equipment, resources and technology exhibits Networking opportunities And much more! Note: We still have a couple of more exciting panelists/sessions to be added! Click here for a full list of panelists!
Richard Branson Looking to Launch Virgin Cruise Line
British multi-billionaire and founder of the Virgin group, Richard Branson, is looking to move into cruise shipping, he told the German business daily Handelsblatt on Wednesday. “We want to move into the cruise-shipping business with Virgin in the next few years,” Branson said. “We are already in negotiations with shipyards in Italy and Germany on the construction of big ships for Virgin Cruises,” he said, adding that the chances that a German company could win a contract were “very good.” The newspaper quoted industry sources as saying that Branson would invest about $1.7 billion in the project. The ships could be launched by 2019, Branson said.
Scarlett Johansson in WSJ Magazine April 2014 Issue
IM SAYING Actress Scarlett Johansson talked about her desire to be a successful working mom in a new interview with WSJ magazine, though she has not confirmed her rumored pregnancy. The star of Marvel’s upcoming blockbuster “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” models spring fashion from Proenza Schouler, Christopher Kane and Alexander Wang.
PLAYHOUSE, HOLLYWOOD
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