Leading Russian Composer Alexander Shulgin Signs To MusicDish Network

MusicDish President Eric de Fontenay announced the signing of leading Russian composer, performer and industry executive Alexander Shulgin to its artist development program. Shulgin has had more than 20 hit albums, including 10 Number 1 albums as co-producer, while working with such iconic artists as Valeria, Mumiy Troll, Dima Malikov, Gruppa.fm and many others.

MusicDish will be providing representation in the North American market, including brand development, marketing, fan building and consultation on all aspects of online artist development. Specifically, MusicDish will be promoting Shulgin's 3-album compilation "Tryptych" through its network of online assets, social networks and street teams. Featuring new music, melodies and instrumentals from the famed composer, the albums were recorded by an impressive line-up of artists including legendary drummer Billy Cobham, pianist Gary Husband, bassist John Patitucci and guitarist Paul Drew to name a few.

About Alexander Shulgin
Alexander Shulgin is a leading composer, performer and executive in the new Russian music industry, having worked with such iconic artists as Valeria, Mumiy Troll, Dima Malikov, Gruppa.fm and many others. Mr. Shulgin owns and operates Familia Entertainment, a record label, and Familia Publishing, a publishing company.

Shulgin began his career with the legendary Russian rock band The Cruise (1983-1986), which sold 20 million copies of their first album in 1985. He went on the work on a series of international projects, from "The Taiga Symphony," a combination of Russian classic music with western rock-music performed by The Moscow Symphony Orchestra, to "Merry Christmas to the World", another ambitious East-West collaboration between Shulgin and BBC Worldwide. Shulgin is also a composer of music for films and TV, his songs appearing in films by Lukas Moodysson and Ken Russell, the TV music serial "Primadonna" as well as all the music for the first public TV channel "Spas" for which he composed .

Websites:
http://www.myspace.com/shulginalexander
http://alexandershulgin.musicdish.net
http://blog.shulgin.com/triptych/ (Russian language)

About MusicDish, LLC
Since 1997, MusicDish LLC has served as the bridge between the music industry and the artist. Through its extensive online presence, MusicDish provides artists with an edge over the ever-prevalent competition the music industry entails. MusicDish gives the artist the opportunity to take advantage of several different services: a creative approach to artist development and representation; online press release distribution & marketing; publications disclosing all the latest information involving the music industry; and even a indie music video channel.
http://www.musicdish.net
http://www.mi2n.com

NonStop Riot Closes Series B Funding From North Venture Partners

Music Branding Agency Expands to Meet Demands of Non-traditional Spending Among Brands

NonStop Riot (www.nonstopriot.com), a US music branding agency, has secured an undisclosed round of Series B financing from Oakland, CA-based North Venture Partners. The Los Angeles-based firm has worked with a growing list of brand partners including: Ray-Ban, SanDisk, Loopt, slotMusic, and Red Bull among others. The funding will ensure NonStop Riot's continued ability to propel brands and artists to the mainstream.

NonStop Riot CEO Josh Crick comments, "This round of funding speaks to our success over the last three years, and North's support of our growth and strategic leadership in the music branding space. We're excited to have North on our team because of their deep knowledge of music and marketing, their industry connections, and their track record of transparency with entrepreneurs. It's a partnership in the truest sense."

As marketers' love affair with music continues to grow, NonStop Riot has answered their call with brand building strategies and promotional campaigns that balance tangible metrics with social relevance; no small feat in a segment often plagued with me-too tactics that can only measured by "cool". The mutually beneficial relationship between brands and bands provides a new revenue stream for labels, a valuable set of exposure opportunities for artists, and positions the brand as socially-relevant in the consumer's eyes.

"As more and more lifestyle brands shift away from traditional high cost, above-the-line marketing tactics, they are looking for innovative and cost-effective ways to reach and inspire their target. NonStop Riot has ‘cracked the code' on how to authentically bring together brands with emerging bands to create a memorable consumer experience," explains Alex Bernstein, Managing Partner, North Venture Partners.

NonStop Riot has also launched a website, FeedingYouMusic.com, that aggregates new music from 2,000+ sites hourly providing a front row seat to monitor the bands that are on the cusp of breaking into the mainstream. Bands first tapped by NonStop Riot have gone on to be featured by brands from Apple to Heineken, landed their own series on MTV, and provide the nightly soundtrack for the most popular shows on television.

About NonStop Riot
NonStop Riot is the U.S. music branding agency that brings brands, bands, and consumers together through the strategic use of music. Its team has built and managed music strategies for some of the most influential consumer brands in the US and globally, and they continue to educate the industry at large through music marketing research. www.musicmakesitbetter.com

About North Venture Partners
North is a boutique private equity advisory and consulting firm focused on accelerating the growth of innovative early stage ventures. By applying a revolutionary methodology to scoring, evaluating, and selecting new venture investments, North is making the process of fostering entrepreneurial innovation more efficient. www.dontgosouth.com

Green-Light Received For 'The Road Avenger' Novel

Based on the 1985 Data-East laserdisc feature "Road Blaster," G-Mode of Japan has given a green-light to MMP Publishing's "The Road Avenger" novel, to be released in 2009.

Written by Mary Margaret Park (author and poet) and co-produced by Sekrett Scilensce (composer and producer), "The Road Avenger" is the story of Blake Sanders, a man whose destiny is forever changed when a gang known as S.C.U.M. (Secret Criminal Underground Movement) slay his wife.

Methodically promoting anarchy and the breakdown of society, S.C.U.M. seeks to hold the world hostage, devouring one city at a time.

Before the reader's eyes are the politicians and behind the lies, there's the S.C.U.M. -- Blindly avenging a love once known, "The Road Avenger" must decide what is right -- In spite of his wishes to remain an honorable member of humanity, Blake treads the fine lines between virtue and dishonor.

"The original concept is 'Mad Max' like," author Mary Margaret Park explained, "So we've decided to make 'The Road Avenger' a psychological action drama, which will end up like a cross between 'Mad Max,' 'Ronin,' and Steven Soderbergh's 'Traffic.' Though we are expanding on a simple plotline, we are straying far from the typical Hollywood attitudes that engulf many fine stories."

Licensors in Tokyo were pleased and gave the project a thumbs-up -- A total of four chapters were showcased in a mock 6x9 binding, emulating the look and feel of the finished product.

Fans of "Road Blaster" (a.k.a. "Road Avenger" in the U.S.A.) can visit http://www.theroadavenger.com to obtain more details about the novelization and are encouraged to join the demo club.

http://www.mmp-publishing.com/mp3s/ss_mmp_dba_sc-ost_excerpt.mp3

About Mary Margaret Park:

Mary Margaret Park is an Author and Poet of Psychological and Experimental Fiction Crossover Writings, best described as Stephen King partying with David Lynch in The Twilight Zone.

http://www.marymargaretpark.com

About Sekrett Scilensce:

Sekrett Scilensce is a Composer and Producer of Electronic and Classical Eurasian Crossover Music, best described as Thomas Dolby in a jam-session with Kraftwerk and Peter Schilling (or Hans Zimmer crossed with John Carpenter and Akira Yamaoka).

http://www.sekrettscilensce.com

About G-Mode:

G-Mode Co. Ltd. was established in July 2000 as the world's first mobile network game contents provider, specializing in Java game software. 6 years later, G-mode has become the #1 Mobile game provider in Japan, servicing over 1.5 million NTT Docomo subscribed customers and experiencing over half a million downloads per month with AU KDDI mobile phone users. G-Mode is currently in the process of global expansion and has built B2B relations with Major Mobile Phone Carriers such as Vodafone, Motorola, and Nokia.

About Data East:

Data East Corporation (also abbreviated as DECO) was a Japanese video game company. Their main headquarters were located in Tokyo, while their American subsidiary, Data East USA, was headquartered in San Jose, California. The company was in operation from 1976 to 2003, when it declared bankruptcy.

Data East was founded by Tetsuo Fukuda on April 20, 1976 as an electronic engineering company which focused on integrating interchangeable tapes inside arcade game devices, allowing video game operators to replace a game from a machine without having to replace the cabinet itself. Realizing the money that could be made within the interactive content, Data East began developing arcade video games in 1979 and established a U.S division. By 1985, Data East had shifted away from interchangeability to concentrate themselves on video games only.