Topline LIVE NATION'S LAWYERSaregettingaworkout. The events VIVO IS GROWING-AND SELLING? The video -hosting promoter was sued by festival workers claiming show tickets did service had its official rollout in Mexico on April 30-a move not count as fair compensation for their work. On a more bizarre spurred byabigsurgein digital video views there, CEO Rio Caraeff note, a woman who attended an Engelbert Humperdinck concert at told Billboard. Thesameday, reports surfaced that Vevo'sowners- aNew York theater owned by Live Nation has sued, too, blaming the Universal Music Group, Sony Corp., Google and Abu Dhabi Media companyfor splinters she pickedup on abench at the show. A Live -wereconsidering hiring Goldman Sachs forapossible sale. Nation representative declined comment tonewsoutlets. DreamWorks Animation isapotential buyer. The DealIs Imagem TooBig Musical Chairs ToSell? The industry has doubts that the music publishercan fetch $650 million TECHNOLOGY PUBLISHING Ranj Bathwasnamedvp Marty Silverstonewas corporate strategy and promoted to senior vp BY ED CHRISTMAN Works by Rodgers & Hammerstein (including business development for creative/head of synch at The Sound of Music) and Beats Music. Withmore Primary Wave Music, where Daft Punkare among than 15yearsof global he willoverseeplacements in film, TV, advertising, video Imagem's catalogs. experience at the forefront of entertainment and gamesandnewmedia, technology, Bath joined while also focusingon new thecompanyfrom Intel, catalog acquisitions and artist where he led strategic signings. He had driven synch partnerships and marketing campaigns for Hall &Oates, forseven years.He alsowas Kurt Cobain, Steven Tyler, Def co-founder/C00 of Desi Leopard and Chicago. Hits,amultiplatform media Miles Feinbergwas companythat included the promoted to executivevp backing of several high- music sales (or Music Sales profile Silicon Valley venture Corp -/G. Schirmer Inc., capitalists, as well as Jimmy where he will head the Los lovineas oneof its strategic Angeles office andoverseethe N investors. Bath will continue copyright, synchronization and NOW THAT ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARG- to advise a number of licensing departments. estindependent music publishers, companiesacrossthe social broadcasting, music gaming LABELS Imagem, is seekingabuyer, financial and crowdsourcingspaces as Karen Dillettjoined Razor and publishingsources saythey're "an evangelist with a passion & Tieassenior director of to integrate the latest marketing and Bob Hoch skeptical the Netherlands -based trends in technologyacross waspromoted to senior firm-whichownsand administers entertainment and celebrity- director of marketing. Dillett driven initiatives," according will tap into her extensive publishing rights forsomeof the to Beats Music. background in international biggestnamesinpop,classical and and domestic marketing, productmanagementand musical theater-will findabuyer production at the company's to gofor its $65o million asking price. Billboard Music and19Songs. WARNER BUYS GOLD New York headquarters. She broke thenewsApril 28 that New York -based Imagem's $650 million price TYPHOON GROUP previouslywas vpinternational Warner Music Group at Roadrunner Records and investment bank Jeffries is shopping the pub-tagwouldappear tobe in line continued its strategy marketing director/production lishing giant, whichcountsworks byDaft Punk,with the typical valuation of investing in emerging managerfor filmcompany musicmarkets with the Fogolabs. Hoch had served Justin Timberlakeand Vampire Weekend; method for music publishing April 28 acquisition of Gold asproductmanager atthe classicalcomposersIgorStravinsky and houses:iotimesnetpublish- Typhoon Group,oneof the label for such successful larger independent music front-line releases by artists Aaron Copland;and theatergreats Rodgers & er's share-industry speak for companies operating in including The Pretty Reckless, Hammersteinamongits catalogs. grossprofit. Imagem's2013 Greater China. The deal Augustana, The Ready Set and includes the artist roster Yellowcard. Imagemwasfounded in2007by Dutch NPSwasabout $65 million, and recorded -music catalog -Roy Trakin pension fund ABP and music publishing firm sources say.But skepticscon- ofmorethan 600,000 [email protected] Chinese and international CP Masters. Inanemail, Imagem CEOAndre tend thecompanywill havea songs,including works de Raaffexplained that ABP has invested in tough time getting thatamount by multimillion -selling Taiwanesepopvocalist Ah MILESTONES Imagem formorethan sixyearsandnowfinds in today's marketplace. Mei and boy band Lollipop. the "time right to look at this investment andto Otherssaythe publishing According to industry sources. Gold Typhoon Fall Out Boy guitarist Joe DJ E -Z Rock (realname investigate the best options for the future." giantmayhaveto bebroken represents approximately Trohman, 29, and his wife Rodney "Skip" Bryce), the SourcessayABP has investedapproximately 3.5 percent of the Chinese upbecause its size makes hip -hop pioneer who enjoyed market. -Richard Smirke Marie Wortman Goble $650 million in publishing acquisitions forit difficult for the largest celebrated the birth of their abreakout hit in 1988 with "It Imagem, and is looking torecoup atleastas U.S. publishers-Sony/ATV, its EMI Music first child, Ruby Sioux Takes Two" alongside fellow Trohman,onApril 24. Harlem artist Rob Base, died much. It's believed the pension fund alreadyPublishing jointventure orUniversal Music of unknowncauses on April DJ Rashad (realname 27. Hewas46. extracted dividends from thecompanyduring Publishing Group-to getclearance from Rashad Hanif Harden), who its ownership. In2009,Imagem paid approxi-European Union regulators. popularized the Chicago Steve Backer, whose 40- mately $225 milliontoacquire music publisher That leaves Warner Music Group, BMG house music style knownas year career overseeing jazz footwork, died fromapparent programs at several major Rodgers & Hammerstein, whichownsthe Rights Management and possibly Canadian complications ofablood clot labels included workingas famed Broadway composers' catalog, includ-publisher Ole and Atlas Music Groupasthe on April 26. He was 34. head of Arista's jazz division under Clive Davis, died of ing the musicals Oklahoma! and South Pacific,only strategic suitors capable of making such Vernon L. Slaughter, pneumonia on April 10 in for $24o million. In 2008, it paid $24o million alarge acquisition. formervpblack music Englewood, N.J. Hewas76. marketing at CBS Records [email protected] for classical music publisher Boosey & Hawkes. In his email, de Raaff noted that Imagem is and later an entertainment lawyer at Greenberg Traurig up a or, And in 2008, Imagem ponied $15o million considering "a sale,strategic partnership" and Patterson & Associates, for Rondor, Zomba U.K., BBC Catalogue,19 if the price isn't right, "a hold"onthe dea1.0 died of kidney failureonApril 22 in Phoenix. He was 63. B BILLBOARD I MAY 10, 2014.