News

February, 14 2008
Concert Online: SPV Concert Films Now Available for Download

Live music portal's collection now includes Motörhead and other heavy metal classics

Other distribution partnerships planned for Q1 2008

Cologne, Germany, February 14, 2008 - The live music portal Concert Online operated by the Cologne-based music company Music Networx has agreed a far-reaching partnership with SPV GmbH, a record company based in Hanover. SPV is the top independent music company in the rock and heavy metal segments and holds the rights to concert film production for bands including Kreator, Motörhead and Sodom. In addition to SPV's roster of metal bands, Concert Online will also distribute live performances by acts such as progressive rockers Saga and cult German pop singer Marianne Rosenberg through its online store. This past December, the Cologne-based company announced collaborations with major label Sony BMG and Europe's leading indie label Eagle Rock. Additional distribution partnerships with top international music industry players are in the pipeline for Q1 2008.

"We want to expand the range of music offered by Concert Online, so we're currently in discussions with some very diverse potential partners. The alliance with SPV has added the most important player in Germany's heavy metal, rock and alternative music scenes to our platform. As an avowed fan of Saxon and Motörhead, I am personally thrilled about this partnership," said Gerrit Schumann, CEO of Music Networx.

According to Ingo Vandre, head of New Media at SPV, "Concert Online is the optimal platform for marketing our video catalog online. Thanks to this arrangement, some unreleased concerts will find their way to fans, too."

Concert Online emphasizes technical and artistic excellence in selecting concert films for its collection. When downloading these files, users can choose from a variety of image and compression formats. The price for downloading a 90-minute concert film averages between EUR 9.99 and EUR 14.99.

About Concert Online

Music lovers can visit www.concertonline.de to buy downloads or DVDs of full-length concert films, as well as to research tour and concert dates online using the site's event calendar. Discussion forums provide a multitude of opportunities for interaction with other music lovers: users can exchange information with other concertgoers or make plans with other fans to attend concerts together.

About SPV

SPV GmbH was founded on January 1, 1984 by current Managing Director Manfred Schütz. SPV is one of the largest independent record companies in Europe and is known as a heavy metal pioneer in Germany. Metallica, Kreator, Slayer and Helloween all found their way onto CD shelves thanks to SPV, and artists such as Klaus Schulze, Whitesnake, Amon Düül II and John Lee Hooker are a testament to the company's musical diversity. SPV has also made a name for itself as a distributor of labels such as Roadrunner, Naidoo Rec., Metal Blade, Fat Wreck, Epitaph, Simply Red and 3R. In addition to producing CDs, SPV also markets DVDs for an artist roster including Blackmore's Night, Nickelback, Tom Petty, Heaven & Hell and Fury in the Slaughterhouse.

Contacts:

Georg Bergheim
Managing Director, Music Networx GmbH
Phone: +49(0)221.788 787-0
E-mail: georg.bergheim@musicnetworx.net

Press contact:
Eric Eitel Agentur Frische Fische
Phone: +49(0)30.814926-77
E-mail: eric.eitel@frische-fische.com