EC approves BMG pub pickups

SPRING CLEANING: The European Commission continues to do tie up loose ends. A day after finalizing Warner Music’s acquisition of Parlophone from UMG, the EC has fully approved BMG’s pickup of assets thrown off from the combining of Sony/ATV and EMI Music Publishing, including the worldwide rights for the Virgin Music publishing companies and Famous Music U.K. The copyrights concerned include iconic songs from the likes of Kurt Cobain, Tears for Fears, Iggy Pop, The Human League, Terence Trent D’Arby, Mark Ronson, The Kooks and Duffy, BMG noted in a press release this morning. Earlier this month, the Commission gave its final blessing to BMG’s acquisition of the Mute and Sanctuary catalogs of recordings. On a completely different subject, we’re thinking of one of those popular FREE BIRD full-color tattoos on the sides of our neck. (5/16a)