Publishing Briefs: Dan the Automator Signs With Atlas Music Group, RightsFlow Enters 3D Printing Biz, Riptide Expands

Billboard’s Ed Christman rounds-up all the big news in the music publishing world.

— The Atlas Music Group has signed producer Dan “The Automator” Nakamura to a worldwide publishing deal, which will include his entire catalog (except for collaborations with Dr. Octagon), as well as future works.

Nakamura has produced music for the Gorillaz and is a member of hip-hop groups Deltron 3030 and Handome Boy Modeling School; he has also collaborated with Jamie Cullum, Anais Croze, Zack De La Rocha, Kasabian, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the Lonely Island and Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

“Dan is a truly remarkable talent and has an incredible mind for music,” Altas Music Publishing CEO Richard Stumpf said in a statement. “He’s one of today’s most sought-after producers, and his decision to sign with us is further proof that songwriters and producers want a publisher that is committed to client service and stays active and engaged in their careers.”

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— Universal Music Publishing Group has appointed Michael Peterson as svp of business and legal affairs. He reports to David Kokakis, svp of business and legal affairs and business development.

Petersen will be based out of the company’s NYC office and responsible for contract negotiations for new and existing writer and catalog signings, acquisitions and other legal matters.

Previously, Petersen was chief operating officer and general counsel for Atlas Music Publishing, and before that was exec VP/GM for the Kobalt Music Group. Prior to that, Petersen ran business and legal affairs for UMPG, so he is rejoining the company.

“After negotiating deals against Michael throughout the past fifteen years, it’s a pleasure to be on the same side of the table for the first time,” Kokakis said in a statement. “UMPG is fortunate to have an attorney of Michael’s caliber rejoin the family.”

— The founders of RightsFlow — which helped make sense of the digital music revolution by helping music publishers get paid from digital services — is taking their entrepreneur vision to a new industry: the 3D printing industry.

RightsFlow founders Patrick Sullivan and Ben Cockerham and key RightsFlow staffer/Youtube head of music publishing Scott Sellwood have left Google — which purchased RightsFlow in December 2011 — to form a new company Source3, and have been joined by 3D printing executive Tom Kurke, formerly president at Geomagic, which was acquired by 3D Systems in 2013.

Source3 will help aggregate and simplify rights management and distribution of 3D content. According to the company, Source3 aggregates 3D content from brands and designers and distributes licensed designs for use within the broader 3D ecosystem, including retail and manufacturing marketplaces. Source3 also provides backend infrastructure for retailers and manufacturing hubs, clearing and managing third party intellectual property for physical production, as well as digital utilization in rendering, animation, search and display.

“We see significant friction in this ecosystem, but also tremendous opportunity for industry growth,” Source3 CEO Patrick Sullivan said in a statement. “We saw firsthand how connecting content and technology could drive massive opportunities for monetization [in the music industry] and we believe there are substantial parallels in the 3D content industry. We intend to simplify how 3D content is licensed, monetized and produced.”

The company is being funded by a seed investment from VanHam Ventures, a venture capital firm started in January 2014 by the RightsFlow founders, Sullivan and Cockerham.

“Distributing content, and providing a licensing and payment tracking infrastructure, is key to the continuing long term growth in the 3D printing ecosystem,” Source3 executive Tom Kurke said in a statement.

— Riptide Music has signed a deal to serve as the synchronization representative handling the catalogs of Lansdowne, Winston, Bloor, Hoffman House Music Publishers, which collectively has a catalog of 60’s vintage music including rare garage rock, surf, doo wop and bluegrass music that includes over 1,250 songs from such artists as the Dillards, the Tri-Lites, the Splendours, the Excel Five and the Pyramids, including the latter’s song “Penetration.”

“These catalogs are historically accurate – the real deal,” Riptide Music Group Bob Kaminsky said in a statement. “When our clients want authentic doo wop, 60’s surf, garage rock, real bluegrass or Southern Gospel, this music should be at the top of their list.”

— BMG Chrysalis and its Primary Wave Music joint venture have locked up Sigma, the drum and bass duo comprising Cameron Edwards and Joseph Lenzie, for a worldwide publishing deal. Primary Wave will handle publishing in the U.S. while BMG Chrysalis UK will handle the rest of the world. The deal with BMG comes ahead of the release of Sigma’s first album expected next year.

“We are looking forward to helping Cameron and Joe maintain their impressive chart run and to fully realise their songwriting potential,” BMG Chrysalis senior A&R Steve Sasse said in a statement. “We are delighted to be working with them, Primary Wave, Insanity and 3 Beat.”

According to BMG Chrysalis, the duo’s first two singles, “Nobody To Love,” and “Changing,” have sold over a million downloads.