• Downtown Records has a deal with Atlantic Records to market Downtown releases. First up is Eagles of Death Metal's Death By Sexy, which will be released through ADA Distribution today. Next month Downtown/Atlantic will put out two anticipated albums: St Elsewhere by Gnarls Barkley (Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo) and Bang Bang Rock & Roll by Art Brut. Downtown also has a deal with Vice Recordings to help sell its initial releases. (MarketWire)

• Quango, the worldly dance label, has inked a deal with Fontana Distribution. Fontana will get its current releases as well as 17 catalog titles from its early Island Records days (Bomb the Bass, City of Industry soundtrack). (Hits Rumor Mill)

• Universal Music Publishing has signed Chris Brown, who penned the hit "Run It" and so far no other big hits, to an exclusive, worldwide publishing deal.

• Eve is now with Swizz Beatz's Full Surface label, which is now part of Interscope. (Billboard.com)

• Joe Escalante: member of the Vandals, founder of Kung Fu Records and, now, radio talk show host. Escalante, a graduate of Loyola Marymouth Law School, hosts a weekly show on Indie 103.1 and gives legal advice to musicians. The station is in Los Angeles but because people are listening on the Internet, Escalante gets calls from across the country. Great article. (Washington Post)

• CD manufacturer Disc Makers says business is good, though it doesn't go after contracts from big labels any longer. Independent musicians are now its bread and butter. (AP)