Artists face name amendments for US market

ARTISTS who have already established a follow¬ing on the UK scene are finding they have to use an amended name when launched in the USA. Milton Keynes girl pop team Shine have had to adopt the moniker Shine MK for their American push, while South Africa's Tree have become Tree63 for their launch into the US.

Explained Shine's record producer Zarc Porter about the Shine name change, "When the band went to the States before the release of the first album, the record company did a search of the name and discovered there was another Shine, though one spelt Shyne, with Puff Daddy. So the girls had to become Shine MK -the MK stands for MiIton Keynes!"