Tuesday 30 April 2013, 11:10 | By Andy Malt

Q&A: TV On The Radio

Artist Interviews

Announced last year, TV On The Radio will headline and curate the latest ATP festivals next month. Also featuring artists including De La Soul, DOOM, WHY?, Death Grips, Thee Oh Sees and Unknown Mortal Orchestra, amongst others, it will, it turns out, be one of the last of ATP’s holiday camp-based festivals.

With the festival looming, the band’s Tunde Adebimpe recently revealed that the band are now working on material for their next album, their first since 2011’s ‘Nine Types Of Light’. He also announced that the outfit have now “parted ways” with Universal’s Interscope imprint and will instead be working with Federal Prism – the label owned by the band’s Dave Sitek.

Ahead of his weekend in Pontins, CMU’s Andy Malt spoke to Adebimpe about the festival, the band’s new material and navigating the modern music industry.

AM: How did the ATP Festival come about? When did you start work on it?
TA: The people who run the festival asked us if we’d be interested in curating, and we said yes, absolutely. We started working on it around last summer.

AM: How closely have you worked with ATP and what guidance did they give?
TA: They were great with everything, they basically had us submit a list of names and then they did the harder job of tracking bands down and making sure their schedules allowed for them to play the festival.

AM: How did you select the bands you chose to put on the line-up?
TA: There are lots of bands we all want to see live, lots of people we deeply admire, and lots of new and old friends.

AM: Which acts are you most looking forward to seeing play?
TA: Absolutely all of them!

AM: You’re working on new material at the moment, what stage are you at with that? Will we hear any new songs at ATP?
TA: We’re at the stage where some of it is finished and some it, not so much. We will definitely be playing some new songs at ATP though.

AM: Do you have any sort of plan for a release date for the new album?
TA: Nope.

AM: You’ve worked with independent and major labels, and had success with both. What originally attracted you to Interscope?
TA: Well, it’s like you’re eating spaghetti every night – and you love spaghetti, but one day you go, “I wonder what lasagne tastes like?” Interscope was that lasagne.

AM: Now you’re out of the major label system, do you have ideas for working differently? Are there things you couldn’t do when you were with Interscope?
TA: I think the plan is to keep working the way we have been, and to stay genuinely interested and inspired. Things we couldn’t do with Interscope? There wasn’t much, but we’re fine with it being over.

AM: How has the music industry in a more general sense changed since you first became involved in it? Is it a brave new world, or do you yearn for the old days?
TA: There’s more music, or more portals to make you aware of new (and old) music, so naturally it can be a lot harder to keep track of what’s going on, but I don’t think you really need to know about everything. I saw a magazine in an airport last year whose cover read “150 new bands!” Instant migraine. I don’t particularly yearn for the old days but I definitely miss the mystery that used to come with knowing a band mostly through their music.

Approved: Nicholas Jaar’s Boiler Room NYC Mix

CMU Approved

Nicolas Jaar span a 45 minute set at the Boiler Room in NYC back in March, DJing last at a take-over of the space by his Clown & Sunset label.

Like Jaar’s 2011 LP ‘Space Is Only Noise’ in that its appeal is fairly universal – as in, you don’t have to like house to like it – it’s a non-showy narrative arc, minimalist and varying in its slight inclines/declines in pace (and bass).

At times a rainforest haze of clammy night-time noise, and at others, a smart and pin-sharp spin on whatever track Jaar is playing with, it’s now online to watch and listen to, so do that now:

“The truth is Mr Jackson fooled everyone”: Jacksons v AEG update

Business News Jacksons v AEG Timeline Legal Live Business Top Stories

Ladies and gentlemen, it has begun.

And if you thought the criminal trial of Conrad Murray was dramatic, wait until you see this one. Because various aspects of Michael Jackson’s former life, his drug dependencies and doctor shopping, and what exactly the people around him knew, all topics deemed off-limits in the criminal courts, are likely to be delved into here as the Jackson family attempt to convince a jury that live music giant AEG is liable for the 2009 death of the late king of pop.

AEG Live, the Jacksons’ lawyers will say, is run by ruthless businessmen who in 2009 ignored Michael Jackson’s obvious health problems so to push ahead with and cash-in to the max on the ‘This Is It’ touring venture, putting unreasonable pressure on the doctor caring for the star to do whatever it took to ensure the talent could perform, a doctor hired by the live giant without it even undertaking basic checks regards his credentials.

But Michael Jackson, AEG will counter, was a flawed human being with some dark secrets, whose drug dependencies were only fully known by the few, his regular doctor shopping meaning even those who provided him with prescription medication didn’t really know the level at which he consumed them. On the brink financially, Jackson may well have over-committed with the This Is it project, in desperate need of the monies it could generate, but so good was he at hiding his flagging health AEG could not have known this. They could only take guidance from Murray, the medic Jackson himself chose, hired and managed.

And so we have the basic arguments of the two sides; both of whom seem willing to be brutal in court as they fight their respective cases. For the jury the main question is this: did AEG hire and manage Dr Conrad Murray, the doctor the criminal courts convicted for causing Michael Jackson’s death through negligent treatment? The company ultimately paid his bills, but who controlled the negligent doc – the ‘This Is It’ promoter or Jackson himself?

Yesterday, as the jury who will hear the case took their seats for the first time, legal reps for both parties delivered their opening remarks. And doing their bit to ensure this case will be full of melodrama – even if the TV cameras have been kept outside – the Jackson family’s reps began by playing a song Jackson wrote about his three children with the title ‘You Are My Life’ and, according to CNN, the lines, “You are the sun, you make me shine more like the stars that twinkle at night, you are the moon that glows in my heart”. AEG’s actions didn’t just deprive the world of a great popstar, Team Jackson wanted the court room to know, they deprived three children of their father.

Jackson rep Brian Panish then quickly got about the business of portraying AEG bosses as the sinister characters of the piece, driven by profits at all costs. “There will be no question in your mind that they were ruthless”, Panish told the jury. “And they wanted to be number one at all cost”.

Team Jackson then pulled out what they consider to be the smoking gun of the case, the email from AEG Live exec Paul Gongaware to ‘This Is It’ show director Kenny Ortega written eleven days before Jackson’s death, in which he writes: “We want to remind [Murray] that it is AEG, not MJ, who is paying his salary. We want to remind him what is expected of him”.

Gongaware says he doesn’t remember writing the email, but to Jackson’s legal team those two sentences prove that AEG did control Murray, despite claims it did not, and more than that, the company put pressure on him to do whatever was necessary to enable Jackson to perform. Panish: “They put Dr Murray in a position where if he said Michael can’t go or can’t play, if he said I can’t give you those drugs, then he doesn’t get paid”.

Gongaware was also key to the Jackson team’s pre-emptive strike regarding AEG’s claims of ignorance of the singer’s health problems. The AEG man had worked with Jackson before, Panish said, and knew the singer was already reliant on addictive opiates while touring in the 1990s. He’d been warned by a doctor about the risks of Jackson’s dependencies as early as 1993, Panish added, so why did he not think to investigate what the situation was in 2009?

But “the truth is Mr Jackson fooled everyone”, said Marvin Putnam, opening for AEG. “He kept those who might have helped him at a distance and no one knew his deepest, darkest secret”, ie his dangerous dependency on prescription drugs. Even Jackson family members didn’t know of the scale of their most famous sibling’s drug consumption, Putnam added, and “if they didn’t know what was going on, how could someone else think there was even a problem?” AEG had no idea, he insisted.

Jackson himself made the decisions that led to his premature demise, Putnam went on. “This case is about personal choices. People have responsibility for their personal choices. It was not a tragedy of AEG Live’s making”. AEG did not manage Murray in any way, he continued, wheeling out his side’s key quote, from one of the medic’s early police interviews, in which he clarifies: “I am an employee for Michael Jackson but paid through AEG”. The doctor himself confirmed, Putnam said, AEG’s argument that it did not control the medic’s treatment of the star.

Moving forward, it will be necessary to reveal in detail in court Jackson’s drug dependencies Putnam continued, possibly for the benefit of the Jacksons in the courtroom, who might regret – the implication seemed to be – pursuing this case, given the damage it is likely to do to their late son, father and brother’s reputation. And that will mean considering the impact the unsuccessful child abuse allegations made against the star had on those drug dependencies, and investigating the 40 doctors and nurses Team AEG say the singer had sought drugs from to satisfy his appetite.

So, expect plenty of juicy revelations as we go.

In addition to laying out the basic opening arguments, some time was spent on day one of the trial considering what evidence can be presented regarding any damages claim the Jacksons might make if successful in the court battle. The Jackson family’s legal reps denied those widely reported claims that their clients would push for damages of $40 billion, though admitted any claim would run into billions.

The testimony of accountant Arthur Erk will be used to back up any damages claim, though AEG has already said his assumptions about the live activity and new business ventures Jackson may have successfully pursued had he lived are wildly unrealistic, ignoring the impact Jackson’s health would have had on his ability to tour worldwide, and the fact the singer’s reputation remained tarnished up to his death. And also, presumably, the fact Jackson burned through cash himself, and may have spent much of his ‘This Is It’ earnings very fast indeed.

And so the case continues. Despite an all-star witness list being promised, today will begin with the more serious business of questioning the LAPD detective who led the investigation into Jackson’s demise, Orlando Martinez.

TLC announce festival show

Artist News Gigs & Festivals

TLC – aka Tionne ‘T-Boz’ Watkins and Rozonda ‘Chilli’ Thomas – have confirmed they will play together again later this year, with their first confirmed reunion show being at the pop-themed American music festival Mixtape in late July. The event is sponsored by VH1, which is also currently making a biopic about the R&B group, in which the trio’s two surviving members are involved.

When the Tupac hologram appeared alongside Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg at Coachella last year there was speculation that TLC might use the same technology to include footage of their late former bandmate Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes in any future live shows. Although that’s not currently formally part of the plan, T-Boz didn’t rule it out when asked about such a thing in a recent Huffington Post interview.

She said: “We’re trying to work out to see if we can really deal with that. You have to stand next to that person and you know she’s not there, and that’s really emotional… It’s easy for people on the outside to say ‘that would be dope’ … but emotionally I don’t know”.

New One Direction album will be available by Christmas

Artist News

One Direction, the boyband’s Louis Tomlinson claims, will giftwrap and release their third (third!) LP in time for Christmas.

It’s like he was saying to the Daily Star the other day: “We’ve already started recording the album, we started about a month ago. We’ve been writing and recording it while on tour. We are really happy with it. We don’t want to rush it but it will be out for Christmas”. Hear that? Happy 1D-mas, one and all.

Kanye West LP “done” and “dark”, says speculative DJ

Artist News

Apparently, Kanye West’s new LP – the heir apparent to 2010’s ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’ – is “done”, the final edit having apparently been played to label execs at a Def Jam listening party last week.

Peter Rosenburg, a DJ at NYC-based station Hot 97, wasn’t present at the playback, but said live on air that he’d heard the TBA disc was “dark but really good”. So that isn’t a lot to go on, but still… it’s a start. Certainly, this ties in with hearsay that West has a new single – perhaps based on his designs on divinity – on the way, and may play it when he appears on ‘Saturday Night Live’ on 18 May.

Boards Of Canada announce new album

Releases

I’m sure you’re all aware of the hints that have been dropped lately that Boards Of Canada are planning to release a new album, their first since 2005? The lone record released for Record Store Day featuring 20 seconds of music, the second such release that followed later, the mysterious numbers, and all of that. Well now they’ve announced it, so that’s that.

The final clue came yesterday when someone ‘discovered’ that the series of six digit numbers that had been doing the rounds – on the two 20 second records that emerged, as well as from other sources – unlocked a website giving access to a lengthy, abstract video and (eventually) a pre-order link for the new album.

Anyway – skip to the end – the album is called ‘Tomorrow’s Harvest’, it’s out on 10 Jun via Warp, and this is its tracklist:

Gemini
Reach for the Dead
White Cyclosa
Jacquard Causeway
Telepath
Cold Earth
Transmisiones Ferox
Sick Times
Collapse
Palace Posy
Split Your Infinites
Uritual
Nothing Is Real
Sundown
New Seeds
Come to Dust
Semena Mertvykh

Savages stream LP

Releases

Savages have granted us all an early playback of their first LP, ‘Silence Yourself’, as features ‘Shut Up’, ‘Husbands’ and ‘She Will’ – all the hits – and will be released for real on 6 May.

Take advantage of this kindness via silenceyourself.savagesband.com

Creep to release LP feat Tricky, Sia, Romy xx

Releases

Approved-in-2011 stars of ‘dark R&B’, that’s Creep, will release their long-awaited first LP, a ten-track titled ‘Echoes,’ on 12 Aug.

It’ll feature vocals by Tricky, Miike Snow’s Andrew Wyatt and Sia. Oh, and The xx’s Romy Madley Croft and Nina Sky, who’ve already appeared on past singles ‘Days’ and ‘You’.

And Planningtorock, who vocalises over what I’m 99.9% certain is the LP’s first track, ‘Introduction’. Hear her doing that via Spin.

Die Antwoord to play themselves in sci-fi film

Artist News

South African ‘zef rap’ outfit Die Antwoord are going to appear as themselves in a new sci-fi film by Neill Blomkamp, who directed ‘District 9’. Shooting on ‘Chappie’, as it’s titled, will start in Johannesburg later this year, with a budget of $50 million. Blomkamp told The Playlist last year: “It’s … a comedy, a heartfelt story, in a science fiction setting. And it’s fucking hilarious, it’s a really cool film”.

Meanwhile, speaking to South African newspaper Die Burger, Die Antwoord rapper Ninja gave a detailed rundown of the group’s diary, explaining that after a European tour in June and July they “will do very nice shopping in Milan and Paris and hard partying in Switzerland and Moscow. And then we start working on ‘Chappie'”. He added that they are also set to release their third album next February, with plans for single releases in May and August.

So that’s quite a lot to be getting on with in the coming months. Before all that gets underway, this is the NSFW video made for Die Antwoord’s 2012 track ‘Baby’s On Fire’, as features (via Bleeding Cool) the clairvoyant line “Neill Blomkamp’s making me a movie star”.

Beastie Boys to write memoir

Artist News

Beastie Boys Michael Diamond and Adam Horovitz are to write a “multi-dimensional” autobiography for publication in late 2015, the New York Times reports.

The book, set to be published in the US by Random House subsidiary Spiegel & Grau, will be edited by hip hop journalist Sacha Jenkins with contributions from other writers, which will apparently give it a similar feel to the group’s now defunct Grand Royal magazine.

Spiegel & Grau’s Julie Grau told the paper: “[Diamond and Horovitz are] interested in challenging the form and making the book a multidimensional experience. There is a kaleidoscopic frame of reference, and it asks a reader to keep up”.

The announcement of the decision to pen the memoir, of course, comes almost a year after the death of the third Beastie Boys member, Adam Yauch.

Luke Janlow of the duo’s agents Janklow & Nesbit said: “After Yauch died, I didn’t push them, but I think that Adam and Mike ended up realising that it was the right time for them. [Though] the first words out of Mike’s mouth were, ‘I don’t want to do a straight memoir'”.

Bass Drum touring in May

Gigs & Festivals

The CMU Approved Bass Drum Of Death – that’s John Barrett and band – are playing away at a variety of shows in May, which kind of rhymes.

They’ll ‘hit’ the following British dates:

13 May: Brighton, Green Door Store
14 May: Bristol, The Exchange
16 May: London, Black Heart Camden
17 May: London, Koko

Babyshambles set September dates

Gigs & Festivals

Peter Doherty’s Babyshambles say they’re starting a tour in September, which doesn’t – given past no-shows and dramas – necessarily mean they will. Though they generally show up for gigs these days, right? Well, let’s hope so, as you take a glance over the dates:

4 Sep: Glasgow, Barrowlands
5 Sep: Newcastle, Academy
6 Sep: Leeds, Academy
7 Sep: Manchester Academy
9 Sep: Liverpool, Academy
10 Sep: Lincoln, Engine Shed
11 Sep: Bristol, Academy
13 Sep: Oxford, Academy
14 Sep: London, Brixton Academy
15 Sep: Cardiff, University
16 Sep: Norwich, UEA
10 Sep: Sheffield, Leadmill
11 Sep: Hatfield, The Forum
12 Sep: Leamington Spa, Assembly
14 Sep: Birmingham, Academy
15 Sep: Leicester, Academy
17 Sep: Cambridge, Junction
18 Sep: Folkestone, Leas Cliff Hall
20 Sep: Exeter, Great Hall
21 Sep: Bournemouth, Academy

Festival line-up update: Reading & Leeds, Hard Rock Calling, EXIT and more

Artist News Festival Line-Up Update Gigs & Festivals

Ah, festivals, what a lark. ‘But what of the real nitty gritty intricacies of their line-ups?’, I hear you scream. Well, we have that all listed and itemised below, starting with The Prodigy, who’ll headline their so-called Warriors’ Gathering, a festival-within-a-festival at Serbia’s EXIT.

“EXIT has a crazy wild side that only very few festivals have. We fukin luv it”, scream the band (what’s with all the screaming today?), adding this: “Come on!”

What else. Super duper Swedish fest Øya has enhanced its already pretty great artist bank (Slayer, The Knife, Kraftwerk and the like) via a set of new additions, namely Cat Power, Grimes, Steve Mason and Laura Mvula. Oh, and then back in Britain we have the ever-acquisitive Reading and Leeds, who’ve affixed an extra page of add-ons (Angel Haze, Ghostpoet, Action Bronson, Ms Dynamite) to their matching programmes.

Similarly, Hard Rock Calling has been busying itself with the business of lengthening its listings, booking Dark Horses, Deaf Havana and others alongside its previously announced stars, Bruce Springsteen, Kasabian, Paul Weller, Miles Kane and Alabama Shakes.

This is Olympic cyclist and ‘mod’ Bradley Wiggins, an authority on all-things Hard Rock (I think because the event has moved to the Olympic Park this year), saying things about it: “Having the Olympics in London last summer was incredible, and it’s great to hear that the Olympic Park will be hosting such a high profile music event this year. Having some of the world’s greatest artists including Bruce Springsteen, Kasabian and Paul Weller perform there is a great way to show the versatility of this brilliantly designed space. It will be a fantastic event”.

Ta for that, Brad. And that’s only a basic summary, with today’s full FLUU surprises as here listed:

EXIT FESTIVAL, Petrovaradin Fortress, Novi Sad, Serbia, 10-14 Jul: The Prodigy, DJ Fresh, South Central, Feed Me, Eyesburn, The Prototypes, Brookes Brothers. www.exitfest.org/en

GREEN MAN, Glanusk Park, Usk Valley, Powys, Wales, 15-18 Aug: Polly & The Billets Doux, A Cappella – The Improvised Musical, Bert Miller And The Animal Folk, Buzz Words & The Bee Ceilidh, Minima, Mogees, Paul Mosley, Nuala Honan. www.exitfest.org

LEEDS FESTIVAL, Bramham Park, Leeds, 23-25 Aug: Wretch 32, Angel Haze, Ms Dynamite, David Rodigan, Action Bronson, The Toddla T Sound, Giggs, Mikill Pane, Ghostpoet, Context, Knytro, Mic Righteous, Semtex, Lunar C, Broke N English, Etta Bond, P Money, Left Boy, Stylo G, Nathan ‘Flutebox’ Lee & The Clinic, Murkage, Scrufizzer. www.leedsfestival.com

ONE LOVE, Damyns Hall Aerodrome, Upminister, Essex, 16-18 Aug: Zion Train, Ranking Joe, Radio Riddler, Anthony Johnson, Fatman International Sound, Smiley, 1Eye, Cosmic Fevah, Baby’oul and the One Drops, The Friendly Fire Band, Ben Russell and The Charmers, Kernow Vibration, Mikel Ameen, Kalichakra, We the Undersigned, Dub Theatre, ChainSka Brassika, Big Topp, Extra Love, The iFoundation, Chickenwing Allstars, Kingston Allstars, The Crooked Beat, The Bionic Rats, Psychic Robot. www.onelovefestival.co.uk

ØYA, Middelalderparken, Oslo, Sweden, 6-10 Aug: Grimes, Laura Mvula, Cat Power, Steve Mason, Phosphorescent, Ben Zabo, Mikhael Paskalev, Shining, Deathcrush, Dråpe, Lemaitre, Dreamon. www.oyafestivalen.com

READING FESTIVAL, Richfield Avenue, Reading, 23-25 Aug: Wretch 32, Angel Haze, Ms Dynamite, David Rodigan, Action Bronson, The Toddla T Sound, Giggs, Mikill Pane, Ghostpoet, Context, Knytro, Mic Righteous, Semtex, Lunar C, Broke N English, Etta Bond, P Money, Left Boy, Stylo G, Nathan ‘Flutebox’ Lee & The Clinic, Murkage, Scrufizzer. www.readingfestival.com

RED ROOSTER FESTIVAL, Euston Hall, Suffolk, 13-15 Sep: Beverly Watkins And The King Bees, Jamie N Commons, Hudson Taylor, The Riptide Movement, St Paul And The Broken Bones, Jesse Dee, The Riot Act, Miraculous Mule, Pearl TN, Scoundrels, CC Smugglers, Danni Nicholls. www.redrooster.org.uk

Timberlake announces partnership with MasterCard

Brands & Merch

Justin Timberlake has announced a new brand partnership with MasterCard, him being a long-term advocate of debt. The deal will kick of this weekend with an exclusive show in New York for MasterCard customers (not all of them, they’ll have to apply for tickets), with other events, experiences, co-created content and “consumer engagement opportunities” planned. And to think, pop stars used to have to make do writing and performing pop songs; pity the 1980s pop act who never got to participate in a consumer engagement opportunity.

Said Timberlake: “I’m thrilled to be a part of a collaboration that offers me the opportunity to connect and engage with fans and bring them closer to the music. MasterCard is a respected global brand and I look forward to working with them to bring something truly unique to their cardholders”.

While the man from MasterCard, CMO Alfredo Gangotena, added: “When people think about access to music and entertainment, we want them to think of MasterCard. We’ve had a role in this space for some time but are now looking to really put a stake in the ground and we’re doing so by tapping into one of the most prominent global entertainment and business minds, Justin Timberlake. We’ve got some amazing things up our sleeves and know that cardholders and fans will be thrilled”.

Which is all very exciting. I mean, imagine if Justin can do for MasterCard what he achieved for MySpace.

New CEO for Shazam

Digital

Shazam has hired Rich Riley, formerly of Yahoo!, to be its new CEO, with the content identification technology company’s incumbent boss Andrew Fisher becoming Executive Chairman. The rejig at the top follows the recent appointment of former BBC digital man Daniel Danker to the role of Chief Product Officer, and seems to be part of a plan to enable further expansion and, down the line, an IPO.

Says Fisher: “I couldn’t be more pleased to welcome Rich Riley as Shazam’s new Chief Executive Officer. Rich brings a tremendous amount of experience both as an internet executive where he has rapidly scaled global businesses, to establishing strategic relationships with advertisers and partners, as well as his entrepreneurial approach and skills”.

He added: “Whilst Rich will run our business I will now spend more time focusing on our corporate development and future strategy including our ambitions to deliver a successful IPO for our shareholders as we look to become an increasingly important part of people’s everyday lives, helping them engage with content and brands in the most efficient way possible”.

Radio 1 boss to chair Radio Academy

Media

Radio industry trade group the Radio Academy has announced that Radio 1 boss Ben Cooper will be its next Chairman, taking over from Global Radio chief Ashley Tabor. The Chairman job at the Academy comes up for renewal every two years.

Confirming Cooper’s appointment to the job, the Academy’s Acting General Manager Mandy O’Connor told reporters: “We’re delighted that Ben Cooper has been appointed Chair of The Radio Academy and we look forward to working with him over his tenure. The Academy would also like to express our sincere thanks and appreciation to Ashley Tabor for his leadership and passion over the past two years. He leaves the Academy in a much stronger position than ever before”.

Ben Cooper added: “I am delighted to be leading The Radio Academy – it is the only place where the whole of the UK radio industry comes together to celebrate and champion the medium we love”.

Danny Brown keeps rapping despite some special attention from a fan

And Finally

American rapper Danny Brown has bragged on Twitter how he didn’t “miss a bar” despite getting a blowjob from a fan live on stage at a gig in Minneapolis this weekend. Yeah, you read that right – see, Bieber’s weed smoking, stun gunning, tantrum throwing and monkey smuggling all seems charmingly childlike now doesn’t it?

Recounts a gig-goer a little too close for comfort to the fellatio to Soundisstyle: “I was near the front row and all night Danny had been going up to the crowd and having random girls touch his dick through his pants. Then this girl in front of me starts flashing him and he goes up to her and grabs her tits. Then all of a sudden gets up close, pulls his shirt up a little and she starts blowing him”

Lovely. Brown’s online bragging came in response to fellow rapper Kendrick Lamar asking “u really just got the head on stage stanny???”, to which Brown responded “and didn’t miss one bar bruh bruh”.

Here’s Brown discussing previous, er, encounters with fans on stage with Mike Skinner:

CMU Planner – w/c 29 Apr 2013

CMU Planner

So, the news this week (and not just music news) is likely to be dominated by the trial to examine the Jackson family’s claim that AEG Live was responsible for the death of Michael Jackson in 2009. Yes, the wait is finally over. As well as that, there are many festivals taking place this weekend, which we’re taking to mean that festival season is officially open. In CMU features this week we’ve got an interview with TV On The Radio, a playlist from Sam Amidon and more.

And here’s a look at some of the news stories, events, new releases and gigs coming up this week…

Jacksons v AEG Live trial starts. This has been a very long time coming, with plenty of pre-trial legal scuffles along the way, but now the jury has been selected and The Jacksons v AEG Live is ready to go. The Jackson family, should you need reminding, says that AEG Live is responsible for Michael Jackson’s demise in 2009 because it hired Conrad Murray, the doctor found guilty of causing the singer’s death through negligence. AEG counters that Jackson chose and managed Murray himself, the company just paid the bills.

Bull & Gate’s final weekend. If you have a burning desire to see a gig at the Bull & Gate in Kentish Town, you’d better get on and do it this week. Come 4 May, the venue will no longer be, it closing down to make way for a new gastro pub. Ed Harcourt will headline a farewell party on Saturday night.

National day of mourning. This Sunday, if you’re in New York, you can watch The National perform their song ‘Sorrow’. And not just once, approximately 108 times, by my maths. The band are playing at the MoMA PS1 exhibition space as part of an art performance piece by Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson called ‘A Lot Of Sorrow’. And as titles go, you don’t get much more descriptive than that.

ATP I’ll Be Your Mirror curated by Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs will be playing and curating the latest edition of ATP’s I’ll Be Your Mirror festival at Alexandra Palace in London this Saturday. As well as playing themselves, they’ve drafted in the likes of The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, The Locust, The Field and Dirty Beaches amongst others.

Liverpool Sound City. Liverpool’s music showcase festival and conference, Liverpool Sound City, takes place from Thursday to Saturday this week. Artists performing include Noah And The Whale, The Walkmen and Enter Shikari, while amongst the speakers at the conference are Andrew Loog Oldham and Tracey Thorn.

SPOT Festival. One of our favourite city-based festivals, SPOT takes place in Denmark’s second city, Aarhus, on Friday and Saturday this week. Loads of great Nordic acts fill the line-up, including MØ, When Saints Go Machine, Hamferð and The White Album.

New releases. This week Rudimental release their debut, Groove Armada’s Andy Cato releases his solo debut, Neon Neon return with their second album, Iggy & The Stooges are back with the first album to feature the surviving members of the original line-up since 1973’s ‘Raw Power’, Sean Nicholas Savage releases his eighth album in as many years, and Os Mutantes are back with their latest instalment too. Our top tip for this week though, is the excellent debut from House Of Black Lanterns, ‘Kill The Lights’.

Gigs and tours. Launching their new album, ‘Praxis Makes Perfect’, Neon Neon will be taking up residency in the National Theatre Wales Warehouse from 2-5 May for a series of shows. If you can’t get to one of those, then maybe instead you could check out performances by Beyonce, Leona Lewis, Major Lazer, Bring Me The Horizon, Yeah Yeah Yeahs (in addition to ATP IBYM), Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Angel Olsen, Chvrches, Mt Wolf, Deptford Goth, R Stevie Moore or Van Dyke Parks. You could even head down to the Ed Banger label’s birthday party or the London launch of Sweden’s Way Out West festival.

Approved: Lune

CMU Approved

Lune, aka Linnéa Martinsson, is managed by Refune, the company owned by Sebastian Ingrosso of Swedish House Mafia, and first came to prominence last year with a Tiësto remix of her single ‘Girls With Bangs’. And if that’s not a sentence to give a false first impression, I don’t know what is. Because despite those mainstream dance associations, Lune’s music is actually very considered pop.

“Lune is not a regular house act but when I heard it I immediately knew that it was a project that I wanted to get involved in”, Ingrosso himself said of her music, adding: “It’s a project that one shouldn’t try to influence too much – it really has it’s own unique qualities that shouldn’t be tampered with”.

With her debut album, ‘Music & Sports’, out now through Universal in Sweden, Martinsson herself says Lune is “an art project that evolves depending on who takes part in it”, which I think means that she makes great pop music and then gets other people to collaborate with her to put on cool live shows.

We can all go and find out if that’s right when she plays the UK launch party for this year’s Way Out West festival at Electrowerkz in Islington on Tuesday night. Also performing are Say Lou Lou, while BBC 6music’s Adam Dineen will play a DJ set. Tickets for the show are free from here.

Meanwhile, check out the video for ‘Girls With Bangs’ here:

Murray comments again as Jacksons v AEG Live case approaches kick off

Business News Jacksons v AEG Timeline Legal Live Business Top Stories

With opening statements in the grand Jacksons v AEG Live court case due to begin later today, the doctor convicted for causing Michael Jackson’s death through negligence, Conrad Murray, has given yet another interview from jail. And again he has declared his innocence, announcing that he is determined to win his medical licence back.

As previously reported, the Jackson family is claiming that AEG Live, promoters of Michael Jackson’s ill-fated This Is It show, should be held liable for the late king of pop’s death, because it hired Murray. AEG counters that while it paid Murray’s bills, Jackson himself recruited the medic, and managed him on a day-to-day basis.

That Murray’s negligence caused Jackson’s demise will be taken as read in the civil case, but the former doctor is trying to appeal his 2011 conviction. And in a new interview with America’s Today Show, Murray said: “I hope the court will see that an injustice has occurred on this occasion. If that is the case, I will have my [medical] licence back and I will continue to practice medicine”.

Asked if he accepted any responsibility for Jackson’s death, he added: “Not any responsibility that relates to his death. I am sorry that I have lost Michael as a friend and as a patient… It’s a tremendous loss… It’s going to remain with me for the rest of my life, but I am not going to accept responsibility for anything I did not do. [He] caused his own demise”.

Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for negligently administering Jackson with the surgical anaesthetic propofol in a domestic environment as a treatment for insomnia, and for failing to monitor his patient after administering the drug.

Murray claimed that the amount of propofol he administered couldn’t have killed Jackson, with his legal team proposing the patient had himself added to the dosage. The doctor also insisted that he was trying to wean the singer off propofol, adding that other medics who had helped get Jackson hooked onto both the anaesthetic and other prescription medications should also be held liable for the pop star’s untimely demise.

But the prosecution successfully argued that Murray’s theory that Jackson had increased his own dosage of propofol was fanciful and, even if it was true, that the doctor was still negligent for allowing his patient access to the drug. Meanwhile the judge in the criminal case said that Jackson’s alleged dependency on prescription painkillers was irrelevant, because they weren’t in the singer’s system when he died.

Those aspects of Jackson’s life, though, could be debated in more detail in the civil case that kicks off today, and which could last for up to three months.

George Jones dies

Artist News Top Stories

American country star George Jones has died aged 81. He died on Friday after being admitted to hospital with a fever and irregular blood pressure, a spokesman said.

Jones had a string of number ones in the US from the 1950s through to the 1990s, and was married to Tammy Wynette for six years in the early 1970s, during which time the couple recorded several songs together. In addition to the awards and hits, Jones’ battle with alcoholism and cocaine addiction also captured the headlines at times, and often threatened to derail his career. Indeed at one point he earned the nickname No-Show Jones because of the frequency with which he cancelled gigs.

He overcame his inner demons, in the main, after marrying his fourth wife Nancy in 1983, though was seriously injured after crashing his car while DUI in the late 1990s, leading to another spell in rehab. Nevertheless, he continued to play live until the end of his life, and was mid-tour at the time of his death.

Amongst those to pay tribute after Jones’ passing was confirmed was Faith Hill, who wrote “we lost one of the best voices God created this morning; our hearts are saddened to hear that George Jones has passed away… our thoughts and prayers are with Nancy and all of the family”, while Keith Urban tweeted: “If I’m blessed enough to make it there, I look forward to you giving me the grand tour. Rest in peace George Jones!”

Jessie J settles with former manager

Business News Legal Management & Funding

Jessie J will reportedly pay her ex-manager a million pounds to end a long-running legal battle relating to his sacking ahead of her deal with Universal Music.

Raymond Stevenson of management firm 141a said that he originally discovered the singer while she was still attending The BRIT School, and helped her develop the style and persona that delivered so big once she signed to the mega-major.

And while he was already out of the picture by the time that deal was struck, he reckoned that his efforts to put the singer in front of industry execs on both sides of the Atlantic played a crucial role in her subsequent successes. He also said that he put £70,000 of his own money on the table to buy J out of her deal with Gut Records when that company went under in 2008. J then moved her management allegiances to Crown Talent before signing with Universal, which released her debut album ‘Who You Are’ in 2011.

The dispute between J and Stevenson has been rumbling on for two years, but both sides in the squabble have now issued a joint statement that says, simply, “the parties have reached an amicable resolution”. Stevenson added: “141a is very proud of Jessie’s achievements – she is a very talented artist”.

The terms of the settlement are not known, but The Sun says Stevenson will get £1 million, said to be about a fifth of the earnings of ‘Who You Are’. The paper quotes a source as saying: “This is an absolutely massive payout. Jessie is signed to the type of huge label who usually just get what they want. Ray is extremely well respected, but he runs a relatively small operation and Jessie’s people thought he would just roll over”.

Sandé breaks Beatles chart record

Artist News

That Emeli Sandé has only gone and broken a Beatles chart record. According to the Official Charts Company, her debut album ‘Our Version Of Events’ has now been in the album chart’s top ten ever since its release 63 weeks ago. The Beatles’ debut long player ‘Please Please Me’, released in 1963, spent 62 weeks in the top ten, and until now that was the longest any debut album had spent in the top bit of the chart.

OCC boss Martin Talbot told CMU: “It has been an incredible past fifteen months for Emeli Sandé – and to break a record which was set almost 50 years ago by The Beatles is arguably the greatest achievement of all. Across her 63 top ten weeks, she has been top five for almost 75% of the time – a remarkable record, by one of the most remarkable new British acts to emerge for many years”.

While Sandé herself added: “I’m completely lost for words and this is something I could only have dreamed of. The Beatles are the greatest band of all time and their legacy lives on and continues to inspire all of us that make music. I’m so happy that so many people have connected with the stories and the songs on the record, this really is our version of events now. I’d like to say thank you to everyone that has bought, played or shared my music in the last year, without your support this would never have been possible”.

The Wanted bequeath new single to Rihanna’s walk

Releases

The Wanted have given their new single a very silly, very Maroon 5-esque title; and that title is… wait for it… ‘Walks Like Rihanna’. I hadn’t realised Rihanna had an unusual/special walk as walks go, but what can I say… clearly I haven’t got The Wanted’s practiced ‘eye’ for that kind of thing.

The track, a Dr Luke creation, is based around the lyrics: “She can’t sing/She can’t dance/But who cares?/She walks like Rihanna”. Is that a slight against Rihanna’s singing/dancing abilities? Again, I can’t say, you’d have to ask The Wanted.

When I asked the band’s Tom Parker to say things about the single, there was no mention of Rihanna’s singing, dancing or walking. Instead he said: “We are really excited about this single. We feel it’s a little different from the usual Wanted sound, we’ve stripped it back to pure pop, it’s just a feel good, fun track”.

He alluringly added: “Fun is a good word to describe the video too. Let’s just say it’s got a lot of character”. Said video will have its ‘international premiere’ on 7 May, by which time we’ll all have heard the single played to death. The end.

Nicki Minaj to act in law-com film

Artist News

Having voiced a CGI mammoth circa 2012 in kids film ‘Ice Age: Continental Drift’, rapper/’American Idol’ critic/thespian Nicki Minaj is to again pander to her “first love” (acting, apparently) in a new movie co-starring Cameron Diaz.

Having teased her potential new live-action part in an MTV interview earlier this month, Minaj is, says The Hollywood Reporter, in final talks to play Diaz’s ‘opinionated assistant’ in the ‘The Other Woman’, a comic vengeance romp set in a law firm. Shooting is set to start later this year.

Glasvegas add June dates

Gigs & Festivals

The band Glasvegas – who reneged on earlier hints that their third LP might be titled ‘Whoever Shouts The Loudest’, instead revealing its real name to be ‘Later… When The TV Turns To Static’ – are going on a tour quite soon. It starts, as tours do, on 18 Jun at The Cluny in Newcastle, and stops on 29 Jun at Glasgow’s ABC. And this is what it does it between:

18 Jun: Newcastle, The Cluny
19 Jun: Manchester The Deaf Institute
20 Jun: London XOYO
27 Jun: Aberdeen Garage
28 Jun: Edinburgh Liquid Rooms
29 Jun: Glasgow, ABC

Mount Kimbie announce London show

Gigs & Festivals

Big-time bass artistes Mount Kimbie have sportingly arranged to play a show at one of their “old haunts”, the Bussey Building in Peckham, which is nice. They’ll do so on 22 May to give the world a chance to hear their new LP ‘Cold Spring Fault Less Youth’, which is released via Warp on 27 May. Great timing.

Buy tickets to the Bussey show at this link.

Spector, Theme Park, Willy Moon playing Ray-Ban shows

Brands & Merch Gigs & Festivals

Shady shades-maker Ray-Ban is paying five brand-appropriate bands – Spector, Splashh, Theme Park, Willy Moon (who isn’t technically a band, but anyway, moving on) and a ‘very special guest’ – to play a series of ‘Envision’ shows in May.

Each act will headline a date at a site that Ray-Ban thinks represents a particular quality of a pair of it glasses. So, to illustrate what the heck that means, Spector are starting off at Manchester’s Deaf Institute – as (so Ray-Ban says) stands for the ‘Long Lasting’-ness of a Ray-Ban shade – on 14 May.

If that makes any sense to you at all, apply for free tickets to one/all of the Envision shows at this link.

Festival line-up update: Electric Picnic, Glastonbury, T In The Park and more

Artist News Festival Line-Up Update Gigs & Festivals

So, transformative things are afoot at Ireland’s Electric Picnic, with the festival’s HQ naming a feast of initial artist names, not least headlining trio Fatboy Slim, Björk and Arctic Monkeys; and the slightly less headlining likes of My Bloody Valentine, The Knife, Franz Ferdinand, Wu-Tang Clan, David Byrne & St Vincent, Disclosure, Noah and the Whale, Warpaint and Eels. Hur-rah.

And hurrah again, because Bobby Womack is a late-ish new arrival to this year’s Glastonbury cache, and will close the Worthy Farm fest’s West Holts stage on Sunday 30 Jun. Womack, who confirmed he had Alzheimer’s disease earlier this year, will make Glasto his only UK festival date of 2013, playing live with his Bravest Band, as features Damon Albarn and Richard Russell.

And och, hark at the new bill additions at this year’s T In The Park, The Balado-based rock/pop jamboree having signed the likes of Travis, Johnny Marr, Willy Mason and DIIV to its Rihanna/Killers/Mumford-capped cause.

Ecstatic at the idea that long-time T faves Travis will play the fest once again, TITP MD Geoff Ellis says: “Travis have given us some epic performances at T In The Park over the past 20 years, including at our very first outing back in 1994 and incredible headline sets in 2000 and in 2005. They’ve been there since day one, and it really does feel like they are part of the fabric of T In The Park. Our 20th year celebrations – it wouldn’t have felt quite right without them”.

Ah, that’s heart warming, But what of Johnny Marr, doesn’t his joining the line-up warrant any congratulations? Well, yes: “Johnny Marr is a true legend and we’re honoured that he’ll be joining us for our 20th year celebrations, alongside all the other great acts announced today. It’s going to be a great weekend”.

So that’s all great, but it isn’t over, because we have more of the same c/o ATP’s last ever event-in-a-holiday-park End Of An Era, Belgium’s Dour, new London date East End Live (a live sonic add-on to this year’s East End Film Festival), Serbia’s very enterable Exit, Stockton’s self-named Weekender weekender, and the Wickerman:

ATP’S END OF AN ERA, Pontins Holiday Park, Camber Sands, 22-24 Nov/29 Nov – 1 Dec: Television, LOOP, Chelsea Light Moving, The Pop Group, Dinos Chapman, Les Savy Fav, 23 Skidoo, múm, Oneohtrix Point Never, Hebronix, Mike Watt, Forest Swords, The Haxan Cloak, Demdike Stare, Wolf Eyes, BEAK>, Eraas, Fennesz, Edan (DJ set), The KVB, Dirty Beaches, Eaux, Hookworms, Thought Forms. www.atpfestival.com

DOUR, Plaine De La Machine À Feu, Dour, Belgium, 18-21 Jul: The Horrors, Two Gallants, Dan Deacon, The 1975, The Van Jets, Superlux, Piano Club, We Are Enfant Terrible, Exsonvaldes, AmenRa, Kadavar, Holograms, Le Prince Harry, Pale Grey, Paon, Recorders, Raketkanon, Robbing Millions, Hudson, Billions Of Comrades, Salut c’est cool, Hugo Freegow, Cupp Cave. www.dourfestival.be

EAST END LIVE, various venues, London, 13 Jul: TOY, Wet Nuns, Perspex Flesh, Charles De Goal, Scott & Charlene’s Wedding, Moon Zero, Skinny Girl Diet. www.eastendfilmfestival.com/east-end-live

ELECTRIC PICNIC, Stradbally Hall Estate, Co Laois, Ireland, 30 Aug – 1 Sep: Fatboy Slim, Björk, Arctic Monkeys, My Bloody Valentine, The Knife, Franz Ferdinand, Wu-Tang Clan, David Byrne & St Vincent, Disclosure, Noah and the Whale, Warpaint, Eels, The Walkmen, Hurts, Johnny Marr, Mick Flannery, Ocean Colour Scene, Tiga, Black Uhuru, The Strypes, Hudson Mohawke, Savages, Baauer, Polica, Chvrches, Palma Violets, The 1975, Parquet Courts, Deap Vally, MS MR, Peace, Merchandise, Mano Le Tough, Mount Kimbie, Blondes, Clinic, Nina Nesbitt, Soak, The Dublin Gospel Choir, Luke Sital-Singh. www.electricpicnic.ie

EXIT FESTIVAL, Petrovaradin Fortress, Novi Sad, Serbia, 10-14 Jul: Jeff Mills, Mathew Jonson, Gregor Tresher. www.exitfest.org

GLASTONBURY, Worthy Farm, Somerset, 26 Jun – 1 Jul: Bobby Womack And The Bravest Band. www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk

STOCKTON WEEKENDER, Stockton Riverside Park, 27-28 Jul: Frankie And The Heartstrings, Bo Bruce, BEAK>, Sparrow And The Workshop, The History Of Apple Pie, Brown Brogues, Hey Sholay, The Sons of Bido Lito, Palace, The Panoramic, The Jar Family, Abel Raise The Cain, Sons And Lovers, Tusk, Weird Shapes, and Wild Smiles, Sarah Proctor, James Skelly And The Intenders, Alistair Sheerin Band, The Purnells, The Roundels, Rob Heron And The Tea Pad Orchestra, Little Violet, Holy Moly & the Crackers, and Old Muggins, Boy McIlroy, Year of Birds, Oxfam Glamour Models, Retriever, The Approved, Marfo, Stanley Odd. www.stocktonweekender.co.uk

T IN THE PARK, Balado, Scotland, 12-14 Jul: Travis, Johnny Mar, Willy Mason, DIIV, James Skelly, Jack Savoretti, Foy Vance, Steve Mason, Milo Greene. www.tinthepark.com

WICKERMAN, East Kirkcarswell Farm, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland, 26-27 Jul: Dave Clarke, Kissy Sell Out, Elite Force, Justin Robertson, Kryder, Andi Durrant, DOD, Felix Leiter, Nick Coulson b2b Junior J, Aitchie, Dave Tunstall, Duology, Filth Wizard, Joe Phuture & Breadman, Lee Clark, Elite Force, Meat Katie, Simon Jackson, Resistance, Ash Howell, Mark McIver, Louise O’Donnell, Justin Robertson, Rebecca Vasmant, DJ Ray McKinney, Carsin Therain, Stav, Struan. www.thewickermanfestival.co.uk

Tuesday 30 April 2013, 11:10 | By Andy Malt

READ MORE ABOUT: ATP Curated By TV On The Radio | Tunde Adebimpe | TV On The Radio

Tuesday 30 April 2013, 11:09 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Boiler Room | Nicolas Jaar

Tuesday 30 April 2013, 11:08 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: AEG | Conrad Murray | Michael Jackson | The Jacksons

Tuesday 30 April 2013, 11:07 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes | Mixtape Festival | T-Boz | TLC

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Tuesday 30 April 2013, 11:04 | By Andy Malt

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Tuesday 30 April 2013, 11:01 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Die Antwoord | Neill Blomkamp

Tuesday 30 April 2013, 11:00 | By Andy Malt

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Tuesday 30 April 2013, 10:59 | By Aly Barchi

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Tuesday 30 April 2013, 10:58 | By Aly Barchi

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Tuesday 30 April 2013, 10:57 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Exit Festival | Green Man Festival | Leeds Festival | One Love Festival | Reading Festival | Red Rooster Festival | Øya

Tuesday 30 April 2013, 10:56 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: Justin Timberlake | Mastercard

Tuesday 30 April 2013, 10:55 | By Chris Cooke

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Tuesday 30 April 2013, 10:54 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: Ashley Tabor | BBC Radio 1 | Ben Cooper | Radio Academy

Tuesday 30 April 2013, 10:53 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: Danny Brown

Monday 29 April 2013, 10:59 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: AEG | ATP's I'll Be Your Mirror | Bull & Gate | Liverpool Sound City | Michael Jackson | Spot Festival | The National

Monday 29 April 2013, 10:58 | By Andy Malt

READ MORE ABOUT: Lune

Monday 29 April 2013, 10:57 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: AEG | Conrad Murray | Michael Jackson | The Jacksons

Monday 29 April 2013, 10:56 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: George Jones

Monday 29 April 2013, 10:55 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: 141a | Jessie J | Raymond Stevenson | Universal Music

Monday 29 April 2013, 10:54 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: Emeli Sandé | Official Charts Company | The Beatles

Monday 29 April 2013, 10:53 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Rihanna | The Wanted

Monday 29 April 2013, 10:52 | By Aly Barchi

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Monday 29 April 2013, 10:51 | By Aly Barchi

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Monday 29 April 2013, 10:50 | By Aly Barchi

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Monday 29 April 2013, 10:50 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Ray-Ban | Spector | Splashh | Theme Park | Willy Moon

Monday 29 April 2013, 10:49 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: ATP's End Of An Era | Dour Festival | East End Live | Electric Picnic | Exit Festival | Glastonbury Festival | Stockton Weekender | T In The Park | Wickerman Festival