| CMU Daily - on the inside 1 Jul 2002 |
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Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s album remains at number two this week after a surprise return to the top five. What was the name of Sophie’s Mercury signed indie band, and what was the name of their debut album? Answer tomorrow…
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TODAY’S RECOMMENDED RELEASES
Singles: Alive Ft Dd Klein – Alive, Serious Records; Ed Case - Good Times, Columbia; Fischerspooner-Emerge, FS Studios; Fog - Check Fraud, Ninja Tune; Gary Numan – Rip, Jagged Halo; London Elektricity - Come Dancing / Down Low-Hospital; Mains Ignition - Turn On, Tummy Touch; Minuteman - Big Boy, Ignition; Moonstar - The Dupont Remixes, Compost; Morcheeba – Otherwise, East West; Sahara Hotnights – With Or Without, BMG, Golden Boy With Miss Kittin - Rippin Kittin, Illustrious
Albums: Hawksley Workman - The Delicious Wolves, Universal / Island; Rob Dougan – Furious Angels, BMG; Soil – Scars, BMG / J Records; Various - Factor Warp 4, Timewarp / Kingkladze Recds; Ed Case - Ed's Guest List, Columbia; Muse – Hullabaloo, Mushroom; The Kennedy Soundtrack - Tale Of Two Cities, Instant.
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GLASTONBURY SHOULD BE BACK
Minimal mud and only one stowaway has made Glastonbury, at the very least, a logistical success and organisers are hopeful they will be granted a license for a 2003 event. Michael Eavis’s frequent calls for anyone without a ticket to stay away from the site appeared to be adhered to while tighter security courtesy of Mean Fiddler and a million pound super face kept non-ticket holders away from the site. Glastonbury officials told NME.COM that while there were isolated "skirmishes" around the perimeter, they think that only one person got over the fence. However, Eavis has admitted that there were problems just outside the site, saying there were instances of people mugging ticket-holders in attempts to rob them of their passes.
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AUSTIN POWERS SOUNDTRACK A STAR FEST
The third Austin Powers movie, due for a US release later this month, has attracted a star studded collection of acts from past and present for its soundtrack, and is to be released in the US by Maverick. The Rolling Stones, Earth, Wind & Fire, Dr Dre, Angie Stone, Britney Spears and Smash Mouth are amongst those that appear. Britney Spears' lack-lustre number ‘Boys’, which also appears of her album ‘Britney’, has been remixed by the Neptunes' Pharrell Williams; and the video, featuring Mike Myers, is already getting MTV play. Destiny’s Child’s Beyonce Knowles, who also stars in the film, has two tracks on the soundtrack, ‘Work It Out’ and the aptly titled "Hey Goldmember." UK release dates for film and soundtrack are to be confirmed.
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NEWSNIGHT’S WARK BEHIND GLASGOW GM BID
BBC news presenter Kirsty Wark and her husband, independent TV producer Alan Clements, are involved in a consortium bidding for a new commercial radio licence for Glasgow. The Go FM consortium has been lobbying for a Glasgow specific licence for nearly three years. They claim that the three main existing stations – Clyde FM’s two stations and Capital Radio’s Beat 106 – serve whole regions (the former the Clyde valley, the latter central Scotland) rather than just the city. Clements told reporters: “We were convinced that it was an anomaly that a city of Glasgow's size and reputation did not have its own dedicated radio station when similar cities like Manchester have at least four. There are 600,000 people in the city and perhaps another 300,000 who travel to work in the area. Go FM will be by the people of Glasgow for Glasgow". It is not yet clear whether any other groups will bid against the Go FM team.
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BBC3: GREEN LIGHT IMINENT
The Media Guardian has reported that the government may be on the brink of allowing BBC Choice to rebranded as BBC3, enabling the corporation to officially turn the digital channel into a youth station targeting 25-34 year-olds. Commercial broadcasters – especially Channel 4 – are against the move, claiming that it will pitch the licence-funded station directly against their youth service E4. But word is that Tessa Jowell, who will make an announcement on the future of the broadcasting licences post-ITV Digital, will also give the BBC the green light on its youth service. The logic is that she is unlikely to reject a new digital channel at the same time as trying to make a success of digital television in general. Since BBC3 was first rejected by the government last year the BBC has placed greater emphasis on news and current affairs for a young audience in the service’s remit, with a stronger commitment to British production and a move away from the 16 - 25 age bracket. It is likely any green light would include strict guidelines to ensure the corporation stick to these commitments – especially the use of British made shows over US imports. Of course some media insiders note that BBC Choice, with its three cubes logo, is pretty much already BBC and that any official green light will just be rubber stamping a youth services that is already evolving.
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THE WHO: THE SHOW GOES ON
The Who’s Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey have vowed to continue with their current tour, despite the sad death of John Entwistle. Although the band postponed its two scheduled dates this weekend, they begin their three-month tour tonight in LA. The duo believe Entwistle would have wanted the show to go on, and his family agree. His son Christopher told reporters: “He lived for music and will always live within the Who's music. This is what he would have wished, and our love goes out to the remaining bandmembers and the entourage that makes up the Who family." Townshend and Daltrey, in a joint statement said, simply: "The Ox has left the building — we've lost another great friend. Thanks for your support and love".
Meanwhile other musicians, and especially fellow bass players, have been paying their tributes. Rage Against the Machine bassist Tim Commerford said: "Music lovers everywhere will miss John Entwistle - whether they know it or not. Another unsung hero that influenced me dies without the respect he deserves." Former P-Funk bassist Bootsy Collins said: "Anytime you lose a person it reflects on the initial family, but when you lose a legendary part of history it seems to affect all of us.” Former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones John: “Entwistle was an innovative player, a fine musician and a backbone of the English rock scene, we shall miss him."
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MORE VIDEO STRIFE FOR R KELLY
Another tape has surfaced that allegedly shows r n’ b star R Kelly having sex with underage girls. Police in Florida say four videotapes (all copies of the same video) have been handed in by men claiming to have worked for the singer. They were handed to Chicago police where spokesman Dave Bayless said: "I'm not going to comment at all on the content of the tapes. We are currently reviewing them to determine if there's any criminal activity." The first tapes allegedly showing Kelly having sex with under-age partners appeared in February, and the star was arrested in early June. But he has denied all accusations. On hearing about the latest videos to surface Kelly’s spokesman told reporters that they were an attempt to "prejudice the jury pool" presiding over the current case with "misleading information."
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Answer to Friday's CMU pop quiz:
Given today’s sad news – what were the Who known as before they were called the Who? (and for a bonus point: what name did they briefly record under after a non-starter as The Who?)
The Detours were a successful touring covers band, but they needed a new drummer; as their current one was too old. Keith Moon joined and the band soon became a different entity entirely – so they needed a different name: The Who.
Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp (brother of Terence Stamp) managed the band and felt that the name wasn’t ‘Mod’ enough. So the foursome recorded and released a couple of records as ‘The High Numbers’.