| CMU Daily - on the inside 10 Jul 2002 |
|
Last night John Lydon appeared on Graham Norton to remind everyone that he is still very much completely insane. Name three (music) projects that Lydon has been involved in since the death of his band-mate Sid Vicious.
-------------------------------------------------
TRAVIS MEMBERS SAVE DRUMMER
Travis has released an official statement about the accident that left drummer Neil Primrose in a French hospital. The band is on the continent for a mini-European tour, and the accident happened after an appearance at the Belfort Festival in France. Reports suggest that Primrose was knocked unconscious while swimming on Sunday and was rescued by bandmates Fran Healy, Douglas Payne and Andy Dunlop. In an official statement the band said: "Whilst relaxing in the pool Primrose struck his head and was knocked unconscious. After realising his predicament, other band and crew members dragged Neil from the pool and gave him assistance. He was taken by ambulance to the local hospital in Belfort to receive treatment and undergo tests. Early indications suggest that Neil has sustained a fracture on one of his vertebrae, and he is still in the hospital in France undergoing further tests." As a result of the accident the band’s forthcoming live appearances in Italy and France have been cancelled.
-------------------------------------------------
MORE TROUBLE FOR VIVENDI
The ongoing saga of business woes at Vivendi Universal, parent company of the Universal Music Group, continued yesterday when France's stock market watchdog announced it had opened an investigation into the media group's accounts. Reports of false accounting started a spiral of disaster which saw shares in the company plummet, and eventually led to the resignation of Chief Exec Jean-Marie Messier. The Commission des Opérations de Bourse told reporters that investigators had begun examining documents at Vivendi's headquarters but did not give further details. The news overshadowed reports that the group has reached a provisional deal with its banks over its £640million in loans and was continuing to negotiate a further 3bn euros in credit.
-------------------------------------------------
JACKSON DEFENDS HIS CAMPAIGN
Michael Jackson seemed to be trying to regain some credibility over his involvement in Rev Al Sharpton’s campaign for better treatment of black artists at a conference event in New York yesterday. Rev Al Sharpton's National Action Network is fighting for better contracts, royalties and distribution for black artists, and organisers considered the support of Jackson something of a coup. But when Jackson used a campaign event at the weekend to further his personal anti-Sony campaign some in the US media felt Jacko was monopolising the initiative to settle his own grievances with his record label. Speaking at the Music Industry Initiative Summit in Harlem, Jackson addressed the criticism claiming he was speaking for all the black artists who were treated badly by a racist music industry. "I'm tired of the manipulation," he said. "The press has manipulated the truth. They're liars. History books are a lie. You need to know this, you must know this, that all forms of popular music, from jazz to rock to hip-hop, and dance, from the jitterbug to the Charleston, are black. But go down to the corner bookstore, and you won't see one black person on a cover. You'll see Elvis Presley. You'll see the Rolling Stones. But where are the real pioneers?"
-------------------------------------------------
RUMOURS RIFE ABOUT LIVERPOOL STATION
Juice, the Liverpool radio station originally launched as Crash FM, and supposedly the city’s alternative station, is rumoured to be engaging in a staffing restructure. Insiders have told website Radiogoss (www.radio2xs.com) that Sales Director Paula Brown, who was much heralded as part of a 'new dynamic mangement duo' alongside PD Grainne Landowski, has left the company by "mutual consent", for "highly secret reasons that not even the staff in Liverpool know the details of". Word is that the station’s staff now expect more people to go. Recent on-air departures have included the high-profile breakfast co-host Fall Guy Joe, and Dave Graham a "popular local club DJ with a huge local profile who has been with the station since launch". Some have described the latter decision as "suicidal" given the station's desire to chase the 'young Liverpool' audience.
-------------------------------------------------
MYERS MAY PLAY MOON
Austin Powers and Waynes World star Mike Myers may be starring in a movie about infamous Who drummer Keith Moon. Myers is said to be discussing making the movie with Who frontman Roger Daltrey. Daltrey has long wanted to turn Moon's life story into a Hollywood film and he has said Myers would be perfect for the part. "Mike is a genius. I can really see him as Keith. He's amazing when you meet him, so clever," he told reporters. Myers’ third Austin Powers film opens in the US this month.
-------------------------------------------------
NEW MANICS SINGLE IN THE CAN
The Manic Street Preachers have completed a new single to be included on their forthcoming greatest hits album. A source has told NME.com that the single, called ‘Forever Delayed’ “sounds like a stadium record… if they rebuilt Cardiff Arms Park on the moon. It’s awesome." The single was produced by Steve Osbourne. Word is the band plan to record another new track for the compilation album, which is due for an October release through Sony label Epic.
-------------------------------------------------
TEAMTALK TO GO
The sports station that came out of the ashes of longwave music station Atlantic 252 could be closed down just six months after it was launched. Teamtalk 252 is likely to be sold by the new owners of its parent company. Unique Broadcasting is said to be interested in the licence to broadcast its digital books station Oneword, although the station’s founder and former CEO Bill Wilson might try to buy the station.
-------------------------------------------------
BOYBAND STAR ON BROADWAY
After would-be teen idol Adam Rickett fronted the UK tour of musical Rent, now NSYNC’s Joey Fatone is taking the lead role in the Broadway production of the play. Fatone started rehearsals on Monday and will play the role of Mark Cohen in the show until Christmas.
-------------------------------------------------
Answer to Tuesday's CMU pop quiz:
Who was the first Western musician to be invited to post-Mao china to perform? (and for a bonus point, in what year?)
Jean-Michel Jarre played in Peking and Shanghai in 1981.