| CMU Daily - on the inside 25 Jul 2002 |
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Bush, LL Cool J and The Propellerheads – where did they get their names from. Answers tomorrow
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LEEDS FESTIVAL GOES AHEAD
Mean Fiddler have been given the green light to use the Temple Newsam site for the Leeds end of the Carling Weekend at the end of August. At a hearing yesterday at Leeds Magistrates Court officials overturned a previous decision that turned down the promoters request to use the site after trouble there at last year. On announcing the victory Mean Fiddler MD Melvin Benn told reporters: "This is obviously fantastic news for the festival and for the thousands of fans that have already bought the tickets and those that no doubt will rush to do so now. The confidence that the fans have shown in our ability to overturn what they also saw as a bizarre decision was very heartening and they and we can now look forward to a great weekend." Meanwhile organisers of the V Festival have secured the use of its Weston Park site in Staffordshire for the next four years. The annual event moved to the Midlands site from Leeds in 1999 and now promoters Roseclaim have signed a five-year deal with Weston Park trustees. In an interview with Birmingham Evening Mail, Roseclaim’s Andy Rehead said: "We have a strong relationship with Weston Park and recognition of the event has really grown."
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LABELS DEFEND ACCOUNTING PROCESSES
Music attorney Don Engel, speaking on behalf of artists at a California Senate Committee music business hearing on Tuesday, has described record industry accounting practices as "intentionally fraudulent," comparing them to Enron and WorldCom. Engel was providing testimony at a seven hour hearing on allegations that label’s underpay royalties. Also giving evidence were artists Sam Moore and Montel Jordan, auditor Fred Wolinsky, Recording Industry Association of America senior VP of business legal affairs Steven Marks, and other label representatives. The labels, needless to say, deny any wrongdoing, arguing that royalty payments are a contract issue and therefore each artist’s case is separate. But Kevin Murray, one of the senators who organised the hearing, disagrees. He says many recording contracts mean that artists who feel they are being underpaid only have a case if it is proved in an audit of the label’s accounts – and Murray argues this is effectively a disincentive for record labels to fully report. A second hearing is likely to be scheduled.
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ASH CALL FOR COVERS
Ash, who are due to release a best of compilation this September, are inviting other bands to submit cover versions of their songs, the best of which will be included on a b-sides CD accompanying the greatest hits release. Interested bands should record one of Ash’s single releases and send it on DAT, CD-R or MiniDisc to Ash Covers Competition, PO Box 4226, London, SW6 2XG. By 16 Aug. More information at www.infectiousuk.com
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KOOL KEITH BACK AS DR OCTAGON
Kool Keith is working on the second Dr. Octagon album without his former partner, Gorillaz member and producer Dan the Automator. The album, the follow-up to 1996's critically acclaimed ‘Dr. Octagonecologyst’ is due for a Feb 2003 release on Rockwell Recordings. "I made up the name [Dr. Octagon]. That was my group," he told Rolling Stone. "I chose to bring Automator in to work on the project. I gave Automator his introduction to the music industry, gave him his first start. With this album, I will make another person and create another star." He would not give details on who those collaborators are, however. "This album is fine-tuned with instruments, deeper and more spaced out," he continued. "The last one was cool, but I didn't like it because it wasn't funky." The album is just one of Kool Keith’s current projects - he is also working on a solo album and an album with a group called KMH.
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MANSON ALBUM READY FOR MIXING
Marilyn Manson has finished recording his next album, ‘The Golden Age of Grotesque’. "Today I learned how not to play saxophone," he told fans via his website. "I even drummed on the title track of the album. We are moving thirteen songs to a mix studio this week." Due out in the Autumn the album will be Manson’s first release without his former bass player and songwriting collaborator Twiggy Ramirez, who left the band this spring.
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LABOUR PEER EXPECTED TO HEAD UP OFCOM
Labour peer Lord Currie of Marylebone is expected to be appointed chairman of the new communications super-regulator Ofcom later today, one of the most powerful posts in the British media. The new government body brings together five existing regulatory body including the ITC, OfTel and the Radio Authority, and will have controlling powers over the BBC, the ITV companies and BskyB, as well as telecoms giants like BT. The role is likely to be one of the most politically loaded of any regulator given the cultural sensitivity of the media and the government's ambitions for digital broadcasting in the UK. Some feel his appointment is likely to lead to accusations of cronyism from critics who say too many government-appointed broadcasting jobs are held by Labour sympathisers. Gavyn Davies, chairman of the BBC, and his director general, Greg Dyke, are both Labour supporters.
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McCARTNEY AND WILSON HEADLINE CHARITY GIG
Paul McCartney and Brian Wilson have been confirmed to play the second annual Open Hearts, Clear Mines Benefit concert in LA on 18 Sep. The concert, spearheaded by McCartney and his wife Heather Mills, supports work to clear minefields around the world and help those injured by them. The show will take place at LA’s Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles and will be hosted by Jay Leno.
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VH1 NOMINATED FOR US TV AWARDS
VH1 has been nominated for Emmy Awards for last year's special ‘Concert for New York City’, the station’s ‘Behind the Music’ strand and the channel's live broadcast of a U2 concert. The post September 11 ‘Concert for New York City’ is up for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special, the Behind the Music documentaries for Outstanding Non-Fiction Series (Informational) and its ‘U2 Elevation 2001: Live From Boston’ show for Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special.