| CMU Daily - on the inside Wednesday 11th January |
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In today's CMU Daily:
- Brit nominations round up
- Choice shortlist announced
- Bowie & Cream to get lifetime Grammys
- Doherty charged with possession
- Academics reckon people don't appreciate music anymore
- Jobs concentrates on his iLife
- More MySpace functionality in the pipeline
- Bloggers raise cash for P2P defendant
- White Stripes cancel tour of Japan
- One Earth Show postponed
- Tiga album launch party at the End
- New night fuses the genres
- Coldcut launch mycctv thingy
- Mono Taxi tour dates
- Sanctuary update on financial woes
- K7 close London office
- Former Galaxy marketing man joins Kiss
- Ordinary Boys increase units on back of Celeb BB
- Ice T to enter the Rap School
- Weller says no, no, no to Jam reunion
- Former Sugababe solo career plans coming together
- Brits nominations in full
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TOP BIT>>
Nothing to say about the Brit nominations really, so instead, a logistical start to today's CMU Daily. We are currently putting together a schedule of upcoming releases which we will use to plan our own editorial, and which we will use to advise our media readers as to what releases are coming up when from whom. To help us with this, any labels or PR types out there, it would be great if you could email your release schedules over to [email protected] Obviously all release schedules are subject to change, but if you could send through what info you have to hand, that would be swell. Meanwhile, while we're on logistics, we'll be updating the CMU Directory this weekend. If you emailed in changes or additions prior to Christmas, they'll get added then. Meanwhile, if you've not checked your listing in our online directory, then why not do that right now? Go on over to http://www.cmumusicnetwork.co.uk/directory, check your listing, and send over any changes or additions to [email protected] I thank you.
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BRIT NOMINATIONS ROUND UP
Well, I guess the night belonged to James Blunt and Kaiser Chiefs, and I guess that came as no surprise. How well they'll do at the actual Brit Awards on 15 Feb remains to be seen, but as far as the nominations are concerned it is the two relative newcomers who score highest, each appearing on no less than five shortlists.
Mr Blunt is up for Best British Male, Best Pop Act, Best Single and Best Album. Kaiser Chiefs are up for Best Group, Best Rock Act, Best Live Act and also Best Album. Meanwhile, reminding us just how much both of the top nominees are indeed newcomers, both are also up for Best Breakthrough Artist.
Chief Kaiser Ricky Wilson was suitably honest about their achievement, telling the BBC: "I'm not saying that we're not shocked, but do not think people out there will be", adding "I don't see James Blunt as our main rival - we're like chalk and cheese".
Other multiple nominees announced at the Brits launch in London last night include Coldplay, up for four awards, Madonna and Arcade Fire, up for three gongs each, and Oasis, U2, Gorillaz and Ms Kate Bush who each get two nominations each. Mr Robbie Williams is also up for an award - Best Male - which, if he got it, would be his fifteenth Brit - and unprecedented achievement - so well done him.
Pleasant surprise of the night was possibly the fact that the rather good Hard-Fi are shortlisted not for Best Breakthrough Act, but for Best Group, which suitably recognises their achievements in 2005, albeit putting them up against some stiff competition. The band's Richard Archer told the Beeb: "Coldplay are the Manchester United, maybe Chelsea, and we are Brentford. We have a tricky fourth round draw against Premiership opposition - but we are on our way up, and they are on their way down". Too right.
The full list of nominations appears at the bottom of today's Daily. If you're really keen why not check out the Brits' new look website over their at http://www.brits.co.uk.
Elsewhere in Brits news, and the gossip ahead of last night's launch was that Oasis were considering boycotting the event this year because despite their two nominations they hadn't been shortlisted in any of the flagship categories - in particular Best Album or Best Group. Whether or not this is true I've no idea, but given other rumours that Oasis will take part in the tribute to Paul Weller due to take place on the night, it may well be rubbish. Nevertheless, a source told the Sun: "Noel and Liam have no intention of turning up on the night. They see it as a real snub to be overlooked for the category. It was a real kick in the teeth for Noel because he wanted to see Paul Weller pick up his Lifetime Achievement Award."
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CHOICE SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED
Also from our busy awards news desk, the shortlist was announced last night for Ireland's Choice Music Prize, a new awards thang that is a bit like an Irish version of the Mercury Music Prize. Music pundit types have picked out twelve albums from Irish artists released last year for their shortlist, with an overall winner due to be announced at an event in Dublin on 28 Feb. Quite a few of those shortlisted won't be too familiar to UK music fans - so any media coverage the award gets over here may well provide a welcome boost to album sales which would be cool. Let's hope that's definitely true for the two CMU favourites shortlisted - Duke Special and Hal.
The shortlist runs thus:
Bell X1 - Flock (Universal/Island)
Cane 141 - Moonpool (Exceptional)
The Chalets - Check-In (Setanta)
Joe Chester - A Murder of Crows (Barp)
Duke Special - Adventures In Gramophone (Hag)
Julie Feeney - 13 Songs (Self-released)
Hal - Hal (Rough Trade)
Nick Kelly - Running Dog (Self Possessed)
Emmett Tinley - Attic Faith (Independent Records)
Turn - Turn (Setanta)
Press info on this from Friction PR - [email protected]
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BOWIE & CREAM TO GET LIFETIME GRAMMYS
David Bowie and Cream are among the artists set to receive lifetime achievement nods at next month's Grammy ceremony. Also set to receive recognition are country star Merle Haggard, late comedian Richard Pryor, folk quartet The Weavers, opera singer Jessye Norman and late blues legend Robert Johnson. The awards will be formally acknowledged on 7 Feb and presented the next day at the live Grammy telecast.
It's also been announced that Island Records founder Chris Blackwell, late country producer Owen Bradley and recording engineer Al Schmitt will receive the Grammy Trustees Award, and Technical Grammys will be awarded to the late Tom Dowd, Bell Labs and Western Electric.
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DOHERTY CHARGED WITH POSSESSION
Pete Doherty has been formally charged with possession of cocaine and heroin, and will appear at Ealing Magistrates' court today. The charge follows that previously reported incident back in November, when the Babyshambles singer was stopped whilst driving in west London and subsequently detained by police on suspicion of possessing class A drugs.
Reports have been circulating, meanwhile, that Doherty invited fans to join him in court at the Babyshambles gig at KoKo on Monday. When asked for a response to that alleged invite, a police spokeswoman said: "If there is an incident, then we will deal with it accordingly."
Elsewhere in Babyshambles news, guitarist Patrick Walden has reportedly quit the band, who are currently playing without him as a three piece. According to the NME, at the aforementioned Koko gig, in addition to reading out his own charge sheet for the benefit of the crowd, Doherty also mocked Walden, saying: "Patrick Walden - misuse of the guitar act. I'm paying my penance for it now."
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ACADEMICS RECKON PEOPLE DON'T APPRECIATE MUSIC ANYMORE
I'm not particularly convinced by any of this, but anyway, academics at the University Of Leicester reportedly conclude that the downloading phenomenon is creating a generation of people who do not seriously appreciate songs or music performances.
According to the BBC, the University's Dr Adrian North, who monitored how 346 people interacted with music over a two week period, says: "The accessibility of music has meant that it is taken for granted and does not require a deep emotional commitment once associated with music appreciation".
He added that his findings could explain the popularity of TV talent shows such as the X-Factor and Fame Academy, because, he says, they provide a chance to engage with and appreciate music and live performance, something that is missing for today's 'iPod generation'. He concludes: "The degree of accessibility and choice has arguably led to a rather passive attitude towards music heard in everyday life".
Make of that what you will.
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JOBS CONCENTRATES ON HIS ILIFE
So, in the end there was very little to report music wise from Apple boss Steve Jobs' keynote speech at the Macworld Expo event in San Fran yesterday - except that the iPod continues to sell very well thank you very much (apparently they've shifted 42 million so far, 76% of them sold last year).
Much of the speech was spent confirming Apple's previously reported new partnership with Intel, though he did also demonstrate new features available in the next version of his company's iLife software. This includes a range of editing tools for editing home produced photos, movies and music. Perhaps most crucially, the new version of iLife recognises the iTunes assisted rise in podcast popularity, by offering tools for the creation and uploading of blogs and podcasts.
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MORE MYSPACE FUNCTIONALITY IN THE PIPELINE
Talking of blogs, the Wall Street Journal has reported that MySpace.com are expected to add a whole load of new functions to the increasingly popular blog platform. Bought last year for $1.3 billion by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, among the additions expected are a video download function and better instant messaging and internet calling. MySpace will seemingly play a key role in Murdoch's only relatively recently acquired ambition to take over the internet.
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BLOGGERS RAISE CASH FOR P2P DEFENDANT
And staying with blogs, we hear a number of bloggers have set up a fund to help raise cash to support Patricia Santangelo who, as previously reported, is planning on fighting a copyright violation lawsuit launched against her by the Recording Industry Association Of America.
Santangelo stands accused of illegally sharing music online via P2P networks. However it is unlikely the IT-illiterate Santangelo herself is guilty of the file sharing - and she claims any P2P usage was most likely undertaken by a friend of one of her children using her family's PC. It is hard to prove that one way or another so the case should be interesting when it goes to court because it poses the question - can people be held liable for any copyright violation conducted on their PC without their knowledge by non-family members? If not, then numerous P2P users accused of copyright violation will be handed a new defence.
Santangelo's commitment to fight the RIAA rather than settle out of court in return for an easy life has won her much support in the anti-corporate blogging community. But of course that commitment doesn't come cheap. Settling with the RIAA would probably have cost in the region of $7500. As it is her defence costs have so far reached $25,000 - a fee too far, forcing Santangelo to part company with her lawyers. Which is why blogs like FightTheRIAA.com, BoingBoing, P2Pnet and DownhillBattle.org have begun the campaign to raise money to help her meet those legal fees - so far some four grand has been raised via 284 donors.
Whether the fundraising will help remains to be seen - but the growing online support for single mother Santangelo makes the PR challenge presented by this lawsuit for the RIAA increasingly difficult.
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WHITE STRIPES CANCEL TOUR OF JAPAN
The White Stripes have cancelled four live dates in Japan, due to kick off on 12 Jan, because of ill health. Jack White has done something serious to his vocal chords and doctors have advised him to neither speak nor sing for a period of two weeks. The band are expected to reschedule the dates, and their appearance at Big Day Out is as yet still to go ahead.
A statement said: "We sincerely apologise to our Japanese fans and friends and hope to reschedule dates as soon as we can. For our friends in New Zealand and Australia, the band looks forward to seeing you at the Big Day Out."
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ONE EARTH SHOW POSTPONED
Talking of cancellations, that previously reported One Earth Concert due to take place at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium later this month in a bid to raise awareness of global warming has been postponed. Organisers say the 28 Jan event, due to feature the Manic Street Preachers, The Darkness and The Strokes, will not now go ahead, but that they will stage the concert later in the year instead. No reason has been given for the postponement. Refunds will be paid on tickets already sold.
Michael Mathres of organisers Climate Change Now told reporters: "We apologise wholeheartedly for any inconvenience caused by the change of date. But we can assure those who have already purchased tickets that the event will still take place at the Millennium Stadium."
Millennium Stadium chief executive Paul Sergeant added: "Whilst we acknowledge it is disappointing for those who have already bought tickets, if the event can be made bigger and better and attract more of the highest profile names in the music industry then it is the correct decision to make. Music lovers are assured the event will still take place at the Millennium Stadium and we're working with the event organisers to find a suitable date later in the year."
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TIGA ALBUM LAUNCH PARTY AT THE END
The rather good Tiga releases his rather good debut album Sexor on 6 Feb, and to celebrate Bugged Out have asked him to curate a night at the End on 18 Feb.
Tiga will play two sets himself, including the peak time set in the main room. The rest of the line-up includes Erol Alkan and The Speculoos DanceSquad (no, I'm not sure either), Tiga's pals Dangerous Dan and DJ Damage, Tiga's brother Thomas VonParty as well as some very special guests, tbc.
All takes place at The End, West Central Street, London from 11pm - 7am - see http://www.endclub.com or http://www.buggedout.net for tickets and stuff.
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NEW NIGHT FUSES THE GENRES
More good nights out that you should probably add to your diary. News has reached us of a rather fine new breakbeat, electro, hip-hop, d&b and grime night being launched by the people behind the Alt*Ctrl parties and Westway Records. It'll be a fusion of live bands and DJs entitled Tokamak - which is the name of a kind of nuclear reactor which, according to Wikipedia, is "the leading candidate for producing fusion energy". Ah, 'fusion', see what they did there?
It will take place at the Brixton Telegraph and the launch night on 21 Jan will feature live sets from Splitloop (Against The Grain), Velours Brothers (Westway), Crack Village (Make Some Noise) and Maverick Sounds, plus DJ sets from Barry Ashworth (Dub Pistols), The Loose Cannons, Dogtown Clash (Westway), Carl Loben (Drum Monkeys), Robosapiens (Dead Famous), Dirty Habit (Breakfish), Merka (Fat!), Jimmy Mofo, David Eserin (Alt Ctrl) and Peng Soundsystem.
Damn fine, runs from 9pm to 6am, tickets £6 before 11pm and £8 after. Info at http://www.altctrl.co.uk/tokamak
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COLDCUT LAUNCH MYCCTV THINGY
This week Coldcut are launching mycctv, a project which basically consists of them asking fans to bring camera phones to their gigs and to then film stuff. The filming can be anything at that gig - it doesn't have to be footage of Coldcut themselves - but it does have to relate to the band or show in some way or other.
All the videos will then be uploaded and streamed at coldcut.net, and once a week "the supplier of the best footage will receive a goodie bag thingummy full of... goodies". The duo then plan to cut a big wodge of that footage together to create a collaborative documentary of their current tour, with further prizes for anyone whose material is used.
Press info on the project from Sainted PR, meanwhile here are the live dates - note there have been a couple of changes since the last time we published these:
19 Jan: London Cargo (Album Launch)
17 Feb: Oxford Zodiac
18 Feb: Bexhill De La Warr Pavilion
19 Feb: Nottingham Rescue Rooms
22 Feb: Manchester Academy 2
23 Feb: Birmingham Custard Factory
25 Feb: London Shepherds Bush Empire
19 Apr: Brighton Corn Exchange
20 Apr: Bristol Academy
21 Apr: Gateshead Sage
25 Apr: Sheffield University of Sheffield
26 Apr: Glasgow ABC
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MONO TAXI TOUR DATES
Mono Taxi have announced a big long January tour with The Research. Their single, 'Kind Of Better', is out now on Play It Again 7.
16 Jan: Birmingham Barfly
17 Jan: Liverpool Barfly
18 Jan: York Fibbers
19 Jan: Sheffield Uni - Fuzz Club
20 Jan: Glasgow Barfly
21 Jan: Stockton Georgian Theatre
22 Jan: Manchester Dry Bar
24 Jan: Derby Victoria Inn
25 Jan: Nottingham Social
26 Jan: Bath Moles
27 Jan: Northampton Soundhaus
28 Jan: Oxford d/stairs Zodiac
29 Jan: Southampton Joiners
31 Jan: Brighton Freebutt
1 Feb: Cardiff Barfly
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SANCTUARY UPDATE ON FINANCIAL WOES
Responding to recent press speculation, Sanctuary Music Group made a few more announcements yesterday concerning their continuing financial woes. As previously reported, the London based music firm which is unique in that it trades in more or less every sector of the music business, has been struggling to make ends meet following self-admitted overexpansion. Yesterday the company again confirmed it maintains the support of its bankers, announcing that it had reached an agreement with its bank that sees its overdraft facilities extended to £134.125m having "amended the appropriate terms of its outstanding £30m Convertible Loan Notes", whatever that means. Bosses also confirmed they are still considering other ways to raise short term funds, which may still include some kind of equity sale, but details of such a sale are yet to be decided. So now you know.
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K7 CLOSE LONDON OFFICE
Sad news from the !K7 camp. Unfortunately they've had to close down their UK office for economic reasons, though they'll still be supplying us with plenty of great releases coordinated from their Berlin HQ.
!K7 London's Katherine Eykelenboom and Berni Griffiths are currently looking for new projects or labels to get involved with for the New Year - they can be reached via their personal email addresses - [email protected] or [email protected] respectively.
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FORMER GALAXY MARKETING MAN JOINS KISS
Former Galaxy Brand Marketing Director Nick Button has been hired by EMAP to take on the new role of Marketing Director for Kiss 100. Button will work on the media company's London-based youth station in the run up to its relaunch later this year.
As previously reported, despite being one of the commercial radio success stories of recent times, in the last two years the dance station has been struggling, most probably because its genre of choice is out of favour with the kids. Button will be involved in EMAPs bid to put things right and win back its share of the youth audience. He starts in his new job next Monday.
Confirming the new appointment, Kiss MD Bill Griffin, himself relatively new to the station, told reporters: "We have exciting plans for Kiss this year. Nick's extensive experience in the sector and intuitive understanding of the brand made him the ideal candidate for the job."
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ORDINARY BOYS INCREASE UNITS ON BACK OF CELEB BB
Despite getting really rather dull of late, Celeb Big Brother is achieving something - it is helping shift more copies of The Ordinary Boys' album 'Brassbound', which is no bad thing.
HMV report that since the band's frontman Preston entered the Big Brother house last week sales of the album via their online store have increased tenfold. Of course we don't know how many The Ordinary Boys albums HMV Online was selling prior to Celeb BB - if it was only two a week a tenfold increase isn't that impressive. But nevertheless, we like The Ordinary Boys, so well done them. Sales of GLC's 'Safe As Fuck' have tripled since Maggot arrived on the show, while sales the Dead Or Alive best of album 'Evolution' are up fourfold thanks to Pete Burns involvement in the latest Big Brother show.
Commenting on those stats, HMV Head Of Internet Gideon Lask told CMU: "We sometimes wonder why any celebrity would put themselves through Big Brother, but now, I think, we have the answer. These guys have only been in the house for a few days and, while admittedly building from a relatively low sales base, they are already seeing some benefit to their recording careers".
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ICE T TO ENTER THE RAP SCHOOL
All of which will be good news for Ice T, the latest music type to sign up to a reality show in the US. He has reportedly been hired to take part in a show called 'Rap School', which is basically a rap version of last year's Gene Simmons fronted 'Rock School' programme, which will see Ice T trying to convert youngsters to rap. The show should air in the US later this year, no word yet on whether it will be taken by Channel 4, who screened the Simmons show over here.
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WELLER SAYS NO, NO, NO TO JAM REUNION
Paul Weller has said that The Jam will never reform - unless he falls on very very hard times - and probably not even then.
Questioned by 6Music on the chances of there ever being a Jam reunion, Weller said: "Let me just nip that in the bud right now. That will never, ever happen. Me and my children would have to be destitute and starving in the gutter before I'd even consider that, and I don't think that'll happen anyway - I'd go and get a job working on a van or the builders."
Asked why that was so, he continued: "I'm against all bands reforming, I think it's really sad. I think you do these things and you create these statements and music at a certain time and they stand for how you feel at that time and that's where they end. I think it's a great thing that the Jam's music has endured over the years and people still love it and still play it. It still means something to people and a lot of that's because we stopped at the right time, it didn't go on and become embarrassing."
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FORMER SUGABABE SOLO CAREER PLANS COMING TOGETHER
When Mutya Buena quit the Sugababes last month to "spend more time with her daughter", she meant that in the same way that Brian McFadden quit Westlife to spend more time with his children. Or at least that's the case if the Daily Mirror is to be believed. They reckon the former 'Babe is all ready to announce her solo career, just four weeks after leaving the girl band. The paper says her solo deal should come courtesy of the Sugababes' record label, Universal's Island Records.
The Mirror quotes a source as saying: "Mutya is going solo. She's in talks with Island Records, who look after the Sugababes, to sort out a deal. Then it will be all go. She's so excited."
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BRITS NOMINATIONS IN FULL
British Male Solo Artist: Anthony and the Johnsons, Ian Brown, James Blunt, Robbie Williams, Will Young.
British Female Solo Artist: Charlotte Church, Kate Bush, Katie Melua, KT Tunstall, Natasha Bedingfield.
British Album: Coldplay - X&Y, Gorillaz - Demon Days, James Blunt - Back To Bedlam, Kaiser Chiefs - Employment, Kate Bush - Aerial.
British Single: Coldplay - Speed of Sound, James Blunt - You're Beautiful, Shayne Ward - That's My Goal, Sugababes - Push The Button, Tony Christie - (Is This The Way To) Amarillo.
British Group: Kaiser Chiefs, Coldplay, Hard-Fi, Franz Ferdinand, Gorillaz.
British Rock Act: Franz Ferdinand, Hard-Fi, Kaiser Chiefs, Kasabian, Oasis.
British Urban Act: Craig David, Dizzee Rascal, Kano, Lemar, Ms Dynamite.
Pop Act: James Blunt, Katie Melua, Kelly Clarkson, Madonna, Westlife.
British Breakthrough Act: Arctic Monkeys, James Blunt, Kaiser Chiefs, KT Tunstall, Magic Numbers.
British live act: Oasis, KT Tunstall, Kaiser Chiefs, Coldplay, Franz Ferdinand.
International male solo artist: Beck, Bruce Springsteen, Jack Johnson, John Legend, Kanye West.
International female solo artist: Bjork, Kelly Clarkson, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Missy Elliott.
International group: Arcade Fire, Black Eyed Peas, Green Day, U2, White Stripes.
International breakthrough act: Arcade Fire, Daniel Powter, Jack Johnson, John Legend, Pussycat Dolls.
International album: Arcade Fire - Funeral, Green Day - American Idiot, Kanye - Late Registration, Madonna - Confessions On A Dancefloor, U2 - How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb.
Oustanding contribution to music: Paul Weller