| CMU Daily - on the inside Wednesday 1st February |
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In today's CMU Daily:
- McFly deny Danny ready to go
- AIM to present independent's viewpoint on DRM to APIG
- Boy George due in court
- Former Great White manager changes plea over club fire
- Ashanti sues former producer back
- Rumour rife re Google takeover of Napster
- Gene McFadden dies
- Daniel Barenboim released from hospital
- Test Icicles not splitting, okay?
- Album review: The Gossip - Standing In The Way Of Control
- Hip Hop Connection's top 100
- Preston wants Eastenders role
- Ordinary Boys extend tour by quite a bit
- Big Strides single and tour news
- Placebo announce tour dates
- Dead 60s announce tour
- Morrissey hogs more headlines
- Arctic Monkey tickets sell out in minutes
- The Kooks in Newcastle
- Line up expands for Give It A Name
- Coachella line up news
- Lollapalooza dates set
- Album review: The Open - Statues
- New online festival set to promote young creatives
- Marilyn Manson plays Lewis Carroll
- Strummer film in the works
- Ambulance Ltd put out new EP
- Chico Time gets record deal
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TOP BIT>>
Rather than squabbling over DRM and royalty cuts, here's something we could all get behind. Am I alone in cursing the rise of the continuity announcer in this country? There was a time when the job of the TV continuity man was to tell us that it was six o'clock, that we were watching BBC 1 and here's the news. On a very special occasion they might tell us that Jeffrey Holland was appearing in panto over the closing titles of Hi-de-Hi. But that was it. Then Channel 5 (as it was then known) encouraged their presenters to waffle aimlessly over the ending credits to their shows, presumably in a bid to gloss over the fact that the shows themselves were pretty rubbish (which in those days they really were). Slowly but surely the other networks followed suit, and now they all have an irritating faceless voice (or in the case of T4, irritating faced voice) plugging shows, providing useless facts and making idle chit chat over the closing titles of every show. This is a problem because the writers of TV theme tunes have been behind some of the greatest (and most underrated) music of the last 50 years. Hill Street Blues. Cagney & Lacey. Taxi. Knight Rider. Star Trek Voyager. Malcolm In The Middle. The OC. The Avengers. Black Beauty. Tales Of The Unexpected. Match Of The Day. Any BBC sport show. Dr Who. Yeah, Dr Who - what's Dr Who without the theme tune? For many of those shows the theme music is an integral part of the programme, yet you barely get to hear it because they're over in no time at the start of the show, and they're used as a music bed for a load of pointless waffle at the end. I'm reminded of this every Wednesday morning because I really like the theme music from Channel 4's Shameless (which only plays at the end of the programme), yet every week I don't get to hear it because some continuity muppet is telling me about a show that has already been trailed in every ad break during the programme itself. A common phrase used in the music business these days is 'the devaluing of music'. Well, surely nothing is devaluing music more than TV networks using mighty theme tunes as a simple music bed to plug their shows? So how about we join together on this one, kick those continuity types out of the control room, and enjoy together the many talents of the TV theme writing community? (And don't get me started on the way they split the screen at the end of programmes. What if I actually wanted to check the name of someone involved in the show? Am I meant to read his/her credit when reduced to 40% of its actual size?).
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PRESS ROOM>>
KILL ALL HIPPIES, FEB 2006
Kill All Hippies returns again this Friday, 3 Feb, at the 333 Club in London's Shoreditch, once again presenting a mix of great live bands and great rock DJs. Headlining on the live front will be The Holloways, with support from from The Kull. There will be DJ sets from Jeff Automatic and Anthony Vicious (Vicious Pink Goo) downstairs, and Gavin Nugent, Mark Beaumont (NME), Syrinx and Ed Harcourt on the ground floor. All takes place from 9pm to 5am. Tickets, £10, £8 (NUS), or a fiver if you guest list in advance at http://www.leylinepromotions.com.
Press info from Leyline, full press release at:
http://www.cmumusicnetwork.co.uk/pressroom/killallhippies
GET 8500 OPINION FORMERS IN THE LOOP
Promote your releases and events to 8500 opinion formers in the CMU Press Room. 75 words in the Daily and a full page on the website for just £80 a week. Email [email protected] to book
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MCFLY DENY DANNY READY TO GO
OK, let's deal with the really important things first. A statement from McFly's people has strongly denied those worrying old rumours that first surfaced in the Sun on Monday that Danny Jones was considering quitting CMU's favourite boy band, possibly initiating a 'Charlie-from-Busted' style split.
The statement said that "contrary to a story in the Sun newspaper, Danny Jones of McFly has not asked to leave the band to go solo, [nor has he] been invited to write songs in America with a top production company, [nor is he] unhappy with how the band has been performing since the first album".
Responding to claims that Jones was disappointed with his band's record sales last year, the statement continued: "McFly's second album has achieved platinum status and includes two number one singles ('All About You' and 'I'll Be OK'). During their sell-out arena tour in Sept/Oct 05 they played to over 200,000 people and their live DVD 'The Wonderland Tour 2005 - Live in Manchester' went straight to No 1. 2006 will see McFly star in a Hollywood movie 'Just My Luck' alongside Lindsay Lohan and the band will release their first album in the US. Later in the year the band will commence work on their third album and will play their second arena tour. Danny Jones is as happy in McFly as he has ever been and is upset if anyone thinks he is less than 100% committed to the group."
Danny himself adds: "I'm really upset by this rumour. No way am I giving up my dream job. I've got McFly in my blood and I'll be in McFly as long as the fans want us."
So that's that sorted. Except, of course, so many bands have denied they're quitting just days before they've quit, it's always hard to tell. But let's hope this denial is for real. And that that movie is a success. And the record sells OK in America. And the third album goes well. Anything to keep that boy happy.
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AIM TO PRESENT INDEPENDENT'S VIEWPOINT ON DRM APIG
The Association Of Independent Music has been invited to give the UK independent sector's viewpoint on digital rights management to politicians at a hearing at the House Of Commons in London tomorrow.
AIM will join the BPI, British Music Rights and a number of digital music companies, copyright types and consumer rights groups at a meeting of the All Party Internet Group that will look at the issues and conflicting viewpoints that surround the use of DRM by the content industries. The Group is looking into whether any legislation is required to further protect the rights of content owners and consumers as the digital sector grows.
AIM chairman Alison Wenham, who also recently became the first President of the globally focused World Independent Network, will represent the independent sector at the discussion alongside Simon Wheeler, Beggars' Director Of Digital and the chair of AIM's New Media Committee, and Paul Sanders of independent digital distribution company state51.
The APIG hearing follows the submission of written documents by interested bodies on the DRM debate. In their submission, AIM stressed that the independent sector had different views on DRM to their counterparts in the major record companies, stressing that while DRM had its uses, it "cannot and will not offer a complete answer to doing IP business via the internet".
The APIG will publish a report on DRM based on its inquiry in March or April this year.
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BOY GEORGE DUE IN COURT
From the pop parliament, to the pop courts, and so much to report. First up, Boy George is due to appear in court in New York this week over those cocaine charges. As previously reported, police found the drugs at the singer's NYC home after they were called to check out a suspected burglary at the house last October. George claims to know nothing about the drugs and says, because many people are entertained at his apartment, it is impossible for him to guess who they belonged to. The singer could face up to five and half years in jail if found guilty of the charges against him, which seems a tad harsh.
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FORMER GREAT WHITE MANAGER CHANGES PLEA OVER CLUB FIRE
The former manager of the rock band Great White has changed his plea in the ongoing legal wranglings relating to the 2003 nightclub fire that killed 100 music fans.
As previously reported, the deadly fire swept through the Station night club in West Warwick, Rhode Island in February 2003 after pyrotechnics were set off during Great White's set. The band's manager, Daniel Biechele, was accused of 200 counts of manslaughter for the use of the pyrotechnics - two for every fan killed, one for criminal negligence, the other for 'underlying offences' that led to the deaths.
The owners of the club, Jeffrey and Michael Derderian, both faced the same charges. They were accused of allowing the pyrotechnics to be used, and of installing flammable soundproofing that made the fire so intense.
Biechele originally pleaded not-guilty on the grounds that he was given permission by the Derderian brothers to use the pyrotechnics. They denied that, going as far as to say they specifically denied permission.
This week Biechele changed his plea in a deal with prosecutors. He has now pleaded guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter as part of an agreement which says he will serve no longer than ten years in prison for his part in the fire. It is unclear as yet if that plea change affects the Derderian's case in any way.
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ASHANTI SUES FORMER PRODUCER BACK
Ashanti is fighting back at the music producer who the courts forced her to pay $630,000 last year. As previously reported, Genard Parker last year accused the R&B star of breaking a contract she had entered into early on in her career giving the producer rights to work on her early albums. Ashanti denied ever making such an agreement, but the courts sided with Parker and made the compensation award.
Now Ashanti is suing Parker over an album he allegedly released last year which included early Ashanti demo recordings. The singer claims those recordings were made in a bid to win a label deal at the start of her career, and that they were never intended for release. She also says Parker and his partners misrepresented her on the album by including recent photos of her on the artwork, and implying the whole album was her work when she only provided backing vocals on two of the tracks, and she was not involved at all on another track. Ashanti's lawsuit accuses Parker and other companies involved in the release of invasion of privacy, unfair competition and trademark violations. She wants the court to force sales of the album to cease, while seeking damages in excess of $1 million (though, perhaps she'd make do with $630,000?).
Confirming the action, Ashanti's lawyer William Archer told reporters: "It has long been a sad fact of the music industry that there are a great many people who try to make easy money off of the talent, hard work and success of young recording artists. Recording artists are starting to fight back in different ways. That is what we intend to do here."
Parker is yet to comment on the lawsuit.
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RUMOUR RIFE RE GOOGLE TAKEOVER OF NAPSTER
You know how we like idle speculation right? Well, here's some more. Rumour was rife in Wall Street yesterday that Google were considering a takeover of digital music company Napster.
Both companies have denied the rumours, which seem to stem from two other recent unsubstantiated reports: that Google is considering launching a download platform, and that Napster is suffering financially. Initially it was said that Google were looking into a launching a subscription model download service, and that an alliance with Napster may be struck to do that. Those reports then led to the acquisition speculation.
Digital Music News quote a spokesman for Google as saying: "We have no plans to acquire Napster, nor do we have plans to develop a music store at this time". Nevertheless, the rumours were enough to boost Napster's share price, which rose 25.3% yesterday to $3.91.
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GENE MCFADDEN DIES
Soul star Gene McFadden has died from cancer, aged 46, at his home in Philadelphia. Probably best known for co-writing and performing 1979 hit 'Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now', the singer was one half of songwriting duo McFadden and Whitehead whose string of hits also includes 'Back Stabbers', 'For The Love of Money' and 'Wake Up Everybody'.
McFadden and his songwriting partner John Whitehead formed The Epsilons in their teens and later sang backing vocals for Otis Redding. In the seventies the pair became inhouse songwriters at Phildelphia International Records, and went on to work with such stars as James Brown, Gladys Knight, Gloria Gaynor and Stevie Wonder. Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, the founders of the record label said in a statement "Their talent was indispensable and their music capabilities were uniquely flexible. Not only could they write sensational singles but they could write amazing album songs too."
Whitehead died two years ago, shot dead in Philadelphia whilst changing a tyre on his car. McFadden is survived by a wife and four children.
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DANIEL BARENBOIM RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL
Not that I was aware that he'd gone in to hospital in the first place. Classical music conductor Daniel Barenboim has been in hospital in Berlin because he was suffering from "a disturbance of his sense of balance".
I'm a bit confused. I wake up every day with a disturbance in my sense of balance. Isn't that normal? Ah well, it's a good job I haven't been rushing off to hospital, because chances are that there's sod all wrong with me.
Certainly Barenboim, who as previously reported, was recently announced as the winner of this years Siemens Prize, was released after doctors found no signs of serious illness.
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TEST ICICLES NOT SPLITTING, OKAY?
Well, rumours are rife that Test Icicles are planning to split in March once their tour dates are over, which would all seem a bit premature, given that their debut album 'For Screening Purposes Only' only came out two or three months ago. A source apparently told Gigwise that the band "will split for good on March 29" and will subsequently be "as broke as they were when they started". Gigwise also claims that the band's label Domino knew that they were only ever planning to record one album.
However, a statement was released yesterday afternoon saying: "Contrary to rumour the Test Icicles are not splitting up and have in fact just confirmed a tour in the US and the UK culminating with a show at the Astoria on 22 April. A new single will also be released at this time." The release adds a quote from band member Rory Atwell which reads: "We are on a sold out UK tour then onto sold out dates in Europe and America with a new single and UK tour in April. Then maybe some festies, after that who knows, depends if anyone's still interested!"
The tour dates mentioned are as follows:
18 Apr: Glasgow Garage
19 Apr: Sunderland Manor Quay
20 Apr: Manchester Academy 2
21 Apr: Coventry Coliseum
22 Apr: London Astoria
So it looks like they might not be splitting. But who knows? Though as we may have said before, you often know a band's about to split up when it begins protesting loudly that it won't.
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ALBUM REVIEW: The Gossip - Standing In the Way of Control (Kill Rock Stars)
There are plenty of art punk bands around but what sets The Gossip apart from the rest of the pack are the powerful lungs of vocalist Beth Ditto, whose bluesy vocals couldn't be more different from the yelps and yodels of most of her contemporaries. The band have garnered much critical approval for their previous two albums and some have speculated that the band would have achieved greater success if their singer was a whippet thin fashionista like Karen O. Since their last album 'Movement' the duo of Ditto and guitarist Brace Paine have been joined by drummer Hannah Blilie who certainly makes her presence felt on this record, with some blistering percussion. The American band are clearly inspired and influenced by riot grrrl and post riot grrrl feminist bands like Sleater-Kinney and Le Tigre but are less obviously political. Stand out tracks include the title track, a wonderful collision of skanky rhythms and hammering percussion; while the strong riffs on 'Eyes Open' and the bluesy, sultry 'Coal To Diamonds' also impress. "I don't want the world, I just want what I deserve," sings Ditto on 'Yr Mangled Heart'. The Gossip certainly deserve attention and success, if not the world. It's Girl Power for the text message generation. JW
Release date: 6 Feb
Press contact: Dog Day Press [all]
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HIP HOP CONNECTION'S TOP 100
The latest issue of Hip-Hop Connection features a countdown of the top 100 albums of the last decade. Taking the number one slot is Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon's 'Only Built 4 Cuban Linx', deemed a perfectly executed album which has influenced a generation of rap artists. Other LPs making it into the top ten include those by Dr Dre, OutKast, Jay-Z, De La Soul and Mobb Deep.
Publisher Andy Cowan told allhiphop.com: "At the very least, it is a fairly comprehensive overview of some of the most essential modern hip-hop. Hopefully it will introduce readers to some gems they may have missed along the way. We're also asking the readers to vote for their top ten in the same issue, and we intend to follow this up with a reader-generated top 100 a little later in 2006. The albums were selected from several meetings between HHC senior staff and writers. Overall, it was a difficult task and we're not saying our list is perfect. Far from it, though, we do hope to inspire some heated debate amongst our readership."
The list appears in the 7 Feb issue. Hip Hop Connection is the world's longest running monthly hip-hop magazine, incidentally, and celebrates its 200th issue in April.
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PRESTON WANTS EASTENDERS ROLE
Don't know exactly why this news item is surfacing just now, but apparently Preston Ordinary Boys told Fused magazine before he went into the Big Brother house that he would love a cameo in Eastenders.
He apparently said: "The one thing that I'd love to do before I die is have a little cameo in 'EastEnders' with Stacey. She's my favourite character. That's the only bad part about going on tour. I have to miss 'EastEnders', and on a Sunday I can't watch the omnibus. I ain't seen the Mitchells back in it, I never saw Stacey and Ruby running away."
Whilst in the house, he told non-celebrity victor Chantelle that his girlfriend Camille Aznar was taping all the Eastenders programmes aired whilst he was on the reality show. "I've got six hours of 'EastEnders' to watch when I get back," he revealed. "But six hours isn't that long. That's like, two 'Lord of the Rings'."
Of course, given that Aznar was reportedly forced to quit her job and go in to hiding from the paparazzi during her boyfriend's sojourn in the BB House, she may not have had the time or inclination to tape it. And if she did, one would have thought that the chances of her surrendering those tapes would be minimal, given all that flirting that went on with the aforementioned Chantelle.
Bet that's not the only thing she'll be withholding either, assuming they are still together, of course, given that Preston's apparently told The Mirror "I love Camille and I want to do right by her. But now I also love Chantelle, and she's going to be in my life. It's messy, but the truth is I love them both." Which isn't the kind of talk to nurture a relationship with.
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BIG STRIDES SINGLE AND TOUR NEWS
Hurrah. CMU favourites Big Strides have confirmed a series of tour dates, starting with a headlining gig at Ronnie Scott's where they promise to preview new single 'Let's Get Nice', out 27 Mar. I saw them play in Camden a couple of weeks ago, and thought they were brilliant, though I have thus far failed to run a review. I will before the end of the week. Promise. Oh, cut me a break. There's a review backlog. And I haven't been feeling well. And it was my birthday yesterday. None of you remembered.
Here are the dates:
5 Feb: London Ronnie Scott's
1 Mar: Bath Moles
9 Mar: London 100 Club
11 Mar: Chester Telfords
12 Mar: Leeds Faversham
13 Mar: Nottingham Social
29 Mar: London Luminaire
5 Apr: Edinburgh Cabaret Voltaire
6 Apr: Liverpool Zanzibar
8 Apr: Manchester Night & Day
Get your press info from Work Hard.
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PLACEBO ANNOUNCE TOUR DATES
Placebo have announced details of a UK tour, to precede the release of their new album 'Meds' on 13 Mar. As previously reported, the first single from the album 'Because I Want You', is out on 6 Mar. Tickets on sale from 9am on Friday, dates are as follows:
5 Apr: Blackpool Empress Ballroom
6 Apr: Glasgow Academy
8 Apr: Newcastle Academy
9 Apr: Birmingham Academy
11 Apr: London Alexandra Palace
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DEAD 60S ANNOUNCE TOUR
All this tour news is exhausting my poor little tour brain. But it's one of my favourites, The Dead 60s, so I shall try and soldier on. The Dead 60s have announced four new tour dates in addition to their sold out gig at Koko on 11 Feb. Here are those new dates:
15 Mar: Manchester University
16 Mar: Coventry Colosseum
18 Mar: The Ballroom, Nottingham Ballroom
19 Mar: London Astoria
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MORRISSEY HOGS MORE HEADLINES
I feel as though there's been a Morrissey story every day this week. This time he's announced another, (yes! Another!) show on his massive massive massive UK and Ireland tour. This one will take place at Alex Palace on 1 May, making it a total of four London shows, the other three of which will take place at the Palladium.
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ARCTIC MONKEY TICKETS SELL OUT IN MINUTES
Not a shocker, this one. Advance tickets for the Arctic Monkeys tour, which went on sale on the band's official website on Monday evening, were gone in a matter of minutes leaving lots of fans a tad disappointed. They'll get a second chance when the remaining tickets go on sale at 6pm on Thursday, but it is, of course, expected that they will disappear just as fast.
The dates of that tour are as follows:
13 Apr: Nottingham Rock City
14 Apr: Glasgow Academy
15 Apr: Newcastle Academy
17 Apr: Bournemouth BIC
18 Apr: Plymouth Pavillions
19 Apr: Wolverhampton Civic
21 Apr: Newport Centre
22 Apr: Rotherham Magna Centre
23 Apr: Blackpool Empress Ballroom
25 Apr: Hull Ice Rink
26 Apr: Cambridge Corn Exchange
27 Apr: London Brixton Academy
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THE KOOKS IN NEWCASTLE
Quick correction from the live department. In The Kooks listings yesterday we said the band were playing the Newcastle Academy. They're not, they're playing Newcastle University. Sorry. Wasn't our fault, honest.
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LINE UP EXPANDS FOR GIVE IT A NAME
Hundred Reasons, We Are Scientists, Billy Talent, Thrice and Gym Class Heroes have all been added to the bill of that previously reported Give It A Name event which will this year take place in both Manchester (MEN Arena) and London (Earls Court) on 29 and 30 Apr. Those additions means the confirmed line up now runs thus
29 Apr London / 30 Apr Manchester: My Chemical Romance, The Ataris, Atreyu, Thrice, Panic! At The Disco, Underoath, The Bled, Billy Talent, Men Women & Children, Drive By, Paramore, The Honorary Title & Taint.
29 Apr Manchester / 30 Apr London: Lostprophets, Taking Back Sunday, Angels & Airwaves, Goldfinger, We Are Scientists, Aiden, Silverstein, Hundred Reasons, Say Anything, Classic Case, Bayside, Gym Class Heroes & The Blackout.
More info from http://www.giveitaname.co.uk. Press info from SJM.
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COACHELLA LINE UP NEWS
Talking of, erm, events that take place on 29-30 Apr, according to Billboard the following have been confirmed for the line up of this year's Coachella Festival over there in California: Depeche Mode, Tool, Paul Oakenfold, Franz Ferdinand, My Morning Jacket, Bloc Party, TV On The Radio, Sigur Ros, Scissor Sisters, Cat Power, Damian Marley, Tricky, Common, Matisyahu and Dangerdoom (that last one apparently a collaboration between producer Danger Mouse and masked rapper MF Doom). A full line up should be announced soon.
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LOLLAPALOOZA DATES SET
And talking of American festivals, we hear that the Lollapalooza Festival will return this year in Chicago from 4-6 Aug. This one used to tour the States, but became a one off event in Chicago last year after disappointing ticket sales in 2004. Thievery Corporation have apparently told Billboard that they'll be playing, while rumour has it that the much rumoured Smashing Pumpkins reunion might take place at this one.
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ALBUM REVIEW: The Open - Statues (Loog)
No-one took much notice of 'Silent Hours', The Open's impressive debut album from 2004, which was a shame, because it was, frankly, brilliant. 'Statues' continues this theme, albeit in bolder and more inventive ways. Whereas the first album's windswept guitar rock teemed with nods to The Verve, Echo And The Bunnymen, Doves, 80s U2 (that's a compliment) and generally epic music, this follow up has set its sights even further. The swirling opener 'Forever', with its nourishing trumpet, pounding drums and plaintive minimalist guitars is a marker for the rest of the album, and has much in common with arch sound fetishists like No-Man and Talk Talk. Things continue in this vein; songs are awash with mellotrons, strings, glock, piano and other lushness, all of it sound-tracking what sounds like singer Steven Bayley's personal odyssey into hell. It's a dark, angsty album, wracked with emotion, with no overtly radio friendly fare (or anything likely to soundtrack goals flying in on MOTD, like Doves always manage). First single 'We Can Never Say Goodbye' has an almost rinky-dink Britpop feel to it, but remains quintessentially bleak - like, say, the Kaiser Chiefs with all their jauntiness smothered by a thick goth blanket. 'Statues' probably won't go near your CD player between May and September, but at the moment it's the perfect soundtrack to dark skies, howling winds and Winter soul-searching. Whether the record buying public, currently fixated with the appalling yob-indie of the Artless Monkeys, will ever take this group to their hearts remains to be seen; but The Open really should be playing this music in stadiums (or, even better, in a cold dilapidated castle somewhere). Big, but clever too, this is scintillating stuff. MS
Release date: 6 Feb
Press contact: Bang On [all]
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NEW ONLINE FESTIVAL SET TO PROMOTE YOUNG CREATIVES
A new online youth arts festival encompassing film, fashion, art, design, photography and music, will be launched in Liverpool later this month. The NOISE festival will offer young creatives an array of projects to get involved in - all via the festival's website. The aim is to then promote the participants and their work through a range of partnerships with the likes of the BBC, MSN, Tate Galleries and Metro Newspapers.
A number of leading names from each of the genres represented will be involved in the venture as 'cultural ambassadors'. On the music side Anthony Wilson will take a coordinating role, covering both art and music. He told CMU: "The NOISE festival is a great way of exposing the work of young people to the world. I support NOISE because I love art, and I love young people. Art made by young people is always more interesting".
More info about the festival is online at http://www.noisefestival.com - press info from Get Involved.
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MARILYN MANSON PLAYS LEWIS CAROLL
According to Screen International, that kerazy Marilyn Manson is hoping to direct a movie about Lewis Carroll, and plans to play the 'Alice In Wonderland' author himself. Manson has written the script for the proposed film himself, and is all set to attend Berlin's European Film Market, part of the Berlin Film Festival, to help find funding for it.
The vehicle is entitled 'Phantasmagoria - The Visions Of Lewis Carroll' and described as an arthouse horror film. Producer Alain De La Mata says: "What people expect from Manson, they're going to get here." Eek.
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STRUMMER FILM IN THE WORKS
A film is being made documenting the life of the late Joe Strummer, and will feature contributions from The Clash's Mick Jones and Paul Simonon, as well as producer Rick Rubin and members of Strummer's other bands. The documentary, directed by Julian Temple, will be made up of archived audio and video footage, excepts from Strummer's radio show, and interviews with journalists as well as with people who were close to the Clash man during his lifetime.
Director Temple says: "We didn't have a memorial concert or anything for him. So this is something that I wanted to do. Three years on, it's easier for me and all the people involved to deal with it actually."
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AMBULANCE LTD PUT OUT NEW EP
Lovely New York band Ambulance Ltd are set to release a new EP. The release, to be entitled 'New English', features two new tracks plus some previously unreleased demos as well as a cover version of Pink Floyd's 'Fearless'. No release date as yet, but it can't be far off, given that the band are planning to release their second album sometime this year. Hurrah.
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CHICO TIME GETS RECORD DEAL
Well. Now you've heard it all, haven't you? Yes, former X-Factor contestant Chico-Time, aka Chico Slimani, has apparently signed a record deal with SonyBMG. Presumably the plan is for him to release two or three novelty singles and then fade into obscurity.
You may or may not know, depending on whether you care, that Chico made it rather a long way in the X-Factor without actually displaying any discernable vocal talent. The 34 year old ex-goatherd from Morocco didn't make it to the final, however, despite pulling out all the stops with his own song and a lot of clowning around.
His SonyBMG deal will begin with the single release of that song, 'Chico Time'. Chico told reporters this week: "I'm absolutely loving every minute of it, and looking forward to releasing the single at last".