| CMU Daily - on the inside Tuesday 7th February |
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In today's CMU Daily:
- Getmetickets.net shut down by DTI
- Police want to question Rhymes over video shooting
- Neverland employees report Jackson to labour commission
- Stones songs censored at Super Bowl
- Dylan working on new album
- Vines complete new album
- Snow Patrol complete new album
- Fairport Convention man honoured at folk awards
- Album review: Euros Childs - Chops
- France continue to consider legalising P2P
- Accused filesharer claims to have never owned a PC
- China cracks down on online pirates
- Universal negotiate VOD deal with MySpace.com
- Channel 4 plans album chart show
- Sugababes go GAY
- Foo Fighters plan big fat show
- Humanzi to support Dirty Pretty Things
- Help! She Can't Swim announce tour
- RHCP tour to be announced next week
- Marvin Gaye to get biopic treatment
- Album review: The Television Personalities - My Dark Places
- Super Furry Animals express no regrets over Coke decision
- New Order drummer gets cracking on Cracker
- Weller rants
- Latest Church news
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TOP BIT>>
OK, a logistical Top Bit today. We've finally got around to updating the label and PR/plugging sections of the CMU Directory, which is normally a cue for every major label to move offices, for several independents to merge and for BT to change everyone's STD dialling codes again. Anyway, if you sent in additions or alterations in the last couple of months, they should now be online. If you can go to the URL below and check we've got them right (if you can get your head around our colour coding system, you can check you're in the right colour too) and let us know if there are any further changes, that would be cool. If you are a label or publicity company who has never even looked at our Directory, well you should do so now - if you're not there, or we've got something wrong, send over the changes to [email protected] Several gig and club promoters also sent over their details, so we're going to add another section for live music. So, if you're a gig or club promoter, or venue, email over your company name, address, phone number, web address and press contact name and email to [email protected] and we'll get you listed. And that's it. I thank you.
Check the CMU Directory at http://www.cmumusicnetwork.co.uk/directory
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GETMETICKETS.NET SHUT DOWN BY DTI
Dodgy ticket website Getmetickets.net has been closed down by the government. This was the previously reported ticket sales website which had caused concern among consumer rights groups and the live sector by selling tickets to sold-out gigs and festivals at a considerable premium. The company gained particular notoriety after it was featured on BBC consumer rights programme Watchdog.
The Department Of Trade And Industry took action to force the winding up of the company after allegations that it frequently sold tickets it didn't actually have access to, often leaving music fans without tickets and considerably out of pocket.
A notice from the official receiver now appears on the company's website which reads: "When my staff attended the company's premises a number of tickets were recovered. It appears that the company does not have sufficient tickets to supply all its customers who have ordered and paid for tickets. The court has therefore ordered that those tickets held by the company should be distributed to customers in the order that customers paid for the tickets."
Obviously no other tickets will be available, and the receiver states that he will be unable to make refunds or exchanges at this time. Meanwhile a spokesman for the DTI refused to comment on the ticket company, except to say that it made petitions to the court to "wind up companies in the public interest" when a firm was shown to not be fulfilling claims and promises it made to consumers.
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POLICE WANT TO QUESTION RHYMES OVER VIDEO SHOOTING
Police reportedly want to question Busta Rhymes over that previously reported fatal shooting that occurred outside a Brooklyn warehouse where the rapper was filming a "star-studded video". Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said that he believed Rhymes, who left the scene of the shooting before police arrived, was a potential witness, adding: "We believe Busta Rhymes may have been on the street when the shooting took place".
As previously reported, the 29 year old man who was killed, now named as Israel Ramirez, was a security guard for Kiss The Cactus Productions, who were hosting the video shoot. Police believe the incident that led to the shooting began inside the warehouse, and are seeking a court order to obtain any video shot that day that might contain some clues as to what happened.
As well as Rhymes, Missy Elliot and G-Unit members Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo were on set for the video shoot. Police also reportedly want to investigate whether an earlier altercation involving Yayo, which Rhymes apparently diffused, was linked to the shooting.
Rhymes' people are yet to comment on the whole thing, but Yayo's attorney said his client denied any involvement in the shooting, adding that the G-Unit member would refuse to voluntarily answer any police questions, and concluding by saying: "Please make sure he is not contacted and/or harassed by NYPD".
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NEVERLAND EMPLOYEES REPORT JACKSON TO LABOUR COMMISSION
The California State Labour Commission has confirmed it has received complaints from several staff members from Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch over allegedly unpaid wages.
As previously reported, Jacko has not been back to the ranch since being acquitted of those child sex abuse charges last year. Amid speculation as to the singer's financial situation, there have been a number of rumours regarding the state of Neverland, including stories of staff going unpaid and subsequently denied stories of animals going unfed.
A spokesman for the Commission told reporters yesterday it has received complaints from Neverland employees which "allege that wages have not been paid for more than one month. Our information suggests it is likely that more complaints will be coming into the office in the next few days".
The Daily Mirror quotes Jackson's chef Rudy Lozano, who now also runs a fast food stall to make extra cash, as saying: "A lot of people are struggling to make ends meet. There are 180 families with incomes depending on the ranch."
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STONES SONGS CENSORED AT SUPER BOWL
The Rolling Stones had their songs censored during their Super Bowl half-time performance in Detroit on Sunday night, when TV censors seemingly decided that some of the band's lyrics were too sexually explicit to be broadcast during the much watched family show.
Needless to say, TV bosses remain very nervous regarding the entertainment components of the Superbowl show after the extraordinary fuss that followed Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" at the same event back in 2004, which led to the CBS network being fined a record $550,000 and losing the contract to produce the Superbowl entertainments.
The Stones only performed three songs at the event this weekend. Two were censored - 'Start Me Up' and 'Rough Justice' - whilst '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction' was deemed acceptable as is.
This year's event was screened by the ABC network, who broadcast the game on a five second delay. But they claim that the censorship of the songs was not a result of their own policy on the matter, saying that the changes were made by the NFL (National Football League) and its producers.
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DYLAN WORKING ON NEW ALBUM
Bob Dylan is working on material for a new album, his first collection of new work in five years, according to reports. The singer songwriter is said to have spent four days last week rehearsing material with an unidentified band before heading into a NY city studio to begin recording.
Dylan and the five unnamed musicians were working on the new material at the Bardavon Opera House in Poughkeepsie, New York State, according to local paper The Poughkeepsie Journal. The venue's director Chris Silva told the publication: "It was experimental, all kinds of different licks. They would get into one thing and they would go over it and over it, then they would change gears."
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VINES COMPLETE NEW ALBUM
The Vines have revealed on their official website that the band have finished their third album. The statement, which indicates that the new LP will be released in April, reads: "'This is the best part of making an album! It's the best part' cried Craig triumphantly as the new album was mastered in Sydney just a few short days ago. The very next day the band all huddled around the radio in Sydney to hear 'Gross Out' played on the radio for the first time, following on from Zane Lowe's double play in London on Wednesday night - we've always liked that nice Zane you know."
Two new songs have also been posted on the site, 'Don't Listen To The Radio' and 'Gross Out'.
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SNOW PATROL COMPLETE NEW ALBUM
Talking of which, Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody has revealed that his band have finished their new album too. The frontman wrote on the group's official website: "The album is finished! It is being mastered on Tuesday and Wednesday and that will be that. We're very happy with it. I don't want to say too much as it will sound like the trumpeting of ego but I've never been more proud of anything I've been a part of. We, all, put everything we had into it."
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FAIRPORT CONVENTION MAN HONOURED AT FOLK AWARDS
Singer songwriter Richard Thompson was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in London yesterday, before taking to the stage to perform both solo and with his original band, Fairport Convention. Aptly, the Fairport Convention line up Thompson joined at the awards show was that which had recorded the album 'Liege And Lief', which was voted Most Influential Folk Album Of All Time by Radio 2 listeners prior to the event.
Other winners at the awards ran thus:
Folk Singer Of The Year: John Tams
Best Duo: John Spiers & Jon Boden
Best Group: Flook
Best Album: The Reckoning: John Tams
Best Original Song: One In A Million: Chris Wood & Hugh Lupton
Best Traditional Track: Bitter Withy: John Tams
Horizon Award: Julie Fowlis
Musician Of The Year: Michael Mcgoldrick
Best Live Act: Kate Rusby
Good Tradition Award: Ashley Hutchings
Folk Club Award: Red Lion, Birmingham
Lifetime Achievement Award: Paul Brady
Lifetime Achievement Award: Richard Thompson
Audience Vote: Most Influential Folk Album Of All Time: Fairport Convention - Liege & Lief
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ALBUM REVIEW: Euros Childs - Chops (Wichita)
Recently there has been a resurgence of quirky folk, with acts like Devendra Banhart attracting a lot of interest. Gorky's Zygotic Mynci have been making this kind of music for the last 13 years, so after 8 albums it seems a good time for the band's singer and songwriter Euros Childs to release a solo album. Childs has been making music since he was a schoolboy, and while he may have seemed ahead of his time then, he's now perfectly in synch with what's going on. The album is punctuated with several odd, very brief numbers but the majority of the album consists of the whimsical folk pop that Childs is known for. The lively 'Donkey Island' is filled with bursts of jolly toy town sounds. 'Dawnsio Dros Y Mor' (Dancing Across The Sea) is a cheerful song about someone who, "Lives in a cave with only a dwarf and nuts for company", while the equally sweet 'Costa Rita' employs a samba style rhythm and recorders. A couple of tracks are harmonious Beatles-esque pop; one of these 'My Country Girl' evokes a rural idyll with lyrics which run, "She's baking cakes and I'm milking a cow." Two particularly striking tracks are the plea for calm among surfers - 'Surf Rage' and the eight minute long gentle electronica of 'First Time I Saw You.' This is an unusual and ear catching album which could well find a sizeable audience now that folk pop is becoming increasingly popular. JW
Release date: 13 Feb
Press contact: Hermana [CP, RP, NP] Wichita IH [CR, RR, NR]
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FRANCE CONTINUE TO CONSIDER LEGALISING P2P
The French Culture Minister, Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, will this week address the issues surrounding P2P at a special parliamentary session in Paris. As you'll remember, just before Christmas the French parliament scuppered government attempts to get through stricter laws on online copyright by amending their bill so that it essentially legalised P2P usage, in return for a levy on internet provider bills. The French government responded by withdrawing and now reviewing its legislation. There is still much support for the P2P levy system in certain French political circles, though the consensus seems to be that it won't actually become a reality. Firstly, some point out the P2P levy proposals only got parliamentary support in late December because the vast majority of MPs were already on their Christmas holidays. Secondly, politicians will be facing considerable lobbying from the content industries, and especially France based Vivendi Universal, against the proposals. Thirdly, there are international (and especially EU) IP law issues in going alone in legitimising P2P. And finally, the levy system would probably involve every internet user paying an extra five euros for net access, even if they didn't use P2P, so the system isn't likely to get mainstream support. Nevertheless, the fact the P2P levy system is being considered at such a high level at all is pretty damn interesting.
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ACCUSED FILESHARER CLAIMS TO HAVE NEVER OWNED A PC
Talking of P2P, the Recording Industry Association Of America is facing another legal challenge to one of its anti-P2P lawsuits. Brooklyn-based Marie Lindor is disputing a lawsuit issued by the RIAA against her over allegations that she illegally shared music via P2P. Lindor's lawyer has written to the courts to say: "Ms Lindor has not only never 'downloaded, distributed or made available for distribution' any files, but has never purchased, used or even turned on a computer in her life". The RIAA are in turn asking why Lindor had a broadband connection if she did not have a computer, and for the time being seem to be standing by their original claims. Of course if Lindor can prove she never had the hardware or knowledge to share music online then presumably the RIAA will be forced to drop their lawsuit. That in itself isn't a major problem, except for PR reasons. With a number of high profile cases due in court with people disputing RIAA lawsuits (mainly on the grounds that while you can prove who owns an internet connection, you can't prove who uses that connection to illegally share music), the industry association could do without the bad press that will surround any embarrassing mistakes.
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CHINA CRACKS DOWN ON ONLINE PIRATES
More piracy type things, and the Chinese Xinbua news service has reported that 76 websites have been closed down in China over allegations they hosted pirated film, music or gaming content. The National Copyright Administration Of China has also reportedly ordered 137 other sites to remove illegal content, and 29 sites to pay fines for copyright violation, while reporting eight groups to local authorities for content piracy crimes. The news follows calls from the entertainment industry and governments around the world, especially in the US, for Chinese authorities to crack down on content pirates - some estimates say 90 percent of all entertainment content consumed in China is pirated.
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UNIVERSAL NEGOTIATE VOD DEAL WITH MYSPACE.COM
The Universal Music Group is in talks with the Rupert Murdoch owned MySpace.com regarding the launch of a new video-on-demand service. It is unclear what the specifics of that deal will be, although Universal has led the way in designing video-on-demand deals that ensure the pop promo is a revenue stream for the record label, rather than just a promotional device. MySpace.com is likely to strike a deal similar to that done between Universal and Yahoo, AOL and MSN.
Where the service will fit into MySpace.com remains to be seen, although it might be a sign that the company plans to expand its own music channel, which sits atop the massive community of artist controlled blogs within the MySpaceMusic domain.
Commenting on his negotiations with MySpace.com, Universal Music's Larry Kenswil is quoted as saying: "We are delighted to be working closely with MySpace in combining the creative resources of our two companies to offer the very best in music videos. It's clear that there is huge consumer demand for video-on-demand products, and it is our policy to deliver our artists' videos and music to fans in as many new and innovative ways as possible. As such, Universal is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the many new opportunities emerging in this rapidly growing area of the marketplace".
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CHANNEL 4 PLANS ALBUM CHART SHOW
"Channel 4 is launching its first music chart show" - well, that's what marketing website Brand Republic reports. I'm a bit hazy on this myself, but I'm pretty sure The Chart Show had some kind of chart component.
Anyway, Channel 4 is launching an album chart show which will count down the top twenty best selling albums each week, as well as presenting live performances from and interviews with the artists featured in the chart. The show will be recorded at London's rather lovely Koko venue mid-week, to be aired twice on Saturdays - mid-afternoon and late night.
Channel 4 bosses are said to be keen to find some of the music fans who have dumped Top Of The Pops from their weekly viewing in recent years, while also appealing to older music fans who might ordinarily tune into Later With Jools Holland. No presenter has been confirmed as yet, though dreadful T4 host June Sarpong is being tipped for the job - which makes you wonder why they'd bother at all.
Commenting on the new show, Channel 4's Commissioning Editor For Music, Neil McCallum, told reporters: "We are delighted to be doing an album chart show that features some of the finest live performers at such a fantastic venue as Koko, particularly at a time when sales and interest in the album chart are on such a high."
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SUGABABES GO GAY
Sugababes' first UK gig since the recruitment of new member Amelle Berrabah has been scheduled to take place at London's GAY club on 4 Mar, two days before the release of new single 'Red Dress', which they will perform on the night. As previously reported, founder member Mutya Buena quit the band just before Christmas citing personal reasons in relation to her new role as a mother, before subsequently announcing her intention to launch a solo career.
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FOO FIGHTERS PLAN BIG FAT SHOW
I can say that because they're thin, apparently. Foo Fighters are to play an enormous gig in Hyde Park this summer to a crowd of 60,000. The event will take place on 17 Jun, with tickets going on sale this Saturday at 9am, support acts TBC. As previously reported, the band are also planning an acoustic tour for the Spring.
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HUMANZI TO SUPPORT DIRTY PRETTY THINGS
Irish buzz band Humanzi, who recently won Best Newcomer at Ireland's Meteor Music Awards, have been confirmed as the support act on that previously reported Dirty Pretty Things tour. Do you need to be reminded of the dates? Oh, go on then. Carl Barat's band call at the following locations near you:
26 Feb: Oxford, Zodiac
27 Feb: Birmingham, Academy
28 Feb: Norwich, Waterfront
2 Mar: Northumbria, University
3 Mar: Leeds, Cockpit
4 Mar: Liverpool, Stanley Theatre
5 Mar: Glasgow, ABC2
7 Mar: Portsmouth, Wedgewood Rooms
8 Mar: London, Kings College
10 Mar: Sheffield, Leadmill
11 Mar: Stoke, Sugarmill
12 Mar: Manchester, Academy 3
13 Mar: Nottingham, Rescue Rooms
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HELP! SHE CAN'T SWIM ANNOUNCE TOUR
What is it with these bands with sentences for names? Be Your Own Pet. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Now pay attention, because punk five piece Help! She Can't Swim have announced a UK headline tour. They're also doing an instore at Rough Trade in Covent Garden on 18 Mar at 2pm.
The tour dates are as follows:
11 Mar: London, Garage
12 Mar: Southampton, Joiners
13 Mar: Liverpool, Double Vision
14 Mar: Glasgow, King Tuts
15 Mar: Newcastle, Cluny
16 Mar: Manchester, Music Box
17 Mar: Belfast, Laverys
18 Mar: Brighton, Free Butt
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RHCP TOUR TO BE ANNOUNCED NEXT WEEK
Red Hot Chili Peppers are due to announce a UK tour next Monday, which is important if you're a fan, because tickets will be made available initially to people registered with the band's website. So if you want that early access, you should register now at http://www.redhotchilipeppers.com.
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MARVIN GAYE TO GET BIOPIC TREATMENT
According to Hollywood Reporter, a film about the final years of Marvin Gaye's life is to be made, and will feature 'Law & Order' actor Jesse L Martin in the lead role. The movie will chart the Motown star's battle with drugs, his time in Europe, his early eighties comeback, and his 1984 death at the hands of his own father.
The independently financed film will be shot on location in Hungary and Europe. Director Lauren Goodman says of the movie's subject: "More than just being the voice of a generation, Marvin Gaye proved to be its very heartbeat."
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ALBUM REVIEW: The Television Personalities - My Dark Places (Domino)
You know what the most annoying thing in the world is? It's when parents, teachers, politicians say that changing the world is "up to the children". No it isn't! It's up to every person who is alive! Here to prove it is the first Television Personalities release in 11 years. For those not in the know (like me), Daniel Treacy's band goes way back to 1977, and were possibly Kurt Cobain's favourite band. But really, that information is superfluous. For this album is, well, just super. It should go straight to number one. But of course it won't. Not like them Arctic Monkeys, giving the parental generation another reason to delude themselves they can leave it all to the young kids. Daniel Treacy is a 40-something to tell them otherwise. This is the angriest and most sarcastically intelligent record I have heard in a long while. Nothing in rock compares. Think Bret 'American Psycho' Ellis at his most caustic and delirious. Yes, that awesome. The music, at times, is simply beautiful. 'Sick Again' is as soothing and evocative as anything by 'Ladies and Gentlemen'-era Spiritualized. 'You Kept Me Waiting Too Long' is so catchy and so damn FIERCE I still can't believe it is not a Britney cover. At other times, such as 'Ex-Girlfriend Club', it is so disjointed that it sounds more like the 'experimental' accompaniment to performance poetry. At times, there is some wilfully bad singing and production, which is a shame, because were it not for that, this album could be a classic - not a mainstream one, but to those in the know ... which now include me. SIA
Release date: 27 Feb
Press contact: Hermana [CP, RP, NP] Domino IH [CR, RR, NR]
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SUPER FURRY ANIMALS EXPRESS NO REGRETS OVER COKE DECISION
Super Furry Animals have revealed that they refused a £1million advertising deal with Coca Cola last year - and that they have absolutely no regrets about that decision, especially in the light of a meeting that the band had with Columbia's food and drink trade union during a recent South American visit.
The band declined to let the soft drinks giant use their song 'Hello Sunshine', and now that they've heard all about those widely reported killings and intimidation campaigns alleged to have been carried out by Coca Cola in Columbia, the band are relieved that they decided against taking the money (unlike fellow musician Jack White, of course). Needless to say, Coca Cola deny the accusations.
Front man Gruff Rhys said: "When you're offered money like that, you have to think hard about it. There's five of us in the band. There's kids to feed. Imagine if we'd taken that money. I'd have spent it by now, too. I don't really like the taste anyway."
Bass player Guto Pryce added: "I frickin' love it, but I'll never buy another fucking can in my life."
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NEW ORDER DRUMMER GETS CRACKING ON CRACKER
Sorry about that headline. New Order drummer Stephen Morris is to write the soundtrack for the new series of TV show 'Cracker', aided by wife and New Order alumnus Gillian, who will play keyboards and guitar. Morris says: "I was a fan when Cracker was last on TV so it's great to be doing the music for the new series. The writer Jimmy McGovern asked us to do it. It also means we'll be two of the first people to see it."
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WELLER RANTS
Ah well, seems that it isn't just James Blunt that Paul Weller doesn't like (you'll remember he allegedly said he'd rather eat his own shit that perform a duet with Mr Blunt). In an interview in the new edition of Uncut, the modfather shares his opinions on a number of the UK's rock 'n' roll aristocracy, ahead of accepting his Outstanding Achievement at next week's Brit Awards.
On Bob Geldof winning the Outstanding Achievement Award at last year's Brits: "It can't be for his music, man. I mean, if it's for his charity work in Africa then you can't knock it, but Boomtown Rats, fuck off."
On Geldof's fellow rocker with a mission, Bono: "The whole thing of Bono becoming the Pope - what the fuck's all that about? Pseudo-American rubbish."
On Sting: "Fucking horrible man. Not my cup of tea at all. Fucking rubbish. No edge, no attitude, no nothing."
On the late great Freddie Mercury: "He said he wanted to bring ballet to the working classes. What a cunt."
And finally on Mr David Bowie, another previous winner of the Outstanding Achievement Award: "Wrong! I like about three records of his. The rest of it's pish."
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LATEST CHURCH NEWS
More bitching... Charlotte Church has been getting gobby on other music stars asses again. Does she have a new single out next month? I think she does, you know.
Anyway, she's had a go at a whole bunch of people, according to the Sun, starting with poor old X-Factor winner Shayne Ward, who she says shouldn't win the Best Single Award at this year's Brits. She apparently said said: "You'd think they could come up with a half-decent song - they give him cack to sing." Actually, it's true, they do give those talent show winners cack songs to sing. So okay.
She also called Coldplay depressing and melodramatic (again she's not wrong) and continued: "Craig David's gone a bit middle of the road. It's a bit Elton John. Arctic Monkeys? Wouldn't know if I fell over them. Dizzee Rascal is a bit much for me. He sounds like 12-year-old boy on the brink of puberty."
Charlotte is also making the news over reports that at the age of just 19 she's ready to write a second autobiography, the first being published when she was just fourteen. According to Metro, the singer was persuaded by a six figure sum and her boyfriend Gavin Henson, who suggested that it was a good way to set the record straight regarding the kiss and tell stories sold by her ex-boyfriends Steven Johnson and Kyle Johnson. She said: "I'm excited at the opportunity to be able to give my side of the story for the last few years."
Finally in Church news, the singer has made it on to Glamour Magazine's style list, albeit down at number 42, beating Mariah Carey at 48, but not making it as high as Gwen Stefani at 11, Beyonce Knowles at 15, J-Lo at 16, Mrs Chris Martin at 17, and Rachel Stevens at 19.