CMU Daily - on the inside Thursday 23rd February
yesterday's Daily - Daily archive

In today's CMU Daily:
- Bon Jovi promoters still hopeful on Wembley dates
- Industry bodies welcome closure of Razorback2
- BPI welcome sentencing of counterfeit CD maker
- Warner consider moving Warner Bros offices
- Universal split Motown
- Former manager sues Killers
- GnR confirm festival appearance
- Cream to relocate
- Berlin's Love Parade to go ahead
- Magic Numbers added to T In The Park
- Acts added to Roskilde
- Album review: Ilya - Somerset
- Domingo gets LA Opera extension
- Vines album stuff
- Stars get covering for Gainsbourg tribute
- Free Jim Noir download
- John Peel's biog up for an award
- Depeche Mode film for live album
- Album review: Liars - Drum's Not Dead
- Test Icicles really are splitting
- RHCP to tour with West
- Shack album, tour
- The Answer single, tour
- Shitdisco tour
- Kid Rock wins initial victory over sex tape
- Madonna update
- Gilmour in 'Pink Floyd won't reform' shocker
- Morrissey says his life was shit shocker
- Mogwai bitch, more

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TOP BIT>>
As we mentioned last week, CMU is a partner on an exciting new event due to take place at London's seOne Club at the start of the Easter Weekend - the Insomniac's Ball. London's first ever all-night in-door festival, this is all set to be both a storming night, and a great new regular event in the capital's music calendar. British Sea Power, Mando Diao, The Pipettes, Art Brut and Dogs are among the bands already booked to play, plus Eddy TM and the Remix will be hosting a room. It all takes place on the night of 13 Apr and you'll find info galore at http://www.insomniacsball.co.uk, plus there's a press release in the CMU Press Room at the URL below. So, why mention this now? Well, we love self-promoting our own projects, obviously, but it is relevant today because any of our college readers out there can now take advantage of a special ticket deal available exclusively via our CMU Beats website - http://www.thebeatsbar.co.uk. Go there right now and register on the Insomniacs Ball page, and we will supply you with a special password which enables you to get a special student ticket rate of £15. Simple. If you are from a college radio station or newspaper, anywhere in the UK, we have some very exciting Insomniacs Ball promotions in the pipeline, celebrating both the event and the artists set to appear - which you will be able to offer to your readers. We'll be in touch about them in the next few days, but if you want to get involved drop an email to [email protected] and we'll give you some advance information on what is on offer.

Press info on the Insomniacs Ball is at http://www.cmumusicnetwork.co.uk/pressroom/insomniacsball

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PRESS ROOM>>

BREAKING GROUND - THE OFFICIAL BREAKSPOLL AFTERSHOW
To continue the excitement of tonight's Breakspoll Awards celebrations, Leyline presents Breaking Ground, The Official Breakspoll Aftershow @ seOne club this Friday, 24th February 2006. The After-Show will be presenting a whole host of fantastic breaks DJs including Freq Nasty, Rennie Pilgrem with MC Chickaboo, JDS, Will Saul, Precision Cuts, The Teamplayers featuring Aquasky, UK Apache, Spyda, The Ragga Twins & Ban Jyang, Spiltloop, Pendulum (breaks set), Breakfastaz, Deekline & Wizard with MC Ivory, and Deep Impact with Screwface. All takes place this Friday from 10 pm - 6am, tickets are £10 in advance from http://www.ticketweb.co.uk or £12 on the door.

Press info from Leyline, full press release at:
http://www.cmumusicnetwork.co.uk/pressroom/breakingground

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BON JOVI PROMOTERS STILL HOPEFUL ON WEMBLEY DATES
OK, more Wembley news - well, kind of. We're not really any surer as to whether the stadium will be ready in time to host those two Bon Jovi gigs on 10 and 11 Jun, but the promoters of the concert have issued a statement that they are "working closely" with the venue to see if the gigs can, indeed, go ahead.

As previously reported, speculation as to whether the concerts would be able to take place began after the company building the new stadium admitted they were considerably behind schedule, and the Football Association confirmed they were moving their FA Cup Final, due to take place on 13 May, to Cardiff's Millennium Stadium because of fears the new Wembley venue would not be ready in time.

Building firm Multiplex says it is unable to confirm for definite if the venue will be ready to host a major concert on 10 Jun, but Bon Jovi's promoters AEG say they are working closely with Wembley bosses in a bid to keep things on track, although they also implied they are considering other options. It would be apt for the band to open the new venue, because they were the last band to play the old Wembley Stadium.

AEG's Senior VP Rob Hallett told reporters yesterday: "Everyone at the company appreciates that these are extremely difficult circumstances. Whilst I can't go into any detail we are considering all of our options. Wembley want to stage the shows, AEG Live want Wembley to stage the shows - and the band naturally want to see through the honour of being invited to open the stadium."

But with Wembley boss Michael Cunnah saying on Tuesday that it was "still too early to say" when the stadium would open, it still remains to be seen which of the concerts due to take place at Wembley this summer do indeed go ahead.

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INDUSTRY BODIES WELCOME CLOSURE OF RAZORBACK2
A key hub on the evil eDonkey P2P network (it is evil, I checked) has been closed down following raids in both Switzerland and Belgium. The so called Razorback2 network reportedly hosted some 170 million files and frequently boasted 1.3 million simultaneous users - who accessed the illegal library of copyrighted music, film, TV shows and computer games via the eDonkey software. Swiss authorities this week arrested the owner of the operation, while in Belgium police have seized a number of servers in Brussels.

Dan Glickman of the lovely Motion Picture Association (they are lovely, I checked), who helped European authorities in their investigations into Razorback2, told reporters yesterday: "By shaving the illegal traffic of copyrighted works facilitated by Razorback2, we are depleting other illegal networks of their ability to supply internet pirates with copyrighted works".

The cuddly International Federation Of The Phonographic Industry (they might not be cuddly, I'm guessing on this one) also welcomed the arrests, telling reporters: "This is a very significant breakthrough in the fight against internet piracy internationally, removing one of the biggest and most well-known sources of illegal music files on the internet. This is an excellent example of good cooperation between law enforcement agencies across borders and among the copyright industries in addressing the problem worldwide."

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BPI WELCOME SENTENCING OF COUNTERFEIT CD MAKER
The BPI has welcomed a decision in the Scottish courts to jail the man behind a counterfeit CD outfit. George Malone was handed a 9-month sentence after the court heard how, for three years, he produced and sold up to £18,000s worth of counterfeit music and software CDs a week - providing supplies to a string of other bootleg sellers.

His operation was closed down after a joint investigation by the BPI, games industry trade body ELSPA, North Lanarkshire Trading Standards Special Projects Unit, Strathclyde Police and The Department For Work and Pensions (he was committing benefit fraud too). Making the story much better - while under investigation Malone helped the authorities somewhat by posting a leaflet advertising his bootlegging services through the door of one of the enforcement agency's offices.

Commenting on the sentencing, BPI Director Of Anti-Piracy David Martin told CMU: "It's impossible to know exactly how much Mr Malone made during the operation. But given the rapid turnover of counterfeit stock in these cases, it's not unreasonable to assume that at its peak, this illicit business was turning over tens of thousands of pounds a week. Commercial music piracy is a growing problem, and sadly not all criminals are stupid enough to alert the authorities to their activities like this. But by working with our colleagues in the film and software industry as well as Trading Standards and police, we have a growing team of investigators working to fight the counterfeiters."

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WARNER CONSIDER MOVING WARNER BROS OFFICES
Apparently the Warner Music Group are thinking about moving Warner Brother Records from their LA HQ to the offices of Warner's East Coast labels in New York in a bid to save millions in operational costs.

It's a move that will no doubt go down well with Warner's financial backers, but less so with Warner Bros' West Coast staff. Given that relationships between US-wide Warners chief Lyor Cohen and Warner Bros boss Tom Walley are already said to be poor, some reckon a geographical move like this could lead to blood on the boardroom floor.

Which is good news for SonyBMG - who could do with music industry gossipers concentrating their efforts on executive tensions somewhere else after all the anti-Andrew Lack shenanigans that went on at the end of last year (especially as some of those gossipers are saying that putting former BMG boss Rolf Schmidt-Holtz into the top job is only a temporary solution and that top execs on both the Sony and BMG side of the boardroom will be finding new reasons to squabble in the coming months).

Don't you just wish these gossipers would go and find something better to do with their time? I mean ... surely there's something juicy going on over at EMI or Universal?

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UNIVERSAL SPLIT MOTOWN
Well, here's some Universal news, though it's not at all 'juicy'. The Universal Music Group is splitting its Motown division into two new companies - Universal Motown and Universal Republic - the former run by Sylvia Rhone and the latter by Monte Lipman. They will share some back-office departments like legal and finance, but will have their own A&R and marketing/publicity teams. See, nothing exciting there. Perhaps Sylvia and Monte hate each other, and the label had to split to stop them murdering each other. Now that would be a good story.

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FORMER MANAGER SUES KILLERS
Ah, here we go, people not liking each other, that's more like it. The former manager of The Killers has filed papers at a Las Vegas court against both the band and their lawyer, Robert Reynolds. Ex-manager Braden Merrick claims Reynolds interfered with his contractual relations with the band because he wanted the management work for himself. Merrick, who was fired by the band last March, is looking for $16 million compensation from both the band and Reynolds. As previously reported, The Killers are currently busy completing their second album. Far too busy to be commenting on tedious lawsuits, I'm sure.

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GNR CONFIRM FESTIVAL APPEARANCE
Guns n Roses have been confirmed as headliners at this year's Download festival. They top the bill on Sunday 11 Jun, whilst previously announced headliner Metallica will appear on the Saturday. The band, who last appeared at Download venue Donington in 1988, are expected to play material from long, long, long awaited album 'Chinese Democracy'.

Axl Rose says: "The UK and Europe have always been special for me. After our last great shows there, we are all very excited and looking forward to getting back over there and in front of such great audiences. Donington has always meant a lot to me personally, way before I ever played there. To be asked to headline is for me an honour and a privilege that none of us take for granted. We look forward to seeing all of you at Download!"

Acts previously confirmed for the festival include The Prodigy, Korn, Deftones, Bullet For My Valentine, Lucuna Coil, InMe, and Hatebreed.

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CREAM TO RELOCATE
Creamfields has a new home - well, nearly. This August the dance fest, which has been staged at the Old Liverpool Airfield in Speke for the last seven years, is likely to instead take place in part of the Daresbury estate in the borough of Halton - a "greenfield site in the heart of the Cheshire countryside" (and the Cheshire countryside is very nice, you know - I spent some time there once). Cream bosses are currently speaking to Halton Borough Council and local police and emergency services about their plans and hope to put in a licence application for the event in the coming weeks.

Confirming those plans, Cream boss James Barton told CMU: "Creamfields is an internationally acclaimed event and over the last seven years has made a huge contribution to Liverpool's cultural renaissance. A successful Creamfields will help promote Halton and demonstrate their willingness to deliver a major cultural event."

More details about this year's event will be announced soon

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BERLIN'S LOVE PARADE TO GO AHEAD
Berlin's techno festival Love Parade, which has been missing from the summer calendar for the last two years due to financial troubles, has found a new sponsor, fitness company McFit, and as a result will make a comeback on 15 Jul this year, less than a week after the German capital hosts the football World Cup.

The Love Parade started as a small party in 1989, but grew steadily, at its height attracting as many as 1.5million people to a number of raves held in the city's parks, as well as the event's huge procession. The event left the city with large policing and cleaning up bills which they initially covered because the event was arguably a political demonstration. But when the city later ruled the event had lost its political dimension they said that organisers would have to cover cleaning up costs, which vastly increased the costs of staging the Parade. As previously reported, organisers were unable to meet those costs in 2004 and 2005 so no Parade took place. Supporters of the event criticised Berlin for not better supporting the event, but city officials blamed Love Parade for its own decline, saying that the festival had failed to move with the times.

Confirming that this year's event will go ahead, founder Matthias Roeingh, aka Dr Motte, told reporters this week: "We believe the Love Parade is alive. It's a fitting conclusion to the World Cup."

McFit owner Rainer Schaller added: "The Love Parade is a German export hit. This brand has achieved cult status and is known worldwide. That this mega event should not take place in its homeland just because of financial problems was unacceptable for me."

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MAGIC NUMBERS ADDED TO T IN THE PARK
The Magic Numbers have been added to the T In The Park line-up, playing the main stage on the Sunday. As previously reported, tickets for the event, which takes place at Balado near Kinross from 8-9 Jul, sold out in under an hour on Friday morning. Acts previously confirmed for the festival include The Strokes, The Who, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kaiser Chiefs, Primal Scream, Richard Ashcroft, Arctic Monkeys, The Ordinary Boys and Sigur Ros.

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ACTS ADDED TO ROSKILDE
Sigur Ros, The Streets and Lady Sovereign have all been added to the line up for this year's Roskilde Festival. They join previously announced acts such as Franz Ferdinand, Kanye West and Placebo. The festival, now in its 35th year, takes place in Denmark from 29 Jun to 2 Jul, tickets on sale now.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Ilya - Somerset (Universal Internet)
Ilya's startling debut 'They Died For Beauty' was one of those albums that sadly bypassed the record-buying public, despite it being a hypnotic blend of Goldfrapp meets Portishead downtempo exotica. This follow up is an equally stylish affair, although stylistically a braver and more eclectic album, with an emphasis on sounding live (guitars are much more prominent), rather than the more studio-processed Bristolian melodrama of its predecessor. Opener 'September Rendezvous' continues where things left off, although its twisted lounge-jazz is darker than on their debut; the technicolour lushness stripped away in favour of a more penetrating monochrome. The departure becomes even more marked on 'Falling Everywhere', where jaunty East European klezma meets Deep South blues. Other highlights include 'Wonderful' (Dusty Springfield singing to a hushed, smoky 60s bar), 'Juanita' (more swamp blues, but this time relocated to New Orleans) and 'Winter In Vienna', which isn't as gloriously bleak and beautiful as its title suggests (it's difficult to picture Ilya's music out of a warm climate), but is imbued with a frosty romanticism nonetheless. Elsewhere the album seamlessly mines folk, glam, bossanova and swing, throughout which Joanna Swan's enchanting Billy Mackenzie-like swoon remains intoxicating. Whilst a few tracks are unmemorable, and as such 'Somerset' isn't quite as affecting as its predecessor, it's still an original and highly seductive example of late night listening at its best. MS
Release date: 27 Feb
Press contact: Hyperlaunch [all]

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DOMINGO GETS LA OPERA EXTENSION
Internationally renowned tenor Placido Domingo has had his contract as general director of the Los Angeles Opera extended by another five years, until 2011. The 65 year old Spanish singer joined the company as Artistic Director back in 2000 before being promoted to his current position in 2003.

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VINES ALBUM STUFF
The Vines have confirmed some details about their forthcoming third album. The long player, entitled 'Vision Valley', will be released on 4 Apr, and the tracklisting, because I know you love these, is as follows:

Anysound
Nothin's Comin
Candy Daze
Vision Valley
Don't Listen To The Radio
Gross Out
Take Me Back
Going Gone
Fuk Yeh
Futuretarded
Dope Train
Atmos
Spaceship

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STARS GET COVERING FOR GAINSBOURG TRIBUTE
Jarvis Cocker, Michael Stipe, Marc Almond, Franz Ferdinand, Marianne Faithful and Placebo are amongst the stars who have recorded cover versions for an upcoming Serge Gainsbourg tribute album. Jane Birkin joins Franz Ferdinand on their track, whilst Mrs Jack White, Karen Elson, joins Cat Power for a duet. Tracklisting, because I know how much you all like those, is as follows:

Franz Ferdinand and Jane Birkin - A Song for Sorry Angel
Cat Power and Karen Elson - I Love You (Me Either)
Jarvis Cocker and Kid Loco - I Just Came To Tell You That I'm Going
Portishead - Requiem For Anna
Faultline, Brian Molko and Françoise Hardy - Requiem For A Jerk
Michael Stipe - L'Hôtel
Tricky - Au Revoir Emmanuelle
Marianne Faithfull and Sly & Robbie - Lola R. For Ever
Gonzales, Feist and Dani - Boomerang 2005
Marc Almond and Trash Palace - Boy Toy
Placebo - The Ballad Of Melody Nelson
The Rakes - Just A Man With A Job
The Kills - I Call It Art
Carla Bruni - Those Little Things

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FREE JIM NOIR DOWNLOAD
If you haven't discovered CMU favourite Jim Noir yet, well here's a great chance, because you can now download 'Computer Song' from his debut LP 'Tower Of Love' for free from this here URL:

http://www.7digital.com/stores/default.aspx?shop=215

'Tower Of Love' is out now, and new single 'Key of C' will be released on 27 Feb.

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JOHN PEEL'S BIOG UP FOR AN AWARD
John Peel's autobiography, of which he had completed 52,000 words before his death, and which was finished by the legendary DJ's wife Sheila, has been shortlisted for a WH Smith Book Of The Year Award. 'Margrave Of The Marshes' is up against JK Rowling's 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince', Piers Morgan's 'The Insider', Jamie Oliver's 'Jamie's Italy', Sharon Osbourne's 'Extreme: My Autobiography', and Jeremy Clarkson's 'The World According to Clarkson'

The awards, now in their seventh year also include categories for Biography Of The Year, Author Of The Year and The Popular Fiction Award, and they are the only book awards to be decided by a public vote. I'm hoping Jeremy Clarkson doesn't win, and so is Piers Morgan, who has an ongoing feud with his fellow nominee and says: "I am absolutely desperate to win, purely to see Jeremy Clarkson's face as I do a little celebratory conga on stage."

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DEPECHE MODE FILM FOR LIVE ALBUM
The lovely Depeche Mode have filmed two of their recent live shows for a new DVD. The concerts they played at the Filaforum in Milan at the weekend were recorded for the film, which is expected to see a release in the autumn. The band's Andrew Fletcher told Billboard: "We're quite excited because the audience went absolutely bananas. We did Paris [for the last DVD] and we thought we'd do Milan because we work there a lot and it worked out really well."

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ALBUM REVIEW: Liars - Drum's Not Dead (EMI/Mute)
The Liars are one of those rare bands who don't sound like anyone else and they're also known as a band who sound completely different from one album to the next. Although the band were previously associated with American punk funks acts like LCD Soundsystem, The Rapture and Radio 4, they've now gone in a direction which sees them out on their own. 'Drum's Not Dead' is their third album, the follow up to 'They Were Wrong, So We Drowned'. Since making that record the Brooklyn based outfit have relocated to Berlin. It's something of a concept album, based on two characters Drum and Mount Heart Attack, which are opposites like Yin and Yang. There are hints of Velvet Underground in the subdued drone of 'Be Quiet Mt. Heart Attack' and a touch of Spiritualized on the choir embellished 'The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack', which is the album's finale. But much of the album is deep, primal music, sounding like nothing else apart from possibly an undiscovered tribe in Papua New Guinea. 'Lets Not Wrestle Mt. Heart Attack' is particularly dramatic with its tribal wails. 'Its All Blooming Now Mt. Heart Attack' is stripped down to the barest minimum, with soft flickering beats. 'Drum And The Uncomfortable Can' is the album's most out there experimental track with a long drawn out intro and clanging percussion, shuffling rhythms and chanting. This is music which is intriguing to the point of being baffling. Liars are to be applauded for their audacity and their originality, and this album is likely to garner them plenty of critical plaudits and even more admiring fans. JW
Release date: 20 Feb
Press contact: Pomona [CP, RP] Mute IH [NP, CR, RR, NR]

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TEST ICICLES REALLY ARE SPLITTING
Well, as we so pertinently observed when Test Icicles denied rumours of their demise a few weeks back, bands who strenuously protest that they have no plans to split frequently are on the verge of calling it a day. And it would appear that in this case at least, we were correct. Test Icicles have confirmed that they are planning to break up. The announcement follows the cancellation of their planned NME Awards Show appearance supporting Nine Black Alps.

The group have released a statement which reads: "The band have just come off a European tour and are exhausted from the constant pressures of touring, subsequently they have cancelled their show at the NME Awards and US tour. The band will play their UK tour in April. Details of a final single to be taken from the album to announced. There are currently no plans to make another album or tour beyond this."

Those April dates 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

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RHCP TO TOUR WITH WEST
Sounds like a marriage made in heaven. According to reports, Red Hot Chili Peppers, who release new album 'Stadium Arcadium' on 8 May, are planning to tour in the US with Kanye West later in the year, following the band's European dates this summer.

Bassist Flea told MTV: "I think we'll be doing some legs with Kanye, but I don't know if that's confirmed yet or not. I think we're going to do a month or two with him. I think it's going to happen, and I hope it happens. He's a great artist - and we always try to get the best people to play with that we can."

On the new LP he added: "It's the best record we've ever made. I feel so important to share this album with the world. Making this record, I just feel like each one of us was at the best that we could be. This 'Stadium Arcadium', this is our grand statement - this is the best that we can do. This is the best we're capable of. If you don't like this, you don't like the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Period."

Here are RHCPs UK dates. Ooh, I'd like to go:

30 Jun: Ipswich Portman Road
2 Jul: Coventry Ricoh Arena
3 Jul: Reading Madjeski Stadium
5 Jul: Derby Pride Park
6 Jul: Sheffield Don Valley
11 Jul: Manchester Evening News Arena
12 Jul: Manchester Evening News Arena
14 Jul: London Earls Court Arena
15 Jul: London Earls Court Arena
17 Jul: London Earls Court Arena
18 Jul: London Earls Court Arena

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SHACK ALBUM, TOUR
Shack have announced that their fourth studio album '... The Corner Of Miles And Gil' is to be released through Noel Gallagher's Sour Mash label on 15 May, preceded by a limited single release 'Tie Me Down' on 1 May. The band's coinciding tour dates are as follows:

12 May: Liverpool Academy
13 May: Manchester Quays Theatre
14 May: Oxford Zodiac
15 May: London Kings College
16 May: Brighton Concorde
18 May: Newcastle The Cluny
19 May: Glasgow King Tuts
21 May: Bristol Fleece
22 May: Nottingham Rescue Rooms

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THE ANSWER SINGLE, TOUR
Northern Irish band The Answer are to release a single this Spring. 'In To The Gutter' is released on 24 Apr, and is preceded by a sixteen date tour, dates as follows:

24 Mar: York Fibbers
25 Mar: Leicester Sumo
26 Mar: Wolverhampton Little Civic
27 Mar: Cambridge Portland Arms
28 Mar: Bristol Louisana
30 Mar: Bridgwater Palace
31 Mar: Bedford Esquires
1 Apr: Cardiff Barfly
2 Apr: Liverpool Bar Academy
4 Apr: Southend Chinnerys
5 Apr: London Barfly
6 Apr: Peterbrough Met Lounge
8 Apr: Birmingham Bar Academy
9 Apr: Newcastle Academy
10 Apr: Glasgow Barfly
11 Apr: Manchester Roadhouse

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SHITDISCO TOUR
The band that glories in the name ShitDisco have announced a lengthy UK tour for March, dates are as follows:

3 Mar: Wakefield, Escobar
4 Mar: Stoke, Underground
6 Mar: London, Metro
7 Mar: Wigan, Bar Fever
8 Mar: Glasgow, ABC2
9 Mar: Dundee, Reading Rooms
10 Mar: Aberdeen, Moshulu
11 Mar: Edinburgh, The Venue
14 Mar: Manchester, Roadhouse
15 Mar: Leeds, Faversham
16 Mar: Liverpool, Barfly
18 Mar: Sheffield, The Plug
19 Mar: Kettering, Beat Connection
21 Mar: Brighton, Freebutt
22 Mar: Bristol, The Croft
23 Mar: Bournemouth, Consortium
25 Mar: Cardiff, Barfly
26 Mar: Nottingham, Social
27 Mar: Birmingham, Barfly
28 Mar: Huddersfield, Tokyo's
30 Mar: Middlesbrough, Empire
31 Mar: Newcastle, Cluny

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KID ROCK WINS INITIAL VICTORY OVER SEX TAPE
Kid Rock has won an initial court victory relating to the distribution of an explicit sex video featuring him, former Creed singer Scott Stapp and four lovely ladies. Legal action began last week when a Californian company started to stream a preview of the video on their website. The video clip went offline following a cease and desist from Stapp's lawyers, but yesterday a US District Court judge signed a temporary order banning David Joseph and his World Wide Red Light District company from re-posting the clip until there can be a full court hearing about the video - though that hearing could take place as early as tomorrow.

Joseph, who was responsible for releasing the infamous Paris Hilton video, claims that he has the legal right to release the footage, which apparently shows Kid and Stapp receiving oral sex from four female fans, because it was recorded by various different people and therefore no one person owns the copyright on it. Kid Rock wants Joseph and his company to be completely banned from distributing the video in any way on the basis that it violates his trademark and privacy rights.

Following Tuesday's court proceedings, Kid Rock's lawyer William Horton told the Detroit Free Press: "We don't deny the authenticity of the tape. But they're using this without his permission to drive the sales of their other products."

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MADONNA UPDATE
Madonna is said to be "devastated" that a New York artist who provided the pictures for her children's book 'The English Roses' has been severely beaten up outside a nightclub in the city. Jeffrey Fulvimari sustained multiple skull fractures, including a broken eye socket, during the attack, which occurred in the Chelsea area of Manhattan early on Sunday morning. The singer's US spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg told the New York Daily News: "She was very devastated at the news. She's very fond of Jeffrey... and she will be reaching out to be with him."

Elsewhere in Madonna news, the singer has apparently (again) denied those reports that her relationship with husband Guy Ritchie is in trouble, but admitted that she thinks she deserves a pat on the back for managing to sustain her marriage at the same time as holding down her day job.

According an IOL.com report, she said: "I must admit, I have to pat myself on the back. It's not easy to be married, to have a successful career, to have children, to be with someone who is as strong-willed and ambitious as I am. Guy's not a househusband and I'm not a typical wife. So you can imagine, we have our clashes. But I think we always keep our eye on the ball - that is our marriage - the union of us, the things that we create together, are bigger than the petty fights we have."

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GILMOUR IN 'PINK FLOYD WON'T REFORM' SHOCKER
How many times will Dave Gilmour say it? Pink Floyd will not, repeat, not reform, despite the temptation of huge amounts of money. Gilmour, currently on tour plugging that previously reported solo album 'On An Island', has told Billboard: "I have no interest in going on a tour to make money without making new product, new art. So just going out and replaying our old hits again on a tour does not appeal to me at all."

On the long-ruled-out reunion he added: "I have no plans at all to do that. My plans are to do my concerts and put my record out."

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MORRISSEY SAYS HIS LIFE WAS SHIT SHOCKER
Morrissey has shocked fans on fan site true-to-you.net by telling them that he was utterly miserable during his time with The Smiths. You'd never be able to tell from all of those happy-go-lucky lyrics of course.

The singer said: "I find it shocking to look back at the period of The Smiths and to reflect upon the magnitude of doom that surrounded me every single day. I have no idea how I made it through my 20s. It was impossible for me to agree to any aspect of life or to compromise with it. I think I doomed myself. The terms of my connections with other people were dreadful, and I couldn't ever manage to feel responsible for my own life."

He continued: "When Johnny ended The Smiths I was forced to go solo, and I found myself going further with all my experiences of life, and, although Johnny didn't intend it to, it helped me."

Which is yet another reason why Johnny Marr always was the talented one. Well, him and Andy Rourke, obviously.

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MOGWAI BITCH, MORE
Well, it gets you press I suppose. The Mogwai boys have been back on their website bitching about - well - more or less everything and everyone. This time they've re-opened a feud with Damon Albarn (the band were known to wear 'Blur: Are Shite' t-shirts back in the day).

Writing as a spoof message from Damon, Mogwai's Barry Burns writes: "I can change the world with African Music. I can turn the colour blue into sound. I can have a band with crazy animated characters. I can kick box. I can turn George Bush into a nice man with mere words. I can actually fly. I can have another previous band with such differing styles for each and every album. I am a pearly queen when I want to be. I can write a gut wrenchingly beautiful broken heart ballad. I laugh in the face of ad hominem attack t shirts. I will try to get into theatre and musicals and I will probably succeed! I am London. I am Mali. I am Music itself. I am Damon. I am All Bran. I will prevail. You will suffer at my musical might and other numerous talents. I am Damon. I am Damon Suzuki. I am good at everything."

Do you know, I think I'm going off Mogwai a bit. I don't think we should plug their album any more. So we won't.

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