| CMU Daily - on the inside Tuesday 28th February |
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In today's CMU Daily:
- V Festival announce headliners
- More names added to T bill
- Michael admits drugs arrest his 'own stupid fault'
- Musicians back Livingstone
- Eminem should sue over Camp X-Ray play
- DJ Kicks celebrate 25th edition with extra release
- Muse on new album
- Coldplay on new album plans
- Ordinary Boys developments
- Mogwai still think Blur are shite
- Test Icicles surprised by impact on fans
- Single review: Hot Chip - Over And Over
- Domingo gets lifetime Brit
- US continue to put pressure on Chinese over piracy
- Korean P2P to return with subscription model
- Coral Consortium expand standards and membership
- Vitaminic announce new Northern Europe chiefs
- Parlophone appoint new A&R man
- Elvis Enterprises man plans Graceland expansion
- Album review: Various Artists - Freerange Records Colour Series: Red 03
- Go! Team support Flaming Lips
- Help She Can't Swim single, dates
- Arctic Monkeys do Saturday night live
- Ladytron announce a coupla dates
- Music poster exhibition coming soon at movie gallery
- Gorillaz appear at design exhibit
- Robbie Williams buys stake in Port Vale
- Rufus covers Judy
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TOP BIT>>
Another logistical Top Bit for you today - coming at you from the much esteemed CMU technical support department. A handful of readers have reported that some days they don't receive their CMU Daily, and a couple say they have 'dropped off the list'. The former problem is almost definitely to do with the 'spam settings' on your local PC or server. It may well be that your firewall is set to not allow certain swear words through and, alas, those wacky rock 'n' roll stars keeping on swearing, which means your CMU Daily contains the occasional swear word. Of course today's Daily contains an occasional swear word, so if this is affecting you, then there's a chance you'll never see this Top Bit. But if you know anyone who is having that problem, then tell them to check with their IT bods regarding swear word settings - they should be able to exempt the CMU Daily from those limitations. Those people who have 'dropped off the list' normally have had recent problems with their email. If your email address starts bouncing then our system will normally delete you off the list after a couple of weeks, so if that happens to you and you find you are no longer receiving the Daily, then you'll need to re-subscribe (just send an email to [email protected]). If none of that solves any problems you or your colleagues have, then email [email protected] and we'll figure out what the problem is. Unless the problem is a lack of Pete Doherty gossip, in which case the help desk probably aren't the best people to ask. Anyway, if any of this ever affects you, you can always check the Daily each day on the old CMU website, at http://www.cmumusicnetwork.co.uk. Glad to have got all that sorted. Here ends this tech special edition of the Top Bit.
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PRESS ROOM>>
KILL ALL HIPPIES, MAR 2006
The next edition of Kill All Hippies takes place this Friday, 3 Mar, at the 333 Club in Shoreditch. Live music wise, Carina Round headline this time round, with support from Adzuki. Jeff Automatic and Julian (Whitey) will be on the decks in the basement, while the ground bar will be hosted by Fully Comprehensive with resident Gavin Nugent plus guest DJs Mark Beaumont (NME), Tim Holmes (Death In Vegas) and Syrinx. Tickets are £10, 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
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V FESTIVAL ANNOUNCE HEADLINERS
Get your happy pills out, Morrissey, Radiohead and Keane have all been announced as headliners for this year's V Festival - phew, now that's heavy going. The Magic Numbers are going to have their hands full cheering everyone up.
Still, it's a stellar line up for the two site festival, which takes place from 19-20 Aug in Hylands Park in Essex and Weston Park in Staffordshire. Paul Weller, Starsailor, The Charlatans, Groove Armada, Bloc Party, Faithless, Kasabian, Editors, Fatboy Slim, The Go! Team and The Ordinary Boys will also appear. Oh yes, and the Sugababes. Hurrah, happy music.
Announcing this year's line up, V Festival director Bob Angus told CMU: "We're very proud to be presenting Radiohead, one of the most important bands in live music today, as headliners for this year's V. To secure Morrissey, a man that has influenced so many great artists, as the other main stage headliner ensures yet another excellent V line up. It's acts like these that give our festival its unique eclectic feel and keeps our audience coming back for more, we are expecting tickets will fly out!"
Tickets go on sale on 3 Mar, though those lucky old Virgin Mobile customers can buy them right now - yes, right now. So, all you anti-corporate anti-capitalist Morrissey and Radiohead fans better go and buy yourself a Virgin Mobile, hadn't you?
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MORE NAMES ADDED TO T BILL
More festivals news, and Placebo and Manu Chao are the latest acts to be added to the bill for T In the Park which, as everyone surely knows by now, takes place from 8-9 Jul up there in Balado. They join the bill that already includes The Strokes, Damian Marley, Sigur Ros, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Who, Richard Ashcroft, Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs and The Ordinary Boys.
Placebo's new album, by the way, is called 'Meds' and is out next month - on 13 Mar - we're very excited.
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MICHAEL ADMITS DRUGS ARREST HIS 'OWN STUPID FAULT'
George Michael has admitted that his previously reported arrest on suspicion of possessing drugs was his "own stupid fault, as usual".
As reported yesterday, Michael was arrested over the weekend after a member of the public called police to investigate a man "slumped over the wheel of his car". Police found the singer in possession of some class C drugs and initially suspected he may be 'unfit to drive', but later cleared him of those charges.
Michael told reporters yesterday: "It's my own stupid fault, as usual. I was in possession of class C drugs, which is an offence, and I have no complaints about the police, who were professional throughout."
After being declared 'fit to drive' the singer was told he could drive home, though it transpired the police had 'accidentally immobilised' his car, so a duty solicitor drove him home instead. Despite the slightly comical turn of events Michael has said he won't write a song about the incident. Referring to his track 'Outside', famously written in response to his arrest in LA for engaging in a 'lewd act' in a public toilet, Michael said yesterday: "I promise I won't make a record out of this one - even though it is tempting".
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MUSICIANS BACK LIVINGSTONE
Jarvis Cocker, Saint Etienne, The Futureheads and Billy Bragg are among the c'lebs voicing their support for London mayor Ken Livingstone, who was last week suspended from his position for four weeks after a local government standards committee ruled he had brought his office into disrepute by comparing a journalist with a Nazi concentration camp guard.
An open letter in support of Ken, who plans to appeal the decision, has been signed by a load of famous people and reads thus: "This is the second time Ken Livingstone has been removed from the elected leadership of London government by people who have no mandate from Londoners. The first time was by Margaret Thatcher and now by this quango. It is astonishing that in a modern democracy an election can be overturned by three people who no one has ever heard of and who have not been elected by anyone. It is an outrage against democracy and it should be removed immediately."
They're right you know.
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EMINEM SHOULD SUE OVER CAMP X-RAY PLAY
Talking of concentration camps, Michael Winterbottom, the director of the controversial new film about the US's Camp X-Ray set up at Guantanamo Bay, has revealed that the Americans frequently use Eminem's music to torment their prisoners.
Speaking ahead of the official launch of the film next week, Winterbottom said that music is often used against inmates at the infamous detention centre, adding: "Music by Eminem was apparently used most of the time."
The director also says that he reckons Eminem could sue the American government for copyright infringement for using his music without permission. He says that lawyer Clive Stafford-Smith, who is representing the four British Camp X-Ray inmates shown in the movie, has said: "Eminem would have good grounds for suing the government over abuse of his copyright".
Of course, given that half the international law on human rights doesn't seem to have much standing in Guantanamo Bay, I'm not sure you'd have much luck enforcing your copyright - though it might be fun to try.
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DJ KICKS CELEBRATE 25TH EDITION WITH EXTRA RELEASE
The most recent edition of !K7's DJ Kicks compilation franchise (the Annie one) was the 25th release in the series, and to celebrate, the label is releasing a new album under the DJ Kicks moniker featuring fourteen tracks from past DJ Kicks compilers. Needless to say, that makes for a great album, with a tracklisting that looks a little like this:
Kruder & Dorfmeister - Black Baby
DJ Cam - Bronx Theme
Terranova - Contact
Thievery Corporation - It Takes A Thief
Kid Loco - Flyin' on 747
Trüby Trio - High Jazz
Vikter Duplaix - Sensuality
Playgroup - Behind The Wheel
Tiga - Hot In Herre
Chicken Lips - Bad Skin
Erlend Oye - The Black Keys Work
The Glimmers - Cassette
Annie - The Wedding
Carl Craig - DJ-Kicks
You can preview and buy the album at http://www.dj-kicks.com/
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MUSE ON NEW ALBUM
Muse have posted a message on their official website about their new album. The statement promised that they will announce a release schedule and touring plans soon, and on the new long player, which is currently at the mixing stage, the band added: "Some new songs deal with AWOL soldiers, zeta reticulans, the sound of Joe Meek's tape machine being thrown down the stairs, the private thoughts of General Zhu Chengu, feeling strangely comfortable collecting fire wood whilst wielding an axe and, of course, how to store pasta for 12 years using nitrogen flushing."
Sounds, er, interesting.
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COLDPLAY ON NEW ALBUM PLANS
Joy. Despite promising to take a few years off, Coldplay have revealed to NME that they already have an album worth of fresh material ready to go, having been working on new tracks whilst on their 'Twisted Logic' tour. The band's Will Champion explained that his group are keen to set themselves up with their own studio, instead of recording in various locations around the world as they did whilst working on 'X&Y'.
Champion says: "We're trying to find somewhere where we can set up and work. In all these years we haven't got a HQ, our own studio or anything like that. We want somewhere where we can sort of hole up and see what happens."
Bassist Guy Berryman, speaking more specifically about the next album, and the direction it might take, commented: "I don't want to generalise it and say 'We're going to become electronic' because I don't think we are going to become truly electronic. I think there's going to be elements of lots of things. It's hard to say, all the ideas are just spinning around inside my head and I've got a lot of new toys to play with. I always like our next record to be a bit harder sounding. Not rock harder just edgier. We'll always have melody."
On the recording process, Champion added: "In the same way that we had loads of songs ready when we went in to do the last record and the record before, we're at that stage now where we've got songs. I think they will need a lot of work, we need to learn how to play them. We've learnt from mistakes on the last record in terms of the idea that it's most important for us to play the songs together and to have them as live as possible."
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ORDINARY BOYS DEVELOPMENTS
Still awake? Good. Now, Ordinary Boys news. I might get this slightly wrong, because I was off sick the day they covered the 'licencing relationship between Universal division Polydor and independent label B-unique' at my school, but I think I've got it nailed.
Basically Polydor has a licensing partnership with B-unique on some, but not all of its artists. Kaiser Chiefs and The Automatic were already covered by that relationship (which is why you can't really count the Kaiser Chiefs wins at the Brits as wins for the independent sector), but the Ordinary Boys were not. Having now recognised the musical genius of Preston and co (and not with any intention of cashing in on recent Big Brother hype), Polydor are extending their B-unique partnership to cover the band, meaning they will work their third album, which is due out later this year.
Confirming all that, Polydor co-president David Joseph told reporters yesterday: "The band have built up a loyal fanbase and the new music we've heard is fantastic. It is now their time to go to a new level."
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MOGWAI STILL THINK BLUR ARE SHITE
Mogwai say they are completely unrepentant about making those 'Blur Are Shite' t-shirts back in 1999. According to Gigwise, frontman Stuart Braithwaite says: "We've actually made a shit load of money out of it, there's still people buying those t-shirts so it's not a bad price to pay." Asked how he felt about Blur now, Braithwaite responded: "I don't give a fuck, there's no opinion either way."
Which is interesting, because over the last couple of weeks, I'm increasingly giving less of a fuck about Mogwai.
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TEST ICICLES SURPRISED BY IMPACT ON FANS
Test Icicles have expressed surprise over the way their decision to split has impacted on fans. The band's Sam Merran said: "It's just been one long, seemingly infinite rollercoaster ride which turned us nauseous a while ago and I guess there was no choice but to jump out before it flew off the rails. (We almost didn't buy the ticket, to tell you the truth). Reading [fans'] comments has kinda woken me up to what we may have "achieved," and just totally blown my mind cos I honestly wasn't aware that there were many people interested or impacted."
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SINGLE REVIEW: Hot Chip - Over and Over (EMI)
Hot Chip first appeared on the scene in 2004 with their debut album 'Coming On Strong', which divided critical opinion like few records of its time. Some critics dismissed the band as throwaway and too in thrall to their influences, as well as questioning their apparent sense of humour (not many found lines like "I'm like Stevie Wonder, but I can see things" amusing). Personally, I thought 'Coming On Strong' was an impressive debut record, incorporating a range of influences and musical styles. There's also the novelty factor of seeing five guys who don't look like they ought to be in a band recording pastiches of Prince and so on. Clearly someone at EMI agreed, as the band have now been signed to a major, and recently appeared on T4, so their profile is on the rise, it would seem. 'Over And Over', the first single from the impending second album 'The Warning' sounds very much inspired by the work of James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem), which is no surprise as the band supported them on their last tour. Cowbells and handclaps supplement the track's infectious, driving groove, and lyrics such as "laidback...we'll give you laidback" sums up the band's agenda completely. If you get the chance though, you must see the video for this track, which is one of the best in recent memory. The band perform against a blue screen, which is then used to become an expensive video, and the focus shifts between both. Expect 'Over and Over' to crash the top 40 next weekend, welcoming the oddest chart-friendly group for some time. KW.
Release date: 27 Feb
Press contact: EMI IH [all]
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DOMINGO GETS LIFETIME BRIT
Spanish tenor Placido Domingo is to receive a life time achievement award at the classical Brit Awards. The singer, who will also perform at the London event on 4 May, said: "I'm truly delighted to be honoured with this very special award, and I look forward to returning to the Royal Albert Hall."
BPI chairman Peter Jamieson added: "We are delighted that the great Placido Domingo, an artist who excels not just as a tenor but as a conductor, will be joining us."
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US CONTINUE TO PUT PRESSURE ON CHINESE OVER PIRACY
Despite those previously reported moves earlier this month to close down websites illegally hosting copyrighted content, the US is expected to put more pressure on China this week to combat the high levels of copyright piracy that continue to be conducted in the country.
The US made a number of demands of China in this domain via the World Trade Organisation last October, and the Chinese government has responded through various initiatives, including this month's website closures, but US officials say the country needs to do more to bring the large number of content pirates based in the country under control.
US concerns not only relate to the music pirates operating in the black market. A seemingly legitimate download service was recently launched in the country supported by Yao Ming, the Chinese born basketball star, who plays in the US's NBA league. While welcoming the arrival of a high profile legit download platform, some in the industry have expressed concerns regarding where it is getting some of its content - for example, Beatles tracks appeared in its catalogue even though the fab four's company Apple Corp have famously resisted selling their catalogue through any digital music service.
George Bush's Administration lawyer James Mendenhall is part of a US trade delegation in China this week and he is expected to raise copyright issues with Chinese officials. Some, however, wonder what more can be achieved given that the Chinese government is already taking a hard line approach in this area, suggesting that completely overcoming copyright violation in China will require a change in the country's business culture as much as in copyright law.
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KOREAN P2P TO RETURN WITH SUBSCRIPTION MODEL
Korean P2P network Soribada which, as you'll all surely remember, was closed down by officials there last November because of copyright infringement claims, has announced it has reached a deal with the country's music industry which will allow it to relaunch.
The man behind the P2P network, Yang Jung-wan, pledged last November that he would find a model that suited both music fans and music owners, and he may just have done that. Well, he's found a model that suits music owners, anyway.
As part of a deal with the Korean Association Of Phonogram Producers, Soribada will pay the industry 8.5 billion Won (just over £5 million) and then launch a subscription based P2P model. Whether that solution proves popular with Korean music fans now remains to be seen - Soribada plans to pilot a new service through March before starting to charge subscription fees in April
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CORAL CONSORTIUM EXPAND STANDARDS AND MEMBERSHIP
A consortium of consumer electronics manufacturers and content creators who are pushing for more interoperability between content platforms have updated the 'standards' which consortium members are attempting to stick to. The updates seem to relate to technology that allows consumers to transfer content between different devices.
In a statement issue last week, the Coral Consortium said: "This release will allow device makers and service providers to give consumers the power to easily locate and play content on all of their devices, without having to grapple with technical details like different device DRMs and media formats".
Coral also announced that America Online, Cisco Systems, Comcast, Gibson Guitar, LG Electronics, Motorola, the Motion Picture Association of America, SecureMedia, and Verimatrix have all signed up to the consortium, which already boasts HP, Intertrust, Philips, Matsushita (Panasonic), Samsung, Sony, Twentieth Century Fox, the IFPI and NBC Universal in its membership.
Such industry wide support for the standards shows a wide recognition that interoperability is key to the future success of digital media, though some wonder if, as the consortium grows in size, internal politics will force the organisation to collapse.
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VITAMINIC ANNOUNCE NEW NORTHERN EUROPE CHIEFS
Ah, do you remember the days when digital music was all about iCrunch, Peoplesound and Vitaminic? The indies were desperate to embrace every new opportunity the digital world offered, while the majors ran around panicking about digital rights management. God, how far we've come since then.
Anyway, Vitaminic, who, believe it or not, still exist, have announced that Luc Maas, the CEO of Tutch Mobile Media, a company they recently acquired, will take on the role of President of the group's Northern Europe operations. He will coordinate the growth and development of the company in all Northern European territories, including the UK, The Netherlands and, erm, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Elsewhere in the Vitaminic empire (actually, it's called Buongiorno Vitaminic these days, and the company specialises more in mobile music than downloading), Luc Pagano will coordinate UK activities while Paul Brinkhof has been appointed MD for the Netherlands.
Confirming all these changes, over all Buongiorno Vitaminic chief Andrea Casalini told reporters: "The continuous strengthening of its management team is an essential part of Buongiorno's plan to consolidate its position as a global leader in the mobile VAS market. We are delighted to welcome Luc Maas to Buongiorno's top management. Luc brings to Buongiorno more than fifteen years of experience in the mobile content market, as well as in the telecommunications and consumer goods sectors. He has a great track record in building solid business and performing teams. I'm sure he will contribute significantly to our effort in taking Buongiorno to the next phase in its global growth".
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PARLOPHONE APPOINT NEW A&R MAN
Parlophone top man Miles Leonard has confirmed the appointment of Nigel Coxon to the position of Head Of A&R. Coxon, who has worked as a consultant to both Universal/Island and Sony, and who helped set up Deltasonic and Double Dragon Records, will help lead Parlophone's new artist development programme.
Confirming the appointment, Leonard told reporters: "Nigel has had an amazing career in A&R to date and I'm thrilled that he has agreed to join us. Parlophone has been consistently the No 1 label for breaking British artists worldwide and I can't wait to start work on the next phase of artist development with Nigel as part of our team."
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ELVIS ENTERPRISES MAN PLANS GRACELAND EXPANSION
The billionaire media mogul who holds an 85% stake in Elvis Presley Enterprises has said he wants to turn Graceland into an international tourist attraction on par with Disneyland.
To that end Robert Sillerman met with Memphis authorities and business officials last week to discuss plans to double the 600,000 annual visitors who already visit the site each year. Sillerman, who bought the majority stake in EPE last year, hopes to use the fiftieth anniversary of Elvis' appearance on the Ed Sullivan show - the climax of the singer's rapid rise to fame in 1956 - as an excuse for stepping up activity at the Graceland site.
Telling reporters that he planned to turn Graceland into the "total fan experience", Sillerman said: "As we are upon the 50th anniversary of Elvis Presley's explosion into our culture, it is only fitting that Graceland assumes an even more prominent role in American culture and tourism. We do know that the area that Graceland sits in is not the most attractive area. We know that that needs enhancement, if you will."
Among planned changes are an expanded visitors' centre and exhibit space, and a new hotel. The actual house at Graceland, owned by the singer's daughter Lisa Marie Presley, should be unchanged by the expansion.
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ALBUM REVIEW: Various Artists - Freerange Records Colour Series: Red 03 (Freerange)
It doesn't seem possible that Jamie Odell's Freerange imprint can be approaching its ten year anniversary, but perhaps that just means I'm getting on a bit. This latest collection boasts 12 storming cuts, aligned to house, but with a dose of electronic passion. The overly bouncy but killer 'Can Get Away' from Only Freak with its massive vocals is a stand out track, as is Mike Monday's stomper 'Ca$h', complete with Johnny Cash sampling. Audiomontage kicks some with bleepy wonder 'Visions 2 Visions', but the highlight is probably Shur-I-Kan's 'Everytime', a truly golden example of quality electronic music. 'Kin Ki Utsuri' by King Kooba is more abstract whilst Kirk de Georgio's techno 'Armchair Thriller' floats us off into the void. There are no major low points here; Troydon's 'Close Your Eyes' is possibly a tad dull, and 'High Rise' by Square One is a bit too inward gazing, but if you like house with electronic edge you can't go wrong with this one. Oh, and happy tenth, Freerange. PV
Release date: 27 Mar
Press contact: Trailer Media [all]
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GO! TEAM SUPPORT FLAMING LIPS
The Go! Team are to support The Flaming Lips when they tour the UK in April to promote that previously reported new album 'At War With The Mystics'. Here are the dates:
19 Apr: Edinburgh Usher Hall
22 Apr: London Royal Albert Hall
24 Apr: Birmingham Academy
25 Apr: Manchester Apollo
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HELP SHE CAN'T SWIM SINGLE, DATES
Help She Can't Swim are to release a new single next month. 'Midnight Garden' will be released on 13 Mar on CD as well as on green 7" vinyl. New tracks 'Mind Game Girl' and 'Twilight Mountain' will be on the B side. A UK tour will coincide with the single release, 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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ARCTIC MONKEYS DO SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE
Arctic Monkeys are to appear on America's Saturday Night Live programme on 11 Mar, two days ahead of the start of their upcoming tour of the US and Canada. Hmm. Doesn't seem like the best thing for a band who claim to hate all the hype to do, does it?
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LADYTRON ANNOUNCE A COUPLA DATES
Ladytron have announced that they are to play two shows at Korova in Liverpool on 22 and 23 Mar. The gigs take place a few weeks ahead of their US tour, which starts in New York on 15 Apr, and ends with their appearance at Coachella at the end of the month.
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MUSIC POSTER EXHIBITION COMING SOON AT MOVIE GALLERY
A new exhibition of rare music posters is to take place at the Movie Poster Gallery in West London this summer. 'Explosion', which will run from 12 May until 8 Jun, and includes original advertisements for the work of acts such as The Smiths, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley, The Rolling Stones, Joy Division, New Order, The Clash, The Beatles, The Fall and Elvis Costello. See http://www.rock-explosion.com for more info, press info from Noble PR.
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GORILLAZ APPEAR AT DESIGN EXHIBIT
Talking of exhibitions, Gorillaz are to appear in one at the Design Museum because designer Jamie Hewlett is up for a Designer Of The Year Award. The special display, running from 4 Mar until 18 Jun, will show off the work of all the nominees, and members of the public can go online to vote for a winner on the Museum's website. Hewlett is up against furniture designer Tom Dixon, architect Cameron Sinclair and the team behind the Guardian's Berliner re-launch.
The winner will be announced in May.
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ROBBIE WILLIAMS BUYS STAKE IN PORT VALE
Robbie Williams has bought a stake in Port Vale football club. The singer, who grew up in Stoke-on-Trent and has supported the League One team since he was a child, says: "Although I can't be at the Vale often, my investment is just to say that my heart is still there and I'm a huge supporter"
Exactly how much Williams has spent on the shares is not known, but there were £260,000 worth of shares remaining at the beginning of February this year. Club chairman Bill Bratt, confirming that the star has bought the remaining available stock, said he was "extremely pleased and excited." He continued: "It's now up to the board and all at Port Vale FC to ensure his investment is used wisely in helping to secure the future at the club. I'm really excited about what we may be able to do with the club in the future."
Port Vale manager Martin Foyle added: "I've always known Robbie's heart is in the Vale - I'm delighted, but not surprised by what he has done."
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RUFUS COVERS JUDY
In no way contributing to the stereotype that all gay men love Dorothy, Rufus Wainwright is apparently to cover an entire Judy Garland live album. The singer songwriter will recreate the legendary star's 1961 performance at Carnegie Hall at a gig in New York on 14 Jun, with Wainwright backed by a full orchestra. Proceeds from the charity event are to go to the Empire State Pride Agenda.