| CMU Daily - on the inside Tuesday 11th April |
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In today's CMU Daily:
- AIM announce distribution deal with Chinese ISP
- Geldof says China to blame for Darfur situation
- Haitian rapper shot for diamonds
- Official doubles reward for Biggie leads
- Raconteurs name change palaver
- Single review: Fireworks Night - When We Fell Through The Ice
- Creamfields line up so far
- More additions to Electric Picnic festival
- RHCP play intimate gig
- Cosmic Rough Riders tour
- Duke Special dates
- Ordinaries, Jaxx to support Robbie
- Album review: Jeff Klein - The Hustler
- Bez aims to take on Embrace too
- Free Rooster download
- New Bright Eyes album pending
- Embrace man on album inspiration
- Franz Ferdinand to work with Sparks
- 3 plan mobile only single release
- BT confirm live music content for mobile TV service
- Ultimate economy line MP3 player on sale in Japan
- Album review: Dresden Dolls - Yes Virginia
- BBC 3 to broadcast more live music
- Former BBC 3 boss leaves new job at RDF
- Another former Emap man joins Macquarie's radio company
- Kim goes for gold, apparently
- Madonna learned guitar for Sound Of Music
- Spears no longer sexy, official
- Chris Martin a father again
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TOP BIT>>
Now, you know we like festivals round here at CMU, and not just the festivals every other music magazine likes either. CMU's sister publication ThreeWeeks has been covering the Edinburgh Festival for over ten years now, providing the most comprehensive coverage (that's more than any other media) of the huge range of film, theatre, art, comedy and music that takes place in the Scottish capital each August.
This year for the first time ThreeWeeks is expanding out of Edinburgh, and will be providing similarly comprehensive coverage of the Brighton Festival, which takes place over three weeks in May. As with Edinburgh, ThreeWeeks will be covering everything that is taking place at the Brighton Festival and the Brighton Festival Fringe, as well as all the other festival type stuff that will be taking place in the city during May.
Everyone in Brighton will be able to check out ThreeWeeks' coverage via our partnership with Brighton entertainments magazine Latest 7. Together we will publish a weekly ThreeWeeks magazine each week of the festival providing a guide to what is happening, and hundreds of festival reviews seen by the ThreeWeeks team. All that coverage and more, meanwhile, will be available online at http://www.threeweeks.co.uk. And our coverage of the many music shows due to take place will also appear here in the CMU Daily. Hurrah!
If any of you are looking for an excuse to join us in Brighton to enjoy all this festival shenanigans, then can we suggest a visit to the Great Escape, the brand new 'international live music event' taking place in the city from 18 - 20 May? Brought to you by the Barfly people, this three day convention includes a fantastic programme of sessions aimed at people working in music, a stack of great parties, and more gigs than anyone can know what to do with - full programme info is at http://www.escapegreat.com.
A full delegates ticket is available that gets you into everything. This is just £250, but we have an extra special deal for CMU Daily readers. CMU is able to offer 20 Daily readers from independent music companies, grass roots media companies or the college sector a special discount delegate's rate of £175, courtesy of the Great Escape people. If you would like to take advantage of this offer email [email protected] with your name and company details, and we will email you a special code which will get you the discount when you book online.
Needless to say, you can expect lots more information on all things Brighton Festival, and all things Great Escape, here in the CMU Daily in the coming weeks.
PS: Our unlimitedmedia.co.uk emails seem to be behaving oddly this morning - an awful lot of spam is getting through, but we know some emails have bounced. We're on the case and should have any problems sorted asap, but if you get a bounce back from us, then we suggest you email the same name @cmumusicnetwork.co.uk instead, that will get through.
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PRESS ROOM>>
THE INSOMNIACS BALL... Kill All Hippies and Stylish Riots present London's first ever all-night indoor festival, kicking off the Easter Weekend on Thursday April 13th, with three live stages and dozens of live bands and DJs underneath the arches at London Bridge in the seOne club. Line up so far includes no less than British Sea Power, White Rose Movement, Mando Diao, Battle, New Rhodes, The Pipettes, Art Brut, Dogs, The Rifles, Komakino, Good Shoes, Cooper Temple Clause (DJ set) and The Rakes (DJ set). How good is this? Doors will open at 8pm, when the live music begins, and the entertainment will continue until 6am the following morning - Good Friday. Full details at http://www.insomniacsball.co.uk.
Press info: http://www.cmumusicnetwork.co.uk/pressroom/insomniacsball
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ON AIR>>
TODAY ON TOTALROCK
Feebz talks to punk legend Marky Ramone ('Helldrive', 3-6pm) while Nataasha (sic) takes Mortiis on a tour of 'The Batcave' (9pm to midnight). Listen live at http://www.totalrock.com
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RIGHT NOW IN THE CMU BEATS BAR>>
MySpace Of The Day: Superthriller
One last mention, then, of Superthriller, and then I'll promise I'll stop. I tipped their live appearance at Fabriclive recently, if you remember, and now (in the unlikely event that you completely ignored me) I'm going to tip their MySpace page. But then, as I say, I'll be quiet. The song which got me rather hooked on Superthriller, 'Ahjustwannadance' is here, but so are several others from debut album 'Superthriller 1', which delivers some beautifully funky stuff which is easy on the ear, and not disinteresting lyrically; above all, the thing that attracts me to Superthriller is their enormous sense of fun and their overt theatricality. They're not the sort of band to take themselves dreadfully seriously; together with their seriously ear-friendly oeuvre, it's a winning combination. Try and catch them live - you've got three upcoming London dates to choose from, or you could make them your excuse for that trip to Barcelona this summer - they're appearing at Sonar in June.
http://www.myspace.com/superthrillertunes
More on our MySpace Of The Day, plus acts appearing at next week's Insomniac's Ball answer the same six questions - all online at http://www.thebeatsbar.co.uk
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AIM ANNOUNCE DISTRIBUTION DEAL WITH CHINESE ISP
The UK's Association Of Independent Music has struck what they are calling a "groundbreaking" deal which will see China's largest internet service provider, SINA, launch a UK music area on its portal showcasing British artists including Stereophonics, Prodigy, Basement Jaxx, Katie Melua and The Rakes.
Music will be streamed via the service with links provided to relevant artist websites. Initially only clips will be streamed because online royalty negotiations in the Chinese market are still ongoing, but AIM hope that independent labels (or major labels for that matter) who utilise the service will gain promotional benefits in the short term, with the possibility of gaining a new stand alone revenue stream in the future.
Confirming the deal, AIM boss Alison Wenham told CMU: "We believe that this deal with SINA should create a portal in the fullest sense of the word - allowing this adventurous Chinese ISP to offer its users access to the widest range of British artists who choose to make their promos available. We want to feed this initiative, making it a strong and exciting place for Chinese music fans to hear and see clips of all kinds of British acts. The chance to put British music in front of up to 180 million people is fantastic. With the advent of the digital economy just around the corner we are very excited that UK music will find a willing and hungry audience in the burgeoning Chinese market. We thank SINA for this opportunity."
Chen Tong, Editor in Chief of SINA.com, added: "As the biggest and most comprehensive online platform among the global Chinese community in the world, SINA.com is very pleased to have reached an agreement with AIM to help spread UK music in China. I am looking forward to further cooperation with other member/affiliated music companies."
Wenham will formerly sign the new deal with SINA later this week while in Shanghai to participate in a number of events to promote both London and UK music in China.
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GELDOF SAYS CHINA TO BLAME FOR DARFUR SITUATION
Also talking up China yesterday was Bob Geldof who, erm, accuses the Chinese of being responsible for the continuing civil war in Sudan's Darfur region. He says the Chinese protect the Sudanese government because they supply 6% of China's oil.
Speaking at an event in Athens where he was receiving a humanitarian award from the Greek branch of Doctors of the World, Geldof said: "I was in Darfur 20 years ago and people were killing each other then. It's an ancient battle between nomadic people and settled people, between Arab Africans and black Africans, between Islam and Christians ... The reason why it has not been resolved is because of China. The Chinese protect the Khartoum government, who are killers, and they will not allow a vote in the Security Council ... so 250,000 people die in Darfur".
Geldof also said that crises in Africa still received too little attention. Comparing awareness of problems on the continent with the media attention given to Iraq, he continued: "Everbody is aware of Iraq. Iraq is a nightmare and many people will die before it's over. But it will pass", adding that the world's greatest political problem was actually the "continuing economic decline of a continent that is 8 miles from Europe."
Finally Geldof said that he didn't see himself being actively involved in any future Live Aid style events, explaining: "I'd be too old by the time the next one comes along".
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HAITIAN RAPPER SHOT FOR DIAMONDS
Haitian rapper Black Alex was shot recently in Petionville, Haiti, by assailants who robbed him of a diamond encrusted pendant and necklace given to him by Wyclef Jean. Alex was apparently leaving a concert in the suburbs of Port-au-Princes on 2 Apr when he was attacked by the thieves, who shot him four times before fleeing with the pendant as well as an unknown amount of money. The rapper was rushed to a local hospital, but according to allhiphop.com, the aforementioned Wyclef Jean flew to Haiti and had his friend airlifted to Cuba to get him better medical attention for the gunshot wounds, one of which lay just two inches from his heart. He is still in a critical condition, but is expected to recover.
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OFFICIAL DOUBLES REWARD FOR BIGGIE LEADS
Los Angeles city official Dennis Zine has announced that the $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those involved in the murder of Notorious BIG is to be doubled to $50,000 in the hopes that it will encourage more people to come forward. Zine, who has in the past been outspoken in his criticism of the LAPD's handling of the inquiry said in a statement: "I am hopeful someone will come forward with information which will lead to the eventual apprehension of the murderers involved in this case."
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RACONTEURS NAME CHANGE PALAVER
The Raconteurs have discovered that a band with the same name exists in Australia, and are therefore having to alter their name to 'The Saboteurs' for Australian releases.
A statement to the Australian press is quoted as saying: "The Raconteurs name was already taken by a jazz band, to make things easier, and in the spirit of espionage and subversion, we have decided to become The Saboteurs in Australia only."
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SINGLE REVIEW: Fireworks Night - When We Fell Through The Ice (Organ Grinder Records)
"Never go out on a frozen river, because you don't know how thick the ice is". That nugget of parental advice forms the lyrical basis for 'When We Fell Through The Ice'. It tells the story of a young couple who, on a snowy night, take some cheap wine down the their local river, get wasted, and - you guessed it - fall through the ice. Hope I didn't spoil a surprise there. They then happily float down the river into the ocean. It's a lovely song - really, it is. Frontman James Lesslie's voice is uncannily similar to Neil Hannon's, but this is no bad thing - it suits the music perfectly. In fact the whole song sounds like it could be straight off an early Divine Comedy album. If, like me, you're a big fan of slightly off-kilter chamber pop, then Fireworks Night are definitely one to watch. DG
Release Date: 10 Apr
Press Contact: Trailer Media [all]
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CREAMFIELDS LINE UP SO FAR
Well, we told you on Friday that the very-busy-these-days Prodigy are headlining Creamfields this year. Well, here for fans of line ups, is the complete Creamfields line up as confirmed so far...
Main Stage: The Prodigy, Goldfrapp, The Zutons, Gnarls Barkley.
Cream & Goodgreef Arena: Paul Van Dyk, Paul Oakenfold, Ferry Corsten, Armin Van Buuren, Eddie Halliwell, Marco V, Adam Sheridan, Gareth Wyn, Tiesto.
Subliminal Sessions Arena: Erick Morillo, David Guetta, Harry Choo Choo Romero, Steve Angello, Sebastian Ingrosso, Jose Nunez, Axwell, Jorge Jaramillo.
Chibuku Arena: 2 Many DJ's, Green Velvet, Tiga, Plump DJs, Annie Mac, Switch, Touche.
Circus & Cream Audio Deluxe Arena: Roger Sanchez, Timo Maas, Mylo (DJ Set), Layo & Bushwacka, Yousef, Hernan Cattaneo, Lewis Boardman, X-Press2 (Live).
The Scratch Perverts Presents Beatdown: DJ Shadow, Andy C, Planet Pendulum & MC Verse, DJ Marky & Dynamite MC, DJ Hype & MC GQ, Friction, Future Bound, Foreign Beggars (Live).
Tidy Arena: BK (Live), Tidy Boys, Marg EG, Andy Farley, Rob Tissera, Lisa Pin Up, Lee Haslam, Paul Glazby, Amber D, Kutski, Paul Maddox, JP & Jukesy.
Strongbow Ciderhouse Arena: Coldcut (Live), Erol Alkan, M.A.N.D.Y, Justice, Digitalism, 2020 Soundsystem, Kris Bones, Simian Mobile Disco, Spektrum.
Hospitality Arena: Hacienda & Cream Classics presents... Peter Hook (New Order DJ Set), Graeme Park, Arthur Baker, Jon Da Silva, Dave Haslam, K-Klass, Andy Mac.
As we've mentioned before, all this takes place on 26 Aug at the new venue, Daresbury, Halton. Tickets are £54 and are on sale now. More at http://www.creamfields.com, press info from Cream IH (national and radio), or Idea Generation (regional and college).
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MORE ADDITIONS TO ELECTRIC PICNIC FESTIVAL
Have we mentioned this year's Electric Picnic Festival yet? If we haven't, well that's a dreadful oversight that we should rectify now.
Organisers of Ireland's finest fest have just added Gnarls Barkley, Amadou and Mariam and The Skatalites to a bill which already includes Basement Jaxx, Massive Attack, New Order, Pet Shop Boys, Groove Armada, Anthony And The Johnsons, DJ Shadow, Damien Rice, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Frames, Devendra Banhart, Super Furry Animals, Belle & Sebastian, Rufus Wainwright, Bloc Party, Alabama 3, The Rapture, Mad Professor, Saul Williams, Tom Vek, Gang of Four, David Kitt, The Boy Least Likely To, Rachid Taha, Elbow, Graham Coxon, Deus, The Rags, The Dublin Gospel Choir, Gary Numan and the only performance anywhere in the world this year from the legendary Blue Nile. And the dance stage line up is still tbc - expect that next week.
It all takes place 1-3 Sep at Stradbally Hall, about an hour away from Dublin. More info at http://www.electricpicnic.ie, press info from [email protected]
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RHCP PLAY INTIMATE GIG
Long term CMU favourites Red Hot Chili Peppers are to celebrate the launch of their new album 'Stadium Arcadium' with an intimate show in London on Friday. The gig will take place in a secret location and the audience will be made up of Radio 1 competition winners. The event will then be broadcast the following week, on Easter Monday at 7pm.
'Stadium Arcadium' is out on 8 May, preceded by the single 'Dani California' on 1 May. The band are, of course, set to tour the UK this summer, dates as follows:
30 Jun: Ipswich Portman Road
2 Jul: Coventry Ricoh Arena
3 Jul: Reading Madjeski Stadium
5 Jul: Derby Pride Park Stadium
6 Jul: Sheffield Don Valley Stadium
8 Jul: T In The Park Festival
11 Jul: Manchester MEN Arena
12 Jul: Manchester MEN Arena
14 Jul: London Earls Court
15 Jul: London Earls Court
17 Jul: London Earls Court
18 Jul: London Earls Court
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COSMIC ROUGH RIDERS TOUR
I'm not sure I know why the Cosmic Rough Riders needed to re-schedule their tour, but we've been sent their re-scheduled tour dates and hell, that new single is really good, so I figure we ought to run them. Here they are.
8 Jun: York Fibbers
9 Jun: Newcastle Cluny
10 Jun: Liverpool Academy
12 Jun: Wolverhampton Little Civic
13 Jun: Manchester Roadhouse
14 Jun: London Metro
16 Jun: Southampton Joiners
17 Jun: Welwyn Garden City Green Room
18 Jun: Cardiff Barfly
More at http://www.cosmicroughriders.com where there's also a free download of an exclusive track called 'Drowning Not Waving' - so don't go saying we didn't tell you.
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DUKE SPECIAL DATES
Duke Special have just signed to V2, and have just announced the following tour dates. So don't go saying we didn't tell you that either.
5 May: Northampton Soundhaus
6 May: Stockton Georgian Theatre
7 May: Swindon Riffs Bar
8 May: Southampton Joiners
9 May: Brighton Hanbury Ballroom
10 May: Leeds Cockpit
11 May: Birmingham Glee Club
12 May: Eastbourne Underground
13 May: Swansea Chattery
15 May: Derby Victoria Inn
16 May: Bristolar2
17 May: Liverpoolacademy 3
18 May: Glasgow Barfly
19 May: Aberdeen Tunnels
21 May: Leicester Charlotte
22 May: Manchester Late Rooms
23 May: Wrexham Centralstation
24 May: Newcastle University
25 May: London Bush Hall
27 May: Belfast Empire Hall
28 May: Belfast Empire Hall
16 Jun: Dublin Whelans
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ORDINARIES, JAXX TO SUPPORT ROBBIE
It's been announced that The Ordinary Boys and Basement Jaxx are to support Robbie Williams on his upcoming World Tour in support of current album 'Intensive Care', appearing on the European leg which starts with a concert in Dublin on 9 Jun.
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ALBUM REVIEW: Jeff Klein - The Hustler (One Little Indian)
Okay, so here's how to be really annoying. I refer to the sleeve notes on this album, Klein's third. "This album is dedicated to me." Okay, that's fairly funny. But then below that, after giving his website, he writes, "better yet, step away from your computer and get some air. What are you hiding from?" Coming from a man who has produced such a proudly decadent album, that seems a bit rich. And anyway, is being online the same as hiding??? That aside, I actually do quite like this album. It is what it is, a 'genre' album, if you like, but it is good, if you like that sort of thing, 'that sort of thing' being darkly broody, but attractive melodies. It was recorded in New Orleans (pre-disaster, I assume, as the press release simply goes on about how wonderfully decadent Klein found it), and produced well by Mike Napolitano and Afghan Whig-er Greg Dulli. If you said this reminded you of Jeff Buckley you would be wrong. It's not that good. If you said it reminded you of Ed Harcourt, you'd be spot on. In fact, I secretly suspect Klein of being Harcourt's American alter-ego, or at least identical twin. 'The 19th Hole' especially sounds like a case for the 'separated-at-birth' court, all lazy beats, insistent singing, and a melancholy mood. It's good. I even forgive the frankly terrible joke of naming a song about being emotionally paralysed 'Ironside.' This won't revolutionise the world, but if you like dark, sexy and claustrophobic music, you should give this a spin. SIA
Release Date: 10th Apr
Press Contact: Ian Cheek [CP, RP] One Little Indian IH [NP, CR, RR, NR]
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BEZ AIMS TO TAKE ON EMBRACE TOO
As far as I'm aware, Alex James was really just 'talking' about taking on Embrace with a rival World Cup song, but Bez has already gone and done it. The Happy Mondays man is to release his own unofficial World Cup anthem, 'World At Your Feet'. The single release will mark Bez's first official solo release in the UK, date to be confirmed.
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FREE ROOSTER DOWNLOAD
Now, here's a date for your diary. Actually, that sounded sarcastic, but I really am putting this date in my diary. Rooster will be making a track from their forthcoming second album available for free download, for one week only, at the end of the month. 'It's Good To Be Here' comes from new album 'Circles & Satellites' and will be available to download from http://www.roosterofficial.com from 24 Apr for a week. Hurrah. That album will be released on 26 Jun, with a single release the previous week. Press info on all this from Hudson PR.
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NEW BRIGHT EYES ALBUM PENDING
Bright Eyes are expected to release a new album in the spring of 2007, according to Billboard. The band, currently consisting of Conor Oberst, Nate Walcott and Mike Mogis, apparently have 25-30 songs ready to work with, estimating that 10-12 of them will appear on the forthcoming long player.
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EMBRACE MAN ON ALBUM INSPIRATION
Embrace frontman Danny McNamara has told the BBC that his band's latest album 'This New Day' was mostly inspired by his being rejected by a member of the opposite sex, which seems a bit adolescent, but never mind. McNamara said: "The lyrics are all pretty much, with the exception of one song, about a meeting I had with this girl that just blew me away and how I survived the aftermath as she wasn't interested, so it's all pretty much about that."
On the album's name, he added: "The title of the album is so appropriate it's almost crass. It just does feel like a completely fresh start and like we're a completely new band
and I think I want to get into a momentum where we're releasing an album a year now."
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FRANZ FERDINAND TO WORK WITH SPARKS
According to Alex Kapranos, the next Franz Ferdinand album will feature a number of collaborations with Sparks - who everyone seems to refer to as an '80s band', despite the fact that their twenty albums have been pretty evenly spaced between 1971 and 2006. Anyway, the two bands have discussed the project, which is expected to include covers of Sparks songs as well as some new tracks.
Kapranos said: "We had an amazing lunch with Sparks a few months ago and a tentative suggestion was made. It was such a great moment meeting them."
Sparks' Russell Mael meanwhile, says: "We've met with the band a few times in Los Angeles. The original idea was to gather a dozen or so Sparks songs as sort of a stamp of approval of our band. And they want to do one or two songs where we write and perform them together. We hope it will happen as soon as there is a gap in both bands' schedules. There is a similar spirit to both our bands. We take care with the lyrics to make them something special."
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3 PLAN MOBILE ONLY SINGLE RELEASE
The press release says "history is made today", which is possibly a slight exaggeration, but this is kind of interesting. Anglo-Italian electro-dance outfit Planet Funk will release their new single 'Stop Me' on 8 May exclusively via phone company 3's music platform, meaning it will be the UK's first 'mobile only' single (that's the historic bit). The band have apparently had some success staging similar exclusive mobile only releases via 3's Italian network.
Commenting on the release, Planet Funk's Alex Neri told CMU: "Releasing 'Stop Me' on 3 makes perfect sense for us. People's musical habits are changing and millions of people now effectively have a record shop in their pocket 24 hours a day. We know that 3's customers are huge music fans and releasing 'Stop Me' solely on their network opens up our music to a whole new audience of over 3.5 million people in the UK." Presumably of more import is the fact that the mobile only release will open up Planet Funk's music to a whole big marketing budget - but the result is the same I guess.
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BT CONFIRM LIVE MUSIC CONTENT FOR MOBILE TV SERVICE
BT have confirmed that their previously reported new mobile TV platform will offer viewers recordings of 500 live music gigs to watch on-demand. The phone network is working with i-concerts and Eagle Rock to deliver the live music content, with Franz Ferdinand, Keane, Bon Jovi, Andrea Bocelli, Billy Joel, Pavarotti, Roxy Music and Sheryl Crow gigs among those due to be available when the service launches later this year. Whether or not the quality of output will be such that 'it will feel like you were there' I'm not sure, though if you felt like you were there you'd probably want to raise your phone in the air and take a picture of the show (as every gig goer seems to do these days), and that would definitely spoil your viewing.
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ULTIMATE ECONOMY LINE MP3 PLAYER ON SALE IN JAPAN
One from the 'I want one' file now. Yahoo in Japan has started selling the ultimate lo-fi MP3 player, the Evergreen DN2000. This small device has no screen or inbuilt hard disk, rather, owners slot in a tiny flash memory card that holds the music, which the player then plays in the order it was copied onto the card.
Each card holds up to 1 GB of music, and the player runs for about five hours off a single AAA battery. While most tech magazines have concentrated on the weaknesses of the new player, all have agreed that it is hard to knock when you consider it is being sold for 999 yen, or $8.50.
Whether there is a market for such a lo-fi player in Japan or elsewhere remains to be seen, and will probably depend to some extent on what kind of sound quality the economy line player offers, although some commentators have suggested that, if nothing else, at that price point the DN2000 could join pens and calculators as a favourite promotional item to be given away by corporate marketing departments.
Of course another interesting point this player rises is this: while there are some obvious omissions from this bit of hardware, if a basic MP3 player can be sold for a fiver, what exactly are the margins on an eighty quid 1GB iPod shuffle?
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ALBUM REVIEW: Dresden Dolls - Yes Virginia (Roadrunner Records)
Welcome to the distorted world of The Dresden Dolls where sleaze and glitz gleefully accompany heartbreak and suffering. This is a place where girls masturbate, boys weep and transsexuals regret. New album 'Yes, Virginia' provides the canvas on which The Dolls paint this skewed picture, using glamorously operatic brushstrokes to provide claustrophobic depth to the concoction. Vocalist/Pianist Amanda Palmer is a hollering volcano of emotion, fluctuating between the brash kookiness of Regina Spektor and the aural wonderment of Kate Bush, and the vitriolic drumming of Brian Viglione wonderfully compliments her smouldering range. There are few pleasantries to be found at the shore of this cacophonous record but lurking deep within its cavernous underbelly is a haunting fragility that repels its avant-garde posturing. It offers a captivating spectrum of emotion that casts an enthralling spell over the listener. The elegiac balladry of 'Delilah' rests peacefully amidst the quirky remonstrations of 'My Alcoholic Friends' and 'Shores Of California', distilling a blend of introverted uncertainty with bold assurance. A certain whiff of cabaret extroverting lingers at times, particularly in the feline purrings of 'Mandy Goes To Med School', which can digress from the humbling humanity of the lyrics but this only adds to a musically dexterous display. With graphic depictions of sinister isolation and animalistic deviance this is a dark exploration of the human psyche that is as exhilarating as it is terrifying. Planet Dresden may not be astrologically recognised but with 'Yes, Virginia' it will soon be on the map. BH
Release Date: 17 April
Press Contact: Roadrunner IH [all]
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BBC 3 TO BROADCAST MORE LIVE MUSIC
BBC 3 has announced it will be televising a stack of music events over the summer, including T In The Park, the Reading and Leeds Festivals and Radio 1's Big Weekend, which is taking place in Dundee this year.
Confirming those plans, BBC 3 controller Julian Bellamy told reporters: "This signals BBC3's intention to have more live music events of real scale on the channel. I'm particularly excited to be collaborating with Radio 1 for the station's Big Weekend for the first time, and to be bringing BBC3 viewers coverage of the Reading and Leeds festivals for the first time as well."
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FORMER BBC 3 BOSS LEAVES NEW JOB AT RDF
As we've brought up BBC 3, might be worth mentioning that former BBC 3 boss Stuart Murphy has left independent TV producer RDF in somewhat mysterious circumstances. Murphy has left the production house barely three months after joining them as Creative Director. An RDF spokesman refused to tell the Guardian why he had quit, but did confirm the former Beeb exec "left as of Friday". Don't know why, but something tells me he'll be back at the Corporation sometime soon.
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ANOTHER FORMER EMAP MAN JOINS MACQUARIE'S RADIO COMPANY
Australian investment bank Macquarie has hired another former EMAP Radio exec to help them in their attempts to expand their interests in the UK radio sector. Shaun Gregory will be working with his former EMAP Radio boss, Tim Schoonmaker, in his new consulting role, initially putting together a team to run Macquarie's new radio station in Plymouth, as well as working on the bank's bids for new licences in Newcastle and Liverpool. Schoonmaker is apparently continuing in his role at Macquarie's Radio UK Holdings company at the same time as helping investment bank Credit Suisse set up a new media investment division, a new post he took up last week.
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KIM GOES FOR GOLD, APPARENTLY
The Star reports that Kim Mathers is planning to take Eminem for as much as she possibly can in upcoming divorce proceedings, which may or may not be fair enough. A 'source' told The Star: "She is going for gold. He is worth about £100 million and she wants a big chunk. This will be one of the biggest, nastiest, costliest divorces the music industry has ever seen."
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MADONNA LEARNED GUITAR FOR SOUND OF MUSIC
According to a report in The Sun, Madonna has taken guitar lessons in recent years, not least because she and husband Guy Ritchie like to play songs from 'The Sound Of Music' to entertain the kids. The star's former music teacher, Bobby Tider is quoted: "I taught Madonna the scales. She wanted to learn 'The Sound of Music' for her kids. She also wanted to play early David Bowie and her own songs. She was very good and worked very hard. You have to put in the hours. Guy was slow but Madonna was a good pupil."
He explained that the lessons had begun when Ritchie approached him in 2001: "I got a call from Guy. I didn't know who he was, just some rich dude. I used to go to his flat and I was sitting there one day when Madonna came in. She asked me to give her lessons too. Because I had been charging Guy £30 per hour I had to charge Madonna the same - she was used to paying £60."
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SPEARS NO LONGER SEXY, OFFICIAL
If voting results for FHM's 100 sexiest women list is any indication, Britney Spears is no longer sexy. The singer came 6th in the poll last year, but at present is in 120th place, and would need 20,000 more votes to even make in to the top 100. FHM editor Ross Brown apparently told The Sun: "A couple of years ago FHM readers couldn't get enough of Britney, and they unanimously agreed that she was by far the sexiest woman on the planet. I can only guess that a raft of less-than-flattering photographs and her general disappearance from our TVs and radios have left readers under the impression that Britney's lost her sex appeal."
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CHRIS MARTIN A FATHER AGAIN
Chris Martin is a father again after Gwyneth Paltrow gave birth to a baby boy this weekend. Apparently he's calling this one Moses (presumably named after one of the CMU Editors, who is, as you're all aware, a big fan), which is a shame because I was hoping they'd continue with the Apple theme when naming child number two - I think Commodore 64 Martin has a bit of a ring to it.