| CMU Daily - on the inside Wednesday 12th April |
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In today's CMU Daily:
- D12's Proof dies in shooting
- Pitney funeral today
- Love's Lee diagnosed with leukaemia
- American Idol winner performs well at CMT awards
- Canadian Idol responds to Broken rant
- Classical Brit nominations out
- Latin Grammys move to New York
- Colourful sculpture wins Mercury Art Award
- Album review: Adem - Love And Other Planets
- Durst says new Limp Bizkit album still in development
- Wilco back to work
- Razorlight album finished
- New Order DVD release
- Pursey recording World Cup track
- Beatles bound for Las Vegas
- Single review: The Bright Space - She Goes
- Keane do European club tour
- Noir shills for Adidas
- Patrick Wolf tour
- The Blood Arm tour
- Single review: A-ha - Cosy Prisons
- Has Spitzer caused a cut in new music on US radio?
- Coke encourage Ne*Yo fans to file share
- Album review: Fink- Biscuits For Breakfast
- Eavis still hopeful on Kylie for Glasto 2007
- Elton John sells off clothes
- Bob Geldof is top of the dads
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TOP BIT>>
So, this weekend will provide another landmark in the history of pop telly, as Amstell and Oliver present their final ever edition of Channel 4's Popworld, one of the very few mainstream music shows that has actually grown in success in recent years. Channel 4 and the owners of the Popworld brand hope, of course, that the show and their many planned spin offs will continue to prosper with new hosts Alex Zane and Alexa Chung, though I'm not convinced. As much as Zane is a talented presenter, the Amstell/Oliver partnership has been pretty integral to the success of Popworld, and you always got the impression that that partnership had developed somewhat organically, and without design, over their first two years on the show while production staff came and went, meaning that by the time we all started to tune in on a regular basis the secret ingredient that turned an otherwise run of the mill pop programme into must see viewing was in place. Given that the entire show depends on that presenter chemistry, Zane and Chung are going to have to create something pretty damn quick, and they won't have two years out of the spotlight to get it right. But I'm not writing the show off - though more because I really want it to succeed more than I think it will. Pop telly is in a difficult place just now. Reports suggest Top Of The Pops continues to lose viewers in its Sunday night BBC2 slot, while CD:UK was quietly dropped from the schedules last month - so quietly, in fact, I didn't even notice, despite the fact rumours that the axe was about to fall had been around since Christmas (ITV haven't actually confirmed it has been axed, and Five and Sky are both said to be interested in the show, but for the time being it aint on the telly). The decline of TOTP and CD:UK seemed quite amusing while Popworld went from strength to strength - given how much more entertaining the Channel 4 vehicle had become. But if Popworld fails to survive the departure of its dream team, then mainstream telly will be left without a flagship pop show. Of course some say that in the age when pop music is available on tap via MTV and EMAP's music channels, and where kids can see videos on demand on their PC or mobile, there just isn't demand for a pop show on the mainstream channels, and they're probably right. But I think that at its best Popworld proved that with a bit of imagination and a sense of humour you can still create a show that champions new and established pop, indie and urban music while entertaining a sizable audience - and I think both the TV schedules and the pop arena are better when such shows exist. So let's hope Popworld can continue to perform that function without Simon and Miquita or, if it can't, that someone else comes up with an equally entertaining format that can.
PS: We mentioned yesterday that the unlimitedmedia.co.uk domain was being a bit flaky. Well, last night it collapsed completely. We are fixing it as we speak and it should be back up and running sometime tomorrow. Meantime, if you need to email us, just replace unlimitedmedia.co.uk with cmumusicnetwork.co.uk and your email will reach the right person.
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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
Damian and Chloe talk to young British five-piece Nine Pages ('Metal Lunchbox', noon to 3pm) while Cristiane welcomes US underground groovers Sourvein ('Sonic Attack', 9-11pm). And catch 'Fat Man In The Bathtub' from 11pm to midnight. Listen live at http://www.totalrock.com
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RIGHT NOW IN THE CMU BEATS BAR>>
MySpace of the Day: Lucky Soul
You might by now have heard that apocryphal tale (yeah, alright, not really apocryphal, or even much of a tale come to that) that the main reason I even came across Lucky Soul was because of a positive prejudice in favour of bands from the Greenwich area. It is actually true that I selected the band's recent single 'My Brittle Heart/Give Me Love' for play on the CMU Radio Show on that basis, but honestly, I like bands from Deptford too. And Carlisle. Lots of places, in fact. Anyway, we didn't regret the decision to play a Lucky Soul song on the radio, because it turned out to be rather good; if you like catchy pop with fragile vocals, that's occasionally slightly reminiscent of the sound of a sixties girl group, then this is the MySpace for you. If you don't like catchy pop with fragile vocals, that's occasionally slightly reminiscent of the sound of a sixties girl group, then give it a shot anyway, because you might enjoy it in spite of yourself. The page is streaming both songs from that recent double A-side, plus two other tracks, and has lots of pictures and details of the band's upcoming tour dates. I haven't seen 'em live yet, but I bet they're pretty good. They are, after all, from Greenwich.
http://www.myspace.com/luckysoulluckysoul
More on our MySpace Of The Day, plus acts appearing at this week's Insomniac's Ball answer the same six questions - all online at http://www.thebeatsbar.co.uk
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D12'S PROOF DIES IN SHOOTING
Hip hop has lost another star name after D12's Proof, a close friend of Eminem, was shot dead during the early hours of yesterday morning, 11 Apr, outside an after hours club on 8 Mile Road in Detroit.
The 32 year old rapper, real name DeShaun Holton, was pronounced dead on arrival at the city's Conner Creek Medical Center, and is said to have died instantly from a gunshot to the head. His companion, an unidentified 35 year old male, was also shot, and is said to be in a critical condition at Detroit's St John Hospital. Rumours originally circulating that the unnamed man might be fellow D12 star Bizarre have been put to rest, but police have refused to confirm the injured man's identity.
Both men were present at CCC Club at 4:30am, which, according to reports, is not an illegal venue, but was operating illegally after hours. Police were called to the incident at around 5am following reports of a fight and shots being fired.
Proof was a pivotal player in the Detroit hip-hop scene due to his skill as a battle rapper, and was an associate of many top producers and artists, a number of whom, including Eminem and Obie Trice, gathered at the hospital yesterday morning alongside the star's family members.
The formation of D12, a collective of Detroit's most talented hip-hop stars, was Proof's idea, and he was instrumental in Eminem's subsequently hugely successful career, befriending Shady long before his rise to international stardom, and recently performing best man duties at the rapper's ill-fated re-marriage to Kim Mathers. Proof also took a small role in Eminem film '8 Mile', as well as being the basis for a character in the movie, 'Lil Tic', played by Mekhi Phifer. Somewhat ironically, he also appeared in the video to Eminem's anti-gun violence track 'Like Toy Soldiers' in which he played a hip hop character shot dead as a fictional hip hop war escalated.
Holton is survived by his wife, Sharonda, and three children.
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PITNEY FUNERAL TODAY
Gene Pitney's funeral is to take place today in his home town of Rockville in Connecticut. A service will take place at the town's All Saints Church at 11am local time, before the singer is interred at Somers Centre Cemetery. A spokesman confirmed that Pitney's body had been flown back to the US on Saturday afternoon, and added: "His family have taken the news as can be expected. They felt awful that he was so far away when it happened but they are glad that he is home now."
The firm handling the funeral, Small & Pietras, say on their website that the singer's family have asked for donations in place of flowers to be made to Connecticut Public Broadcasting or to the Humane Society Of The United States.
Elsewhere in Pitney news, some Welsh fans are already cashing in on the singer's current newsworthiness and flogging Pitney merchandise on the internet - in particular ticket stubs from the singer's last concert in Cardiff, a free leaflet distributed at the show and a copy of the South Wales Echo from the day of his death. One of the ticket stubs reportedly fetched £300. Asked about the auctions, Potter John Hughes, a friend of the singer, told reporters: "It's morbid, it's ghoulish but I suppose that's the way the world is these days. I find it strange and mercenary."
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LOVE'S LEE DIAGNOSED WITH LEUKAEMIA
It has been confirmed that Love frontman Arthur Lee has been diagnosed with leukaemia. He has thus far undergone chemotherapy for the disease, but may as yet still need a bone marrow transplant to facilitate a full recovery.
According to Pitchfork, an email from LA booking agent Liz Garo has revealed that the psychedelic rock legend has no health insurance and is unable to pay for the treatment he has already received. As a result, a fundraising event is being organised to raise money to pay for the former star's hospital bills, with organisers asking musicians to get involved to "perform a few of Arthur's songs that capture the spirit and magic of Arthur Lee and Love."
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AMERICAN IDOL WINNER PERFORMS WELL AT CMT AWARDS
American Idol winner Carrie Underwood took two prizes at the Country Music Television Awards on Monday, taking the gongs in the Best Breakthrough and Best Female categories. She was the only multiple award winner at the event, staged by MTV owned country music channel CMT, which gives prizes for the best videos in the genre in the last twelve months.
Other winners included Kenny Chesney who won the Best Male category, Rascal Flatt who took Best Group, and Bon Jovi who took Best Collaborative Video for their collaboration with Jennifer Nettles, 'Who Says You Can't Go Home'. Keith Urban took the overall Video Of The Year prize, while Dolly Parton won the Most Inspiring Video Of The Year award for the pop promo for her duet with Brad Paisley, 'When I Get Where I'm Going'.
Urban also performed at the awards show, in a set involving a choir from New Orleans which, the singer said, aimed to highlight the plight still facing those affected by Hurricane Katrina. He explained: "I had been down to New Orleans and was struck by a combination of things - how much has been done and how little has been done. We just wanted to bring a little more awareness back to the cause down there."
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CANADIAN IDOL RESPONDS TO BROKEN RANT
Talking of Idol related awards news, Ryan Malcolm, the original winner of the Canadian Idol franchise, has responded to comments made by Broken Social Scene's Kevin Drew back stage at last week's Juno Awards. As previously reported, having won Best Alternative Album at the main Canadian music awards bash, Drew lashed out at his country's music business for relying on quick win artists, and criticised the whole Canadian Idol phenomenon for unrealistically raising the hopes of young singers.
Drew told reporters: "I feel really sorry for those kids in Canadian Idol because they're going absolutely nowhere. It's a trick ... it's a Canadian music industry downfall because in three years no one is going to remember them. I think things should have gotten a lot smaller years ago. It has to change ... people are still going for the 'instant."'
Asked about those comments by The Canadian Press, Malcolm said: "I don't blame him for the comments. That's their thing. They're the anti-mainstream band. [And he] made a good point as far as the industry as a whole".
On Drew's predictions for the future careers of Canadian Idol winners, Malcolm continued: "I can see why someone would think that because you get so much hype and such a fast-paced start that there's only one place to go. That comment might be a little premature. If you look at artists like Kelly Clarkson - obviously she's done really well for herself. Only time will tell. I know that I, personally, saw Canadian Idol as a stepping stone. It wasn't a guarantee for anything. I knew that I was going to have to work for my career if I wanted to have a lasting career."
Since achieving success with his debut album after winning the show in 2003, Malcolm has actually been working on some heavier material with his band: "It's a huge step forward. It's heavier music. Hopefully people like that will eventually see me for the artist that I am - that's the challenge that I have, to prove to other musicians that I can actually write a good song. I'm not just the 'instant'".
Malcolm says he hopes to initially release his new material outside of Canada where he isn't known for his Idol victory, and where he might have more credibility as a new artist. Apparently it's not that uncommon a strategy in Canada, and one even Broken Social Scene pursued: "They were huge outside of Canada before they were anything here. Unfortunately that's usually what happens. You have to make it big somewhere else and then you come back to Canada and there's a big hype."
In the end, perhaps Drew's anti-Idol comments will actually help the former winners he was sympathising with - after all, I doubt we'd have given over so much of the Daily to a Canadian Idol winner I'd never even heard of had it not been for the Broken Social Scene frontman's rant.
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CLASSICAL BRIT NOMINATIONS OUT
More awards news, and singer Bryn Terfel, composer Karl Jenkins and Scottish teenager Nicola Benedetti are all shortlisted in two categories for this year's Classical Brits, which take place at London's Royal Albert Hall on 4 May.
All three are up for Album Of The Year, while Terfel is also shortlisted for Best Singer, Jenkins for Best Contemporary Music and Benedetti for Young British Classical Performer.
Elsewhere, pianists Angela Hewitt and Leif Ove Andsnes and violinist Maxin Vengerov will compete for a new award, Instrumentalist Of The Year, while nominees for the Soundtrack Composer Of The Year include Dario Marianelli (Pride And Prejudice), Harry Gregson-Williams (Kingdom Of Heaven) and John Williams (War Of The Worlds). Opera star Placido Domingo will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
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LATIN GRAMMYS MOVE TO NEW YORK
More awards, and organisers of the Latin Grammys have announced this year's awards ceremony, due to take place on 2 Nov, will take place in New York for the first time. The six year old event has previously been staged in Miami and Los Angeles.
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COLOURFUL SCULPTURE WINS MERCURY ART AWARD
A 21 year old student from Bath School Of Arts And Design has won the 2006 Nationwide Mercury Prize Art Competition which, as you may remember, sets young artists the challenge of producing a piece of art that is inspired by music. Gethin Wyn Jones produced a sculpture called 'Colour Music' which impressed judges, winning him a £5000 prize. His creation will also appear on the cover of the 2006 Mercury Prize compilation CD, which is due out in August.
Commenting on his win, Gethin told CMU: "This is the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me! This will be a great springboard for my future career as an artist. The sculpture consists of up to 35 wooden and steel blocks that can be arranged in many different ways. The colour of each block has been influenced by what music I was listening to at the time, creating a catalogue of colour and music - a summary of my current favourite tracks."
Commenting on Gethin's piece, and the other sixty odd entrants that are being displayed in an exhibition at The Hospital in London, artist Peter Blake, one of the judges in the competition, said: "The art here is from students from all over the country - it was a difficult task choosing the finalists - this is a very impressive exhibition with some excellent works."
Press info on all of this from Coalition.
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ALBUM REVIEW: Adem - Love And Other Planets (Domino)
Previously better known for being part of Fridge, a fairly tedious post-rock type group also featuring Kieran 'Four Tet' Hebden, Adem has emerged of late as an acclaimed singer songwriter and peddler of 'folktronica' (no, I've never understood that genre description either). 2004 saw him appear from nowhere with his magical first album, 'Homesongs'. 'Love And Other Planets' is carved from a similar rock type, filled with Adem's twinkling rustic ditties that marry earthen acoustics with subtle sonic experimentalism, all topped by his wonderful craggy vocals. The press release claims that this album is more beats driven that its predecessor, but we're not in Chemical Brothers territory here, and the album is certainly no radical departure from his debut. The lyrical themes of homeliness that peppered that album are conspicuous by their absence here. Instead, with childlike wonder, Adem has directed his gaze upwards. As the title suggests, space has become a big fascination, and the lyrics ruminate evocatively on the stars, planets, aliens and such-like, without ever resorting to hackneyed sci-fi clichés (musically or lyrically). There are no real highlights to pick out here; the album is a cohesive, consistent affair, full of intelligence and charm, and simply beautiful songs. A welcome antidote to all the dreary Blunt-ness and Gray-ness that gets inflicted upon us, this is an endearing, enduring album from a brightly burning star indeed. MS
Release date: 24 Apr
Ian Cheek [CP, RP] Bestest [NP] Cool Badge [CR, RR, NR]
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DURST SAYS NEW LIMP BIZKIT ALBUM STILL IN DEVELOPMENT
Well, we said that comments made by Wes Borland that Limp Bizkit were over shouldn't be taken to represent the opinions of Mr Fred Durst. Responding to Borland's recent comments about the future of Limp Bizkit, Durst has written on his MySpace blog that his band will, in fact, return with a new album very soon, albeit without Borland on guitar. He has also published a new song slagging off his former bandmate.
Durst says his band are currently completing the follow up to 'The Unquestionable Truth Part 1', the EP that was released to somewhat lacking acclaim last year. Durst says the second part of the project will be an album that will include: "songs that me and Ross Robinson produced with Wes on guitar as well as songs that do not have Wes on guitar. It will be a full-length album and not an EP. It will be on the more aggressive side of nature and appeal to those who feed off of the heavier side of Limp Bizkit."
Responding to Borland, Durst has produced a minute long song called 'Unacceptableinterlude' which features the lyrics: "Stop making plans to manipulate fans and finally stick to something you believe / 'Cause you had us all fooled and, I'll admit, even me / Manipulating like a crook who's arrestable / It's unacceptable, fucking unacceptable".
Responding to that, Borland has written on his MySpace page: "After years and years of dealing with each other, it seems that Fred and I still have not figured out how to keep it positive. I'm to blame, he's to blame. It sucks. We never talk. So, it's hard to ever know what's really going on. I still have zero plans to work with [Limp Bizkit] in the future, but anything is possible."
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WILCO BACK TO WORK
Wilco are getting back into the studio next month to continue work on their new album, and have been talking to Billboard about it. Drummer Glenn Kotche told the publication: "We already have a dozen-and-a-half songs demoed, but not all finished. Maybe four or five have creeped into the live set."
He continued: "We're going to continue demoing to see what shape the record takes. We're not really forcing anything. We're just writing songs that we like and crafting good songs together. We'll see what rises to the top."
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RAZORLIGHT ALBUM FINISHED
Razorlight have revealed via their official website that their new album is nearly ready. Frontman Johnny Borrell said in a statement on the site: "The record is nearly finished. It's getting really, really strong, end of."
On the subject of the band's recent performance at the Royal Albert Hall, he added: "It was, for us, definitely in the top ten of all Razorlight gigs. I'm sure there are people out there who reckon the Dalston fire station squat gig that we played in 2003, that they like to pretend they were at, was better, but what can you do?"
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NEW ORDER DVD RELEASE
New Order are to release a new live DVD this summer, featuring performances from last year's gigs at Hyde Park in London and at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York. 'New Order - New York/Hyde Park' is out on 19 Jun.
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PURSEY RECORDING WORLD CUP TRACK
More World Cup related music news. It's going to start boring me at some point, I bet. Anyway, former Sham 69 singer Jimmy Pursey is to record an alternative England World Cup Song, a re-working of his band's hit 'Hurry Up Harry' entitled 'Hurry Up England.' Proceeds from the sale of the track are to go to the Teenage Cancer Trust.
By the way, we got the name of Bez's World Cup song confused yesterday - it is actually called 'One Dream', and it is released on 29 May on Blueprint Records. Press info from Ferrara PR.
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BEATLES BOUND FOR LAS VEGAS
More on that previously reported stage show that will feature Beatles songs. Don't worry, this isn't a fab four version of We Will Rock You, it's a new production being developed by George Martin and Cirque De Soleil - due to open in Las Vegas.
According to reports, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are also involved in the show, which will also feature new songs and an accompanying album, and will take place at the city's Mirage Casino. It's apparently the fruition of an idea originally mooted by the late George Harrison, who was friends with Cirque De Soleil founder Guy Laliberte.
Apple Corps' Neil Aspinall, speaking to the Daily Telegraph, said: "The show involves the creation, by the remixing and remastering of The Beatles' recorded performances, of completely new music, which will be featured in the show, and which should lead to the release of the show album".
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SINGLE REVIEW: The Bright Space - She Goes (Disco Impact)
This single is that guy on the edge of the dancefloor. Some of his more fashionable mates (Bloc Party and The Bravery) are happily drunk, and are tearing it up in the middle of the dancefloor, looking good. Some other of his friends are by the bar (Doves, My Bloody Valentine), admiring girls from a distance but lacking the confidence to approach, preferring to appear artful and mysterious in the vain hope that the girls will come over and talk to them. This guy, The Bright Space, wants to dance, but isn't quite drunk enough and instead awkwardly bobs in time with the music worrying about whether he looks silly or not. When The Bright Space makes up their mind as to whether they want to go home on their own or down some shots and join the pack in the middle of the floor, then they'll be worth another look. In the meantime, this is the sound of a band falling some way short of their potential. DG
Release Date: 24 Apr
Press Contact: Strike3 [all]
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KEANE DO EUROPEAN CLUB TOUR
Keane are to undertake a European tour of intimate venues, ahead of the release of their new album, 'Under The Iron Sea', on 12 Jun. Keyboardist Tim Rice-Oxley told NME.com the reasoning behind the tour, saying: "We're doing a tour of Europe, just playing small clubs. I think we want to avoid the trap of saying 'Yeah, right, we're a big band now, we're going to go out and play arenas and stadiums to let everyone know how big we are' because we feel that it's really important to go back to square one and start again."
He continued: "The songs are very different, the sound is very different and we're going to have to go out there and get people excited about it. Playing live is a huge part of that and always has been for us. It's important for us to go out there and do that again, connect with people again and you can only really do that in smaller places."
Keane fans' excuses for a trip to the continent as follows:
9 May: Madrid Heineken Club
11 May: Lisbon Aula Magna
17 May: Berlin Kesselhaus
18 May: Milan Rolling Stone
23 May: Paris Trabendo
26 May: Amsterdam Paradiso
27 May: Oslo Sentrum
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NOIR SHILLS FOR ADIDAS
A song by Jim Noir is to feature in sports brand Adidas' World Cup ad campaign. The track is 'Eanie Meany', taken from his album 'Tower Of Love', and it features the lyrics: "If you don't give my football back / I'm gonna get my dad on you". The advert will show a variety of football stars playing soccer with two young boys.
Meanwhile, Noir, who is set to release a new single, 'My Patch', on 8 May, starts a UK tour next month, initially with Shack, beginning headline dates on 24 May. Dates are as follows.
12 May: Liverpool Academy
13 May: Salford Lowry
14 May: Oxford Zodiac
15 May: London King College
18 May: Newcastle The Cluny
19 May: Glasgow King Tut's
21 May: Bristol Fleece
22 May: Nottingham Rescue Rooms
24 May: Brighton Spiegel Tent
25 May: Cardiff Barfly
26 May: Cheltenham Hub
27 May: York Fibbers
29 May: Newcastle Evolution Festival
30 May: Edinburgh Venue
31 May: Glasgow Arches
2 Jun: Stoke Sugarmill
3 Jun: Sheffield Leadmill
4 Jun: Manchester Academy 3
6 Jun: London Kings College
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PATRICK WOLF TOUR
Patrick Wolf has announced a series of tour dates ahead of the release of his third album, expected this summer. Dates are as follows:
24 Jul: London, Koko
25 Jul: Portsmouth, Wedgewood Rooms
26 Jul: Oxford, Zodiac
27 Jul: Leeds, Cockpit
28 Jul: Nottingham, Rescue Rooms
29 Jul: Glasgow, ABC2
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THE BLOOD ARM TOUR
LA's The Blood Arm have announced a series of live dates, coinciding with the release of the first single from their new album, which is expected to be out at the start of June. The dates are as follows:
4 Jun: Nottingham, Social
5 Jun: Glasgow, King Tuts
6 Jun: Liverpool, Korova
7 Jun: Leeds, Faversham
8 Jun: Middlesbrough, Empire
9 Jun: London, 93ft East
10 Jun: Stoke, Underground
11 Jun: Manchester, Roadhouse
13 Jun: London, White Heat
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SINGLE REVIEW: A-ha - Cosy Prisons (Universal)
Having seen the likes of Coldplay and Keane acknowledge their debt to A-ha whilst stealing their thunder in recent years, the Norwegian trio have now evidently decided "We did it first, we do it best", and now fancy some of the attention that the aforementioned groups get these days (something A-ha themselves used to generate in their 80s heyday, of course). Now three albums into their 'comeback', the recent 'Analogue' saw them go 'serious', essentially ditching the dance beats and electronic pop sheen that helped make the preceding 'Lifelines' and 'Minor Earth' so enjoyable. Last time they went all mature, it yielded the worst album of their career (1990's 'East Of The Sun'), but the approach this time round isn't as contrived and unimaginatively executed. And so, to 'Cosy Prisons'; a morose but affecting stadium ballad, with angsty lyrics about paranoia, set to carefully strummed guitars, melancholy piano, swooping strings and Morten's still astonishing vocals. Kind of redolent of 1985's awesome 'Hunting High And Low', which is obviously no bad thing, even if 'Cosy Prisons' itself isn't quite in that magisterial league. (Though in fairness, few things are). 20 years on, A-ha are still sounding sublime. MS
Release date: 17 Apr
Press contact: Universal IH [all]
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HAS SPITZER CAUSED A CUT IN NEW MUSIC ON US RADIO?
When New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer began his investigations into payola practices in the US music radio sector he wanted to level the playing field, so that smaller record companies who couldn't afford to bribe radio chiefs with freebies could fairly compete for airtime.
However, according to US trade magazine Radio & Records, he may have done the opposite. They report that in the first quarter of 2006 radio stations were programming considerably less new artists - rock stations added 23 percent fewer new artists to their playlists than in the same period in the previous year, adult contemporary stations 17 percent fewer, hip-hop 16 percent less and pop stations 14 percent less.
The magazine argues that the decline in new artists being programmed is in part down to Spitzer's campaign. They say radio bosses are programming more established artists because they fear being accused of dodgy practices if they programme too many untested artists - even if they are picking those new artists on legitimate editorial based grounds
R&R data compiler Steven Strick told the LA Times: "There is an overall fear among programmers that I've never encountered before. These investigations by Spitzer and the FCC cast suspicion on almost everything. How stations choose music has changed in a fundamental way".
Whether the paranoia of being accused of payola is really behind the trend is probably hard to tell. Of course it might just be that radio stations just don't know which new artists to play when there's no free widescreen TV or an all expenses paid trip to Vegas to help them pick out which acts they should be prioritising.
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COKE ENCOURAGE NE*YO FANS TO FILE SHARE
Coca-Cola are encouraging young people to share files on P2P networks, though only files produced by the drinks company.
They have launched a new music-orientated marketing programme in the US called Stageside which will offer bespoke artist video profiles which fans can stream or download via a special Coke website. Not only that, fans are encouraged to share the video profiles with friends via P2P networks. The aim of the programme is to tap into online communities, getting individual file sharers to become Coke's brand advocates by sharing their content. The first video profile is with Def Jam's chart topping R&B star of the moment Ne*Yo.
Commenting on the programme, Mitchel Reichgut of Jun Group, the company behind the programme, told reporters: "Stageside is a watershed event in branded entertainment. Coke and Island Def Jam have paved the way for a lot of others who will follow in their paths. It's a very bold move on the part of both parties, and both of them will reap the benefits."
Coca-Cola NA VP Of Interactive Marketing Carol Kruse added: "This is not piracy, nor does this encourage piracy. This a legal way for consumers to download and share great new content. It's good for the artist, the label and, most of all, our consumers. We are reaching people where they live and on their terms".
The Ne*Yo profile was essentially a pilot, but Coke now expect to produce a series of similar programmes. Whether the drinks brand will roll out the programme outside of the US remains to be seen.
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ALBUM REVIEW: Fink - Biscuits For Breakfast (Ninja Tune)
As soon as I started listening to this album and the heavy strums of an acoustic guitar kicked in, I was slightly disheartened. In a world of 'same-ol' solo guitar playing artists, I didn't have the patience for another Damien Rice. However, after about 30 seconds of listening to 'Pretty Little Things' the first track and first single off Fink's new album, I realised that this is anything but 'same-ol' and the track just gets better as it builds to a passionate chorus. Fink's previous releases have mainly focused within the ambient techno and acid jazz genres and this is a clear influence when listening to this long player, which has a funkier edge than the recent breed of acoustic albums. There's a certain something which sets Fink ahead of the pack, particularly on tracks like 'Biscuits' which has a delicious riff in the background which when fastened to the smooth bass line makes this the highlight on an already illuminated album. Another thoroughly inspired track is 'Hush Now', a sweaty, bluesy tune which features haunting vocals by Nina Grace. Although in a slightly different mood to the rest of the album, its original sound cements itself into the rest of the album regardless. Sounding like a slightly more refined Nick Drake, Fink has recorded a superb chilled out album which can funk it up when it needs to. GM
Release date: 24 Apr
Press contact: Ninja Tune IH [all]
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EAVIS STILL HOPEFUL ON KYLIE FOR GLASTO 2007
Glastonbury man Michael Eavis has revealed he is in regular talks with Kylie Minogue's people about getting her to headline his 2007 festival. Eavis says he would love Kylie to perform next year if she is up to it health wise - Ms Minogue, of course, had to pull out of her headline slot at last year's event after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
Speaking at the London premiere of the previously reported Julian Temple directed Glastonbury film earlier this week (during which it rained, of course, though there's not so much mud in Leicester Square), Eavis told reporters: "I speak to her people fairly regularly - they are hopeful. Kylie is coming back hopefully. Her people are quite confident. She wants to do it. I do hope she is fit enough, she really wants to do it. She doesn't fit the Glastonbury festival image with Neighbours and all that razzmatazz, but her shows are so theatrical they are almost like a circus in a way, which really fits in with Glastonbury."
On the Glastonbury film, Eavis added: "It's great. The film is really, really good. It documents 35 years of my life. It's a good record of what I have been doing and it is great fun, it's so racy."
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ELTON JOHN SELLS OFF CLOTHES
Elton John and his partner David Furnish are selling off more than 10,000 items of clothing for charity. The clothes are on sale from today for five days only at a specially created temporary shop, 'Elton's Closet', set up on the concourse of New York's Rockefeller Centre. The proceeds of the sale will go to the singer's Aids Foundation. Prices start at £8.50 for a T-shirt, rising to upwards of a grand for some of the more designer items.
Not surprisingly, given the size of the collection, it's all pretty much as-new. Elton says: "The clothes have hardly been worn - some of them haven't been worn. There's the most extraordinary collection of T-shirts, your baseball caps, your shoes, from flamboyance to classic. And spend some money to help other people who desperately need their lives to be changed and improved, and you'll be doing a really good thing."
The singer added: "David and I had great fun collecting and wearing these extraordinary clothes, but it's even more satisfying to see them help raise money for the Elton John Aids Foundation."
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BOB GELDOF IS TOP OF THE DADS
An online poll has named Bob Geldof 'best celebrity dad', ahead of Paul McCartney (10th) and Chris 'father of Moses' Martin (7th). Geldof achieved 23 percent of the votes, beating competition from David Beckham, who came second, and Jamie Oliver, in third. Also featured on the top ten list were Jonathan Ross, Johnny Depp, Andrew Flintoff, Jude Law and the actually yet-to-be a father Brad Pitt.
Geldof is, of course, father to three girls from his marriage to the late Paula Yates, and has also adopted Yates' daughter with the late Michael Hutchence, Tiger Lily.