| CMU Daily - on the inside Monday 8th May |
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In today's CMU Daily:
- Go-Betweens founder dies
- Knight testifies in federal bankruptcy courts
- Source founder files for bankruptcy
- Jacko not impressed by GQ spoof
- TI to resume tour post shooting
- Richards doesn't need surgery
- Rolling Stones confirm support
- AEG announce second major venue partnership with O2
- Robbie Wembley gigs relocated
- Classical Brits round up
- Destiny's Child get MTV Asia achievement award
- Warner post quarterly loss
- Creamfields latest
- Bono to edit Indy
- Farrell loses Dylan role
- Chart update
- This week's Student Radio Chart
- Subshot playlist
- CMU radio show
- Kate to pay for Pete's rehab, again
- Valance records collaboration
- Carter brothers get reality show
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TOP BIT>>
Wow, what's going on with the weather? I mean, I don't want to waste your time with tedious talk on meteorological issues, and it might be lovely where you are this morning, but it's pretty damn miserable here which, in itself, wouldn't be a problem except the weather people got us all excited last week with those lovely, if possibly a bit premature, summer days. Anyway, there is a point to this. A cheesy point, but a point nonetheless. The point is this: if the weather is as miserable where you are as it is here, then you are going to need cheering up by this afternoon, but the good news is that CMU is here to do just that. Yes, another edition of the CMU Radio Show goes live this afternoon at http://www.thebeatsbar.co.uk/cmuradio. There'll be lots of chatter about mergers, lawsuits, REM, Lemonheads, Killers, David Bowie, Bam Bam and Keith Richards falling out of palm trees. All that, plus a stack of great music (the playlist is included below). So, when the clouds outside start to cause clouds on the inside, fire up the old computer and get tuning in. After all, (made up) research shows that listening to the CMU Radio Show can cure all bad weather induced depression.
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ON AIR>>
TODAY ON TOTALROCK
Catbird talks to young Surrey band Insofar ('Phantasmagoria', 9am to noon). Lisa takes over her new slot, which is from 8-10pm. The show's to be called 'Metal Meltdown'. Tonight, Lisa talks to Sonata Arctica. Listen live at http://www.totalrock.com.
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CMU SUPPORTS>>
THE GREAT ESCAPE: You know the deal by now - three great days in Brighton offering an unrivalled programme of one to one interviews with leading industry figures, including Michael Eavis, ie Music's Tim Clark and David Enthoven and, just added, EMI CEO Tony Wadsworth, plus more great gigs and showcases than you can possibly imagine including The Futureheads, British Sea Power, The Kooks, The Bees, The Feeling, The Cribs and Martha Wainwright. It all takes place 18-20 May - full details at http://www.escapegreat.com - plus if you work for an independent or grass roots media or music company, or in the college space, email [email protected] and we'll tell you how you can get a full delegates pass for the very special rate of £175.
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RIGHT NOW IN THE CMU BEATS BAR>>
Beats in Brighton
The Brighton Festival is under way, and you can check out CMU's preview of the Great Escape, plus reviews of other music events taking place at the Festival this year, courtesy of our sister title ThreeWeeks, online later today at http://www.thebeatsbar.co.uk
MySpace Of The Day: Space Cowboy
Now, there is just the one track available to preview on this MySpace, but boy is it a goodun. You may well have come across Nick Dresti's alter ego before via his Southern Fried released album 'Across The Sky', but his new material is even better - as we shall see when he releases second album 'Digital Rock' via his own label Tiger Trax later this year. Meantime here you can enjoy the aforementioned 'goodun', 'I Know What Girls Like', which will appear on that album, and which is already one of my favourite songs of the year. If you're hooked (and you should be) - Dresti is pretty good at keeping the MySpace up to date with news and DJ dates - so use it to stay informed.
http://www.myspace.com/spacecowboyonline
Read more about our MySpace of the Day right now at http://www.thebeatsbar.co.uk
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28 days and counting until the release of the year... it's very exciting.
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GO-BETWEENS FOUNDER DIES
Go-Betweens founder member Grant McLennan died this weekend after a suspected heart attack. He was at his home in Brisbane, Australia when he died.
McLennan and long time musical partner Robert Foster enjoyed both critical and commercial success as the Go-Betweens, with a dedicated fan base around the world. The band initially split in 1989, and in the nineties McLennan released four solo albums and recorded with the band Jack Frost, but in 2000 the Go-Betweens reunited, winning more acclaim and a new generation of fans.
Paying tribute to McLennan, the MD of EMI in Australia, John O'Donne, told reporters yesterday: "Grant deserved to be considered one of the greatest songwriters Australia has produced, and certainly the Forster-McLennan songwriting team is up there with very few others. The strength of their partnership helped them produce such a consistent body of work over such a long period of time. The fact that they only had five songs each on an album meant a song really had to justify its inclusion."
Foster has indicated that the Go-Betweens will not continue following McLennan's death.
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KNIGHT TESTIFIES IN FEDERAL BANKRUPTCY COURTS
Hip hop mogul Suge Knight testified at a federal bankruptcy hearing on Friday, claiming that his record company, Death Row Records, had struggled ever since he was jailed in the late nineties.
As previously reported, Knight filed for bankruptcy earlier this year in a bid to halt legal action by the California courts in relation to claims by Lydia and Michael Harris that they helped found the legendary hip hop record label and were owed a share of its profits. The state courts ordered Knight to pay Lydia Harris $107 million last year, and were preparing to seize his assets, including Death Row, in order to force that payment before the bankruptcy took the matter out of the State court's hands.
The hearing on Friday was an opportunity for Knight's creditors to ask about his assets and debts, not that he told them much. Frequently mumbling, frequently consulting his accountant and frequently not answering questions, Knight said that more than anything else his incarceration in 1996, caused by a probation violation relating to an earlier assault charge, led to the downfall of his company. That, and the lack of any real talent on the roster post Snoop and Tupac, presumably. Asked how he knew that his company was struggling while in prison, he told the court hearing: "The magazines told me that, and the records". Knight confirmed he applied for bankruptcy as a result of the Californian court's ruling that he pay Harris $107 million.
According to the New York Daily News, Knight is claiming his assets, aside from Death Row's intellectual property, amount to $25,000 worth of "personal jewellery", $1,000 worth of clothes and $2,000 worth of furniture, and a lavish $11 in his Washington Mutual cheque account. His music assets, valued at over $4 million, are currently being held by the Internal Revenue Service, who are owed over twice that amount of money by Knight.
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SOURCE FOUNDER FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY
Elsewhere in hip hop related bankruptcy news, the co-founder and former boss of The Source magazine, David Mays, has filed for bankruptcy protection, a move which will delay a planned auction of his 82% stake in the US hip hop magazine.
Mays and business partner Ray 'Benzino' Scott lost day to day control of the magazine earlier this year when they fell out big time with the title's financial backers (at one point trying to get a restraining order against their board). Mays is now reportedly in the process of losing total ownership of the title because he defaulted on an $18 million loan secured on his stake in the media company.
Several parties are said to be interested in buying Mays out of the magazine, though it is not clear what the bankruptcy proceedings will do to the nature and timescale of that sale. Nevertheless, interested buyers remain, erm, interested.
A spokesman for one of the interested parties, Ecko Unlimited, told AllHipHop.com: "We found out about the bankruptcy claim at the same time everyone else did. But overall, The Source is a great brand and certainly worth pursuing. I think it would be a great blend with us having Complex Magazine under our belt. So, we'll see how things work out at the auction, whenever the auction actually takes place."
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JACKO NOT IMPRESSED BY GQ SPOOF
Michael Jackson aint impressed with a spoof article in GQ magazine based on the theme of "where's Michael". The feature pretends to be searching for the singer and includes various pictures of a Jacko look-alike taken in different locations in Bahrain where, of course, Jackson now lives. One picture shows the look-alike sitting in a darkened cinema with a row of children, while another shows him standing in the desert draped in a black cloak and headscarf, complete with the singer's trademark white glove.
Outlining Jacko's feelings towards the spoof, his spokesman, Raymone Bain, told reporters this weekend: "Mr Jackson is furious that his image has been used in such a misleading way, and is demanding an apology from the editors of GQ, and its publisher, Conde Nast. Mr Jackson is also demanding that the magazines be pulled from newsstands".
GQ Editor-in-chief Jim Nelson has responded thus: "It is very clear that the pictures in the story are satirical, whether it's a picture of a Michael Jackson imitator sitting in a Bahraini cinema or an image of The Gloved One standing flamboyantly in the desert. Mr Jackson may feel that the person in the photographs is an 'impostor', but he is merely an imitator".
Of course given his response Jackson might just help GQ score one of their best selling issues for some time.
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TI TO RESUME TOUR POST SHOOTING
TI is to resume his US tour tomorrow, after cancelling dates last week following the death in a shootout of one of his entourage, a man now named as Philant Johnson, aged 26.
According to Cincinnati police, they have no new leads in their investigation into the incident, which, as previously reported, took place early on Wednesday morning last week, leaving Johnson dead, and two other members of the rapper's party injured. According to witnesses, the trouble started at a party at the city's Club Ritz when a group of men confronted TI and his entourage, who attempted to drive away from the club without further confrontation. The men followed them, however, onto nearby highway interstate 75, where the shots were fired.
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RICHARDS DOESN'T NEED SURGERY
A spokeswoman for Keith Richards, Fran Curtis, has denied those reports that the Rolling Stone requires brain surgery after his alleged fall from a coconut tree, saying that "he's feeling good and in good spirits". As previously reported, the accident occurred in Fiji, where Richards received treatment for a mild concussion before flying to New Zealand for a brain scan. The Rolling Stones are due to begin the European leg of their world tour in Barcelona on 27 May. Curtis said that the date would go ahead as planned.
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ROLLING STONES CONFIRM SUPPORT
And speaking of the Rolling Stones' European tour, the band have confirmed support bands for the series of gigs. They'll be joined by Kaiser Chiefs in Croatia, Guns N Roses in Germany, and Kasabian in Switzerland and France. Meanwhile in the UK, The Charlatans will support at Twickenham on 22 Aug and at Hampden Park in Glasgow on 25 Aug.
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AEG ANNOUNCE SECOND MAJOR VENUE PARTNERSHIP WITH O2
US based promoters AEG and the German division of mobile firm O2 have announced a new partnership which will see the two companies collaborating on the build and launch of a new 17,000 capacity entertainment and sports arena in Berlin, to be known as O2 World. The venture is similar to that previously reported partnership here in the UK where AEG and O2 are collaborating on the revamp and relaunch of London's Millennium Dome.
The Berlin arena will cost an estimated 150 million euros to build, and will host a range of music, entertainment and sports events, with the two partners hoping to attract in excess of three million visitors to over 300 events in the arena's first three years in business.
Needless to say given the corporate sponsor, the new venue will engage in a number of mobile based initiatives, including the option to transmit alerts and recordings direct to people's mobiles within the complex. Confirming the new partnership, O2 Germany CEO Rudolf Groger told reporters: "We believe that this is a major step for the whole industry, not just for O2, and demonstrates that future growth lies in retaining and attracting customers through collaborations between telecommunications companies and the entertainment industry".
The Berlin venue should be ready to open in 2008, while the O2 sponsored AEG run Millennium Dome should open next year.
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ROBBIE WEMBLEY GIGS RELOCATED
Talking about revamped venues due to open next year (last year, this year, next year - one day anyway) more news from the all new Wembley Stadium which, as you all know, was due to open this month for the FA Cup final, but which is now unlikely to be ready until the Autumn, at the earliest.
With that in mind, promoters of the Robbie Williams gigs due to take place there in mid-September have confirmed those events will now take place at the Milton Keynes Bowl. Ticket holders will receive emails giving them information about the venue change, offering those unwilling to travel to Milton Keynes, even for the chance to see Mr Williams, the option of a refund.
As previously reported, Take That and Bon Jovi gigs due to take place at Wembley in early summer have also moved to Milton Keynes Bowl, while the Stones gigs booked for the stadium have been shifted to Twickenham. Wembley Stadium should now open in early 2007, or possibly in Spring 2179, one or the other.
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CLASSICAL BRITS ROUND UP
Oops, I completely forgot to report on the Classical Brits on Friday, which is a terrible oversight. Though the winners haven't been posted on the BPI or the Classical Brits websites yet either, so we're not alone in being a bit slack on this.
Anyway, it was the Classical Brits in London last week, and the centre of the attention was Spanish tenor Placido Domingo who not only picked up a Lifetime Achievement Award, but was also a co-winner of the Critics Prize for his part in Royal Opera House's production of 'Tristan And Isolde'.
Other winners included Katherine Jenkins who took the Album Of The Year gong for the second year running, this time for 'Living A Dream'. She said she was "stunned" to win the award two years running, adding: "I didn't expect to win it last year, but to win two years in a row - I'm absolutely gobsmacked. I called my album 'Living A Dream' and that's exactly what I'm doing right now. I'm loving every minute of this."
The full list of winners runs thus:
Contemporary Music Award: James Macmillan - Symphony No 3, Silence
Singer Of The Year: Andreas Scholl - Arias For Senesino
Soundtrack/Musical Theatre Composer Award: Dario Marianelli - Pride & Prejudice (Performed By Jean-Yves Thibaudet And The English Chamber Orchestra)
Ensemble/Orchestral Album Of The Year: Takacs Quartet - Beethoven: The Late String Quartets
Critics' Award: Royal Opera House Chorus And Orchestra, Placido Domingo, Antonio Pappano - Tristan And Isolde
Young British Classical PerformerAlison Balsom
Instrumentalist Of The Year: Leif Ove Andsnes - Rachmaninov Piano Concerto 1 & 2
Album Of The Year: Katherine Jenkins - Living A Dream
Lifetime Achievement: Placido Domingo
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DESTINY'S CHILD GET MTV ASIA ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
More awards, and the recently defunct Destiny's Child have received a special achievement award for their "contribution to the music world and their immeasurable impact on pop culture", at the MTV Asia Awards. Kelly Rowland collected the award, as well as giving her upcoming solo single 'Gotsa Go' a first live airing.
Other winners that you'll almost definitely have heard of included Green Day for Favourite Rock Act, Ricky Martin for Favourite Male and Kelly Clarkson for Favourite Female. More local winners, many of whom you possibly might not have heard of, included Vicki Zhao from China, Twins from Hong Kong, Jal from India, Peterpan from Indonesia, Se7en from Korea, Mawi from Malaysia, Rivermaya from the Philippines, Taufik Batisah from Singapore, Wang Leehom from Taiwan and Tata Yong from Thailand, all of whom won the 'Favourite Artist' category for their given region.
The ceremony included performances from Korn, Canadian Daniel Powter (perhaps having a good day, for once) and ex Blue Boy Simon Webbe who appeared with Thai hip-hoppers Thaitanium.
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WARNER POST QUARTERLY LOSS
Warner Music posted a quarterly loss on Friday, but don't you go thinking that's bad news, oh no. The figures were, in fact, better than many expected and, with a strong showing in the important digital sector, were generally well received by the investment community.
The US based major record company said it had a net loss of $7 million in the second quarter, which compares to a $4 million profit in the same quarter last year. However, those topline figures are slightly misleading because of factors I really don't understand relating to the acquisition of Warner Music by its current owners off former parent company Time Warner - factors which mean that in real terms the company made a substantial loss in the same period last year - hence the positive response to the new figures.
More importantly, revenues were up to $796 million from $767 million in the same quarter last year, plus the digital segment of the company, seen by many as key to the record label's future fortune, posted revenues of $90 million, nearly triple that of a year earlier and representing 11% of total quarterly revenue.
The consensus seems to be that the latest figures should strengthen the hand of Warner Music's owners in any takeover negotiations with EMI.
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CREAMFIELDS LATEST
A bunch of new acts have been added to the line up for this year's Creamfields Festival. Amongst the new additions are Skitz and Rodney P, B2 Shy, Killa Kela, Sasha and Felix Da Housecat, joining previously announced acts such as The Zutons, Goldfrapp, Gnarls Barkley and 2ManyDJs. This year's event takes place at Daresbury in Halton on 26 Aug.
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BONO TO EDIT INDY
Bono is to edit The Independent. Stop worrying, though, because it's only for one day. The U2 frontman will guest-edit the (er, tabloid) broadsheet on 16 May, and will use the opportunity to highlight the issue of Aids in Africa. Half of the revenues of that day's edition are to be donated to Product Red, Bono's previously reported commercial fundraising initiative. The Independent has become a partner in that scheme, which has launched a range of products, such as footwear, sunglasses and a credit card to help raise funds to tackle Aids.
A spokesperson for Bono says: "He is tickled to be let loose on such a great paper. He's enjoying using the talents of its journalists to explore issues that are vital to him," whilst the paper's Editor In Chief Simon Kelner added that the edition will prove "challenging and innovative".
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FARRELL LOSES DYLAN ROLE
Actor and hell-raiser Colin Farrell has apparently been dropped from his role in that upcoming film about Bob Dylan, according to a report in The Mirror, and has been replaced by star of 'Brokeback Mountain' (and, let us not forget, 'Ten Things I Hate About You') Heath Ledger. Director Todd Haynes apparently made the change although the reason for the Irish star's departure is unknown.
The film, entitled 'I'm Not There', will feature six different actors, including Christian Bale and Richard Gere, all portraying the legendary singer. Dylan is reported to have waived his publishing rights to help minimise the budget for the project, which begins shooting this summer.
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CHART UPDATE
So, the moral to this story is to come up with a genius yet highly illegal mash up project, proceed regardless of the illegality, press up a few hundred bootleg white labels of your work, get cease-and-desisted by a major record company, in doing so win yourself a dedicated online following and the attention of A&Rs at a major record company, possibly the same record company that is trying to sue you, get a recording contract, create some beautiful legal music, go straight into number one with your debut single on download sales alone and stay there for six weeks. Easy. Given that it was EMI who cease-and-desisted Gnarls Barkley man Dangermouse, and he was then signed by Warner, can't EMI sign our mash up favourites Team 9, who were cease-and-desisted by Warner over their genius 'American Edit' album? Go on EMI, do it for the symmetry.
Anyway, this is a very long way of telling you Gnarls Barkley are still at the top of the singles chart for the sixth week on the trot. You then have to go all the way down to number twelve to get the first full on new entry - Feeder's 'Lost & Found' at 12. Then it goes: LL Cool J ft Jennifer Lopez's 'Control Myself' at 15, We Are Scientists' 'Nobody Move Nobody Get Hurt' at 21, Michael Jackson's 'Remember The Time' re-release at 22, Panic At The Disco's 'But It's Better If You Do' at 23, Goldfrapp's 'Fly Me Away' at 26, T-Pain's 'I'm Sprung' at 30, Captain's 'Broke' at 34 and Forward Russia's 'Nine' at 40.
Albums wise, and Gnarls Barkley wasn't quite powerful enough to keep Snow Patrol off the top of the albums chart, and they've never illegally messed with anyone's music. Though, Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody is good mates with the Freelance Hellraiser, who has dabbled in the whole bootleg scene on many occasions. I'm mentioning this so I can get a blatant plug in for the Freelance Hellraiser album which [a] features Gary on guest vocals, [b] has been pencilled in for a 26 Jun release, [c] is feckin marvelous. Press info from Nile On or Darling.
But hang on a minute, isn't this the chart report? New entries in the album chart this week from Tool with '10,000 Days' at 4, Pearl Jam with 'Pearl Jam' at 5, a Nina Simone best of at 20 and a Scott Walker & Walker Brothers best of at 24. Lovely.
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THIS WEEK'S STUDENT RADIO CHART
Quite a few new entries here because this is the first Student Radio Chart since the Easter vacation.
1. [NE] Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Dani California (Warner)
2. [4] The Zutons - Why Don't You Give Me Your Love (SonyBMG/Deltasonic)
3. [7] Dirty Pretty Things - Bang Bang You're Dead (Universal/Vertigo)
4. [2] The Kooks - Naive (EMI/Virgin)
5. [14] The Raconteurs - Steady As She Goes (Beggars/XL)
6. [NE] Snow Patrol - You're All I Have (Universal/Fiction)
7. [9] The Streets - When You Wasn't Famous (679)
8. [NE] We Are Scientists - Nobody Move Nobody Get Hurt (EMI/Virgin)
9. [21] Jack Johnson - Better Together (Universal/Brushfire)
10. [NE] Fallout Boy - Dance Dance (Chrome Dreams)
11. [NE] Jim Noir - My Patch (My Dad Recordings)
12. [NE] Feeder - Lost and Found (Echo)
13. [11] Gnarls Barkley - Crazy (Warner)
14. [NE] Morrissey - You Have Killed Me (Sanctuary/Attack)
15. [28] Richard Ashcroft - Music Is Power (EMI/Parlophone)
16. [NE] Paul Oakenfold - Faster Kill Pussycat (Warner/Maverick)
17. [NE] Keane - Is It Any Wonder (Universal/Island)
18. [NE] The Futureheads - Skip to the End (679)
19. [NE] Corinne Bailey Rae - Trouble Sleeping (EMI)
20. [NE] Camera Obscura - Lloyd, I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken (Elefant)
21. [NE] Belle & Sebastian - The Blues Are Still Blue (Rough Trade)
22. [NE] Mary J Blige & U2 - One (Universal/MCA)
23. [NE] Zero 7 - Throw It All Away (Warner/Atlantic)
24. [18] The Feeling - Sewn (Universal/Island)
25. [NE] Jack Johnson - Upside Down (Universal/Brushfire)
26. [19] The Automatic - Raoul (B-unique)
27. [NE] The Spinto Band - Did I Tell You (Radiate)
28. [NE] Graham Coxon - You & I (EMI/Parlophone)
29. [10] The Fratellis - The Fratellis (Universal/Island)
30. [NE] The Mystery Jets - You Cant Fool Me Dennis (679)
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SUBSHOT PLAYLIST
The videos appearing on the SUBtv network in students' unions across the UK. New entries marked with a *.
A LIST
Beatfreakz - Somebody's Watching Me (Data)
The Feeling - Fill My Little World (Universal/Island)
*Panic! At The Disco - But It's Better If You Do (Decaydance/Feled By Ramen)
Primal Scream - Country Girl (SonyBMG/Columbia)
The Raconteurs - Steady As She Goes (Beggars/XL)
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Dani California (Warner)
Snow Patrol - You're All I Have (Universal/Fiction)
Soundbwoy Ent. - Never Wanna Say (MoS)
We Are Scientists - Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt (EMIVirgin)
Zero 7 - Throw It All Away (Warner/Atlantic)
B LIST
*Busta Rhymes - Touch It (Remix) (Universal/Interscope)
*Captain - Broke (EMI)
Feeder - Lost and Found (Echo)
Hot Chip - Boy From School (EMI)
Imogen Heap - Hide and Seek (SonyBMG)
Infernal - From Paris To Berlin (Blanco Y Negro)
*Jack Johnson - Upside Down (Universal/Brushfire)
Morning Runner - The Great Escape (EMI/Parlophone)
Nerina Pallot - Everybody's Gone To War (Warner/14th Floor)
*Ordinary Boys v Lady Sovereign - Nine2Five (B Unique/Polydor)
Phoenix - Long Distance Call (EMI)
*PJ Harvey - Victory (Universal/Island)
Shawn Emanuel - Slow It Down (EMI)
The Upper Room - Black & White (SonyBMG/Columbia)
Virus Syndicate - Slow Down (Planet-Mu)
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CMU RADIO SHOW
Here it is then. It's what we played on our radio show this week. The very radio show you can listen to later today at http://www.thebeatsbar.co.uk/cmuradio.
Tony Christie - (Is This The Way To) The World Cup (Gut)
The Needles - Dianne (Dangerous)
V//Formation - Little Heart (Double Dragon)
Luxembourg - We Only Stay Together For The Kids (Dogbox)
The Wutars - Extensive Research (unsigned - http://www.thewutars.com)
Editors - Orange Crush (from Q cover mount covers album)
Joseph Arthur - Echo Park (live) (14th Floor)
Hafdis Huld - Tomoko (MVine)
The Loose Cannons - Why You (Fat Fox)
Space Cowboy - I know What Girls Like (Tiger Trax)
BBC News mash up
Lil Kim - Whoa (Warner/Atlantic)
Jimmy Screech - Jim Screech (Trailblazers/Banana Klan)
Shirley Bassey - Diamonds Are Forever (off 'Gold Digging - As Sampled By Kanye West)(Harmless)
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KATE TO PAY FOR PETE'S REHAB, AGAIN
Reports are suggesting that Kate Moss has offered to pay for a another course of rehabilitation for former lover Pete Doherty, providing, of course, that he sees it through. Which is surely unlikely. A source allegedly told someone or other: "She's told Pete it's his last chance. She's offered to pay for his treatment on the condition he sees it through and gets clean."
The 'source' apparently added that the Babyshamble will check into a £1,000-per-night clinic in London after returning from a trip to, of all places, Amsterdam.
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VALANCE RECORDS COLLABORATION
Aussie popstrel Holly Valance, more famous these days, I suspect, for fronting those reverse charge ads, has recorded a collaborative track with US hi-hopper Tah Mac, according to reports. The rapper has apparently listed the track amongst other songs he's been working on in a list on his official website. Valance, who first rose to fame as a member of the cast of Neighbours, released her 'State Of Mind' album back in 2003, and has since moved to LA to forge an acting career.
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CARTER BROTHERS GET REALITY SHOW
Well, this seems to be becoming the accepted route for former pop stars who no longer have a musical career. Invite the cameras to record your intimate moments for mass consumption by people who have a vague memory of who you used to be. Marvellous. Step forward former Backstreet Boy Nick Carter and his solo brother Aaron, whose new show 'The Carters' is set to air on entertainment channel E!, according to Variety.
The programme is set to focus on the home life of the two singers and their three sisters, who have all apparently agreed to live under the same roof for the purposes of the show, in the hope that it will help the two boys revive their flagging pop careers. Well, that's what Nick and Aaron will be hoping for. Presumably the TV execs are hoping that some of those much rumoured tensions and tantrums that have occurred in the Carter clan in recent years get caught on camera.