| CMU Daily - on the inside Thursday 8th June |
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In today's CMU Daily:
- Petty may sue over RHCP track
- Ashanti sued by former manager
- Seal sued by former manager
- Sinitta loses twins
- Beck finishes album
- Kasabian on new album
- Keane album leaked
- New northern compilation release
- Mojave 3 player online
- Single review: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Turn Into
- Electric gardens confirm MySpace stage/competition
- Athlete to headline K Fest
- Primal Scream added to Roskilde bill
- Beth Orton tour
- Longcut tour
- Dixie Chicks tour sales suffer
- Rise additions
- TuneTribe launch label
- EMI launch mobile sales with Paypal
- Radio 1 encourages guns and knives, apparently
- Recordstore appoint new marketing guy
- HMV rejig
- Darling departure
- Album review: Robin Guthrie - Continental
- Billy Bragg doesn't like MySpace shocker
- Mick Rock makes DJ debut
- Kylie named woman of the year by Glamour
- Gwen sued re handbags
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TOP BIT>>
The programme for the 2006 Edinburgh Festival Fringe is officially launched in Edinburgh later today, while the 50+ gig line up of this year's T In The Fringe will also be announced at a separate event in the Scottish capital. So, with all this Edinburgh Festival stuff going on, we thought we'd join in too by formally announcing that CMU's sister publication, ThreeWeeks, will return this August to provide the most comprehensive coverage of the Edinburgh Festival for the eleventh year running. Over 200 students have applied to join the team of 80 young journalists who will form the ThreeWeeks team this year. As always, these students will be trained by the ThreeWeeks editorial team, who will then arrange for them to review shows at Edinburgh's International, Film, Book, Jazz & Blues, Politics and Fringe festivals. Between them they will see more or less every show at the Festival - over 1250 in 25 days. Once again their coverage will be made available through numerous avenues, including: the main ThreeWeeks newspaper, published every Tuesday of the festival and available in over 120 sites across the city; the ThreeWeeks daily reviews sheet, launched to great acclaim in 2005, and available in 15 venues every night at midnight; the ThreeWeeks eDaily, the now legendary daily e-newsletter read by over 40,000 people all over the world every day; the ThreeWeeks radio show, every day on Festival FM, the official radio station of the Festival; the ThreeWeeks podcasts - reviews and interviews available for iPod listening every day of August; and the ThreeWeeks website - simply the most comprehensive guide to the Edinburgh Festival on the internet. Needless to say, we'll share all the music related coverage with you here in the CMU Daily during August, but if you want more information about ThreeWeeks in Edinburgh sooner, you'll find a press release all about it (including lovely quotes from Caro and Chris) in the CMU Press Room. And if any of you brand types want to get involved in the Edinburgh Festival's biggest most exciting media venture - you know the number. (If you don't, it's 0870 744 2643).
http://www.cmumusicnetwork.co.uk/pressroom/threeweeks
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PRESS ROOM>>
HUM
Leyline and TCR once again team up to present another storming breaks all nighter this Saturday night, 10 Jun - yes, HUM is back. Take one Rennie Pilgrem. Add in the Breakfastaz and Hyper. Top it off with Vlad Sokolov and Tom Real. And put Clive X Nubile Disco and Miss Pup in Room 2 and boy, what a way to celebrate (we hope) the result of the England vs Paraguay match. And that's before we mention the special prices on Brahma beer and double JDs all night. All takes place at the seOne Club on Weston Street in London from 10pm to 6am, tickets are a tenner or £6 if you guest list in advance at http://www.leylinepromotions.com. Press info from Leyline.
More info: http://www.cmumusicnetwork.co.uk/pressroom/hum
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ON AIR>>
TODAY ON TOTALROCK
Karol talks to Acey Slade, of Murderdolls and Trashlight Vision fame ('Metal Lunchbox', noon to 3pm). Listen live at http://www.totalrock.com.
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RIGHT NOW IN THE CMU BEATS BAR>>
Same Six Questions: DJ Swerve
Platinum selling DJ Swerve is one of the UK's leading RnB and hip hop club DJs, perhaps best known for his weekly show on Kiss 100. A former DMC Championship finalist, he is behind four hugely successful urban compilations and recently hooked up with Howard Francis producing and remixing under the moniker MOS Wanted. Even more recently, he launched a new quality night at the Soundbooth (in London's Neighbourhood venue) called Boombox, mixing together the very best in 80's pop, soul and old skool hip hop classics. With the second edition of Boombox taking place tonight (featuring guests Dan Greenpeace and P-Funk), we thought now would be as good a time as any to throw DJ Swerve our same six questions. (Press info on Boombox, btw, from Get Involved).
MySpace Of The Day: Maison Kitsune
Note to self - must remember to make Simian, Digitalism and Adam Sky all My Space Of The Day at some point. But in the interim, this will do nicely. Kitsune is the little French record label which has an uncanny knack of picking up rising talent from the quirkier more interesting end of electro. Their Maison Kitsune compilation, released last Autumn, was a perfect reflection of the kind of stuff they do, bringing together an eclectic bunch, including the already-by-then-quite-esteemed Tom Vek and the not-quite-as-buzzy-as-they-are-now Hot Chip. A second edition of that compilation album is out next week, and it features an equally eclectic and interesting collection of artists and tracks, including the aforementioned Simian, Digitalism and Adam Sky. To celebrate, tracks from each of them are streaming here on the MySpace page, so if you're just even a little bit curious about what you can expect from this compo, I'd definitely suggest a visit. You'll also find dates for upcoming clubs and parties the Kitsune crowd are involved in - though none of them are in the UK I'm afraid - plus there's a link to their not entirely user-friendly but pretty damn informative website.
http://www.myspace.com/maisonkitsune
All this and more at http://www.thebeatsbar.co.uk
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PETTY MAY SUE OVER RHCP TRACK
Reports suggest that Tom Petty may sue the Red Hot Chili Peppers over that new song of theirs that sounds pretty damn like his track 'Mary Jane's Last Dance', though the official word from Petty's spokesman is pretty much "no comment", so it's not clear if these reports are true or not.
As previously reported, it was a US DJ who first started pointing out the similarities between RHCP single 'Dani California' and the Petty song - accusing the Chili Peppers of plagiarism.
Reports also suggest that Petty might sue producer Rick Rubin who is, as it happens, the missing link between these two songs - he having produced both of them.
However, as I say, there's no official word on any of this. Rather, Petty's spokesman told reporters: "I am well aware of this situation. I guess imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Tom doesn't have a comment on this at all. I have no idea if he is going to sue the Chili Peppers, and am not prepared to make a comment on that."
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ASHANTI SUED BY FORMER MANAGER
Talking of litigation, Ashanti faces another lawsuit from one of her former colleagues, this time manager Linda Berk, who represented the R&B singer until 2003. Berk claims that she was responsible for establishing Ashanti as a "music and entertainment superstar" before her contract with the singer was abruptly axed three years ago.
The former manager claims that the way she was dropped breached her contract with the singer, and is reportedly suing for millions in the new lawsuit. Ashanti is yet to issue any response to the litigation, although a spokesman told Billboard that Berk has no case, alleging: "The contract expired naturally and we didn't renew it".
The new lawsuit follows that previously reported legal battle last year between the singer and her former producer, Genard Parker, who claimed he had a contract giving him a royalty share on early Ashanti material which had never been honoured. The courts awarded Parker $630,000, although Ashanti subsequently sued him back over allegations the producer had illegally released some of her early recordings as a new album.
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SEAL SUED BY FORMER MANAGER
More managers taking their former clients to court now, as Seal, real name Henry Olusegun Adeola Samuel, is being sued over claims by his former manager John Wadlow that the singer owes him money. Seal is contesting the action, which claims that Wadlow is "entitled to unpaid commission on Seal's earnings from his first two albums", in accordance with a 1995 agreement.
Mr Wadlow's QC, Ian Mill, called the action "essentially an accounting claim", and explained how Seal met Wadlow in 1987 when he was still an unknown. "At this point Seal was an undiscovered singer and songwriter and had not attracted any interest from record companies or publishers," he said.
Seal, meanwhile, says that according to the aforementioned 1995 settlement agreement, and a management agreement from 1990, his former manager is not entitled to commission on earnings from his first two eponymous albums. In court, the singer explained that he had regarded Mr Wadlow as a "father figure" adding that he was "someone I trusted, liked very much and respected".
The judge, Mr Justice Gray, will deal only with the issue of liability in the trial; if he rules in Wadlow's favour, the sum of money to be paid out will be decided at a later date. The hearing resumes today.
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SINITTA LOSES TWINS
Former pop star and X-Factor coach Sinitta has suffered a setback in her plan to have children, after a surrogate mother carrying her twins had a miscarriage. Kerry West was ten weeks pregnant when she lost the babies. A statement from Sinittas' spokesperson says: "This is a devastating blow to all involved. The pregnancy was in its early stages and Kerry was carrying twins. This was not their first attempt and they do intend to try again so we'd like to ask that their privacy is respected at this time."
The singer and her husband Andy Willner have apparently been trying for a baby for several years. It's recently become apparent that she's unable to carry a baby full term, in any case, which is why the couple opted to go the surrogate route.
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BECK FINISHES ALBUM
Beck has finished work on his new album, a follow up to last year's 'Guero', and remix album 'Guerolito'. The new long player has been produced by Nigel Godrich, who last worked with Beck on 2002's 'Sea Change'. According to the star's website, the record will be released in the autumn.
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KASABIAN ON NEW ALBUM
Kasabian have revealed to NME that their second album is to be entitled 'Empire'. It's a reference to Star Wars, or something. Anyway, commenting on the new LP, singer Tom Meighan said: "We've gone from on the farm smoking shitloads of hash and coming up with a load of mashed up tunes, to this time being more 'royal', should I say? We've just took it to another level and raised the stakes. We fucking own it, we're the fucking modernists now! We're not trying to prove anything, we've just let our hair down and gone for it. It's sexier than the first record. It's naughtier too, it's not as aggressive, it's definitely naughty this time round."
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KEANE ALBUM LEAKED
Keane's new album, 'Under The Iron Sea', has been leaked, a couple of weeks ahead of its official release - and not via any illegitimate source, either - it's the same thing as happened with the Oasis album last year when it appeared on iTunes Germany early. On this occasion, apparently, the Keane album became available on the Belgian version of the site. Whether this will have an impact on how well the album charts remains to be seen - though I doubt it.
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NEW NORTHERN COMPILATION RELEASE
A new double disc compilation is set to be released, focusing on the music of the north, covering the years 1976 -1984 and the punk new wave and post-punk scene. The collection, entitled 'North by North West' is programmed by Paul Morley, and released via Korova on 19 Jun. There's also a bonus CD featuring rarities, some of which are previously unreleased. The full tracklisting for all three is as follows, press info from Sainted PR:
Manchester:
Buzzcocks - Boredom, The Fall - Repetition, John Cooper Clarke - I Don't Want To Be Nice, Magazine - Shot By Both Sides, Buzzcocks - What Do I Get?, The Durutti Column - Sketch For Summer, Joy Division - Transmission, The Passage - Fear, Blue Orchids - Work, The Distractions - Time Goes By So Slow, A Certain Ratio - Shack Up, Ludus - My Cherry Is In Sherry, New Order - Ceremony, The Smiths - How Soon Is Now?
Liverpool:
Spitfire Boys - British Refugee, Yachts - Suffice To Say, Will Sergeant - Fuzztronic, Omd - Electricity, Echo & The Bunnymen - Pictures On The Wall, Wah! Heat - Better Scream, Lori And The Chameleons - Touch, Teardrop Explodes - Reward, Echo & The Bunnymen - Rescue, Care - Flaming Sword, Pale Fountains - There's Always Something On My Mind, Dalek, I Love You - Holiday In Disneyland, Lotus Eaters - First Picture Of You, Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Relax.
Liverchest:
Warsaw - No Love Lost, Slaughter And The Dogs - Cranked Up Really High, Bette Bright And The Illuminators - My Boyfriend's Back, These Naughty Lumps - Iggy Pop's Jacket, Big In Japan - Big In Japan, Stockholm Monsters - Happy Ever After, James - Folklore, China Crisis - African And White, Spherical Objects - Sweet Tooth, Crispy Ambulance - Deaf, Section 25 - Knew Noise, Swamp Children - Call Me Honey, John Cooper Clarke - Valley Of The Lost Women, Royal Family And The Poor - Dream.
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MOJAVE 3 PLAYER ONLINE
You know we love Mojave 3 at CMU, yeah? Well, if you do too, then why not download this here clever Mojave 3 Quicktime player which will let listen to ten tracks from the band and its members, including three from their new album 'Puzzles Like You', which is out on 19 Jun.
You can download the player here:
http://www.4ad.com/features/mojave3/mojave3player.zip
Or you can use the player online, by clicking here:
http://www.4ad.com/features/mojave3/mojave3player.mov
Or if you'd rather see the band in the flesh, then they're playing Jabez Clegg in Manchester tonight, and the London Borderline next Monday and Tuesday (12 and 13 Jun).
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SINGLE REVIEW: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Turn Into (Universal/Fiction)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs are perhaps best known as a super cool band New York beloved of fashionistas and scenesters. But the band have substance as well as style. One of the best songs on their debut album was their distinctive love song 'Maps', which stood out from the spiky post-punk sounds of the rest of the record, like a rose amongst thorns. Similarly 'Turn Into' from 'Show Your Bones' is a departure from much of their material. It's a simple, understated, but beautiful song, with a gentle strummed intro. The lyrics reflect on a relationship - perhaps alluding to Karen O's previous boyfriends Liars singer Angus Andrew or film maker Spike Jonze? There's even a kooky interlude with high pitched squeaky guitar which sounds like 'Telstar'. It has a great tune and all in all this is a perfectly sublime record. JW
Release date: 19 Jun
Press contact: Hermana [CP, RP] Fiction IH [CR, RR, NP, NR]
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ELECTRIC GARDENS CONFIRM MYSPACE STAGE/COMPETITION
The Electric Gardens people have confirmed MySpace as a media partner, with a 'MySpace new bands stage' at the festival set to feature acts such as Field Music, Duels, Brakes, Scully, Veto Silver and Warren Suicide.
The networking site are also to sponsor an unsigned bands contest, with four winners set to play on the MySpace stage, selected via a series of heats taking place throughout June at the Beacon Court Tavern in Gillingham, and judged by one of those panels 'of music industry experts'. Bands wishing to enter should see http://www.electricgardensfestival.com for more info.
The festival itself, as previously reported, takes place at Mount Ephraim Gardens near Canterbury on 5 & 6 Aug.
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ATHLETE TO HEADLINE K FEST
Athlete have been announced as headliners for this year's K Festival in Newquay, and are joined on the bill by the likes of Goldie Lookin Chain, The Upper Room and the John Butler Trio. Tickets are on sale now.
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PRIMAL SCREAM ADDED TO ROSKILDE BILL
More festival type news: Primal Scream have joined the line up for this year's Roskilde Festival. They join previously reported acts such as Sigur Ros, Arctic Monkeys, Kanye West and Placebo on the bill for the Danish event, which takes place from 29 Jun - 2 Jul.
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BETH ORTON TOUR
Beth Orton has announced a second set of tour dates for autumn 2006. New double A side single 'Shopping Trolley'/'Comfort of Strangers' is out on 26 Jun. Tickets for the new gigs go on sale tomorrow, dates as follows:
8 Sep: Edinburgh Queen's Hall
9 Sep: Manchester Bridgewater Hall
10 Sep: Cardiff St David's Hall
12 Sep: London Hammersmith Apollo
13 Sep: Portsmouth Guildhall
14 Sep: Birmingham Symphony Hall
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LONGCUT TOUR
The Longcut have announced details of a summer tour, set to take place following the release of their new album 'Call And Response' on 12 Jun. Dates are as follows:
10 July: Liverpool Stanley Theatre
11 July: Hull The Lamp
12 July: Nottingham Social
13 July: Bath Moles
15 July: Oxford Zodiac
16 July: Suffolk Latitude Festival
17 July: Sheffield Leadmill
19 July: Glasgow King Tuts
20 July: Leeds Faversham
22 July: Norwich Arts Centre
23 July: London Lovebox
24 July: Bristol Fleece
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DIXIE CHICKS TOUR SALES SUFFER
Those recent controversies surrounding the Dixie Chicks may not have hit their record sales, but it may yet prove to have an impact on their live revenues.
As everyone knows, the Dixie Chicks suffered a backlash among their natural fan base in the US in 2003 when the group's Natalie Maines made comments criticising the foreign policy of George Bush during a concert in London. Despite initially retracting those comments, Maines has subsequently reaffirmed her negative opinions of the current US President.
With much of their traditional fan base coming from pro-Bush Republican communities, and with many radio stations in those communities boycotting their music, there were fears that there would be a considerable sales slump when the girls released their new album 'Taking The Long Way'. However, while US sales of that album were down on previous long player 'Home', they still shifted over half a million units in first week of release, making the LP one of the best selling albums of the year so far.
However, sales of tickets for their upcoming Accidents & Accusations tour are reportedly going less well, with rumours circulating that several dates are likely to be cancelled or postponed as a result. Billboard reports that most shows in the 20-plus Arena tour have so far shifted just a third of the available tickets, or less in some 'secondary markets'. A planned Memphis date has reportedly been pulled because of ticket sale concerns, while cancellations of shows in Indianapolis, Houston and Oklahoma City are also reportedly being considered. Some venues are reporting healthy ticket sales, but certainly the overall picture does not compare well with the girls 2003 tour when 867,000 tickets were sold on the first weekend they were available, with additional shows being added in many markets.
Of course the Dixie Chicks have also taken something of a different musical direction with their latest album, which might also explain the reluctance of their traditional fan base to splash out on concert tickets - that is to say, it might not all be about the politics. Though that said, in Toronto, where one would assume Maines' anti-Bush remarks would have got a more receptive response, their show is a sell out and a second date has been added to meet demand.
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RISE ADDITIONS
I seem to remember in a recent story on London's Rise festival I might have taken the opportunity to have a dig at the Mayor Of London's office, who organise the event, and in particular their inability to return phone calls or respond to emails. I should probably have added that the Rise team are excluded from this dig - they being a very responsive bunch - it's just all their fellow City Hall colleagues who don't seem to know what the reply button on Outlook Express does. Especially that Harry Barlow. You'd think someone with the job title 'Communications Advisor' would at least know how to reply to an email. Oh hang on, I seem to have got off the point here slightly. What was the point?
Oh, I remember, just to prove that the Rise people are very communicative, I can confirm to you (because they confirmed to me) that The Duke Spirit have just been added to the line up of Rise: London United which, as we mentioned before, takes place in London's Finsbury Park on 8 Jul. They join a main stage line up that already includes Graham Coxon, Roy Ayers, Buzzcocks, Sway, Killa Kela and the Wailers.
Also confirmed are the DJs due to appear on the festival's DJ Bus - which include DJ Scratchy, DJ Pogo, The Mighty Trojan Soundsystem and Bobby Friction.
More info at http://www.risefestival.org - press info from [email protected] who, I can assure you, will get straight back to you. Just don't got expect any communications advice from Harry.
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TUNETRIBE LAUNCH LABEL
Independent download store TuneTribe has just announced it is launching its own record label, TuneTribe Recordings, which will release music both digitally and physically - the latter especially on vinyl. The new label will capitalise on the great relationships TuneTribe enjoys with the hundreds of independent bands that it already works with via the download platform, though plans are also in the pipeline to work with some established artists keen to sidestep the traditional recording contract model.
The label's first release is more along the lines of the latter - a very buzzy single from Sugardaddy, a new collaboration between Groove Armada's Tom Findlay and Tim Hutton. But the second release is likely to come from the TuneTribe community in the form of hot new indie outfit The Romance. More on that when we get it.
Meantime, press enquiries on all this to [email protected]
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EMI LAUNCH MOBILE SALES WITH PAYPAL
EMI UK has announced a partnership with online payment people PayPal which will see them sell the debut album from Corinne Bailey-Rae direct to consumers via mobile.
The new 'Text To Buy' service is similar to that being launched by HMV in the UK. A special SMS number will be included in marketing for the album. Mobile owners with PayPal accounts will be able to use the number to order a copy of the album via their phone, paying via their PayPal account. The CD will then be sent out by the label to their registered PayPal mailing address. Buying the album this way will cost £10 plus £1 for postage and packing.
The aim of this kind of system is to simplify the process of buying things over the mobile internet - and the PayPal tie in will, for existing PayPal subscribers at least, simplify things even more, because customers won't have to type in all their credit card details from scratch.
Confirming the venture, EMI Senior VP Digital Media Mike McMahon told reporters: "EMI is constantly looking for new and innovative ways of reaching music fans, and enabling them to buy our music quickly and effectively. Mobile payments are especially exciting because they will offer a new method for customers to buy music which matches their lifestyles."
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RADIO 1 ENCOURAGES GUNS AND KNIVES, APPARENTLY
Turns out, it's all Radio 1's fault. I've suspected it for some time. Especially that Jo Whiley. But now it's been confirmed - Radio 1 is the primary cause of knife and gun crime in the UK. Or at least it is according to Tory top man David Cameron.
OK, I might be misquoting him slightly there. What he actually said, when talking to the British Society Of Magazine Editors the other night, was: "I would say to Radio 1, do you realise that some of the stuff you play on Saturday nights encourages people to carry guns and knives?".
He was answering a question about how he would tackle rising crime, and it seems Cameron was making reference to the lyrical content of some of the hip hop that gets aired at the weekend, which, he reckons, encourages young people to carry knives and guns (you know, I'm can't help thinking that he's not 100% wrong in that accusation). The Tory man said he knew those kinds of comments might prove controversial but that they were a demonstration that he has "the courage to speak up when you see something that is wrong".
Radio 1, needless to say, refuted the claims, presumably because it's only the nerdy hip hop heads that listen to Radio 1 - the cool, knife-owning kids listening to the pirates instead. A spokesman for the station told reporters yesterday: "Radio 1 strongly refutes any suggestion that the station condones or encourages knife or gun culture. The station takes its responsibilities very seriously and has strict producer guidelines that govern all of the output. Hip-hop is a huge international genre with a vibrant UK scene and that music reflects the sometimes harsher realities of people's lives and cultures."
Cameron is not the first politician to express concern over hip hop lyrics, of course. In 2003 then Home Secretary David Blunkett said he planned to speak to music producers and community leaders about some of the "appalling" lyrics that appear in hip hop, while former culture minister Kim Howells once said that certain parts of the hip hop community were guilty of creating a culture "where killing is almost a fashion accessory".
Of course what we really need is for Chuck D to turn all these hip hop kids off violence and onto radical politics - though I'm not convinced Cameron, Blunkett et al would be all that keen on that either.
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RECORDSTORE APPOINT NEW MARKETING GUY
Jobs type news now, and Digital Stores Limited, the company behind Recordstore.co.uk and Teeshirtstore.co.uk, have appointed Wylie Onile-Ere to the role of Online Marketing Manager to coordinate all the company's marketing operations. Onile-Ere brings with him marketing experience from Kiss 100, Galaxy FM, Frost & Sullivan Marketing Consulting and several other e-business solution providers, while his knowledge of all things music is aided not only by those radio jobs, but also via his own extensive DJ career. So now you know.
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HMV REJIG
HMV have announced some changes in their Music Department, with the creation of two new jobs, Commercial Manager (Music) and Product Manager (Music), both of which will report to the recently appointed Head Of Music, Gary Rolfe. The first job will be done by Rudy Osorio, the company's Specialities & Classical Manager since 2004, while the latter will be done by Melanie Armstrong, currently Rock & Pop Manager.
Additionally, there will be three genre managers reporting to Mel - Steve Owen will remain in his current position as Dance & Urban Manager, Allen Webb will move from his current role as Irish Product Manager to become Rock & Pop Manager, and Tony Shaw will take over the Specialities & Classical Manager role.
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DARLING DEPARTURE
Tom March is leaving one of our favourite press companies, Darling Department, to take up a Product Manager role at Universal Island. He leaves Darling tomorrow, and starts work at Island next week.
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ALBUM REVIEW: Robin Guthrie - Continental (Rocket Girl)
Shimmering, incandescent, opaque, glistening... just some of the words you'll see in any description of the oeuvre of Robin Guthrie, influential guitarist in pioneering 4AD act The Cocteau Twins. Seeing as we're in the midst of a full-blown shoe-gazing revival (Slowdive getting lavishly reissued and reappraised, club nights like Sonic Cathedral and Club AC30 reviving the movement, and artists like Ulrich Schnauss, Sigur Ros, Jeniferever and Engineers all clearly in thrall to shoegazing's sonic aesthetic), it's timely that the master should reappear and show his apprentices that he invented these tricks in the first place and can still perform them very well, thank you. He duly demonstrates his spectral magic on 'Continental', an album full of Guthrie's trademark guitar and copious effects pedals sound. The problem, if it can be described as such, is that the album is instrumental, and Guthrie's playing has the most effect as a foil for equally distinctive vocals - such as the Cocteau's ethereal Liz Fraser, or the breathy tones of Siobhan De Mare (who Guthrie has released two albums with as the duo Violet Indiana). As such, the album feels a touch insubstantial; it's undeniably beautiful, evocative, moody stuff, but lacks the lasting impact and emotional resonance of his collaborative work. As an instrumental soundtrack for a film yet to exist, 'Continental' serves it purpose well, but is probably an album for hardcore fans of his work or the genre in general, rather than one that the unconverted should necessarily explore to see what all the fuss is about. MS
Release date: 12 Jun
Press Contact: Stone Immaculate [all]
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BILLY BRAGG DOESN'T LIKE MYSPACE SHOCKER
Of course, he does have a MySpace page. But Billy Bragg has spoken out against MySpace, and correspondingly, Rupert Murdoch, over claims that the Fox-owned networking site has the right to exploit music posted on band sites as it will. In a post entitled "Sorry there's no music", a representative of Bragg has written on the singer's MySpace blog: "once an artist posts up any content (including songs), it then belongs to My Space (AKA Rupert Murdoch) and they can do what they want with it, throughout the world without paying the artist."
Asked for comment on the issue, MySpace spokesman Jeff Berman responded, "Because the legalese has caused some confusion, we are at work revising it to make it very clear that MySpace is not seeking a license to do anything with an artist's work other than allow it to be shared in the manner the artist intends. Obviously, we don't own their music or do anything with it that they don't want."
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MICK ROCK MAKES DJ DEBUT
Rock photographer Mick Rock is to make his DJ debut, hosting a series of twelve programmes live from New York, to be broadcast throughout the Xfm network. The show will feature new music, plus the photographers stories and reminiscences from a long career during which he has worked with the likes of David Bowie, Kate Moss, Michael Stipe, Johnny Marr, The Killers and Scissor Sisters. The shows will also be available as Xfm's first enhanced podcast.
Rock will also spend a week at the station's offices in London and Manchester, photographing DJs, live sessions and gigs for an exhibit to celebrate Xfm's tenth anniversary next year.
Rock says: "I've done some club DJ-ing over the years. But this is the first time my fave tracks and my mouth have been coordinated for national broadcast on my very own show. I'm buzzed as a budgie about it all. It'll be the latest releases from the new acts I'm shooting, blended with classic tracks from old friends of mine, hot and heavy from my New York hideaway."
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KYLIE NAMED WOMAN OF THE YEAR BY GLAMOUR
Glamour magazine have named Kylie Minogue their 'Woman Of The Year'. The singer, who was, of course, diagnosed with breast cancer last year, was not at the ceremony but sent a message saying: "The last year has been my least public but, in many ways, the most. Your support has been an enormous help and I hope to be back with you all in person very soon."
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GWEN SUED RE HANDBAGS
Gwen Stefani may end up in court over a handbag. Her range of designer bags are manufactured by fashion label Schifter and Partners, and the company are being sued for $1m over claims by rival manufacturers LeSportsac that the singer's Harajuku Lovers handbag collection is a rip-off of their products. It's thought Stefani will have to appear in court in September; it's not clear if that appearance will coincide with the dawn, or not.