| CMU Daily - on the inside Wednesday 2nd August |
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In today's CMU Daily:
- Korn fan critically ill after gig brawl
- Mars Volta drummer quits
- Tommy Lee pilot charged with reckless flying
- My Chemical Romance on new album
- Goldfrapp remix album
- New McCartney album
- Album review: The Egg - Forwards
- Aretha Franklin gets special award
- Depeche Mode cancel Middle East appearance
- Sparklehorse announce UK tour
- James Dean Bradfield solo dates
- Single review: The Feeling - Never Be Lonely
- New digital chief at EMI
- Another digital Walkman launches
- Coke and Apple partner in Europe
- Apple respond to Norwegian regulator's concerns
- Fearne and Reggie get weekend breakfasts
- Madonna launches Wembley's Square Of Fame
- Cher auctions off art and stuff
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PRESS ROOM>>
KILL ALL HIPPIES AUGUST
Take note, the next Kill All Hippies will take place at the 333 Club in Shoreditch this Friday, 4 Aug. On the bill live wise will be band of the moment Humanzi plus Apartment in support, while KAH residents Jeff Automatic and Gavin Nugent will be joined by Mark Beaumont, Syrinx and Engineers on the decks (plus one more guest DJ tbc). Guest list in advance at http://www.leylinepromotions.com to enjoy a special five pound entry fee.
More info: http://www.cmumusicnetwork.co.uk/pressroom/killallhippies
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KORN FAN CRITICALLY ILL AFTER GIG BRAWL
A Korn fan is in a critical condition in hospital after being attacked by two unidentified men during the band's recent gig at the HiFi Buys Amphitheatre in Atlanta. Andy Richardson was assaulted after asking the men to be careful not to harm his pregnant girlfriend and a mentally ill child who was accompanying him.
Richardson's friend Edgar Arellano said: "We were all enjoying the concert, we were having a good time, until these two guys came around. He was unconscious. He had blood all over his face when I picked him up."
Richardson's mother Gloria says that her son is brain dead and that he is not expected to live, and has urged the men to turn themselves in, adding: "Can you imagine your child goes to a concert and be killed for it, because of people out there fighting to have a quote unquote good time? I'm very angry."
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MARS VOLTA DRUMMER QUITS
Jon Theodore has left The Mars Volta, ahead of the release of the band's new album, 'Amputechre', out 11 Sep. The drummer has been replaced by Blake Fleming on the upcoming US tour which begins on 7 Aug in Santa Cruz. The reasons for Theodore's departure have not been revealed by the band, who have as yet made no comment.
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TOMMY LEE PILOT CHARGED WITH RECKLESS FLYING
A pilot has been charged with reckless flying after being accused of landing a helicopter on a public street without permission, seemingly in order to pick up Tommy Lee and take him to a gig. David Martz, who will appear in court today to face the accusations, allegedly landed the helicopter outside a home in the Hollywood Hills on 7 Jul.
Martz, who was apparently flying the former Motley Crue drummer to a Nine Inch Nails concert fifty miles away, was charged with counts of reckless flying, landing an aircraft on a public road and landing an aircraft without a permit.
No statement has been forthcoming from the Lee camp. He would hold a press conference, but unfortunately his helicopter chauffeur is unavailable to take him to it just at the moment.
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MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE ON NEW ALBUM
My Chemical Romance will release their new album on 23 Oct. The long player as yet has no title, but the band have said some things about it to make up for this oversight.
Referring to 2004 album release, 'Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge', bassist Mikey Way said: "Even though 'Three Cheers' hadn't been out that long, we could hardly wait to jump into album three. We want this to be the album that My Chemical Romance is remembered for. We all have records that shaped our childhood and teen years. When you hear a song, it shoots you back to a moment in time. We want this album to do that for people. We want the entire world to be moved."
Speaking of producer Rob Cavallo, guitarist Ray Toro added: "Sonically, Rob is a master. It is a joy to watch him craft tones that make your song sound like you always dreamed it would."
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GOLDFRAPP REMIX ALBUM
Goldfrapp are set to release a US only remix album, 'We Are Glitter', on 17 Oct. The album will feature that previously reported Flaming Lips reworking of 'Satin Sheets', which is to be released as a single in the UK, via download from 14 Aug, and as a limited edition double A side on 4 Sep.
The tracklisting is as follows:
Satin Chic (Bombay Mix by the Shortwave Set)
Lovely 2 C U(T. Raumschmiere Remix)
Ooh La La (Benny Benassi Remix Extended)
You Never Know (Mum Remix)
Satin Chic (Through the Mystic Mix, Dimension 11 by The Flaming Lips)
Number 1 (Alan Braxe & Fred Falke Main Remix)
Fly Me Away (C2 Rmx 4)
Ride A White Horse ( FK- EK Vocal Version)
Slide In (DFA Remix)
Bonus Track:
Strict Machine (We Are Glitter Mix)
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NEW MCCARTNEY ALBUM
Paul McCartney is to release a new classical album this autumn. The LP, entitled 'Ecce Cor Meum', is out on 25 Sep and was recorded at Abbey Road. It features appearances from The Boys of Magdalen College Choir Oxford and The Boys of King's College Choir, Cambridge.
The work was commissioned Anthony Smith, former president of Magdalen College, Oxford University. Smith said he hoped the former Beatle would create "a choral piece which could be sung by young people the world over in the same way Handel's Messiah is."
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ALBUM REVIEW: The Egg - Forwards (Squarepeg Records)
The Egg are the very definition of a cult band. They've built up a really good reputation playing at festivals all over the place, whilst never really breaking through to the mainstream. They released a couple of well-received albums, 'Albumen' and 'Travelator', towards the end of the millennium and then just dropped of the radar. This is actually a re-release of an album that came out a couple of years ago, with a new single added to the original track line-up. To justify the re-release further, there's also an extra disc thrown in containing remixes by the likes of Mylo and Tocadisco. Things get off to a low-key start with 'Wall', before going into 'Funky Dubé', a typical Egg tune. It's a tight instrumental funk jam, that sounds really controlled, but maintains that 'jamming with mates' feel that is so important to the band. 'Forwards' and the new single 'Nothing' (out on 16 October) are songs that use their live instrumentation to give you the feeling that you're listening to more than just another electronica group (even though 'Walking Away' does instantly bring to mind Air). Here's wondering if this album gets a bit more recognition - it's definitely got enough classic Egg moments in it to be a good advert for their brand of dance music played with live instruments and a cheeky smile to boot. Don't forget to catch them at a festival near you for the full experience as well. TH
Release Date: 18 Sep
Press contact: Squarepeg Records IH [all]
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ARETHA FRANKLIN GETS SPECIAL AWARD
Aretha Franklin is to become the first woman to get an Award of Excellence from America's United Negro College Fund. The honour recognises Franklin's efforts towards helping students get into higher education, as well as other charity work.
UNCF president Michael Lomax said that Franklin's career "established a standard of excellence that exemplifies the educational distinction to which our member colleges are dedicated and to which they hold their students."
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DEPECHE MODE CANCEL MIDDLE EAST APPEARANCE
Depeche Mode have cancelled an upcoming gig in Tel Aviv due to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. The band were due to play at the city's Hayarkon Park tomorrow, but have now posted a statement on their website explaining that the concert will not go ahead.
A statement added: "Unfortunately, at present there is no way to reschedule the concert, as this is the end of the Depeche Mode world tour. The band apologise to the fans, and thank them for their understanding".
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SPARKLEHORSE ANNOUNCE UK TOUR
Sparklehorse, aka Mark Linkous, has announced a series of tour dates in support of previously reported new album, 'Dreamy For Light Years In The Belly Of A Mountain', the first Sparklehorse release in five years, out on 24 Sep.
Dates are as follows:
26 Sep: Norwich Waterfront
27 Sep: Bristol Fleece
28 Sep: Hammersmith Working Men's Club
29 Sep: Oxford Zodiac
30 Sep: Reading Fez
1 Oct: Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms
3 Oct: Nottingham Rescue Rooms
4 Oct: Glasgow Tuts
5 Oct: Aberdeen Moshulu
6 Oct: Leeds Cockpit
8 Oct: Sheffield Leadmill
9 Oct: Brighton Old Market
10 Oct: London Newcastle Academy
12 Oct: Liverpool Stanley Theatre
14 Oct: Dublin Whelans
16 Oct: Galway Roison Dubh
17 Oct: Belfast Empire
19 Oct: Edinburgh Liquid Rooms
20 Oct: Manchester Royal Northern College of Music
21 Oct: Stoke Sugarmill
26 Oct: London Queen Elizabeth Hall
27 Oct: London Queen Elizabeth Hall
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JAMES DEAN BRADFIELD SOLO DATES
Manic Street Preacher James Dean Bradfield has announced a series of tour dates to support the release of his debut solo album 'The Great Western', which was released on 24 Jul. As follows:
4 Oct: Dundee Fat Sam's
6 Oct: Glasgow Garage
7 Oct: Sheffield Leadmill
8 Oct: Liverpool Barfly
10 Oct: Manchester Academy 2
11 Oct: Birmingham Barfly
12 Oct: Leeds Cockpit
14 Oct: Newbridge Memorial Hall
15 Oct: Brighton Concorde 2
16 Oct: Cardiff University
18 Oct: Nottingham Rescue Rooms
19 Oct: London Koko
20 Oct: Oxford Zodiac
22 Oct: Cambridge Junction
23 Oct: Stoke Sugarmill
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SINGLE REVIEW: The Feeling - Never Be Lonely (Universal/Island)
The Feeling are a band who have so far managed to slip under my radar. Perhaps it was the huge amount of radio play their first single 'Sewn' got that made me inadvertently ignore them in favour of less established acts (me being the revolutionary musical visionary that I am). Or perhaps it was the sense of 'Oh God, another one?' when faced with yet another band with the name 'the... something', who all somehow manage to sound like each other anyway. Regardless of that, dismissing The Feeling would be a huge mistake. I think I've already read a few reviews that describe their music as classic song writing, and I can't really think of any better way to describe them. Words and phrases such as 'exquisitely crafted' and 'unpretentious pop' have probably been bandied about, and they're very appropriate too. All those terms can be applied to this track here - a deceptively simple melody and perfect harmonies combine to make an effortlessly great song. It was only the other day that I was driving along listening to ELO's 'Mr Blue Sky' (me being the revolutionary musical visionary I am), saying to myself 'they don't music like this anymore'. Well, thanks to The Feeling, they do, and more power to them I say. TH
Release Date: 28 Aug
Press contact: Island IH [all]
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NEW DIGITAL CHIEF AT EMI
Lots of digital news today folks. First up, digital appointments news, and those recent sudden departures in the world of major label digital divisions kind of came full circle yesterday when EMI announced a new appointment.
As previously reported, senior EMI digital execs Ted Cohen and Adam Klein both exited the company last month. Then, soon after, Universal's digital man Barney Wragg quit, somewhat abruptly. It has now been confirmed that he has, in fact, jumped ship, and will take on the top digital post at EMI forthwith.
EMI confirmed that Wragg was its new Head Of Digital yesterday. He will report directly to EMI Music's CEO Alain Levy and Vice Chairman David Munns. Levy said yesterday that Barney was a "highly experienced and respected digital music executive" who would help the company enter its "next phase in the evolution of our digital strategy".
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ANOTHER DIGITAL WALKMAN LAUNCHES
Sony have launched yet another new MP3 player as it continues to do battle (albeit not very well) will Apple's iPod. The company says that its latest flash-based players, the NW-E Player, are especially designed to offer more "stamina" and "a splash of color" into the "portable listening experience", which is a PR's way of saying "Apple's battery lives are rubbish compared to ours, and we are now making players in pretty colours, something Apple dropped a while back".
Sony Electronics' Mitch Li told reporters that they see the new players as being perfect for newcomers to the world of digital music or, in his words, that: "The new Walkman player is a great choice for people getting introduced to digital music".
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COKE AND APPLE PARTNER IN EUROPE
Following the previously reported closure earlier this year of Coke's own download platform in the UK, the drinks brand has confirmed a new tie up with Apple and iTunes in various European countries.
The partnership will begin with a large promotion in both the UK and Germany - in the former, Coke customers can win one of 700 million free tunes from the Apple download platform, whilst in Germany, Coke will run competitions to win iPods. A special page will be launched on Coke's website where consumers can collect free downloads in return for typing in special numbers published on bottles and multi-packs of Coca-Cola.
The promotion will be launched by a number of Coke branded gigs, which will be recorded and subsequently made available via iTunes. There are no details as yet as to which artists will be involved in those gigs, although Coke and Apple both say they hope to champion new and unsigned talent through their latest music initiative.
A spokesman for Apple told reporters: "In the UK, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, unsigned artists will have a venue to upload songs, giving them potential for broad exposure on the site through artist highlights, European podcasts available on iTunes, and invitations to play at Coke-sponsored European festivals".
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APPLE RESPOND TO NORWEGIAN REGULATOR'S CONCERNS
Talking of Apple, the legal beagles at the computer firm have responded to regulators in Norway who, you may well remember, have expressed concerns over the iTunes End User Licensing Agreement as well as Apple's strategy of locking customers to their service through proprietary DRM - you know, the same thing that has been bothering some French politicians, albeit without much result.
Norwegian officials had demanded that Apple respond to its concerns by this week, and the computer firm have complied with that request, although what they have said to the regulators is so far unknown. What is known is that consumer rights bodies in neighbouring Sweden and Denmark have also raised similar concerns in their respective territories, with the Swedish government most likely to take Apple to task over what it reckons are unfair business practices which arguably violate Sweden's consumer protection laws. Certainly Bjorn Smith of the Swedish Consumer Agency seemed to be prepared to take action if Apple cannot reassure regulators regarding their concerns, telling reporters: "If Apple won't change anything, we'll most probably have to take it to the court in Sweden".
Given that the aforementioned French movement to force Apple to share its DRM system seems to have lost momentum, perhaps it will be the Scandinavian governments that really puts the rights and wrongs of Apple's business model under public scrutiny.
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FEARNE AND REGGIE GET WEEKEND BREAKFASTS
Having proved so popular with, erm, no one really, as hosts of Top Of The Pops, Fearne Cotton and Reggie Yates are being handed the Radio 1 weekend breakfast show. The dynamic duo currently present an early early show for the station on Fridays, but will now take over the weekend breakfast slot from Spoony, who is leaving the music station to go and present sports programmes for Radio 5 Live. The good news is that the duo are being handed the very time slot when Marsha can be found presenting Xfm's weekend breakfast show, so you'd never be needing to stray to Radio 1 anyway. (OK, a bit of a London-centric observation, granted, though I was tuned into Marsha's show on Saturday here in Edinburgh thanks to the wonders of a laptop, a WiFi'ed flat and the world wide web).
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MADONNA LAUNCHES WEMBLEY'S SQUARE OF FAME
Exciting news now, though mainly for fans of hand prints. But celebrity hand prints. I mean, we wouldn't be wasting valuable CMU Daily space with stories about any old hand prints.
Madonna (she's the celebrity) has unveiled a bronze cast of her hands outside London's Wembley Arena, and in doing so has become the first artist to be honoured in what Wembley bosses hope will become a 'Square Of Fame'. The new Hollywood Walk Of Fame style attraction follows that previously reported extensive revamp of the North London arena, and a seemingly increased promotional push for the venue (most likely to try and distance the Arena from its neighbour and namesake, the ever growing embarrassment that is the Wembley Stadium).
Madonna said that it was a "great honour" to be the first artist to appear in the Square Of Fame, adding that the award made her "feel like an honorary Brit". She added: "I look forward to seeing other artists adding their handprints alongside mine".
Arena owners Quintain Estates hope to make regular additions to the Square Of Fame, with Kylie Minogue and George Michael both expected to be unveiling their handprints in the Square in the near future.
The inaugural handprint revealing ceremony in the Square Of Fame came just ahead of Madonna's eight night (sort of) residency at the arena.
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CHER AUCTIONS OFF ART AND STUFF
Cher has said she is planning to auction off around seven hundred pieces of art and furniture.
In a statement released by Sotheby's, the singer said that selling off the items was significant of a new phase in her life, saying: "I am beginning a new chapter in my career and have decided to rewrite my personal environment, my home". The auction, set to be held at the Beverly Hilton in LA from 3-4 Oct will also see some memorabilia, jewellery, and clothing go on sale. The combined items are expected to raise more than a million dollars, with proceeds going to The Cher Charitable Foundation.
I think I need to rewrite my personal environment, actually. Perhaps I'll auction off all my old Tupperware.