| CMU Daily - on the inside Thursday 10th August |
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In today's CMU Daily:
- CMU at the Edinburgh Festival
- US judge to decide on long running Jacko dispute
- Jay Z to support clean water campaign
- Peaches supports PETA's anti seal clubbing campaign
- Outkast still together, OK?
- DJ Bacon attacked after debut show
- Barat take note: saki + motorbike = broken collar bone
- Major Scottish music event cancelled
- Jet tour
- Mystery Jets charity gig
- EMI sign up to new P2P service
- Monster Mob shares up after takeover talk
- MySpace gets 100 millionth subscriber
- Britney & Kevin video online
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CMU AT THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL>>
So, we are still being very busy covering everything to do with the good old Edinburgh Festival. If you're planning on visiting the city during the festival season, make sure you check out http://www.threeweeks.co.uk where our coverage continues to expand pretty much every hour of the day. Plus our podcast coverage will kick off any day now. Meantime, here's the really exciting bit, you don't need to be anywhere near Edinburgh to enjoy the festival, because the official festival radio station, Festival FM, is now streaming online, so wherever you are you can tune in to the ThreeWeeks Radio show, hosting by the CMU team, every day from 11am to 1pm. Go on, you know you want to - http://www.festivalfm.net - just click on the 'listen live' button. Meantime, have some more Edinburgh Festival music reviews...
Out of the Blue at C Venue in the Edinburgh Fringe (until 28 Aug)
Want to hear twelve hot men sing cool songs? Like boy band dance routines coupled with superb musicianship? This engaging a cappella group from Oxford University danced and sang with humour, enthusiasm and great skill. Their set featured the works of Stevie Wonder, Queen, Coldplay and Tom Jones, and included drum and guitar effects without the aid of microphones. Slick choreography ensured that the show jumped with energy and fun, whilst sharp suits and dry ice completed the visual appeal. Anyone who's ever taken a communal shower knows how hard it is for this number of guys to sing unaccompanied, yet they're in tune and on fire! Part of the ticket price supports a music school in Soweto. LR
tw rating: 5/5
Jonathan Prag Classical Guitar at Cafe Royal in the Edinburgh Fringe (until 28 Aug)
Jonathan Prag moves from some Bach ("For Guitar?!" I hear you gasp - apparently so!) through pieces from Spanish, Russian and Irish composers to a couple of songs by Cole Porter. Whilst in places the haunting beauty of the music was able to shine through, I got the feeling that Mr. Prag wasn't 100% confident in his playing of the pieces; they were interspersed with the briefest of hesitations, and his plucking wasn't always the sharpest. There were no major flaws, but it was just enough to keep a pleasant reverie at arm's length. He was, however, very personable, and told some great anecdotes about the composers and their music in between pieces. Which was nice. JC
tw rating: 3/5
Heads We're Dancing at Sweet ECA in the Edinburgh Fringe (until 20 Aug)
Described as Western Australia's premier 'electronic global groove' dance band, I think these guys may have been first in on the electronic scene simply because they were making music so many years back. These tunes may have been rocking twenty years ago but with some seriously dodgy eighties synth and piano, the whole act now just sounds dated. Some of the tunes are really quite danceable but the lyrics are cliched and the music's definitely not genius. 'Heads We're Dancing' is good crack, possibly, if you're an Aussie and upwards of thirty, but otherwise I suggest you look elsewhere to get your music kicks at 10pm on a festival night. Heads We're Dancing, tails were going somewhere else. LW
tw rating: 2/5
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US JUDGE TO DECIDE ON LONG RUNNING JACKO DISPUTE
A Superior Court judge is to make a ruling on a lawsuit filed by Michael Jackson relating to that long running dispute with concert promoter Marcel Avram over two cancelled concerts from New Year's Eve 1999. Jackson claims that Avram has breached a previous agreement relating to this dispute, and is looking for a court resolution that prevents the promoter from taking any further action against him.
As previously reported, Avram originally sued Jackson after the singer pulled out of the two 1999 concerts, leaving him considerably out of pocket. In 2002 the two parties reached an out of court settlement which saw Jackson pay the promoter $6.5 million. The latest dispute is over whether that settlement was final and binding, or whether Avram still has rights to push for third party arbitration in a bid to secure a bigger compensation pay out.
Speaking for Jackson at the Superior Court this week, lawyer Thomas Mundell said that this was a dispute ended in 2002 which Avram had no right in pursuing any further. He told the court: "Nobody pays $6.5 million and doesn't get a full release from future claims". But Avram's lawyer denies the matter has been fully resolved, suggesting his client is looking for at least another $3 million in compensation.
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JAY Z TO SUPPORT CLEAN WATER CAMPAGIN
Jay Z is throwing his support behind a campaign to get better water supplies to the 1.1 billion people worldwide who are estimated to live without clean drinking water. The rap-star-come-Def-Jam-chief hopes to motivate young hip hop fans to support the campaign.
He is backing a campaign being run by MTV and the UN to get water pumps installed in over 1000 African cities - the aim is to get to work installing them while Jay Z undertakes his up coming world tour - which MTV will film. Or something like that, to be honest I'm a bit confused as to how Jay's support will actually work - presumably he's not planning on digging the wells himself, so I guess he'll be trying to persuade his fans, and his fans' parents, to donate money to the project.
Confirming his involvement, he told reporters this week: "I started looking around and looking at ways that I could become helpful, it started at the first thing - water, something as simple as water. It took very little, very little to see these numbers."
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PEACHES SUPPORTS PETA'S ANTI SEAL CLUBBING CAMPAIGN
Talking of pop stars supporting things, Peaches has added her voice to the previously reported campaign against the clubbing of seals over there in Canada. A Toronto native, Peaches is appearing in a new ad from the People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals, alongside an image of a hunter about to kill a seal, with the strapline: "Canada's Club Scene Sucks".
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OUTKAST STILL TOGETHER, OK?
Look, will you stop saying that Outkast have split up, just because the up coming Outkast tour will only feature Big Boi? Just listen to Andre 3000, OK? This is what he told MTV: "Yesterday I got a phone call from Big Boi and he said that on some hip hop web sites that the headlines were reading something to the effect of, 'It's Official: Outkast Is Broken Up', or something like that. Niggas hit me in the street like, 'Yeah man, I heard the bad news. Sorry to hear about that,' I'm like 'Man, what are you talking about?' Everything is still tight, most definitely. We're holding it under wraps. We want to keep it on the low so expectations won't be a certain way. But we're still doing music".
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DJ BACON ATTACKED AFTER DEBUT SHOW
Recently-returned-to-Xfm DJ Richard Bacon is recovering after being beaten up in a central London pub where he was celebrating his return to the alternative music station. The DJ was punched unconscious, and left with a broken nose and fat lip, after the incident in the toilets at the Garrick Pub in Charing Cross Road.
A friend told The Mirror: "He was just having a quiet drink with colleagues when he got up to go to the toilet - totally unaware he was being followed. Then these two thugs suddenly pounced on him. It was completely unprovoked and really vicious. It wasn't a mugging - his wallet and mobile phone were still on him when he came round. He's mystified why anyone would do this".
Bacon, who joked after the incident that "at least it's given me some good material for my radio show", added: "The weird thing is that although I was hit 14 or 15 times in the face and body, it didn't actually hurt. I think adrenalin must have kicked in."
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BARAT TAKE NOTE: SAKI + MOTORBIKE = BROKEN COLLAR BONE
Also in the pop emergency room is Carl Barat who has broken his collarbone after falling off a motorbike while drunk - which is a great way to precede his band's participation in that previously reported gig designed to promote road safety. The incident happened in Taiwan last week, though Barat stresses that it all occurred in a bar car park and that nothing, except his collar bone, obviously, was ever at risk.
Barat: "I went to karaoke and drunk a lot of saki, came outside, and people were stood out on their motorbikes. They were driving Triumphs which was a surprise to me, I asked to have a go and I did, and I fell off. I revved it up, and flew off the handle bars, only in a car park, I didn't endanger anyone but myself."
The injury came just ahead of a mini Dirty Pretty Things tour in the US. Although Barat is fit enough to perform, he won't be playing guitar - so The Paddingtons' Josh Hubbard will join the band for the duration of the tour to play guitar.
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MAJOR SCOTTISH MUSIC EVENT CANCELLED
That new big music thing due to take place in Edinburgh next month has been cancelled after a key investor failed to provide funding. The Let's Rock! Edinburgh event was due to take place on 30 Sep at the Royal Highland Centre on the outskirts of the city, and it was due to be the biggest ever indoor live event in the city.
But the event will not now go ahead. A statement on the event's website reads: "We are very disappointed and saddened to announce the cancellation today of Let's Rock! Edinburgh. This event was being funded with the aid of a private investor who is now not able to produce the necessary funding required to see the event continue. This unfortunately leaves us with no choice but the cancel the event with immediate effect".
It continues: "All tickets will be refunded if you return to your point of purchase. If you purchased online or via telephone, please contact the ticket agent who will issue you with a full refund."
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JET TOUR
Have we mentioned the upcoming Jet tour? I have a sense of deja vu here, but this seems to be a new story. Anyhow, Jet will tour the UK in November to promote their up coming album 'Shine On', which is out on 2 Oct. Dates as follows:
1 Nov: Newcastle Academy
3 Nov: Glasgow Barrowlands
4 Nov: Manchester Academy
5 Nov: Birmingham Academy
7 Nov: London, Brixton Academy
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MYSTERY JETS CHARITY GIG
Those Mystery Jets have announced details of a charity show on the Isle Of Wight on 7 Sep from which all proceeds will go to the Isle Of Wight National Therapies Trust, Cuddalore Health and Agricultural Trust India. The date, on 7 Sep, will slot into their already announced UK tour, which looks awfully like this:
30 Aug: Birmingham, Custard Factory
31 Aug: Cardiff, Club Ifor Bach
1 Sep: Manchester, Music Box
2 Sep: Glasgow, Barfly
3 Sep: Aberdeen, Mohulu
4 Sep: Liverpool, Academy
6 Sep: Southampton, Joiners
8 Sep: Brighton, Engine Rooms
9 Sep: London, ICA
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LARRIKIN LOVE TOUR
Larrikin Love are going on rather a long tour supporting those The Kooks fellows. They are also planning on releasing a four track EP next month - headlined by 'Happy As Annie' off their forthcoming debut album (out 25 Sep), there will also be three other new songs which, as far as I'm aware, won't be appearing on that album - they are 'Cucumber' and 'A Little Piece Of My Heart', and another one as yet untitled. The EP will be out on 11 Sep. Meanwhile, back to those 'supporting The Kooks' dates...
26 Sep: Nottingham Rock City
27 Sep: Bristol Academy
28 Sep: Brighton Dome
30 Sep: Southampton Guildhall
1 Oct: Norwich UEA
2 Oct: Newcastle Academy
3 Oct: Leeds University
5 Oct: Sheffield Octagon
6/7 Oct: Manchester Academy 1
9 Oct: Exeter University Great Hall
10 Oct: Cardiff University Great Hall
11 Oct: Birmingham Carling Academy
13 Oct: Cambridge Corn Exchange
14 Oct: Glasgow Barrowlands
15 Oct: Aberdeen Music Hall
17 Oct: London Forum
18 Oct: London Astoria
19 Oct: London Shepherd's Bush Empire
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EMI SIGN UP TO NEW P2P SERVICE
A new player in the legit P2P space, Qtrax, has confirmed it now has licensing deals with both the publishing and recording businesses of the EMI Group. The New York based company has entered into a deal with both EMI Records and EMI Music Publishing, giving the newcomer a good boost ahead of the launch of its system.
Exactly how Qtrax will work is still not clear, though it is understood the system will carry advertising which will generate revenues for signed up record and publishing companies. Whether a subscription will be charged in addition to advertising revenue is not yet clear.
Despite the vagueness of exactly how the new service will work, or when it will launch, the EMI companies do seem convinced by the P2P operation's plans, with EMI Music Publishing co-CEO Roger Faxon saying that their model "fits perfectly into the EMI Music Publishing strategy of embracing new, precedent setting business models that have the potential to expand the market for music."
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MONSTER MOB SHARES UP AFTER TAKEOVER TALK
Good morning to shareholders in ringtone outfit MonsterMob. Or, rather, it is a good morning for shareholders in ringtone outfit MonsterMob, after the company's share price shot up more than 21 percent following an announcement by the company that it had received an indicative approach that could lead to a takeover offer. The boost comes after a period which saw the value of the company fall as bosses there issued two profit warnings.
Despite the boost in share price, with many investment types noting that a take over could help MonsterMob take advantage of potential growth into new ringtone markets in China and the US, the company itself remained non-committal about whether or not the recent approach would actually result in acquisition. In a statement issued Tuesday, the company said: "The board wishes to stress that discussions are at a preliminary stage, the proposals being considered are subject to a number of material preconditions and there is no certainty that any offer will be made for the company".
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MYSPACE GETS 100 MILLIONTH SUBSCRIBER
Also a good morning for MySpace, who have just signed up their 100 millionth member aided, obviously, by the immense popularity of CMU's MySpace Of The Day feature. It is a considerable achievement for the social networking site, though some point out that many users have more than one page, that there are many spoof pages, and that some pages are essentially now redundant - and that a recent survey by online measurement company Comscore reckoned MySpace actually had about 66,401 unique users globally. But still, the latest landmark surely demonstrates that MySpace is definitely one of the big online phenomenons of the last 18 months.
Of course, as previously reported, newer rival Bebo is doing its best to catch up, especially among younger web surfers. We hear that Bebo is now also hoping to take on that other recent online phenomenon, YouTube, by relaunching its video blogging facilities sometime soon.
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BRITNEY & KEVIN VIDEO ONLINE
Talking of YouTube, apparently something akin to a home video of Britney Spears and hubby Kevin Federline has appeared on the video site - it is most likely an outtake from the couple's reality show Britney & Kevin: Chaotic (filmed back in 2004). In it they discuss various movies, and at one point talk about 'Back To The Future'. Britney apparently says: "Is that possible, to time travel back in space?" Federline responds: "No" to which she replies "Yes it is, Kevin". The greatest character comedians on the circuit just now? We can only hope so.