| CMU Daily - on the inside Monday 2nd October |
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In today's CMU Daily:
- Jacko reaches settlement with ex over kids
- Megaman no immediate So Solid plans
- Watson in good spirits after brain surgery
- The Game wants to end feud with 50 Cent, again
- George Michael arrested for cannabis possession, again
- Davis honoured on Hollywood's RockWalk
- McCulloch shocked by Capital Of Culture snub
- Single review: Lupen Crook - A Silver Boot For Sam
- New website encourages festivals to be eco-friendly
- McCartney duet to appear George Michael hits album
- Love's new songs are good, says Moby
- Killers album was leaked
- Melua to play a gig under a lot of water
- The Good, The Bad & The Queen debut in Devon
- Chew The Fat celebrates nine years
- Fabric celebrates seven years with five nights
- Patti Smith to headline final CBGBs New York gig
- Jet postpone
- The Kooks postpone
- The Futureheads postpone
- Stones touts just can't sell in Montana
- Teenage Fanclub launch Oxjam
- Former Led Zepp man plays benefit for neighbour
- Beyonce supports milk ingestion
- Tower bidders confirmed
- CAA open London office
- GCap boss on takeover and step down rumours
- BBC sign memo of understanding with Microsoft
- OWTL goes national
- Album review: Dan Sartain - Join Dan Sartain
- Chart update
- Total Rock world album chart
- Subshot playlist
- Lavigne apologises for spitting and profanity
- Doherty to design fashion
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TOP BIT>>
So the recorded and publishing sectors of the music industry are back on talking terms after an out of court settlement was reached last week on how big a slice of the proverbial pie should go to the songwriters and publishers every time a bit of digital music in sold. The agreement reached between the BPI on one side, and the MCPS/PRS alliance on the other, was significant. If only because it brought to an end the possibility of an expensive legal battle between two groups who, if you think about it, exist to represent a lot of the same people (many record labels, after all, also own publishing companies, and many songwriters are, don't forget, also recording artists).
But not all the issues have been resolved between MCPS/PRS and some of the digital music companies, so a smaller tribunal is still quite likely to go ahead. This is also possibly good news, because while none of us like the thought of the music business' revenues ending up in the pockets of lawyers, a copyright tribunal in itself is not necessarily a bad thing. Of course that depends on what the tribunal considers, and whether it reaches a clear conclusion - but a good tribunal can actually help not only those parties in dispute, but the wider content industries by ruling on classifications, settling arguments, making clarifications and setting precedents.
Most people in the copyright industries - content owners and users - would tell you they'd rather reach their own agreements on royalty issues, and there is a strong argument that where possible those owners and users should be allowed to reach their such agreements in the commercial domain. But there's also an argument that in some of those scenarios where a third party - normally a copyright tribunal - has stepped in, in the past, to force a resolution, both owners and users, while not initially always welcoming the third party's ruling, have often benefited in the long run, because what the third party ruling offers is 'closure' - not only for those parties involved, but for the wider content industry. A ruling means all sides can adapt their business models in accordance with it, and benefit from the more stable environment in which those models can now operate. And, crucially, newer independent and grass roots players will also benefit from that stability (assuming the ruling doesn't simply favour the big guy) - which in turn enables more innovation.
The point here? For the BPI and MCPS/PRS to avoid going to tribunal is a great achievement that should be welcomed, but just because tribunals are avoided don't assume the wider copyright issues of the digital age are anywhere near being solved - without tribunal that situation might be further away.
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JOBS N STUFF>>
LABEL MANAGER AT LEADING INDEPENDENT DISTRIBUTOR
A rare opportunity to join our label management team. The successful applicant will be a highly motivated & organised individual with relative retail / record label experience. Responsibilities will include day to day co-ordination of retail marketing, stock control, scheduling and basic production duties. Applicants must have the ability to work under pressure and to deadlines. Good understanding of current market essential, knowledge of Punk / Rock / Emo scene an advantage. If you're the person we're looking for contact: [email protected]
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ADVERTISE YOUR JOBS here for just £50 a week, or £150 for two weeks in the Daily and four weeks on the web. Email [email protected] for details.
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CLASSIFIEDS>>
1 OR 2 DESKS AVAILABLE, £50 p/w...
in bright, secure office with high ceilings and wooden floor, with lively Street Marketing & Club Promotions company, within converted warehouse. Kitchen/WCs shared with graphic designers, stylists, architects & similar businesses. Near Old Street tube and trendy Hoxton. Access to Wi-Fi, printers & fax included. Applicants should enjoy listening to CMU-style bands & BBC 6Music. Approx. Contact: [email protected]
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ADVERTISE YOUR SERVICES & PRODUCTS here for just £50 a week, or £150 for two weeks in the Daily and four weeks on the web. Email [email protected] for details.
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MYSPACE OF THE DAY: BROTHERLY
Brotherly are a London-based jazz/nu-jazz/broken beat collective led by producer and bassist-for-Zero 7 Robin Mullarkey and vocalist Anna Stubbs but featuring a cast much larger than that. I saw them play live at the Jazz Café a few months back, and they absolutely mesmerised the crowd. Actually, mesmerised is possibly the wrong word, because it implies that the crowd were staring straight ahead at the stage, like rabbits caught in headlights, or worse, like bizarre music-crazed zombies. They were in fact definitely jigging up and down a lot. I'll tell you what, let's call that crowd spellbound, instead. Hmm. Perhaps that word also implies some kind of motionless state, but whatever, you get my drift. Anyway, that's not why I mention them at this particular moment. Oh no. The reason I mention them just now is because they have a new single out on 9 Oct, It's called 'Searching', and you can preview a snippet on their MySpace page now - it's sounding really good. You can also listen to three other tracks, as you might expect. So off you go and listen to them. Cheers.
http://www.myspace.com/brotherly
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JACKO REACHES SETTLEMENT WITH EX OVER KIDS
Michael Jackson has reached a settlement with ex-wife Debbie Rowe over custody of their children.
As you'll remember, Rowe originally signed away her parental rights to Prince Michael and Paris as part of her divorce settlement with the singer back in 2001. But she made moves to reverse that agreement when Jacko first faced those unproven child abuse charges back in 2003, scoring some success in that bid when a court ruled the 2001 agreement invalid. Nevertheless, she has been battling for custody ever since and claims to have not seen the two children since Jacko left the US after the conclusion of the aforementioned child abuse court case last year.
As the dispute rumbled on the courts last month order Jackson to pay his ex-wife $60,000 to help with her legal fees. However, at the end of last week the case seemingly reached a conclusion, with both sides claiming that an unspecified out of court settlement had been agreed.
Rowe's lawyer Marta Almli told the Associated Press: "We're still dealing with the details but it addresses all of the disputes between the parties. I can't say anything about the terms of the settlement, but I don't think it would have happened if both parties didn't agree it was appealing to both of them".
Speaking for Jackson, attorney Michael Abrams, confirmed to Reuters that an agreement had been reached, adding that Jackson himself "wasn't in Los Angeles when we resolved it but that didn't prevent us from talking about it with him and having him sign it".
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MEGAMAN NO IMMEDIATE SO SOLID PLANS
So Solid Crew's Megaman has been talking to 1Xtra in the aftermath of the murder case against him. As previously reported, the rapper was last week finally acquitted of charges that he was involved in the murder of one Colin Scarlett back in 2004. Two previous court hearings had failed to reach a conclusion on the involvement of Megaman, real name Dwayne Vincent, in the fatal shooting of Scarlett, for which Vincent's friend Carl Morgan was convicted last year.
Vincent told the BBC station this weekend that: "I'm just a broken man, happy to be free you know? I'm kind of hurt at how the system treated me".
Regarding the future of the So Solid Crew, he continued: "There will never be a So Solid how it was before. I just want to take a back seat at this present time". He added that his immediate priority was to "structure my business properly" adding that he might "put a few films out" or produce some So Solid Crew clothing merchandise.
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WATSON IN GOOD SPIRITS AFTER BRAIN SURGERY
Opera singer Russell Watson was said to be "in good spirits" this weekend after emergency surgery last week to remove a benign brain tumour. The tumour was discovered after the classical tenor - in LA working on a new album - started complaining of headaches and impaired vision. A spokeswoman told reporters that the tumour was pressing on Watson's optical nerve and would "almost certainly" have ruined his sight had it been left any longer. He was treated at St George's Hospital in London. His spokeswoman added: "Russell wishes to pay his sincere thanks and appreciation to the entire medical team at St George's Hospital who successfully carried out the operation. He is obviously very relieved that the operation has been a success and is in good spirits. He is now resting and we are told by the doctor he will make a complete recovery". The new album, due out next month, will now be released in early 2007, although Watson's upcoming UK tour, also due to begin next month, is expected to go ahead as planned.
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THE GAME WANTS TO END FEUD WITH 50 CENT, AGAIN
Now, I seem to remember The Game has said he wants to end his beef with 50 Cent before, only to follow up any consolidation with more public dissing of his former collaborator, but seemingly he is in make up mood again. Speaking on New York hip hop station Hot 97 on Friday, The Game, real name Jayceon Terell Taylor, repeatedly urged 50 Cent to call in, saying that he sincerely wanted to forge a peace with Fiddy.
The Game told the station: "[I] just [want] to talk and just to see where our heads are and see if maybe we can come to an even playing field - respectfully to each other. [I want to] see if we can figure it out [as] grown-ups".
Talking of the two hip hop stars' former and short lived public reconciliation, which occurred at a high profile press conference after rising tensions between The Game's and 50 Cent's entourages resulted in guns being fired outside Hot 97's studios, Taylor added: "We weren't ready to do that. You can't force us to do anything. I don't think that either of us was ready to get on that stage. We were just coerced into that situation. At the end of the day, we are all getting money and it should be good. Its hip hop, it's a competition."
However, Taylor added that his bid to make peace with 50 Cent didn't mean that he would be ending all of his publicised hip hop feuds, which most recently included a run in with rapper Ras Kass. He continued: "Y'all ain't off the hook. I don't want everybody to think that it's all good. Tomorrow, nothing is promised and that statement is bigger than hip hop."
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GEORGE MICHAEL ARRESTED FOR CANNABIS POSSESSION, AGAIN
Oh dear, poor George Michael has been cautioned for possession of cannabis for the second time this year. Police stopped Michael after motorists reported a car causing an obstruction at traffic lights in Cricklewood Lane, London in the early hours of Sunday morning. He was arrested on suspicion of being unfit to drive and for possession of what was believed to be cannabis, but was later bailed until next month pending further inquiries on his fitness to drive (and, reports suggest, then sent to a West London hospital as a "precautionary measure" to check he was OK).
As previously reported, Michael was cautioned by police for possessing cannabis after being found sleep in his car at Hyde Park Corner back in February.
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DAVIS HONOURED ON HOLLYWOOD'S ROCKWALK
Hollywood has honoured Miles Davis on its 'RockWalk' outside the Sunset Boulevard branch of the Guitar Center. Instead of the usual handprint, a bronze bust of the legendary trumpet player has been put on display outside the music store. Davis was, of course, hugely influential across the jazz genre during his fifty year career, and is still much loved fifteen years after his death. He was inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall Of Fame earlier this year, and a film of his life is in the pipeline.
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MCCULLOCH SHOCKED BY CAPITAL OF CULTURE SNUB
Ian McCulloch has said in an interview with BBC 6Music that he is shocked that he was not approached to help with his hometown of Liverpool's Capital Of Culture events next year.
The Echo And The Bunnymen frontman said: "I'm amazed that no-one's come even to me as an individual to help with all this, because, as far as culture in Liverpool goes, my band has given more culturally to the city over the past 28 years than anything else."
Elsewhere in the interview, the singer revealed that the band plan to play the whole of seminal long player 'Ocean Rain' at a gig at the Roundhouse next year, saying: "We'll go in the middle of the arena so everyone can see the back of your head. We're going to do that with an orchestra and play Ocean Rain from start to finish, plus other songs, but that will be the kind of centrepiece of the gig".
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SINGLE REVIEW: Lupen Crook - A Silver Boot For Sam (Tap N Tin Records)
As if twisted folk and acid folk weren't enough to contend with already, it seems there is another related genre, that of anti-folk. Lupen Crook could fit into either category. The Kent troubadour has a distinctive, intense, schizophrenic musical style and equally striking cracked vocals. He's been compared to Nick Drake and the late Syd Barret and his gothic preoccupations are reminiscent of Patrick Wolf. Following last year's creepily impressive 'Halloween' EP, this is the second single to be taken from Crook's debut album 'Accidents Occur While Sleeping'. Creaky fiddle and mandolin give 'A Silver Boot For Sam' a definite 'olde worlde' feel, while the vocals sound as scratchy and stretched as the instrumentation. There are some strong backing tracks across the various formats with 'Shake Baby Shake' in particular standing out; it's a sweet song which shows a more tender side to Crook than we are used to hearing. JW
Release date: 2 Oct
Press contact: Stone Immaculate [all]
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NEW WEBSITE ENCOURAGES FESTIVALS TO BE ECO-FRIENDLY
A new music industry website launches today with the aim of supporting and promoting environmental efficiency at music festivals. The people behind http:// www.agreenerfestival.com hope to champion and promote the best practice employed by music festivals in a bid reduce the impact they have on the local environment in terms of waste, traffic, CO2 emissions, noise, water pollution and land damage.
The site is based on research by Claire O'Neill and has been designed by Luke Westbury, both graduates from the Music Industry Management course at Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College. It has been coordinated by music industry lawyer Ben Challis, and is supported by the International Live Music Conference and YOUROPE, the organisation of European Festivals.
Explaining the rationale behind the site, its organisers told CMU: "Many festivals have realised that their environmental impacts can be minimised by managing CO2 emissions and facilitating green waste disposal, and festivals such as Glastonbury and Bestival have led the way in combating the inevitable problems on-site. However festivals have certain unique impacts of the environment - with thousands of people often living together under canvas in confined areas with high noise levels and with unusual problems - like how to recycle thousands of discarded tents - and what to do with that pile of unwanted fairy wings. By making this research available, agreenerfestival.com acts hopes to be a resource for festival organisers as they turn to the task of preparing next summer's round of live music. Over the coming months, the team will develop pointers, guides and practical directions for delivering greener festivals. And the site will look to advise festival goers themselves on how they can make their festival summer a little greener."
O'Neill says: "Festivals really are top of my list when it comes to entertainment and generally enjoying life and music! It's that love for life and enjoying it in nature that has inspired the research into making festivals not only neutral but a positive force towards sustainability... so that future generations can do the same. I hope that people will utilise the website, connect, exchange ideas and information to make any environmental damage from events a thing of the past."
Challis adds: "We are looking to promote new ways of making festivals and music events more environmentally efficient. The site is designed to help promoters and organisers - not preach to them".
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MCCARTNEY DUET TO APPEAR GEORGE MICHAEL HITS ALBUM
A previously unreleased duet between George Michael and Paul McCartney will appear on George Michael's new greatest hits compilation. The collaboration, 'Heal The Pain', will appear on the new long player, 'Twenty Five', which will comprise three CDs, and charts the whole of Michael's career.
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LOVE'S NEW SONGS ARE GOOD, SAYS MOBY
Moby says that Courtney Love's new songs are alright. Personally, I think adding the word 'remarkably' before the word 'good' made it sound as though he was phenomenally surprised by this. But that's just my interpretation, clearly. Anyway, he told Billboard: "Courtney sent me a CD of demos and I thought the music was remarkably good. It reminded me of Irish protest songs or old Bob Dylan. It was just her with an acoustic guitar."
The reason, of course, that she sent it to Moby was that she initially wanted to collaborate on the new album with him, but ultimately went with Linda Perry instead.
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KILLERS ALBUM WAS LEAKED
Now, the new, highly anticipated (by CMU) album from The Killers, 'Sam's Town', which, by the way, I never got sent a copy of, despite all my anticipating, is out today. It was however, leaked online last week, so if I'd known I could have gone and listened to it on the MTV website, apparently. No, it's not very exciting, that news, is it? Ah well, at least it gave me a chance to gripe about not having a copy.
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MELUA TO PLAY A GIG UNDER A LOT OF WATER
The perpetually irritating Katie Melua is today attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the deepest ever underwater gig. She's to play on an oil rig 300 feet beneath the North sea, and had to take medical tests ahead of the attempt. She says: "I can't wait. If it comes off it will be a world record for the deepest ever underwater gig, which will be pretty cool."
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THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE QUEEN DEBUT IN DEVON
Damon Albarn's new venture The Good, The Bad & The Queen will make their live debut in Devon later this month, with two warm up gigs set to take place ahead of their previously reported date at the Roundhouse in London as part of the BBC's Electric Proms season. The band will play at Pignose in East Prawle on 20 Oct and at the Cavern Club in Exeter on 21 Oct. The Roundhouse gig is on 26 Oct.
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CHEW THE FAT CELEBRATES NINE YEARS
A date for the diaries of all the breaks fans out there. Seminal breaks night Chew The Fat! celebrates its ninth birthday on 13 Oct with a night set to feature no less than Soul of Man, Tayo, D Ramirez, Precision Cuts, Max Sedgley and DJ Food. Taking place at The End, it runs from 10pm to 6am and tickets are a tenner if bought in advance from http://www.endclub.com or http://www.ticketweb.co.uk
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FABRIC CELEBRATES SEVEN YEARS WITH FIVE NIGHTS
And talking of storming birthday celebrations, London club Fabric is celebrating its seventh birthday with a "five day weekend" later this month, though if we're being honest it's more of a four day weekend, with an extra date the following Thursday. Still, there are some brilliant line ups. Full details below, press info from Fabric IH.
19 Oct: (9.30pm-5am, £12/10)
R1: Virus LIVE Presents Chameleon, Goldie, Andy C, Grooverider, DJ Hype, Macpherson; MCs Dynamite MC, GQ & 2 Shy.
R2: LTJ Bukem, Fabio, London Elektricity, Peshay, Subfocus, Cyantific; MCs Conrad, Rage & SP:MC.
R3: DJ Fresh, Ray Keith, Clipz, G-Dub, TC, DJ Devil; MCs Fats, Moose & AD.
20 Oct: (9.30pm-5am, £15/12)
R1: Stanton Warriors, Plump DJs, Adam Freeland, Minuit (Live), Ali B.
R2: Foreign Beggars (Live), Bonde Do Role (Live), Scratch Perverts, DJ Dexter (The Avalanches), DJ Blakey.
R3: Switch, Sinden, Low B, Joe Ransom.
21 Oct: (10pm - midday, £15/12)
R1: Craig Richards, Terry Francis, Ricardo Villalobos, Andrew Weatherall, Lindstrom (LIVE), Rob Mello.
R2: Swayzak (LIVE), Troy Pierce/Louderbach (LIVE), Matthew Dear, Claude VonStroke, Matthew Styles.
R3: The Amalgamation of Soundz, Need2Soul Presents Ron Trent.
22 Oct: (11pm - 5am, £15/12)
R1: International superstar guest DJ (to be announced Oct 7), Justin Ballard, Mark Westhenry.
R2: Malcolm Duffy, Ariel, Nick Bridges.
R3: Nick Pryce, Guy Williams.
26 Oct: (7.30pm-3am, £11/9) Adventures In A Beetroot Field
R1: Simian Mobile Disco, Filthy Dukes, Modeselektor (Live), Metronomy (Live), Brakes (Live), Sunshine Underground (Live), Goose (Live), Circulus (Live), The Whip (Live), Bricolage (Live), People Are Germs.
R2: Special Guests (Live), Duels (Live), Cajun Dance Party (Live), Fear Of Flying (Live), Reverend and the Makers (Live), Young and Lost DJs, Eat Your Own Ears DJs.
R3: Sebastian & Kavinsky, Surkin, Crispin Dior, Skull Juice vs Casper C, Stopmakingme.
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PATTI SMITH TO HEADLINE FINAL CBGBS NEW YORK GIG
Patti Smith will play the final ever gig at the legendary New York venue CBGBs later this month. Smith, very much part of the late seventies scene that help create the venue's iconic reputation, will play on 15 Oct just before the venue closes.
As previously reported, CBGBs was forced to close after it failed to reach an agreement with its landlord, a charitable organisation, over future rent levels. The club's owner, Hilly Kristal, has confirmed he will reopen CBGBs in Las Vegas. The new venue is expected to open in 2008.
Kristal has previously said he aims to make the new venue as close a replica to the New York one as possible, telling reporters: "I am taking the bars with me, I am taking the stage - I'm taking the urinal that Joey [Ramone] pissed in with me. I'm going to take a lot of things - anything that makes this place CBGBs."
Tickets for the final show went on sale yesterday.
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JET POSTPONE
Jet postponed two North American shows this weekend because signer Nic Cester has come down with acute laryngitis. The two cancelled gigs were in Philadelphia and Toronto.
Writing on their MySpace, the band explained: "In Australia, we say, 'I am absolutely gutted', when the gravity of the situation is overwhelming. After all the work we've done on 'Shine On' and on making this tour something special, all of us are very disappointed with the news of Nic's laryngitis. Cancelling shows is not something we take lightly at all. Once again, our sincerest apologies to all of our fans. When we return, it will of course be with a vengeance".
The band say the gigs should be rescheduled in November.
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THE KOOKS POSTPONE
Talking of cancelling gigs because of laryngitis, The Kooks have had to do the same thing because their singer, that Luke Pritchard bloke, is also suffering from a sore throat. Though he's got tonsillitis too. Yeah, get that Nic Cester. Not just silly old laryngitis, but full on tonsillitis. Now, that's rock n roll.
The cancelled gigs were due to take place in Southampton and Norwich this weekend, and in Newcastle tonight and Leeds tomorrow. A statement issued on behalf of the Kooks troupe reads: "The band is devastated to have to let down so many fans who were looking forward to these shows, but they want it to be known they will honour the commitment with shows being rescheduled within a day or so".
The band themselves say (well, presumably Luke didn't say it himself, surely he's resting his voice, though I think when we say "say" what we mean is "write", that is to say they wrote it, not that we wrote it, although we did, of course): "We are truly upset to all of the fans who have been waiting since May to see these shows. We do apologise, but Luke is really quite poorly. We will be back very, very soon and look forward to seeing you all there. Love, The Kooks."
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THE FUTUREHEADS POSTPONE
Oh for God's sake - now we hear that The Futureheads are cancelling their forthcoming US tour because singer Barry Hyde has got tendonitis. Now, we're not saying that any of these rockers aren't really ill or justified in calling off their live dates, but really, I think some kind of new healthy living regime is needed in the world of rock n roll.
The band's Ross Millard says this: "We are all deeply disappointed at having to pull the shows at such a late stage, but there is no way around it for us. Barry has been advised to rest and as far as we can see, there is no way of us being able to make these shows work, given the state of his wrist. Apologies to the people with tickets - we promise to get out to the US at the next available opportunity."
The band's UK dates in November should be unaffected.
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STONES TOUTS JUST CAN'T SELL IN MONTANA
Well, we all know how much gig promoters hate touts profiting by selling on their tickets, so promoters of the Rolling Stones gig due to take place in Missoula, Montana this week should be pleased with this story. Though possibly you don't want to hear that touts are losing out because demand for tickets to your concert is so much lower than expected.
Yes, The Stones play Missoula on Wednesday and, while the show quickly sold out when tickets went on sale back in August, we hear that those people who bought multiple tickets hoping to sell them on at a sizable profit as the gig approached are going to be really rather disappointed.
Apparently there are no less than 46 classified ads in the local newspaper flogging the tickets, while one seller told reporters that he'd bought ten tickets for the event, but had only managed to sell seven, five at break-even or less than what he'd paid for them.
Interviewed about the plethora of Stones tickets available in Missoula, Gary Bongiovanni of US live sector magazine Pollstar reckons that the promoters have selected almost the perfect sized venue to satisfy local demand for tickets, with all local Stones fans buying tickets as soon as they went on sale. So touts ended up buying an unwanted surplus, rather than much sought after tickets.
Of course touts always take such risks, though you might think Stones tickets were a pretty bankable purchase. Responding to the story, The Stones' people simply say that Stones tickets are "typically in demand wherever the group performs", citing reports that last minute tickets are being much sought after in other US cities.
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TEENAGE FANCLUB LAUNCH OXJAM
The lovely Teenage Fanclub have launched what is being billed as "the UK's biggest ever music festival" - the previously reported Oxjam - over 1000 events due to take place across the UK throughout October in aid of the charity Oxfam.
Events due to take place as part of the Oxjam programme include a 24-hour non-stop busk being held simultaneously in ten cities across the UK, a UK karaoke record attempt in Manchester, plus hundreds of gigs, concerts and club nights involving the likes of De La Soul, Badly Drawn Boy, Hot Chip, Get Cape Wear Cape Fly, Embrace and Scissor Sisters.
Playing the launch event at Glasgow's Barrowlands venue, Teenage Fanclub singer Norman Blake encouraged aspiring musicians to get involved in the charity programme, commenting: "We originally got together in my granny's bedroom in Bellshill. You too could form a DIY band, play some gigs, make some noise and fight poverty at the same time. You never know what it might achieve".
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FORMER LED ZEPP MAN PLAYS BENEFIT FOR NEIGHBOUR
More charity stuff, and Robert Plant is to perform a one off show to raise money for an ill neighbour. The former Led Zeppelin man will play the gig at Kidderminster Town Hall in a bid to raise money to help his friend Jackie Jennings who is receiving medical treatment in the US for a brain tumour. Jennings reportedly needs another £25,000 to cover the costs of the treatment, and it is hoped the Plant gig, due to take place on 23 Dec, will help go some way to providing that money.
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BEYONCE SUPPORTS MILK INGESTION
Beyonce is the latest person to get involved with a global campaign promoting the benefits of milk, appearing in the ongoing 'Milk Moustache' campaign, which encourages kids to drink it, with her mother Tina. Other celebs who've done it include Britney Spears, Liz Hurley, David Beckham, Lindsay Lohan, Kelly Clarkson, Muhammed Ali and Naomi Campbell. They're all mental. Milk (from a cow, anyway) isn't that good for you. Especially these days, with all those hormones and whatnot.
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TOWER BIDDERS CONFIRMED
Tower Records has confirmed that sixteen organisations will be bidding to buy the US music retail chain when an auction is held later this week. The bidders are: 1965 Retail LLC, BEC Inc., CD Listening Bar Inc., Champion Development Group, Gamesource Inc, Great American Group LLC, Larry Worchell and Ralph Horowitz, Norton LLC, Orchard Capital Corporation, Prescott Interests Ltd., SPI Holdings LLC, Tower Lifestyles Holdings LLC, Trans World Entertainment Corporation, Vornado Realty Trust and West Hollywood Properties LLC. As previously reported, several of those bidding are known to be planning on splitting up the retail group should they acquire it - with interest higher in Tower's property portfolio than its music retail business. However, Hitsdailydouble report that Tower Lifestyles and Orchard Capital are definitely both interested in keeping Tower Records going as a retail chain should they be successful in their bid to take over the company. As also previously reported, the current owners of Tower have been looking to sell for sometime as the chain continues to struggle to compete in the increasingly competitive music retail sector. The latest sale was kicked off after the company applied for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection earlier this year.
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CAA OPEN LONDON OFFICE
Beverley Hills based Creative Artists Agency are to open a London office, and agents Mike Greek and Emma Banks, currently from the Helter Skelter booking agency, will reportedly head up the new operation. Specific details of how the UK office will work are yet to be announced, but rumours suggest artists including Alicia Keys, Franz Ferdinand, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Arcade Fire, Nine Inch Nails, the Dandy Warhols and David Grey will feature on the company's UK roster at launch.
Greek and Banks' move to CAA will spark speculation regarding the future of the Sanctuary Group owned Helter Skelter, whose position was already weakened last year when veteran agents Jeff Craft and Ian Huffam left to co-found X-Ray Touring. There are also rumours that other US agencies may look to compete in the UK market, with the William Morris Agency reportedly looking to follow CAA's lead and open a London office.
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GCAP BOSS ON TAKEOVER AND STEP DOWN RUMOURS
The boss of GCap Media has moved to try and end speculation that private equity bidders are preparing to force a takeover of the radio group by essentially telling any possible bidders to 'put up or shut up'. Following the release last week of the company's latest financials, GCap CEO Ralph Bernard said last week: "People have been talking of private equity since May 9 last year when we launched. If there is private equity out there let it show its head. I'm certain it's out there but are they going to get more value out of our business? I very much doubt it".
He also denied rumours that one of the company's big investors, the Daily Mail & General Trust, were pushing for him to step down because those aforementioned financials were a bit disappointing (though, to be fair, not all that much more disappointing than expected). Bernard continued: "I can honestly say I have not had a single conversation with a single shareholder where they have said 'you better sort this out or there will be trouble'. If they [investors] don't like something they tend to vote with their feet".
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BBC SIGN MEMO OF UNDERSTANDING WITH MICROSOFT
The BBC and Microsoft have signed a "memorandum of understanding" regarding the Beeb's next generation of internet-based services. BBC DG Mark Thompson and the Corporation's Director Of New Media flew out to Seattle to finalise the non-exclusive deal with Microsoft chief Bill Gates (who presumably couldn't afford to fly over to London, not having access to all that licence fee money).
In a statement, the Beeb told reporters: "The memorandum of understanding will define the framework within which the companies can explore opportunities for the delivery and consumption of BBC content and the evolution of next-generation broadcasting. This includes plans for its online archive, for a radically reinvented website in the web 2.0 world - a second generation of internet-based services - and for ways to share its online content in the future".
Thompson added: "To ensure that the BBC is able to embrace the creative challenges of the digital future, we need to forge strategic partnerships with technology companies and distributors for the benefit of licence payers."
Few specifics of how the companies plan to work together were included in the statement, which added: "Any actual procurements of new technology, or launch of new services by the BBC, would be subject to appropriate regulatory approval". Though presumably the closer relationships between the Corporation and Microsoft will mean that those BBC multi-media services currently only available in Real format will go online in a Windows format too at some point.
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OWTL GOES NATIONAL
London's free weekly dance music magazine One Week To Live is going national. Publishers of the title, launched in the capital last November, have confirmed they will start distributing through a national network of 400 sites this week.
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ALBUM REVIEW: Dan Sartain - Join Dan Sartain (One Little Indian)
"When I'm alone that's cos I choose to be alone," sings Dan Sartain on album opener 'Drama Queens'. He may be a fresh-faced 23-year-old, but the Alabaman singer-songwriter is his own man, and there's something of first-album Dylan in the swagger on show on his second album. Coming on like a cross between Johnny Cash and a 'De Stijl' era Jack White, with a dash of Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, the edgy riff-driven sound is raw but tight, a one-man Tarantino soundtrack. "I'm not gonna be scared at all" he croons, about a jealous gun-toting guy who wants to murder him on standout track 'Gun Vs Knife'. He sounds as blustery as he does menacing, but it's impossible not to be gripped. There are some nice laidback moments too, the highlight being the surreal 'Flight Of The Finch' ("the weakest of the birds" he informs us), which is half-mariachi, half-Disney. At its best, 'Join Dan Sartain' recaptures the strange and dangerous newness that must have been one of the most electrifying things about '50s rock and roll. There's not quite enough to make you sign your soul over to him - not every track scales the grimy riff-tastic heights of 'Gun Vs Knife' or 'Thought It Over' - but you should certainly (or Sartainly) investigate. Bring a knife, just in case. WP
Release Date: 2 Oct
Press Contact: JS Publicity [all]
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CHART UPDATE
The Scissor Sisters are still dominating all things chart wise, sitting atop both the singles and albums chart with 'I Don't Feel Like Dancin' and 'Ta Dah' respectively.
Singles wise The Killers are at 2 with 'When You Were Young', while that Lil Chris rises up to 3 with 'Checkin It Out' now that the physical CD is on sale. Evanescence likewise climb up the chart, to number 4, with 'Call Me When You're Sober', now the physical CD is out.
Full on new entries this week come from the Cast Of High School Musical with 'Breaking Free' at 9, Razorlight with 'America' at 15, Paolo Nutini with 'Jenny Don't Be Hasty' at 20, Bob Sinclair & Cutee B with 'Rock This Party (Everybody Dance Now)' at 21, The Streets and Doherty with 'Prangin Out' at 25, Chris Lake and Laura V with 'Changes' at 27, P Diddy and Nicole Scherzinger with 'Come To Me' at 30, James Dean Bradfield with 'An English Gentleman' at 31, Bedouin Soundclash with 'When The Night Feels My Song' at 33, Dirty Pretty Things with 'Wondering' at 34, LaToya with 'Torn' at 35, OK Go with 'Here It Goes Again' at 36 and Us5 with 'Maria' at 38.
Albums wise, not so much to report, though Scissor Sisters' debut album re-enters the chart at 16, presumably on the back of the hype surrounding the new long player and possibly some clever sales tactics on the high street (or possibly in download land). New entries come from Jamelia with 'Walk With Me' at 20, Lupe Fiasco with 'Food & Liquor' at 31 and Larrikin Love with 'The Freedom Spark' at 37.
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TOTAL ROCK WORLD ALBUM CHART
As counted down on Total Rock over the weekend - http://www.totalrock.com. New and re-entries marked with a *
1. Audioslave - Revelations (SonyBMG/Epic)
2. Iron Maiden - A Matter Of Life And Death (EMI)
3. Nickelback - All The Right Reasons (Roadrunner)
4. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium (Warner Bros)
5. Muse - Black Holes & Revelations (Warner Bros)
6. The Mars Volta - Amputechture (Universal)
7. Black Label Society - Shot To Hell (Roadrunner)*
8. Mastodon - Blood Mountain (Warner Bros)*
9. Billy Talent - Billy Talent II (Warner/Atlantic)
10. Stone Sour - Come What(ever) May (Roadrunner)
11. AFI - Decemberunderground (Universal/Polydor)
12. Razorlight - Razorlight (Universal/Mercury)
13. Guns n Roses - Greatest Hits (Universal/Geffen)
14. Lamb Of God - Sacrament (SonyBMG/Epic)
15. Papa Roach - The Paramour Sessions (Universal/Geffen)*
16. Rolling Stones - Forty Licks (EMI/Virgin)
17. Tool - 10,000 Days (Volcano)
18. Slayer - Christ Illusion (Warner/American)
19. Blue October - Foiled (Universal)
20. Rise Against - The Sufferer & The Witness (Universal/Geffen)
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SUBSHOT PLAYLIST
The video's appearing on the SUBtv screens network in students' unions around the UK this week. New entries marked with a *.
A-List
Bob Sinclar - Rock This Party
Chris Lake feat. Laura V - Changes
Cord - Sea of Trouble
David Hasselhoff - Jump In My Car*
Hot Chip - Over And Over
Jamelia - Something About You
Jet - Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
Kasabian - Shoot The Runner*
Lily Allen - LDN
OK Go - Here It Goes Again
Paolo Nutini - Jenny Don't Be Hasty
The Zutons - Oh Stacey (Look What You've Done!)
B-List
Alesha - Knockdown*
Badly Drawn Boy - Nothing's Gonna Change Your Mind
Beatfreakz - Superfreak
Guillemots - Trains To Brazil
Little Man Tate - Man I Hate Your Band*
The Long Blondes - Once and Never Again*
Jamie T - If You Got The Money*
Oakenfold feat. Pharell - Sex'n'Money
The Ordinary Boys - Lonely At The Top
The Pipettes - Judy
The View - Superstar Tradesman*
Zero 7 - Futures
More info on Subshot from [email protected]
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LAVIGNE APOLOGISES FOR SPITTING AND PROFANITY
Well, I should think so too. Well, about the spitting, anyway. It's a disgusting habit. This is the news that Avril Lavigne has issued an apology for spitting on paparazzi and swearing at fans seeking autographs. Apparently she did actually sign some autographs, but wrote 'fuck you'. Which is not funny. Not funny at all.
In reference to the events, which occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday night last week, Lavigne said in a statement: "I'd like to sincerely apologize for my behaviour with the paparazzi. It's trying at best dealing with their insistent intrusions. I meant no offence to my fans, whose relationship I truly value. I have and will always go out of my way for my fans. My behaviour was a reaction to the persistent attack from the paparazzi."
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DOHERTY TO DESIGN FASHION
I wish we could go back to the old days. You know, when pop stars were pop stars, and actors were actors and fashion designers were fashion designers. But no. It's inorexable. Once they're famous, they want it all. Books, perfume, clothing lines.
So, top fashion icon (?) Pete Doherty is to design and model clothes for musicy Manchester fashion label Gio-Goi, apparently. The news has not been confirmed by Gio-Goi, and so it might not be true, but reports suggest that they will announce the news at a press conference on Wednesday. The company's co-founder Anthony Donnelly would say only: "It's going to be a beautiful week next week."
So, with any luck, we can look forward to a generation of kids dressing like unkempt junkies. Not, of course, that I'm saying Pete Doherty is a junkie. Though he does dress like one.