| CMU Daily - on the inside Friday 17th November |
|
In today's CMU Daily:
- Buena Vista song rights case closes
- I'm calling it Jacko-gate
- Houston mansion to be sold to pay tax arrears
- Brown publicist still pushing harassment case
- Franz Ferdinand provide track for new film
- Fall Out Boy on new album
- Shirley Manson solo album rumours
- Big Boi working on solo album
- Kay and Lucas to make fundraiser single
- Yoko creates covers album
- New Earlies album
- Albarn project album release confirmed
- Amy Winehouse gets reworked by Ghostface
- Blue Nile man solo dates
- Dead 60s, Coral, line up for charity
- Cocker solo date features Pulp bandmates
- Transgressive hit the road
- Nokia to stage five city New Years bash
- Clear Channel goes into private ownership
- Senior SonyBMG marketer stands down
- Microsoft sign up NME as rock partner
- 3 launches mobile chart show
- Baby Banda spends time with the Martins
- Motorhead sponsor Kiddie FC
- Girl Aloud breaks up with a boy
- The Dears on playing V Fest
- Porn chappie confirms Britney sex tape rumours
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VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE TRACK OF THE YEAR
Email in song title, artist and a sentence on why it's your favourite to
[email protected]
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TOP BIT >>
Not that I can't think of anything to write about in the Top Bit today (though it's Remix Night tonight which will be great, but there's more on that in CMU Recommended below), but I think now might be a good time to remind everyone in student land that we are currently recruiting students to join a brand new media training venture we are launching.
The new programme - ThisWeek In London - will expand our ThreeWeeks in Edinburgh and Brighton project to London all year round. This will give London based students the opportunity to gain on-the-ground media experience by reviewing arts, culture and entertainment in the capital, while providing the capital's cultural community with a new media platform that exists to seek out and champion great new film, theatre, comedy, music, art and literature.
As we've mentioned on, oh, a few occasions, ThreeWeeks has been covering the Edinburgh Festival for over eleven years. Each year we recruit and train 75 students from across the UK who between them review more or less every show at the Edinburgh Festival - that's 1250 shows covering film, theatre, music, musicals, comedy, dance, opera, art, literature and politics. These reviews are published in a weekly newspaper, daily reviews sheet and online. Through the project ThreeWeeks provides the most extensive coverage of the Edinburgh Festival, with particular emphasis on the grass roots shows and performers the mainstream press ignore.
For the new programme - ThisWeek In London - we will recruit 100 students based in the capital with an interest in the arts, music, entertainment and / or the media. We will provide participating students free training on arts and entertainment journalism, and then arrange for them to review shows and events within their chosen genres. Their reviews of these shows and events will be published, initially via the ThisWeek in London website, and later through other media channels. Again, ThisWeek In London plans to provide truly extensive coverage of arts, culture and entertainment in London, focusing in on exciting grass roots groups and individuals ignored by the mainstream media.
Being a reviewer for ThisWeek In London is voluntary. We will, however, offer free training and ongoing support to help participants develop their own media skills. Being involved in ThisWeek in London will also offer participants real world media experiences, the opportunity to make contacts within the media, entertainment and PR industries, and a real stepping stone between student media and the real world media industry. Participating students will be able to choose both which genres they review and when they are available - enabling them to concentrate on the areas that interest them, and to fit their involvement with ThisWeek In London around their studies.
We are recruiting right now. We will interview interested students in the next month and start running regular training courses later this month - get recruited and come to one of those training courses, and you could be reviewing within weeks. To apply to join the ThisWeek In London team download an application form from http://www.collegemedianetwork.co.uk and email it in asap.
Anyone wanting to know more about ThisWeek In London, especially if you are interested in the advertising or sponsorship opportunities this brilliant new project offers, should contact [email protected] Needless to say, we'll let you know editorial info as soon as its finalised.
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CLASSIFIEDS>>
INTERESTED IN SELLING YOUR RECORD LABEL?
Music Gain is acquiring record labels and catalogue. If you are thinking of selling, or are interested
in a long term capital partner, please contact us. Introduction and spotters fees also paid. Please visit us - http://www.musicgain.com
--
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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JOBS N STUFF>>
SENIOR PRESS OFFICER
Are you ready for the next stage of your career as a publicist in the music industry? Have you already demonstrated that you can initiate innovative and successful UK press campaigns for artists? Do you have excellent contacts to a senior level within the UK press? Do you have great communication skills? Can you write to a high standard? Are you hungry, confident, self-motivated, able to handle a variety of artists across a number of different genres and willing to go over the barricades for those artists? Can you bring in new business? If you can answer yes to all of the above questions we would like to hear from you. We are a small but successful and established London based PR agency specialising in music industry work and we urgently need an experienced (2 years minimum) person to join our team as a Senior Press Officer. We can offer an above average salary, a great working environment and some interesting projects to work on.
Send your CV and a detailed covering letter telling us about your PR successes to date in complete confidence to: [email protected]
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CMU RECOMMENDS>>
REMIX NIGHT NOVEMBER>>
Ladies and gentlemen, the next edition of Remix Night is this coming Friday. And with Remix chief Eddy TM taking a well deserved break, your host this month will be the mighty Freelance Hellraiser, so expect a good night. On the bill this time are Sugardaddy, the latest project from Groove Armada's Tom Findlay and Tim Hutton, whose recent album 'It's Good To Get High With The Wife', is one of the stand out releases of the year. Joining them will be the wonderful My Luminaries - whose new single 'Jumping The Great White' is just out. Meanwhile, joining the Freelance Hellraiser on the decks will be Mr Tim Deluxe. It all takes place this Friday, 17 Nov, at Cargo in London from 9pm to 3am. Entrance is a tenner. Tickets from http://www.ticketweb.co.uk.
Full info>> http://www.leylinepromotions.com/theremix
BREAKING GROUND
Another storming night for your diaries - the second edition of breaks fest Breaking Ground. All the big names are going to be on the bill - Pendulum (Live), Stanton Warriors, Rennie Pilgrem with MC Chickaboo, Splitloop (Live), Precision Cuts, Janette Slack, Breakfastaz, Deekline & Wizard with MC Ivory, Cltr-Z, Freshold, Si Begg, General Midi, Soto, Merka, Symmetrik, Dirtpop, Mr Sushi and Fyoog. Phew. It will all take place at London's seOne Club on Saturday 2 Dec, from 9.30pm to 6am. Tickets are £18.50 in advance - from http://www.ticketweb.co.uk - press info from Leyline.
Full info>> http://www.leylinepromotions.com/breakingground
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CMU FRIDAY TIPS
VIGSY'S CLUB TIP: Goodlife and Tickled Pink at Sin
The Goodlife night has joined forces with Tickled Pink because they are both celebrating second birthdays, and they're doing their celebrating together at the newly refurbished Sin nightclub (formerly Rouge near Centrepoint). A lot of the Unknown FM DJ's will be there: Mark Robinson (Peppermint Jam), Funky Disciples, Throb Tag Team, DJ Lewi, Ian Robinson, Rob Dowie, Kellilicious, Georgia Girl, with Tickled Pink supplying Darren Holland, Junior, Travis and Andy Sky. An advert for this night has been caned every hour, on the hour, by the excellent London house pirate, meaning it is now so imprinted on my mind that I have to tip it. Sin is a huge club with three rooms, and it will be filled with electro, pumping and deep house for a great house night out. And there's a bit of a casino theme to join in the mentalness too.
Saturday 18 Nov, Sin, 144, Charing Cross Road, WC2H, 10-6am, £10 in advance, £12 conc, £15 on the door, more info from [email protected] or that advert on 90.2fm, or 07877 264 505.
CARO'S LIVE TIP: Amy Winehouse in Cambridge
Do I need to tip Amy Winehouse? I mean, she's had a recent top ten single and you lot all know who she is. But you see, I thought, as I'm going to Cambridge this weekend, I might give this week's live tippery something of an 'academic' theme, and Ms Winehouse is playing in Cambridge on Sunday. And it's got to be great, because, shit, the girl can sing, and she's promoting that great new album that I really, really like. And what's more, she's not Katie Melua, which, I'm sure you appreciate, can only be a good thing.
Sunday 19 Nov, The Junction, Clifton Way, Cambridge, CB1 7GX, doors 7pm, £12.50, call 01223 511 511 or see http://www.junction.co.uk for info.
CARO'S LIVE TIP 2: Good Shoes in Oxford
I'd just like to make it clear that I did not pick Good Shoes just to help me create this whole Oxbridge theme. I like Good Shoes. I chose them one time for MySpace Of The Day, and it was because I genuinely liked them, and not, as I might have implied in the blurb at the time, because I liked their name. They're a bit lo-fi and punky, and according to my colleague, jumpy and shouty. Well, there's nothing wrong with that.
Tuesday 21 Nov, The Zodiac, 190 Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1UE, doors 7.30pm, £6 advance, call 01865 420042 for or see http://www.the-zodiac.co.uk for info.
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BUENA VISTA SONG RIGHTS CASE CLOSES
A six year legal battle over music made famous by the Buena Vista Social Club film came to an end yesterday in the London courts. As previously reported, this dispute was between US publishing firm Peer International Corporation and Cuba's state owned publishing company Editora Musical de Cuba, though the case was being fought in the UK courts because the initial dispute was over who had the right to assign rights to the songs in the UK market.
Peer International's interest in a wide catalogue of Cuban songs dates from the 30s, 40s and 50s when music from the country was popular in the US. However, after Fidel Castro came to power in Cuba in 1959 the publishing firm closed its offices there and lost contact with the composers they had previously represented.
However, as far as Peer were concerned, the Cuban songs remained on their roster, although Cuban music fell out of fashion outside of Cuba itself so the royalties on the music were nominal until, that is, the release of the Buena Vista Social Club film in 1997, when the whole genre became popular again. At that time Peer made an effort to reconnect with the composers they had once represented, or more generally those composers' heirs, and in some cases reached new deals which included paying some back royalties to 1959.
However, the state owned Editora Musical de Cuba claims that it now owns those compositions - disputing both Peer's original contracts with their Cuban artists, and the new contracts signed in the late nineties, claiming that in the latter, the US firm cheated the composers out of royalties they were due. Peer, on the other hand, allege that EMC stole its copyrights after Castro came to power, and began legal proceedings when the Cuban publisher attempted to license the European rights to the music - claiming its ownership rights of thirteen specific songs had been violated.
After a long running court case, which included a session in Cuba, Mr Justice Lindsay yesterday ruled that there was no evidence that Peer had cheated any Cuban composers, and that Peer may well still own rights over some of the disputed songs. However, the US firm had asked for a "wide declaration of ownership", which could then be applied to nearly 600 other disputed songs, and the judge said that there was insufficient evidence to make such a declaration.
It is unclear if Peer now plans to appeal the ruling, or take action in another jurisdiction.
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I'M CALLING IT JACKO-GATE
So what's sadder, fans who paid £200 to see Michael Jackson perform 'Thriller' who are now demanding a refund because they only got two verses of 'Heal The World', or fans who paid £200 to see Michael Jackson perform 'Thriller' who don't mind that he didn't do it because just spending half an hour in the same arena shed as their hero is worth two hundred quid? Lock em all up, I say.
Anyway, there seems to be much confusion and some outrage regarding Michael Jackson's previously reported performance at the World Music Awards. Jackson has already said that there was a "misunderstanding" over reports he would perform 'Thriller' at the awards show, where Jacko made his first public appearance since last year's child abuse case to pick up an award recognizing his 100 million plus record sales. But it seems less clear as to why, when he performed 'Heal The World', he only performed two verses.
Organisers of the awards say that Jackson's performance was cut short because the ceremony was over running and they were in danger of violating a noise curfew at the venue. However, a spokesman for the venue that hosted the event, London's Earls Court, denies that they put pressure on the show's producers to cut short Jackson's performance, adding that the show ended a couple of minutes earlier than the eleven o'clock curfew.
But it certainly seems that the original plan was for Jackson to perform the whole song. One of the people in the choir who joined Jackson on stage, Paolo Mariani, is quoted as saying: "We were rehearsing to sing the whole song - so we were a bit confused because we never got to the actual song. The music was just cut off".
Either way, some of those insane Jacko fans have told the BBC that they are very pissed off by the lack of Jackson performance at the show, tickets for which were going for between £100 and £200. One said "I'm furious - I feel like I've been ripped off", while another said: "It was a huge anti-climax. I just walked off". Another, who travelled from Oxford to see the show, said: "People were expecting something significant but he didn't perform at all. When the lights went on I saw people's faces and they were like: 'Is that it?' I should have just stayed at home and watched it on TV... We should definitely get a refund."
Despite all that outrage, organisers of the awards show say they haven't received any demands for refunds as yet. And the Beeb has found some Jacko nuts who were happy with the show. One Joseph Dougal from East Kilbride said: "I thought it was fantastic. None of the fans expected him to give a performance, so it was a true surprise".
It will be interesting to see if any fans do formally demand a refund, and whether organisers of the World Music Awards agree to return anything. As it is, Jacko's short appearance at the event is rumoured to have cost organisers £250,000, because the singer demanded special provisions for hair and make-up, a private jet to get him to London, access to the whole of the five star Hempel Hotel in West London and, get this, the removal of a wall between two of the rooms in that hotel. I wonder how he managed to lose that great fortune of his? Though, to be fair, the Mirror quote a source as revealing that when it came to the catering: "Stars backstage have demanded £20,000 of foie gras, sushi, very nice red and white wine and the finest champagne, but Jacko wants KFC. He got flunkies to go there the other day and was impressed they got his huge order within three minutes, so he wants some fried chicken again".
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HOUSTON MANSION TO BE SOLD TO PAY TAX ARREARS
According to reports, Whitney Houston's mansion in New Jersey will be sold at a sheriff's sale in the new year, because she has not paid her taxes this year, and is more than a million dollars behind on the mortgage for the house. The sale has been scheduled for 4 Jan by the Morris County Sherrif's Office, after a service agent for the mortgage holder, the Chevy Chase Bank, sued the singer back in June. Houston's estate is made up of two lots, and this sale pertains to the less valuable of the two, valued at $889,300. The adjacent lot is thought to be worth $5.6million.
Houston's publicist, Nancy Seltzer issued a statement via a secretary and denied that the property had been foreclosed on, but could not be reached for further comment.
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BROWN PUBLICIST STILL PUSHING HARASSMENT CASE
James Brown's former publicist, Jaque Hollander, who, as previously reported, unsuccessfully brought a suit against the soul star claiming sexual harassment, is seeking to have her case heard by the US Supreme Court. The suit has, of course, already been through appeal, with judges ruling that she had waited too long, a period of in excess of twelve years, before filing the claim for compensation. Hollander alleged that Brown had raped her at gunpoint back in 1988 whilst she was still in his employ, and she subsequently developed a thyroid condition which, her doctors advised her, was caused by the stress of the claimed assault. She is seeking $106 million in damages.
Hollander maintains that South Carolina's two year statute of limitations on such cases should not apply, because she did not know until her diagnosis in 2000 that she had sustained long term damage from the alleged attack, but also believes that the statute does not provide equal protection for women in any case.
Brown's lawyer, Debra Opri, labelled Hollander's Supreme Court request a "pipe dream". The former publicist's lawyer Donald Rosen confirmed that the move is his client's final option, saying: "Then her only recourse is in the court of public opinion. That would be a horrible miscarriage of justice."
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FRANZ FERDINAND PROVIDE TRACK FOR NEW FILM
A new Franz Ferdinand track is to feature in a new film. The song, 'Hallam Foe Dandelion Blow', is described by the band as a "lyrical drunken waltz", was recorded when the band were on tour recently in South America. It appears on the soundtrack of 'Hallam Foe', starring Jamie Bell, alongside songs contributed by the likes of Psapp and Kieran 'Four Tet' Hebden.
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FALL OUT BOY ON NEW ALBUM
Fall Out Boy have revealed the title of their new album. The name 'Infinity On High' apparently owes something to a letter written by artist Vincent Van Gogh, but the group aren't very forthcoming on why they've chosen it. The band's Pete Wentz told MTV.com: "As for what that means in relation to the record, we'll just let it unfold when people hear it."
The album will be out on 5 Feb.
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SHIRLEY MANSON SOLO ALBUM RUMOURS
Well, she intimated as much when Garbage announced they were taking a significant break, or indefinite hiatus, or whatever it was. But now reports are suggesting that work on a Shirley Manson solo album is under way, and that Jack White and Billy Corgan are amongst those helping out. It's expected to see a release sometime in 2007.
Meanwhile, Garbage this week announced the release of a greatest hits compilation, out 19 Mar, and entitled 'Absolute Garbage'.
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BIG BOI WORKING ON SOLO ALBUM
Big Boi is also working on a solo album, but his fellow OutKaster, Andre 3000, will be helping out with production. The star says of the LP, due in 2007, "you're going to get something from every genre, every funk, beat, loop, horn, whistle. We got it all on the record. I got maybe 35 beats already done for it now so I'm just diving in and trying to carve out the pie with the vocals."
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KAY AND LUCAS TO MAKE FUNDRAISER SINGLE
Peter Kay and Matt Lucas are to collaborate on a fundraiser single for Comic Relief. The two comedians are recording a version of The Proclaimers' 'I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)'. The song's writers, Craig and Charlie Reid, will provide backing vocals. No doubt the charity hope to repeat the success last year of the release of Tony Christie's 'Amarillo'.
Someone from Comic Relief said: "The Comic Relief single is hugely important to us, it is a great fundraiser."
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YOKO CREATES COVERS ALBUM
Yoko Ono has enlisted a host of music stars to record covers of her own songs for a new album entitled 'Yes, I'm A Witch'. Well, it is Yoko Ono. The collection of reworkings and remixes is due out in the US in February, and the tracklisting is as follows:
Hank Shocklee - Witch Shocktronica Intro
Peaches - Kiss Kiss Kiss
Shitake Monkey - O'Oh
Blow Up - Everyman...Everywoman
Le Tigre - Sisters O Sisters
Porcupine Tree - Death of Samantha
DJ Spooky - Rising
Apples in Stereo - No One Can See Me Like You Do
The Brother Brothers - Yes I'm a Witch
Cat Power - Revelations
Polyphonic Spree - You and I
Jason Pierce (Spiritualized) - Walking On Thin Ice
Antony and Hahn Rowe - Toy Boat
The Flaming Lips - Cambridge 1969/2007
The Sleepy Jackson - I'm Moving On
Hank Shocklee - Witch Shocktronica Outro
Craig Armstrong - Shiranakatta (I Didn't Know)
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NEW EARLIES ALBUM
The Earlies are to release their second album early next year. The new long player, entitled 'The Enemy Chorus, will be out on 29 Jan, and will be preceded by the release of a 10" double A side featuring the tracks 'No Love In Your Heart' and 'Breaking Point' on 11 Dec. There's a bit of a ten inch theme, actually - the band plan to release a 10" with two tracks from the album on it until every track on the new album has been issued as a single, with the final release, expected in July, to be packaged in a special box designed to contain all five single releases. Which sounds fun, if you like vinyl.
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ALBARN PROJECT ALBUM RELEASE CONFIRMED
It's been confirmed that Damon Albarn's new project, The Good The Bad & The Queen, will release an eponymous album on 21 Jan, exactly ten days before my birthday. The group, consisting of Paul Simonon, Tony Allen, Simon Tong, and the aforementioned Albarn, played the album in full at their show at the Roundhouse recently. It's been produced by Danger Mouse. And for tracklisting fans, here it is:
History Song
80s Life
Northern Whale
Kingdom of Doom
Herculean
Behind the Sun
The Bunting Song
Nature Springs
A Soldier's Tale
Three Changes
Green Fields
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
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AMY WINEHOUSE GETS REWORKED BY GHOSTFACE
The aforementioned Amy Winehouse will release a second single from rather good album 'Back To Black' in the new year. 'You Know I'm No Good', out 8 Jan, will feature a remix from Wu Tang Clan man Ghostface Killah. Ms Winehouse is on tour at the moment. Here are the dates you can still catch:
18 Nov: Norwich Waterfront
19 Nov: Cambridge Junction
21 Nov: Bristol Academy
24 Nov: London Union Chapel
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BLUE NILE MAN SOLO DATES
Paul Buchanan, probably better known as the lead singer of The Blue Nile, is playing some rare solo shows around the UK this coming week, dates as follows, press info from Noble PR.
19 Nov: London Theatre Royal Drury Lane
21 Nov: Dublin Vicar Street
22 Nov: Dublin Vicar Street
24 Nov: Aberdeen Music Hall
25 Nov: Edinburgh Usher Hall
26 Nov: Edinburgh Usher Hall
27 Nov: Perth Concert Hall
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DEAD 60S, CORAL, LINE UP FOR CHARITY
The Dead 60s and The Coral are amongst the acts lining up to play at a charity gig organised by Deltasonic to raise money for the Alder Hey Children's Hospital. Other acts on the bill include The Suzukis and The Little Flames. The event takes place at Liverpool Academy on 16 Dec, tickets on sale as of today. Those attending can also join a special after-show event for an extra fiver.
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COCKER SOLO DATE FEATURES PULP BANDMATES
Jarvis Cocker's debut solo gig at Koko on 15 Nov wasn't quite as solo as you might expect, as he enlisted the help of Pulp bassist Steve Mackay and auxiliary guitarist Richard Hawley. The band's keyboardist Candida Doyle also got up on stage and played for a track. So there you go. Sort of wishing I'd been there, frankly.
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TRANSGRESSIVE HIT THE ROAD
Those really rather fine Transgressive Records people are about to embark on a "roadshow" which will see all sorts of fine artists play three dates up there in the North, the first one tonight as part of the big Warehouse Project in Manchester, and then one in Sheffield and one in Leeds. The details are like this:
17 Nov: Manchester Warehouse Project, Old Brewery: The Subways, The Young Knives / Mystery Jets, Larrikin Love, Battle, Jeremy Warmsley, Ladyfuzz, Polytechnic, Foals, Mechanical Bride.
18 Nov: Sheffield Plug: The Young Knives / Mystery Jets, Larrikin Love, Battle, Jeremy Warmsley, Ladyfuzz, Polytechnic, Foals.
19 Nov: Leeds University: The Young Knives / Mystery Jets, Larrikin Love, Battle, Ladyfuzz, Polytechnic, Foals, Johnny Flynn.
Press info from Gilotti.
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NOKIA TO STAGE FIVE CITY NEW YEARS BASH
Nokia is set to stage, or sponsor, or something, a series of New Year's Eve gigs, which will take place in cities around the world, each kicking off one after the other (like with Live 8 - in fact Live 8 promoter Harvey Goldsmith is involved). Five cities will be involved, including Hong Kong and Rio de Janeiro, and Scissor Sisters and the Black Eyed Peas are among the artists reportedly signed up. More details are expected shortly (I'm not sure if they are bespoke events, or whether the programme will bring together existing New Year celebrations), though insiders say the combined shows will have a live audience of 1.3 million, and a TV audience of 150 million, and presumably there'll be some kind of mobile extension.
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CLEAR CHANNEL GOES INTO PRIVATE OWNERSHIP
Following weeks of speculation which we managed to completely ignore, Clear Channel, the mighty US radio conglomerate (and not the mighty worldwide live music conglomerate, Clear Channel's live entertainments firm, now a separate entity called Live Nation, of course), has announced it will be 'taken into private ownership' as part of a $18.7 billion buy out deal led by Thomas H Lee Partners, the investment house behind Edgar Bronfmann Jnr's purchase of the Warner Music Group in 2004. The consortium of investment types, which also includes Bain Capital Partners, will pay $37.60 in cash for each share in the radio firm (though they might end up paying more), as well as taking on about $8 billion in debt. Clear Channel owns or operates 1150 radio stations across the US, although in a separate announcement bosses there said it intends to sell off the 448 least profitable stations in its group.
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SENIOR SONYBMG MARKETER STANDS DOWN
Billboard reports that SonyBMG marketing exec Tim Prescott is standing down from his senior post at the major's New York base, and will return to his home country, Australia, because of a "family issue". SonyBMG have confirmed the departure of the former BMG Chief Marketing Officer, though say the door will be open for his to return. No word as yet on who will take over his role in the meantime.
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MICROSOFT SIGN UP NME AS ROCK PARTNER
Microsoft have announced that NME will be its "primary worldwide content partner" for the rock genre. The IPC owned title will provide branded content for Microsoft's version of iTunes, the Zune Marketplace, including playlists and features on classic albums.
Commenting on the partnership, Zune's lead music programmer Kyle Hopkins told reporters: "We are thrilled to be working with NME. I remember the first time I saw their magazine as a kid, and I have been a fan ever since. These guys consistently produce killer content year after year while staying true to their roots. Having NME content appear in Zune Marketplace alongside ours is incredibly exciting and will help us provide our customers a very cool and interesting perspective on music".
I don't know which NME he's been reading of late. Only joking. We love the NME. Though those copies of the NME Essential compilation are yet to arrive at CMU HQ. So that could change.
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3 LAUNCHES MOBILE CHART SHOW
Phone company 3 is launching a chart countdown show on its mobile TV platform, which it is billing as the true replacement for Top Of The Pops - to such an extent that they have hired former TOTP presenter Reggie Yates to host it. The show will be called MPops and will go live each Friday featuring a run down of the top selling tracks of the week (I'm not sure if that's the best selling tracks on 3's own download platform, or some more all encompassing chart) plus a video preview, band interview and 'behind the scenes' clip. There'll also be some interactive gubbins where viewers can enter competitions or, if they want, buy downloads or ringtones of tracks featured at the click of a button. It doesn't sound like much of a replacement for Top Of The Pops to me, but could be kind of cool anyway.
Commenting on the new show 3's Director Of Media Innovation, Morgan Holt, told CMU: "The Top Of The Pops audience hasn't disappeared - they simply aren't sitting in front of the TV anymore. So instead of having to sit around waiting for the audience, we're taking a chart show to them. But we've adapted the chart show format for the mobile generation - MPops is shorter and punchier than its TV predecessors. The beauty of Mobile television is that it's really 'me-tv', - where the audience can view when they want, where they want. And its audience is growing."
Press info on it all can be obtained from Slice.
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BABY BANDA SPENDS TIME WITH THE MARTINS
Poor baby David. No sooner does he get adopted by Madonna than he's being taken over to Chris and Gwyneth's house of macrobiotics for play dates with little Moses Martin, according to The Sun. If, of course, one's actually allowed to play at the Martin household, and not just discuss global issues and the benefits of not consuming hydrogenated oils.
The tabloid quotes a source as saying: "Madonna was keen for David to get friends his own age group". Reportedly joining in with the fun are Stella McCartney and Kate Winslet, who apparently brought along their respective progeny, Miller and Joe.
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MOTORHEAD SPONSOR KIDDIE FC
Motorhead have become the sponsors of Greenbank FC, an under-tens football team from Lincoln. The kids now wear a black strip embossed with the band's name and logo, and run out onto the pitch to the strains of 'Ace Of Spades'.
It all came about because the team's manager Gary Weight used to be friends with band member Lemmy. Weight says: "It was from a bizarre idea one evening. I sent an email off to them and they came back and said it was a great idea. They were totally up for it. I knew Lemmy years ago, and for him, I think, the thought of a football team running out with the Motorhead logo made him chuckle a bit, so that's where it has come from. The hope is that we can go out on the football pitch and terrorise the opponents and come away worthy winners."
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GIRL ALOUD BREAKS UP WITH A BOY
Girl Aloud Nadine Coyle has broken up with her boyfriend. Shit, I'm glad I'm not famous. Can you imagine everyone knowing that you've just been dumped? Not that I've ever been dumped, of course. To be fair, I don't think she actually was dumped, according to The Mirror, who imply that it was a mutual decision forced by the pair's unworkable long distance relationship.
Anyway, it seems Nadine is no longer seeing the young man, Jesse Metcalfe, who is mostly famous, I think, for not wearing a shirt much in US TV hit 'Desperate Housewives'. A so-called friend told the tabloid: "Nadine really thought that Jesse was the one and has been crying endlessly since the split. Both of them are sad that it's come to an end, but it got too hard keeping a long-distance relationship going".
The 'friend' continued: "They are well aware that things will only get worse as Jesse's film career takes off and Nadine's heavy workload with Girls Aloud continues into the new year. Not only is she going on tour, but the band have a new album to make which will keep them apart for longer."
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THE DEARS ON PLAYING V FEST
Help me here - did The Dears enjoy playing the first ever Canadian V Festival back in September or not? It's just not clear.
Here's what drummer George Donoso III told Jam Showbiz: "It was horrible and by far the darkest, cheapest and most ghetto festival ever. It was just so gross. The treatment was terrible. The whole reason for the festival is to sell cellphones. It's awful. We'll never do a V-Fest ever again".
Perhaps Virgin could use that on their poster next year.
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PORN CHAPPIE CONFIRMS BRITNEY SEX TAPE RUMOURS
Well, if leading porn producer David Hans Schmidt is to be believed, someone is trying to sell a tape of Britney Spears and Kevin Federline having sex, though it's not clear if it's Fed-ex doing the selling, as previous rumour would suggest. I'm not sure I want to think about it, actually, but I'll try to make it to the end of the story without gagging too much.
The alleged tape is being offered to the highest bidder apparently, and here's what Mr Schmidt says about it: "Two days after Britney filed for divorce I was contacted by an individual who indicated that he had a digital video of Britney Spears and Kevin Federline having sex. This gentleman knew enough names and identified enough parties involved to indicate that the tape could exist".
As previously reported, the then-couple's libel case against Us Weekly, who claimed such a sex tape existed and might be in danger of reaching the public sphere, was recently thrown out of court.