| CMU Daily - on the inside Wednesday 6th October |
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In today's CMU Daily:
- Japanese rights holders step up pressure on YouTube
- EMI make Norah Jones MP3 available via Yahoo!
- Warner chief on how to respond to file sharing kids
- Snoop Dogg baton case delayed until the new year.
- Pavarotti not to pick up award after all
- IMPALA present more indie sales awards
- McCartney lyrics sell for a packet
- Rappers escape serious injury in road accident
- Single review: Amy Winehouse - You Know I'm No Good
- Cure man says he should be shot
- Gwen on Rice-Oxley collaboration
- The Rapture launch record label
- Art Garfunkel album next year
- McFly tour
- GLC tour
- Maximo Park dates
- The Used headline Taste Of Chaos tour
- A Bestival's not just for Christmas
- Yorke on The Basement
- Leading Asian publisher signs up to MCPS-PRS
- Whoo Kid launches magazine
- Redemption relaunches
- Radio 2 music chief to retire
- NTL call off ITV ambitions
- Single review: The Cooper Temple Clause - Waiting Game
- Beyonce / Jay-Z marriage rumours
- Federline's ex speaks
- Take That still fighting off the birds
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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>>
I know what you're saying, I can hear you loud and clear, "tell me CMU - what have people been voting for in the CMU Track Of The Year poll in the last 48 hours?" Well, here's what.
Tony Morely, The Leaf Label: Thom Yorke - Harrowdown Hill
The centrepiece of a brilliantly claustrophobic album, 'Harrowdown Hill' turns up the intensity to hairs-on-end levels. Great to hear a mainstream artist writing something as politically and personally charged as this.
Mark E, ireallylovemusic: Freelance Hellraiser - A Punk Rock Version Of God
For me it has to be the unreleased 'A Punk Rock Version Of God' by Freelance Hellraiser. Having released a song based album in 2006 that wasn't too well received by press or punters (though I loved its old school baggy/sunrise moods), Freelance has gone back to his roots and let rip with this ten minute beast of old school bleeps and monstrous guitar solo that never fails to knock me out.
As Freelance Hellraiser himself advised, "This Is My Bohemian Rhapsody". Supposedly planned for a proposed b-side, the record label have yet to put it out, but thankfully the track has been available all over the place (eg Freelance Hellraisers MySpace and various blogs). It is, by far, the best 'WTF Is This Track of The Year'".
Dave Lloyd, SUBtv: The Brightlights - 3 (myspace.com/thebrightlightssound)
I really hope this unsigned band from Grimsby are destined for big things. They've certainly got the songs to do it if their MySpace is anything to go by. I've found myself gravitating back towards it at regular intervals since I first heard them over the summer. Lovely.
Melissa Taylor, Tailored Communication: Fink - Biscuits For Breakfast
Fink blew me away when I witnessed his live acoustic set in May. 'Biscuits' is about his days being a corporate label lackey and feeling like you are selling your soul. The beautiful music and his guitar playing conveys as much the feeling of hopelessness as the words. It holds a special place in my heart because I left my lovely muso job and London to go it alone this year and was listening to Fink's album a lot when I was struggling at the start of my new business. It reminded me of my mates back home and all the excellent reasons why I left! My favourite electronic track though is My My's 'Butterflies & Zebras' which melts hearts with it's beautiful deep bassline and shimmery ambient beauty. And Ewan Pearson with CMUs fave Icelandic songstress Hafdis Huld 'Let It Go' is cracking too :)
Michael O'Rourke, Bangor University SU: 12 Stone Toddler - The Rabbit
I'd like to vote for 'The Rabbit' by 12 Stone Toddler. Sometimes you want music that moves you emotionally but other times you just want a tune that makes you dance like a fool.
Votes are coming in thick and fast this week, but that's no reason for you not to send over yours. You can vote for any song that first surfaced this year - including single releases, b-sides, remixes, album tracks and bootleg mixes. To vote, just email the name of the track, the artist and (if you can be bothered) a two sentence reason why it's your favourite. Email it in to [email protected] right about now (well, before 8 Dec).
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CLASSIFIEDS>>
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HOT OFF THE PRESS>>
NEW ROCKSOUND - OUT NOW
Their rise to the top has been sensational and Las Vegas quartet Panic! At The Disco grace the cover of this month's issue of Rock Sound magazine - we hear their incredible story in their own words. Also this month, check out Rock Sound's Top 75 albums of 2006 - Who's in? Who's not? Who's at number 1? Plus, we bring you the ultimate list of 100 bands you need to know in 2007 - featuring Enter Shikari, Baroness, Silversun Pickups, Pull Tiger Tail, Brand New, Shiny Toy Guns and many, many more. Plus, there's interviews with Slipknot, Claudio Sanchez, Killswitch Engage, Good Charlotte, Cradle Of Filth and more. And don't forget to check out this month's FREE CD for a preview of some of the hottest new bands for the New Year. FREE with this month's issue - a fantastic 32 page 2007 Calendar - featuring MCR, Aiden, AFI, BMTH, Brand New and more...
Rock Sound issue 92, on sale now, priced £3.60 from all good news stockists.
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CMU RECOMMENDS>>
KILL ALL HIPPIES DECEMBER
The next edition of Kill All Hippies, the last one of the year, is this week, and it is all set to be a real stormer, not least because of its huge and really rather good live line up. On the bill are Robots In Disguise who, I am told, "pack a full-on left-field funk punk electro shock that's set to spark something of a revolution", which sounds mighty good to me. Next you'll get the anthemic and defining sounds of Roland Shanks and then the indie electro madness of Deaf Stereo. Then there's South East London's Bolt Action Five, perhaps best known for their own No Pain In Pop club night, but also a really rather good band themselves. And finally there'll be Mr Hudson & The Library, a recent CMU My Space Of The Day artist who have just finished what is sure to be one of the best albums of early 2007. Add to all that DJ sets from The Cooper Temple Clause, Gavin Nugent, The Young Knives, Lois & Pearl and the Scruffy Bird DJs and wow what a night. It all takes place this Friday, 8 Dec, at the Carling Academy Islington, from 9pm to 3am. It's £6 before 11pm then £8 after. Tickets in advance from http://www.ticketweb.co.uk, press info from Leyline.
More info>> http://www.leylinepromotions.com/killallhippies
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MYSPACE OF THE DAY: FATHER OF BOON
Now, Father Of Boon sent me (and my fellow editor Chris) a nice email (well, mine was nice, I didn't read Chris's) introducing themselves, and asking if we'd have a look at their page. Now, I am not saying that if you write me a nice email I'll automatically make you MySpace Of The Day, but I'll definitely consider it. Only, of course, if I like what I see and hear when I get there. Well, as you'll guess from this MSOTD nomination, I did like what I saw and heard when I got there. They're indie/punk/rock according to their genre specification, and that'll do for me, although they do, to be fair, sound a bit more punk on some tracks and a bit more indie on others. Either way, that's the kind of sound you can anticipate. What I like is the fact that there's some saxamaphone thrown into the mix. And there's some swearing, which I also like, because I am such a rebel. Anyway, they've been around a few years, but will release their self-financed debut next year. And in this case, I assure you, 'self-financed' does not for a minute mean 'crap'. Well, not on the basis of the songs I've heard from them thus far. Off you go, then, and have a listen.
http://www.myspace.com/boonfather
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JAPANESE RIGHTS HOLDERS STEP UP PRESSURE ON YOUTUBE
That group of Japanese rights holders who instructed YouTube to remove 30,000 files off its system back in October has now told the video sharing website that it needs to introduce a string of new measures to stop the future upload of copyright material owned by the organisations it represents.
The group, which includes various Japanese broadcasters plus rights holders represented by the country's author's society JASRAC, sent YouTube bosses a new letter on Monday, which was subsequently made public yesterday. It argues that while YouTube is operating a Notice And Takedown system in line with the US's Digital Millennium Copyright Act (ie when copyright owners make them aware their content has been illegally uploaded to the site, YouTube remove it), because of the high quantity of content being shared that system alone is not sufficient to protect copyright owners, who cannot, the group argue, be expected to monitor such a prolific sharing network.
To that end they want YouTube to "implement an infringement-preventive system" - ie to introduce measures that would discourage their users from sharing copyright content. This includes explicit warnings on the site, in Japanese, stressing that it is illegal to upload copyrighted content owned by others, and a pledge to cancel the accounts of any users who are found to have uploaded such content.
The rights holders have requested that YouTube respond to their letter by 15 Dec, though they have not indicated what steps they might take if the video sharing site fails to adhere to their wishes. Whether YouTube will try to placate the content owners by offering them a stake in their business, as they reportedly did with three of the major record companies, remains to be seen.
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EMI MAKE NORAH JONES MP3 AVAILABLE VIA YAHOO!
Another major label is making available a new track via Yahoo!'s US music service as an unprotected MP3 file. And about time too.
As everyone knows, in general the major record companies, in contrast to the independent sector, have resisted making music available in digital formats that do not have DRM technology installed that, in theory at least, restricts the use and distribution of the track. However, a growing number of people across the industry are arguing that use of DRM does not stop the illegal sharing of music (because it only takes one user to crack a DRM file or rip a track from CD and that song is then available via file sharing networks) and at the same time it annoys the record label's legitimate customers and gives companies like Apple, who control DRM technology, too much power in the digital music space. Actually, pretty much everyone I meet in the music industry these days, including major label people, seem to be arguing just that - which makes you wonder who it is, exactly, who is making all four major record companies continue to pursue such an blatantly self-defeating strategy, and why exactly their shareholders let them get away with it.
Anyway, one of the people who is particularly vocal about the need for the majors to end their obsession with DRM is Yahoo! Music's David Goldberg, who previously persuaded SonyBMG to make a Jessica Simpson track available as an MP3 in a special 'personalised track' promotion, and Disney's Hollywood Records who made a track by US pop star Jesse McCartney available as an MP3. In the latest Yahoo! exclusive promotion, EMI's Blue Note Records will make the latest single from Norah Jones available in the MP3 format, while two tracks from the major's Christian rock act Relient K are also available as MP3s.
The Wall Street Journal says that Blue Note's General Manager Zach Hochkeppel calls the Norah Jones MP3 initiative "an experiment", adding that it is thought that, even if the single track is extensively shared over the net, most of Jones' older fanbase will still buy the full album once it is released, so any sharing of the MP3 would, in fact, act as viral marketing for the new long player. Hochkeppel also says that there was "general resistance" to the plan among senior players at EMI, but that they were ultimately persuaded that they needed to test new approaches to digital sales.
The Journal also quotes Ted Cohen, the former Senior VP Of Digital Development at EMI US, and now an independent digital media consultant, who welcomes the Yahoo! initiative as "a nice first step", but who adds his former employer has not gone far enough in this domain, adding: "We need to see some albums available as MP3".
And he's right you know. To quote the aforementioned Goldberg when discussing DRM at an industry event earlier this year: "It just isn't working. It's not solving piracy. It's not helping consumers".
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WARNER CHIEF ON HOW TO RESPOND TO FILE SHARING KIDS
Talking of illegal file sharing, which we kind of were, there was an interesting quote from Warner chief Edgar Bronfman Jnr in a Reuters interview shown on Second Life this week. He admitted that his children had downloaded music illegally, adding: "I explained to them what I believe is right, that the principle is that stealing music is stealing music". Of course you might have expected Bronfman to get straight on the phone to the legal department of the Recording Industry Association Of America and demand they issue legal papers against his kids, though the Warner chief did add that such litigation was not central to Warner's strategy in the digital space, observing that labels should "not to go after the casual jaywalker, but the car thief".
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SNOOP DOGG BATON CASE DELAYED UNTIL THE NEW YEAR.
A judge has agreed to postpone Snoop Dogg's appearance in court to face a deadly weapon charge - relating to his possession earlier this year of that illegal police baton - until January next year. The rapper, real name Calvin Broadus was, as previously reported charged with the felony after security staff noticed the 53cm long collapsible nightstick as he attempted to board a flight from California's John Wayne airport back on 27 Sep. As well as granting the postponement, Judge Kazuharu Makino allowed Snoop to sign a waiver that will allow him to miss most "non-substantive" hearings in the case.
Snoop claimed at the time, of course, that it was to be used as a prop in a video he was due to shoot in New York, and it sounds as though the rapper will stick to that story. Asked if Broadus knew that the baton was an illegal weapon, his lawyer Don Etra replied: "It's premature to discuss what he knew. He had no intent to use it as a weapon and no intent to carry a weapon on his person."
Snoop faces up to three years in prison if he's convicted. He is, as previously reported, facing a number of charges for separate offences at the present time. In October he was arrested at another California airport on suspicion of firearms and drugs possession, and in November was apprehended at the NBC studios in Burbank on suspicion of possessing cocaine, marijuana and a false compartment in which to conceal the aforementioned. He appears in court on 12 Dec to answer the former charges, and 11 Jan regarding the latter.
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PAVAROTTI NOT TO PICK UP AWARD AFTER ALL
Luciano Pavarotti has dropped out of his planned appearance at a music festival in the Italian city of Bergamo. As previously reported, the famed tenor was expected to make his first public appearance since his recent illness and surgery for cancer at the event, to receive the Donizetti Prize in recognition of his interpretations of the composer's operas.
The 71 year old singer's manager Terri Robson explained that he would now not appear in public until a charity event in 2007, but added that Pavarotti "couldn't be happier with his results and progress".
She continued: "He has also been preparing for a new recording and is very much looking forward to continuing his worldwide farewell tour next year".
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IMPALA PRESENT MORE INDIE SALES AWARDS
Pan-European indie label bods IMPALA have announced details of the latest set of European Music Sales Awards, the previously reported new awards programme that recognises independent releases that shift major units across Europe. And it's extra helpings of mulled wine all round for the Domino Records team who score two double platinum awards (for sales in excess of one million) for Arctic Monkeys' 'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not' and Franz Ferdinand's 'Franz Ferdinand'.
Other big selling indie releases recognised in this batch of awards include:
Platinum winners (500,000+ sales)
Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have Done It So Much Better (Domino) - UK.
Slipknot - Vol3: The Subliminal Verses (Roadrunner) - Netherlands
The Offspring - Smash (Epitaph) - Netherlands
Diamond winners (250,000+ sales):
The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers (Beggars/XL Recordings) - UK
Charlotte Gainsbourg - 5:55 (Because Music) - France
Corneille - Les Marchands de Rêves (Wagram Music France) - France
Jose Gonzalez - Veneer (Imperial Recordings/Peacefrog Records) - Sweden
Nickelback - All the Right Reasons (Roadrunner) - Netherlands
Pink Martini - Sympathique (Naive) - France
Pink Martini - Hand On Little Tomato (Naive) - France
Thom Yorke - The Eraser (Beggars/XL Recordings) - UK
Commenting on the awards, IMPALA Chairman and Beggars boss Martin Mills told CMU: "The independents are key to discovering new talent. The IMPALA awards are simply a way of acknowledging that and celebrating real diversity in action. Our artists have unique talent and for the first time we have a tool that really helps us to increase pan-European awareness at different stages in their career and bring them to a much wider audience".
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MCCARTNEY LYRICS SELL FOR A PACKET
Beatles lyrics handwritten by Paul McCartney have sold for $192,000 at an auction at Christie's in New York. The early version of the words to 'Maxwell's Silver Hammer' were given to McCartney's biographer Barry Miles, apparently, soon after they had been written.
Elsewhere in the sale, a guitar owned by the late Jimi Hendrix fetched $168,000, a page from Britney Spears' schoolbook made $240 (I read the book review on it, and to be fair, it wasn't a good read so I'm not surprised it didn't go for more), more handwritten lyrics, this time courtesy of Bob Marley, which brought $72,000, and a poem written by Doors frontman Jim Morrison made $50,000.
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RAPPERS ESCAPE SERIOUS INJURY IN ROAD ACCIDENT
US rapper Mr Lif and rap group The Coup and their entourages recently escaped serious injury when their tour bus turned over and set on fire. The hip hoppers were on the 21 date Mr Lif Plays With The Coup tour, which began in Calgary back in November.
El-P, founder and CEO of Mr Lif's label, Definitive Jux, wrote in a statement on his company's website: "Miraculously, everyone managed to escape with his or her lives. There were injuries suffered to different degrees ranging from minor to serious but everyone is essentially OK and getting treated in various hospitals. The bus and everything in the bus was destroyed in the fire."
The rest of the tour has been cancelled, but the hip hop acts hope to reschedule for a later date.
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SINGLE REVIEW: Amy Winehouse - You Know I'm No Good (Universal Records)
This smooth track off Winehouse's second album 'Back To Black' is one the coolest tracks I've heard in ages. Her steady voice gives this track a sexy feel which is straight out of a 20s juke-joint. Produced by the ever impressive Mark Ronson, the mix of beats and drum licks against the more traditional jazz sounds of a piano and trumpet give the track a full to the brim feeling - there's just so much going on here. Saying this, the track doesn't try to do much with the overall song but the progression is very restrained and humbles along throughout. A true chill-out track from an understated album, Winehouse shows the Corinne Bailey Raes of the music industry just how it's done. GM
Release Date: 8 Jan
Press Contact: Universal IH [CP, RP, NP, CR, RR, NR] Hyperlaunch [online]
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CURE MAN SAYS HE SHOULD BE SHOT
His words, not mine. I like The Cure. Anyway, frontman Robert Smith has said in an interview with Reuters that he's struggling to write lyrics for some of the thirty three new songs the band have written for the group's fourteenth studio album. Smith says: "I want [the words] to mean something, it's not enough that they rhyme. I find myself stopping short and thinking I've done this before, and better. I've given myself a deadline to finish the words before Christmas. If I don't I should be shot".
As previously reported, the band released a new DVD on 27 Nov, 'Festival 2005', which features thirty performances recorded during nine different shows last year. Commenting on the release, Smith said: "It was never planned. By the time we did the final show in Istanbul we had 13 cameras, but at the first show we only had one. It was directed by serendipity, and it was kind of thrown together."
He adds that he will perform for as long as there's a demand. "I'm genuinely surprised at people's reaction when we play shows, it's hard to ignore it," he said. "It's gratifying to know that people still want The Cure to exist. We're an old band playing to a young audience. I'm aware that time is moving on. I don't want The Cure to fizzle out doing 45-minute shows of greatest hits. That would be awful for our legacy."
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GWEN ON RICE-OXLEY COLLABORATION
Gwen Stefani has been talking about the collaboration with Keane Man Tim Rice-Oxley that appears on the singer's recently released second solo album, 'The Sweet Escape'. Stefani describes the track, 'Early Winter', as "one of the most beautiful songs ever" and says that Rice-Oxley is "Superman-talented".
Explaining how the song came about, she said: "I wanted a ballad. I wanted to write 'Eyes Without A Face' or 'Killing Me Softly' or 'Time After Time', and he was like, 'OK, Cyndi Lauper, got it,' like he was taking my order. It was so beautiful and addictive. I didn't really attack it because it was kind of done, lyrics and everything".
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THE RAPTURE LAUNCH RECORD LABEL
The Rapture have launched their own record label which, according to Pitchfork, will be known as Throne Of Blood Records. I think it will be an independent affair - ie not affiliated to the Universal owned Vertigo, who they themselves are signed to - though word is that its early releases will be vinyl singles and remixes off their current Vertigo released album 'Pieces Of The People We Love', so perhaps I'm wrong about that. Certainly it will have indie distribution, through Syntax in the US and Amato in Europe. The band will A&R for the label, with plans to sign up new talent in the near future. DJ James Friedman will oversee the label's operations day to day.
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ART GARFUNKEL ALBUM NEXT YEAR
Art Garfunkel is to release his twelfth solo album, entitled 'Some Enchanted Evening', on 5 Mar, next year via Warner/Atco. It's a covers album of songs written by twentieth century talents such as Rodgers & Hammerstein, Irving Berlin, Harold Arlen, Antonio Carlos Jobim and George Gershwin.
To coincide with that release, Garfunkel will tour the UK 'An Evening With Art Garfunkel and his band'. He'll be performing Simon & Garfunkel hits as well as material from the new album. Press info from Joanna Burns PR, dates as follows:
9 Mar: Newcastle City Hall
10 Mar: Edinburgh Usher Hall
12 Mar: Sheffield City Hall
14 Mar: Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre
15 Mar: Bristol Colston Hall
16 Mar: Croydon Fairfields Hall
18 Mar: London Palladium
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MCFLY TOUR
Hey, I've just remembered I'm going to see McFly play at the Tiscali Sessions tonight - hurrah! And they've just announced a new tour for next year - double hurrah! The plan with this one is to hit cities not normally included on their arena tours, and therefore they'll be playing smaller venues, hence they're calling it the 'Up Close And Personal Tour' - though take it from me, there's nothing 'up close' about seeing a band play the Edinburgh Playhouse or Liverpool Empire. Still, they'll rock, I'm sure. Dates as follows, press info from those Island Records types.
20 Mar: Bradford St Georges Hall
21 Mar: Preston Guildhall
23 Mar: Blackpool Opera House
24 Mar: Harrogate Int. Centre
25 Mar: Doncaster Dome
27 Mar: Grimsby Auditorium
28 Mar: Wolverhampton Civic
30 Mar: Newport Centre
31 Mar: Cambridge Corn Exchange
1 Apr: Derby Assembly Rooms
3 Apr: Sunderland Empire
4 Apr: Carlisle Sands Centre
6 Apr: Dundee Caird Hall
7 Apr: Aberdeen Music Hall
8 Apr: Edinburgh Playhouse
10 Apr: Ipswich Regent
11 Apr: Portsmouth Guildhall
13 Apr: Plymouth Pavilions 0
14 Apr: Oxford New Theatre
15 Apr: Poole Lighthouse
17 Apr: Bristol Colston Hall
19 Apr: Brentwood Leisure Centre
20 Apr: Swindon Oasis
22 Apr: Liverpool Empire
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GLC TOUR
Goldie Lookin Chain are about to embark on their Christmas Party (Doing It For The Taxman) Tour which I'm sure we've reported on before, but which I'm mentioning again because they're having to reschedule their London ULU date because of some new TV commitments. And when will the ULU Christmas Party show now take place? Erm, 15 Mar 2007. Good news is that the reason the guys can't do any January or February dates is because they plan to be locked in a studio working on their third album. More on that when we get it.
Meanwhile, here are the remaining dates on the Christmas tour...
7 Dec: Cambridge Junction
8 Dec: Cardiff University
9 Dec: Stafford University Student Union
10 Dec: Norwich Waterfront
11 Dec: Brighton Concorde 2
13 Dec: Sheffield Plug
15 Dec: Aberdeen Moshulu
16 Dec: Glasgow Garage
17 Dec: Inverness Ironworks
18 Dec: Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall
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MAXIMO PARK DATES
Maximo Park have announced two tour dates. Actually, one of them is their Shockwaves NME Award Shows performance, which we reported on yesterday. So it's really only one new date, as it were. The first one is Stage 2 in Newcastle on 20 Feb, the second London Astoria on 21 Feb.
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THE USED HEADLINE TASTE OF CHAOS TOUR
The Used are to headline the 41 date Rockstar Taste of Chaos tour. Their appearance on the tour, supported by Senses Fail, Aiden and 30 Seconds To Mars, coincides with the release of their third album which is out in February. The tour itself starts 15 Feb in Seattle, and ends on 6 April in Calgary. I'd give you a list of the tour dates, but you know, there are 41 of them, and they're all in North America. If you really, really want to know what they all are, go here: http://www.tasteofchaos.com/tourdates.htm.
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A BESTIVAL'S NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS
How did it get to be that there are only nine months until the next Bestival? And how did it get to be that there are only nineteen days until Christmas? I'm not sure, but with both those things in mind the Bestival people are staging a special Christmas Card ticket offer, basically encouraging people to give tickets to next year's Bestival as a Christmas present.
Bestival chief Rob da Bank explains: "Don't give your loved one a pair of socks, pot pourri and a tangerine this year. Make 'em smile with a good old-fashioned Bestival ticket and hand drawn limited edition Josie da Bank card! Also cos so many people in the UK don't have such a merry Christmas with no roof over their head we're giving 5 pounds from every ticket bought to Shelter who are committed to housing our homeless. What ya waitin for?"
Adult weekend tickets are £105, while kids' tickets are £52.50. To order tickets within a festive card you need to go to http://www.bestival.net and click on the big Christmas card button. Press info on all of this from Get Involved.
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YORKE ON THE BASEMENT
"From The Basement was exciting because it came from the desire to cut out the crap that lies between the music and the viewer. To get plugged straight into the mains. No producer director egos messing it up. The highlight for me was listening to Kieran and Steve Reid jamming as the tape started rolling". Not my words, ladies and gentlemen, but the words of Mr Thom Yorke. Well, I say that, I'm guessing a PR person might have been involved somewhere along the lines because its not like Thom to speak/write in sentences. Not English ones anyway.
But that's what Yorke thinks of 'From The Basement', the previously reported new web TV venture created by producer and Radiohead mate Nigel Godrich. FTB will make exclusive recordings from a range of artists available for online consumption, without any presenter, producer or studio audience. The first edition will feature the aforementioned Yorke performing two new Radiohead songs, with future installments set to include The White Stripes and that improvised collaboration Thom was alluding to there, between Four Tet's Kieran Hebden and genius drummer Steve Reid.
FTB installments will be available for download via iTunes and the venture's own website, http://www.fromthebasement.tv, from 18 Dec, with each video/track costing £1.89. There's more info and some previews on that website. Press info from Nile On.
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LEADING ASIAN PUBLISHER SIGNS UP TO MCPS-PRS
Moviebox, one of the world's leading Asian music publishing companies (in case you wondered. Were you wondering? Well, wonder no more) has joined the MCPS-PRS collecting society as a 'direct member' for the entire world. The society will now collect royalties on behalf of Moviebox, meaning music users with a PRS licence will now have official access to the Asian publisher's entire catalogue, which includes music written by people like Gurdas Maan, B21, Jazzy B, Sukshinder Shinda, Bally Jagpal and Shazia Manzoor.
Commenting on their MCPS/PRS membership, Moviebox's Kamraan Ahmed said yesterday: "It's great to be on board with the PRS through our new publishing arm Empire Music Ltd. We feel with our ever extending catalogue of popular works, we can look forward to a long term, successful relationship with the Alliance. We believe the news of our membership will be welcomed by all in the Asian music industry as well as major broadcasters like the BBC Asian Network. We can now benefit from royalties from this major Asian music broadcaster being paid on the basis of full census and we can also participate in PRS' other income streams that derive from the use of Asian publishers and writers music".
And indeed the BBC Asian Network did welcome the news. Their Head Of Music, Mark Strippel, told reporters: "We are very pleased that BBC Asian Network listeners are now able to listen to artistes from the whole Moviebox repertoire. British Asian music is at the forefront of everything we do and Moviebox have been and remain, one of the key British Asian music companies of the past decade".
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WHOO KID LAUNCHES MAGAZINE
G-Unit collaborator DJ Whoo Kid is launching a new hip hop magazine in the states, called POW! The first issue, with the sub-title "Hip Hop vs. Hollywood", will be released later this month with Mobb Deep and Steve-O on the cover. The magazine is the latest of a growing Whoo Kid business empire, which already includes a watch line and management marketing company Shadyville.
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REDEMPTION RELAUNCHES
Independent rock TV channel Redemption TV, which launched on Sky back in March, will relaunch as Rockworld TV, and step up its output from the current late night only service to a 24/7 operation. The revamped channel will officially launch on 15 Dec.
Confirming the revamp, Rockworld TV joint CEO Peter Hadfield told CMU: "When we started out as Redemption TV we wanted to make music television fresh, exciting and real again. We achieved these goals quicker than we could have imagined which gave us new aspirations and ambitions for the project. Now that we have a whole channel at our disposal, the sky is the limit for 2007 and beyond, and we aim to make Rockworld.TV the number one channel destination for all fans of real music; from indie rock to extreme metal."
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RADIO 2 MUSIC CHIEF TO RETIRE
Radio 2 music chief Colin Martin, the man often said to have launched the career of James Blunt (though he did some good stuff too - oh hang on, I think we said we wouldn't do Blunt dissing), will step down next year, meaning that there is now a vacancy in what has become one of the most influential jobs in British music. Martin played a key role in the recent revival of Radio 2 as a music station with serious clout. No word as yet on who is favourite to take on the job once Martin departs.
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NTL CALL OFF ITV AMBITIONS
NTL has confirmed it has "no present intention" of making a new offer for ITV. As much previously reported, NTL made a bid for the commercial broadcaster last month. The offer was turned down pretty quickly by ITV bosses, a decision that may or may not have been influenced by the purchase of a 17.9% stake in ITV by NTL's biggest rival, BSkyB. It was in a bid to take on BSkyB, and other international broadcasting giants, that NTL proposed merging its operations with ITV in the first place. All that said, it is likely that it was less BSkyB's share acquisition and more Michael Grade's appointment as ITV chairman that caused the change of heart at NTL. While the cable company welcomed Grade's appointment, his arrival meant a now upbeat ITV would probably want to have the upper hand in any NTL merger, whereas previously NTL could have been the controlling partner over a then boss-less ITV. NTL say they now intend to concentrate on bringing together the formerly separate businesses of NTL, Telewest and Virgin Mobile under the one Virgin Media brand.
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SINGLE REVIEW: The Cooper Temple Clause - Waiting Game (Sanctuary Records)
The tight guitar riff that starts 'Waiting Game' promises a standout track which The Cooper Temple Clause just don't deliver on. The problem is that the track doesn't go anywhere that hasn't been explored by anyone and everyone before. The chorus sounds like a thousand other choruses that have been heard again and again. The track is produced very professionally, but this just robs the band of the intensity that they are so capable of delivering. The single doesn't give the best impression of what their anticipated new long player will be like - if this is the best the band have to offer then 'Make This Your Own' will be disappointment of an album. GM
Release Date: 8 Jan
Press Contact: Incubator [all]
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BEYONCE / JAY-Z MARRIAGE RUMOURS
The gossips are buzzing with speculation that a four day 'surprise' party Beyonce Knowles is organising for her boyfriend Jay-Z's thirty seventh birthday is more than just that, the implication being that the pair will marry during the celebrations. According to reports, insiders say that guests were told to file passport applications so that they can attend the bash on a yacht in St. Barts, and be ferried to Anguilla where a marriage ceremony will take place. The two are, of course, notoriously tight lipped about their personal relationship.
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FEDERLINE'S EX SPEAKS
One of Kevin Federline's ex girlfriends has said she wouldn't put it past Fed-Ex to have cheated on Britney Spears whilst they were married, on the basis of her own experiences.
Kerri Whittington, who was engaged to the would-be rapper, said: "It wouldn't surprise me if he cheated on Britney Spears. He was forever in Vegas and partying with his buddies and girls. There are more than enough stories of him getting close to strippers."
On K-Fed's solo career, she laughed: "[It's] a joke. He's horrible. He's an embarrassment".
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TAKE THAT STILL FIGHTING OFF THE BIRDS
Take That are still fighting off the birds, apparently, according to reports that claim that a group of female soap stars mobbed the boys at the 'Audience With' after show party at the weekend. Which just shows you... something. Okay, it shows you that you don't have to be twenty three years old to be hot.
A source said: "The women were going mad for the lads. Jason even had to have a security guard attached to him to fend them off."
Jason Orange, who was, I suspect, the only Take Thatter there that night without a female in tow, said: "The female attention is great - it's better this time round!"