| CMU Daily - on the inside Monday 21st January |
|
In today's CMU Daily:
- Has Hands ordered an ie retraction?
- Foxy judge asks for more ear info
- Witnesses testify against P Diddy in club fracas case
- Lemmy has no sympathy for the dumb labels
- John Stewart dies
- Indie band comment on chess man's death
- Joplin home gets historic marker
- Beyonce and Foos will appear at Grammys
- Spears still set for movie?
- Dizzee gets full US release
- B-52s tracklisting
- Sex Pistols planning new material?
- Elton John donates bikes to medics
- Midler to retire following Las Vegas run
- Lupe Fiasco threatening to quit
- IOW additions
- Morrissey teams up with Love Music Hate Racism
- Green Day man's other band announce dates
- Single Review: These New Puritans - Elvis
- New chair for global management body
- Warner France buy into live firm
- French CD sales down a lot
- Hodgkinson to take on EMI digital duties
- [PIAS] Digtal reach DRM-free agreement with iTunes
- Orchard to leave GCap
- One Week To Live calls it a day
- Chart update
- Sub.tv playlist
- Total Rock world album chart
- Doherty may help struggling German football club
- Lemar's gotta girl
- Ronson plans to bait Slash with grapes
- Silly Simpson/Wentz reality show split talk
- Pink trashes paps, Kelly trashes papped
- Enemy barred from Tesco
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TOP BIT
A third and final reminder that it's the time of year that we recruit another batch of CMU college correspondents.
This is a great chance for anyone out there in college press or college radio land to build their skills on all things music journalism, and to make connections in the wider music business. College correspondent positions are voluntary, but you will receive coaching on music review skills and have access to all kinds of releases, events and music business contacts.
To apply to become a CMU college correspondent just download the form at the URL below and email it to [email protected] before the end of the month.
http://www.collegemedianetwork.co.uk/cmu/cmuappform.doc
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JOBS N STUFF
SPRING PR - SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
An excellent opportunity is now available for a Senior Account Executive with a colourful boutique PR agency in London who specialise in music, art and youth lifestyle. The successful candidate will be dynamic, enthusiastic, creative and dedicated with great organisational skills. They will be able to work to deadlines, be passionate about music, have excellent communication skills and at least 2 years PR experience preferably within music media. This vacancy will be as part of our account team looking after high profile clients in music, festivals and lifestyle brands. The successful candidate would be responsible for reporting to clients, liaising with media, attending gigs/festivals, admin support and assisting with both strategy development and implementation. The position would also involve some international and national travel so a valid passport would also be required. Please email your CV with a covering letter to [email protected] no later than Wednesday 13th February.
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Or email [email protected]
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SNAP OF THE DAY: THE BLOW
I'm pretty sure The Blow's most recent LP, 'Paper Television', has already been out for well over a year so I'm not pushing anything particularly fresh into your ears today. Rather, this SNAP is a nudge towards their wilfully feel-good single 'Parentheses', a geeky electro nugget with a playfully simplistic sound that makes for addictive listening. And although the odd choice of metaphor for the chorus could easily be mistaken for the work of an A-level English student - "When you're holding me, we make a pair of parentheses" - it only serves to add to its juvenile charms, unknowingly enticing you into a binding musical relationship with the lead singer (and now sole band member), Khaela Maricich. Stateside fans can comfort their desire for new material by seeing them live in San Francisco, Santa Cruz or LA this week; the rest of us, unfortunately, will have to wait.
http://www.myspace.com/theblowus
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HAS HANDS ORDERED AN IE RETRACTION?
HitsDailyDouble is quoting sources that say that EMI chief Guy Hands is seriously considering legal action against the head of Robbie Williams' management firm ie:music, Tim Clark, over that previously reported interview he gave to the Times about the change of ownership at the major music firm.
The sources seemingly say that Hands took offence at the interview, which was published just ahead of his meetings with staff and artist reps last week where he outlined, for the first time, his vision for transforming the music major his private equity business Terra Firma acquired last year.
HDD quote the source thus: "A letter went to Tim Clark from outside lawyers repping EMI, referring to statements made by Clark in the UK press that were absolutely false, leading to seriously negative and inaccurate press comments about Robbie Williams, EMI and Guy Hands. The letter asks Clark to correct those statements".
Among the offending statements are the line that Hands was acting like a "plantation owner" who had stumbled into the record industry via a "vanity purchase", even though Clark has since clarified in a subsequent interview that he had, in fact, accused record label chiefs in general of acting like "plantation owners", and had not aimed that comment at Hands at all who, the ie chief said, had so far provided little indication of his real plans for EMI - so couldn't yet be labelled that way.
It was the Times interview that led to wide media reporting that Robbie was on strike because of Hands' plans for EMI. Clark also subsequently denied he had ever made that comment too, although admitted he would be cautious to allow EMI to release a new Williams long player in the short term because "We [currently] have no idea how EMI will market and promote the album".
Whether there is any truth in these rumours remains to be seen. Clark, of course, is not the only artist manager to go on the record expressing concern regarding the future of EMI, though most in the management community have seemed most concerned about being kept in the dark about Hands' plans rather than actually criticising what the private equity chief plans to do at the major.
Growing tensions between EMI and ie might explain why the major has been slow to come to the defence of Robbie amid much false reporting regarding the state of Williams' recording career.
Some media have strongly implied much of EMI's woes have been caused by Robbie's much reported £80 million deal with the major back in 2002, citing the "disappointing" performance of his last album 'Rudebox', unsold copies of which are being flogged in pound shops or trashed and turned into paving materials in China.
But, while it's true 'Rudebox' did not perform as well as Robbie's previous releases, most notably in the UK, in the wider scheme of things the album was still a big seller on a global level - and with good reviews from some British media not normally known for Robbie fandom, plus the involvement of the recently buzzy Mark Ronson on the project, could probably have been a bigger seller here also with some better marketing from EMI.
Meanwhile, the £80 million deal was groundbreaking not because of its size but because it was one of the first 360 degree deals to be done in the record industry, giving EMI a cut of Robbie's lucrative touring and publishing earnings - ie exactly the kind of deals Hands says he is keen to cut with all of his artists. While Hands may not approve of the size of the advance paid in that deal, our sources say it has more than paid off for EMI, and could provide the text book template artist contract for Hands' new look EMI.
All of which is something you might expect EMI to come out and say amid all the reporting that Robbie's career is over - surely with two albums still to deliver on that £80 million contract it's not in EMI's interests to have one of their most bankable stars so publicly dissed? Unless Hands isn't personally feeling all that charitable to ie:music, and is happier for the public to think every single deal EMI has ever made in the past was a disaster, perhaps providing stronger justification for the radical changes about to kick off.
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FOXY JUDGE ASKS FOR MORE EAR INFO
The judge considering Foxy Brown's request for an early prison release has asked for more details about the rapper's hearing impairment. As previously reported, Brown, real name Inga Marchand, has asked to be let out of jail early on various grounds, but mainly on the grounds she needs treatment for her hearing condition and that the best treatment available is in LA, ie on the other side of the country from where she is currently incarcerated.
Acting Supreme Court Justice Melissa Jackson has asked for more information about Marchand's condition and treatment options after Assistant District Attorney Cindy Chung objected to the hip hopper's request for early release. Chung argued that Marchand had not convincingly proven that the treatment could not be carried out in New York, while adding that it is not standard practice to allow prisoners to choose their doctors. Marchand's lawyers have been told that they must hand over their client's medical records to the District Attorney's office before any further consideration will be given to the release request.
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WITNESSES TESTIFY AGAINST P DIDDY IN CLUB FRACAS CASE
The Associated Press is reporting that four eyewitnesses have come forward to support Gerard Rechnitzer, the man who has accused Sean 'Diddy' Combs of roughing him up outside a New York club last February. Combs, of course, has always denied lashing out at Rechnitzer - the plaintiff claims the hip hop mogul attacked him after his girlfriend knocked back Diddy's advances.
In legal papers filed by Rechnitzer's attorney, one witness, a Marianna Ruiz, says: "I just kind of remember seeing him [Rechnitzer] go flying, not flying as in like feet off the ground, but he went back significantly. I was just in shock that somebody would ... just kind of strike somebody out of nowhere".
Another, a Michael Sherman, says "All of a sudden, he [Diddy] hit him [Rechnitzer]. And there was a taxi behind Gerard. Gerard got knocked into the taxi".
At least some of the witnesses cited in Rechnitzer's legal papers were part of the plaintiff's group on the night, a fact which is sure to be latched onto by Combs' lawyers in a bid to throw doubt onto the testimonies. His reps also filed legal papers last week, again stressing that Combs is "in no way legally responsible for what happened to Rechnitzer".
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LEMMY HAS NO SYMPATHY FOR THE DUMB LABELS
The latest artist to hit out at the record companies is Motorhead's Lemmy who has told Metal Edge magazine that the major labels deserve their current sales woes for being so slow to adapt to the digital world. He told the mag: "It's killing itself, isn't it? I mean, they [the record companies] are too dumb to realise. I mean, it was fucking years ago that this started, and they just carried on doing what they were doing, blind to any advice, blind to any sort of evidence. They just kept on overcharging and kept on fucking people over, and now the chickens are coming home, you know? I think they're all gonna be out of business in 10 years".
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JOHN STEWART DIES
Singer songwriter John Stewart, best known as the writer of 'Daydream Believer', has died at the age of 68 after suffering a stroke. His death was announced via the website of influential folk group The Kingston Trio, of which he was a member from 1961 - 1967. It was following his departure from the group that Stewart wrote the Monkees track, which was a global hit in the same year. He went on to record more than 45 solo albums and achieved a number five hit in the US charts in 1979 with 'Gold'.
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INDIE BAND COMMENT ON CHESS MAN'S DEATH
Leeds rockers iLiKETRAiNS have made comment on the life and death of Bobby Fischer, the famous American chess master whose skills in a Russian dominated game meant his biggest matches in the mid Twentieth century became part of the US's Cold War propaganda campaign, though the chess star became known in his later life for his vehemently anti-US and often controversial political opinions. The indie band were asked for comment following Fischer's death in his adopted home of Iceland last week because they wrote a song about the chess man's life and decline, 'A Rook House For Bobby', on their 2006 album 'Progress Reform'.
Frontman Dave Martin told Gigwise: "It was with great sorrow that I heard on the news today of the death of Bobby Fischer, inspirational if controversial American chess champion". Drummer Simon Fogal added: "Bobby Fischer was a man with a brilliant mind and questionable politics. He has an incredible life story and has certainly left his mark in history. I feel we ought to remember him for his outstanding achievements in the field of chess but also that he was human, and as such was far from perfect".
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JOPLIN HOME GETS HISTORIC MARKER
An 'historic marker' was placed in front of the childhood home of the late great Janis Joplin last week. The house is in the Texan city of Port Arthur, and Joplin's family moved there when she was just four, and the family stayed there until 1975, five years after the singer's premature death from a drug overdose in 1970. The 'historic marker', sort of the Texan equivalent to our blue plaques, was unveiled to coincide with what would have been Joplin's 65th birthday.
The house is currently occupied by the Sanchez family, who say they were unaware of the property's history when they bought the property ten years ago. Alicia Sanchez told reporters: "One day I just saw a TV crew out here shooting and I thought 'What's going on'. I asked what they were doing and they told me that she [Joplin] used to live here. And then I started having people knock on my door asking to see my house". She added that she doesn't mind people taking pictures in her front yard, but that she generally doesn't allow random fans inside.
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BEYONCE AND FOOS WILL APPEAR AT GRAMMYS
Beyonce Knowles and Foo Fighters have said that they will appear at the Grammy Awards next month, despite the continued threat of protests by striking Hollywood writers and amid fears that those picket lines could scare off the music acts.
Beyonce's dad and manager Matthew says they "have every intention" of being there, despite her being a member of the Screen Actors Guild, who are 'out' with the scriptwriters, whilst Foo manager John Silver says his charges "will be performing on the show" which takes place on 10 Feb. Splitters.
The Foos are appearing in a segment called My Grammy Moment, in which fans play on stage with their idols, having auditioned via YouTube. Head Fighter Dave Grohl said: "Thanks to My Grammy Moment, a musician from that next generation is going to get the chance to audition on YouTube to play with us at the Grammys as part of our orchestra".
As previously reported, it was originally thought the Grammys would be spared from any picket line of striking writers, even though the production company who produce the event is on a boycott list by the writers' union. However, as it seems to be becoming more likely strikers will picket the awards bash, bosses at the US Recording Academy are reportedly in talks with the Writers' Guild Of America to secure an official go ahead for the event, concerned many key singers won't dare cross a picket line and the award show may face the same fate as this year's Golden Globes, which were all but cancelled because of the strike.
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SPEARS STILL SET FOR MOVIE?
More Britney, though a report on her professional career rather than her much documented loopiness for a change. And despite recent reports that Spears had lost out on a role in a new movie, the gossips are now saying that the singer is in fact still set to star in the film 'Memoirs Of A Medicated Child', and has not, as otherwise reported, been dropped in favour of Canadian singer Samantha Falk.
The film's director, Tommy Parker told PageSix: "The rumours of Britney Spears not starring in the movie are false. We still are in negotiations and the possibility of Britney still being in the movie remains the same. Samantha has been cast in the movie, but her involvement in the film does not affect the part we would like Britney to play".
However (and it's a big however), Falk herself has said in a statement that she's dropped out of appearing in the film and says that Brit's not involved either. Her statement said: "After reading some of the articles and interviews, I would like to say officially at this point that I am removing myself from all dealings with this film/project. I do not appreciate being misled by Tommy Parker in this manner. To my knowledge Britney Spears is in no way attached to this film at this time. Tommy Parker can choose to say whatever he wants. However, myself along with my clients will not be a part of it!"
So there you go. Meanwhile, back to the loopiness stories. And American TV self-help bod Dr Phil McGraw is reportedly facing an investigation by the California Board Of Psychology after he offered professional services to the singer after her most recent moment of loopiness (the barricading her kids in her house affair) despite not being licenced to offer such services. As previously reported, there were rumours the Spears family were mightily pissed off after he made public comment about Spears' condition, though other rumours did say otherwise. Either way, the CBP is reportedly investigating a complaint that McGraw approached Spears offering help without a licence to do so in California. It seems Dr Phil has never been licenced to practice in California, and he reportedly retired the licence he did have - in Texas - back in 2006. Working without a licence in California is against the law.
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DIZZEE GETS FULL US RELEASE
Dizzee Rascal's third album 'Maths + English' will get a full physical release in the US via New York indie Def Jux. The album's previous US release was digital only. The new physical release will include bonus tracks 'GHETTO' and 'Driving' and a remixed version of 'Where's Da G's', remixed by Def Jux boss El-P.
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B-52S TRACKLISTING
Now this is exciting, the long awaited new B-52s album now has a March release scheduled, and we have a tracklisting for you. The album is called 'Funplex' and is, me thinks, due to be released on EMI. Assuming Guy Hands doesn't decide the major should no longer align itself with anything to do with fun.
Pump
Hot Corner
Ultraviolet
Juliet of the Spirits
Funplex
Eyes Wide Open
Love in the Year 3000
Deviant Ingredient
Too Much to Think About
Dancing Now
Keep This Party Going
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SEX PISTOLS PLANNING NEW MATERIAL?
Is it April yet? I wish it were. According to various reports, the Sex Pistols are to record new material after thirty years of silence. The aged rockers performed on a reunion tour last year, of course, and are set to play the Isle Of Wight Festival in June. Now though, says drummer Paul Cook, they're thinking they'll try and squeeze out a few new tracks.
He's quoted as saying: "There's talk of new material. The only problem is that it's a bit hard to work on anything as John [Lydon] and Steve [Jones] are in America and Glen [Matlock] and I are in the UK so it's a case of finding the time to get together. We might not pull together an album but hopefully there will be some new stuff in time for the summer".
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ELTON JOHN DONATES BIKES TO MEDICS
Elton John has apparently donated 120 motorbikes to the Riders For Health programme, a scheme that enables doctors and nurses in servicing the population of the mountainous African state of Lesotho. Accompanied by his-partner-David-Furnish, he took part in a special ceremony near the country's capital of Maseru.
Explaining the scheme, which is funded by the singer's own AIDS foundation and run in partnership with Lesotho's government, health ministry spokesman Tumisang Mokoai told reporters: "The nurses and doctors will have transport to follow up patients in the villages to support community health workers. The motorcycles will be distributed to all health centres in Lesotho".
The singer, according to local reports, said: "We want to improve the transport system by bringing health care to millions of people living in the most rural areas and thus making a difference in their lives".
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MIDLER TO RETIRE FOLLOWING LAS VEGAS RUN
Well, I suppose these long stints must be pretty exhausting. Bette Midler says she's planning her retirement from show business when her upcoming two-and-a-half-year run in Las Vegas reaches its conclusion. The veteran singer and actress is set to take over from Celine Dion with The Showgirl Must Go On in February, and will play the Colosseum venue for thirty months in total.
Asked by Parade magazine if she would retire following the show, Midler, now 62, admitted: "I think so. I must say, my high kick is just as high as it ever was, thanks to tai chi. But everything is a bit slower. The mind - things don't stick the way they used to. I feel like I'm going out with a bang. It's something my husband and I have talked about. I certainly don't want to die in harness. I'm not one of those people".
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LUPE FIASCO THREATENING TO QUIT
More retirements, and US rapper Lupe Fiasco is threatening to quit music so he can concentrate of a literary career. He says he will release a third album, working title 'LupEND', and that he will then concentrate on book writing. He's quoted thus: "I have one more album in me and then I'm out. I've been doing this music hustle for eights years and have more things I still want to do. There are other ways besides putting out an album that allow me to channel my creative energy and I'm writing a book about a window washer. I will have more than enough to keep me busy".
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IOW ADDITIONS
More Isle Of Wight Festival additions. As just mentioned, Sex Pistols are among the headliners for this, as are Kaiser Chiefs and The Police. Other artists now on the bill include NERD, Kate Nash, the Kooks, KT Tunstall, The Hoosiers, Ian Brown, The Enemy, Amy Macdonald, James, Lily Allen, Starsailor, Scouting For Girls, Newton Faulkner and Delays, several of which are a damn sight more exciting than the headliners if you ask me. The IOW Fest takes place from 13-15 Jun.
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MORRISSEY TEAMS UP WITH LOVE MUSIC HATE RACISM
Morrissey has invited Love Music Hate Racism to have a presence at his Roundhouse London residency this week, which you might call a cynical gesture to overcome recent bad press regarding Mozza's alleged comments on immigration to the NME, but you're pretty cynical yourself for saying so. As of Friday the anti-racism body was looking for volunteers to help man their stall, though they may well have a full contingent by now. Though if you're interested, you could email [email protected] on the off chance they still need some help - presumably it's a good way to get into the Mozza gig for free, if that's the way you cynically approach these things.
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GREEN DAY MAN'S OTHER BAND ANNOUNCE DATES
Billie Joe Armstrong's other band, Pinhead Gunpowder, have announced two US gigs for next month, at Chain Reaction in Anaheim on 3 Feb and the Troubadour in LA on 4 Feb. It will be the band's first outing since 2001 if I'm not mistaken.
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SINGLE REVIEW: These New Puritans - Elvis (Angular)
These New Puritans are one of the hot indie tips for 2008 and with this promising single you can see why. There's something about them that elevates them above their (mostly rubbish) contemporaries and suggests a band with a fair bit of talent and an above average (in terms of eclectic) record collection. 'Elvis' starts off with the usual post Franz post-punky angular (and indeed Angular) guitars and feedback mixed with lo-fi shouty vocals, before the chorus explodes in a (new) wave of cascading colours and strange noises. Of course, it's only two and a half minutes long too, which is just long enough to work out that the track is probably nothing to do with Elvis at all. Meanwhile, the b side 'fff' is a beat-heavy slice of discordant experimental arty posturing enlivened with a very 90s big beat chunkiness. It's as far from Arctic Monkeys and all the awful post/sub Libertines toss that all indie bands these days chuck out, and that can only be a good thing. MS
Release date: 11 Feb
Press contact: Bang On [all]
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NEW CHAIR FOR GLOBAL MANAGEMENT BODY
The global artist management body the International Music Managers Forum had its General Assembly meeting in Gronigen last Thursday; and Petri Lunden, a busy man who represents The Cardigans and Europe, among others, as well as being Executive Chairman of Hagenburg Law Media And Management and Non-executive Director of Tix-Daq, was voted in as the body's new Chairman.
Accepting his new role, Lunden told reporters: "The possibilities for artist managers and their clients are endless; my aim is that we assist our global MMF members to avoid the pitfalls, sharing ideas and education, ensuring that this and future generations of managers are creating and championing new playing fields for artists".
Outgoing Chair Peter Jenner added: "These are exciting times. Petri is an excellent choice and I know that he will continue all the important work that the IMMF has undertaken. The future of the music business presents many problems, and Petri is the right man to overcome them".
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WARNER FRANCE BUY INTO LIVE FIRM
To France, and more of that major label diversification. Warner Music France has acquired live music firm Jean-Claude Camus Productions, who promote and produce tours and act as booking agents for artists. Camus has a long history of promoting native and international artists in France, having been in the business since 1957. The major says the company will continue to be led by Camus, and will continue to work with non-Warner artists, but will also look to form live partnerships with other artists signed to the major's labels.
WMF top man Thierry Chassagne said this: "We want to offer our artists the skills and professionalism of Jean-Claude's people so that we can assist them in achieving their artistic goals. Jean-Claude Camus Productions will continue to enjoy a large degree of autonomy in the management of its own development".
Camus added: "When Thierry proposed this agreement, I immediately appreciated the good fit of our two businesses and that working together could further the interests of artists".
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FRENCH CD SALES DOWN A LOT
French record companies more than any are keen to get going with all this 360 degree nonsense, because CD sales there are really suffering. New figures released by research firm Gfk and music business research body Observatoire de la Musique have shown that retail revenues for CD sales were down 17.1% year on year in 2007, while the number of units shifted fell even further, by 18.3%. That said, these figures do not include digital sales, which may compensate for some of those physical declines - as they have elsewhere - though the overall figures, due to be published by French labels body SNEP next week, are also expected to be down.
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HODGKINSON TO TAKE ON EMI DIGITAL DUTIES
Back to EMI, and Billboard reports that Mark Hodgkinson, the major's Exec VP Of Global Marketing, will take over digital at the company following the previously reported departure of former digital top man Barney Wragg. Hodgkinson, a former Virgin Money boss, joined EMI after Guy Hands took control there last year, initially to run 'consumer development' initiatives. Presumably the major hopes his time at Virgin Money, where he had a particular role in developing online consumer services, will help inform his new responsibility for EMI's crucial digital operations.
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[PIAS] DIGTAL REACH DRM-FREE AGREEMENT WITH ITUNES
Talking of digital news, [PIAS] Digital, the company you off-brand types are possibly still calling Vital Digital, has announced it has reached an agreement with Apple which will see some 44,000 tracks from the digital catalogues of the independent labels it represents being added to the iTunes Plus DRM-free service.
Adrian Pope, Director of Digital & Business Development at [PIAS] Entertainment Group said this: "This new agreement with iTunes Plus is a real boost to our digital offering and means that we can now provide access to this high quality, DRM free service on behalf of the many repertoire owners we represent. The many thousands of tracks that we are now offering on iTunes Plus will give users access to the best music from independent labels with no usage restrictions, which can only be a positive thing".
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ORCHARD TO LEAVE GCAP
Head Of Operations at GCap, Steve Orchard, has announced he is leaving the radio firm, seemingly because the CEO role at the company, left empty after the departure of former boss Ralph Bernard, went to outsider Fru Hazlitt rather than him. He told Reuters: "You make a play for the CEO job. If you don't get the position, you think, 'if I am going to grow and move up, it can't be at this company'. I can add value elsewhere". He will stay on until April, but has already stepped down from the company's board.
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ONE WEEK TO LIVE CALLS IT A DAY
Publishers of former free dance music weekly One Week To Live have announced they are calling it a day. The decision comes soon after their announcement they were ending their print edition and going online.
In an email to their online subscribers last week they wrote: "After 108 issues of One Week To Live we have made the decision to cease publishing. As a small startup with limited means we have grown the magazine as far as possible on an independent basis - after failing to secure additional finance to continue with the current digital version we have made the decision to now close the business. We are currently exploring options with respect to selling all or part of the business and expect to be able to wind up the company shortly thereafter".
They continued: "On a personal level, it has been a real experience over the past two years, independently launching and building a new magazine and brand and taking on the establishment in what continues to be an uncertain period within the music industry. We want to take this opportunity to thank all of our readers for your continued support over the past two years and especially thank everyone we have worked with since starting One Week To Live - the DJs and artists, clubs, record labels, promoters, distributors, PRs, volunteers, contributors and most of all our staff. As always, see you out there on the dance floors!"
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CHART UPDATE
Oh, oh, this is exciting. Well, for Scouting For Girls fans like me, anyway. The trio's eponymous debut has just gone top in the albums chart. And despite the album's embarrassing omission from last week's Brit nominations. Hurrah. Oh, and Owen CMU will be happy too, the latest British Sea Power long player is the highest new entry at 10 - woo. And that's pretty much all there is to report on the albums chart, the only other new entry being 'The Essential Neil Diamond' at 34.
Singles chart, and some clever release date scheduling on the part of XL means that Adele, the winner of the new 'She's Going To Be Big' Brit Award, who was bigged up big time at last week's nominations party, has the highest new entry, going in at number 2. Last week's number one from Basshunter stays put at 1, while Britney's 'Piece Of Me' slips down to 3, completing the Top 3. New entries in the singles chart this week come from Courteeners with 'What Took You So Long' at 20, Madness with 'NW5' at 24, Radiohead with 'Jigsaw Falling Into Place' at 30 and Kelly Rowland with 'Work' at 31.
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SUB.TV PLAYLIST
Here they are again, the videos being played this week on the Sub.tv video screen network in students' unions all over the UK
A-List
30 Seconds To Mars - From Yesterday (EMI/Virgin)
Adele - Chasing Pavements (Beggars/XL)
Biffy Clyro - Who's Got A Match (Warner/14th Floor)
Hot Chip - Ready For The Floor (EMI)
Jay Z - Roc Boys (Universal/Roc-A-Fella)
Laura Marling - Ghosts (EMI/Virgin)
Los Campesinos! - Death to Los Campesinos! (Wichita)
MIA - Paper Planes (Beggars/XL)*
Mika - Relax (Take It Easy) (Universal/Island)
One Night Only - Just For Tonight (Universal/Vertigo)
Radiohead - Jigsaw Falling Into Place (Beggars/XL)
Rihanna - Don't Stop The Music (Universal/Mercury)
Robyn - Be Mine! (Konichiwa)
Sons & Daughters - Darling (Domino)
The Hoosiers - Worst Case Scenario (SonyBMG/RCA)
White Stripes - Conquest (Beggars/XL)
B-List
Basshunter - Now You're Gone (Hard2Beat)
Bodyrox and Luciana - What Planet You On? (Universal/Island)
Captain Black - Come On Up To Our House (Unsigned)
Cazals - To Cut A Long Story Short (Kitsuné)
Those Dancing Days - Those Dancing Days (Universal/V2)*
Akala - Shakespeare (Live Sundays Recording)*
Feist - My Moon, My Man (Universa/Polydor)
Joe Lean And The Jing Jang Jong - Lonely Buoy (Universal/Mercury)
Opera House - Born A Boy (Marrakesh)
Richard Hawley - Valentine (EMI/Mute)
The Bug ft Warrior Queen - Poison Dart (Ninja Tune)
The Feeling - I Thought It Was Over (Universal/Island)
State Radio - Gang Of Thieves (Ruff Shod)*
The Little Ones - Ordinary Song (EMI)
Bishi - Never Seen Your Face (Gryphon)*
Yves Larock - Zookey (Defected)
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TOTAL ROCK WORLD ALBUM CHART
It's this week's Total Rock World Album Chart, as counted down on Total Rock over the weekend - http://www.totalrock.com. New entries and re-entries marked with a *.
1. Led Zeppelin - Mothership (Swan Song)
2. Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace (SonyBMG)
3. Bruce Springsteen - Magic (SonyBMG/Columbia)
4. Linkin Park - Minutes To Midnight (Warner Bros)
5. Eagles - Long Road Out Of Eden (Universal)
6. Paramore - Riot! (Warner/Atlantic)
7. Daughtry - Daughtry (SonyBMG)
8. Bon Jovi - Lost Highway (Universal/Mercury)
9. Avenged Sevenfold - Avenged Sevenfold (Warner Bros)
10. Serj Tankian - Elect The Dead (Serjical Strike)
11. Nickelback - All The Right Reasons (Warner/Roadrunner)
12. Fall Out Boy - Infinity On High (Universal/Mercury)
13. Godsmack - Good Times, Bad Times - Ten Years Of Godsmack (Republic)
14. Kid Rock - Rock - N Roll Jesus (Warner/Atlantic)
15. Queen - Greatest Hits Vols. 1, 2, 3 (EMI)
16. Goo Goo Dolls - Greatest Hits Volume One (Warner Bros)
17. Angels & Airwaves - I-Empire (Universal/Geffen)
18. My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade (Warner Bros)
19. Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero Remix (Universal/Interscope)*
20. Tarja Turunen - My Winter Storm (Universal) *
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DOHERTY MAY HELP STRUGGLING GERMAN FOOTBALL CLUB
A German football club called KFC Uerdingen have reportedly approached Pete Doherty about helping them combat escalating financial problems. The Babyshambler was reportedly a fan of the lower league German team while living on a British army base near the team's hometown with his family during his childhood. According to Reuters the club has asked the singer if he'll call by during his upcoming European tour, presumably hoping he'll participate in some kind of fundraising activity, or perhaps just raise the club's profile. The singer's rep has confirmed the approach and says Doherty will try to help out if he has time.
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LEMAR'S GOTTA GIRL
Lemar's long-term partner Charmaine Powell has given birth to a 7lb baby girl, Nyiema, who was born on Saturday night at Portland Hospital in London. A spokeswoman for the former Fame Academy contestant said: "Lemar is overwhelmed on the birth of his beautiful daughter. Mother and little baby girl are both doing fine".
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RONSON PLANS TO BAIT SLASH WITH GRAPES
Mark Ronson is apparently hoping to get Slash to work with him, and will lure him in with grape juice. Yeah, okay, I'm twisting his words a bit there. What he is quoted as saying is that he thinks the former Guns n Roses star is the "coolest person ever" and would really like to take him out for a beer. But he can't. Because Slash is a recovering alcoholic, as you may know.
Here's what he actually said: "Even if I just got three notes out of him, that would be enough. I would love to have a beer with him. Oh no, he's off alcohol. It will have to be a grape juice".
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SILLY SIMPSON/WENTZ REALITY SHOW SPLIT TALK
According to various sources, but mainly a so-called 'insider' talking to OK! Magazine, Ashlee Simpson's dad/manager Joe is privately trying to get her to ditch her boyfriend Pete Wentz so that she can star in a silly reality/dating show to help promote her upcoming second album, 'Bittersweet World', out in March.
A previously reported, there has been mixed reporting regarding Joe Simpson's opinions of his daughter dating the Fall Out Boy star. Prior to Christmas the gossips were saying that he had banned Wentz from the Simpson family's holiday gatherings, possibly because the emo type had admitted to kissing boys, though Wentz himself said he'd been invited.
On the proposed reality show, OK's source says "He [Joe] wants Ashlee to break up with Pete. It will put 14 guys in a house and they will compete to date Ashlee".
Sounds like it's worth breaking up a beautiful relationship for. Or not. Come to think of it, is that relationship beautiful? Hmmm.
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PINK TRASHES PAPS, KELLY TRASHES PAPPED
Pink has said that something bad's gonna happen if those paparazzi don't start behaving themselves. I think this might be in response to that previously reported incident in which eight photographers were arrested for reckless driving whilst in pursuit of Britney Spears. Whatever, she seems convinced that they'll continue misbehaving until that bad thing does happen. She says: "I feel like something tragic is going to have to happen for people to wake up and see how vulturous and poisonous it's all gotten. Before it was kind of silly, how stupid everyone was. Now it's just kind of sad and dark; it's all gone to a totally different place".
And talking of sad, silly and stupid, Kelly Osbourne has been having a go at sad, silly, and stupid Hollywood party girls such as Britney, Lohan, Hilton et al. She said it, not me. Osbourne says: "I think for a lot of famous people press attention is an addiction. Those girls - Britney, Lindsay, Paris and so on - are competing for the attention. It's like, 'Who's going to get arrested next, get pregnant, go out without knickers and get on this week's cover of Us Weekly?' It's like a contest of self-loathing and I just don't understand it. How has this turned into the fashionable thing to do? I would be absolutely mortified if I got arrested - I would be terrified of phoning my parents and telling them, and it would completely change me for the rest of my life".
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ENEMY BARRED FROM TESCO
According to a tabloid, it might be The Sun, or The Mirror, I can't quite remember, The Enemy's Liam Watts claims to have been barred from Tesco. "I was banned from the Coventry store for having a kick about in the aisles to test out a football", he says. Talk about rock n roll.