CREATIVE MANAGER
A leading management company based in North London is looking to recruit a Creative Manager. Applicants for this new position within the organisation should have in depth experience of the following: 1. Artwork origination process from concept to production and 2. Video commissioning.
In addition the successful applicant must have great communication skills with both colleagues and artists along with an up to date knowledge of current creative trends. An ability to work under pressure on multiple projects is also essential. To apply, please send your CV and covering letter to [email protected].

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FABRIC PRESS DEPARTMENT
We are looking for someone to join us within the fabric Press Department. We're looking for someone who has a few years experience within a London/UK music based PR agency or in-house department; experience in plugging/managing radio campaigns (London, national, regional & international experience all advantageous); who understands radio globally and has contacts appropriate to fabric within radio - online, digital, commercial, pirate, community, government subsidised radio, podcasts; has experience with print/online/digital PR campaigns (London, national, regional, student & international experience all advantageous); has experience with industry, trade, internal business, corporate and event press (advantageous but not essential); has strong copy writing skills; is friendly, passionate, savvy, honest, hard working, highly organised, very diligent and a completer finisher; has very strong administrational and organisational skills, is computer literate and numerate; is extremely flexible in time and outlook; has a good understanding of electronic music and knows what fabric's ethos is. Salary to commensurate on experience; start date is immediate. Please send CV and covering letter emailed to Pearl Jones - [email protected]. Closing date for applicants: 5pm Wednesday May 28, 2008.

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ADVERTISING MANAGER AT ROCK SOUND
Rock Sound Magazine is looking for an Advertising Manager. The role consists of maximising sales and key account management across the display and classified areas of the magazine, as well as the website, and dealing with the music industry at both direct client and advertising agency level. The candidate should be into rock music, have at least one year's display sales experience, good contacts at record labels and advertising agencies and have strong phone and presentational skills. Experience of selling to lifestyle brands would be an advantage. If you think you're the right person please email [email protected] explaining why and attaching your CV.

Advertise your vacancies here from just £100 a week - full details here.

The Brighton Festival is in its final stage, but with plenty more fine theatre, comedy, cabaret, dance, art and debate to come. Plus lots of music. Our sister publication, ThreeWeeks, is covering it all - check out the coverage at www.threeweeks.co.uk. Meanwhile, here's some ThreeWeeks in Brighton music reviews.

Spiro
Brighton Festival
What is it about good, traditional English music that seems to repel people who are not collecting their pension from the post office every week? Maybe I am not a typical 'young' person but the prospect of watching music being performed that was originally written over 500 years ago filled me with uncontrollable anticipation and 'Spiro' failed to disappoint. Using complex yet wistful melodies they used their instruments like master weavers, each carefully threading their individual layer to produce a truly wholesome sound. Some might say folk music is dying, but someone clearly hasn't told these delightfully talented Bristol based musicians.
Pavilion Theatre, 20 May, 1:00pm, £7.50, festival pp30
tw rating 4/5
[sfw]

The Hat
Technically this is The Hat's gig but it turns out to be a double-header, for The Noisettes earn more than a passing mention. They've a pocket dynamo of a frontwoman, a very expressive drummer at the heart of the operation and a bold, totally eclectic brand of art-rock. On to The Hat. These four raconteurs mix storytelling (of the surreal, fairytale variety) with alternative hip-hop. Frontman Dan Clark won't be able to avoid comparisons to DLS & Scroobius Pip, but The Hat can stand apart for producing a unique show closer to the total-art variety, blending comedy, spoken-word, music and more. If what you're missing is a 'sex ballad, in the soul style, about old people', then you should have been here tonight. Great fun.
Komedia, 14 May, 8:00pm, £9.00 (£7.00), fringe pp36
tw rating 4/5
[jg]

The Sputnik II Memorial Session
Spacedog UK
Rich in significance, weirdly other worldly, and inspired by UFOs and space odysseys, Sarah Ingliss, the thereminist (I'll come back to that), performed barefoot, which I'm beginning to think is a signifier for musical brilliance. The band played a mixture of well known songs, like John Barry's 'Diamonds Are Forever' and Donna Summer's 'I Feel Love', and their own compositions to a backdrop of repetitive visual images projected on to a wall. Jenny Ingliss sang to the accompaniment of guitar by Ben Kypreos and Mike Blow and the eerie sounds produced by the aformentioned theremin, which is played without being touched. Two antennas protrude from it controlling pitch and volume, requiring precision and perfect pitch. After the interlude a wired up plastic baby (Clara) on a stand with a wire taped to its arm mechanically played the theremin while Sarah rang hand bells with a guest performer. Sarah is a technical magician and I get the impression the more you dig music the more you'll dig this collective.
Cella @ Sanctuary Cafe, 14 May, 8:00pm, £6.00 (£5.00), fringe pp39.
tw rating 4/5
[sla]

WINEHOUSE SENDS DAD TO COLLECT AWARD
So, it was the Ivor Novello Awards ceremony in London yesterday afternoon. One of the winners was Amy Winehouse, for the lengthily titled Best Song Musically And Lyrically prize. However, she arrived late for the ceremony and was unable to collect the award, instead sending her father, Mitch.

Accepting the award, Mitch Winehouse said: "I don't know what I'm doing up here. Amy couldn't make it, but she is getting better and sends you all her love. She's asked me to thank the Ivors for being the first to recognise her talent. She wants to thank her manager Ray. If there's a Victoria Cross in music then he should get it!"

When she did eventually arrive, she told the BBC, "I'm very well. I'm very excited and very flattered [to win the award". She also reprimanded her father for saying that she was "getting better". Mitch added: "She's always late. She was fashionably late", and apologised for forgetting to thank his daughter's husband Blake Fielder Civil (whose Christian name Amy wore on a heart in her hair) in his acceptance speech, saying: "He's doing really well and Amy is being very supportive".

Radiohead were also unable to attend, but they sent a video, instead of their fathers, to accept the Album Award. They thanked their publisher for "taking a leap of faith with the download".

Phil Collins was one artist who did make it along to the ceremony, as was Robert Plant, who presented Collins with the International Achievement award, calling him "one of the top five UK drummers we've ever had". Phil gave thanks to the Cadbury's gorilla, who was recently seen playing 'In The Air Tonight' in an advert, saying: "It hasn't gone unnoticed that he's better looking and more talented then me, so I'm going to offer him the Genesis gig".

Here is the full list of winners:

Best Song Musically & Lyrically: Amy Winehouse – Love Is A Losing Game
Best Contemporary Song: Cherry Ghost – People Help The People
Best Original Film Score: Dario Marianelli – Atonement
Best Television Soundtrack: Martin Phipps – Oliver Twist
Prs Most Performed Work: Take That – Shine
Best Selling British Song: Beyonce & Shakira – Beautiful Liar
Album Award: Radiohead – In Rainbows
Outstanding Song Collection: Gabrielle
Ivors Classical Music Award: Jonathan Dove
Ivors Inspiration Award: Jazzie B
International Achievement: Phil Collins
PRS Outstanding Contribution To British Music: Chris Difford And Glenn Tilbrook
Songwriter Of The Year: Mika
Lifetime Achievement: David Gilmour
The Special International Award: Diane Warren

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WINEHOUSE RUNS FROM GHOSTS
It's perhaps not surprising that Amy Winehouse was late for the Ivor Novello awards ceremony, given that she was up late running away from ghosts. The singer apparently fled her home on Wednesday night, saying that ghosts were trying to harm her. She claims that a poltergeist, who she has named Henry, is haunting her North London flat, and is to blame for the scars and scratches on her arms that others have attributed to self-harm. She has now taken up residence in the Chelsea Harbour Hotel until an excorcism has been performed.

A 'friend' told Britain's Daily Star newspaper: "She has a spare room in her house which she has been too terrified to redecorate because she believes a child died there. It has creepy aeroplane wallpaper and a weird feel to it. Amy is terrified because she thinks he's managed to take over the entire house and has brought bad spirits with him that are scratching and harming her".

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DATE FOR SECOND SPECTOR TRIAL SET
So, the big one, as we in pop court news circles call it, will be back in September. Yes, legendary producer Phil Spector is being tried for a second time over the death at his home way back in 2003 of former actress Lana Clarkson. As you'll remember, a mistrial was declared at the end of the rather long first trial last year after the jury failed to agree on a verdict – the vote being 10-2, seemingly in favour of guilty. Clarkson died at Spector's Beverly Hills home after being shot. Spector claims Clarkson – who, according to his legal team, was very depressed in the run up to her death – shot herself. The prosecution claimed Spector – a man prone to loopy turns when alone with women and guns – shot her. The retrial has been delayed because Spector has appointed a whole new team of lawyers for the second run. That second trial is now due to kick off on 29 Sep. See you there.

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IMAGINE THERE'S NO DARWIN: COURT RULING IMMINENT
More from the US pop courts, and a US judge is expected to rule on that case brought by Yoko Ono against the makers of documentary 'Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed' this week. As we recently reported, Ono is suing the makers of the film for using a twenty second clip of John Lennon's 'Imagine' in the film without permission.

The filmmaker's defence is that the song's inclusion is covered by the US's 'fair use' doctrine, which allows the use of copyrighted materials without permission for the purposes of commentary and criticism. However, as they aren't criticising the song itself, we're not convinced that's a valid argument. A judge (who is probably more qualified to talk about these things than I am, though only just) will decide whether or not to uphold Ono's claim for unspecified damages, as well as a ban on any further use of the song, later this week.

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THERE'S NO QUESTION IT'S HER: R KELLY TRIAL UPDATE
And so, on with the big pop trial of the moment – and another day over there at the R Kelly trial in Chicago. He, as you all surely know by now, is accused of filming himself having sex with an underage girl. The case revolves around a video tape which shows a not entirely identifiable black man having sex, and doing other things, with a not entirely identifiable young looking girl. The prosecution claim the man in the vid is Kelly, he and his defence say otherwise.

Most of the prosecution's case so far has actually centred on the identity of the girl – crucial to the case because it needs to be shown she was underage when the video was made. The prosecution claim they know who she is, but the girl they have identified denies it is, in fact, her. But the prosecution stand by their claim, and have so far wheeled out a police officer and a school-friend of the girl in question who both agree with them.

Yesterday they brought forward another witness who also claimed that the alleged victim is the girl in the video. Audrey Hampton, a university student, said she was a childhood friend of the girl, that she played basketball with her while at school, and that she had once introduced her to Kelly at a party at a basketball court. She said that after that meeting with the R&B star, rumours later spread in the local area about the sex tape involving him and her friend. Somehow Hampton got a copy of the tape, and she told the jury that "there's no question" that the girl on the tape is her friend, who at the time would have been 13 or 14. Under cross examination Hampton admitted that she couldn't identify her friend's body as such, but said she was sure it was her because of her face, voice and mannerisms.

Hampton's mother was also questioned, because she had found her daughter's copy of the sex tape back in 2000 and, after watching bits of it, had thrown it away. I don't think the mother - Mary Kay Jerit – was especially questioned regarding the identities of the people in the video, her testimony was presumably to help date when the video came into existence, again important in ascertaining the age of the girl at the time of the recording – it fell into police hands in 2002. The fact Hampton and her mother seemingly had a copy of the tape much earlier than that but didn't alert the authorities was raised by Kelly's defence. Why, if they believed they had in their hands what amounted to child pornography, did they not hand it in to the police? The witnesses didn't really have an answer. 

The case continues. Meanwhile, there was a dramatic side show to the proceedings yesterday when one Kelly fan lost control in the court house and screamed "free R Kelly" at the jury as they made their way to the court room. The fan, one Debra Triplet, was quickly led away by police and was later held as being in contempt of court and freed on a $50,000 bond. The judge, Vincent Gaughan, asked the jury whether they had heard what Triplet had screamed. They said not. Though quite how the screamings of a mad R Kelly fan could influence the jury one way or the other anyway, I'm not sure.

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PHISH MAN'S SENTENCE REDUCED AFTER DRUG PROGRAMME COMPLETION
Even more pop court nonsense, and former Phish frontman Trey Anastasio has had his sentence in relation to previously reported drugs charges reduced. As previously reported, Anastasio pleaded guilty to a felony charge of possessing painkillers without prescription after they were discovered in his possession when he was stopped by traffic police in December 2006. As part of the plea deal he had to enter into drug rehab programme, which he has now successfully completed, so a judge said yesterday that he would reduce the charge to a misdemeanour, and now the singer - who would have faced three years in prison if he failed to attend the programme - will face three years probation instead. He spent two days in jail in January after missing one drug counselling session.

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STEVEN TYLER ENTERS REHAB
Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler has checked into rehab clinic Las Encinas Hospital in Pasadena, California, according to Us Magazine. Although a notorious drug user in the 70s and 80s, Tyler had been thought to be clean for the last twenty years. The clinic is also the setting for reality TV show 'Celebrity Rehab'. No official confirmation from Tyler or his management has yet been made.

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FOXY BROWN MANAGER GETS ANGRY
Chaz Williams, the former manager of rapper Foxy Brown, has hit back at claims that he compiled her last album "without her approval" while she was in prison for parole violation. Brown, real name Inga Marchand, claims she had no control over the content of 'Brooklyn Don Diva', which is due for release next month, and sacked Williams because she was "riddled with grief over an album that was seemingly so carelessly orchestrated".

However, Williams told US radio show Lip Service: "To tell you the truth, I didn't listen to the album after it was [recorded]. I don't even have it". He also warned the rapper that legal action against him would be unwise: "I just want you to know that in times of peace you prepare for war, and you better bet I'm prepared, so I would advise as a cautionary measure, a caveat, don't even do it".

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MADONNA SPEAKS OUT ABOUT 'PAINFUL' ADOPTION
Madonna has spoken about her ongoing attempts to adopt Malawian toddler David Banda at a press conference for her new film, 'I Am Because We Are', a documentary about AIDS orphans in the African country.

She said: "Hopefully, after we get through this adoption, it will be easier for people to adopt children. It was painful, and it was a big struggle, and I didn't understand it, but in the end I rationalised that, when a woman has a child and goes through natural childbirth, she suffers an enormous amount. So, I sort of went through my own kind of birthing pains with dealing with the press on my front doorstep accusing me of kidnapping or whatever you want to call it".

She continues: "There is nothing controversial about the adoption. It is just there's a lot of bureaucracy and administration. This adoption essentially was the beginning of the creation of adoption laws in Malawi. I am the template or the role model so to speak for future adoptions".

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BRITNEY BACK IN THE STUDIO
Britney Spears is going to be very busy, if all these rumours are true. Yesterday, everyone was talking about her Vegas show, now People Magazine report that producers JR Rotem and Sean Garrett revealed to one of their reporters at the BMI Pop Awards on Tuesday that they are currently in the studio with the singer.

Rotem said: "She's great. She's like a master at what she does. She's a lot more experienced than most people. She just has the 'it' factor that not every artist has. So it's always nice to work with her".

Garrett added: "[We have] a few things in the works. I'm just happy to see her back and recovering. She's really shaping up and getting her whole situation back together. I'm really proud and happy to see her".

The two producers were obviously tight-lipped on what projects they might be working on with Britney. Luckily, one of those handy 'sources' was on hand to fill in the blanks. They said: "Britney is in the experimental stages of a new album. She's trying to find the sound and direction she wants to go in, but nothing is set in stone just yet. She has been playing the piano a lot and just singing. She says she misses 'just singing'".

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PHIL COLLINS CONSIDERS RETURN TO STUDIO
I knew it was too good to be true. Last month, Phil Collins announced his retirement from recording, but it seems he might be tempted back into the studio by Akon and Pharrell Williams, who have apparently expressed an interest in working with him. Collins told Rolling Stone: "I'm flattered that they've expressed the interest publicly, risking their careers in doing so. Anything is possible and I certainly would investigate doing that if I did think about doing something".

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ALEX JAMES SAYS BLUR REUNION STILL ON
Blur bassist Alex James has said that he still thinks that the band will reunite. But he's always saying that, isn't he? Anyway, he told BBC 6music: "We're all pretty busy but I'd be surprised if it never happens, but I would be terrified if it was happening on Monday".

So, see you back here on Tuesday for the Blur reunion, then?

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BRIGHT EYES, MY MORNING JACKET, M WARD SIDE PROJECT ANNOUNCED
Bright Eyes man Conor Oberst, singer-songwriter M Ward and My Morning Jacket's Jim James will release an album together next year, under the name Monsters Of Folk, reports Teletext's Planet Sound.

James told Planet Sound: "It's good for all three of us to write together. We're used to being the captains of our own ships, but now we've got the other guys to help finish a chorus or what have you. Some songs, you can tell which of us wrote, but there's a lot of wild, different stuff happening too".

Of their chosen moniker, James said: "It's a fun name, but it's a little obviously jokey, and there's already a band with that name, apparently. We definitely don't want a surname Crosby Stills Nash & Young type of name, we know that much".

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NEW LL COOL J UPCOMING
LL Cool J is ready to release his next album, to be called 'Exit 13'. The album will come out via Def Jam in the US on 18 Jul, with a single, 'I Cry', a collaboration with R&B singer Lil Mo, already available for download. LL Cool J had previously expressed reservations of continuing to work with Universal's Def Jam label because of Jay-Z's leadership there, but he recently said he was much happier with his record label relationship now the rival rapper has left his exec post there.

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SCORSESE PULLS OUT OF MARLEY BIOPIC
Film director Martin Scorsese has pulled out of directing a new Bob Marley biopic, due to "scheduling conflicts". The director has previously worked on film and TV documentaries on Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, The Band, and the blues.

Scorsese will be replaced by Jonathan Demme, who is also noted in the world of music for his concert films featuring artists such as Neil Young. The planned release date, 6 Feb 2010, which would have been Bob Marley's 65th birthday, remains unchanged.

Like that previously reported Dusty Springfield biopic currently in the works, there is a second Marley film currently in production. This second film will be directed by Rudy Langlais and is to be based on Bob's wife Rita's autobiography, 'No Woman No Cry: My Life With Bob Marley'.

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RIHANNA TO MAKE MOVIE DEBUT
Elsewhere in music related movie news, Rihanna is set to make her movie debut next year alongside that Mos Def chap in a movie adaptation of the 1969 novel 'Mama Black Widow'.

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TELLIER TALKS FRENCH EUROVISION ANGER
Although 'Divine' is by far the favourite Eurovision entry at CMU HQ, Sebastian Tellier's song has not gone down so well with the French. Which isn't great because, of course, he is representing France in the competition. As previously reported, Tellier has been criticised by various French politicians for singing the song in English.

The singer told the Telegraph: "The Minister of Culture and the Minister of French Language wrote to me to tell me their position. One side of France is very proud of acts like Air and Daft Punk, who are very popular although they sing in English. This side of France was really happy about my nomination, but the traditional part of France, from the old times, said, 'He has to sing in French'".

Eventually Tellier caved in and recorded a version of the song in his native tongue, but scrapped most of it. He explained: "'Divine' is better in English. I went to the studio to try and make a French version. It was not good, so I just kept two sentences, just a wink to the French people".

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BOWIE AND WELLER END FEUD
It's not just rappers with records to sell who have beefs with each other, you know. David Bowie and Paul Weller have ended a long-running feud, which began when Weller called Bowie's music "pish". This culminated in various nightclub scuffles and a couple of drive-by shootings. No, not really, I made up that last bit.

Anyway, Weller offered the olive branch in a recent interview with Mojo, where he said he became a "born-again Bowie freak" while recording his new album, '22 Dreams'. He said: "Every night we'd drive home to London after recording and have 'Ziggy Stardust' on five or six times. 'Low's' one of my favourite records anyway. Whatever gripes I've had about Bowie in the past, 'Low's' been a constant since I bought it in 1977".

In response, Bowie apparently emailed Weller and said: "Nice one, Paul, Can I have my haircut back now?" Which must have been a joke, because no one would want that hair back if they'd managed to get rid of it.

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MORE ACTS FOR MIGHTY BOOSH FESTIVAL
The Mighty Boosh have announced more acts for their upcoming festival at Hop Farm in Kent. The Kills and Peaches (with a DJ set) will appear on the main 'Monkey Hell' stage, while Ross Noble, Frankie Boyle, Josie Long, Robin Ince and Simon Munnery have all been confirmed for the 'Velvet Onion' comedy stage.

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GNARLS BARKLEY LONDON DATES RESCHEDULED
Gnarls Barkley have rescheduled that date at London's 299 – home of the CMU Social, as the cool kids like to call it – which was postponed earlier this year because of family illness. The new date will take place on 12 Jun, and will be immediately followed by two other London dates, Bush Hall on 13 Jun and Union Chapel on 14 Jun. The dates will coincide with another push from the duo's label on recent album 'The Odd Couple', which, word has it, is yet to equal previous album 'St Elsewhere' in terms of commercial success.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Freezepop – Futurefuturefutureperfect (Rykodisc) Well, this is a rarity – a synth-pop act I don't particularly like (see also: Motormark). Whilst the press release announces Freezepop as the "premier US electropop band", if you must have American synth-pop you'd be better served by investigating Future Bible Heroes, Information Society or (if you want something vaguely contemporary) Chromeo or even Venus Hum. Opener 'Let's Talk More Rokk' has garish spiraling synths that recall both the worst 70s prog rock and the headache-inducing soundtrack to an annoying 80s computer game. Sadly, things don't improve much thereafter, each song featuring generic synth sounds and robotic, expressionless vocals with self-referencing lyrics about pop that have been done with more élan and intelligence by, well, any number of electronic acts really. It's undoubtedly well-intentioned and full of energy, but with little subtlety, sadly. Freezepop may well be capable of creating some captivating music but there's not much of it here. Only the expansive 'Frontload', the melancholy 'I Think Best In Wire' and the pulsating 'Afterparty' offer up any real thrills 'Futurefuturefutureperfect' is not terrible, just ordinary; the Pet Shop Boys will not be having sleepless nights. MS Release Date: 19 May PR Contact: ADA Global [all] back to top

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MCPS-PRS REPORT RECORD ROYALTIES IN 2007
2007 financials have been released by publishing royalty collecting society MCPS/PRS, and, perhaps unsurprisingly, the main theme is that income from record sales (ie the mechanical royalty songwriters and their publishers receive when their songs are featured on record releases) is down while income from performance royalties (from when songs are used in the live sector or by radio/TV stations) is up. Royalties from digital music sales were also up, though they still only account for a small portion of the overall revenue.

Announcing a record year in terms of overall royalties collecting, the society revealed that a 20% increase in royalties from the live sector and other leisure/commercial premises helped boost overall revenues to £562 million. Digital royalties increased 54% year on year, but, at £10 million, are still only a very small part of the overall royalties collected. Royalties from physical product were down 11%, unsurprising given the slump in record sales worldwide, though the society did say that some new physical products – like the recent fad in releasing albums on USB sticks – did mean there were some new revenues in the physical domain even though CD sales were on the slide. 

Commenting on it all, MCPS-PRS top man Steve Porter told CMU: "Much is written about the state of the music industry, but these results show a healthy story about the increased use of music in almost all areas of our business. The downturn of 11.1% in physical product was more than compensated by innovation and growth in licensing in other areas of the business. Further overall growth is expected for 2008 which is fantastic news for the creators of music everywhere and helps fuel the long-term future of great music for all".

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CHRYSALIS LOSSES UP
Talking of music publishing, Chrysalis Music, whose main assets are in the publishing domain, reported yesterday that losses for the half year up to 31 Mar were £13 million, compared to a £2.27 million loss in the same period to March 2007.

Much of that loss could be attributed to an £11.8 million buyout of its pension scheme, and the company said it was also hit by a slow release schedule among its key songwriters (release schedules being in the hands of the record labels of course) and by that US screenwriters strike, which hit the lucrative sync rights market (the money TV and film studios pay to feature songs in their shows and movies). CEO Jeremy Lascelles said the company's performance was "broadly in line with management's expectations", and added that the first half of the current financial year was going well, with hits from the likes of Portishead, Estelle, and The Raconteurs, plus considerable hope for new signings like White Lies.

Chrysalis founder Chris Wright took the occasion of the financial announcement to talk about the recently aborted attempt to sell the company. As previously reported, various equity types and major music companies made offers to buy Chrysalis, but in the end Wright and his board decided to knock all the offers back. It had been known from the start that Wright was in no rush to sell and would only do so for the right price, though once it became clear Wright would personally do better from a sale if it could be rushed through before the change in capital gain tax laws in April, some commentators expected a deal to be done. In the end it was not.

Wright said this week that the company decided not to sell because "the world had changed" in the months that bids had been accepted as a result of that there credit crunch. He observed: "The operational people we were talking to that were desperately keen to get their hands on one of the very few large active remaining music publishing catalogues available today got driven out of the process by the accountants and the bankers". On the motivation to secure a sale before the change in tax laws, and his decision not to take advantage of the old capital gains tax system by pushing for a quick sale, he concluded: "This is not the kind of business where you need to be engaging in a fire sale at the wrong time".

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NET HAS LITTLE ROLE IN MUSIC BUYING
I'm not sure I agree with this research, but if it's true, then it's a bit depressing. A US survey conducted by the Pew Internet American Life Project has concluded that the internet does little to influence music buying decisions. Their report says: "The internet helps music buyers connect with artists and learn more about music, but it doesn't strongly influence what or how they buy. People are more likely to find out about music from traditional media or families, friends, or co-workers than from the internet".

83% of those surveyed said they discovered music via traditional media (ieTV and radio), 64% said they relied on tips from friends and family, while just 56% said the net played a role. When it came to actual buying decisions, offline sources had a bigger impact – 51% said the net had no role at all, while only 12% said it played a major role.

The survey also said that, despite declining sales around the world, music fans were still attached to CDs. 82% overall said most of their music purchases were CD, though that lessened to 69% with those under 36. The survey did admit that after buying music fans kept in touch with artists via the net – which could, arguably, have a role in future and other sales (like tickets and merchandise).

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FABRIC PEOPLE LAUNCH NEW VENUE AT THE O2
Just the other day I was telling someone that the people behind Fabric would be opening a new club venue in The O2 dome, and then I started to question myself and wonder if I'd made that up. But no, the people behind Fabric are behind a new club venue at The O2, and it will open in September. Although "conceived" by Team Fabric, the new venue will have its own identity – it will be called Matter – and will also have more of a focus on live music than the central London venue. It will also differ from the existing venues in The O2 in that it will have its own riverside entry, rather than being entered into via the main O2 shopping mall.

The press release on the new venue says this: "It has been conceived by the team behind longstanding club Fabric London, but this venue is all about the live music experience as well, and will offer unprecedented flexibility coupled with unparalleled, cutting edge sound and vision designed to give guests an unforgettable experience whatever the style of the night being presented".

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NET NEUTRALITY LAWS UNLIKELY TO GET THROUGH IN US, NOT YET
Legislation to enforce so called 'net neutrality' is unlikely to come into being in the US this year.

The issue of net neutrality – stopping internet service providers from charging content owners a levy so that they can guarantee faster access to rich media content – has been more proactively debated in the US than over here, with some American political types proposing rules to ensure that all content owners, large and small, have equal access to net users. But the ISPs, who, having let themselves get involved in price wars with each other have reduced their profit margins by miles, say that they will need the major media and content firms to contribute to the cost of making web TV and radio style services available.

Net neutrality legislation has been put forward in Washington, but an aide to US Senator Herb Kohl, who heads up the country's Judiciary Subcommittee On Antitrust, Competition Policy And Consumer Rights, has told a conference of cable companies in the US that he hasn't seen any consensus on the issue in political circles, so legislation is unlikely to get through.

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GCAP CEO AND CHAIRMAN TO GO, AYRE CALLS FOR RADIOS 1 AND 2 TO BE PRIVATISED
As expected, GCap CEO Fru Hazlitt will leave the radio company once its takeover by Global Radio is completed on 6 Jun. Hazlitt, who only joined the firm last December, is expected to get a handsome pay off, for coming in, trying to stop the Global takeover and not succeeding. Good work if you can get it. GCap Chairman Richard Eyre will also step down.

Somewhat confusingly, Global Radio Chairman and CEO Charles Allen and Ashley Tabor will quit their current roles and take over the Chairman and CEO jobs at GCap respectively. This is because the two companies have to keep separate management until the merger is approved by the Office Of Fair Trading. If and when the merger is approved Allen and Tabor will take the top two jobs at the merged company.

Eyre took the opportunity of his resignation from the GCap chair position to call on the BBC to privatise Radio 1 and Radio 2, saying it was "no longer appropriate" for the Beeb to use licence fee money to bank roll too very mainstream radio stations, which could happily exist, some say, in the commercial sector. He reckons the Beeb spends £1 billion a year on the two national stations, and given that the BBC is claiming to be struggling to make ends meet after not getting quite the licence fee deal it hoped for, they are obvious services to be taken outside the Corporation.

Speaking at Broadcast's Radio 3.0 conference, Eyre said: "If GCap is worth £375m then Radio 1 and Radio 2 must be worth a billion. I know this is an enormous and hideous proposal for the people who have built them. But look - BBC management does not own Radio 1 or Radio 2 any more than I own GCap. If your income goes down then you can't continue to do everything, which is a very difficult thing for the BBC to accept. I would much rather that they established their real priorities and attended to those excellently rather than sighing deeply and knocking 10% or 15% off everything"

He added that the Beeb could divert money and effort wasted, sorry, I mean spent on Radios 1 and 2 onto more interesting online propositions for young people: "Outside of music and websites for teenage TV shows such as [teen brand] BBC Switch it is really hard to find much online that clearly has a young target audience".

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FORMER GCAP PD GOES TO BIG CITY EDINBURGH
More radio news, and Duncan Campbell, formerly Programme Director for GCap Media's regional FM network, has been appointed to the job of Regional Programme Director for Bauer's Big City radio network, based at their Edinburgh outpost Radio Forth.

Confirming the appointment, Big City MD Travis Baxter told reporters: "We are absolutely delighted to have appointed someone of Duncan Campbell's calibre. He is exceptionally well-known and respected in the radio industry and will bring a wealth of experience to this new role. This is a very exciting time for Bauer stations as we work to strengthen our resources in Scotland and Duncan will play a very big role in doing that at Forth and also in working with the other station directors at Clyde, Borders, West Sound and South West Sound".

Campbell added: "I am really delighted to be taking up this new challenge and moving to Scotland. My grandfather was a Scot and I am looking forward to living and working here. These are very exciting times to be joining an award-winning station like Forth. I have been very impressed with the set-up at Bauer Radio Ltd and the work the company has been doing. I am keen to be able to play my part in its continued success. Commercial radio in the UK is more competitive today than it has ever been. My vision for Radio Forth is to create a station which will be at the heart of the local community for many years to come".

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DOHERTY STILL WELCOME AT MILLWALL
Despite being ejected from Millwall FC's New Den stadium on Sunday, the club say he is still welcome back there any time. As we reported earlier this week, Doherty was hiding from the media in the club chairman's office after the Soccer Six charity football tournament, when he was caught urinating into a trophy by security staff.

A message posted on the Millwall FC website yesterday says: "Contrary to a newspaper report, Pete Doherty would be more than welcome back at The Den following his first ever visit to the ground on Sunday".

A spokesperson for Doherty said: "Pete really enjoyed the event and his day at the club and passes on his thanks to all the staff at Millwall". It's not entirely clear if the "event" in question was the Soccer Six or pissing into a trophy.

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