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INTERN OPPORTUNITY AT LEYLINE
Leyline Promotions are currently looking for a web-savvy intern to join their team in west London. Main duties include managing online communities and liaising with agents, artists and press during the build up to events. Applicants must have an interest in indie and electro and be available to work some nights. Leyline's events include: The Remix, Twisted Licks, The Insomniacs Ball, The (wonderful) CMU Social and they also look after the PR for the Glade, 229 the venue and seOne.
More info: [email protected]
IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE A MOLE: R KELLY TRIAL UPDATE
Is it a mole? Is it not a mole? Why do they call them moles? Just some of the question you may have asked had you been at the R Kelly trial in Chicago yesterday.
Yes, with the defence now giving their arguments, attention returned to the mole on the r&b star's back. As you'll remember, in their opening remarks Kelly's lawyers showed the court a photo of their client's back and pointed out a mole. That mole did not appear, they said, on the back of the man in the sex tape at the heart of this case, thus proving it could not be the singer in the vid. However, the prosecution then wheeled in an expert who said you could see the mole on the video, and he produced stills from it where a mark on the sex tape star's lower back could be seen.
But the defence team yesterday presented video analysis expert Charles Palm who said that in his opinion the black mark seemingly on the man's back is actually a result of the poor quality of the tape which has seemingly been duplicated several times. The mark, he adds, isn't always there, supporting his theory. Palm told the courtroom: "I see a black mark but it doesn't appear to be a mole".
Palm also disagreed with two video expert types presented by the prosecution who had claimed that manipulating the tape so that the man in the video looked more like Kelly would have been incredibly difficult, and would have involved months and month of pain-staking work. Palm said a video like the one at the heart of this case - which was shown to the jury at the outset of the trial - could be easily 'mocked up' in a few months. To demonstrate this he showed a different version of the tape in which the male and female participants fade in and out seemingly revealing more of the room where it was filmed. That effect, he said, was created in "a couple of spare hours".
Under cross-examination Palm admitted that there was nothing in particular about the tape shown by the prosecution to suggest it had been manipulated, but he said the picture quality was too degraded to be sure.
Earlier in day the defence presented another witness to throw doubt on the credibility of the prosecution's star witness, Lisa Van Allen, who, as previously reported, claimed last week to have had three threesomes with Kelly and the underage girl that it's alleged appears in the sex tape. The defence argue that Van Allen, under the influence of her boyfriend Yul Brown, has made the allegations as part of a failed attempt to extort money out of the singer. Private investigator Jack Palladino told the court the couple told Kelly's people they had been offered $300,000 by a publisher for her story, the implication being the singer could buy her silence. Referring to a meeting he had with the couple earlier this year he said "I assume they were trying to solicit a bribe". He admitted no such bribe was explicitly mentioned, but he said that their language "was a coded way to get money from my client", adding that he is sure no book deal ever existed.
Kelly is accused of filming himself have sex with an underage girl, and faces fifteen years in jail if found guilty. The case continues.
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JUDGE DUE TO RULE ON BUSTED ROYALTY CASE
Elsewhere in the pop courts, British civil division, a High Court judge is due to make a ruling regarding the previously reported claims by two original but sacked members of boy band Busted that they wrote some of the outfit's biggest hits, but were unfairly instructed to waiver any rights to royalties in them by the group's management.
As previously reported, Ki McPhail and Owen Doyle have actually already reached a settlement with the management they claim forced them out of Busted just before the boy band hit the bigtime, so the defendants in the long running royalty dispute are former bandmates James Bourne and Matt Willis, the latter of whom, McPhail and Doyle claimed, lied in a previous deposition to the court.
The case went to court in February and is expected to reach its conclusion very soon. The former Busted boys claim they are owed £10 million in royalties from songs like 'Year 3000' and 'What I Go To School For'.
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OZZY WINS LIBEL CASE
More pop courts, and Ozzy Osbourne has been awarded "substantial" damages by a London court in a libel case brought against the Daily Star, after the tabloid reported that his poor health had jeopardised this year's Brit Awards ceremony, which he co-presented with members of his family. Under the headline 'Ozzy's Freak Show', the paper reported that Ozzy had collapsed twice prior to the show and that he had to be transported around backstage on an electric buggy.
Osbourne's solicitor, John Kelly told reporters: "The claimant is a highly successful touring artist who has just completed a sell out world tour. The publication of false allegations that the claimant was in such a poor state of health that he was incapable of hosting an awards ceremony ... are extremely serious".
Kate Wilson, lawyer for The Daily Star, told the court that her clients accepted that the allegations were untrue and apologised for the distress and embarrassment caused. The undisclosed damages will be donated to the Sharon Osbourne Colon Cancer Program.
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MIA USES MTV MONEY TO BUILD SCHOOLS
MIA is using the £50,000 fee she received for performing at the MTV Movie Awards after party in California last Sunday to build two schools in Africa. Speaking on stage at the event, she said: "They're giving me $100,000. Not bad, eh? I'm going to use it to build schools in Liberia. It costs $52,000 to build a school for 1,000".
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LILY ALLEN JOINS KAISER CHIEFS
Lily Allen will appear on the new Kaiser Chiefs album, which, as previously reported, is being produced by Mark Ronson. Lily, of course, covered the Kaiser Chiefs' song 'Oh My God' on Ronson's 'Versions' album and it was the producer himself who set up the duet.
Speaking about the collaboration, Ronson said: "I'm busy producing the new Kaiser Chiefs album and Lily Allen's album. The other week I was struck with a brainwave and thought: 'Why don't they do a track together?' I had a word with them all and everyone was keen so it happened. It sounds awesome. Lily and Ricky Wilson's vocals really gel and the instrumentals are top drawer".
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STARS LINE UP FOR COVERS ALBUM
To celebrate this Independents Day thing on 4 Jul (a celebration of independent music), its organisers will release a two disc compilation of covers by big names and tracks from new artists in the UK, along with similarly-themed albums in various other territories around the world.
The Day is being organised by the Worldwide Independent Network and overseen by Association Of Independent Music here in the UK. A limited number of physical versions of the compo will be on sale, but only from 4 Jul to 7 Jul, with preorders being taken now via www.independentsday08.com and high street retailers. The UK version will also be available to download for a month.
Other ID related things include a Channel 4 TV show covering the recording of the aforementioned album, a gig at Cargo, some documentaries on indie labels on Xfm plus a some charity auctions of rare music memorabilia on eBay.
The initiative will raise money for a number of beneficiaries. In the UK, Independents Day 08 is raising money for charities CALM, The Campaign Against Living Miserably, a charity helping with the issue of suicide amongst young men, and The Musicians Benevolent Fund which provides help and support to musicians and their dependants and those in related occupations when illness, accident or old age brings stress or financial burdens.
Tracks so far confirmed for the sixteen track UK album are:
CD1
Tom Smith from Editors - Bonny (originally by Prefab Sprout)
Feeder - Public Image (originally by PIL)
Maximo Park - Was There Anything I Can Do? (originally by Go Betweens)
Prodigy - Ghost Town (originally by The Specials)
Cribs - Bastards Of Young (originally by The Replacements)
Jose Gonzales - Love Will Tear Us Apart (originally by Joy Division)
Futureheads - With Every Heartbeat (originally by Robyn)
Jack Penate - Dub Be Good To Me (originally by Beats International)
Rodrigo y Gabriela - Orion (originally by Metallica)
British Sea Power - Tug Boat (originally by Galaxie 500)
The Charlatans - Murder (originally by New Order)
Infadels - Steady As She Goes (originally by The Raconteurs)
CD2 will also be a sixteen track album and will include new bands Mobius Band, Little Dragon, Cougar, Shrag, Oceansize and Electricity In Our Homes.
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ELBOW COVER WINEHOUSE
More covers, and Elbow did a nice cover of Amy Winehouse track 'Back To Black' for Jo Whiley's Radio 1 Live Lounge this week and it involved some strings. I like strings and I like 'Back To Black', so I was probably bound to like it.
Anyway, the band's Guy Garvey had some nice words to say about the singer, and the fact ("controversial", according to some reports) that she's been booked for Glastonbury. "All I know about Amy is that she's very sweet and she works far too hard", he said. "The fact that Amy's been announced is just one more reason for people to get down to Worthy Farm."
You can hear the Winehouse cover by going to YouTube and entering fairly obvious search terms. "elbow back to black" should do it. The band, meanwhile, have a new single, 'One Day Like This', out this week.
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AMPLIVE REMIX NEWS
Amplive, who, as you'll no doubt remember, did that remix of Radiohead album 'In Rainbows' last year, has produced a new remix, of MGMT's 'Of Moons, Bird & Monsters.
The second song the producer has remixed from the band's debut LP 'Oracular Spectacular', the track features choruses from some chap called Mistah FAB. Oh, hang on, he must be actually famous, he's got a Wiki entry. Okey dokey, he's an MC from Oakland in California, and has released a number of records via Mac Dre's Thizz Entertainment. So there you go, if you didn't know who he was, you do now. If you did know, you can sit there complacently sneering at my ignorance.
Back to the main subject of this story for a moment, before we finish: Amplive is expected to release some more high profile mixes shortly, among them reworkings of tracks by Tokyo Police Club and Jamie Lidell.
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COLDPLAY ALBUM LEAKS ONLINE
Good news for anyone who suffers from chronic impatience (and who is totally evil - I'm sure EMI would like me to add), Coldplay's album is due to be released worldwide next week (on 12 Jun) but tracks have already begun to appear online. In addition to the first single 'Violet Hill', the songs 'Yes', 'Viva La Vida', 'Lovers in Japan', 'Lost', '42' and 'Cemeteries of London' have all appeared in downloadable form.
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NIN GIVE AWAY TOUR SAMPLER
NIN are offering more free online music in the form of a free sampler featuring their own music as well as tracks by bands set to appear with them on tour. The compilation features one track each from Nine Inch Nails, Deerhunter, Does It Offend You, Yeah?, Crystal Castles and A Place To Bury Strangers. You can get a copy by signing up at dl.nin.com/lightsinthesky/signup.
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GREEN MAN FESTIVAL ANNOUNCE BAND CONTEST
The Green Man Festival have announced that they're running a contest to find a band to open this year's event in front of a potential audience of thousands.
The event, as previously reported, features a line up that includes the likes of Super Furry Animals, Spiritualized and Pentangle, and takes place from 15-17 Aug at Glanusk Park near Abergavenny.
Interested artists have been invited to upload clips of themselves to the festival's website, and they are being voted on by the general public, who will choose their opening act. See the following URL to cast your vote: www.thegreenmanfestival.co.uk/greenpoll.
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FRANZ FERDINAND ANNOUNCE INTIMATE SHOW
Franz Ferdinand will play to a crowd of 150 people at the Macbeth in London next week. Tickets were on sale in Rough Trade East, but we sent someone down there yesterday lunchtime and there were none left. So, there's a trip saved for you - don't say we never do anything for you. However, the band, who are currently completing work on their new album, the follow-up to 2005's 'You Could Have It So Much Better', have also announced a handful of other low-key and festival appearances this summer, so you can still go see them.
Tour dates:
21 Jun: York, Fibbers
22 Jun: Hull, Adelphi
24 Jun: Bristol, Thekla
25 Jun: Bath, Moles
26 Jun: Yeovil, The Orange Box
28 Jun: Cardiff, The Point
29 Jun: Leeds, Faversham
18 Jul: Latitude Festival
30 Aug: Electric Picnic Festival
31 Aug: Hydro Connect Festival
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SINGLE REVIEW: Panic At The Disco - That Green Gentleman (Warner/Atlantic) |
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BPI AND VIRGIN MEDIA COLLABORATE ON FILE-SHARING EDUCATION PROGAMME
Big Virgin Media story for you this morning. The cable TV and net company have fixed my set top box so it doesn't take 40 minutes to reboot if and when it crashes, which it does from time to time. Having missed a whole episode of 'Skins' because of the "40 minute to reboot" scandal, this has come as a great relief for all in South East London.
Elsewhere in Virgin Media news, in their capacity as an internet service provider the web company has announced it is collaborating with record label trade body the BPI to educate broadband users about the rights and wrongs of accessing music online. Virgin will send letters to any customers who the BPI reckon are guilty of accessing illegal sources of music, or who make music available to others illegally. One letter will come from the BPI, and another from Virgin, though both will be mailed by the cable company so the record label trade body will not know the name and address of the naughty file sharers (they themselves only being able to identify the IP addresses where the file sharing takes place).
The campaign is based on the idea that many of Virgin Media's customers may not be aware that family members are using their net connection to illegally share music, or of the legal or technical implications (risk of Spyware etc) of sharing music online.
A spokesman for Virgin told CMU last night: "Virgin Media's fibre optic broadband is a great platform for people who want to download lots of music online. But we want them to do so without infringing the rights of musicians and music companies. This campaign is about helping our customers understand how they can do this and get the best out of the internet".
BPI top man Geoff Taylor told us: "Education is absolutely key to reducing the extent of illegal downloading, and we are pleased to be working with Virgin Media on this campaign. We believe that new partnerships with ISPs can help build an internet in which music is properly valued. That will benefit not just musicians, songwriters and labels, but all internet users who love music. This joint campaign with Virgin Media is the first step towards achieving that goal".
As much previously reported, the record industry has been increasingly calling on the internet service providers to take a more proactive role in reducing the amount of illegal file sharing of music that takes place on their networks. It has even been suggested ISPs introduce a three strike system where filesharers lose their internet connection if they fail to heed two warnings to stop. Most ISPs aren't keen to take on that role; some, Carphone Warehouse's Talk Talk for example, reacting angrily to suggestions they should. But Virgin has been known to want help the labels in some way for a while, and while initial rumours that meant they were seriously considering the three strike system proved untrue, the latest educational campaign shows that [a] the record companies and ISPs can work together and that [b] Virgin in particular are keen to do so.
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7DIGITAL CELEBRATES INDIE PROMOTION BIRTHDAY
The sell-straight-to-fans service from independent download outfit 7Digital, Indiestore, celebrated its second birthday yesterday, and released a load of stats about the service to date, including the fact it now enables 50,000 unsigned and independent artists to sell their music online.
7Digital indiestore Project Manager Tejas Mistry told CMU: "7digital indiestore has gone from strength-to-strength since we launched two years ago, providing a powerful, flexible and cost-effective platform for unsigned and independent artists to sell DRM free MP3 music to a worldwide audience. The message is clear to new bands that you can now get your music heard in new ways and reach new audiences without the need for huge marketing budgets previously associated with the music industry. indiestore bands are promoted alongside big name acts such as Kylie and Madonna on 7digital.com also, which significantly increases their exposure and reach".
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US MEGASTORES TO CLOSE
According to Reuters both Virgin Megastores in New York will close down at the start of next year. As the Virgin Group moved out of music retail last year (with the management buyout that created Zavvi over here), Virgin Entertainment Group North America was bought by a JV between two US real estate companies, Vornado and Related Cos, last September.
Despite the ten store US Megastore chain saying it has had its most successful year in a long time - despite the continued challenging nature of music retail - Reuters reveal that Vornado and Related acquired the retail company in order to get hold of its properties rather than its entertainment retail business. As a result they will continue with their plans to close down the Megastores on Times Square and Union Square, on the basis they will be able to earn vastly more money renting those spaces out than running businesses there.
Reuters quote a VP at Vornado as saying: "We bought the Virgin business to wind it down to get a hold of the real estate".
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SPANISH INDUSTRY SUES P2P PIONEER
The Spanish music industry, and in particular industry body Promusicae, is suing MP2P Technologies and its founder Pablo Soto, considered a "P2P pioneer", for his role in enabling the illegal distribution of music online, and in particular over his new Omemo system which allows net users to share files anonymously, something that greatly hinders record industry attempts to track the downloading of unlicensed music and then sue those who prolifically share illegal music (not that such legal action has been especially successful in Spain).
Soto's company quickly released a statement on the matter, telling reporters: "We intend to vigorously defend ourselves against this shake down attempt by the major label cabal. Rather than embracing technology, they have chosen a path that will ultimately lead to their own demise, as evidenced by the labels' consistent decline over the past decade. Litigation is in itself not a valid business model for them, however, it has been a dogged and futile pursuit of theirs since the advent of P2P".
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AEG EUROPE CHIEF ADDRESSES ERA CONFERENCE
The boss of live music conglom AEG Europe, that's David Campbell, who, among other things, has overseen the transformation of the Millennium Dome from national joke to credible entertainment venue, will give the key note speech at the upcoming Entertainment Retailers Association's New Music Conference, which takes place, a little ironically, at one of The O2's main rivals, Earls Court in West London, on 19 Jun. ERA chair Paul Quirk told reporters: "David Campbell has overseen the creation of a supremely-successful venue and live promotion company in the UK. At a time when there is much talk about the public's supposed decreasing interest in music, The O2 is proving just the opposite. We are delighted that David has agreed to speak at the ERA New Music Conference and we look forward to hearing his thoughts on the prospects for the wider music market".
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LOOG OLDHAM TO 'HOST' IN THE CITY
Music convention In The City have announced they have created a new post of 'official host', and that this year it will be filled by legendary management type Andrew Loog Oldham. The person in that role will aim to bring the kind of personality to the convention previously provided by ITC co-founder, the late Tony Wilson.
ITC's other founder, Yvette Livesey explained: "Since we lost Tony his unique presence as the focal point of In The City has been sorely missed. After much discussion we have decided to create this new position of 'official host' and our long time friend and loyal In The City supporter Andrew Loog Oldham was our first choice to take up the mantle. His infectious enthusiasm will, I am sure, inject some real energy into this years proceedings!"
Loog Oldham himself added: "Tony Wilson fitted into the finest pair of dancing shoes this side of anything. Rock, bop or bother. Tony was a passionate leader extraordinaire. I am honoured that Yvette and the ITC team are lending me a pair of his master's shoes and inviting me to dance at this year's event".
ITC orgaisers have also confirmed that UK Culture Sec Andy Burnham will be a keynote speaker at the convention, which takes place from 5-7 Oct in Manchester.
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MUSIC WEEK AWARDS, ERM, WIN AN AWARD
When an awards event wins an award at an awards event, does the universe shift to the left slightly? Perhaps we could set up an awards show to award the best awards for award shows. Anyway, the music industry awards staged by trade mag Music Week - the Music Week Awards - have won the award for Best Non-exhibition Event at the Association Of Event Organisers Awards. Judges at the AEO event said: "The winner was chosen for a highly-creative and well-executed event that met all set objectives and truly satisfied the needs of the audience - guests and sponsors alike. A quality entry, topped off by some exceptional accolades from the trade". In other music related prizes at the AEO Awards, the aforementioned The O2 was named Venue Of The Year.
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MTV REVAMP NEWS
MTV UK is relaunching its news service, with the introduction of a new look hourly news service, a weekly reportage show called The Cube, and a redesigned news bit of the music channel's website.
Lisa Stokoe, MTV News' Executive Producer, told CMU: "MTV News is evolving and adapting to suit our viewers needs giving them access to the content they want across multiple platforms. The success of the news section on mtv.co.uk suggests our users are keen to read entertainment news online, and the refreshed news site ensures that MTV News will become a one stop destination for all music, celebrity and entertainment news".
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FRATELLIS MAN REVEALS THAT HE'S A DAD
Fratellis frontman John Lawler has revealed that he's got a nine year old son, adding that supporting his child meant he was so broke before his band took off he couldn't afford to leave home town Glasgow.
Lawler: "I hadn't left Glasgow before we became successful - not because I didn't want to, but because I was always skint. It's because I was unlucky enough to get this girl pregnant, who I was seeing when I was 18. By the time I'd paid everything I had to pay each month, I never had any money to do anything. It meant I couldn't go anywhere between the ages of 18 and 26. After that things started to get big for us. I had eight years of not leaving the house! That's why I love all this now - I get to travel all over the world".
He adds: "My son's nine now and I see him half the week when I'm at home. People wind him up at school. He asked me last week if I could do something else for a living".
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MADDEN BABY HELPS HEAL FAMILY RIFT
According to reports, the baby born to Good Charlotte's Joel Madden and partner Nicole Ritchie has been instrumental in bringing about a reconciliation between the Madden twins and their father.
The baby, Harlow, was recently introduced to her grandfather at his home in New Jersey. Roger Combs, a recovering alcoholic, reportedly walked out on his family more than a decade ago. He told In Touch magazine: "Harlow is such a beautiful girl. I felt very proud".
He adds: "My kids were mad at me, and I don't blame them. We are good today, and that's all that matters".
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WELLER PLANNING INTERESTING RETIREMENT
Paul Weller says that when he retires, he's going to get himself a smack habit. Honest. The 50 year old says: "Retirement? What the fuck? That's when you get into heroin, when you're 70. And Viagra. I'll inhale the stuff. Out with a bang."
He adds: "I wouldn't mind being Mick Jagger. He's skinny, still has hair and shags loads of birds".
Does he really? Does L'Wren know this?
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