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BPI CONFIRM BT SENDING OUT WARNING LETTERS TO ILLEGAL FILE SHARERS
Record label trade body the BPI has confirmed that BT has followed Virgin Media's lead and is sending warning letters to customers of its internet service provider packages who the labels believe are acquiring music from illegal sources, telling said customers that uploading or downloading tracks to or from such sources is very naughty indeed. It was reported on IT website The Register last week that one BT customer had confirmed they had received such a warning letter from the phone firm.
Confirming they were now working with both BT and Virgin Media on the warning letter programme, the boss of the BPI, Geoff Taylor, said on Friday: "Establishing partnerships with ISPs is the No 1 issue for the BPI, and we are beginning to form positive working relationships with BT, Virgin Media and most of the other major ISPs".
As much previously reported, the ISPs have generally resisted getting involved in tackling P2P file sharing in the past, cynics would say because P2P-users were the early adopters of their broadband services, given that in the early days of broadband there were few legit online content platforms which really demanded higher speed internet.
As only the ISPs can identify the names and addresses of suspected file sharers, in the past the BPI has had to go to court in order to find out where to send legal letters relating to online copyright infringement. They argue that a system where ISPs forward on warning letters as a matter of course is better, not only because it reduces the labels' legal fees, but also because it means file sharers have the option to stop illegally file sharing before the matter goes properly legal.
The ISPs had been resistant to taking on a more proactive role, and some still are, but with BT and Virgin Media on board more are now expected to follow. Of course it remains unclear what will happen if consumers ignore warning letters. The labels want the ISPs to ultimately cut off persistent copyright infringers. Whether the ISP would do that, or even hand over the contact information of the individual to allow the labels to take legal action, remains to be seen.
The BPI will hope the warning letters alone will stop many file sharers, though some high profile cuttings-off or another round of successful anti-P2P lawsuits may be required to persuade some file-sharing net users that they really must stop accessing illegal sources of music.
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BPI RELEASE OTHER REVENUE STATS
Elsewhere in BPI news, the trade body has, for the first time, released statistics showing growth in non-traditional revenue streams at the record companies, presumably in a bid to show that the record industry isn't just talking about the need to diversify, but actually going out and securing new income streams to compensate for declining CD sales.
As much previously reported, as CD sales decline everyone who is anyone in the music business, and interested parties in financial circles, have been discussing the need for record companies to find ways to make money from their catalogues and artist relationships other than by selling CDs. According to the BPI, such revenues now account for 11.4% of UK record companies' income, after said alternative revenues rose 13.8% in 2007 to £121.6 million. That said, a big part of that rise comes from licensing, which isn't really a new revenue stream, just an increasingly important one.
Labels have always received a royalty fee for music used by broadcasters or advertisers - it's just that with an ever increasing number of broadcasters looking to licence music (not to mention online music service providers like Yahoo!), and an ever increasing number of advertisers looking to licence existing songs for their ads, what was once a bit of extra pocket money for the majors is now an increasingly important revenue stream. Which is why, to be fair, labels are hiring more in-house staff, or appointing agencies, to work in the licensing domain.
Of course it could be argued that the explosion in legit music providers - online services, new TV stations, new radio stations - who are behind this increase in licensing revenue, are also partly to blame for declining CD sales (along with, obviously, the illegal music providers), so a decline in high street and a rise in licensing revenue probably go hand in hand.
More interesting really is the growth of revenue streams at record companies that have nothing to do with recordings - ie revenues from so called 360 degree deals, or what the BPI seem to be calling multiple-rights revenues. This is where labels secure their investment in new talent on more than recording revenues - in particular touring, merchandising and sponsorship revenue. The label says "we'll invest in your recordings and help you launch yourselves to the wider world, but we want a cut of the live, merchandise and sponsorship money you make once you're launched".
Those revenues were up 16.2% in 2007, though the total amount of such revenues probably weren't very significant to start with, so actually that increase is probably quite small.
But, to be fair, the labels, which have taken rather a long time to come round to the 360 degree model, will need time to build this part of their business, given that it requires new contracts with artists, many of whom will be resistant to the idea of giving up a share of revenue streams which were traditionally theirs to keep. To negotiate such deals with many artists, especially established artists, will require the labels to bring touring, merchandising and branding expertise in house - or to strike strategic alliances with leading names in those sectors - and all of that takes time.
Which is why all this should have been done five years ago when people like us first started ranting about it all - but let's not go down that path!
Commenting on the stats, BPI boss Geoff Taylor said this: "The core business of record companies is investing in talent, working in partnership with artists to create great music and to help to find it an audience. Selling CDs and digital downloads remains the main way in which we recoup that investment, but increasingly new streams of revenue are coming into the picture. As consumption patterns change, music companies are finding new ways to recoup the huge investments they make in music. They are using new technology to find new audiences and offer consumers more choice. Today's record business is unrecognisable to that of five years ago. Labels have rapidly evolved into digitally literate businesses that generate significant revenues through licensing".
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PRINCE SUES OVER UNOFFICIAL COVERS ALBUM
If I ever finish my law degree and, in a radical change of heart, decide to become a lawyer, I want to be Prince's lawyer - he must be doing very well thank you very much given how litigious the singer always linked to purple has become of late.
Prince's latest legal action is against a Norwegian company who released a cover version extravaganza to celebrate the singer's fiftieth birthday. The box set featured cover versions of 81 Prince songs recorded by various bands from Norway. To be fair to Prince, he is probably in the right here because, as I understand it, the project was unlicensed.
There seems to have been some confusion among the people who set it all up who were under the impression that because no-one profited from the project they didn't need permission from Prince's people to record versions of the songs. Of course that's not true, and according to reports C&C Records should have paid Prince's publishing agents an eight dollar mechanical royalty for ever copy of 'Shockadelica' sold, a sum of money not accounted for in their budgets.
Prince seemingly became aware of the whole thing when the man behind C&C Records, Prince fan Christer Falck, got in touch with the singer's people with a view to sending him a copy of the covers album. His people responded by suing and demanding all remaining physical copies of the release be destroyed.
Of course, given that digital copies of the album are in circulation, the lawsuit will probably mean the unofficial covers project will now go from being a low profile Norwegian venture to a global hit, as is the way with such things.
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J LO CALLED TO TESTIFY IN DIDDY SHOOTING CASE
Jennifer Lopez has been subpoenaed to testify in a lawsuit against Sean 'Diddy' Combs, because she was dating the hip hop mogul at the time of the incident that the litigation relates to - a 1999 shooting in a New York club for which Shyne, a rapper associated with the Bad Boy Entertainment chief, was convicted. Diddy was accused of involvement in the shoot out, but was subsequently cleared of all charges. However, both he and Shyne, real name Jamal Barrow, have been named in a civil lawsuit filed by the victim of the shooting, one Natania Reuben.
Diddy has already given a deposition in relation to the case, but now, according to the New York Post, Lopez, Diddy's girlfriend in 1999, has been subpoenaed by Reuben's lawyers, giving the whole case an even bigger celebrity dimension. Lopez did not testify in the criminal case relating to the shooting.
The judge overseeing the civil case needs to ascertain whether Barrow acted alone in shooting Reuben, or whether he did so as part of Combs' entourage. What he decides will affect whether the civil case against Diddy actually gets to court - where a jury would decide on respective defendant's liabilities for Reuben's injuries.
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BRITNEY CUSTODY CASE TO GO TO TRIAL
Britney Spears and Kevin Federline failed in an attempt to settle their custody case out of court last week, and so a trial will take place in August.
The singer and her ex-husband spent Thursday in talks with a mediator over the custody of the pair's two young sons, but no agreement was forthcoming, according to Federline's attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan, who told E! News: "The mediation didn't result in an agreement that would avoid the trial set in August".
He added, however, that this was not due to any hostility, despite the disagreement, saying: "The mood was comfortable, positive and it was a mood that was consistent with opening at least a great dialogue, which is necessary. If the existing arrangement was acceptable to both parties... we wouldn't have to go to trial. But that didn't happen".
Federline is seeking sole custody of the two boys, Sean Preston and Jayden James, which he currently has, actually, because it was given to him earlier this year when Spears was sectioned, although the singer was later granted permission to spend one night a week with her sons. The hearing to determine a final custody ruling will take place on 25 Aug.
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LOTS OF AMY WINEHOUSE NONSENSE
So, much of the press attention at this weekend's Glastonbury Festival focused not on the actually quite pleasant weather, nor Jay-Z's magnificent headline set, but on Amy Winehouse, who did make it to the festival, and did put in an OK performance, but who also managed to slap a fan. Well, that might be an exaggeration. She had a bit of a scuffle with an audience member after climbing down to the mosh pit during her performance of 'Rehab', seemingly because said audience member tried to grab her hair. But no complaint has been received from the fan, so no action will be taken in relation to the incident.
Ms Winehouse had a mixed response from the Glasto crowd, who enjoyed her songs but were less impressed by her ramblings between them, and who predictably booed a bit when that Blake Fielder Civil chap's name was brought up. Responding to the booing, Winehouse reportedly said: "Don't boo. I'll find your phone and ring your mum and tell them about your bad manners. Manners cost you nothing".
Another notable moment of Winehouse's Glasto set was her reported remark relating to Mr Kanye West. Noting that her set preceded Jay-Z's headline appearance, she reportedly changed tHE lyrics of one song to say "At least I'm not opening for a cunt like Kanye". Quite what Winehouse has against Mr West isn't clear, though she may have been referring to his previously reported badly received set at the US's Bonnaroo festival. Whatever, her remark has not gone unnoticed in the West camp, with Kanye writing on his blog this weekend: "This Just In...Amy Winehouse Hates Me!!! Now I've Really Made It!!! LOL!!!!"
Elsewhere in Amy news, and before all of that, Winehouse revealed in an interview with Rolling Stone that her much-publicised destructive lifestyle is down to boredom while hubby Fielder-Civil is in prison. She told the magazine: "To be honest, my husband's away, I'm bored, I'm young. I felt like there was nothing to live for. It's just been a low ebb".
She also said that she doesn't feel that she has been to rehab, even though she has, actually. What I think she was trying to say is that her heart wasn't in it, so it wasn't much use. She said: "I've never been to rehab, I mean, done it properly. I'm young, and I'm in love, and I get my nuts off sometimes. But it's never been like, 'Amy, get your life together'".
Finally from the Winehouse file, the singer has reportedly turned down a very lucrative offer to write her autobiography because she doesn't feel she's old enough to begin writing her life story. I wish more celebrities would realise that. A source told the Daily Star, "Amy's been battling off book deals for over a year, but the latest offer would have earned her millions but she thought the idea was ludicrous and turned it down outright. Firstly, she feels she's far too young at 24 and secondly, when she does get round to publishing her life story, she wants to write it herself. She doesn't need a ghost writer".
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JULIANA HATFIELD UNVEILS AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Someone who has written her autobiography is Juliana Hatfield. The book, entitled 'When I Grow Up', will be released on 29 Sep and covers her 20 year musical career from her beginnings as a teenager in indie band Blake Babies, through her rise to stardom as a solo artist and on up to the present day.
Hatfield will also release a new album, 'How To Walk Away', via her own Ye Olde Records label on 19 Aug.
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NO REUNION, SAYS BARAT
Carl Barat has put an end to rumours that he and Pete Doherty are about to launch a new project, which we hadn't actually reported on because they seemed too much like idle speculation, even for us. Anyway, let's bring you up to speed now. According to reports, work on songs for a musical the pair had been hired to write (which we did report on a while ago) had been going so well that the duo had decided to record a new album together using some of the excess songs they'd bashed out. But now Barat says that not only is that not true, they haven't even been working on the musical at all. In fact, the musical is off the cards completely. He told The Daily Star: "I'm too busy concentrating on my other projects. I haven't seen Pete for donkeys. The musical is off - the window closes".
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RADIOHEAD STILL DON'T LIKE EMI
Radiohead's Ed O'Brien has expanded on comments made by Thom Yorke recently about the band's split from EMI. As you might remember, Guy Hands suggested the deal negotiations broke down because the band wanted too much money. However, the band say this was not the case and point to Guy Hands' actions during and after the negotiations and the recently-released 'Greatest Hits' album as fuelling their ongoing anger at the label.
Speaking to Glasgow's Metro newspaper, O'Brien said: "EMI have made more than £40million from us and we still don't own that material. We weren't asking for money. Universal would have given us five times the amount. We knew that. But we weren't after the money. The thing we wanted from EMI was to retain some kind of control over our copyright and back catalogue, but EMI's chairman Guy Hands wasn't interested. Because that's what he's after - he knows that's the golden goose. If he wants to talk about any of that stuff he should talk to us face-to-face".
On the 'Greatest Hits' album, which plunders that back catalogue, he said: "The packaging is awful. There are three really bad photos. They're not going to make any money from it because they'll spend so much on TV advertising. Another thing is that greatest hits don't sell in America. I don't understand why they're doing it. And you know what it's done? It's ensured that we never, ever, ever re-sign to EMI while there's a Guy Hands involvement. Who knows what could happen in the future. We could say, 'EMI is great, we miss it and we could go back there'. But this has ensured we'll never re-sign while he's involved".
Hands previously replied to Thom Yorke's comments on the subject, saying: "We definitely are not a bull in a china shop, we do know what we are doing and we know that what we are doing is trying to build a business that gets back to its former glory, that is world class and to do that we are clearly going to upset a few people but we are not in a popularity contest".
O'Brien also spoke about Radiohead's decision not to play this year's Glastonbury Festival, despite it falling inside their UK touring schedule. He said: "Thom's spoken to Michael Eavis. The reason we didn't do it was because we did it on the 'Hail To The Thief' tour. We felt it wasn't appropriate to do it this year because we didn't want to be the Glastonbury house band. It's such a special gig, it's almost like you have to wait your turn".
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COLDPLAY TO GIVE AWAY TRACKS WITH TICKETS
Chris Martin has said that Coldplay plan to give away a free track with every ticket sold for their UK tour in December. Via the band's official site, the frontman said: "We're hoping to do this thing where we give away a song with every ticket. We have this song called 'The Goldrush', which Will [Champion, drummer] sings. We want to play it as part of the show, so we'd like to give it away with the ticket. That way the only people that know that song will be the people coming to the concerts".
The band are due to appear at Birmingham's National Indoor Arena, Glasgow SECC, Sheffield Arena, Liverpool Echo Arena, the MEN Arena, and London's 02 Arena. Explaining why they don't plan to tour any stadia this time (despite having done it before), Martin said "We're not a stadium band yet. I think we're still trying to figure out how to make a room full of 10,000 people as exciting as possible, let alone a stadium. To me an arena feels like the perfect size canvas, so we're trying to master that".
On the content of the live shows, he continued: "We've got some incredible balls. And I mean that in the most technological of senses. If you come to our concert, you'll see the most magical balls you've ever seen. And ours is the first concert in the world to feature them. There are lots of surprises, including butterflies and painted drums and lots of colour and probably some things we haven't even thought of yet".
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LEE 'SCRATCH' PERRY READIES NEW ALBUM
Lee 'Scratch' Perry will release a new album, produced by Andrew WK no less, on 19 Aug. And the weird hook-ups don't stop with Mr WK on the reggae legend's 54th studio album (no, that is not a typo); it also features collaborations with Blondie's Chris Stein, Moby and Lightning Bolt's Brian Chippendale.
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USHER WOULD LIKE TO BE GAYE
According to reports, Usher wants to play the role of Marvin Gaye in a film about the singer, having already once portrayed him in a guest appearance on US TV show 'American Dreams', which is set in the sixties. He says, "I want to be the person who tells the story of Marvin Gaye because I understand the conflict he had as a man."
Sadly for him, there's a film about Gaye already in production starring TV actor Jesse L Martin. Of course, there's nothing to stop him from making his own competing film, if he wants to, I suppose.
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GLASTO GOES WELL METHINKS
So, despite the slow ticket sales and speculation it had "lost it", Glastonbury 2008 seems to have been a success, partly because the sun, in the main, shined, and partly because Jay-Z proved the idiots who said he wasn't Glasto headline material completely wrong with a storming Saturday night performance - kicked off with a nod to the biggest idiot with regards Jay-Z commentary, Noel Gallagher, who said a hip hop headliner at Glasto was "wrong". Mr Z started his show by walking on to 'Wonderwall'.
Another Glasto headliner made reference to those who doubted their ability to fill a headline slot - though the doubter in question that time wasn't a Gallagher for Glasto supremo Michael Eavis himself. Noting that his band had been booked by Glasto co-organiser Emily Eavis, rather than her doubting father, The Verve's frontman Richard Ashcroft quipped during his band's finale headline set: "I want to thank Emily Eavis for inviting us to play Glastonbury. And I hope her dad realises why she booked us now".
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BJORK PULLS OUT OF WILD IN THE COUNTRY
More festival news, and Bjork has pulled out of the Wild In The Country festival that takes place at Knebworth on 5 Jul. Her reps say the singer has decided not to headline the event because of alleged failings by the festival's organisers. Their statement says: "[Bjork has] been forced to withdraw from the festival next week due to the volatile nature of this event. Bjork is extremely disappointed that this show will now no longer go ahead. They [the festival's organisers] have been unable to secure any staging, sound and lighting for this festival, making it impossible for the headline artists to perform and are unable to fulfill their contractual obligations to all of the artists contracted to perform at their event".
Said organisers have responded thus on their website: "It was brought to our attention by nme.com that Bjork no longer intends to appear at the Wild In The Country festival. A letter confirming this was apparently emailed to Wild In The Country organiser Geoff Oakes outside normal business hours on the evening of Friday 27th June. There have been what we believed to be still ongoing discussions regarding Bjork's production requirements. We are obviously disappointed, having the utmost respect for Bjork as an artiste, and extend our best wishes to her. Contrary to what has been suggested, we have diligently provided all production requirements for all of the other acts appearing on this years line-up".
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U2 TO HEADLINE MIGHTY BOOSH FESTIVAL?
Yes, I am quite aware of how unlikely this sounds, thank you. But if The Quietus are to be believed, U2 are set to headline The Mighty Boosh Festival this Saturday.
A source apparently close to the band told the music blog: "We'd heard rumours that Bono and Noel had been in touch. Then the crew and all of us were told not to make any plans for the weekend of 5 Jul. Apparently it's now going ahead, and there's talk that U2 and the Mighty Boosh boys will do some kind of collaboration. It's great to be involved in this gig where the band will get to play to a new audience outside the usual stadiums".
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ALBUM REVIEW: The Black Ghosts - The Black Ghosts (Southern Fried)
With The Whip, Cagedbaby and The Black Ghosts, Southern Fried have become a sort of home for dark electro pop, and in this self-titled debut album from The Black Ghosts, they've found themselves with one of the pop albums of the year on their hands. All held together by the yearning vocals and sinister lyrics of Simon Lord, this is an accomplished album (as you might expect from a duo who are far from musical beginners - Lord was previously in Simian whilst Theo Keating was once a Wiseguy) that doesn't reference any particular genre as a whole and has far more at hand than just the obvious synth-pop you might expect. Of course, there is plenty of that - from the anthemic, bombastic statement of intent that is 'Some Way Through This' to the riotous adrenaline fuelled singles 'I Want Nothing' and 'Anyway You Choose To Give It'. But some of the best moments here are the most unexpected ones, whether the subtly calm and soulful tones of 'It's Your Touch' or the rocky guitars amid the funk of 'Until It Comes Again'. There's tenderness here too - 'Full Moon' is country folk with swelling strings, whilst 'Don't Cry' is touching and heartfelt (if not quite an actual ballad) and would have made a far better closer to the album than the rather cacophonous 'Face'. A fine collection of electro-noir then; only one nagging doubt remains - has anyone actually called it 'nu grave' yet? MS
Release Date: 7 Jul
Press Contact: Bang On
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ONE LITTLE INDIAN AND FATCAT FORM PARTNERSHIP
One Little Indian has announced a partnership with fellow indie label FatCat Records which isn't quite a merger, but will see the two firms pooling and sharing resources, and One Little Indian's press team working on upcoming FatCat releases. One Little Indian's Derek Birkett is quoted by Billboard thus: "Both companies are contributing equally and benefiting equally from the arrangement. It is an equal partnership in every sense of the word, so there is no senior partner". It's not the first time the two indies have worked together, OLI providing FatCat with office space when it first launched ten years ago.
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RHAPSODY GOES MP3
Real Networks' US based download service Rhapsody is the latest to go DRM free. The digital music service will, from today, offer its five million strong catalogue in MP3 format without any digital rights management technology. As much previously reported, the last of the major record companies agreed to start selling their music without DRM at the start of the year, mainly so they were able to sign up to Amazon's new US download store, which is MP3 only. Other download stores have been busy moving over to iPod compatible MP3s, and Rhapsody, a joint venture between Real and MTV, is the latest to do so.
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NAPSTER SHAREHOLDERS ON THE ATTACK
More digital music news, and some stressful times over at Napster, where three shareholders in the subscription-based digital music company are trying to get seats on the board, seemingly to kick some ass because, they claim, Napster bosses have not done enough to battle market-leader rival Apple or to combat online music piracy. The three investors are appealing to other shareholders to back their bid for the board and their plans for a senior executive restructure at the firm after the board knocked back their proposals.
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GLOBAL MUSIC ACQUIRE DEATH ROW
A Tennessee based company called the Global Music Group have acquired the assets of Death Row Records, which have been awaiting sale ever since Death Row chief Suge Knight declared himself and his companies bankrupt over two years ago.
After a drawn out bankruptcy the label went up for sale on Tuesday, and Global was the successful bidder - beating Warner and Koch who had both previously expressed an interest in acquiring the legendary hip hop catalogue.
Global are now expected to quickly work their way through the Death Row archives to find unreleased Tupac Shakur recordings, probably the label's most lucrative assets. Though some commentators say that Death Row was so badly run that ownership of some recordings will be debatable, and lawyers will have to do a lot of trawling through old paperwork to avoid being sued by others who may also claim ownership in some recordings. Certainly any new Tupac releases will have to be approved by the Shakur family.
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DIGITAL STORES APPOINT NEW MARKETER
Online music-related retail types Digital Stores - the people behind Recordstore.co.uk - have appointed Trevor Hunter, formerly of EMAP Advertising, to the role of Marketing Manager. He will be responsible for growing and developing the marketing capabilities of the Digital Store platforms.
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MARKETING MAN GETS TOP BBC RADIO JOB
The BBC have announced that their Comms and Marketing director Tim Davie will take over from Jenny Abramsky as head of the Corporation's radio and music programming division. It's something of a landmark appointment because it is the first time someone from the marketing department has been given such an important job - Radio 1 chief Andy Parfitt, also touted for the top job, would have been a more obvious appointment.
Confirming the appointment, BBC DG Mark Thompson told reporters: "Radio is at the heart of the BBC's public service mission and millions of listeners rely on its quality, range and integrity every day. Tim's drive, knowledge and sheer love of the medium will ensure that BBC radio remains creatively strong and vibrant in the years to come. His insight into audiences and their expectations of the BBC will be particularly valuable".
Davie himself said: "It is a great privilege to build on the outstanding legacy of Jenny Abramsky and take on the leadership of a very talented team. This is a special role because of the unique cultural contribution of the BBC's audio and music output which is highly valued by millions of people. As a passionate advocate of radio, I am excited by the challenge of continuing to deliver not only distinctive BBC services but also to support the growth of the medium as a whole across traditional and digital platforms".
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NME RADIO APPOINTS FORMER RADIO 1 MAN TO EVENTS AND MARKETING ROLE
The company behind NME Radio, DX Media, has appointed former Radio 1 events man Matt Priest to the role of Head Of Sponsorship, Promotions, Events & Marketing. Matt Priest joins NME Radio, the new digital radio spin off of the IPC magazine which launched last week, from production company Ten Alps Live, where he was head of music events. Prior to that he spent ten years at Radio 1.
DX MD Sammy Jacob said this: "I'm delighted to have Matt on board. Live music is inherent in everything we do. His experience and creativity, both editorially and commercially, will be extremely valuable".
Priest said this: "I'm very excited to be joining NME Radio and DX Media. The digital landscape is a very exciting place to be right now. The combined strength of the NME brand and DX Media provides a great foundation to create opportunities both on and off air".
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LRC LICENCE JAZZ FM NAME - STATION RETURNS TO DIGITAL
The Local Radio Company has announced it will relaunch Jazz FM on digital networks in the North West, West Midlands, South Wales and Glasgow. They will license the name from GMG Radio, who themselves basically shelved the Jazz FM brand when they turned the former Jazz FM stations into Smooooooth Radio. Jazz FM has continued to broadcast presenter-free online, but will return with presenter based shows thanks to the LRC deal. LRC chief Richard Wheatley was one of the original people behind Jazz FM back in 1990. GMG had recently tried, unsuccessfully, to reduce their obligation to jazz music on Smooth Radio by offering to provide other online or digital Jazz FM services instead.
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SINGLE REVIEW: Audio Bullys - Gimme That Punk (Vizo Records)
Chances are you've already heard 'Gimme That Punk'. The lead single from their third album 'Sunday Night Fever' has already invaded the airwaves, championed by the most influential national radio stations. This track acts as an aural peek through the record collection inside Simon Franks and Tom Dinsdale's record boxes, with the lyrics consisting of a litany of appreciation for their inspiration. It feels like the duo are revisiting their 'Ego War' days, but this time they've sorted out the glitches that made a potentially great album fall short of the mark. They've kept their electro-punk sensibilities intact, but have dropped sharper production and the lustre of confidence into the equation. It's definitely worth checking out the Don Letts directed video for this track, which emulates Dylan's legendary 'Subterranean Homesick Blues' video. 'Gimme That Punk' is a sign that Audio Bullys are finally heading in the right direction. It certainly leaves a taste for more. MB
Release Date: 23 Jun
Press Contact: Get Involved [all]
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CHART UPDATE
So, Coldplay's 'Viva La Vida' is no longer number one in the singles chart, though given it was never actually released as a single, I don't suppose anyone will mind. Chris Martin et al are at number two in the singles chart, however, swapping places with Ne-Yo, whose song 'Closer' goes top. Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown are at number three.
New entries on the singles chart go as follows - Ironik with 'Stay With Me' at 11, Glasvegas with 'Geraldine' at 16, MGMT with 'Electric Feel' at 31, Freemasons and Katherine Ellis with 'When You Touch Me' at 34, Courteeners with 'No You Didn't No You Don't' at 35, and Black Kids with 'Hurricane Jane' at 36.
Coldplay are still top in the albums chart, and in fact the whole top three is unchanged, with Coldplay at one, Duffy at two and Neil Diamond at three. New entries come from Sigur Ros with 'Med Sud U Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust' at 5, Chris Brown's special edition release of 'Exclusive' at 5, Jonas Brothers with 'Jonas Brothers' at 9, a Hermit's Hermit best of at 24 and Cage The Elephant's 'Cage The Elephant' at 38, plus there are some re-entries in the Top 40, presumably aided by some CD sale on the high street, possibly Zavvi's previously reported cut price sale.
These here charts of which we all speak are counted, compiled and unleashed, in case you ever did wonder, by the people at the Official UK Charts Company - www.theofficialcharts.com
By the way, the sub.tv playlist - the videos playing in students' unions around the country - that usually appears in the chart spot is now on its summer break. It shall return in September.
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TOTAL ROCK WORLD ALBUM CHART
It's the Total Rock World Album Chart, as counted down on Total Rock over the weekend - www.totalrock.com. New entries and re-entries marked with a *.
1. Disturbed - Indestructible (Reprise)
2. Linkin Park - Minutes To Midnight (Warner Bros)
3. Nickelback - All The Right Reasons (Warner/Roadrunner)
4. Opeth - Watershed (Warner/Roadrunner)
5. Bon Jovi - Lost Highway (Universal/Mercury)
6. Daughtry - Daughtry (SonyBMG)
7. Guns n Roses - Greatest Hits (Universal/Geffen)
8. Whitesnake - Good To Be Bad (SPV)
9. Led Zeppelin - Mothership (Warner/Atlantic)
10. The Eagles - Long Road Out Of Eden (Universal)
11. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Best Of (Polytel)
12. Kid Rock - Rock - N Roll Jesus (Warner/Atlantic)
13. Journey - Revelation (Frontiers)
14. Foo Fighters - Echoes Silence Patience & Grace (Roswell)
15. Testament - The Formation Of Damnation (Nuclear Blast)
16. Atreyu - Lead Sails Paper Anchor (Warner/Roadrunner)*
17. Queen - Greatest Hits, 1,2,3 (EMI)*
18. Seether - Finding Beauty In Negative Spaces (Wind-Up)
19. Iron Maiden - Somewhere Back In Time (EMI)
20. Scorpions - Humanity - Hour 1 (SonyBMG)*
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X-FACTOR'S DANNII A BIT DISGRUNTLED, APPARENTLY
According to The Mirror, Dannii Minogue is feeling isolated and threatened by the arrival of new judge Cheryl Cole on the 'X-Factor', who is allegedly being charming and getting on well with everyone. Hard to imagine, really.
Anyway, this somewhat bitchy sounding source told The Mirror: "Simon is delighted with how things have gone. He is calling [Cheryl] the 'new Cilla Black'. She has that touch that connects with people. She is a natural fit to the show and makes Dannii somewhat redundant. Louis and Cheryl get on like a house on fire as he managed Girls Aloud. He has never really got on with Dannii so that has made her feel even more isolated. It's ironic that last year Sharon felt under threat from the younger rival when Dannii arrived. Now it is Dannii who is under pressure herself".
The source also claims that Dannii is cross that Cole started on such a high salary. "She's not happy that Cheryl is on £800,000, just £100,000 less than her", the 'insider' claims. "She feels there should be a bigger gap and, with Sharon gone, she should be earning nearer her £1.5m pay packet".
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MORE MADONNA DIVORCE TALK
A representative for divorce lawyer Fiona Shackleton has refused to answer questions about reports that she has been hired by Madonna to take on her rumoured divorce from Guy Ritchie, saying "We have a policy of not speaking with the press". Which means that the rumours must be true. Plus, Madonna's people haven't denied it, just said "No comment at this time". Reports that Shackleton, who represented Paul McCartney in his divorce from Heather Mills, was to take on Madonna's case recently appeared in The Times, but the couple have been rumoured to be headed splitsvilleward for some time.
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