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SISTER RAY GOES INTO ADMINISTRATION
More from the troubled world of music retail, and news that Soho independent record store Sister Ray has gone into administration. The owners of the shop, which has been part of London's Berwick Street's record shop stretch for nearly twenty years, say that for the time being it is business as usual while they actively seek interested parties who may be interested in taking over the business.
One of the administrators, Ian Cadlock, said he was hopeful that he could sell the record shops as a going concern within the next month. He told CMU: "This is a unique business with a truly global reputation and we are doing everything possible to ensure that Sister Ray is preserved for music fans worldwide".
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WINEHOUSE RUSHED TO HOSPITAL
Amy Winehouse was rushed to University College Hospital in London on Monday night, after reacting to prescribed medication. An ambulance was apparently called to her Camden home after the singer began having fits. Police were also called to clear a crowd of photographers who were blocking the ambulance service's way. Idiots. Winehouse was released on Tuesday morning and reportedly "in good spirits".
A London Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: "We were called at approximately 8.40pm to an address in NW1 to reports of an adult female taken unwell. We sent an ambulance and a fast response car and the patient has been taken to hospital".
A Scotland Yard spokesman added: "We were asked to assist the London Ambulance Service leaving the vicinity where a crowd of photographers had gathered".
Upon her return home, the singer's spokesman Chris Goodman said: "[Amy] had a bit of a scare yesterday because of a reaction to treatment. She was kept in overnight purely for observation. Amy is at home now after leaving with her father and manager. She is having a rest. She was taking a new [medication] as part of her anti-drug treatment program. And it was an adverse reaction to that new drug. You have to try different things but unfortunately this was not the right one".
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LYDON DENIES RACISM AGAIN
Did I say Boom Bip had the last word in the Lydon/Okereke racism scandal the other day? Sorry, I forgot we were dealing with John Lydon. The Sex Pistols frontman appeared on BBC 1 magazine show 'The One Show' on Monday night to deny once again that he is racist and said that anyone who says otherwise will be hearing from his lawyers.
Lydon said: "There's been a hell of a lot of 'freedom of the press', shall we say, where they've run wild, absolutely atrocious, really hurtful stories. My grandchildren are Jamaican, right. It's an absolute offence to them and me when I read stories like that, that are allowed to go to print absolutely unfounded and [the newspapers] have the liberty to take liberties with a man like me and call me racist when my entire life has proved exactly the opposite. Any bugger that says [I'm a racist] is gonna have their day in court with me".
He added that the Sex Pistols have always attracted a diverse audience: "It's the most wonderful thing ever, playing to our multi-racial audiences, which they always have been. And not only that, multi-gender, multi-everything-you-like, we are open to all. Our whole message in life has been to eliminate the barriers that separate us. Our only true enemy in life is governments. And politicians, and, low and behold, the British press".
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FOX NEWS MAN BRANDS NAS "VILE"
Fox News presenter Bill O'Reilly has called Nas "vile" after the hip hopper joined a protest against racism on the Fox TV network.
As previously reported, Nas joined representatives of ColorOfChange.org and MoveOn.org when they delivered a petition with over 600,000 signatures to Fox's HQ in New York earlier this month, following various dubious comments made on Fox about presidential candidate Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle. Amongst the slurs listed on the petition were the description of Michelle Obama as "Obama's baby mama", a Fox anchor calling a 'fist bump' the pair gave each other "a terrorist fist jab", and O'Reilly himself suggesting setting a "lynching party" on Mrs Obama.
O'Reilly said: "[Nas is a] vile rapper, peddling the N-word and violent lyrics to his target audience of children and young adults. He is a real champ". He went on to suggest that the rapper had only joined the protest because "he desperately wants attention".
Nas dismissed the comments, telling MTV News: "It's what he's supposed to do. He has an image to uphold. He's a racist. Everybody has a marketing plan; his marketing plan is racism".
He continued: "He doesn't understand the younger generation. He deals with the past. The people he represents are Republican, older, a generation that has nothing to do with the reality of what's happening now with my generation. He's not really on my radar. People like him are supposed to be taught and people like me are supposed to let niggas like him know. I don't take him serious. His shit is all about getting ratings or whatever. I wouldn't honor anything Bill O'Reilly has to say".
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JARVIS COCKER BLASTS US MEDIA OBAMA COVERAGE
Speaking of people who don't like the US media's coverage of Barack Obama, Jarvis Cocker has been talking about it, too. Before performing his song, 'Cunts Are Still Ruling The World' at a show in Brooklyn last Monday, he said: "They're really taking the piss out of Barack Obama and it's really not fair. What I am saying is kill all those capitalist bastards… and then piss on their ashes".
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DUFFY SUPPORTS ILLEGAL DOWNLOADING
Should Duffy be expecting a letter from her ISP?
The singer has said that she wasn't concerned by illegal downloading and could see positive aspects to it. She told Shortlist: "It can go two ways – there are pros and cons to everything. Some people think it creates illegal access, but I think the big wheel is round, y'know? I think it's got more positives because it basically gives people access, what's the harm in that? Somebody asked me the other day what I thought of illegal downloading, and I thought, 'You know what? I don't care', because I think the majority [of people illegally downloading music] are kids and as they get old and get more income they'll probably buy records. So, it's just making music a part of everyone's lives".
Duffy doesn't really need to worry about losing a few sales, though. It's just been revealed that sales of her debut album, 'Rockferry', have passed one million in the UK and reached 2.5 million worldwide.
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HUNDREDS TURNED AWAY FROM FREE MGMT SHOW
Hundreds of fans had to be turned away disappointed from MGMT's free hometown show at Brooklyn's McCarren Pool on Sunday, which closed a series of gigs at the empty outdoor swimming pool this summer. Fans queued for hours to gain entry, some sneakily climbing over fences and squeezing under gates to gain access after they were turned away, leading to a packed out venue. Also performing were The Ting Tings and Black Moth Super Rainbow.
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SINGLE REVIEW: Si Phili feauturing HT – Summertime (Propaganda Records)
A song called 'Summertime' is never really going to be the UK's next underground hit. Indeed, this is the sound of a man (consciously?) alienating his fanbase in an attempt to rewind to the days of sun-drenched American 'hip-hop' and come out with his own 'Thong Song' or similar sensationalist superhit. His choice of guest star testifies to this; some 'soulful' Usher wannabe wailing any edge off a beat that could actually pull off what Phili is trying to achieve here. It seems he is no mug; he may be no Roots Manuva but his style is still recognisably British, something that is still very commendable, but it is just a shame he got a little bit lost in his quest for recognition. ME
Release date: 4 Aug
Press contact: Motion PR [all]
Buy from TuneTribe
Buy from iTunes
Buy from Amazon
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KILLERS TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM
The Killers will release their third album in November, it is rumoured. According to sources at their label, Universal/Island, the band are putting the finishing touches on the new LP, which has been produced by Stuart Price, aka Jacques Le Cont.
The band played an exclusive fan club-only show at the Highline Ballroom last night where they previewed two new tracks, 'Spaceman' and 'Neon Tiger'.
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SPARRO WORKING WITH LOHAN
Sam Sparro has revealed that he is set to start working on songs for Lindsay Lohan's new album and will fly from Australia to New York later this summer to work with the actress cum singer. He said he was invited to contribute songs by Lohan's girlfriend, Sam Ronson.
Sparro told The Mirror: "Working with Lindsay is an interesting proposition. I've always been a big fan and I think she's cool. I've never met Sam Ronson but I have met her dad and her sister Charlotte when I was working with [her brother] Mark at Coachella. They are a great family. I'll be heading over to LA and New York in a couple of weeks to start writing for Lindsay and a few other artists. I'm really excited".
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CREAM TO REFORM AGAIN?
Cream bassist Jack Bruce has hinted that the Eric Clapton-fronted band might reform again to perform at the Zildjian Awards at the Royal Festival Hall in October, where drummer Ginger Baker is set to receive a Drummer Achievement award. The group, of course, previously reformed for four shows at the Royal Albert Hall in 2005
Bruce told Billboard: "Because I'm only the bass player, I can't say for sure. I know there's a good chance we may play at that event but I don't want to overstate it and make it into something it isn't. I think there might be a chance of some more shows. I would like to do some more, because I enjoyed [the 2005 reunion]. It was very emotional. I would like another shot at it".
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MIGHTY UNDERDOGS RELEASE DEBUT ALBUM
Hip hop trio The Mighty Underdogs, comprising The Gift Of Gab, Lateef The Truth Speaker and Headnodic, have announced that they will release their debut album, 'Droppin' Science Fiction' in the US on 14 Oct via Definitive Jux. The album will also feature guest appearances from artists including DJ Shadow, MF DOOM, Damian Marley, Chali 2na and Lyrics Born.
Tracklist:
Monster
Hands in the Air
So Sad (feat. Jullian and Damian Marley)
Gun Fight (feat. MF DOOM)
ILL Vacation (feat. Lyrics Born)
Science Fiction
Laughing At You (feat. Casual)
Escape (feat. Mr. Lif and Akrobatik)
Doglude
Folks
UFC Remix (cuts by DJ Shadow)
Want You Back
Aye
WarWalk (feat. Chali 2na, Raashan Ahmad, Tash, and Zion)
Victorious
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JENNY LEWIS REVEALS SOLO ALBUM DETAILS
Rilo Kiley's Jenny Lewis has revealed details of her second solo album, the follow-up to 2006's 'Rabbit Fur Coat', which was a collaboration with The Watson Twins and might not actually count as a solo album. But whatever. Although those Watson Twins are apparently not in evidence this time around (they're busy with their own new album, 'Fire Songs', which came out last month), there are plenty of other guests, including M Ward and Zooey Deschanel (aka She & Him), Elvis Costello, Lewis' sister Leslie and her dad, Eddie Gordon.
Here's the tracklist:
Black Sand
Pretty Bird
The Next Messiah
Bad Man's World
Acid Tongue
See Fernando
Godspeed
Carpetbaggers
Trying My Best to Love You
Jack Killed Mom
Sing a Song for Them
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DE BURGH TO PLAY IRAN
Chris De Burgh is set to play a concert in the Iranian capital Tehran. The singer apparently has a huge fanbase in the country and will play alongside Iranian band Arian at the 12,000 capacity Azadi Indoor Stadium in November. This will be the first time since the 1979 Iranian revolution that a Western star has performed with an Iranian band in the country. The show is likely to be doubly unusual, as Western pop songs with lyrics are banned in Iran, although state radio sometimes allows instrumental versions to be played. It's not clear if this means that De Burgh will not actually be allowed to sing or will have to translate all his lyrics into Persian. If I was Iranian, I'd hope for the former.
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BBC INTRODUCING LINE UP ANNOUNCED FOR READING AND LEEDS
For the first time this year, the BBC Introducing stage will appear at both the Reading and Leeds festivals. Bands who will play the stage were chosen by a team of experts, led by Radio 1's Huw Stephens.
Stephens told CMU: "Reading and Leeds is the festival for new music and so to have Introducing there is very exciting. The line-up for the stage offers a whole load of new talent and compliments the array of new artists playing".
The line-up this year includes: Attack Attack, Fox Cubs, I Concur, Ipso facto, Kid iD, New York Fund, Pulled Apart By Horses, Razmatazzlorryexcitement, That Fucking Tank and Thomas Tantrum.
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ERRORS ANNOUNCE TOUR DATES
Scottish electronic types Errors have announced a string of live dates later this year to promote their debut album, 'It's Not Something But It Is Like Whatever', out now on Rock Action.
Tour dates:
8 Aug: Summer Sundae
16 Aug: Loop Festival
30 Aug: Connect Festival
2 Oct: Concrete & Glass Festival
3 Oct: Sheffield, The Shakespeare
4 Oct: Manchester, Night & Day Cafe
5 Oct: Liverpool, Korova
10 Oct: Glasgow, Oran Mor
11 Oct: Aberdeen, Moshulu
12 Oct: Dundee, Doghouse
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FAT FREDDY'S DROP ANNOUNCE UK DATES
New Zealanders Fat Freddy's Drop return to the UK later this year to promote their forthcoming second album. The band also released a new single this week, 'The Camel', featuring guest vocals from Alice Russell.
Tour dates:
14 Nov: Birmingham, Academy
15 Nov: Manchester, Academy
3 Dec: Norwich, UEA
4 Dec: London, Roundhouse
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EMI APPOINT NEW BOSS FOR VIRGIN US
EMI Music have announced the appointment of Rob Stevenson to the job of President of the USA, which is interesting because I thought there was some kind of election involved for that job, and not just pleasing Guy Hands. Oh no, hang on, President Of Virgin Records USA. That makes sense. He will take over at the division on 15 Aug, reporting to EMI's newly appointed A&R supremo Nick Gatfield. He was previously with Universal's Island Def Jam.
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UNIVERSAL LAUNCH RARITIES DOWNLOAD SERVICE
Universal Music UK are launching a download platform that will focus on catalogue music, including rarities, exclusives and "overlooked" tracks, not an especially original concept, but something major labels should have been doing ever since digital became a reality. The Lost Tunes service will be powered by those 7Digital chaps, and will feature 134 albums at launch from across Universal's catalogue, including the Walker Brothers' 'Live In Japan' and tracks by often forgotten but important bands like Comsat Angels and Nine Below Zero.
Universal's Azi Eftekhari told Billboard: "We've noticed a gap in the market that we think needs to be filled from a music lover's perspective. It was a question of 'Do we want people only to be able to find this music if they've got it in their heads, or have them spend lots of time on the store and be guided through it'?"
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SONYBMG REPORT LOSS
More major labels, and SonyBMG recorded a net loss of $48 million in the first quarter of the year, which is an achievement. In the negative sense of the word. The loss, which compares with a $21 million profit in the same quarter a year earlier, came after sales fell year on year by $55 million. Nevertheless, Sony Corp is still reportedly in talks to take complete ownership of the major, buying out business partners Bertelsmann.
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HANDLEMAN UK SOLD TO TESCO
Having announced it was getting out of music distribution in the US, Handelman Company has announced it will sell its UK entertainment distribution business to Tesco, who the company have supplied with entertainment products since April 2008. Tesco are expected to keep most of Handelman UK's employees on.
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BBC LAUNCH NEW MUSIC SITE
The BBC have launched a new beta version of their BBC Music website. The site, powered by open content music database MusicBrainz, registers plays across BBC Radio, giving users stats and information on artists, such as which stations and DJs play them the most. It's actually a lot cooler than I just made it sound.
To view the site, go here: www.bbc.co.uk/music/beta
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ALBUM REVIEW: Missill – Targets (Discograph)
Following on from her recent SSQ interview in the Daily, Missill touches down with here debut album, and a booty shaking rollicking good time it is too. With guest vocals from Dynamite MC, 9Lives The Cat and Yethz, among others, the first half of this is like a dancehall, reggae infused party with 'Choose To Care' perhaps the stand out for its robotic bassline. After this, though, things get even more lively, with Kabrake announcing that it's time to get 'Ill' and the next few tracks mining a distinctly glitchy techno vein. The album is a mishmash of styles then, all done well and with an interesting edge – perhaps a modern phenomenon – genre – unclassifiable. Anyway, the packaging has a great visual style with cartoon characters in a Japanese street art kinda vibe and the overall feeling is of being in some sort of gang – not least with the comic strip insert and the accompanying track and warning. IM
Release Date: 1 Sep
Press Contact: Trailer Media [all]
Buy from Amazon: tinyurl.com/62h2al
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AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT CONSIDERS AIRPORT IPOD SEARCHES
In what could prove to be an administrative nightmare, it has been revealed that a number of governments are considering conducting searches of MP3 players as they pass through airports, in order to check for illegally-obtained music. The proposal, which suggests "criminal sanctions for infringement on a commercial sale" was discovered when an Australian Federal Government discussion paper was leaked to the press.
The office of Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith confirmed that they were part of negotiations for the international agreement but that they had not agreed or signed up to any aspect of it.
Internet Industry Association chief executive Peter Coroneos told News.com.au: "It talks about [sanctions for] commercial infringements. Does that mean one, 10, 20 or 1000 songs?"
Choice spokesman Christopher Zinn added: "Searching into people's iPods is out of order. We don't need to suffer draconian regimes to protect intellectual property. US music labels are keen for their government to sign up other countries to the zero-tolerance stance. It could be that people get sent to jail for being in possession of commercial-scale quantities of copied music".
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NO WHAM! REUNION
A spokeswoman for George Michael has denied that he will be joined by former Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgley at his two retirement concerts at London's Earls Court next month to perform a few of the duo's 80s hits. Did anyone actually think he would? Anyway, the spokeswoman said: "As far as we know, no. We don't know anything about it".
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