SNOOP DOGG MEN ARRESTED
Two members of Snoop Dogg's entourage were arrested last week after being found with two ounces of marijuana on the rapper's tour bus. The bus was apparently pulled over by police for a routine stop because of expired registration tags. Once aboard the bus, police reportedly smelled the drug, searched the bus, found it, and then the two men admitted that it belonged to them.

Ethan Calhoun and Kevin Barkey were taken away to Navorro County Jail, charged and released on $1500 bail. Their lawyer later claimed that the registration on the bus was not expired when it was pulled over.

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REZNOR TALKS CASH
Trent Reznor has been telling The Sun about hearing Johnny Cash's cover of Nine Inch Nails song 'Hurt' for the first time.

He said: "I'd been friends with Rick Rubin for several years. He called me to ask how I'd feel if Johnny Cash covered 'Hurt'. I said I'd be very flattered but was given no indication it would actually be recorded. Two weeks went by. Then I got a CD in the post. I listened to it and it was very strange. It was this other person inhabiting my most personal song. I'd known where I was when I wrote it. I know what I was thinking about. I know how I felt. Hearing it was like someone kissing your girlfriend. It felt invasive".

However, he says, it all fell into place when he saw the moving video for Chas's version of the song: "It really, really made sense and I thought what a powerful piece of art. I never got to meet Johnny but I'm happy I contributed the way I did. It felt like a warm hug. For anyone who hasn't seen it, I highly recommend checking it out. I have goose bumps right now thinking about it".

He concluded: "Having Johnny Cash, one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time, want to cover your song, that's something that matters to me. It's not so much what other people think but the fact that this guy felt that it was worthy of interpreting. He said afterwards it was a song that sounds like one he would have written in the 60s and that's wonderful".

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DJ MAG TOP 100 DJS VOTING OPENS
DJ Mag's highly-influential Top 100 DJs Poll is back. Voting opened on Friday and will continue until 24 Sep at www.djmag.com. What's more, everyone who votes this year will get a free download from sponsors TrackItDown.net.

Last year's winner, Armin van Buuren says this: "Being voted number one was a dream that came true. If so many people in the world take the time to go online and vote for you it's a great honour. Some people say the poll is like comparing apples to oranges, but the dance scene as a whole benefits from it. People talk about the poll and it raises discussion about music, music styles and clubs, which is very healthy for our scene".

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GLITTER TO BE RELEASED THIS MONTH
That previously reported yet slightly improbable Gary Glitter comeback album could be coming out sooner than you thought. The singer will be released from prison in Vietnam, where he has served almost three years for child sex offences, later this month.

Vietnamese prison service official Chu Xuan Mau said: "According to Vietnamese law, Glitter will be freed on 19 Aug. The decision on his release will be read before him that day. It will be signed by the director of the prison. We have sent his file to the provincial external relations office and relevant police offices".

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SINGLE REVIEW: Cut Copy – Hearts On Fire (Universal/Modular)
'There's something in the air tonight' sings Dan Whitford in the opening line to their latest single, and it is in these seemingly unimportant words that he spells out, intentionally or not, how the rest of the song will play out. Backed by disco-house beats and synthesizers, this one line manages to capture a sentiment that is reminiscent of the early nineties/late eighties house scene; we are helped along too, by high pitched female yelps and a boozy Spandau Ballet-esque saxophone. Most likely a club classic in the making, Cut Copy certainly have managed to create something quite interesting, merging sounds from earlier decades and dragging them into the future, however it perhaps isn't as appealing as other tracks on the album; see the quite sublime Feel The Love, or earlier single Lights And Music. SJS
Release Date: 4 Aug
Press Contact: Darling Dept [all]

Buy from Amazon
Buy from iTunes

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SNOW PATROL CONFIRM NEW ALBUM TITLE
Snow Patrol drummer Jonny Quinn has revealed that his band's new album will be called 'One Hundred Million Suns', in an interview with The Belfast Telegraph. Which is all well and good, but apparently he wasn't supposed to say anything. Bloody drummers.

Frontman Gary Lightbody quickly posted a statement on the band's official website, saying: "Well, in this world of instant coffee, news, messaging and everything else is was bound to happen. In an interview with the Belfast Telegraph we let slip the working title of the album then said not to print it until we had finalised it with each other. Those words were not heeded and they printed it anyway. We're sorry you didn't hear it from us first but the album is indeed called 'A Hundred Million Suns'".

Of the new album, Quinn told The Belfast Telegraph: "We recorded the album at Grouse Lodge Studios in Ireland and the same studios in Berlin where U2 recorded 'Achtung Baby'. It's still very much melody-based, but it's different too in ways from the other albums. It's hard to know what everyone will make of it but we're happy. I'd go as far as to say I think it's our best album yet. The new album should be out some time later this year, maybe October, and we certainly want to get home to play a big gig for everyone next year. But we'll probably play a few smaller ones, with any luck, before Christmas".

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LES PAUL DOCUMENTARY COMES TO DVD
Les Paul changed the course of musical history by inventing the electric guitar (others have a claim to that title also, we realise, but let's ignore that for the time being). As Keith Richards once put it: "We must all own up that without Les Paul, generations of flash little punks like us would be in jail or cleaning toilets". Not only that, but he was one of the earliest advocates of and experimenters with multi-track recording, thus changing the way music was recorded and written. Basically, everything you hear today is largely down to him. And, at 93 years old, he still performs in New York City every Monday night.

Paul recently told The Guardian: "The electric guitar was laughed at! They called me the character with the broomstick with pick-ups on it. It was terrible. Before we came along the guitar was an apologetic wimp - the weakest, most unimportant guy in the band. As soon as we put a pick-up on him, and a volume control, he became the king. There are always people who don't want to make changes, who are set in their ways. It's just the same today. We know we are going to find new and better music. We wouldn't be happy if it were to change back to Bing Crosby or Les Paul or Mary Ford, or whatever it was. Nothing wrong with it, but it's gone. There's a new kind of music, and it's on its way".

So, okay, he thinks looking backwards isn't such a great idea, but I'm still pretty exciting about a new documentary looking at one of the most interesting people in modern music history, 'Chasing Sound: The Les Paul Story', which is released on DVD on 29 Sep via Eagle Rock Entertainment.

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KEANE ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM
Big news people, Keane have announced they will release their third album, 'Perfect Symmetry', on 13 Oct. You're all excited, right? To help you work up some enthusiasm for this event, the band have put up a countdown timer to that date on their website. They've also put up the actual date, though. So, you could just memorise that and be done with it.

The band said of the album: "We started out in Paris, where Jon Brion inspired us to create first and think later. We took the night train to Berlin, where everything came together in an avalanche of experimentation that took us all by surprise; where we made a pact with Stuart Price to ignore the rules of good taste; where we were hypnotised by Marlene Dietrich and spent many a long night throwing ideas around in the crumbling 'Cabaret'-esque glamour of our favourite bar. We've hidden ourselves away in the depths of the English countryside, recorded a new track in London at the last possible moment, and now we're in Los Angeles tying up the loose ends. We've had an amazing time making this album and we're very, very proud of it. It's called 'Perfect Symmetry' and will be released on 13 Oct".

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THE CLASH RELEASE A LOAD OF STUFF
The Clash have a whole load of new stuff coming out soon, namely a live CD, a live compilation DVD and an autobiography. The CD, 'Live At Shea Stadium', and DVD, 'The Clash Live: Revolution Rock', will both be released on 6 Oct, with the book, 'The Clash By The Clash' preceding them both on 3 Oct.

'Live At Shea Stadium' was recorded on 13 Oct 1982, when the band were opening for The Who on their US tour. Previously unreleased, the tapes were apparently found by the late Joe Strummer while moving house. 'The Clash Live: Revolution Rock' features a host of rare and previously unreleased live performances and interviews, directed by Don Letts. 'The Clash By The Clash' has been compiled from extensive interviews with all four band members, Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon and Topper Headon, recorded for the film, 'Westway To The World' and is officially authorised by the band.

'Live at Shea Stadium' tracklisting:

Kosmo Vinyl Introduction
London Calling
Police On My Back
Guns Of Brixton
Tommy Gun
The Magnificent Seven
Armagideon Time
The Magnificent Seven (return)
Rock The Casbah
Train In Vain
Career Opportunities
Spanish Bombs
Clampdown
English Civil War
Should I Stay Or Should I Go
I Fought The Law

'The Clash Live: Revolution Rock' tracklisting:

Complete Control
I Fought The Law (London Lyceum '79)
Police & Thieves (Munich '77)
What's My Name (Manchester Elizabethan Suite '77) – previously unreleased
Capitol Radio One (Manchester Elizabethan Suite '77) – previously unreleased
White Riot
I'm So Bored With The USA. (Manchester Apollo '78) – previously unreleased
London's Burning (London Victoria Park '78)
1977
(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais (Glasgow Apollo '78)
Tommy Gun
Safe European Home (London Music Machine '78)
London Calling (New York Bonds International Casino '81)
Clampdown (Lewisham Odeon '80)
The Guns of Brixton (Fridays '80)
Train in Vain (Lewisham Odeon '80)
This Is Radio Clash (The Tomorrow Show '81) – previously unreleased
The Magnificent Seven (The Tomorrow Show '81) – previously unreleased
Brand New Cadillac (Tokyo Sun Plaza Hall '82) – previously unreleased
Should I Stay Or Should I Go (Shea Stadium '82)
Know Your Rights (US Festival '83) – previously unreleased
Career Opportunities (Shea Stadium '82)

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BE YOUR OWN PET TO SPLIT
We only announced Be Your Own Pet's upcoming UK shows last Thursday and now I sadly have to inform you that those shows will be their last. Still, it does give me an opportunity to make a correction to that previous story. So, you know, swings and roundabouts. I told you that the shows would precede the band's Reading and Leeds appearances, when, in fact, they will follow them.

In a brief statement on their MySpace blog, the band said: "We are sad to bring you the news that our upcoming shows in the UK are going to be our last as a band. We thank you for all your love and support these past few years – it's been a blast but the time has come for the four of us to go our separate ways".

Those dates, by the way, are:

22 Aug: Reading Festival
23 Aug: Leeds Festival
25 Aug: Liverpool, Carling Academy 2
26 Aug: London, Dingwalls

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POPPY & THE JEZEBELS OPEN SWEET SHOP
To celebrate their first release on their own Gumball Machine label, Poppy & The Jezebels will be setting up a sweet shop at this Friday's Underage Festival. Drop by and you can get your hands on a free goodie bag from one of the girls featuring Poppy & The Jezebels trading cards, badges and sweets.

The single, 'UFO' is out today. Hey, why not go and watch the video? http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=e7LTaJtry0U

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CRYSTAL CASTLES CANCEL UK TOUR DATES
Crystal Castles have announced that they are cancelling their September UK tour, except a show at the Electric Ballroom in London on 18 Sep, due to recording commitments. They say they're sorry. However, they will still be playing a handful of headline shows and festivals in August.

Dates NOT cancelled:

22 Aug: Leeds Festival
24 Aug: Reading Festival
26 Aug: Manchester Academy
27 Aug: England Leeds Cockpit
28 Aug: Birmingham Academy
29 Aug: Hydro Connect Festival
30 Aug: Electric Picnic
31 Aug: Jersey Live Festival
18 Sep: London Electric Ballroom

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YOU ME AT SIX UK TOUR
Recently signed to Slam Dunk Records, You Me At Six have just announced another string of UK tour dates, following their recent sold out 21 date run. They have also been nominated for Best British Band at the Kerrang! Awards, and will headline a special Kerrang! Awards show at The Barfly in London on 18 Aug.

Speaking about the tour, frontman Josh Franceschi told CMU: "Obviously we can't wait to play the Astoria as it's something we've wanted to do since we became a band. We are all petrified as to whether or not we'll be able to fill the venue, but we've never done things the 'normal' way so we'll just have to see!"

The more eagle-eyed amongst you may notice that these dates coincide with those Farewell tour date we announced last week. That's because they are the same dates. Farewell will be supporting You Me At Six and not headlining, as we may have implied.

15 Oct: Middlesbrough, Empire
16 Oct: Norwich, Waterfront
17 Oct: Nottingham, Rescue Rooms
18 Oct: Wolverhampton, Wulfrun
19 Oct: Northampton, Roadmender
21 Oct: Leeds, Met University
22 Oct: Glasgow, ABC 1
23 Oct: Manchester, Academy 2
24 Oct: Liverpool, Academy 1
25 Oct: Southampton University
26 Oct: Oxford, Academy
27 Oct: London, Astoria
28 Oct: Cardiff, Solus
29 Oct: Brighton, Komedia
30 Oct: Exeter, Phoenix

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WILL BONO PISS OFF FOR CHARITY?
An online petition has been set up, asking people to pledge money to The Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis & Malaria if Bono agrees to retire from public life, "so he'll stop leading misguided counter-productive philanthropy efforts".

The petition's organisers say: "[Bono's] RED campaign has managed to spend $40 million more on marketing that it has raised from RED product sales, while sending consumers a dangerous message. [Those] involved in the global fight against AIDS worry that RED will make it harder to raise funds, and [about] the oversimplified & disempowered image of Africa that Bono perpetuates. The grassroots leaders of the global fight against AIDS didn't ask for Bono to be their frontman. It's time for Bono to step down. We'll all pledge donations to the Global Fund, but no pledges are collected until Bono retires from public life. If he wants to moan bland melodies he'll have to do it quietly in his bedroom. If he wants to fight AIDS he can make a direct donation instead of buying a sweatshop GAP T-shirt. As the pledges grow, Bono will have to decide what matters more, fighting AIDS effectively, or him being the movement's frontman".

Make your pledge here if you'd like to: www.thepoint.com/campaigns/bono-retire-from-public-life-and-well-donate-a-ton-of-money-to-fight-aids

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STERN TO REMAKE RAMONES MOVIE
Howard Stern is to produce a remake of The Ramones' 1979 movie, 'Rock N Roll High School', alongside Larry Levinson. The pair have reportedly hired Alex Winter (you know, Bill out of 'Bill & Ted') to write the script.

The original musical was set in the distant future of 1980 and starred The Ramones themselves. The story sees them helping a group of high school students take down their principal, after she confiscates tickets to Ramones gigs and tries to burn rock records.

No word yet as to who would replace The Ramones in the new version.

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AVRIL'S CHINA TOUR CONFIRMED
Avril Lavigne is presumably assumed to be 'safe' by Chinese authorities, despite a recent crack down on Western performers playing in China following Bjork's Tibet moment. Lavigne's recently reported Chinese tour has been confirmed by Ticketmaster, who are now selling tickets for a 4 Oct gig in Shangai. Five other Chinese dates are due to take place in late September and early October. A Ticketmaster press release reads thus: "This will be Avril's first full-production tour in China, featuring sophisticated stage settings and an upgraded collection of hit songs... and a pink piano". Pink piano's, presumably, aren't considered a political threat by the Chinese powers that be.

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FREE RADIOHEAD ALBUM MOST POPULAR ON ILLEGAL SITES
A study published by online media analysts Big Champagne and MCPS-PRS have found that more people downloaded Radiohead's 'In Rainbows' from illegal sources than from the band's website, where it was also available for free. The study found that 2.3 million people chose to download the album via BitTorrent in its first 24 days online. However, despite this, the album still topped the charts on both sides of the Atlantic when the physical version was released and the band sold out their world tour.

The report states: "Frequently, music industry professionals suggest that an increase in legitimate sales must necessarily coincide with a commensurate reduction in piracy, as if this were a fact. [The number of BitTorrent downloads] far exceeds what outsiders have reported as the estimated download total from the band's official website, regardless of whether those downloaders paid or not".

The report went on to hypothesise that "an off-limits venue may be even more appealing" regardless of whether legal free downloads are available. Indeed, if people use BitTorrent as their main downloading tool, they may not see any reason to use any other method when they know the downloads were being offered for free anyway. Had Radiohead offered a Torrent of 'In Rainbows', it would be interesting to see how these figures were affected. It was also found that Nine Inch Nails' recent free album, 'The Slip', which was offered as a torrent (a 24bit studio-quality torrent, no less), was downloaded more from the official source, www.nin.com, than from illegal sources.

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ALCHEMY SOHO IN ADMINISTRATION
London based CD mastering company Alchemy Soho has gone into administration and laid off all 12 of its staff. The firm says its business has been negatively impacted by building work in its Centre Point HQ, and that that has directly led to its current financial problems.

A statement from the firm reads thus: "Following a protracted dispute with [our] landlord over disruption caused during renovation work to the Centre Point building, Alchemy Mastering Ltd has been forced to enter administration. The noise associated with the works has prevented the company from operating normally. Whilst the situation is still at an early stage the directors are working with the Administrators with a view that the CD/DVD and Watermarked CD duplication together with the album compilation service will continue uninterrupted. Generally the news has been greeted with shock and surprise and The Directors are grateful for the industry wide support they have received. It is hoped that any negotiations with the Administrators may lead to a rescue package being negotiated".

The company's co-owner, Barry Grint, told reporters: "Things are evolving on a daily basis, hopefully it won't be long before we have a clearer picture of the situation".

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NEW DIGITAL MUSIC SERVICE LAUNCHES IN CHINA
More China, and a Beijing based company called R2G has announced it is launching a new online music subscription service in the country which will feature songs from Western artists via US-based independent digital aggregator the Independent Online Distribution Alliance. I think the new service will work a little like eMusic in that people will pay a monthly subscription fee which will allow them to download a certain number of tracks a month. Subscribers will also be able to stream bought tracks over the net.

Some in the industry hope that new legitimate digital music services in China may help curtail piracy, which is rife in the country. Billboard quote R2G VP Matthew Daniel thus: "One of the biggest complaints about services like Baidu [which links to illegal sources of MP3s] is that the music supplied by the pirates is not the music that consumers want. This leaves music discovery to chance, providing no guide for fans to connect with one another and share their passion for the artists they love. R2G's partnership with IODA will change all that". Daniel added that his company was in talks with the majors about involvement in the new service.

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BUG TO LAUNCH MUSIC VIDEO AWARDS
The team behind BFI Southbank's music video strand BUG has announced it will launch a new awards event celebrating UK music video production. The awards bash will take place at the Odeon West End in Leicester Square just ahead of the London Film Festival. You'll find more info about all this at this here URL: www.ukmva.com.

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U2 GO DRM FREE
According to Music Week, U2 will make their entire back catalogue available in a DRM-free format which is news that reminds us that even though in theory all four majors are now making their music available without digital rights management restrictions, in practice a lot of music is still not available outside the US as MP3. Which is ridiculous really, but there you go. According to Music Week Rhapsody and Napster are already selling the whole U2 catalogue without DRM, and the DRM-free tracks will be available via download stores around the world sometime very soon. Although Universal have been dabbling with DRM free since late last year, much of the U2 catalogue - which is owned by the major - hasn't previously been available in MP3.

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BACS GET NEW CEO
The British Academy Of Composers And Songwriters has appointed a new CEO. He's called Patrick Rackow and he has been a director of the Academy since 2001. Rackow has a legal background, and is expected to step up the association's lobbying activities. But first things first he plans to review the Academy's current activities. Music Week quote him thus: "We want to look at the things we do and work out which we should continue doing and are there new things we should do".

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OFCOM CRITICAL OF FORMER 6MUSIC CHIEF
Media regulator OfCom has come out all rather critical of Q Radio's Programme Director Ric Blaxhill, albeit for actions undertaken in his previous job at BBC 6Music. As previously reported, former 6Music boss Blaxhill was the highest level BBC exec to resign when all the phone-in scandals occurred last year. Blaxhill came under particular criticism in the resulting OfCom investigation for a faked phone in on the Russell Brand show on the digital station which the programming boss himself produced. The Beeb was fined £17,500 over the deception, even though faked phone ins were quite common in radio land prior to all the outrage last year.

The OfCom report said: "The individual within BBC 6 Music who was responsible for the editorial compliance of programmes broadcast on the channel was complicit in the deception that occurred. Ofcom was of the view that the BBC's oversight of BBC 6Music, BBC 6Music's head of programmes and individual programmes broadcast was inadequate during the relevant period. Moreover, there were insufficient systems in place to prevent or identify the unfair conduct that occurred in this case. Ofcom was concerned about these shortcomings and considered that it was clear that, at the relevant time, BBC 6Music's management, risk management and compliance process and procedures were inadequate to ensure the fair conduct of listener interactive competitions and compliance with the [broadcasting] code. This was totally unacceptable".

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ALBUM REVIEW: UNKLE – End Titles: Stories For Film (Surrender All)
This new album from James Lavelle and Pablo Clements is not so much the new UNKLE album, but rather a compilation talking in soundtracks to films (both real and imagined) created in the two years since their 'War Stories' album. It's a dense, involving listen, comprising 73 minutes, with everything swamped in a rather gothic darkness. Interspersing the numerous atmospheric instrumentals are various tracks featuring guest vocalists, heading up moody electronic rock. Josh Homme shows up on the crunchy 'Chemical' (one of the album's highlights), an expansive, imposing slab of epic rock with flashes of light amid the gloom and foreboding. Meanwhile, the piano and string-drenched downtempo of 'Against The Grain' provides a welcome respite from the unrelenting sepulchral rock. 10 tracks are taken from UNKLE's soundtrack to Abel Ferrara's Odyssey In Rome; the man himself pops up on 'Open Up Your Eyes', singing with a Dylan-esque whiny drawl for which the phrase "don't give up the day job" seems perfectly apt. As an album it just about hangs together and, whilst not always brilliant, it's nonetheless an impressive collection of music with much to admire. MS
Release Date: 11 Aug
Press Contact: Bang On [all]

Buy from Amazon
Buy from iTunes

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CHART UPDATE
After some fairly dull chart movements last week, the Top 40 this week is action packed. First off, Dizzee Rascal and Calvin Harris' reign of terror at the top of the singles chart has been brought to an end by Kid Rock, knocking 'Dance Wiv Me' to number 2. But the official most-impressive chart movement goes to Katy Perry, who rises from 139 to 4 after the official release of 'I Kissed A Girl' was brought forward to scupper the progress of a couple of cover versions (one of which, by Nicki Bliss, enters at 50). 'The Man Who Can't Be Loved' by Script jumps from 30 to 3 and 'Five Years Time' by Noah And The Whale moves from 10 to 14.

Only three new entries this week, with Saturdays jumping straight into the top 10 at number 8, Honey Ryder at number 32 and Kylie's new single only managing to stumble in at 36.

There has been another seismic movement in the album chart, with Kid Rock's 'Rock N Roll Jesus' rushing from 145 to number 4. Although, other than that, little has changed. Pendulum's 'In Silico' moves from 30 to 19, Primal Scream drop from number 9 to 32 and Pigeon Detectives move from 55 to 38.

New entries in the album chart are Nine Inch Nails with the physical release of recent free download 'The Slip' at 25, Alice Cooper at 31 and Ida Maria at 39.

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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. Linkin Park - Minutes To Midnight (Warner Bros)
2. The Offspring - Rise And Fall, Rage And Grace (SonyBMG)
3. Disturbed - Indestructible (Warner/Reprise)
4. Kid Rock - Rock - N Roll Jesus (Warner/Atlantic)
5. Motley Crue - Saints Of Los Angeles (Motley Records)
6. My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade Is Dead (Warner Bros)
7. Nickelback - All The Right Reasons (Warner/Roadrunner)
8. Weezer - Weezer (Universal/Interscope)
9. Judas Priest - Nostradamus (SonyBMG)
10. Queen - Greatest Hits 1,2,3  (EMI)
11. Foo Fighters - Echoes Silence Patience & Grace (Roswell)
12. Journey - Revelation (Frontiers)
13. Disturbed - Ten Thousand Fists (Warner/Reprise)
14. Simple Plan - Simple Plan (Warner/Atlantic)
15. Daughtry - Daughtry (SonyBMG)
16. The Eagles - Long Road Out Of Eden (Universal)
17. Alkaline Trio - Agony & Irony (SonyBMG/Epic)
18. Seether - Finding Beauty In Negative Spaces (Wind-Up)*
19. Whitesnake - Good To Be Bad (SPV)
20. Testament - The Formation Of Damnation (Nuclear Blast)*

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DALTREY LOSES PASSPORT IN BUDGENS
Roger Daltrey's passport was found last week in a branch of Budgens in Kent by a shopper in the supermarket. The passport has now been returned to The Who's frontman, which is lucky, because he has to go on tour in October.

The news got out when Lisa Gillespie, the finder of the document, called Christian O'Connell at Virgin Radio to see if he could help her return it to its owner. She said: "If I could get a message to him I would say that I didn't mean to cause such a stir. I just wanted to get the passport back to him so he could go on tour in America. I contacted Virgin Radio because I know Christian is friends with Roger from some charity work they did together and he's not the easiest person to contact".

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ARCTICS GET A YOKO OF THEIR OWN
I'm not quite sure who should be more insulted, Yoko Ono or Katie Downs. The latter, a glamour model and girlfriend of Arctic Monkeys guitarist Jamie Cook, has been branded "a modern day Yoko Ono" as Cook has become caught in tensions between her and his band.

A source to The Mirror: "Jamie and Katie are finally taking the plunge and buying a place together. But they are arguing over where exactly to base themselves and now the Monkeys are getting involved. They're telling Jamie to get a pad in London where singer Alex Turner lives". However, Downs already owns a £1 million flat in Liverpool and reportedly wants to live there: "It's becoming an increasing source of tension - and Jamie is the one bearing the brunt of it. He's got Alex and the lads in one ear, telling him to move down south, and Katie in the other, pleading with him to ignore them. Friends are joking that she's turning into a modern-day Yoko Ono and turning Jamie away from the group. No decision on where they're going to live has yet been made but, whatever happens, Jamie will be in for an ear bashing from at least one camp".

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DOHERTY RESCUED FROM SINKING BOAT
There's no metaphor in that headline, it's all true. Pete Doherty was rescued from a sinking rowing boat on Loch Lomond shortly after his performance at Live @ Loch Lomond Festival at the weekend.

Doherty's manager, Adrian Hunter said: "We lost an oar and sprang a leak". He then added, somewhat unnecessarily: "It was freezing and we had a laugh, but it would not have been funny if someone died".

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