VOTE FOR CMU DAILY, PLEASE. THANK YOU
Hello again. Did we mention that you can vote for CMU Daily in this year's BT Digital Music Awards? Oh we did? Well, let's just say again that you can do that here.

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IT'S THE MEGA-MUSIC BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND
Which you probably already knew. Unless you're in Scotland, in which case you'll be saying "bank holiday, what bank holiday?" But yes, it is the August Bank Holiday weekend during which it's pretty hard to walk more than 50 yards without stumbling across one music festival or another. The bank holiday means we won't be here on Monday, and the busy-ness of the weekend - and the fact half the music industry will still be asleep for half of next week as a result - means we won't be on Tuesday either. Yes, we're taking an extended break. We're all going to Disneyland! No, not really. We're organising a welcome home party for Gary Glitter. We will, however, be back in your in-box on Wednesday morning with all the latest news from across this mad world of music. See you there.

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GLITTER RETURNS TO THE UK
Gary Glitter returned to the UK this morning, after conceding that no other countries would take him and that he couldn't stay in Bangkok Airport forever. Since being released from jail in Vietnam, where he served nearly three years for sexually abusing two children, he has been deported, attempted and failed to enter Thailand and Hong Kong, and reportedly had visas rejected by another nineteen countries, while he was held by immigration police in Bangkok.

The former singer appeared happy and relaxed as he was escorted through Heathrow Airport by police. Now he will be forced to sign the sexual offenders' register and police will apply for a court order to restrict his movements within the UK and ban him from having any contact with children.

Conservatives are now blaming Home Secretary Jaqui Smith for causing the difficulty in getting Glitter to return home, by announcing new laws to restrict the international movements of sex offenders. Tory MP Nigel Evans said: "Jacqui Smith's botched handling of the announcement triggered a farcical and embarrassing merry-go-round. She should not have announced it until he got back".

There are also fears that taxpayers will be forced to spend £250,000 a year for police protection, over fears that Glitter will be killed by a member of the public.

Glitter is now apparently seeking a home in the West Country, where his only son lives. However, the two will not, apparently, be reuniting, as his son now denies that they are related.

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COLDPLAY TO RUSH RELEASE CONTRACT OBLIGATIONS
You may have seen the news in The Sun that Coldplay are planning on releasing two more albums within the year so that they can speedily end their contractual commitments to EMI and have nothing more to do with that evil Guy Hands fella.

The tabloid said that a new studio album and a greatest hits collection would be released this year, citing a source who said: "The 'Viva La Vida' sessions were incredibly fruitful. They gelled brilliantly with Brian [Eno, producer] and recorded much more music than they could fit on one album. The majority of the follow-up is already in the can, though they will have to go back into the studio at some point to add a few more songs. Standard industry contracts tend to be for six albums, so if they provide some kind of compilation after their next album they will be free agents and able to renegotiate their contract or head out on their own".

Rumours of a second album from the 'Viva La Vida' sessions had already been circulating, but the speculation that that would enable them to complete their EMI commitments within the year seems to have been a bit made up. Certainly EMI say so. They quickly issued this response to the Sun story: "Contrary to inaccurate reports in The Sun, Coldplay are signed to a long term record deal with EMI and are committed to produce a number of albums. The band's relationship with EMI is both long-term and positive".

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TIMBERLAKE DENIES BRITNEY DUET
Justin Timberlake is always denying things these days, this time it that he is about to record a duet with Britney Spears for her new album. This comes just weeks after rumours that the former couple were to duet as part of Madonna's new live show. Does everyone want them to sing together that much? Anyway, the singer's spokesperson said: "[Justin] is not scheduled to be in the recording studio with Britney". Aha! So they might be recording somewhere that isn't a recording studio!

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CRAP WINEHOUSE JOKE WINS AWARD
A joke about Amy Winehouse has been declared the funniest joke at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe by TV channel Dave, even though it clearly isn't, after receiving 12% of a public vote. Zoe Lyons' award-winning joke goes thus: "I can't believe Amy Winehouse self-harms. She's so irritating she must be able to find someone to do it for her".

Lyons said: "I am absolutely delighted to have won the award. I know self-harming is not funny but it's just a joke, so I'm not going to beat myself up about it".

I actually think her quote is funnier than the gag. Though that's not saying much.

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BLOC PARTY DISCUSS ALBUM PRICING
As announced on Tuesday, Bloc Party released their new album, 'Intimacy', yesterday. The band's Kele Okereke has been talking about the pricing structure, which surely isn't exciting news any more. But, anyway, let's explain it. Fans can pre-order the album on CD, which will be delivered in October, and download it instantly, or pay £5 for a downloadable version with fewer tracks.

Okereke told Rolling Stone: "We referred to it as 'Plan X'. It was a bit of a giggle. I don't think more than 10 people knew about the idea until the last few days. It was totally hush-hush but we didn't want to go the whole 'In Rainbows' route and give away for free. We live in a capitalist world and I do want to get paid and I do want to eat".

Speaking to BBC Newsbeat, he explained why the band had chosen this way to release the album. He said: "I just want it to be out there really, that was really the main impetus for doing it this way. It was a real dispiriting process with the second record and the first because we finished them in the summer and we had to wait six months before we released them. By the time they came out I wasn't that interested. This time it all feels kind of new and I'm excited by the whole prospect".

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SHERYL CROW BRIBES US VOTERS
Sheryl Crow has teamed up with Rock The Vote and announced that she will give free downloads to the first 50,000 people who convince their friends to register to vote. She will also give free tracks to anyone who signs up to the Rock The Vote mailing list.

Crow said on the Rock The Vote website: "I am so thrilled to be working with Rock The Vote at this very crucial time in our country's history. This is our moment to wake up and seize our power regarding the future of this nation and what it stands for".

More info here

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BOW WOW AND THE GAME GO HEAD TO HEAD
Bow Wow has challenged The Game to a $100,000 one-on-one challenge on American football videogame, 'Madden NFL'. This comes after The Game claimed on gaming website konsolekingz.com that he's "number one in Madden, in the world. ... To be a 'konsole king' you gotta look like me".

Bow Wow subsequently issued his challenge, saying: "I've seen you do your thing in Madden. But I wanna let you know I will bust your ass in that Madden. We can get it poppin, on $100,000 dollars. The winner can take the money and donate it to charity. Live on YouTube. We're all family. $100,000 ain't shit to you, let's do it! Soulja Boy's my lil homie, but I beat the shit outta that niggaa in Madden".

You might think this is all posturing, but The Game has actually accepted the challenge. 'Versus: The Celebrity Game Battle, Bow Wow vs. The Game' will be Konsole Kingz's first celebrity playoff and will take place in New York next week. The website's CEO, CJ Peters, told AllHipHop: "Konsole Kingz has covered hip hop gaming for over three years. The Game-Bow Wow challenge has shown the world the power and popularity of gaming in the Hip-Hop community. Our goal is to work with our partners and bring the fans of Hip-Hop a fresh new look at their favorite artists".

Actually, I quite like this. I hearby lay down a £15 challenge to Kanye West on two player 'Tetris'.

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MOST MISHEARD LYRICS REVEALED
A poll by hearing aid manufacturers Amplifon has discovered that the most misheard lyric in the UK is the line "you make the best of what's still around" from 'When The World Is Running Down' by The Police, which many of us think is "you make the best homemade stew around".

The company's director, Enrico Vacca said: "Some people go for years singing the wrong lyrics to their favourite songs. We heard some brilliant misquotes during our research that had us in stitches. However, there's a serious side to the survey as it highlights the sad fact that in the UK alone there is an estimate nine million people classed as deaf or hard of hearing and four million of those are not receiving any form of treatment at all".

The full list, with examples of misheard lyrics for each, is as follows:

1. The Police – When The World Is Running You Down
Correct: "You make the best of what's still around"
Misheard: "You make the best homemade stew around"

2. The Bee Gees – Stayin' Alive
Correct: "It's alright, it's okay, you may look the other way"
Misheard: "It's alright, it's okay, you make love the other way"

3. The Beatles – Lucy In Ihe Sky With Diamonds
Correct: "The girl with kaleidoscope eyes"
Misheard: "The girl with colitis goes by"

4. U2 – Mysterious Ways
Correct: "She moves in mysterious ways"
Misheard: "Shamu the mysterious whale"

5. The Beatles – Michelle
Correct: "Michelle ma belle, sont des mots qui vont tres bien ensemble, tres bien ensemble"
Misheard: "Michelle ma belle, some say monkeys play piano well, play piano well.

6. Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody
Correct: "Scaramouche, scaramouche, will you do the Fandango"
Misheard: "Scallaboosh, Scallaboosh, will you do the banned tango"

7. The Police – Message In A Bottle
Correct: "A year has passed since I wrote my note"
Misheard: "A year has passed since I broke my nose"

8. David Bowie – Changes
Correct: "Strange fascination fascinating me"
Misheard: "Strange vaccinations are killing me"

9. Oasis – Wonderwall
Correct: "You're gonna be the one that saves me"
Misheard: "You're gonna be the one at Sainsbury's"

10. Kate Bush – Wuthering Heights
Correct: "Heathcliff! It's me, Cathy and I've come home oh, so cold, let me in-a your window"
Misheard: "Healthcliff! It's me, I'm a tree, I'm a wombat, oh, so cold at the end of your winter"

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50 CENT MEETS FIRE INVESTIGATORS
50 Cent has denied rumours that he is holding up the investigation into that previously reported fire at the house he owns in Long Island, New York where his son and former partner, Shaniqua Tompkins, were living.

A spokesperson for the rapper said: "50 and his attorneys met yesterday [Wednesday] with Suffolk County authorities regarding the fire that destroyed 50's house. The meeting had been arranged weeks ago. 50 is eager to review the findings of the investigation, when it is concluded".

Fiddy was in Louisiana at the time of the fire and denies any involvement in it. He and Tompkins will be in court again next month for the next stage of the case.

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BOY KILLS CLASSMATE DRESSED AS SLIPKNOT DRUMMER
A schoolboy in South Africa has killed a classmate and injured two gardeners while dressed in a replica of the costume worn by Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison. The boy, who has since been arrested, was reported carrying a sword and had taken drugs.

Captain Jacob Raboroko of the Johannesburg police: "He stabbed one of the schoolkids in the neck and he died. He then went further and stabbed a gardener in the back and another gardener in the face. They were taken to hospital in serious conditions".

This will no doubt reignite the debate over whether music turns people into killers. It doesn't.

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MR & MRS RITCHIE CLEARED OF PUB UNDERHANDEDNESS
Westminster Council has completed its investigation into price-fixing at The Punchbowl in Mayfair, a pub part-owned by Madonna and Guy Ritchie. As reported earlier this month, claims had been made that it charges tourists up to 40p more for drinks than locals. However, the council say that a fixed pricelist is now displayed clearly.

A spokesman for the pub said: "Every pub has to change their prices and this came in the middle of the change".

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BRIAN WILSON REVEALS NEW ALBUM DETAILS
Brian Wilson have revealed the tracklisting for his new album, 'That Lucky Old Sun', which is due for release on 2 Sep via EMIs' Capitol Records. The first album he has released since rejoining his original record label, it was inspired by 1949 song, 'That Lucky Old Sun', originally released by Frankie Laine, but also recorded by Vaughn Monroe, Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and Johnny Cash.

Wilson said: "I'm thrilled to be back home with Capitol, and I'm looking forward to sharing 'That Lucky Old Sun' with everyone. This music is really special to me".

Tracklist:

That Lucky Old Sun
Morning Beat
Narrative: Room With A View
Good Kind Of Love
Forever She'll Be My Surfer Girl
Narrative: Venice Beach
Live Let Live/That Lucky Old Sun (reprise)
Mexican Girl
Narrative: Cinco de Mayo
California Role/That Lucky Old Sun (reprise)
Narrative: Between Pictures
Oxygen To The Brain
Can't Wait Too Long
Midnight's Another Day
That Lucky Old Sun (reprise)
Going Home
Southern California

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BBC ELECTRIC PROMS LINE-UP ANNOUNCED
This year's BBC Electric Proms will expand to feature performances in Liverpool, as well as London. The first bands to be announced are The Last Shadow Puppets and Tony Christie, who will perform in Liverpool, and The Streets, Nitin Sawhney, Wild Beasts and XX Teens will appear in London.

The five day festival takes place in various venues across the two cities between 22-26 Oct. Tickets go on sale on 17 Sep, at which point further gigs will be announced.

More info here

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ALBUM REVIEW: Roots Manuva – Slime & Reason (Big Dada)
The fourth album from South London's Rodney Smith shows how he has influenced a swathe of young British artists from Dizzee Rascal to Sway, and how this brand of grimey hip hop is a sound here to stay. From opener 'Again & Again', slightly harshly reviewed in the Daily last week, to the closing looping groove of 'The Struggle', this is a dark LP but with a sense of humour and enough rhythm and swagger to keep the casual listener interested. Previous single, the dancey 'Buff Nuff', produced by Toddla T, has an infectious sound but so does the African rhythm of 'Do Nah Bodda Mi', leaving an album with changeable and distinctive sounds throughout. 'Let The Spirit', for example, is almost a singalong, while the next track is dirty rapping at its tribal best. The fourth album from a leading member of UK hip hop circles should really be attracting more attention, whether it does or not though, this is an impressive collection of songs. IM
Release Date: 1 Sep
Press Info: Toast Press [NP, RP], Ninja Tune [O], Zzonked [NR, RR]

Buy from TuneTribe
Buy from iTunes
Buy from Amazon

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BRIDGEND X FACTOR GIRL TOLD TO PLAY ON SUICIDES
ITV 1's 'X Factor' has been accused of manipulating a young contestant from Bridgend in Wales to talk up the recent spate of suicides in her home town. Seventeen year old Alexandra Davies appeared on the show last Saturday. In an interview on the show, she said she was trying to do something positive for Bridgend. However, she told The Mirror that she was told by the makers of the show to mention the suicides and does not know anyone affected by them. She said: "They thought that up when I said I was from Bridgend".

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CHINA BLOCKS ITUNES
China has blocked internet users in the country from accessing the iTunes music store, apparently because some Olympic athletes are thought to have been listening to protest songs.

The move is down to a compilation called 'Songs For Tibet', which was released by The Art Of Peace Foundation. The US-base activism group invited athletes to download the album for free and listen to it in Beijing, to communicate that "compassion and non-violence can overcome intolerance and oppression - beautiful ideals to be associated with the Olympic spirit". More than 40 athletes reportedly downloaded the album before the block went up on Monday.

Kate Saunders of the International Campaign For Tibet told The Sydney Morning Herald: "The predictably hostile response to the album from Chinese internet users, as reported by an official Chinese media outlet, reflects continued attempts to suppress any support for Tibet at a time of crisis for the Tibetan people, as well as the level of entrenched misinformation about Tibet propagated by the Beijing government among the Chinese public".

This comes at an awkward time for Apple, who have just opened their first Chinese Apple Store and are in negotiations with mobile phone operators in the country to launch the iPhone. Without access to their proprietary download store, it might make it difficult to convince people to part with their cash.

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MORE ITUNES SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE RUMOURS
Rumours that Apple will launch a new subscription-based iTunes service have been doing the rounds for a while now. However, according to reports, that very service will be launching in the US in October. For $129.99 a year (or $179.99 bundled with Apple's MobileMe service), users will gain unlimited access to the iTunes Store.

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PIRATE BAY TAKES ON ITALIAN GOVERNMENT
Illegal BitTorrent tracking website The Pirate Bay has decided to fight the Italian government's previously reported recent move to have it blocked in Italy by all ISPs in the country. As well has putting in place technical tricks to let Italian users sidestep the ban, the site has also filed an appeal against the decree, which was passed by an Italian court earlier this month.

The Pirate Bay's lawyers Giovanni Battista Gallus and Francesco Micozzi told TorrentFreak: "The decree can be defined as 'original' or 'creative' at best. Even the judge who issued the decree states that no infringing material is hosted on The Pirate Bay, which provides just a tracker search engine. The judge tries to 'create' a sort of contributory infringement accusation against The Pirate Bay. We will bring all our arguments before the Tribunal, and we are confident of the Tribunal's decision".

To be fair I think The Pirate Bay is pretty clearly guilty of so called contributory infringement, and their name is never going to help, though I'm no expert on Italian copyright law, so what do I know?

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RIAA CLOSED DOWN MUXTAPE
Despite online mixtape service Muxtape claiming earlier this week that their site was just temporarily closed while they were sorting out a problem with the Recording Industry Association of America who had expressed licensing concerns, the site has now seemingly been properly closed down.

In a statement, the RIAA said: "For the past several months, we have communicated our legal concerns with the site and repeatedly tried to work with them to have illegal content taken down. Muxtape was hosting copies of copyrighted sound recordings without authorization from the copyright owners. Making these recordings available for streaming playback also requires authorization from the copyright owners. Muxtape has not obtained authorization from our member companies to host or stream copies of their sound recordings".

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STEFANI GIVES BIRTH TO BOY
Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale are celebrating the birth of their second son today. Zuma Nesta Rock Rossdale was born at a hospital in LA at 12.46pm local time, weighing in 8lb 8oz.

Stefani's publicist Dave Tomberlin told reporters: "Mother, baby and family are all happy and healthy".

The couple's first child, Kingston, was born in 2006. Rossdale also has an eighteen year old daughter from a previous relationship with former Powder frontwoman Pearl Lowe.

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ACID HOUSE FLASHMOB TONIGHT
A flashmob to mark the 20th anniversary of acid house will take place this Friday, somewhere in central London. Those involved will descend on a previously agreed location at 6.20pm, sing the chorus of 'We Call It Aciid' by D-Mob, applaud, hug and then disappear back into the street of London. To take part, email [email protected].

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BRITNEY VIDEO CAPTURES TRUE SINGING VOICE
A video that has appeared on the Ebaum's World website claims to have isolated the sound of Britney Spear's microphone from all the other voices and instruments that appear on her 'Live From Las Vegas' DVD, which was released in 2002. As you probably won't be surprised to find, it shows that dancing energetically makes you out of breathe. Still, even allowing for that, the singing is pretty poor.

Watch the video here

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