APPLE ADMIT IPOD BEGAN WITH BRITISH INVENTOR IN 1979
Ahead of Apple's big announcement regarding the latest enhancements to its iPod, expected tomorrow, there was a great story in the Mail On Sunday this weekend which claims the computer giant has admitted that a broke British man came up with the original blueprint for their multi-billion dollar generating music player back in 1979.

Kane Kramer drew the plans for a credit-card-sized music player which would store and play about three and half minutes of music in 1979, when he was just 23. He set up a company to patent the device, but when that collapsed in the late eighties he was unable to raise the £60,000 required to renew the global patent for the product, meaning his designs fell into the public domain. Apple, it seems, tapped into Kramer's IP when it started developing its market-leader music player - a story the Mail apparently initially reported on two years ago.

The story has developed, though, because of a legal dispute between Apple and another American company called Burst.com, who claimed they owned the patents on the designs from which the iPod originated. In order to fight that case Apple needed to show that it was, in fact, Kramer's designs - which were in the public domain by the early nineties - which were used by Apple designers to develop the original iPod. To do that they flew Kramer - who last year had to sell his home to make ends meet - over to the US to speak in their defence.

Kramer told the tabloid: "I was up a ladder painting when I got the call from a lady with an American accent from Apple saying she was the Head Of Legal Affairs and that they wanted to acknowledge the work that I had done. I must admit that at first I thought it was a wind-up by friends. But we spoke for some time, with me still up this ladder slightly bewildered by it all, and she said Apple would like me to come to California to talk to them. Then I had to make a deposition in front of a court stenographer and videographer at a lawyers' office. The questioning by the Burst legal counsel there was tough, ten hours of it. But I was happy to do it".

The Apple v Burst case - which could have cost the former $10 million - has since been settled out of court. It is unclear whether Apple paid Burst any money in relation to its claim, nor how much Kramer's testimony helped, though its thought Kramer's evidence would have greatly hindered Burst's case. The iPod maker reportedly paid Kramer a consultancy fee for his testimony, though the Mail says the British designer is now trying to see if he can negotiate a larger fee for his role in creating the world's favourite digital music device.

But he concluded by telling the paper: "To be honest, I was just so pleased that finally something that I had done which has been a huge success and changed the music industry was being acknowledged. I was really quite emotional about it all". He added that he is currently working on a new invention which he thinks will be even bigger than the iPod, which will automatically provide recordings of phone conversations by email. Let's just hope he manages to maintain the patent on this one.

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KERSHAW 'ON THE RUN' FROM POLICE
Former Radio 1 DJ Andy Kershaw has told The Mirror that he is on the run from police, living out of a bag and with only his dog Buster as company.

As previously reported, Kershaw has been in and out of court on the Isle Of Man in recent times for breaking a restraining order brought against him by former partner Juliette Banner, who left him after discovering that he had cheated on her. Earlier this year, he fled to England to avoid a one year jail sentence and has been forced to sleep rough and on friends' floors.

He told the paper that he had no way to earn money, because his record collection is still on the Isle Of Man and the BBC has stopped paying him. He also revealed that Isle Of Man police had made one attempt to arrest him, after he contacted Derby Central Police Station to take himself off the Missing Persons List.

Speaking from a secret location, he said: "Can you imagine what it was like on my son's 11th birthday? All I could do was send him some money and I don't really have any. And waiting and waiting for a phone call that never came. How cruel is that? I just want to be home and get my tools. I am not interested in Juliette. I am in love with another".

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BRITNEY WINS RATHER THAN SINGS AT VMAS
So, Britney didn't, in the end, attempt to sing at the MTV Video Music Awards in LA this weekend. Her much hyped return to the awards show - where, in 2007, she added to public concern for her well being by turning in an embarrassingly bad live set - consisted of a sort-of comedic sketch at the show's outset, and then various trips to the podium to pick up three awards, for Best Video, Best Pop Video and Best Female Video, all for 'Piece Of Me'.

Kanye West, Christina Aguilera, Rihanna, Kid Rock and the Jonas Brothers did all sing at the Hollywood awards event, which was hosted by that Russell Brand chap. Asked about Spears by the BBC, Brand said: "She seems ever so sweet, but some people have been ever so battered by fame. She's been kicked in all directions by the media. She's a little bruised, but she's a very sweet, lovely person".

So there you go. Here, meanwhile, is the full list of winners from this year's VMAs.

Best Female Video: Britney Spears - Piece of Me (Directed by Wayne Isham)

Best Male Video: Chris Brown - With You (Directed by Erik White)

Best Dancing In A Video: Pussycat Dolls - When I Grow Up (Directed by Joseph Kahn)

Best Rock Video: Linkin Park - Shadow of the Day (Directed by Joe Hahn)

Best Hip Hop Video: Lil Wayne - Lollipop (Directed by Gil Green/Dwayne Carter)

Best New Artist: Tokio Hotel - Ready, Set, Go! (Directed by Warwick & Haering)

Best Pop Video: Britney Spears - Piece of Me (Directed by Wayne Isham)

Video Of The Year: Britney Spears - Piece of Me (Directed by Wayne Isham)

Best Art Direction: Gnarls Barkley - Run (Art Direction by Happy & Kells Jesse)

Best Choreography: Gnarls Barkley - Run (Choreography by Mikey Rooney)

Best Cinematography: The White Stripes - Conquest (Cinematography by Wyatt Troll)

Best Direction: Erykah Badu - Honey (Directed by Erykah Badu & Mr Roboto)

Best Editing: Death Cab For Cutie - I Will Possess Your Heart (Edited by Jeff Buchanan)

Best Special Effects: Kanye West f/ T-Pain - Good Life (Special Effects by X1 FX)

Most of the VMA entertainment, though, seems to have come not from Britney, the other performances or the awards, but from Brand not quite avoiding the wrath of MTV censors and political impartiality monitors. Along the way he called on America to elect Barack Obama in the upcoming elections, called George Bush a "retarded cowboy", had to apologise to the Jonas Brothers for some remarks made at their expense, and told a sweary gag none of the news media will repeat. Possibly about R Kelly. Making such fun at conservative America's expense almost makes up for him being an irritating twat.

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HEART GIRLS NOT IMPRESSED WITH PALIN USING THEIR SONG
Ah, this old chestnut. What do you do when you discover a politician whose very existence makes you want to vomit is using one of your songs as a rallying call? Generally, nothing. Because current copyright laws don't provide any protection. Though some strategic investment of royalty income may provide some ethical compensation.

Rock band Heart have confirmed they are taking legal advice after slightly strange US Republican Vice-President candidate Sarah Palin used one of their songs at last week's Republican Party rally. John McCain's running mate used the Heart song 'Barracuda' during her appearance at the Republican National Convention, a reference to her school nickname of 'Sarah Barracuda'. But Heart singers Ann and Nancy Wilson aren't happy about their song being associated with the right wing presidential hopeful, and have sent a cease and desist letter demanding the political party stop using it. They added that: "The Republican campaign did not ask for permission, nor would they have been granted permission".

But a spokesman for the party says they properly licensed the song for use at the Convention. The party's Brian Rogers told Reuters: "The McCain campaign respects intellectual property rights. Accordingly, prior to using Barracuda at any events, we paid for and obtained all necessary licences".

They are probably right, because it's not the first time artists have found political parties can legitimately use their music at political rallies under a basic blanket public performance licence - ie without having to consult either an artist or their label.

But there is, perhaps, a way for artists to get even. One of the song's co-writers, Roger Fisher, who will receive a royalty for the song's airing at the convention, initially took a different stand point to his former band mates, saying he was "thrilled" with the "ingenious placement of a kick-ass song". But he later added, when speaking to Reuters, that he would nevertheless support Democrat Barack Obama in the forthcoming US elections, and that he planned to pass any monies he earned from the Republican's use of his song to Obama's campaign fund, so that "with my contribution to Obama's campaign, the Republicans are now supporting Obama". Which, it has to be said, sounds like a much more fun way to dealing with the problem that issuing a cease and desist of questionable legal authority.

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WINEHOUSE AND THE RAIN MAKE IT TO BESTIVAL
So, Amy Winehouse did, in the end, make it to main Bestival stage on the Isle Of Wight for her Saturday night headline set, albeit 45 minutes late - having been delayed, reportedly, because she first refused to cross some muddy grass, and then because she had to be picked up after collapsing after downing some of that much reported JD on the rider. There were mixed reports of her actual set - which had to be cut short because of the late arrival. Some say she was, once on stage, on top form, though others say her set was rather shambolic, noting she forgot the words to 'Back To Black'.

We'll find out what Team CMU thought once our no doubt mud-caked reviewers return from the Isle. They'll be mud-caked because the rains also showed up at the normally dry Bestival this weekend, leaving those fancy-dressed festival-goers awaiting Winehouse's delayed set rather damp. A three hour rain storm on Sunday meant Bestival bosses had to close the BBC Introducing Stage early, cancelling sets from Sam Sparro, Lykke Li and Black Kids.

But Bestival boss Rob da Bank says the rain didn't affect his festival's traditionally good spirits, telling NME: "Obviously people are going to moan about the rain but but I've been to enough muddy Glastonburys to know that things always come good in the end. I've had loads of people come up to me and say this is actually the best Bestival they've ever been to. Onwards and upwards!"

Look out for the CMU Bestival review later in the week.

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FESTIVAL FANS DAMAGING HEARING, WARNS CHARITY
In a recent poll of over 2700 festival-goers, The Royal National Institute For The Deaf found that over half felt that loud music had damaged their hearing. Over 80% had experienced warning signs of damage, such as dulled hearing or ringing in the ears. The poll, which was conducted as part of the RNID's Don't Lose The Music campaign, surveyed music fans at Glastonbury, Latitude, Rise, Read and Leeds, as well as online.

Emma Harrison from the RNID said: "These results issue a stark warning about the UK's future hearing health. Volume levels at festivals can reach levels over 110 decibels - that's the same as a jet plane taking off. Repeated listening at this volume will cause premature hearing loss. Employees who work at music venues are protected by legislation but people who visit the same places are not. In areas of public health such as smoking and alcohol we are provided with information that allows us to make an informed choice. This is not the case with over-exposure to loud music".

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AKON DIDN'T ATTACK FEMALE AUDIENCE MEMBERS - APPARENTLY
Promoters of that Akon gig where the R&B star reportedly attacked two female audience members have said he did no such thing, and that video footage that implied he did was misinterpreted.

As previously reported, reports last week suggested Akon crowd surfed to a podium at a concert in Guyana and, on finding two girls dancing on said podium, hit one and then pushed both of them off the mini-stage. A video on the net seemed to show the girls trying to hug the singer, and him lashing out in response. But another video that has been released seems to show that wasn't the case, and that Akon actually danced with the girls.

Promoters Hits and Jam Entertainment told Gigwise: "There were no incident reports stemming from the event. Despite a late start, the concert was a tremendous success and we hope that Akon will come back soon".

It's possible the original video was edited to look unfavourable coming, as it did, in the week it was confirmed Akon would stand trial for allegedly throwing a fan off the stage at a New York concert last year.

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JACKSON FIVE REUNITE. SORT OF
So, The Jackson Five have finally found a way to get around that ongoing dispute over unpaid royalties Jermaine, Tito, Marlon and Jackie say that Michael owes them - they replaced Michael with Janet to ensure there were five Jacksons in the house.

As previously reported, The Jackson Five were due to perform at the BMI Urban Awards in LA, where they received a lifetime achievement award. However, Jermaine, Tito, Marlon and Jackie reportedly refused to share the stage with their brother Michael because he owes them $840,000 in unpaid royalties.

However, Jermaine, Tito, Marlon and Jackie did turn up to receive their award, which was presented to them by sister Janet. Marlon joked that Michael wasn't present because "he's in Egypt riding a camel or something".

Tito said: "It's a great honour to know your music influenced a generation. We're very proud of this moment".

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SLIPKNOT MAN BLAMES LABELS FOR ALBUM SALES DROP
Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor has said that record labels are to blame for the industry-wide fall in album sales, and says they should stop blaming people who download music illegally.

He told Kerrang!: "Why would you blame [people who download music]? Half the fucking albums that are out there are shit. I don't download, but at the same time, I don't buy new music cause it all sucks. Okay, there's a handful of bands that I buy, but other than that, I just buy old shit because old shit is good. Sorry! People wanna blame the decline of album sales on downloading, I think it's actually the record companies' fault. I think it's the quality of the product. If record companies would stop giving any fucking mook on the street with a fringe a record deal or their own record label, maybe you would sell more fucking albums, dipshits".

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METALLICA WONDER WHERE THE NEW BLOOD IS
Metallica would like to know why no one has dethroned them as the kings of metal yet and would like any contenders to hurry up and do it so that they can relax a bit.

Lars Ulrich told The Guardian: "I was thinking the other day about how everyone expects us to continue to release albums that define the genre, to 'save' metal. And that's a lot of fucking pressure, really. Why hasn't anyone dethroned us yet? We support all the great new metal bands, take them under our wing, but people still want us to carry the whole genre on our backs. I'm 44 years old, I've got three kids, I flew in a helicopter on Friday. It's a little difficult to revisit the vibe of 20 years ago when you're living in a two-bedroom suite at Claridge's. I live a very different life to how I lived then".

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BUSINESSMAN CHARGED WITH POP IDOL MURDER
A prominent Egyptian businessman has been arrested for allegedly paying a hitman $2 million to kill Lebanese singer Suzanne Tamim.

As previously reported, Tamim, who was the winner of a TV talent show in Lebanon in 1996, was found murdered at her home in Dubai in July. She is understood to have fled Lebanon to Egypt a number of years ago after a bitter legal battle with her second husband, music producer Adel Maatouk. She was thought to have moved to Dubai last year.

Hisham Talaat Moustafa is now accused of hiring a hitman to kill Tamim as an act of revenge after an affair the father of three was conducting with the singer ended badly.

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MERCURY MUSIC PRIZE TO BE PRESENTED TOMORROW
So, the Mercury Music Prize is presented tomorrow, and Burial is reportedly odds on favourite to win at this point - though Mercury judges like to surprise us, so it's notoriously hard to make a safe bet on this one. The not-as-mysterious-as-he-was Burial has edged ahead of earlier favourites like Radiohead and The Last Shadow Puppets. The award is presented at the Grosevenor House Hotel in London tomorrow night, and the presentation will be aired on BBC2, both live tomorrow and in repeat form on Friday.

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BRITS DATE SET
More awards for you, and the date for next year's Brit Awards has been confirmed as Wednesday 18 February. Earls Court will once again host the UK record industry's big bash. The nominations will be announced at a launch party at The Roundhouse on 20 Jan.

SonyBMG UK boss and Brits Committee chief Ged Doherty told CMU: "The BRITs is the biggest night of music of the year and is a great showcase for the UK music industry. The success of last years' show gives us a great platform to now take it on to even greater heights".

ITV1 will once again air the awards show live, while ITV2 will air the launch and backstage footage. Another Critics Choice award will also be presented to a rising artist - an award voted for by music journalists and presented for the first time at the start of this year, to that Adele chick.

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SINGLE REVIEW: Gotye - Learnalilgivinanlovin (Lucky Number)
Gotye's recent debut album 'Like Drawing Blood' was an unexpected treat - the Belgian/Australian singer-songwriter effortlessly cementing his name as The New Beck with a strategic yet magpie like approach to sampling and a pop nous that brings his tapestries to life. 'Learnalilgivinanlovin' is pure pop heaven. An enthralling slice of Motown/Northern Soul, it's an utterly joyous three minutes recalling Phil Spector's classic productions, which is no little praise. Like previous single 'Heart's A Mess' there are some, er, pumping dance remixes accompanying the single. This time round Jake Bullit reduces the track to a meaty slice of progressive house, whilst Styrafoamkid, throws up a breaks-inflected eight-minute piece of expansive hands in the air techno built on a subtle piano refrain. Both are excellent but the original remains hard to surpass. MS
Release Date: 15 Sep
Press Contact: Bang On [all]

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WARNER RECRUIT EMI MAN TO HEAD EXPANDED CHINESE REGION DIVISION
Warner Music International has headhunted the MD of EMI Taiwan, Sam Chen, to take over the newly created role of CEO for the Warner Music Chinese Mandarin Group.

The Beijing-based Warner division was created earlier this year by the merger of the company's China and Taiwan businesses, with the aim of fostering more co-promotion between the two territories. Chen will report to the Hong Kong-based Lachie Rutherford, who is President of Warner Music Asia Pacific.

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CONCERNS RAISED ABOUT GLOBAL ANTI-PIRACY AGREEMENT
Reuters have reported that consumer rights bodies in the US have been expressing concern regarding a new Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement that is being negotiated between America and Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, South Korea, Switzerland and the EU.

They say the Trade Agreement, which has been under negotiation for just under a year now, and which is supported by the music and movie industries, could result in unnecessary intrusions into the lives and property of innocent people as they move between countries signed up to the executive agreement. New measures might include the searching of digital music players at customs to check if illegal music is being moved between countries, and cross-border measures to force internet service providers to play a more proactive role in combating the illegal distribution of digital music and movie content.

One of the particular concerns raised by bodies like digital rights group Public Knowledge is that these new measures are being introduced via an 'executive agreement' rather than a 'treaty'. The distinction is crucial because the latter would require Congress approval, but the former does not. Explaining those concerns, Susan Sell of the Institute For Global And International Studies at George Washington University told Reuters: "If it were a treaty it would be subject to congressional approval. I don't see the accountability. Consumers have not been invited into this process. It's a handful of industry and there's no balance".

Some also question the practicalities of some of the measures being proposed by those drafting the agreement. Reuters quote one US customs official as saying his department already has the authority to search digital media devices, but that the practicalities of doing so means few custom officials are going to that keen to do so on a regular basis.

But the agreement has the support of much of the US record industry, and even more so the movie industry, who see the global agreement as a way of boosting their bid to ensure stronger legal protection against growing online piracy, and may be even a way to compensate in those territories where domestic copyright law has not been helpful in fighting illegal file sharing, in particular Canada.

Negotiations are due to resume next month with the aim to have everything completed by the end of the year so the agreement can be signed off before President George Bush leaves office. Some legal experts reckon having a controversial global trade agreement of this kind completed on that timescale is unrealistic, though others say the unmovable deadline of Bush's departure from office will provide an incentive on the Americans' part to get a move on.

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EMUSIC MAN UNHAPPY WITH RECORD INDUSTRY'S ISP DEAL
Talking of measures to force internet service providers to take action against file sharers, the boss of independent download platform eMusic last week told the FT that he worries that previously reported deal entered into by the UK record companies and net firms earlier this year may, in fact, harm legit download services like the one his company offers.

The reason for eMusic boss David Pakman's concerns are the rumours that the deal struck between the UK majors and net providers like BT, Virgin Media, Carphone Warehouse and BSkyB include a favourable licensing deal in addition to a commitment on the part of the web firms to forward letters to those accessing music illegally informing them of the legal implications of their dodgy downloading. The logic is that if the ISPs are able to launch their own digital music services they will have an extra incentive to stop their customers accessing illegal unlicensed rival services.

But Pakman fears that any licensing deals linked to anti-piracy efforts might give the net firms an advantage over existing download stores like his. This is in addition to the possible unfair advantage ISPs already have, of being able to push their customers towards their own music services rather than those run by independent players in the market.

Pakman told the Financial Times: "Our concern is that in order to obtain the co-operation of the ISPs, there seems to be a quid pro quo. [Because of the ISP's hold over consumers] this is qualitatively different from licensing another half a dozen digital music businesses". He added that, if there have been favourable licensing deals for the net firms in order to get their help in combating piracy, then the record companies have been "penalising the good guys, not the bad guys".

Although the specifics of the deal between the labels and the ISPs is unknown, record label trade body the BPI did say this: "The BPI's deal with ISPs reflects our belief that that development of new music services for UK broadband customers and the process of marginalising illegal p2p are inextricably linked. If it works out, and we firmly believe it will, we all stand to generate income that is currently being lost to p2p".

Needless to say, the ISPs reject accusations they will have any unfair advantage in the download market, either by manipulating existing customers or through unfairly favourable licensing deals from the music companies. BT told the FT: "We have no plans to inhibit in any way the traffic of other legitimate music or content services, irrespective of whether we eventually offer our own".

While BSkyB has announced its intention to launch a subscription-based download service in association with Universal, no ISP has, as yet, launched a high profile download service to rival the likes of eMusic and iTunes, although many net providers have offered some music preview or download facilities via their own sites for a while now, normally reselling download services provided by the likes of Loudeye and Musicnet.

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NEW AUDIO FORMAT LAUNCHES TODAY
More digital, and Musinaut Interactive Music today launches a brand new interactive audio format, MXP4, which aims to offer artists and music fans alike a whole new music experience.

Using the company's MXP4Creatre encoding software, artists can create a single file containing several different tracks - for example, different versions of a single, acapellas, instrumentals, remixes, or different takes. Additional instruments can even be added to play within the main song. The file can then be played back, via the free-to-download MXP4 player, based on rules set by the artist, which can allow thousands of different playback variations. Other multimedia content, such as text, artwork, photographs and lyrics, can also be added to the file.

Musinaut CEO, Trish Thomson, told CMU: "The music industry is looking for new and creative ways to present their artists and increase revenue. MXP4 technology has come at timely point giving artists and the industry a new and dynamic way they can offer richer content to consumers. Currently recorded music is static and 2 dimensional. MXP4 technology makes it far more exciting and dynamic by giving it extra dimensions enabling artists to be more expressive and giving listeners a more interesting, fun and interactive experience".

A number of artists, producers and DJs have been beta testing the software over the last few months. Electro-pop singer Margaux, who has written her entire new album using MXP4 technology, says: "MXP4 technology is such a powerful format and a breath of fresh air for the digital music industry. It's given me the freedom to go beyond musical boundaries and opens up an endless amount of new possibilities. As an artist, songwriting was becoming formulaic and boring, but using MXP4 technology I can now be surprised by my own music. My forthcoming album is a 'musical movie' as MXP4 technology enabled me to tell a story. I could change the atmosphere and style of a song and also add text and photos. The fact that fans can participate in how they listen to the album is also very exciting for me. I can't imagine making music any other way now".

And if all of this has left you utterly confused, why not try taking a look at what the technology can do on the company's YouTube page here.

Further info from www.mxp4.com and www.musinaut.com

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LIVE NATION RETAIN SOLD OUT
London-based advertising agency Sold Out has announced it has retained the contract to manage Live Nation UK's advertising account, having won against pitches from three other agencies. I must remember to send them a CMU rate card.

Sold Out handle their Live Nation account in association with advertising major OMD. Sold Out's MD Adrian Francis told CMU: "We believe that we offer the best of both worlds to Live Nation - the boutique specialism and expertise of Sold Out combined with the international reach and scale of OMD".

The UK MD of live music firm Live Nation, Paul Latham, added: "We are very happy to retain Sold Out and OMD. They have demonstrated that they continue to offer us the best solution for what we need".

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APPLE REPLACE FAULTY NANO BATTERIES IN JAPAN
Back to the iPod, and Apple has told its Japanese customers that they will give owners of a first generation iPod nano a free replacement battery if their existing batteries overheat, following an investigation by the Japanese government into problems consumers had had with the digital music player's battery. It's not the first time there have been issues with iPod batteries, of course, though experts say that the issue with the iPod nano battery, though found in territories other than Japan, is, in the main, not that common. Apple are yet to blame battery issues on Kane Kramer's original designs, but it's probably only a matter of time.

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NEW ZUNE PLAYERS ABOUT TO LAUNCH
And talking of that all-new-iPod press announcement expected tomorrow, which we were at the start of today's Daily, Microsoft are also reportedly getting ready to launch upgraded versions of their competing Zune players, though only in the US, obviously, given that the Microsoft device is still yet to reach us here in Europe.

Web reports say the IT firm have already shipped some of its upgraded players to retailers, and new versions will included a new 120GB player and an economy line 8GB device.

It's thought Microsoft won't launch their players with the kind of high profile media launch Steve Jobs is expected to deliver for Apple tomorrow, but they may get their revamped Zune players to market quicker. We'll see I guess.

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NEW SCOTTISH-FOCUSED TV CHANNEL TO BE PROPOSED BY SCOT MEDIA REVIEW
The Scottish Broadcasting Commission, which does exist, we checked, has been reviewing broadcast media provision North of the border, and is expected to recommended the launch of a new digital TV channel which would air "distinctively" Scottish programmes.

The Scottish versions of BBC1 and ITV, presumably, are too dominated by programming made South of the border. The new channel would possibly provide for Scotland a service similar to what S4C provides to Wales, though possibly without any obligation to provide programming in either the Scots or Gaelic languages (S4C broadcasts mainly in Welsh).

BBC Scotland Political Editor Brian Taylor told the BBC news website: "It is thought the report will recommend a new digital TV channel offering Scottish content, including perhaps news output which covers international affairs from a Scottish standpoint. Observers say, depending on content and audience demand, such a channel might either foster creativity or form a Caledonian cul-de-sac".

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ABSOLUTE RECRUIT FIFTH GEAR PRESENTER TO JOIN BREAKFAST TEAM
Absolute Radio - look at us being 'on-brand' there - have announced the recruitment of racing driver and Fifth Gear presenter Vicki Butler-Henderson to co-present its breakfast show with Christian O'Connell. O'Connell will still be the show's primary presenter, but station bosses hope Butler-Henderson's involvement will help create more witty banter. It could happen.

Absolute chief Clive Dickens told reporters: "Christian was a ringmaster doing all the acts himself. Vicky will not be a co-host - she will be a team member. But she will be there to help. Christian's had sidekicks at other broadcasters and we wanted to give some of that back".

Butler-Henderson, who has co-presented shows on Virgin Radio before, added: "This is a fantastic opportunity - the chance to work with Christian and his team on what is an amazing Breakfast Show, and working with people who have the vision and the means to re-write the definition of radio is too good an opportunity to pass up".

Butler-Henderson is the second 'Fifth Gear' presenter to join the revamped Virgin Radio. Controversial radio presenter Tim Shaw, who joined the Channel Five motoring show last month, will start a new late night show for Absolute later this month.

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MARCHER SOUND CELEBRATES 25TH BIRTHDAY
GCap owned Marcher Sound, the commercial pop station for North Wales, Chester and The Wirral, celebrated its 25th anniversary this weekend. I only really mention it because for a brief period in the early nineties I did a weekly pop news slot on the station. Look how far my life has come. From pop new to, erm, pop news. Marcher Sound, meanwhile, has gone back from being MFM, as it was at the time, to its original name, as well as becoming part of the GCap group.

Former presenters like Trevor & Simon and Pat Sharp hosted special shows on the station to celebrate its anniversary, while current MD Clive Douthwaite told reporters: "We are very proud to have reached this milestone and we hope listeners enjoy the celebrations on air. It has been very interesting delving in to the past to put together our website content for this anniversary. We discovered an old photo of presenters with a gas fire that was given away. Recently we gave away a brand new car. How times have changed!" Yeah, given the post-Global takeover cost cuts across the GCap group, I wouldn't rule out the return of the grand 'win a gas fire' competition on Marcher breakfast sometime soon.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Hauschka - Ferndorf (FatCat Records)
German composer Volker Bertelmann works under the pseudonym Hauschka, specialising in performances of prepared piano, in which the instrument is modified in some way. This may involve attaching drawing pins to the internal hammers of the instrument, for example, which apparently changes the timbre. Hauschka also works in a largely improvisatory way, collaborating with two cellists on much of 'Ferndorf'. The outcome is an album that is often less concerned with melody and more focused on rhythm, timbre and movement. Indebted both to the masters of minimalism (Cage, Glass, Reich) and contemporaries like Yann Tiersen or Thomas Newman, Hauschka's music is intelligent but accessible, and cinematic without force. Here, the pianist and his collaborators extemporise on snapshots fixed in time, compelling them to life; in 'Blue Bicycle', the object whirrs into movement before the eyes, commanded by the ebb and flow of the music. The piano itself is both expressive melodically and percussive, clicking like a music box turning ever so slowly on 'Eltern' or rattling throughout 'Weeks Of Rain'. What makes 'Ferndorf' so enjoyable is that the piano may have been manipulated, but that's it; there is enough space and warmth within the pieces to explore landscapes entirely your own. HB
Release Date: 22 Sep
Press Contact: FatCat IH [all]

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CHART UPDATE
So, no change at the top of the singles chart this week, with that Kate Perry holding on to number one with 'I Kissed A Girl' and Eric Prydz refusing to vacate the second place slot, where he resides with 'Pjanoo'. The good news is third place does, however, play host to a new entry, albeit from the Pussycat Dolls.

Other new entries this week come from Gym Class Heroes with 'Cookie Jar' at 16, Steve Mac with 'Paddy's Revenge' at 17, Bryn Christopher with 'Smilin' at 31, those New Kids On The Block with the strangely timed 'Summertime' at 34, and the multi-starred Artists Stand Up To Cancer with 'Just Stand Up' at 39. Whether a 39 chart placing is enough to send cancer into remission globally we're not sure. Perhaps when the live version featuring Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger appears on iTunes later this month it will shoot up the chart and truly send cancer packing.

Albums chart, and there's little change at the top their either with The Verve still at number one, but there are a few new entries for you lower down the chart. Miley Cyrus with 'Breakout' at 10, the new Chemical Brothers new best of at 11, City Of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra with 'Songs Without Words' at 21, Roots Manuva with 'Slime & Reason' at 22, Motorhead with 'Motorizer' at 32, a Jacko and Jackson Five Motown compilation at 34, Brian Wilson's 'That Lucky Old Sun' at 37 and Friendly Fire's eponymous debut at 38.

The chart comes from the Official Chart Company - www.theofficialcharts.com

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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. Kid Rock - Rock - N Roll Jesus (Warner/Atlantic)
2. Linkin Park - Minutes To Midnight (Warner Bros)
3. Disturbed - Indestructible (Warner/Reprise)
4. Scars On Broadway - Scars On Broadway (Universal)
5. The Offspring - Rise And Fall, Rage And Grace (SonyBMG)
6. Staind - The Illusion Of Progress (Warner/Roadrunner)*
7. 3 Doors Down - 3 Doors Down (Republic)
8. Nickelback - All The Right Reasons (Warner/Roadrunner)
9. Queen - Greatest Hits 1,2,3 (EMI)
10. Motley Crue - Saints Of Los Angeles (Motley Records)
11. Weezer - Weezer (Universal/Interscope)
12. Soulfly - Conquer (Warner/Roadrunner)
13. Black Stone Cherry - Folklore & Superstition (Warner/Roadrunner)*
14. Iron Maiden - Somewhere Back In Time (EMI)*
15. Journey - Revelation (Frontiers)
16. Judas Priest - Nostradamus (SonyBMG)
17. Daughtry - Daughtry (SonyBMG)
18. Paramore - Riot! (Fueled By Ramen)
19. Simple Plan - Simple Plan (Warner/Atlantic)
20. Disturbed - Ten Thousand Fists (Warner/Reprise)

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KEANE MAN OVER THE DARK TIMES
Now, if you, like me, have been have trouble sleeping for several years now worrying about poor old Keane boy Tom Chaplin and his drink drug traumas, well, good news, those times are very much behind the man.

He told the BBC last week: "I feel enthused and excited about making music again and being in Keane, and that was certainly not a situation we were in a couple of years ago. Although it was a very dark period, it was two years ago, and it seems very distant to me. In fact I feel so distant from it nowadays that it's hard to talk about it with any great authority because it was such a strange period of my life. I almost feel like it was someone else's life".

If you need something new to lose sleep over, well the new Keane album 'Perfect Symmetry' is out next month. That should do it.

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NO SECOND ALBUM FROM GLASVEGAS
Glasvegas are riding high at the moment, but it may all be short-lived, because frontman and songwriter James Allan doesn't know if he has it in him. A planned Christmas mini-album may be the last material the band release. Then again, it might not.

He told The Daily Record: "My family and my band don't know what I am going to be doing next. We may never make another record. Our Christmas album could be the last. I've told the band and they understand. They know you can't plan for creativity. If I knew where the songs came from then maybe I could but I don't. Every time I sit down with a guitar it's not like a song flows easily. Sometimes, it is hard work and it takes a lot out of me to put a song together. Hopefully, I'll still be inspired to go on to make more music but being inspired in the future and having your sanity is not something you can take for granted. The band understand. the way I write. They've said, 'Whatever. If this is the last, it is the last.' We're not saying, let's fulfil our 15 album deal. We'll just see what happens. In a rock 'n' roll band you don't know what's round the bend. We might be on a burger stall this time next year".

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DOHERTY SETS THINGS STRAIGHT
Speaking to MTV News before his encore at a solo show at the Rhythm Factory in London on Thursday, Pete Doherty spoke candidly about drugs and his lack of money

On reports that he had nearly died of a drugs overdose in Austria recently, he said: "That was absolute rubbish. I was in Austria and, I mean, between me and you, like, it would've been lovely to have enough stuff [to get anywhere near overdose] but there was nothing about. To be honest it was a really clean week and it [the story] was complete rubbish".

On his current tendency to actually turn up to play shows, he said: "Unfortunately, the bailiff's have been knocking quite a lot so I've got to do [shows] like, I've got to go back on in a minute and do the encore for things like this, but that's what I'm doing really, writing and recording on my own but I'm doing some stuff with Babyshambles as well".

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ALLEN ANGRY AT "BITTER" PRESS
Lily Allen is angry at the way her reported bust up with Elton John at the GQ Men Of The Year Awards was reported. In a post on her MySpace blog, she said that it was all done in jest and there were no hard feelings.

She wrote: "Elton John and I are friends. I was honoured when Elton asked me to present the GQ awards with him this year in association with Elton's AIDS foundation. Not only was it for a good cause but who would say no to Elton. I'm not defending my drunkeness because I don't need to. I'm 23, it was an awards ceremony, I drank the free champagne, how awful of me. Trying to create a feud on the other hand, and trying to make me out as being some rude little girl with a drink problem is just unfair. Elton and I exchanged jokes and there were no hard feelings at all. In fact, neither of us gave it a second thought. It's sad that an evening enjoyed by all had to ruined by some bitter journos again".

So, there you go. Lily Allen is not a rude drunk. She's an unprofessional rude drunk.

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