CHRIS BROWN PLEADS NOT GUILTY
Chris Brown has pleaded not guilty to charges of assault likely to cause great bodily harm and of making criminal threats, both of which relate, of course, to that much reported fight between him and then girlfriend Rihanna after she found a text message from another woman on his mobile phone at a pre-Grammy party in LA back in February.

It is claimed that while driving home in a rented Lamborghini, Brown tried to force Rihanna out of the car by pushing her head against the passenger door window and punching her repeatedly in the face, before beating her unconscious in the street and fleeing the scene. Though presumably he managed all that without actually assaulting her or threatening her, given the R&B star's plea. Or perhaps he's denying that version of events.

Anyway, in case you've been asleep during all the coverage that followed the fracas, all you need to know is that a police photograph showing Rihanna's facial injuries was leaked to the press, Brown issued a statement saying that he was "sorry and saddened" by what had happened and that he was seeking counselling, and that Rihanna has not commented on the case at all, but her lawyer Donald Etra has confirmed that she will testify if called to do so.

Brown is due to return to court again in three week's time. If found guilty, he faces up to five years in prison.

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TRENT REZNOR TALKS A LOT OF SENSE
The music business needs to better connect with fans if it's going to survive. I think we all know that, but Trent Reznor, who's been doing quite a bit of successful fan connecting since parting company with the major label machine, has been talking around the subject, and makes some interesting points, as usual.

Speaking to Wired ahead of the release of a new Nine Inch Nails iPhone app, Reznor said: "Anyone who's an executive at a record label does not understand what the internet is, how it works, how people use it, how fans and consumers interact - no idea. I'm surprised they know how to use email. They have built a business around selling plastic discs, and nobody wants plastic discs any more. They're in such a state of denial it's impossible for them to understand what's happening. As an artist, you are now the marketer".

Recalling his two decades within the major label system, and how he felt when he was freed from his record contract, he continues: "One of the biggest wake-up calls of my career was when I saw a record contract. I said, 'Wait - you sell it for $18.98 and I make 80 cents? And I have to pay you back the money you lent me to make it and then you own it? Who the fuck made that rule? Oh! The record labels made it because artists are dumb and they'll sign anything' - like I did. When we found out we'd been released it was like, 'Thank God!'. But 20 minutes later it was, 'Uh-oh, now what are we going to do?' It was incredibly liberating, and it was terrifying".

Recalling how he's dealt with that liberating yet terrifying experience - mainly by centring his activity on a prolific website, and offering a mixture of free and paid-for content offers - Reznor says that artists, or labels, wanting to succeed in this internet age need to think like fans. He continues: "I've said it before and I'll say it again: I don't think music should be free. But the climate is such that it's impossible for me to change that, because the record labels have established a sense of mistrust. So everything we've tried to do has been from the point of view of, 'What would I want if I were a fan? How would I want to be treated?' Now let's work back from that. Let's find a way for that to make sense and monetise it".

And by engaging fans through the technology they are already using - BitTorrent file sharing for example - he has done just that. "[BitTorrent is] the domain of pirates", he says. "But it's also a great technology that is free. [And] our [biggest] battle is against download costs".

The next step for Reznor is the aforementioned iPhone app, which will condense down as much of the Nine Inch Nails website as possible, and add new features, allowing fans to interact with each other and share photos, using location functions to find each other on Google Earth, add pictures of gigs to specific locations, and post messages to each other.

The idea is seemingly grander version of an idea that started when Reznor was passing the time waiting for a gig by checking Twitter. He found that fans in the queue outside were doing the same, and sharing photos. Then, on the band's European tour, Reznor's long time collaborator Rob Sheridan began taking pictures on stage and posting them online. "People felt included", says Reznor. "People kind of felt like they were getting postcards from us".

The app is currently awaiting final approval from Apple before being made available via iTunes.
Meanwhile, to read the interview in full, go to blog.wired.com/underwire/2009/04/trent-reznor-wa.html

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NEW OASIS SONG POSTED ONLINE
An apparently new song by Oasis has found its way onto the internet after being recorded by a fan during a soundcheck in Tapei City, Taiwan, according to fansite live4ever.us.

You might still be able to listen to the song here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=20cSWSnmNW4

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COLDPLAY DENY PILFERING SATRIANI SONG
Coldplay have formally denied those claims by guitarist bloke Joe Satriani that they stole "substantial original portions" of his song 'If I Could Fly' for the title track of their last album, 'Viva La Vida'.

In papers filed at a US federal court, the band said that Satriani's song "lacks originality" anyway, which is why there may be some coincidental similarities between their two tracks, and that because of that the guitarist should not receive any compensation. This presumably means that Coldplay think their song lacks originality too, but to be fair to them, they have said that about their music before, and even point to songs they have borrowed from on a fairly regular basis.

Satriani's lawyer Howard E King said that Coldplay's response was typical for this type of case, adding that the matter could have been settled out of court had the band not been so resolute that the guitarist doesn't have a claim. King will now push for a jury trial, with a bid to winning all profits from Coldplay's song plus damages.

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ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS ANNOUNCED
This year's Academy Of Country Music Awards have been presented at a ceremony in Las Vegas, with former American Idol Carrie Underwood taking the top prize of Entertainer Of The Year, as well as Best Female Vocalist.

Accepting the Entertainer Of The Year award, Underwood, who also performed two songs at the show, said: "Thank you, God. I never thought I'd be nominated, I never thought I would win. I don't know what to say. I've got nothing".

Kenny Chesney, who had won the flagship award for the last four years in a row, criticised the ceremony's organisers for changing the way the title was chosen, allowing fans to pick their favourite entertainer, rather than just asking members of the Academy Of Country Music.

Anyway, here are the winners in full:
Entertainer Of The Year - Carrie Underwood
Female Vocalist - Carrie Underwood
Male Vocalist - Brad Paisley
New Artist - Julianne Hough
Vocal Group - Rascal Flatts
Vocal Duo - Sugarland
New Female Vocalist - Julianne Hough
New Male Vocalist - Jake Owen
New Due Or Vocal Group - The Zac Brown Band
Single Of The Year - Trace Adkins, You're Gonna Miss This
Album Of The Year - Taylor Swift, Fearless
Song Of The Year - Jamey Johnson, In Colour
Vocal Event Of The Year - Brad Paisley & Keith Urban, Start A Band
Music Video Of The Year - Brad Paisley, Waitin' On A Woman

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SONY AWARD NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED
So, the nominations are out for the UK radio industry's big awards bash, the good old Sony Awards, though the biggest news this year is probably the two names missing from the shortlists rather than the names that do appear. Past winners Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand are notably absent post-Sachsgate, though given that radio stations have to put shows forward for consideration that is no real surprise, it would be a brave BBC exec who filled out a Sony application form for Ross so soon after his suspension over those phone calls.

Despite a tricky year for BBC radio in terms of scandal, the Corporation does seem to dominate the shortlists as usual, though the single station with the most nominations is actually Absolute Radio - the former Virgin Radio - which appears on no less than seven shortlists, including the one for Best Entertainment Show where Christian O'Connell's peak time breakfast slot is shortlisted.

Also worthy of a mention this year is London-based prison radio station Electric Radio Brixton and Ulster-based community radio station Strule FM who are shortlisted in the Community Award category, and especially the former who compete in other categories too, getting no less than four nominations overall. Well done them.

For those that like their award nomination coverage to consist of very long lists, there's a full list of Sony nominations at the end of today's CMU Daily (To go straight there, click here). The Sony Awards take place on 11 May at London's Grosvenor House Hotel, hosted by Chris Evans.

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STEREOLAB GO ON HIATUS
Stereolab have announced that they are taking an extended break from each other to work on other projects.

In a message posted on their official website, www.stereolab.co.uk, the band's manager Martin Pike rambles thus: "As we recently made #51 with 'Emperor Tomato Ketchup' in the Amazon 100 Greatest Indie Rock Albums Of All Time we feel that our work is done for the moment. We have had to cancel the last two shows that we were scheduled to play, apologies to all that had bought tickets, and there are no plans to record new tracks... We are all going to have a bit of a rest now after nearly 19 years and work on a few other projects".

That said, an album of songs recorded during sessions for last year's 'Chemical Chords' will still be released, as will another volume of their compilation series 'Switched On'. The band also plan to remaster their back catalogue for re-release.

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DOES IT OFFEND YOU, NO!
Morgan Quaintance, guitarist with the live incarnation of Does It Offend You, Yeah? since last year, has announced that he has decided to leave the band in order to concentrate on his new project, Plugs.

Speaking to the NME, he said: "It just came to a natural end really. I think there was only so much I could sort of do in that outfit and I kind of wanted to do a bit more musically and creatively, and I think that the only way I could do that was in my own group".

He added: "Plugs is my band and Does It Offend You, Yeah? was never really my sort of band aesthetically. I didn't really have much choice, I just sort of had to go along with a lot of the stuff that was happening, whereas in it's like we write the music, we produce it, we do the artwork, we've directed our own video - it just like feels like a creative outlet for me more than Does It Offend You, Yeah?".

The rest of the band are yet to make any statement on the subject, but are currently putting the finishing touches on their second album (according to Twitter, they finished mixing it last week). However, their MySpace page does tell us that their upcoming gig at Bush Hall in London in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust on 13 Apr has been postponed.

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DYLAN STREAMS NEW SINGLE VIA NEWSWEEK.COM
Bob Dylan has made his new single, 'Feel A Change Comin On' available to stream exclusively through Newsweek.com, of all places. This follows the decision to release his last single, 'Beyond Here Lies Nothing', for free through RCRD LBL. Both songs are taken from Dylan's new album, 'Together Through Life', which is set for release on 28 Apr.

As a companion to the album, Dylan has set up a "lyrical portrait" website, which allow fans to add their own thoughts to the album's lyrics, which are then displayed on a public gallery.

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TORI AMOS CONFIRMS NEW ALBUM
Tori Amos will release her new album, 'Abnormally Attracted To Sin', on 18 May via Universal's Island Records. Featuring 18 tracks, the album was recorded by Amos' husband Mark Hawley and Marcel Van Limbeek in Cornwall. The first single, 'Welcome To England', will be released on 25 May.

Ahead of all that, Tori will be playing a one-off solo acoustic show at the Savoy Theatre in London on 27 Apr where she will be performing tracks from the new album, as well as songs from her back catalogue.

The album has a tracklist. This is it:

Give
Welcome To England
Strong Black Vine
Flavour
Not Dying Today
Maybe California
Curtain Call
Fire To Your Plain
Police Me
That Guy
Abnormally Attracted To Sin
500 Miles
Mary Jane
Starling
Fast Horse
Ophelia
Lady In Blue
Oscar's Theme (UK bonus track)

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NO NEW AVALANCHES ALBUM, SORRY
It seems it was wishful thinking when an Australian radio station announced that the long-awaited follow-up to The Avalanches' debut album, 'Since I Left You', would be released this July. Come on, they've only been working on it for eight years, you can't rush these things.

A source at XL, the duo's UK label, told Teletext's Planet Sound: "Unfortunately, we have no new album on the schedule at all, and it certainly won't be as soon as July. It'll be ready when it's ready".

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EX STEREOPHONICS DRUMMER PUBLISHES MEMOIRS
Former Stereophonics drummer Stuart Cable has published an autobiography chronicling his time with the band, prior to being sacked in 2003. The book, entitled 'Cocktails And Demons: My Life With Stereophonics', promises to "reveal the true personalities" of those he worked with, which could mean Kelly Jones will be going back on those claims that they're all matey again now. Wonder if he'll mention the CMU column they wrote? I suspect not.

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SPINAL TAP ANNOUNCE WORLD TOUR
Spinal Tap have announced a world tour to commemorate the 25th anniversary of their 'rockumentary', 'This Is Spinal Tap'. The tour will consist of one date at Wembley Arena in London on 30 Jun.

Explaining the decision to play just one show, lead guitarist Nigel Tufnel said: "If we're going to do a world tour on only one night, at least it's this world".

Bassist Derek Smalls added: "One night is not enough, and it's way too much".

Support will come from folk band, The Folksmen, who appeared in their own film, 'A Might Wind', and, like Spinal Tap, look suspiciously similar to actors Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest and Michael McKean.

Tickets go on sale on Thursday at 9am.

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DEPECHE MODE SAY NO TO GLASTO
Depeche Mode have revealed that they pulled out of performing at this year's Glastonbury Festival after seeing the other bands on the bill. The band's Andy Fletcher said that the line-up of Bruce Springsteen, Blur and Neil Young as headliners didn't appeal to them.

Fletcher said: "We do a lot of festivals in Europe, but not so many in the UK. Glasto would be fun but the line-up didn't quite work for us. Getting the right bill is important".

Which is a good point. If you were Depeche Mode and you had to play before one of those acts, which would you choose?

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MADNESS TO PLAY CAMDEN CRAWL
Madness will play several secret shows at this year's Camden Crawl, which will be free to anyone - even those without Camden Crawl passes. The gigs will be held at a number of secret locations around Camden on 24 Apr, with highlights broadcast of BBC 6music as part of the station's coverage of the festival.

Head Of Music at 6music, Jeff Smith said: "6music are delighted to bring Madness back to their spiritual home to give a performance that truly connects them to their home crowd and to the wider 6 Music audience".

For further details, including how you could win the chance to play with the band, go to www.bbc.co.uk/6music

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FESTIVAL LINE UP UPDATE

TIGNESFEST, France, 16-19 Apr: 2 Bit Thugs, Black Peter Group, Danimal Kingdom, FrankMusik, Jackbeats, 5amourai, Losers, Midimidis and even opera singer Leslie Davis have been announced as the final acts to complete this year's line-up. www.tignesfest.com

EXIT FESTIVAL, Petrovaradin Fortress, Novi Sad, Serbia, 9-12 Jul: Carl Cox & Green Velvet, Sasha & John Digweed and Richie Hawtin with Dubfire have all been confirmed to play this year's Exit Dance Arena. www.exitfest.org

MELT FESTIVAL, Ferropolis, Germany, 17-19 Jul: Oasis, Bloc Party, Aphex Twin and Hecker have been announced to play the German festival this summer. www.meltfestival.com

TRUCK FESTIVAL, Hill Farm, Oxfordshire, 25-26 Jul: Ash and Supergrass have been confirmed to headline the Truck Stage at this year's festival. Red Light Company, Detroit Social Club and Yacht have also been added to the line-up. www.thisistruck.com

KENDAL CALLING, Lowther Estate, Cumbria, 31 Jul-2 Aug: The Zutons, Chase And Status, The Rumble Strips and Beardyman are the latest to be confirmed for the Cumbria event, joining Noah And The Whale, Sunshine Underground and Crazy P. www.kendalcalling.com

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ALBUM REVIEW: Brakes - Touchdown (FatCat)
So, the third album from Brakes is finally upon us. For those who don't know, Brakes is two parts Electric Soft Parade, one part ex-British Sea Power and one part The Tenderfoot - a super group in a very indie sense. Their new long player carries on with the off kilter mix of country, punk and rock we've come to expect, this time with a (very) loose otherworldly space theme. Now signed to FatCat and with Paul Savage of The Delgados fame at the producer's wheel, the feel is of a band really enjoying their craft. Eamon Hamilton's lyrics continue to be politically savvy, amusing and heartfelt at the same time while there is no shortage of tunes on offer either. 'Worry About It Later' takes on conspiracy theories and the hopelessness of trying to uncover what the "cloaks and daggers" are doing when you are just small fry, similarly 'Crush On You' references "Skull And Bones", Dubya's old university gang, as well as a mountain range in Kyrgyzstan - just to keep you on your toes, like. At the other end we have 'Why Tell The Truth (When It's Easier To Lie)', explaining that Eamon only drinks because "beer helps the cigarettes go down". It's all good stuff, and the music is a mix too - from the thrash of 'Red Rag' to the country tinged 'Eternal Return' via the rumbling, epic, Jesus & Mary Chainesque 'Oh! Forever', there is never a dull moment. IM
Press Contact: Fat Cat IH [all]
Release Date: 20 Apr

Buy from iTunes
Buy from Amazon

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ESSER, TINCHY AND RIFLES TO PLAY FREE ADIDAS SHOWS
Esser, Tinchy Stryder and Rifles have been announced as the headliners of a series of shows sponsored by Adidas as part of celebrations for their 60th birthday. The gigs will take place in various secret locations around London, or possibly the Camden branch of JD Sports.

Here are the dates:
9 Apr: Esser
16 Apr: Tinchy Stryder
30 Apr: Rifles, The Rakes and Young Fathers

More info at www.nme.com/adidas

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PRS OVERSEAS REVENUES AT ALL TIME HIGH
British songwriters made more money than ever from international royalties last year, with collecting society PRS For Music announcing yesterday that its overall overseas income for 2008 was £139.6 million, up nearly £20 million on the previous year despite these bleak economic times.

The Society said there were various reasons for the boom. It's partly because there are an ever increasing number of TV, radio and online music services to licence music to, and partly because PRS has got better at collecting royalties its members are entitled to in different territories, mainly by forging better relationships with local collecting societies around the world, and having more efficient ways of reporting what gets played where when. High profile world tours by British artists like The Police and Iron Maiden also help, because promoters have to pay a cut of revenue to the publishers and songwriters who own the songs performed.

Confirming everything I've just told you, here's PRS For Music's Barney Hooper speaking to the BBC: "I think there's a combination of things - I think British music's being used more. I think we're also getting better at liaising with our equivalent societies around the world for collecting. We've done a lot of work to improve those links to ensure that, when British music is used over there, the money comes back to us and vice-versa when American music and French music [or whatever] are used in this country".

Record sales help too, of course, because PRS For Music see royalties when CDs or downloads featuring songs by British songwriters are sold abroad. Four of the world's top ten best selling albums of 2008 came from British artists - Coldplay, Duffy, Leona Lewis and Amy Winehouse - all of which would have helped boost PRS's mechanical royalties, contributing to the overall record income.

All of which is great news. Though let's try and keep it quiet people - we're about to report on just how badly YouTube is doing, and I'm sure Billy Bragg wouldn't want Google taking the higher ground and telling everyone how the cash rich PRS is screwing it's 'charitable' efforts to keep YouTube afloat.

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THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT FOR MUSIC, SAYS SPOTIFY MAN
If Google reckon that the only way for digital music services to work is for songwriters to provide their music at bargain basement prices, well Spotify chief Daniel Ek disagrees, though he's still at the giddy "spending start-up investment" stage of his venture, so he might be singing a different tune in a year or so. But let's stay optimistic shall we?

For now Ek reckons that the potential is there for the music business to boom anew, not by selling CDs or MP3s, but by providing access to music in engaging ways - so that most people, or at least enough people, choose to pay. He might be talking about Radiohead/Trent Reznor style pay-what-you-want, have-this-for-free-but-buy-this ventures, or he might be talking about advertising/subscription funded streaming music services with green logos.

Speaking to The Guardian, Ek said: "I think the music industry as a whole could be in a better position than it has ever been. There has been a massive shift from ownership to access but people will pay for music if packaged correctly and it offers them something special. Music is already available for free. 95% of all music downloads are currently illegal, it is pointless to resist that. Every time that you shut down a service like Napster another one will spring up. Instead, you have to make paying more attractive by offering fans more like exclusive content, interviews, live concerts".

Of course while everyone loves Spotify, the more business-savvy wonder how much they are paying the record labels and publishers in order to offer such user-friendly on-demand streams, whether they are benefiting from special start-up rates that, like with YouTube, will be negotiated up in the future, and whether anyone will really pay ten pounds a month to get rid of ads, and if not whether ad revenues will ultimately pay for it all once start-up cash runs out. Ek is confident but not overconfident about his fledgling service, telling the paper: "We just hope that people will use it and that it will create significant revenue for the music industry. That way we can help support a fragile ecosystem so that artists can go on making music".

I hope so too.

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NEW LAWS PROPOSED TO REGULATE US SECONDARY TICKETING MARKET
Secondary ticketing has become a real political hot potato in the States since Lord Springsteen spoke out, hasn't it? And just as the UK industry seems to have reluctantly accepted the growth of online ticketing touting as an irritating but unavoidable part of the internet age. As pressure mounts on Ticketmaster regarding the way it promotes its US ticket resale service TicketsNow via the Ticketmaster.com website, a US senator, Charles E Schumer, has proposed new laws to govern ticket resales.

Among his proposals are a two-day waiting period, which would mean tickets could not be resold for gigs until two days after they officially go on sale via official primary ticket sellers, and also a registration system that wouldn't just force the secondary ticketing websites to be registered, but every single seller too. Sellers would be given a registration number that they would have to publish with every sale, basically taking eBay's seller rating system and making it internet-wide and a legal requirement.

Schumer's proposals are expected to be introduced into the US Congress when it returns from its Easter break later this month.

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NEW DIGITAL VP AT UNIVERSAL INTERNATIONAL
Universal Music International have promoted Francis Keeling to the job of VP Digital. He was previously Head Of Commercial, Digital for Universal Music UK. His new job will see him creating and managing new commercial partnerships in the digital space, including talking to those pesky internet service providers.

Do you think he could get Tiscali to make the internet at my sister's house actually work, so I can submit my CMU Daily stories on time when I stay there, and not delay the Daily by three hours? No, not even the Vice President of the world's biggest music company could manage that, Tiscali being officially the most useless company on Planet Earth. "We'll call you straight back". Yeah, right. Just get on with going bankrupt and let us get on with our lives will you Mr Tiscali?

Anyway, I seem to have digressed ever so slightly there. Keeling will report to Universal Music International's SVP Digital Rob Wells in his new job, who told CMU: "Our international digital business has been the industry standard over the past three years, which is largely thanks to the team which works here. This appointment reflects the excellent business contributions Francis has made, including a key role in developing our partnerships with Nokia, BSkyB and Orange. His promotion is well-deserved".

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YOUTUBE IS A BIG FAT LOSS, PROBABLY
Google are generally very cagey about which of their services make money and which of their services haemorrhage it, though it's no secret YouTube, one of the web firm's most costly purchases to date, is some way off making money, and that is one of the reasons why Google bosses aren't that keen to pay song royalty societies PRS For Music and GEMA any more money for the rights to include their members' songs on the video site - they haven't said it, but you sense what they are implying is "we're losing money paying you the nominal rates you're getting now, and you want more?"

As an indicator of Google's YouTube challenge, we have comments made late last week by Credit Suise analyst Spence Wang in a note to investors, in which he predicted that the web firm's video service will make a loss of about $470 million this year, because the cost of delivering the content, not to mention the royalties it has already committed to pay to the record companies and publishers and the like, are no where near covered by ad revenues.

Wang reckons only 3% of possible ad spots on YouTube are sold, and that rates are horribly low, making the whole video venture a real loss leader, despite its huge success in terms of traffic. It all suggests, as I think we've suggested previously, that Google's business model works when it comes to providing relatively low-cost ad-funded web services like search, email and document sharing, but when you apply it to a more expensive video-on-demand platform, especially if you start to factor in content costs, the pennies per click model doesn't add up the same. Especially if video viewers turn out to be less likely to click than search engine and web mail users, which generally they do.

Of course the fact that Google, despite being a billion dollar concern, is losing millions on YouTube could be used as an argument as to why PRS For Music and GEMA should be willing to be more flexible, and a bit more bargain basement, than they seem to be. Though that assumes that there is no other business model out there that can make a YouTube-style service work. If there is - and I think there might be - then a faltering YouTube doesn't necessarily have to play into the hands of the video site's illegal competitors, and Google can just quietly write YouTube off as a mis-adventure.

Though until such a business model is found and proven - and there are already contenders out there, MUZU maybe, and perhaps the seemingly optimistic Ek and his Spotify - these will remain shaky times as artists, songwriters, collecting societies and (some) labels stand there ground and demand a bigger share of what might be non-existent cash.

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YAHOO LAUNCH NEW ARTIST PAGE SERVICE - IT'S ALL ABOUT THE LINKS
Having dabbled in various loss-making music ventures itself, Yahoo! US has just revamped it's music offer and instead of offering hi-tech streaming whatnots itself, it's trying to position itself as a hub which takes music fans off to other corners of the net to actually do the multi-media stuff.

Yahoo's music channel will have at its heart hundreds of artist pages which will in turn aggregate relevant content and websites on the net for each featured singer or band, including links through to iTunes, last.fm, Pandora and Amazon. The web firm will earn some sort of referral fee from some of the services it links to - meaning Yahoo! can earn from its music fan traffic without having to invest itself in expensive multi-media delivery technology and music licences.

Confirming the new service, Yahoo Music General Manager Michael Spiegelman told reporters: "We really want to focus on providing the service that's most valuable to users, and then partner with third parties to provide the entire set of music services".

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BAUER TO BUY GLOBAL'S MIDLAND STATIONS?
Rumour has it that Global Radio is in talks with rivals Bauer Media about the former selling its BRMB, Mercia, Wyvern and Beacon Radio stations to the latter. Global has to sell some of the Midlands stations it acquired when it bought GCap in order to satisfy Office Of Fair Trading conditions set down before that takeover occurred. Radio Today reckon that if the deal is done those local FM stations will become part of Bauer's Big City network of local pop stations.

According to the Sunday Times there were five parties interested in buying the stations, but at the moment only talks with Bauer are ongoing. A deal could be done within the month. Global is also expected to sell its stake in the Digital One national DAB network, something GCap had been planning on doing anyway prior to Global's takeover, such is the pessimism regarding DAB in the commercial radio sector just now.

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TOTAL ROCK WORLD ALBUM CHART
It's this week's Total Rock World Album Chart, as counted down on Total Rock last weekend - www.totalrock.com. New entries and re-entries marked with a *.

1. Nickelback - Dark Horse (Warner/Roadrunner)
2. Bruce Springsteen - Working On A Dream (Sony/Columbia)
3. Lamb Of God - Wrath (Warner/Roadrunner)
4. AC/DC - Black Ice (Sony/Columbia)
5. Metallica - Death Magnetic (Universal/Mercury)
6. Kid Rock - Rock - N Roll Jesus (Warner/Atlantic)
7. Guns n Roses - Chinese Democracy (Universal/Geffen)
8. Chris Cornell - Scream (Universal)
9. Theory Of A Deadman - Scars & Souvenirs (Warner/Roadrunner)
10. Static-X - Cult Of Static (Warner Bros)*
11. Nickelback - All The Right Reasons (Warner/Roadrunner)
12. Slipknot - All Hope Is Gone (Warner/Roadrunner)
13. Linkin Park - Minutes To Midnight (Warner Bros)
14. New Found Glory - Not Without A Fight (Epitaph)
15. Rise Against - Appeal To Reason (Universal/Geffen)
16. Shinedown - The Sound Of Madness (Warner/Atlantic)
17. Disturbed - Indestructible (Warner/Reprise)
18. Fall Out Boy - Folie A Deux (Universal/Island)
19. Guns n Roses - Greatest Hits (Universal/Geffen)
20. Bruce Springsteen - Greatest Hits (Sony/Columbia)

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GERI'S EX PREFERS POSH
So, we were all wondering why Geri split up with her fiancé last month. Well, I was anyway. I think we might have found it. The man in question, Italian yacht tycoon Fabrizio Politi, told the News Of The World: "To be honest, looks and dress-wise [Victoria Beckham] was normally more my cup of tea than Geri, as she dresses like me - a little more refined and elegant".

Okay, that quote is a tiny bit out of context. He went on to say: "I had been looking for a beautiful woman to settle down with and start a family, and I thought in Geri I had finally found that person".

As to why it actually ended, he refused to say, telling the tabloid: "I respect Geri too much to divulge that. All I can say was a very bad situation happened between us".

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TURBONEGRO BASSIST SELLS HAIR ON EBAY
Yes! Now you could be the proud owner of Turbonegro bassist Thomas Seltzer's hair. You could turn it into a wig, knit with it, cook it in a hair stew, give it to a loved one, or just keep it in a box. The possibilities are endless. The eBay listing says: "It's fresh, just of the scalp, well taken care of and looks gorgeous". Lovely.

Put in your bid, here.

Warning: It may already be out of your price range. Unless you really, really want some second hand hair.

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SONY NOMINATIONS IN FULL

The Music Programme Award
In: Demand - Key 103 for the Big City Network
The Huey Show - Wise Buddah Creative for BBC 6 Music
The Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie Show - Smooth Operations for BBC Radio 2
Words and Music - BBC Radio Arts and Radio 3 for Radio 3
Zane Lowe - BBC Radio 1

The Specialist Music Programme Award
Andi Durrant: The Warm Up - Distorted Productions for the Galaxy Network
David Rodigan - Kiss Network
Friction - BBC Asian Network
Mic Check - Somethin' Else for the BBC Asian Network
Stuart Maconie's Freak Zone - BBC Audio & Music for 6 Music

The Music Radio Personality of the Year
Chris Evans - BBC Radio 2
Lauren Laverne - BBC 6 Music
Scott Mills - BBC Radio 1
Simon James & Hill - Kerrang! Radio
Zane Lowe - BBC Radio 1

The Music Broadcaster of the Year
Alex James - Classic FM
David Rodigan - Kiss Network
Mark Radcliffe - Smooth Operations for BBC Radio 2
Steve Lamacq - 6 Music, Radio 2 & Radio 1
Stuart Maconie - Smooth Operations for BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music

The Music Special Award
Absolute Coldplay - Absolute Radio & TBI Media for Absolute Radio
Cut & Paste - Wise Buddah Creative for BBC Radio 1
Gerry's Danny Boy - BBC Radio Ulster
Vaughan Williams: Valiant for Truth - BBC Radio 3
Who Knows Where The Time Goes, The Sandy Denny Story - Whispering Bob Broadcasting Company for BBC Radio 2

The Entertainment Award
Adam and Joe - BBC 6 Music
Chris Evans Drivetime - BBC Radio 2
Christian O'Connell - Absolute Radio
Geoff Lloyd - Absolute Radio
Tim Shaw's Absolution - Absolute Radio

The Music Programming Award
BBC Radio 1
Classic FM
Magic 105.4

The Drama Award
Cavalry - BBC Radio 4
Goldfish Girl - BBC Radio 4
Mr Larkin's Awkward Day - BBC Radio 4
The Color Purple - BBC Radio 4
The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists - Above the Title & Woolyback Productions for BBC Radio 4

The Sports Award
5 live Olympic Breakfast- BBC 5 live
Olympics Sportsworld - BBC World Service
Sportsweek - Front Page Media for BBC Radio 5 live
The Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast - talkSPORT
The Football Forum - BRMB for Gold (Birmingham, Coventry & Wolverhampton)

The Speech Award
America, Empire of Liberty - BBC Radio 4
Jon Ronson On.... - Unique for BBC Radio 4
Outlook: Black in the USA - BBC World Service
Prisoners' Voices - Prison Radio Association & Electric Radio Brixton
Simon Mayo & Mark Kermode - BBC 5 live

The News & Current Affairs Award
5 live Breakfast - BBC 5 live
Newsbeat - BBC Radio 1
The World Today - BBC World Service News
The Wrap - BBC Asian Network
Today - BBC Radio 4

The News Special Award
Desperate Dreams: The Monday Documentary - BBC Manchester for the World Service
Driving Into Debt - Falling Tree Productions for BBC Radio 4
Poetry From The Front Line - White Pebble Media for BBC Radio 4
Rhys Jones - Century Radio
The Investigation: Never Too Old To Care - A Stark Production for BBC Radio Scotland

The News Journalist of the Year
106 JACK fm & Oxford's FM 107.9 News Team
City Talk News Team -
Eddie Mair - BBC Radio 4
Gavin Lee - BBC 5 live
Mike Thomson - BBC Radio 4

The Speech Radio Personality of the Year
Eddie Mair - BBC Radio 4
Ian Wright - talkSPORT
Nicky Campbell - BBC 5 live
Stephen Nolan - BBC 5 live & BBC Radio Ulster
Vanessa Feltz - BBC London 94.9

The Speech Broadcaster of the Year
Edi Stark - A Stark Production for BBC Radio Scotland
Evan Davis - BBC Radio 4
John Humphrys - BBC Radio 4
Nick Ferrari - LBC 97.3
Simon Mayo - BBC 5 live

The Breakfast Show Award
5 live Breakfast - BBC 5 live
Bowie @ Breakfast - Radio Clyde for 102.5 Clyde 1
Kiss 100 Breakfast with Rickie, Melvin & Charlie - Kiss 100
Shaun Keaveny - BBC 6 Music
The Chris Moyles Show - BBC Radio 1

The Listener Participation Award
Adam and Joe - BBC 6 Music
Electric Radio Brixton: Daily Show - Prison Radio Association & Electric Radio Brixton
Iain Lee - Absolute Radio
Sadie Nine's Loud Women - BBC Essex
Stephen Nolan - BBC 5 live

The Comedy Award
606 with Danny Baker - Campbell Davison Media for BBC 5 live
Adam and Joe - BBC 6 Music
Count Arthur Strong's Radio Show! - Komedia Entertainment & Smooth Operations for BBC Radio 4
Miranda Hart's Joke Shop - BBC Radio 2
The Now Show - BBC Radio 4

The Feature Award
Anatomy Of A Car Crash - BBC Radio 4
Between The Ears: Staring At The Wall - BBC Radio 3
Giving Way To A New Era - Made in Manchester Limited for BBC Radio 4
Leonard and Marianne - Falling Tree Productions for BBC Radio 4
Lives In A Landscape: Gone East - BBC Radio 4

The Interview Award
Allison Ferns interviews Reunited Brothers - BBC Southern Counties Radio
Andrew Peach interviews Graeme Murty - BBC Radio Berkshire
Eddie Mair interviews Ken Livingstone - BBC Radio 4
Electric Radio interview with Jonathan Aitken - Prison Radio Association & Electric Radio Brixton
Feargal Keane interviews Lana Vandenberghe - Taking a Stand, BBC Radio 4

The Breaking News Award
Attacks in Mumbai - BBC Radio 4
Body on Arbroath Beach - Tay News Team
Schools Closures - BBC Radio Shropshire
The Rangers Riot - BBC Radio Manchester
The Ray Lewis Investigation - BBC London 94.9

The Live Event Coverage Award
Absolute Coldplay - TBI Media for Absolute Radio
Carnival - 1Xtra
Summer Sundae Weekender - BBC 6 Music
The Beijing Olympics - BBC 5 live
The Coldstream Guards Come Home To Windsor - BBC Radio Berkshire

The Community Award
A Sound Fix (Spots) - Prison Radio Association for Electric Radio Brixton
Coventry Market the Musical - BBC Coventry & Warwickshire
Don't Be A Tosser! - BBC Radio Suffolk
Legsy Gets A Break - BBC Radio Berkshire
Omagh Community Radio Group for Strule FM

The Themed Programming Award
1968 - Myth or Reality ? - BBC BBC Radio 4
Family Life - BBC Hereford & Worcester
The Chopin Experience - BBC Radio 3
The Forgotten Army - 106 JACK fm
US'08 BBC Bus: Talking America - BBC World Service News

The Promo Award
Absolute Radio Discover Real Music - Absolute Radio
Bristol's Big Give - GWR Bristol
Kiss The Planet - What Will You Do? - Kiss Network
The My Lai Tapes - BBC World Service
TV Licensing - Students Campaign - Fresh Air Production & Proximity London for BBC Radio 1

The Competition Award
Adam and Joe - Video Wars - BBC 6 Music
Facebuck - Galaxy Network
Heart's Tankety Tank - Heart FM
Radio City Makes Your Day - Radio City
Win Your Wedding - CFM

The Station Imaging Award
1Xtra
BBC Radio 1
City Talk 105.9
JACK fm
Xfm

The Internet Programme Award
Answer Me This! - Answer Me This Podcast.com
Media Talk - The Rout At Radio 2 - Guardian.co.uk
Nature's Voice - Podcasts for the RSPB Website
Rethinkdaily - Rethinkdaily.co.uk
The Budgerigar and the Prisoner - Clifton Diocese.com

The Multiplatform Radio Award
95.8 Capital FM iPhone Application - 95.8 Capital FM
Classic FM
Radio 1's Big Weekend - BBC Radio 1
Wimbledon - BBC Radio 5 live Interactive
World On The Move - BBC Radio 4

Station Of the Year: Under 300,000
BBC Radio Foyle
Beacon Radio (Shropshire)
Radio Scilly

Station of the Year (300,000 - 1 million)
BBC Hereford & Worcester
BBC Radio Nottingham
Lincs 102.2 FM

Station of the Year (1 million plus)
BBC Radio Ulster
Kerrang 105.2
Magic 105.4

Digital Station of the Year
BBC Asian Network
Fun Kids
Planet Rock

UK Station of the Year
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 3
Classic FM

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