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U2 GIG TO BROADCAST ACROSS 22 RADIO STATIONS
Twenty two stations on the Bauer Radio network will broadcast a U2 concert live from Sheffield on 20 Aug, as part of five hours of programming dedicated to the band. They reckon 6.53 million people will tune in. I reckon all those people shouldn't be allowed radios if they can't use them properly.
The concert at the city's Don Valley Stadium will account for two hours of the U2 360° Tour special, the rest of the torrent of awfulness filled up with an interview with the band by Clyde One DJ Billy Sloan, and a live report from the venue by IN:Demand's Alex & Lucy and Bauer Scotland's Romeo.
As well as the tedium of the 'special' broadcast, Bauer stations will have other U2 features on shows in the run up to it, with on air promotions and competitions. Plus there will be a U2 microsite and some social media stuff. Basically, it will be almost identical to the massive promotion the BBC did around the band's album release earlier this year.
Big City Network programme director Steve King told reporters: "Our U2 360° project is set to be the biggest commercial radio event of 2009. Bauer Media are delighted to have secured this sought-after opportunity to host this major live cross-network broadcast. We are passionate about innovative programming and committed to delivering entertaining content to all the communities we serve. U2 are the world's biggest band and we are sure our multi-platform approach and bespoke programming plans will deliver a true appointment-to-listen music event for millions of our listeners".
Surely this amount of promotion is completely disproportionate to U2's actual popularity. Why does this keep happening? In a sane world, they would now have been left to slip into the quietly-releasing-albums-merely-to-promote-tours phase of their existence. Like the Rolling Stones, only shit.
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JACKO: NO TO POST-MORTEM RESULTS AND YES TO FILM RELEASE
The results of Michael Jackson's second post-mortem will not be made public until police complete their investigation into the singer's death. It is, however, expected that the results of the tests will show that he was heavily medicated when he died, with police still focussing mainly on the dose of powerful anaesthetic propofol reportedly given to Jackson by his doctor, Conrad Murphy, prior to the cardiac arrest which killed him.
As previously reported, Dr Murray, whose offices were searched by police last month in connection with the singer's death, has not been named as a suspect yet, though court records confirm that he is the subject of a manslaughter investigation.
Elsewhere in Jacko news, AEG Live's documentary footage of Jackon's rehearsals for his ill-fated O2 residencywill be released on 30 Oct, with 90% of proceeds going to his family, following approval from LA's Probate Court. The deal between the Jackson estate, AEG Live and Sony's Columbia Pictures was one of various commercial agreements put before a judge this week by the executors of his estate - they were looking for court approval to enter into such deals before the late King Of Pop's affairs are fully wound up.
Cut together from over 80 hours of footage and interspersed with interviews with the star's friends and collaborators, the film will apparently be called 'This Is It' (after the title of that O2 residency, of course, even though it has now taken on a very different meaning), and will also be shown partly in 3D for extra gruesomeness.
Jackson's mother Katherine has raised various objections about the film, particularly over the possibility that her son's three children, of whom she is now the legal guardian, would appear in it. AEG have now said that they will not be shown on screen.
Head of Sony Pictures Entertainment, Michael Lynton said: "This historic recording of the last time he sang and danced on stage shows the legendary artist in an incredibly powerful way, with crystal clear images and sound".
JET FRONTMAN COLLAPSES ON STAGE
Jet frontman Nic Cester collapsed on stage at the Hard Rock Café in London last night. He had apparently been complaining of feeling unwell all day but took to the stage at 8pm. He managed to perform two songs before collapsing. He then got to his feet and joked that he had swine flu before falling again.
He was carried off stage by the band's crew and rushed to University College Hospital in Euston where he was treated for symptoms of gastroenteritis - acute vomiting and dehydration - and was kept there overnight for monitoring.
After Cester's departure, the band, who are currently on a promotional tour for their forthcoming third album, 'Shaka Rock', played three more songs without him.
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NO AGE MAN DISLOCATES SHOULDER IN DANCE OFF
No Age guitarist Randy Randall managed to dislocate his shoulder during a dance off with Deerhunter's Bradford Cox at the Turner Hall Ballroom in Milwaukee on Friday night.
The two bands are currently touring the States with Dan Deacon. As Deacon brought the show to a close with a DJ set, Randall and Cox attempted to out dance one another, with a the promise that the loser would give away their merchandise to the crowd. During the contest, Randall slipped in a puddle of beer and dislocated his shoulder. Which I assume means that Cox won.
Despite the injury, the band went ahead and played their set at the Lollapalooza festival in Chicago on Saturday, with Randy's arm in a brace. At one point during the set, he asked the crowd: "Is anyone on as much Vicodin as I am?"
SHINS DRUMMER SACKED FOR "WEAKNESSES"
Former Shins drummer Jesse Sandoval has shed a bit more light on the reason for his departure from the band earlier this year. At the time frontman James Mercer told Pitchfork that it was "an aesthetic decision". Put more bluntly, Sandoval told The Portland Mercury: "I was fired".
More to the point, Sandoval was fired because he wasn't able to play the drum parts for the band's new songs, which is kind of important. He told the paper: "I have a slower learning curve than polished musicians. There were some drumbeats that [Mercer] tried to do, that he asked me to do, and I just couldn't do them. In the studio, I didn't have the luxury to take lots of time to execute drum parts, and you can't really piecemeal drums. So my weaknesses showed ... working with [producer] Danger Mouse only exacerbated that fact".
He added that he doesn't hold with Mercer's pussyfooting around the issue, saying: "It might be hard for him to say it, but I got fired. There's no other way of looking at it. He turned the page, he wanted to do something else, and he's OK with that. And everybody, me included, can judge him".
He added that Mercer had contacted him to try to discuss the matter, but he had so far not responded. He explained: "I'm usually the first one to defend James or at least try to help them understood how this came to be. [But] behind closed doors, I'm upset to the point where I'm livid, or I'm OK with it, or happy about it ... I feel like I'm a walking contradiction".
DOMINO SIGN FINAL FANTASY
Owen Pallett, string arranger for everyone from Arcade Fire to The Last Shadow Puppets, has announced that he has signed to Domino to release the third album from his Final Fantasy solo project. 'Heartland', his first full-length album since 2006's 'He Poos Clouds', will be released early next year. Which is nice if you like that sort of thing.
RIHANNA WORKING WITH CHASE & STATUS
Rihanna is working with British drum n bass producers Chase & Status on material for her next album.
Saul Milton, aka Chase, told The Daily Star: "Rihanna got in contact with us after hearing our track 'Saxon'. She loved the feel of the drums and said she wanted a similar thing for her next record. We've spent the past few weeks working with her and her people in an undisclosed location. She's a lovely girl, so professional and it was an honour to work with her. The stuff she's doing now I would definitely go out and buy myself, it's a big change".
Describing the shape the music was taking, Milton continued: "It's over 140 beats per minute but there's also a dubstep vibe on the things we've done with her. It's more musical, which we're into right now".
THE RAVEONETTES GO POP
The Raveonettes will release their fourth album via Fierce Panda on 5 Oct. Entitled 'In And Out Of Control' is promises to showcase a new, poppier sound, pulled out of the duo by producer Thomas Troelson who has previously worked with Junior Senior and DFA.
Says the band's Sune Rose Wagner: "We spent two years coming up with the sound and songs for [previous album] 'Lust Lust Lust', which was recorded in my apartment in NYC and was the darkest record we ever made. We always hated repeating ourselves so we set the bar really high for 'In And Out Of Control'".
In an attempt to imagine what the album might sound like, why not stare at this tracklist:
Bang!
Gone Forever
Last Dance
Boys Who Rape (Should Be Destroyed)
Heart Of Stone
Oh, I Buried You Today
Suicide
D.R.U.G.S.
Breaking Into Cars
Break Up Girls!
Wine
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THE BRUTE CHORUS ANNOUNCE DEBUT ALBUM
The Brute Chorus will self-release their eponymous debut album - which was recorded live in one take in front of 300 fans earlier this year - on 19 Oct.
Five weeks before the recording, the band enlisted producers Victor Van Vugt (Nick Cave, PJ Harvey, Gogol Bordello and Son's and Daughters) and the Mercury nominated Choque Hosein (Black Star Liner, Hood, Lord Auch) to make it sound nice, and began rehearsing hard in a room above a Hackney pub to ensure they played it all right. Then they stepped out on stage at The Roundhouse's FreeDM Studios and played it all in one go, before Van Vugt took the tapes back to New York to begin mixing it.
So, not quite a live album, not quite a studio album, 'The Brute Chorus' is a mix of rock n roll, blues, rockabilly, punk and folk with all the energy of their live shows because, well, you know...
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HERE, LISTEN TO SOME ALBUMS
The XX, Theoretical Girl and Jay Reatard have all decided to stream their albums in full via We7 a week before their official release dates. What's particularly good about this is that all these albums are very much worth listening to, free or otherwise. So, no big intro, just listen to them and see what you think.
U2 MUSICAL HITS CASHFLOW PROBLEMS
So, radio bosses may still be under the delusion that the world at large wants to hear U2's music, but it seems those who invest in theatre have got the right idea. The Spiderman music, the music and lyrics for which were penned by Bono and The Edge, has run into funding problems.
'Spider-Man, Turn Off The Dark' has been estimated to cost around $40 million, but, according to Variety, has failed to raise enough cash to cover this, causing the production to be put temporarily on hold.
The magazine claims: "The halt is attributed to cashflow obstacles that producers ... are working to resolve. Others attached to 'Spider-Man' acknowledge the funding hiccup, but believe the situation will be resolved without forcing a disruption of the musical's launch".
Although the lead role has not yet been cast, Evan Rachel Wood has signed up to play love interest Mary Jane Watson, while Scottish actor Alan Cumming will play villain, The Green Goblin. A spokesperson for the show said that previews were expected to begin in February, ahead of the show's planned March 2010 launch.
THE PRODIGY ANNOUNCE TOUR DATES
I'm not sure I approve of people announcing tour dates for next year already, but The Prodigy have gone and done it, so I guess I'll have to live with it. Anyway, they said their first run of shows in the new year would take them to places so far not visited as they promote their latest album, 'Invaders Must Die'.
The band said: "We wanted to kick off 2010 in the UK so we are coming to some of the towns that we missed last year - sometimes these places can get forgotten so we wanted to bring the show to fans who don't often get a chance to see us".
Tour dates:
21 Jan: Doncaster, Dome
22 Jan: Bridlington, Spa
23 Jan: Blackpool, Empress Ballroom
25 Jan: Plymouth, Pavilions
26 Jan: Southend, Cliffs Pavilion
27 Jan: Bournemouth, International Centre
ZOMBIES AND KARAOKE EN MASSE AT THE BIG CHILL
It was quite a time for all coming together and doing stuff at last weekend's Big Chill festival. And I don't just mean that a load of people turned up for the festival. Although they did. There were other smaller pockets of getting together and doing stuff during the festival.
First off, as expected, on Thursday festival-goers helped break the world record for the most number of zombies (or people pretending to be zombies, at least) caught on camera at one time. It was all captured for forthcoming Film4 and Warp Films co-production 'I Spit On Your Rave'. Starring The Mighty Boosh's Noel Fielding, the film is set six years after a virus is released at the 2012 Olympics, leaving the world ruled by zombies. A total of 4026 zombies shuffled their way around The Big Chill, beating the previous record of 3894, set in Seattle last month.
But oh so much nicer, and more successful in bringing lots of folk together at once, was The Big Sing on Sunday. Hosted by karaoke company Lucky Voice to promote their karaoke streaming site Lucky Voice Home, they attracted 5000 people, with lyrics projected onto screens and suggestions for songs to sing submitted via Twitter. It wasn't a record attempt and it didn't involve the undead, it was just nice.
Here are some videos:
Zombies - www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0n3bKTSRYY
Singing - blog.luckyvoice.com/2009/08/lucky-voice-the-big-chill-big-sing/
EP REVIEW: Liam Finn - Champagne In Seashells (Transgressive)
Last year's 'I'll Be Lightning' album was an unexpected delight - lo-fi but colourful pop songs delivered with an assuredness that's hardly surprising given New Zealander Finn's heritage (his dad is Crowded House frontman Neil Finn). And now he's back with more of the same, this time on a six track EP with Tchad Blake on knob-twiddling duties, who has given the songs that little bit of extra bite and intrigue (and an occasional experimental edge: see the coda to 'Won't Change My Mind' and 'Captain Cat Is Crying', the former's jungle psychedelia and animal noises being particularly beguiling. Elsewhere there's the usual lilting guitar pop with lush harmonies (and some nice guest vocals from Eliza Jane on 'On Your Side') whilst 'Plane Crash' is surprisingly angry, with an explosive chorus redolent of well, a plane crash, actually. Good stuff, all told. MS
Release Date: 17 Aug
Press Contact: Bang On [O]
Buy from iTunes
Buy from Amazon
TICKETMASTER APPOINT FORMER WARNER CHIEF
So this is interesting, Roger Ames, the boss of Warner Music prior to its acquisition by Edgar Bronfman Jr and subsequently a much touted but never appointed EMI chief, has been recruited by Ticketmaster as their CEO of International Operations. Whatever that means.
Ames held various jobs within the EMI empire following his departure from Warner, though never rose as high up the hierarchy as some expected him to. He left his job running the major's North American recordings business last year, in the face of Terra Firma's widespread restructuring.
According to Billboard, Ticketmaster boss Irving Azoff says he has recruited Ames to strengthen the ticketing giant's international business. It's not entirely clear what will happen to Ames' role if and when Ticketmaster's merger with Live Nation goes ahead.
Having been bumped out of Warner after Edgar's big purchase, and then frozen from any decent EMI job by the arrival of Terra Firma, presumably Ames is as wary as anyone as to the impact of big business deals on senior executives' job security. One would assume, therefore, Ames will have a key roll in any merged Live Master, should such a thing ever come into being.
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ERNST & YOUNG QUESTION BORDERS VIABILITY
Having only just acquired the company, managers at books and CD sellers Borders UK were dealt a blow yesterday when the firm's auditors raised concerns about their ability to continue trading. As previously reported, the retailer was subject to a management buyout last month led by CEO Philip Downer.
Throwing some doubt on the logic behind that takeover, Ernst & Young have now reportedly questioned the company's ability to continue trading, noting the ongoing hardships on the high street, the company's continued rent obligations, and concerns they may lose the support of suppliers in credit terms. All a bit gloomy for poor old Phil really. He's yet to comment. Prior to the MBO, Borders closed down five of its stores.
RADIO 1 REJIGS SPECIALIST SCHEDULE
So, following the recent rejig of the of the daytime schedule, Radio 1's specialist line-up is getting a shake-up. And the biggest news to come out of it is that Steve Lamacq will be leaving the station after 16 years, although he will continue to host shows on Radio 2 and 6 Music.
A new documentary series called 'Radio 1 Stories' will take over the Monday night 9-10pm slot, while Nihal will host a Tuesday night review show from 9pm looking at the biggest films, games and music of the week. At 9pm on Wednesdays Huw Stephens will do a new music shim sham, whilst the In New DJs We Trust franchise will become a permanent feature at 9pm on Thursdays with the likes of Jaymo & Andy George, Heidi and the simply brilliant Alex Metric set to appear. Annie Mac and Pete Tong will switch places on the Friday line-up, with her show taking the 7-9pm slot, and his filling 9-11pm.
On Saturday nights, Tim Westwood moves back to a solo slot from 9pm to 11pm, as well as taking on the drivetime show on 1Xtra, while Mistajam takes over the crossover from 11pm Saturday night to 1am Sunday morning.
Radio 1 Controller Andy Parfitt said of the reshuffle: "Taken together with our recent revamp of the core daytime schedule, this represents one of the most significant shake-ups of the whole schedule in recent times and will help us focus on a new generation of Radio 1 listeners".
Tim Westwood added: "My swagger levels are through the roof!"
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BORRELL GETS XFM SHOW
Razorlight frontman Johnny Borrell has been given his own weekly show on Xfm, which will air on Sunday evenings for ten weeks beginning on 6 Sep. Called 'The Sunday Service: Songs They Don't Play On The Radio', it will see Borrell play songs that don't normally get played on mainstream radio. The Quo and Cliff, I guess.
Confirming his new job, Borrell, mainly repeating what I've already basically said twice, told reporters: "Xfm are the only station who would let me play Buju Banton next to Allen Ginsberg within the same show. It's going to be one hour each night of the songs they don't play on the radio".
Xfm's Programme Director, Paul Jackson also commented, hinting that you might hear some songs you don't normally hear on the radio on this new show: "We've always loved Razorlight at Xfm and we're looking forward to seeing what Johnny does with the show and which tracks he chooses".
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M8 BECOMES TILLLATE
Dance mag M8 Magazine has acquired clubbing and nightlife website titillate.com and will henceforth be known as tilllate Magazine.
tilllate.com's Client Services Manager, Oliver Bailey told CMU: "This deal represents the coming together of two well respected and highly regarded names in the dance music and clubbing culture community. The reach and skill of tilllate.com's army of professional photographers is unparalleled and will complement tilllate Magazine's vast editorial knowledge and world-renowned opinion, enhancing the user experience on tilllate.com and establishing the website as a truly credible one-stop destination for clubbers and music fans alike".
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. Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown (Warner Bros)
2. Nickelback - Dark Horse (Warner/Roadrunner)
3. Billy Talent - III (Warner/Atlantic)
4. Killswitch Engage - Killswitch Engage (Warner/Roadrunner)
5. Devildriver - Pray For Villains (Warner/Roadrunner)
6. Chickenfoot - Chickenfoot (Edel)
7. Dream Theater - Black Clouds & Silver Linings (Warner/Roadrunner)
8. Theory Of A Deadman - Scars & Souvenirs (Warner/Roadrunner)
9. Shinedown - The Sound Of Madness (Warner/Atlantic)
10. Daughtry - Leave This Town (Sony/RCA)*
11. Bruce Springsteen - Greatest Hits (Sony Music)
12. AC/DC - Black Ice (Sony Music)
13. Rise Against - Appeal To Reason (Universal/Geffen)
14. Bruce Springsteen - Working On A Dream (Sony Music)
15. Alexisonfire - Old Crows/Young Cardinals (Warner/Roadrunner)
16. August Burns Red - Constellations (Hassle)
17. The Mars Volta - Octahedron (Universal)
18. Job For A Cowboy - Ruination (Metal Blade)
19. Incubus - Monuments & Melodies (Sony Music)
20. Clutch - Strange Cousins From The West (Weathermaker)
BEATLES CROSSING COULD BE LOST FOREVER
Just days after the 40th anniversary of The Beatles being photographed crossing the zebra crossing on Abbey Road in north London, for the cover of their 'Abbey Road' album, news comes that the famous crossing may be painted over.
The issue seems to be that a high number of accidents have happened at the crossing, presumably because stupid people pause on the crossing to try and re-create the aforementioned album cover. Local councillor Lindsey Hall told The Sun that there had been 22 accidents at the crossing in the last ten years, saying: "Maybe it's time to end this once and for all and move the zebra crossing".
However, a spokesman for Westminster City Council said that no decisions had yet been made, telling the tabloid: "There is nothing to indicate any more cause for concern than on any other road".
This has, of course, sparked some into declaring the crossing a national icon that should be saved - what the hell if a few people have been run over hey? Just remove it I say. Who cares if a zebra crossing gets painted over? It doesn't matter. The iconic thing is the picture, not the bloody zebra crossing...
Anyway... back to the Daily.
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DIZZEE LETS PRINCE OFF BEING PUNCHED
Dizzee Rascal didn't punch Prince Harry when he met him backstage at the Wireless festival in July. But he would if it had been anyone else. After the rapper's performance at the festival, a knock came at his dressing room door telling him the prince would like to meet him.
"I never saw that one coming", Dizzee told The Telegraph. "but OK. Then Prince Harry came in and was joking around and being a bit cheeky, so I told him, 'If you weren't royalty I'd have punched you in the face by now', and he seemed to like that. He's a naughty boy, so he fits in. In fact, him and his mates are probably a bit wilder than us".
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