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FILM PRODUCTION STUDIO TO RENT IN SHOREDITCH
A fully equipped film production studio in the heart of Shoreditch. An ideal temporary studio to meet all your freelance and overspill needs, with access to 2 cameras (Z1E and HC1E) with 2 sound kits, an HD edit suite with FCP Studio 2, HD deck, HD monitor and sound station. Full specs available on request. Includes a working space for up to four people. The space with production and post-production equipment is £200 per day, minimum hire of three days; 7 days is charged at 5 days. Discounts available for hire of 4 weeks plus. Please contact [email protected] or 07809601366.

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SPOTIFY IPHONE APP GOES LIVE
So, following its approval by Apple chiefs last month, the Spotify iPhone app has gone live on the Apple app store.

The launch of the Spotify app is interesting on two levels. First of all, it's the first expansive music service available to iPhone users other than Apple's own proprietary download store. Some speculated that Spotify's potential to rival iTunes might lead to Apple blocking the app's official distribution, though we all know that Apple operates iTunes primarily to lock us all to their music devices, whether that be iPod or iPhone, so providing Spotify don't launch rival hardware they are obvious partners for the IT giant. Or, at least, Apple won't want Spotify entering into any exclusivity deal with rival portable device makers, given the service's popularity in the net-connected PC domain.

But the Spotify app is probably more interesting because it can only be used by premium subscribers to the streaming music service. This makes things like the app key to Spotify's near future. We all know the vast majority of Spotify's users are currently using the free ad-funded service, despite those National Express ads really testing said users' patience. Meanwhile, the frequency of those National Express ads tell us Spotify does not yet have an extensive range of advertisers, which isn't surprising, given the ad-funded platform launched during one of the worse advertising recessions.

It's probably safe to assume that Spotify's business model long term really relies on many more users going the ten-pounds-a-month subscription route. But the free service offers so much music, and so much flexibility, it's hard to see why people would upgrade, despite occasional content exclusives for premium users, and the tedious-ness of the aforementioned National Express ads. But making Spotify portable for paying users is possibly one way to persuade freebie users to upgrade.

Possibly. All of which will make the number of Spotify app sign ups very interesting to watch. A similar app for phones that use the Android operating system has also gone live today. So, good news for the two people who have Android phones.

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"MP3S SOUND FINE", SAYS RADIOHEAD MAN
There's always a queue of people lined up to complain about the sound quality of MP3s, but far fewer rushing to the audio format's defence. Mainly because people who don't mind the quality of MP3s are just getting on with listening to and enjoying music, rather than moaning about it all the time.

But anyway, I only mention it because Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood was recently asked about his opinion of MP3s by the New Yorker for a series of articles on the quality of recorded music. He told the magazine: "They sound fine to me. They can even put a helpful crunchiness onto some recordings. We listened to a lot of nineties hip-hop during our last album, all as MP3s, all via AirTunes. They sounded great, even with all that technology in the way. MP3s might not compare that well to a CD recording of, say, string quartets, but then, that's not really their point".

Asked if Radiohead's fans would agree with that, he added: "We had a few complaints that the MP3s of our last record weren't encoded at a high enough rate. Some even suggested we should have used FLACs, but if you even know what one of those is, and have strong opinions on them, you're already lost to the world of high fidelity and have probably spent far too much money on your speaker-stands".

However, he echoed the sentiment of comments made earlier this year by Six Organs Of Admittance man Ben Chasny, who said that he feared people were becoming addicted to hoarding information. Greenwood said: "The downside [to the MP3 age] is that people are encouraged to own far more music than they can ever give their full attention to. People will have MP3s of every Miles Davis' record but never think of hearing any of them twice in a row - there's just too much to get through. You're thinking, 'I've got 'Sketches Of Spain' and 'Bitches Brew' - let's zip through those while I'm finishing that e-mail'. That abundance can push any music into background music, furniture music".

Read the full interview here.

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BRITISH LIBRARY PUT HUGE SOUND ARCHIVES ONLINE
The British Library has made 28,000 rare recordings available for free via its website, which is rather exciting. The 2000 hours of recordings make up just a fraction of the library's extensive sound archives. Among the recordings made available, according to the BBC, are a rendition of 'Any Old Iron' recorded in Birmingham and performances by Ugandan royal musicians.

Commenting on the new audio section to the library's website, curator Janet Topp Fargion told the Beeb: "It's more than putting the flesh on the bones, there are recordings that don't exist in any other form. They give you sound, they give actual events. We are being transported all over the world, back in time to different places, different cultures, different peoples".

Children's skipping rhymes, music hall ballads, soldiers' songs, folk tales and rowdy pub singalongs all appear in the collection, with numerous genres from around the world covered, from African rumba to calypso and blues.

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RANDY PISSED OFF BY HELICOPTERS OVER BURIAL
Randy Jackson has hit out at the news media who sent helicopters above the Glendale Forest Lawn Memorial Park to record the burial of his brother Michael last week.

As previously reported, Jacko was finally laid to rest in the LA cemetery on Thursday following a short private service boasting a much more celebrity audience than either the singer's formal funeral or the big memorial bash held back in July.

The Jackson family allowed TV cameras to record guests arriving at the cemetery service, and even to show guests taking to their seats, but a number of news stations also sent their helicopters overhead to get extra footage. It's the overhead filming Randy seems pissed off about. On Friday he called on the TV networks that commissioned the helicopters to pull any footage they recorded from their output.

He said in a statement: "As a family, we are all aware of how Michael's life, and his death, touched so many around the world. It is why we held a public memorial in my brother's honour. And it is the reason we chose to release a small amount of footage leading up to yesterday's ceremony at Forest Lawn. I was dismayed last night and again today at the coverage I saw on television of our ceremony for Michael. We had asked the media to respect the privacy and the sanctity of this event; to give us one moment of privacy to mourn as a family out of the public spotlight.

He continued: "Unfortunately, despite a no-fly zone around Forest Lawn, many media organisations decided to ignore our wishes. They employed helicopters that not only surreptitiously recorded our private family ceremony, but also severely disrupted it. I therefore ask today that media organisations airing helicopter footage of the ceremony we held for my brother immediately pull that footage from their air and refrain from airing it in the future".

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DOHERTY CONSIDERED KILLING HIMSELF ON HIS 30TH BIRTHDAY
Pete Doherty has revealed he considered killing himself on the night of his thirtieth birthday. I think we've all done that, haven't we? Well, apart from all those twenty-somethings out there. But hey, that's something for you all to look forward to.

In an interview with Elle, the Babyshambler recalled his big thirtieth birthday bash back in March thus: "I had this bash in Paris and it was an absolute disgrace. I just made a bit of an idiot out of myself. I don't even know exactly what happened but I ended up trying to throw myself off the top of the hotel. I wasn't happy at all about being 30".

He continued: "I went through a bottle of vodka. They presented me with this cake and I pushed it in the chef's face who'd just made it for me. Then the chef and the security guards were chasing me around. I think I escaped unscathed".

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FORMER BUNNYMAN JAKE BROCKMAN DIES
Former Echo And The Bunnymen keyboard player Jake Brockman died of injuries sustained in a motorcycle crash on the Isle Of Man last week. He was 53.

Born in Borneo, he came to England to study at the Old Vic Theatre School in Bristol. He became a full-time member of Echo And The Bunnymen in 1989, but by then had already been working with the band for several years, earning the nickname "the fifth Bunnyman" from fans. The band split in 1992 and he did not rejoin them when they reformed in 1998. Following the split, he formed BOM with Bristol-based producer Damon Reece, and also worked as a sound recordist on a number of the BBC's natural history programmes.

Echo And The Bunnymen paid tribute to Brockman on their website, saying: "Our thoughts are with his wife, family and friends".

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FORMER SUEDE MANAGER DIES
Jon Eydmann, the former manager of Suede, died while on holiday in Italy last week aged 41. According to Music Week, a spokesman for the British Consulate in Milan told them: "Something happened when he dived into the water but as yet we don't know what".

Eydmann met Brett Anderson in 1991 while he was managing the band Spitfire. He subsequently managed Suede through the defining period of their career, securing their original record deal with Saul Galpern's indie label Nude Records. When Charlie Charlton took over Suede's management, Eydmann went on to work with The Auteurs, Mega City 4 and Spacemen 3, and most recently supported a number of new acts through his London-based company Messy Lives Music.

Paying tribute to Eydmann, the aforementioned Galpern told Music Week: "I was very saddened to hear of his passing. Jon was a sweet guy, a very likeable person who played his part in the first exciting phase of Suede's career, including their Brits and Mercury nominations and the release of the first album which was the biggest-selling British debut of all time at that point".

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ELTON KEYBOARDIST DIES
Keyboardist Guy Babylon, best known for his work with Elton John, has died after suffering a heart attack at his LA home. He was 53.

Babylon started working with Elton John in 1988, playing keyboards on both Elton's recorded work, from 'Sleeping With The Past' onwards, and at John's live shows. By 1992 Babylon had become John's lead keyboardist, and he worked on Elton's other projects too, winning a Grammy in 2001 for his contribution to musical 'Aida'.

As well as his work with John, Babylon also played with rock group Iron Butterfly and disco group Tavares, and with Warpipes, a side project of Davey Johnstone, another member of Elton John's band.

In a statement on his website, Elton said: "I am devastated and heartbroken at the death of Guy Babylon. Guy played over 1000 shows with me, and we worked together on 'The Road To El Dorado', 'Aida', 'Billy Elliot', 'Lestat' and 'Gnomeo And Juliet', as well as on countless albums. He was one of the most brilliant musicians I ever knew, a true genius, a gentle angel - and I loved him so much. David and I send our deep condolences to [Guy's family] Kathy, Max, Ben and Jessica, to Guy's parents, to Kathy's parents and to all his immediate loved ones".

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LADY GAGA NAMED UK'S MOST-DOWNLOADED ARTIST
To celebrate the fifth birthday of the Official Download Chart, the Official Charts Company have put together a special one-off All-Time Official Downloads Chart. And guess what, Lady Gaga is right at the top of it. Yeah, that's right, Lady Gaga's 'Poker Face' has sold more downloads in the UK than any other track in the last five years. I blame you for this.

Lady Gaga does a little dance with Kings Of Leon for the top four spaces on the chart, with her track 'Just Dance' at three, and their tracks 'Sex On Fire' and 'Use Somebody' at two and four. La Roux spoils the pattern by coming in at five with 'In For The Kill'. Leona Lewis also makes two appearances in the top ten.

For those of you not paying attention, this means that download sales have risen quite sharply in the last twelve months. Despite this, 'Poker Face' sales only amount to 779,000 downloads, which doesn't seem like that many. Still, of the top 100 tracks in the chart, 46 were released in 2008 and 21 were released in 2009. Just three from 2004, when the chart was launched, and two from 2005, made the grade.

Commenting on her latest chart achievement, Lady Gaga said: "The commitment and devotion of my fans in the UK, otherwise known as 'my little monsters', has made for a truly memorable and successful year for myself and [debut album] 'The Fame'. I am honoured to be the songwriter and performer behind the number one and number three all-time most downloaded songs in history in the UK. I love my fans eternally, and will continue to live, breathe, bleed, and love music and fashion for them".

Official Charts Company MD Martin Talbot added: "This is a fabulous achievement from Lady Gaga, to come from nowhere in January to dominating the all-time downloads list with two in the top three. Her success - and that of Kings Of Leon and Leona Lewis too - reflect the resurgent success of the singles market in the era of the download and highlights that mass appeal pop music is alive and well in 2009".

Here's the complete top ten:

1. Lady Gaga - Poker Face
2. Kings Of Leon - Sex On Fire
3. Lady Gaga - Just Dance
4. Kings Of Leon - Use Somebody
5. La Roux - In For The Kill
6. Leona Lewis - Run
7. Alexandra Burke - Hallelujah
8. Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love
9. Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars
10. Nickelback - Rockstar

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WHITE TO PRODUCE STONES?
Jack White has been working on songs with Keith Richards and may produce the next Rolling Stones album, according to reports.

Fuelling the rumour, Richards told Rolling Stone: "I enjoy working with Jack, and we've done a couple of tracks. I couldn't fuel the production rumour, other than to say Jack and I are in touch".

As for when the Stones will record their next 'tour advert', he said: "I'm trying to gather the boys together. One way or another, I'll get them back in line".

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ROBBIE REVEALS TRACKLIST
Robbie Williams has announced the tracklist for his forthcoming new album, 'Reality Killed The Video Star'. Produced by Trevor Horn, it will be released on 12 Oct.

Here is that all-important meaningless list of words:

Morning Sun
Bodies
You Know Me
Blasphemy
Do You Mind?
Last Days Of Disco
Somewhere
Deceptacon
Starstruck
Difficult For Weirdos
Superblind
Won't Do That
Morning Sun Reprise

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RUSSIAN CIRCLES ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM
So, here's some exciting Monday morning news; instrumental rock behemoth Russian Circles have announced that they will release their third album, 'Geneva', on 19 Oct.

Drummer Dave Turncrantz said of the writing and recording process on this album: "Everyone supported everyone else's weirdest ideas. We took more time in the studio to get tones and perfect takes".

Listen to some stuff from the band's first two albums here: www.myspace.com/russiancircles

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JAY-Z'S ROUNDHOUSE GIG SELLS OUT IN SECONDS
Tickets for Jay-Z's upcoming show at the Roundhouse in London went on sale on Friday morning and sold out in twenty seconds. Which is quite fast. The gig will take place on 17 Sep (for those of you who like knowing the dates of things you can't go to), to coincide with the release of the rapper's new album, 'The Blueprint 3', on 14 Sep (though the US release of this album has just been brought forward to tomorrow, not sure if that applies to the UK, but the gig might not fully coincide any more).

Of the album, Jay said: "The trilogy has come full circle. 'Blueprint' encompasses the essence of those that influenced me. It pays homage to the soul music our parents played. Musically the album recognises that there is a generation of us that are influencing the next wave of artists. The album lays the groundwork for what can happen next".

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EDITORS TOUR DATES
Editors have announced some tour dates to coincide with the release of their third album, 'In This Light And On This Evening'. They're selling out fast, though. So if you are planning on buying tickets, you'd better get on with it. The album is set for release on 12 Oct, with the first single, 'Papillion', out the day before.

Tour dates:

7 Oct: Belfast, St George's Market
8 Oct: Dublin, Olympia (SOLD OUT)
9 Oct: Limerick, Dolans (SOLD OUT)
12 Oct: Edinburgh, Picture House
13 Oct: Glasgow, Barrowlands
14 Oct: Newcastle, Academy (SOLD OUT)
16 Oct: Manchester, Academy (SOLD OUT)
17 Oct: Leeds, Academy (SOLD OUT)
18 Oct: Norwich, UEA (SOLD OUT)
19 Oct: Bristol, Colston Hall (SOLD OUT)
21 Oct: London, Hammersmith Apollo
22 Oct: Sheffield, Academy
23 Oct: Nottingham, Rock City (SOLD OUT)
25 Oct: Wolverhampton, Civic Hall
26 Oct: Southampton, Guildhall (SOLD OUT)

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PIRATE PARTY FOUNDER TO OPEN ITC
Rick Falkvinge, the founder of the Pirate Party, will give the opening address at this year's In The City bash in Manchester. It will be Falkvinge's first speaking appearance here in the UK.

As much previously reported, The Pirate Party is the Swedish political organisation set up partly to support the men behind controversial BitTorrent tracker The Pirate Bay as said men faced mounting legal pressure from both the big content owners and the Swedish authorities over the copyright infringement their website enabled. Beyond the Bay, The Pirate Party's main policies are all based around internet issues, in particular the reform of copyright laws in the digital age, and the protection of internet rights and freedoms.

The Party came to prominence during the big Pirate Bay trial in Sweden back in April, a trial which conveniently ran up to the European elections. Buoyed by all the attention the Bay trial brought them, the Pirate Party won a big enough share of the Euro vote in Sweden to take a seat in the European Parliament. A sister party has since surfaced in Germany, and there is talk of a UK version contesting seats in the next General Election.

Confirming that Falkvinge, arguably an enemy of the traditional music industry, would be opening this year's In The City, the convention's boss Yvette Livesey told CMU: "We are aware that inviting Rick Falkvinge to give the opening address at this year's In The City will be a somewhat controversial choice for many in the music industry. However, we believe that it is important that we listen to what he has to say. The Pirate Party takes a strong line on many of the key issues affecting our industry and we are sure that, in the spirit of debate and discussion that In The City has always advocated and encouraged, it will give us all food for thought".

In The City 2009 takes place at Manchester's Midlands Hotel from 18-20 Oct.

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LIVE CONFERENCE TO FOCUS ON INDIE ISSUES
Organisers of the live sector's big Autumn convention, the LIVE UK Summit, has announced that they will include two sessions dedicated to the independent end of the live music industry. The sessions will coincide with the launch of we-LIVE, a new trade association for independent venues and promoters. The first session will look at the challenges unique to indie promoters, while the second will specifically look at licensing issues.

Confirming the indie focused sessions, LIVE UK Managing Editor Steve Parker told CMU: "When Dominique Czopor of The Boileroom venue in Guildford outlined her aims for we:LIVE, I felt The Summit should dedicate the bulk of an afternoon's Montague Suite sessions to the indie promoter and venue sector. It's where new acts are developed, aspiring artiste managers learn the ropes and from where the national promoters and venue chain executives of tomorrow will emerge. Along with artistes, it's the lifeblood of the industry".

The LIVE UK summit will take place from 7-8 Oct at the Raddisson SAS Portman Hotel in London. More at www.liveuksummit.com

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ALBUM REVIEW - Beep Beep - Enchanted Islands (Saddle Creek)
Beep Beep's previous effort 'Business Casual' caused a small ripple of excitement from critics and fans alike who recognised the wonder of the diverse content found within. 'Enchanted Islands' follows on from this in the correct manner, ostensibly seeking to extend the remit of 'Business Casual'. Ditching The Faint-esque guitars and backing for a complex array of intriguing and complex styles and voices, 'Enchanted Islands' feels like a real leap forward. Each track is characteristically separate from its predecessor, marking it out in it's own right. Just take the wonderful juxtaposition of 'Return To Me', a country-style falsetto ballad, with the spazzy angular rock of 'The Whispering Waves'. The beauty in its compilation derives from this careful juxtaposition, which both draws the listener in and throws him out. It leaves one confused but willing to delve deeper. 'Wooden Nickels' deserves a mention as a stand-out track on this superbly adventurous album. A piano-led ballad at its core it is taken into the realm of the fantastic by the dual-vocal attack, falsetto and atonal respectively. 'Wooden Nickels' is a perfect representation of the album as a whole, at times difficult to comprehend but ultimately incredibly inventive and thoroughly immersive. SJS
Physical release: 14 Sep
Press contact: Million PR [All]

Buy from iTunes
Buy from Amazon

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HMV TO CLOSE GETCLOSER
Bad news for users of GetCloser.com now. Anyone? Anyone at all? The HMV-owned social network will be shutting down at some point in the near future, just over a year after it launched. Some of its content will be moved over to the entertainment retailer's new rewards site, Purehmv, and main website, HMV.com.

A spokesman for HMV told New Media Age: "We've been very pleased with how it has worked but we feel the content is more relevant for Purehmv, while other content will be used on HMV.com".

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DJ AM TO STILL FEATURE IN DJ HERO GAME
DJ AM will still feature in the upcoming and previously reported 'DJ Hero' video game, the DJ version of the popular 'Guitar Hero' franchise, despite him dying of a drugs overdose last week.

There's definitely a sick gag that could be inserted here - probably something about the game being scored in OxyCotin pills - but I have a feeling it's just too soon. But if you've got a particularly sick mind, feel free to insert your own gag. Meanwhile, more cynical CMU readers might want to wonder if game makers Activision are keeping DJ AM in the game not so much as a tribute, but more to cash in on all the media coverage around the celebrity DJ's tragic death.

Anyway, here is what the 'DJ Hero' maker's statement said: "We are deeply saddened by the loss of DJ AM, who was a tremendous talent, a trusted partner and friend to 'DJ Hero'. AM was instrumental in the making of DJ Hero and we hope that his work on the game will be a fitting tribute to his creative spirit and musical talent".

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EVANS TO REPLACE WOGAN ON RADIO 2
Following (and possibly because of) speculation in the Mail On Sunday yesterday, the BBC has confirmed that Chris Evans will replace Terry Wogan as host of the Radio 2 breakfast show from next year. Wogan is quitting the early morning slot for a weekend show on the station.

There has been much speculation over the years as to who might take over the nation's biggest breakfast show when Wogan inevitably retired. The challenge was to find someone who might bring Radio 2's more youthful edge to the prime time slot, but without alienating too many of Wogan's older faithful listeners. Whether Evans is that man remains to be seen.

Jonathan Ross was tipped for the slot at one point, though there was always some doubt Ross would commit to a schedule as gruelling as a daily breakfast show, while post-Sachsgate that would probably have been a controversial appointment too far for the Beeb. And while Evans might have once been a controversial appointment himself, that is no longer really the case. And for Wogan fans like my Mum, Evans will probably seem like an acceptable choice of successor when compared to someone like Ross.

Following Wogan announcing his departure on his show this morning, a statement from Chris Evans was released reading thus: "This is very much Terry's story not mine, as well it should be. To step down from something you have done so well and for so long, and obviously still enjoy doing, must be a tough call even for such a stoic as Sir Tel. That said, although I will miss the drivetime show which I have loved for the last three-and-a-bit years, I couldn't be more excited at the prospect of hosting the flagship show on one of the BBC's national networks".

Bob Shennan, Controller of Radio 2 and 6 Music, added: "Chris is a unique broadcasting talent with a huge passion for Radio 2 and its listeners, as we read every day on his blog. Taking over the reins of the Radio 2 Breakfast Show is a daunting task, but I'm 100% certain that Chris will prove himself a worthy successor to Terry's legacy".

Despite his famous fallings out with both Radio 1 boss of the time Matthew Bannister and subsequently the top guard at Virgin Radio, Evans does remain - in my opinion - one of British radio's best presenters. Plus the Mail On Sunday's story yesterday reckoned that 5Live's Simon Mayo will be shipped in to take over Evans' drive time slot, and I was always a bit of a fan of Mayo's Radio 1 show too, even though it's never been cool to say so. So, that'll be Radio 2 becoming even more a station designed for me. God I'm feeling old this morning.

Whether the Beeb were prompted to confirm Evans' move to Radio 2 breakfast by the Mail On Sunday story I don't know. Though Wogan's big announcement has deflected attention from that other big BBC radio story of the day - Chris Moyles becoming the longest serving Radio 1 breakfast show presenter. That wouldn't be Wogan trying to grab attention from his friendly rival would it?

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SMOOTH RADIO SIGN UP A WATERMAN
From some of British radio's greatest DJs to, erm, Pete Waterman. I remember listening to his show on Liverpool's Radio City in the late eighties, which basically consisted of him playing all the tracks then coming out of the Stock Aitken Waterman franchise and telling us how great they were. Of course he has a lot less to plug these days, so perhaps he'd be a less tedious presenter. Well, we'll get to find out, because Smooooooth Radio has signed up the former pop mogul and one time 'Pop Idol' judge to present a Sunday evening show on all its stations around the country.

Smooth Brand Programme Director Steve Collins told reporters: "Pete is one of the great raconteurs of the music business; his show will be unmissable and we are delighted to have him on board".

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BRUCE DOWN ON CELEB RADIO TYPES
Radio 2 stalwart Ken Bruce has hit out at the trend of radio stations hiring TV stars, accusing radio bosses of putting celebrity status before the skills required to present good radio programmes. Although he named no names, the comments could be aimed at his own employer - Radio 2 has signed up more TV c'lebs than most as presenters in recent years, including Dermot O'Leary, Davina McCall, Paul O'Grady, Emma Forbes, Alan Carr and, of course, Russell Brand.

In an interview to promote his autobiography, he said: "I have great admiration for people who do fast-moving live television, but an awful lot of television is just stand up, smile and you really often don't have to think for yourself. A lot of television personalities have done great radio, such as Jonathan Ross, but too often a famous face is parachuted into a prime radio slot with no experience of, or particular aptitude for, the medium".

He was more explicit in criticising Radio 2 for its failure to big up the shows it broadcasts presented by people who have less of a telly or tabloid profile, even though those are the station's biggest shows in terms of audience.

Bruce: "Good though they [the more celebrity presenters] undoubtedly are, the fact remains that over 70% of Radio 2's total audience share is provided by three shows: Sarah Kennedy, Terry Wogan and mine. And the biggest single show on a Saturday is not Jonathan Ross, it's presented by an 80-year-old gentleman by the name of Brian Matthew under the title 'Sounds Of The 60s'. Why are these successes not trumpeted? Because they don't fit with the marketing ethos of attracting new young audiences by showing them faces they already know".

Bruce's comments come as the BBC Trust review the performance of Radio 2 and its sister digital station 6Music. While Radio 2 has, in many ways, been one of the BBC's big success stories in recent years, some accuse it of being too mainstream and celebrity orientated, and competing too directly with more adult pop commercial radio stations, but with the unfair advantage of big licence-fee funded budgets. Bruce joins Radio 2 colleague Paul Gambaccini in being critical of some of BBC Radio's more high profile recruits.

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CHART UPDATE
It seems no one can keep hold of that number one spot in the singles chart at the moment. Still, Dizzee Rascal shouldn't feel too down about only managing a week at the top. If you're going to be knocked off the top by anyone, there are worse people than a team consisting of Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West. Oh, and Sugababes, who are a new entry at number two. And David Guetta, who is at three. But fourth is still good, Dizzee. Well done.

Still, if it's a real chart success story you want, look no further than Kings Of Leon, who are back in the top ten again with 'Sex On Fire' this week, at number six. Presumably this sudden leap in sales means that the track is now close to toppling Lady Gaga's position at the top of the all-time highest download sales chart, which was only published yesterday.

Anyway, moving on. And speaking of Lady Gaga, as we were, she features on Wale's 'Chillin', which is new at 12 this week. A short step down at 16, Booty Luv have another new entry, with 'Say It', while Jamie T's 'Chaka Demus EP' is new at 23, and Friendly Fires go in at 30 with 'Kiss Of Life'.

In the album chart, it seems that talk of chickens and dickheads was enough to keep Arctic Monkeys at number one, fending off a sustained attack from Vera Lynn. There's something you don't get to write very often. Yep, it looked for a while like all the kids rushing out to buy 'We'll Meet Again: The Very Best Of Vera Lynn' would outnumber the more aged folk shuffling down to HMV to buy the new Arctic Monkeys album, but it was not to be. Vera did knock David Guetta down to number three, though. So that's something to be pleased with.

At number four, it's only those bloody Kings Of Leon again. After fifty weeks on the chart, their fourth album, 'Only By The Night', has jumped from 22 to number four this week. It's probably about time they let someone else have a go. Someone like Noah And The Whale, maybe, who are this week's highest new entry at 16. Okay, maybe not them. What about Just Jack, who's also new at 22? Or Sean Paul at 38? Come on Kings Of Leon, get out of the chart and make space for someone else.

In fact, while we're at it, why don't we clear out everyone who's been on the chart for 40 or more weeks? I'm looking at you James Morrison, Beyonce, Pink, Elbow and Abba. And Duffy. Duffy! You've been in the top 40 for 70 weeks now. It's just greedy. Get out.

The charts are reported as cold hard facts and not even changed a little bit to look nicer by the Official Charts Company.

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MIKA'S NAKED BLOG PROMISE FAILS TO RESULT IN CHART SUCCESS
Mika told his fans yesterday that he'd film a naked video blog if they got his single 'We Are Golden' to the tippy top of the Big Top 40 (well, top three).

As previously reported, the Big Top 40 is the chart aired by the commercial radio network, which takes iTunes download stats very much into the mix, meaning that listeners can affect the chart by downloading tracks while the show airs (up to 6pm).

It was with that in mind that Mika made the nudity promise via Twitter just before the radio show started at 4pm. But despite, or perhaps because, of the promise, Mika's track only made it to number 8 in the Big Top chart. And thus the world was saved from his nakedness.

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