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AIM JOIN THE THREE-STRIKES DEBATE
Anyone not familiar with the music industry must be wondering just how many music-based trade associations there are out there to comment on the government's previously reported proposals to introduce more hardline measures to combat illegal file-sharing. As much previously reported, the BPI, MU, MPA, MMF, FAC, ERA, BASCA, MPG, UK Music and most of the key members of the CPA have all had an opinion so far, and I'm assuming PPL and PRS have a viewpoint too, though pedants might point out they're not technically speaking trade associations. Either way, there's certainly no shortage of trade bodies in this business called music.

Anyway, the Association Of Independent Music is the latest trade body to let its opinion on the matter be known. As much previously reported, last month the government floated proposals that it introduce new laws that force internet service providers to introduce a 'graduated response' system to tackle illegal file-sharing which could ultimately see persistent file-sharers having their net access restricted or suspended. It's a slightly more complicated version of the three-strikes system being considered in New Zealand and France. Peter Mandelson's Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, who are leading the new proposals, have been consulting interested parties on the matter.

As part of that consultation, AIM boss Alison Wenham has submitted a letter to Mandy's department in which she says her organisation "strongly supports" the government's proposals. According to Music Week, Wenham's letter reads: "We greatly appreciate your firm and clear statements as to the basic moral, as well as business, issues raised by illegal online file-sharing and piracy. After lengthy consultation, reporting and debate the time had come for a decisive statement both of principle and of legislative intent from government, and we welcome your authoritative intervention".

She continues: "AIM cannot make the point too strongly that the predominantly small - in some cases tiny - music businesses are overwhelmingly reliant on making a fair and honest return on their recorded music output. ... These businesses absolutely deserve business-orientated legislation which creates fair opportunities for them to monetise the creativity in which they invest, and earn a fair return for themselves from that investment".

On the issue of what measures ISPs should be forced to employ against those file-sharers who ignore formal warnings, Wenham added that she supported sanctions such as the restriction and suspension of net access in the most extreme cases, providing their were safeguards to ensure innocent parties were not negatively impacted. She concludes: "We support provision for a range of sanctions which can be invoked proportionately including, with necessary safeguards, the suspension of individual broadband accounts as a last resort against the most persistent offenders".

AIM's position on this is very interesting. Throughout much of the early days of the file-sharing debate, when the major labels were taking individual file-sharers to court, while dabbling with tedious digital rights management technology - on both CDs and downloads - the indie sector was critical of their big business counterparts. They insisted, rightly I reckon, that suing music fans wasn't sensible, that developing compelling legit digital music services should be a priority, and that saddling said legit services with incredibly limiting DRM, while illegal services offered DRM-free MP3s, was not the right thing to do. On all those points the major labels finally fell in line with the indies.

That the indie community's trade body is now of one mind with the major record companies is interesting. I am assuming they would argue that the sorts of engaging and user-friendly legit digital music services they were insisting were needed five years ago are now up and running, making file-sharing harder to excuse. And that a system that puts the onus on ISPs to tackle file-sharers is better than one which sees record companies suing their own customers.

Some in the indie community have in the past talked up a blanket licensing system for net providers which would essentially legalise file-sharing by charging all net users a content levy on their monthly ISP subscriptions. Although great in principle, and still a future option, the practicalities of such a system are complex to say the least. Whether AIM's decision to back more draconian measures to combat online piracy means they recognise licensed file-sharing is some way off I'm not sure.

Now that AIM have declared their opinion on this issue, I think pretty much all divisions within the music business have now spoken.

As previously reported, the industry is split, with the rights holders (labels and publishers) in favour of the government's proposals, supported by the retailers and major concert promoters, while the artist, songwriting, producer and management communities are, generally, against the proposals to suspend the net access of even persistent file-sharers.
They argue such measures won't have any impact on the extent of file-sharing (because the clever file-sharers know how to avoid detection), and will just piss off music fans and make them more prone to steal rather than buy content.

Attempts by the majors to get managers and artists to support their viewpoint, or at least not to so vocally oppose it, haven't really been that successful. That said, as also much previously reported, there are divisions within the artist community, with some artists saying they disagree with the Featured Artists' Coalition, who are against the proposed net suspensions.

Lily Allen has been most vocal in supporting the government's proposals, though others have also gone on record as saying now is the time for political types to try and stop illegal file-sharing. With that in mind the FAC has called a private meeting in London tonight where all artists are invited to debate the issue further. Whether that might lead to a change, or at least a rewording, of the FAC's official line on the government's proposals remains to the seen.

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MORE LILY STUFF: QUITTING MUSIC, NICKING CONTENT, ENGAGING FANS
And so back to Lily. And for a moment yesterday it looked like Allen was announcing she was quitting music. In a bid to convince readers of her anti-file-sharing blog that her opinions on the issue were not just motivated by personal greed, she wrote: "Just so you know, I have not renegotiated my record contract and have no plans to make another record (applause). I do however remain a fan of new music, so this is not some selfish crusade. The days of me making money from recording music has been and gone as far as I'm concerned, so I don't (at this point) stand to profit from legislation. Except future purchases of previously recorded material (which wont be much)".

With online chatter speculating whether that meant Allen was quitting music, her spokesperson was quick to the mark to say it meant no such thing. She wasn't planning another record, but then she wasn't planning not another record either, was the basic gist of the official line. Said spokesperson told Popjustice: "She is not quitting pop music and is still promoting her current album, which is why she said she is not thinking ahead to another record". So there you go.

Elsewhere in Lily news, website Techdirt have issued a response to Ms Allen's apology (of sorts) for copying and pasting one of their articles onto her blog without citing where it came from. As previously reported, the writer of the article pointed out the irony that in trying to convince music fans not to nick other people's work she had nicked someone else's work. Lily responded thus: "I THINK ITS QUITE OVIOUS THAT I WASNT TRYING TO PASS OF THOSE WORDS AS MY OWN, HERE IS A LINK TO THE WEBSIITE I ACQUIRED THE PIECE FROM".

Techdirt's Michael Masnick said yesterday: "While I appreciate the 'apology', that's really missing the point. First, the reason TorrentFreak and I both brought it up wasn't because I was upset about her using the post. As I clearly said in my response, I thought it was great that she wanted to use our post, and I encouraged her to do so. The point, though, was that it was a bit hypocritical of her to be going on and on about how evil it is to copy another's work without their permission, when she went and did the same thing".

He added: "Furthermore, the point is that when it's natural and easy for people to copy like that, it's time to learn to accept it and use it to your advantage. So, no apology is necessary to me. My post wasn't about you trying to pass off my words as your own, but recognising that even you, Lily Allen, copy other people's work all the time, even without realising it".

Speaking of which, a number of people have noted that Lily promoted herself early in her career by distributing mixtapes filled with unauthorised tracks. Now, I'm not saying people should be judged on what they used to think, but if you want a soundtrack to read Lily's blog to, this is quite good:

www.lilyallenmusic.com/music/demos/5geuj0iedc/MyFirstMixtape.mp3

Finally from the Lily file, Radiohead's Ed O'Brien, one of the Featured Artists' Coalition board members who Allen criticised in her original blog on the file-sharing issue, has been speaking to the Beeb. He agreed with one of Allen's claims - that bands like Radiohead have less to lose from file-sharing because they've already made lots of money from their records, and now make a bulk of their cash from ticket and merchandise sales - but said he sticks by his original point, that draconian rules to suspend file-sharers' net connections won't work, and instead the music industry should be trying to better engage with disenfranchised music consumers.

Speaking to the World Service, he added: "What's great at the moment is that artists, people like Lily Allen, are saying, 'You know what, there are consequences to file-sharing', and that's the first step in engaging the file-sharers".

He continued: "At the moment the industry is saying you get them to change their behaviour by threatening them. We don't think this is realistic. Hopefully we can educate [music fans] and say, 'Listen, if you want a great vibrant music scene and your favourite bands to be able to carry on doing it, you have a responsibility to pay for some of the work that they've produced'. Record companies have to license out the recordings a lot more. You want to make it completely user-friendly for somebody to be able to download something. Make it cheaper as well. Basically have more websites out there selling people's work".

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RAIDA DIED WHILE TRAINING IN MARTIAL ART
It seems that slightly bizarre rumours that legendary turntablist Grand Master Roc Raida died from a karate-related accident last week were closer to reality than other rumours he had been involved in a car crash.

As previously reported, X-Ecutioners co-founder Roc Raida, real name Anthony Williams, died last week, aged 37. According to a statement from Williams' family, the hip hopper suffered a cardiac arrest while participating in rigorous training in Krav Maga, a martial arts that originates from Israel. Williams had been studying the marital art for two years.

The DJ and producer's funeral will take place later today in New York.

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EMINEM SUES APPLE OVER DOWNLOADS
So, I'm a bit confused by all this. Eminem's two companies, Eight Mile Style and Martin Affiliated, which between them control the rapper's publishing and other intellectual property rights, are suing Apple and Universal's Aftermath in a dispute over the sale of Slim Shady's music on iTunes.

The plaintiff's claim that Aftermath do not have the right to licence Eminem's music for download, so that, even though Apple have a licensing deal in place with Universal Music, they should not be selling Shady's tracks.

I am a little confused as to whether Eight Mile are taking issue with Apple because they haven't cleared the publishing rights in the songs, which are, of course, not owned by Universal but controlled by Eminem's own company, or whether they are claiming that the rapper's record deal with Aftermath does not give the major label the right to licence Shady's master recordings for download. Some of the wording in Eight Mile's legal claim sort of implies the former, though given they are suing Aftermath as well as Apple I am guessing the latter is actually the case.

Though one would have thought that if that was the issue then Aftermath, more than Apple, would be liable - because presumably they supplied iTunes with the Eminem recordings in the first place, and either way are surely obligated to tell download platforms if bits of their catalogues are not covered by label-wide licensing deals.

Apple, for their part, insist Aftermath do have the rights to licence them Eminem's music for download. Their court filing says that in 1998 and 2003 contracts Eight Mile agreed that "Eminem would create master sound recordings embodying compositions, and that Aftermath would own those masters. The parties also agreed that Aftermath and its distributors and licensees would 'have the exclusive right' to exploit the masters embodying the Eminem compositions 'in any and all forms of media now known or hereinafter developed'".

Assuming their agreements with Aftermath didn't grant Universal the digital rights to Eminem's master recordings - which would be odd in this day and age, but if that was the case - then presumably Eight Mile would rather licence Slim Shady's music directly to Apple, because they'd get a much bigger cut of the cake. Eight Mile also seem to be suggesting they should get a cut of Apple's iPod sale revenues, which is an old argument employed by music companies in the early days of downloading that even major label execs no longer roll out. Well, not too often.

Presumably Apple and Aftermath's lawyers will question why it has taken this long for Eight Mile to launch an action, given they must have known Eminem's music was available via iTunes, and in deed have been receiving royalty cheques from Aftermath (and presumably any mechanical publishing collecting societies to which they are affiliated) for the millions of Slim Shady downloads Apple have sold. Pre-empting that, Eight Mile have said that their iTunes royalties were bundled in with other payments from their record company, and therefore that can't be used as a defence in this case.

They said in a court filing: "The acceptance of a single check containing mostly royalties for authorised uses, but also containing small and hidden royalties for unauthorised uses, cannot operate as a satisfaction of a claim".

Assuming an out of court settlement can't be reached before breakfast, this is all due to go to court today. I'm hoping any court hearing clarifies the specifics of this dispute, because having written 584 words on this story I'm still a bit confused as to what Eight Mile are claiming.

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MARILYN MANSON HAS SWINE FLU
Marilyn Manson really has lost track of what's cool these days. He's gone and got swine flu, even though that hasn't been fashionable for at least a month now. And he didn't even have sex with a pig in order to catch it. I expect better from my shock-rockers.

Writing on his Facebook fan page, he said: "So I have officially been diagnosed, by a real doctor, with the swine flu. I know everyone will suggest that fucking a pig is how this disease was obtained. However, the doctor said, my past choices in women have, in 'no way' contributed to me acquiring this mysterious sickness. Unfortunately, I am going to survive".

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HOWARD MORRISON DIES
One of New Zealand's music greats, Howard Morrison, has died aged 74.

Half Maori, half Irish, Morrison first came to public attention through his group the Howard Morrison Quartet, who performed in the late fifties and early sixties. They were perhaps noted for their 1960 song 'My Old Man's An All Black', a rework of Lonnie Donegan's 'My Old Man's A Dustman' written in protest at the New Zealand rugby team's decision to comply with South African apartheid laws and send a Maori-free team to play in South Africa.

After the Quartet disbanded Morrison continued to have a solo career, becoming one of New Zealand's best known TV and music performers. He enjoyed particular success with his single 'How Great Thou Art' in 1981, and enjoyed recent chart success with a DVD recording of a recent fiftieth anniversary concert.

Paying tribute to Morrison, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key told reporters: "Sir Howard was a New Zealand success story. From humble beginnings he became an international success, first with the Howard Morrison Quartet, and then in an illustrious solo career. But more than that, Sir Howard was one of New Zealand's best loved entertainers, his appeal spanning every age group. I pay tribute to a real gentleman. My thoughts are with his whanau [family] at this time. Sir Howard Morrison will be greatly missed".

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WAR CHILD TO GET A MOBO
War Child, one of my favourite charities, will be presented a special prize at this year's MOBO Awards at the same time as a number of urban stars perform a rework of The Killers 'All These Things That I've Done', a single of which will be released in aid of the charity next month. Tinchy Stryder, N-Dubz and Chipmunk will perform the song, which is being renamed 'I Got Soul' for the charity release.

Commenting on his charity being presented what they are calling the BeMobo award at the urban music scene's big night out in Glasgow next week, War Child CEO Mark Waddington told reporters: "War Child is delighted to be receiving the BeMobo award in recognition of our work with children in the world's harshest war zones, and for our work with music in the UK. Highlighting the unacceptable impact of war on children has never been more important".

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UNCUT AWARD LONG LIST ANNOUNCED
Uncut magazine have announced the long list of albums it is considering for its Uncut Music Award, the gong launched by the music mag last year to "find the most inspiring and rewarding musical experience of the past twelve months". In some ways it is slightly similar to the Mercury Music Prize, though artists from all over the world are considered, and I don't think contenders have to pay to enter. This year's long list is given below.

The winner will be selected by a panel of judges headed up by Uncut editor Allan Jones, and including Billy Bragg, Mark Radcliffe, Bob Harris, Danny Kelly, Christian O'Connell, BBC exec Mark Cooper and Stiff Records founder Dave Robinson, plus folk singer Rachel Unthank and, from last year's winning band Fleet Foxes, Robin Peckhold.

Confirming all this, Jones told CMU: "The inaugural Uncut Music Award was a resounding success, with Fleet Foxes in the opinion of last year's panel the deserving winners, although there was fierce competition from The Raconteurs and Vampire Weekend. This year's award looks like it will be just as hotly contested, with the judges facing a daunting task. There has been a lot of brilliant music over the last year, as our long list of twenty five albums vividly demonstrates. Deciding which of them most merits winning the 2009 Uncut Music award is going to be an exciting process, but no easy task".

And here, people, is the long list of albums being considered...

1. The Acorn - Glory Hope Mountain (Bella Union)
2. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion (Domino)
3. Arctic Monkeys - Humbug (Domino)
4. Bill Callahan - Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle (Drag City)
5. Graham Coxon - The Spinning Top (EMI/Parlophone)
6. Alela Diane - To Be Still (Names)
7. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca (Domino)
8. Doves - Kingdom Of Rust (EMI/Heavenly)
9. The Duke And The King - Nothing Gold Can Stay (Loose)
10. Bob Dylan - Together Through Life (Sony/Columbia)
11. Fever Ray - Fever Ray (Rabid/V2)
12. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest (Warp)
13. Levon Helm - Electric Dirt (Vanguard)
14. The Horrors - Primary Colours (Beggars/XL)
15. Kings Of Leon - Only By The Night (Sony/Columbia)
16. The Low Anthem - Oh My God Charlie Darwin (Bella Union)
17. Madness - The Liberty Of Norton Folgate (Lucky Seven)
18. Raphael Saadiq - The Way I See It (Sony Music)
19. Super Furry Animals - Dark Days/Light Years (Rough Trade)
20. TV On The Radio - Dear Science (Beggars/4AD)
21. Tinariwen- Imidiwan: Companions (Independiente)
22. White Denim - Fits (Full Time Hobby)
23. Wilco - Wilco (the album) (Nonesuch)
24. Wild Beasts - Two Dancers (Domino)
25. The xx - xx (Beggars/XL)

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PAVEMENT REUNION TO INCLUDE UK DATES
Reunited Pavement have told the NME that their reunion tour next year will definitely include some UK shows, which is nice.

The band's guitarist Scott 'Spiral Stairs' Kannberg told the mag: "There definitely will be [UK gigs]. We're looking at the summer time, but I'm not sure how much touring we'll do. We'll do what we need to do to satisfy our fans and what would be fun, but we're not going to do anything stupid, any big festivals that are really dumb". Asked about a possible Glastonbury set, Kannberg confirmed that would be of interest if offered.

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EMPIRE OF THE SUN MAN MISSING, CLAIMS BANDMATE
Despite various announcements and clarifications that Empire Of The Sun's Nick Littlemore would not form part of the duo's touring band, and that he's working on a new album with his other project Pnau, people are still asking where he is. Now it seems the other half of the duo, The Sleepy Jackson's Luke Steele, has tired of answering the same question over and over again.

Speaking to ABC News in Australia this week, Littlemore said: "He disappeared about five months ago and I haven't really heard from him. Last I heard he's in Canada and then he's in Vegas. [But] as my dad always says, you've got to keep the show on the road. I really don't know [if he's still in the band]. He's just left me with the baby".

Back in June the pair issued a statement together talking up their live show, which noted that Littlemore would not appear on stage, though he did give the show his blessing, saying: "We created the music as a celebration, this is an exciting new chapter in the Empire journey".

Steele also said then: "The show is going to be epic, full of colours, dinosaur-teeth chomping at the valleys of future. It will be more outrageous than the scents of imagination and will take the audience on a journey to another world".

However, he did admit in the ABC interview that this vision has had to be scaled back a little since then, explaining: "It started out pretty massive and then you begin to realise that you do have to be a pop princess or a billionaire to have these ideas come to fruition. So we always get scaled back a bit, but the nucleus of it is the same. It's pretty special. The level of epic ecstasy intensity will differ, but it's quite grand ... and we've got a pretty cooking band to play these songs".

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NUMAN AND REZNOR TO COLLABORATE
Gary Numan has revealed that he and Trent Reznor intend to work together at some point in the future, after Reznor has had a bit of time off after Nine Inch Nails' recent farewell gigs in LA, which saw them end their career as a live band.

Numan explained: "I know he wants to carry on doing music things. We went out a few days after [the LA gigs] with a few other people and the way he puts it is when the dust settles - I think he means his marriage - but I think he's going to be pretty busy for a while, so it'll either be later this year or early next. Probably just a few songs to start with and see how it goes on. It'll be cool".

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NEW JACKO TRACK GETS RELEASE DATE
And so it begins. The first of what is likely to be a lot of previously unreleased Michael Jackson tracks will be released next month. 'This Is It', which features backing vocals by his brothers, will be released by Sony Music on 12 Oct.

The song was presumably recorded to be released at the beginning of his O2 residency, which of course bore the same title. However, it'll now have the dubious honour of promoting the documentary made up of footage recorded during rehearsals for said residency (which will premier around the world on 28 Oct), as well as a new greatest hits and rarities album, which will featuring previously unreleased versions of some of the singer's best-known songs.

Announcing the new release, executor of Jackson's estate (and producer of the new compilation), John McClain told reporters: "This song only defines, once again, what the world already knows - that Michael is one of God's greatest gifts".

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PATRICK WOLF ANNOUNCES SPECIAL LIVE GUESTS
Patrick Wolf will be joined by Marc Almond and Alec Empire at his show at the London Palladium on 15 Nov. A live string section and gospel choir will also person with him.

Announcing the guest spots, Wolf explained how he came to meet Almond: "It is a total honour that I am able to duet with the legendary singer-songwriter, Marc Almond. I met Marc totally randomly last summer whilst finishing off [latest album] 'The Bachelor', he was moving into the house next door to mine and we bumped into each other on the street. We hit it off immediately and he has since been a big support and encouragement to me over the last year. We will be doing two songs together, but time will tell what they may be. Hopefully one from each of our own songbooks".

As for Alec Empire, the pair have already collaborated on tracks for each other's latest albums. Wolf said of their latest team-up: "We are still preparing our collaboration on the night but it will definitely be a live continuation of the work we have done together over the last two years, representing our co-writes and production on 'The Bachelor' and perhaps one of the forthcoming songs from my next album 'The Conqueror'".

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DON'T BUY FROM THE TOUTS ROBBIE WARNS
Robbie Williams doesn't want any of you buying tickets for his previously reported comeback show at the BBC's Electric Proms next month on the secondary market. All 2000 tickets for the gig were quickly snapped up yesterday, and some are already appearing on eBay and other auction sites at a hiked up price.

But a statement on Robbie's official website reads thus: "Tickets to Robbie's performance at BBC's Electric Proms sold out in a flash this morning and we are aware that many of you who did not manage to get tickets are very disappointed. We strongly recommend that you do not purchase tickets from unofficial sources, by this we mean anyone selling tickets second-hand. Strict security measures will be in place on the night and you risk being disappointed further if you buy these tickets at an inflated price only to be refused entry".

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ALBUM REVIEW: Vitalic - Flashmob (PIAS)
Personally, I always found Vitalic's 2005 debut album 'OK Cowboy' to be too brash and one dimensional for my liking. 'Flashmob', whilst not a radical departure conceptually, is a substantial step forward, however. A piledriving collection of electronic dance music imbued with subtle Gallic flourishes (Daft Punk comparisons are lazy, but still valid), it maintains the capacity to surprise, delight and move in equal measure. This is a loud, boisterous album but one that's deftly melodic at the same time. 'Second Lives' has touches of icy melancholy amid its crunching synths and sounds like Jean Michel Jarre if he'd invented electroclash and was any good, whilst there's a beautifully evocative moment a few minutes into 'Still' when the future - lush, pristine and dreamlike - arrives in panoramic widescreen. There are some reflective downtempo moments to enjoy too; 'Alain Delon' is a gorgeous piece of sedate, slightly sad pulsing electronica (well, it was never going to be a dancefloor classic with that title, was it?). All in all though, a fizzy, strobe-lit riot of fun. MS
Physical release: 28 Sep
Press contact: Bang On [O]

Buy from iTunes
Buy from Amazon

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BBC WORLDWIDE EXEC TO RUN 2ENTERTAIN
BBC Worldwide's MD of Home Entertainment, Paul Dempsey, will take over as CEO of 2entertain in addition to his current role.

Richard Green, the former CEO of 2entertain, the content company co-owned by Woolworths and the BBC's commercial division, and parent company of Demon Records, announced he was standing down last week.

The announcement that Dempsey will now oversee the business presumably means 2entertain will operate more closely with its parent company moving forward. The BBC have been negotiating to buy out the defunct Woolworths Group and take full ownership of the DVD/video/music/production business.

Music Week quite Dempsey thus: "2entertain is a terrific British-owned company producing some of the most popular and highest quality DVDs around, including the majority of the BBC catalogue. Although we are still negotiating terms for the sale of the outstanding 40% stake of 2entertain, my arrival as chief executive is to ensure that the business is in the best possible shape when full BBC Worldwide ownership occurs".

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SONY SIGN UP TO AMIESTREET.COM
Sony Music has licensed its entire catalogue to AmieStreet.com, the interesting US based digital music store where the price of tracks varies depending on demand - the more people buy a track the more it costs. That said, Sony owned music available via the download store will not be linked to AmieStreet.com's usual pricing system, and will see tracks retailing at 69 cents, 99 cents and $1.29, so the same as on iTunes. Which is no fun at all. Other tracks on AmieStreet.com range from 15 to 98 cents.

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WE7 TO LAUNCH SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE
We7 is launching a subscription service and an iPhone app, both of which will obviously compete with rival Spotify. Although We7 launched offering various services, including ad-funded free downloads, it is its Spotify-style ad-funded streaming service for which it has become most famous.

Like Spotify, later this year We7 will offer the option to use its streaming service without having to listen to ads by paying a monthly subscription fee. Subscribers will also be able to access the service on the move via an iPhone app. It's not clear what price We7 will charge for its premium service, but it will be interesting to see if they undercut Spotify and, if so, if that starts a price war.

We7 have confirmed their intent to launch a subscription offer as they announced a partnership with Peugeot which will see the car firm provide streaming music on their own website using the We7 player.

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DID PAPA HAVE INCESTUOUS RELATIONSHIP WITH DAUGHTER?
Well, this is a bit weird. Actress Mackenzie Phillips has claimed she had an incestuous relationship with her father, Mamas And The Papas star John Phillips. Apparently in her new autobiography she claims her sexual relationship with her father began when he essentially raped her during a drug fuelled frenzy when she was 19, but that subsequently said relationship became consensual and lasted some ten years.

She writes in the book: "My father was not a man with boundaries. He was full of love, and he was sick with drugs. I woke up that night from a blackout to find myself having sex with my own father". She's discussed the revelations on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show', and reportedly said there: "It didn't happen every day, didn't happen every week, but it did happen many times. It became a consensual relationship over time". She admitted that both father and daughter's heavy drug use during that time played its part in enabling the incest to continue.

It should be noted that Genevieve Waite, John Phillips' wife at the time the alleged affair occurred, and the Papa's second wife Michelle Philips, have both said they do not believe Mackenzie's claims. However, the actress' half sister, Chynna Phillips, says she believes the affair took place, and that she's known about the father/daughter relationship since 1997.

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REFORM THE ORIGINAL SUGABABES? SURELY NOT
With the Sugababes now no longer including any of the original Babes, one of the group's founders, Mutya Buena, has said she'd welcome the proposal of reforming the original line up as a rival SB combo, should such a proposal ever be made.

Though given that Buena's other founding Babe-mates - Siobhan Donaghy and Keisha Buchanan - famously haven't spoken in years, with the former accusing the latter of making her ill through bullying while she was in the group, I'm not sure that idea is much of a goer.

Nevertheless, Buena told GMTV: "Well you know, we're all grown up. I haven't been with the Sugababes for so long, and you know, I've had my years of growing up and learning about what I want in life and getting to look after my daughter. So hooking up with the rest of the girls - I think that could be an amazing idea, definitely".

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