| CMU Daily - on the inside 21 Nov 2002 |
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In today's CMU Daily:
• DJ and boy band star among the Big Brother contestants,
• Robbie and Streets top album poll,
• Slim Shady house: bids continue to rise,
• Culture Club set for box set,
• DAngelo resists arrest,
• EMAP charge for web access,
• BBC3 launch confirmed,
• Blur on their new album: Elton John's Cock not included
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Which singer rambled thus: "I think I used to be a butterfly. No, a bird! No, birds get chased by cats, and butterflies look like bugs when they don't have wings. I guess I was a dog, 'cos they're able to see what's going on in the world, but they can't express themselves. I think I could see what was going on around me, but I couldn't say or do anything about it"?
Answer tomorrow
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DJ AND BOY BAND STAR AMONG THE BIG BROTHER CONTESTANTS
As previously predicted DJ turned actor Goldie and former Take That member Mark Owen represent the music world in the second outing for 'celebrity' Big Brother. They joined Melinda Messenger, Les Dennis, Anne Diamond and Sue Perkins (of Mel and Sue) in the Big Brother house yesterday. As last time round, the celebrity version of the reality show will move much quicker, with nominations and evictions up until 29 Nov when one of the house's residents will be voted the overall winner.
As the second series of Celebrity Big Brother began the winner from series one, Jack Dee, accused the show of being a tired format from a "channel running out of ideas". Those inside, no doubt looking for a valuable career boost, will hope the show, tired as it may be, wins big ratings.
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ROBBIE AND STREETS TOP ALBUM POLL
A poll of the best albums in 2002, run by books and CD website Amazon, has picked out The Streets and Robbie Williams as the artists of the year. The former topped a survey of music critics, the latter was chosen by punters.
The critics picked an interesting bunch: The Streets' debut album was at one, the excellent bootleg compilation 'As Heard On Radio Soulwax Vol.2' was at number two, Sugababes' 'Angels With Dirty Faces' at three, The Coral at four and McLusky's 'Mclusky Do Dallas' at five.
The public vote was more predictable - Robbie's 'Escapology' at one, Coldplay's 'A Rush Of Blood To The Head' at two and David Gray's 'A New Day At Midnight' at three.
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SLIM SHADY HOUSE: BIDS CONTINUE TO RISE
The bidding war for the childhood home of Eminem, which went up for auction earlier this week, has reached $666,300 - the initial asking price was $120,000, with most houses in the area selling for $85,000. The three bedroom house in the Detroit suburb of Warren had been in Eminem's family for 50 years. It was sold recently to a clever entrepreneur who is now set to make a fortune via eBay.
The house is not the only Eminem related merchandise up for sale - a car once owned by Debbie Mathers is up for sale - current bids are at $35,000. After describing the car as "Red 1995 Geo Prism, gray interior, Automatic transmission" the sales blurb assures potential buyers "many conversations between Eminem's mother, himself, and his brother Nathan have taken place in this very car!"
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CULTURE CLUB SET FOR BOX SET
Culture Club are to celebrate their 20th anniversary by releasing a box set featuring 73, yes 73, tracks. You might wonder how Boy George could cobble together that many songs - but we're told demos, remixes and alternative versions will pad out the more familiar Culture Club classics. The album, called 'Culture Club', hits the shops on 2 Dec.
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DANGELO RESISTS ARREST
R&B star DAngelo - real name Michael Eugene Archer - is the latest musician to get in trouble with the law. Police have confirmed they arrested the star following an incident on Sunday. Word is Archer made matters worse by trying to resist arrest - police had to use pepper spray to calm him down. With the trouble on arrest Dangelo now faces charges for assault, aggressive driving, curse and abuse, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest. Bail was granted - he'll face he charged in court in mid-January.
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EMAP CHARGE FOR WEB ACCESS
Emap is taking a brave move forward in web publishing by charging readers for access to extra FHM content. FHM.com visitors will be charged £1 a month to access the magazine's High Street Honey's website, online coverage of its search for an unknown model to be a future cover star. The subscription section, which users can pay for via a mobile phone text message, will include a database of photos that didn't make it into the magazine.
"FHM prides itself on being in tune with what its readers want from the magazine month in month out," FHM publishing director James Carter told Media Guardian. "We are delighted with our High Street Honeys competition and look forward to launching High Street Honeys Uncut, which I'm sure is a proposition our readers will be happy to pay for".
High performance car magazine Max Power and stablemate Revs will also have pay to view websites.
When news stand magazines first went online everyone assumed some sort of subscription system would eventually kick in. But the dot.com bubble burst before many publishers dared withdraw free services - those that survived have since opted for an advertising / e-commerce funded model - though some argue long term quality online content will require some sort of subscription system.
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BBC3 LAUNCH DATE CONFIRMED
The BBC have confirmed their new youth channel, BBC 3, will finally hit our screens on 9 Feb next year. The channel, which will take over the BBC Choice channel, was given government go-ahead earlier this year after BBC chiefs convinced media minister Tessa Jowell they wouldn't go head to head with Channel 4's youth targeted services.
The channel's controller, Stuart Murphy, told reporters he had chosen a Sunday, to relaunch BBC Choice as BBC3 because research had shown that was a "key night for our audience".
"This is only three months away and there is a lot to do on finalising the schedule for the channel," Mr Murphy added. "But any channel that brings together Dom Joly and a scientist like Dr John Marsden should stand apart in the multichannel world."
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BLUR ON THEIR NEW ALBUM: ELTON JOHN'S COCK NOT INCLUDED
Blur have said a track they penned called 'Elton John's Cock' will not feature on their forthcoming album. Writing on the band's website Alex James said: "The song now known as 'Elton John's cock' has been formally scrapped. Song 15 makes the hairs stand up".
Talking about final production duties on the record, scheduled for an early 2003 release, Alex said: "William Orbit bit bit bit bit has been doing some decorating on some tracks and a bit of plumbing. Then he got back in his helicopter."
"Stephen Street - what a beauty" he continued. "He came in his natty sports car. He beat me at pool. We talked about old days and Graham. The American dudes came too. They like the really mental stuff".
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Answer to Wednesday's pop quiz:
Which eighties backing singers, who has at least one hit on their own, providing the backing vocals to Geri Halliwell's 'Bag It Up'?
Pepsi & Shirlie