FIVE DIE AS STAGE COLLAPSES AT OUTDOOR CONCERT
Five people died this weekend when stage rigging at the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis collapsed after being hit by freak gusts of wind just before country stars Sugarland were due to take to the stage.

An announcer at the event had warned concert-goers that a storm was approaching just before tragedy struck, but said it was hoped Sugarland's concert could go ahead. Audience-recorded video footage then shows how strong winds blew up in the space of seconds, forcing the large stage rig to come collapsing down onto the waiting crowd just as quickly.

According to local media reports, four people died immediately, while one more died later in hospital. Over 40 others were being treated for injuries incurred during the stage collapse. State Governor Mitch Daniels told reporters later that many precautions had been taken ahead of the event to cope with stormy weather, but that the stage collapse had been caused by a freak gust of wind - between 60 and 70 mph - that could not have been foreseen.

Sugarland were in an underground back stage area preparing for their show when the accident occurred. According to reports, their manager had suggested they delay the start of their show to wait and see how bad the oncoming storm would be. The delay may well have a saved lives, partly because the band weren't on the stage at the time, and partly because, as a result, fewer audience members had moved closer to the staging area.

In a statement released yesterday, Sugarland singer Jennifer Nettles said: "I am so moved. Moved by the grief of those families who lost loved ones. Moved by the pain of those who were injured and the fear of their families. Moved by the great heroism as I watched so many brave Indianapolis fans actually run toward the stage to try and help lift and rescue those injured. Moved by the quickness and organisation of the emergency workers who set up the triage and tended to the injured".

You can view footage of the collapse, shot by an audience member here. Please be aware that the video contains images that you may find disturbing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRkdwrmzYXg

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TEN YEARS SINCE CMU CO-FOUNDER'S DEATH
Tomorrow marks the tenth anniversary of the death of Alastair Walker, co-founder of CMU.

It was in early spring 1998 that he, Fraser Thomson, and current co-publisher Chris Cooke set out to launch a media that would bring together everyone working in music from the top executives at the biggest music companies to grass roots artists, songwriters, promoters, label owners and music journalists. CMU subsequently launched in May 1998.

Although Alastair's premature death, just before his 30th birthday, of a heart attack brought on by undiagnosed diabetes, came just over three years later, by then he had put in place the musical ethos and editorial attitude that continues at CMU to this day.

Commenting on the anniversary, Cooke said: "It's hard to believe that it's ten whole years since Alastair died. On one level it seems a lifetime ago, on another it feels like only yesterday that we were sitting in our warehouse office near Islington plotting the future of CMU together. Of course what we do, and how we do it, has changed a lot in the last ten years, but I think the general attitude and ambition, and music policy, which Alastair played such a crucial role in creating ten, eleven, twelve years ago continues to this day".

To mark the anniversary and celebrate Alastair's role in creating CMU, Chris has complied a special tribute Powers Of Ten playlist featuring some of his co-founder's favourite artists, and some newer artists Chris is certain he would have championed. You can check the playlist out here:

www.thecmuwebsite.com/article/a-cmu-co-founder-alastair-walker-tribute-powers-of-ten-playlist/

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OLIVERI CHARGED OVER SWAT STAND-OFF
Former Queens Of The Stone Age bassist Nick Oliveri has been charged following his previously reported armed stand-off with a police SWAT team at his LA home last month.

Police officers swooped on the LA home of Oliveri, who now fronts his own band Mondo Generator, after reports of a domestic incident. The rocker initially refused to allow them into the property and, with fears he had a high powered rifle to hand, police chiefs called in a SWAT team resulting in a two hour siege.

Oliveri eventually gave himself up. He was arrested on charges of domestic violence and released on $100,000 bail. But now, according to TMZ, those domestic violence charges have been dropped and replaced with four firearms and drugs charges, plus one for resisting arrest. If convicted, he faces up to fifteen years in prison.

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AMG CHIEF DIES
John Northcote, CEO of the Academy Music Group, died last week aged 62.

Having originally started out as a marketing exec in the retail sector, Northcote's first real move into the live music space came in the early 1990s when he joined the Break For The Border Group, where he ran the Borderline venue in London's Charing Cross.

With ambitions to make a real mark on the live industry, in 1994 he acquired the Shepherds Bush Empire and restored it as a live music venue. He then took over the Brixton Academy, setting the wheels in motion to create one of the UK's biggest and best known music venue networks.

Later, Northcote forged alliances with promoters SJM and Metropolis Music, and later still Live Nation, to grow the Academy Music Group, which now owns and operates fourteen venues in cities across the UK, many offering more than one performance space.

Northcote had been suffering from a pro-longed illness for some time before his death last Wednesday. A statement from AMG last week confirming his passing said: "Our thoughts are with John's family and friends. He will be greatly missed by all at Academy Music Group, our shareholders and everyone who had the honour of knowing and working with him".

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JANI LANE DIES
Former frontman of LA glam metal band Warrant, Jani Lane, real name John Oswald, was found dead in a California motel room last Thursday evening. He was 47. An autopsy to determine the cause of death conducted on Friday proved inconclusive.

Formed in 1984, Warrant came to prominence in 1989 with the release of their debut album 'Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich', with their biggest hit, 'Heaven', released as a single the following year. The 1990 follow-up, 'Cherry Pie', achieved similar success, though through the early 90s the band went through a number of line-up changes and saw their popularity wane. Lane himself left the band in 1993, but returned in 1994.

He released his debut solo album 'Back Down To One', and then quit Warrant again in 2004. He briefly rejoined for a matter of months in 2008, but after a number of shows together decided not to continue with the reunion.

The band paid tribute to their former frontman at a show on Friday night, guitarist Erik Turner saying ahead of the performance: "We never thought that when the song 'Heaven' was written we would be playing it someday in the memory of Jani's untimely death. This is a very sad day for rock n roll. [But] one of the great things about music is that it lives on forever".

Lane is survived by his wife, Kimberly, two daughters from two previous marriages, two step children, a brother and three sisters.

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EMPIRE OF THE SUN RECORDING SECOND ALBUM
Empire Of The Sun's Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore have begun work on their second album. As previously reported, Littlemore stopped performing with the band last year, having never toured, concentrating instead on his main project, Pnau, and his work as musical director of the Cirque Du Soleil musical, Zarkana.

According to Steele, the pair had no contact for over a year, but last month went to a New York studio to work on new music. He told the NME: "Me and Nick have reunited and we've done about ten demos for the next record, so the new [Empire Of The Sun] era has begun".

Explaining the pair's unusual relationship, he said: "As the [first] record came out Nick joined the circus, literally, and that project took a lot longer than he thought it would. That's why he hasn't been in the band. We have such a weird relationship because the day before we actually went into the studio was the first time we'd spoken since the BRIT Awards last year. And it was great, the sessions went really well. We're hoping to go into the studio again in September".

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N-DUBZ DROPPED BY DEF JAM
N-Dubz have been dropped by Universal's Def Jam just one album into a five album American deal. The band were signed by the label's then boss LA Reid last year, releasing their US debut, 'Love.Live.Life', in November.

Speaking to MTV, Dappy from the group claimed that the relationship had ended because they'd refused to co-operate with the label, and not because no one at the company except LA Reid, who has now moved to Sony, actually liked them.

He said: "They might say they've dropped us but we were never going to co-operate with them when they decided to change what we are. If we had co-operated we would still be signed. But I stuck my finger up at them when they wanted us to make another 'Being N-Dubz' TV show. Tulisa thought we should do it because we could make some money out of it, but I said no".

He added: "For them to say they dropped us makes me angry because we just didn't want to change who we are or what we do. We're not just a silly bunch of pop tarts".

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COLDPLAY ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM
Coldplay will release their fifth studio album, 'Mylo Xyloto', through EMI/Parlophone on 24 Oct. The album was produced by Markus Dravs, Daniel Green, and Rik Simpson, with additional tinkering from Brian Eno. Artwork comes courtesy of American illustrator David A Carter.

Chris Martin told Billboard: "The hope for the record is to be free from any musical kind of box. It very much comes from the Brian Eno professorship of 'go anywhere. As long as it's you guys, you can go anywhere'. [There is] also a story, supposed to be loosely a kind of romance in an oppressive environment. It's sort of a love story".

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JOHN MARTYN TRIBUTE LP TO FEATURE BECK, BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB
Artists including Beck, Phil Collins, Snow Patrol, Vashti Bunyan and Paolo Nutini have contributed covers to a new John Martyn tribute album entitled 'Johnny Boy Would Love This'. The double-LP is out this week on Hole In The Rain Music/Absolute. All proceeds from sales will go to John's family.

Phil Collins, who worked with John throughout his career, said this of his late friend and long-time collaborator: "[He] was unique. Completely unique. He had such power, such emotion, in his music that he could overwhelm the listener even when it was just him and an acoustic guitar. I loved him very much as there were no half measures, literally and musically. I hope people remember him and his music always".

The full tracklist is as follows.

CD 1:
David Gray - Let The Good Things Come
Clarence Fountain and Sam Butler - Glorious Fool
Robert Smith - Small Hours
Beck - Stormbringer
Ted Barnes (feat Gavin Clark) - Over The Hill
The Swell Season - I Don't Wanna Know
The Emperors Of Wyoming - Bless The Weather
Lis Hannigan - Couldn't Love You More
Vetiver - Go Easy
Skye Edwards - Solid Air
Cheryl Wilson - You Can Discover
Joe Bonamassa - The Easy Blues
Sonia Dada - Dancing
Sabrina Dinan - Certain Surprise
Paolo Nutini - One World

CD 2:
Snow Patrol - May You Never
Beth Orton - Go Down Easy
Bombay Bicycle Club - Fairytale Lullaby
Syd Kitchen - Fine Lines
Vashti Bunyan - Head And Heart
Morcheeba - Run Honey Run
Nicholas Barron - Angeline
John Smith - Walk To The Water
Judy Tzuke - Hurt In Your Heart
Jim Tullio - Road To Ruin
Oh My God - John Wayne
The Blackships - Rope Soul'd
Ultan Conlon - Back To Stay
Brendan Campbell - Anna
Phil Collins - Tearing And Breaking

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NEW EMINEM FILM SCRAPPED
A new film due to star Eminem as an up-and-coming boxer has been scrapped by Dreamworks prior to filming starting.

However, the rapper and the film's director Antoine Fuqua may now pitch the project to other studios. Though there is speculation that 'Southpaw' was dropped by Dreamworks simply because of the high number of other boxing movies already in the works, which doesn't suggest they would be successful if they did approach other studio partners.

The film would see Eminem's character overcome personal tragedy to become better as a boxer and a person. If it doesn't now get made but you like the sound of it, just try watching '8 Mile' and imagining that Eminem is boxing every time he appears on screen rapping. That should do it.

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PETE DOHERTY RESCHEDULES TOUR DATES, ADDS MORE SHOWS
Pete Doherty has rescheduled the Glasgow and Blackburn-based shows which he was forced to cancel earlier this year when he was set to prison. Pesky judicial service. As well as this, Doherty has tacked on a handful of additional dates, too. Here's hoping the pasty-faced troubadour has committed his revised touring schedule to memory.

Tour dates:

25 Aug: Blackburn, St George's Hall
15 Sep: Derry, Nerve Centre
16 Sept Belfast, Queens University
17 Sep: Glasgow, Barrowlands
20 Sep: Wolverhampton, Wulfrun Hall
21 Sep: Edinburgh, Picture House
22 Sep: York, Barbican
23 Sep: London, Brixton Academy

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LITTLE ROY TO DEBUT NIRVANA COVERS LP AT LONDON SHOW
Reggae veteran Little Roy is to team up with producer Prince Fatty for the live debut of his Nirvana covers album, 'Battle For Seattle'. Also featuring special guests Don Letts and Hollie Cook, the show will take place at London's 100 Club on 25 Aug.

Says Prince Fatty of the venture: "We had to think about it from both sides. We wanted to be respectful to Nirvana, and Little Roy. We couldn't just rip into this". Well said, Fatty, well said.

'Battle For Seattle' will be released by Ark Recordings on 5 Sep. Stream latest single, 'Come As You Are', here.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1aEo4SkOWg

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HANDSOME FURS TOUR
Canadian Sub Pop-signed duo Handsome Furs are planning to make a three-stop UK tour in the name of their much-lauded third long player 'Sound Kapital'. Album track 'What About Us' is available as a free download below.

Here are those dates:

13 Sep: London, Hoxton Bar & Kitchen
14 Sep: Manchester, Deaf Institute
16 Sep: Brighton, The Hope

soundcloud.com/subpop/handsome-furs-what-about-us

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BPI LAUNCHES FUND FOR INDIES IMPACTED BY THE SONY DADC FIRE
Record label trade body the BPI, which counts both majors and indies among its membership, has made a fund of about £100,000 available to help smaller independents which have been affected by the fire, last week, at the Sony DADC distribution warehouse used by key indie label distributor [PIAS].

As previously reported, numerous labels lost some or all of their physical product stock after the distribution centre in north London was destroyed during last week's riots. Although many will be insured for the actual lost stock it will take time for insurance monies to come through, and smaller labels which cannot afford to repress CDs and records in the meantime will suffer lost sales as a result.

The £100,000 fund, contributed by bigger BPI members and the trade body's own commercial operations, will be made available as interest free loans to struggling indies, similar to the other fund set up by [PIAS] itself in partnership with the Association Of Independent Music.

Confirming the BPI fund, the trade body's boss Geoff Taylor said: "The BPI is founded on the principle that majors and indies should work together and that a vibrant independent sector benefits the recorded music business as a whole. For that reason, I am delighted that independent and major members of BPI are showing their solidarity by creating a growing fund to assist indie labels that experience financial difficulties as a result of destruction of stock in the Sony DADC warehouse".

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GAME TWEETS POLICE PHONE NUMBER
Rapper Game, formerly The Game, could face prosecution after he invited fans to call him about becoming his new intern but posted the phone number of the LA Sheriff's Department.

Sheriff's Captain Mike Parker sent the rapper a message via the social networking service saying: "You tweeted [the] phone [number] of [the] LASD Compton Sheriff and said to call for [an] internship when there is none. [Large volumes of calls] are compromising public safety".

The Sheriff sent several more messages asking Game to delete the tweet containing the phone number The rapper eventually complied, but also posted a new message reading: "Y'all can track a tweet down but can't solve murders! [Posting the LAPD number] was an accident, but maybe now y'all can actually do [your] job! I speak for the people".

What a nice guy.

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