| CMU Daily - on the inside 21 Jul 2004 |
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In today's CMU Daily:
- Mercury Music Prize list announced
- Independents hit out at Sony BMG merger
- Reading Festival sells out
- Choice FM launch Reggae In The Park
- Jacko denies quadruplets story
- Libertine Doherty extends solo tour
- Iron Maiden stars join Strat fest line up
- Har Mar Superstar announces UK tour
- London Astoria could face closure if new rail network goes ahead
- Album Review: Charlotte Hatherley - Grey To Fade
- Weller on his covers album
- Lil Romeo sued by songwriter
- Jay Kay pleads guilty to speeding
- Linda Ronstadt booed off stage for supporting Moore
- More beats and samples in new Beck material
- Hives announce UK tour
- Live Morrissey track available to download
- Virgin confirm Placebo best of
- Jurassic 5 added to T fringe bill
- Ronan Keating taken ill
- Good week for Skinner
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MERCURY MUSIC PRIZE LIST ANNOUNCED
The shortlist for this year's Mercury Music Prize was announced yesterday with few surprises among the typically eclectic assortment of 'albums of the year'. The list looks not altogether unlike this:
Amy Winehouse - Frank
Basement Jaxx - Kish Kash
Belle & Sebastian - Dear Catastrophe Waitress
Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
Jamelia - Thank You
Joss Stone - The Soul Sessions
Keane - Hopes and Fears
Robert Wyatt - Cuckooland
Snow Patrol - Final Straw
The Streets - A Grand Don't Come for Free
Ty - Upwards
The Zutons - Who Killed...... The Zutons
Announcing the list, Simon Frith, chair of the judging panel, told reporters: "This is an exceptional year, most dramatically illustrated by the emergence of several new and varied bands together with outstanding work by three powerful female singers. The shortlist also recognises the continued good health of the gloriously eclectic world that is British and Irish music."
Commenting on their inclusion, Keane's Tim Rice Oxley told the NME that it was nice to be nominated, but that he didn't expect to win. He told the magazine: "I would imagine they'll give it to someone a bit more obscure. I don't think we'd really count as obscure, now, would we? There are quite a few bands in the list too - but it does show that it's been a really good year for British bands. It's quite nice to have the year in music rounded up in that way."
Will Ashton of Ninja Tunes imprint Big Dada was very upbeat following the inclusion of Ty's excellent 'Upwards' on the list - just two years after Ty's label mate Roots Manuva was nominated for the award. He told CMU: "This is a very considerable achievement for a small independent label. We're really pleased and excited for Ty as his album deserves the recognition. But we also think that the nominations reflect our commitment to putting our artists first and giving them the support to develop their sound rather than trying to squeeze clichÈs out of them for no better reason than to turn a short term profit."
Ty himself added: "I'm absolutely over the moon. It's an amazing experience. I never expected to get nominated. I'm shocked but ready to win!"
Meanwhile Andy Childs of Rykodisc/Hannibal Records was equally upbeat following the addition of Robert Wyatt's 'Cuckooland' on the list - possibly the least high profile of this year's nominations. He told CMU: "It's very gratifying to know that more and more people are coming to know and appreciate Robert's work. Hannibal has been privileged to release seven of Robert's albums so far plus a box set of EPs and every one has an honoured position in our catalogue. His wonderful music is genuinely unique and I think has added immeasurably to the richness of British music over the years. We are very proud to be associated with him and I really hope that this nomination helps secure the wider audience for his music that it deserves. Robert and Alfie are both special people and for the ten years or so that I've known them it's been nothing less than a pleasure to work for them."
Bookies currently have The Streets and Franz Ferdinand as joint favourites to win the award in Sep. Our money's on Franz Ferdinand, which probably means they definitely won't win.
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INDEPENDENTS HIT OUT AT SONY BMG MERGER
Needless to say, surely, much negative opinion in the independent music sector yesterday following that announcement that EC officials had given the go-ahead for major record companies Sony and BMG to merge without any limiting conditions.
Independent labels, retailers and management companies across Europe had opposed the merger proposals from the start, and had presented a range of evidence to officials claiming that the merger would give Sony BMG an unfair advantage in the music space, leading to an increase in CD prices and less consumer choice. However EC officials did not agree with the independent sector concluding there was no evidence the merger would be bad for the music industry at large.
Commenting on the EC ruling Michel Lambot, President of the pan-European independent music body IMPALA and Co-chairman of independent label PIAS, told reporters: "We have been told that the merger of two dinosaurs who reach a combined share of 50% of the market with head offices in New York will neither endanger the development of a European Culture nor the existence of thousands of young and small enterprises. This must be a b-movie. I will undoubtedly wake up tomorrow and realize just how bad and foolish my nightmare was."
Martin Mills, a member of IMPALA's board and boss of London based independent label Beggars added: "In an over-regulated world, the regulators have sadly chosen not to support creativity in music, meaning that the values of open market access for music from all sources have been subordinated to the economic desires of multi national corporations - precisely the kind of regulation that Europe's citizens actually need and want. This merger is not about economic necessity in a changing market, as BMG's stellar figures demonstrate, it is about the desire to dominate and to control the outlets at media and retail level through which news of wonderful new music is disseminated. Most concerning, of course, is the question whether having allowed the five music majors to become four, what would the Commission's attitude be if the majors go from four to three? This demonstrates why all sectors of the music industry other than the major record companies are fearful of the consequences of this merger, and are saddened by its approval."
American competition authorities are expected to give the go-ahead to the deal today because they have reportedly been undertaking their own investigations into the merger alongside the EC's. Word is the merger will then go into fast track with a final deal possibly signed within the month.
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READING FESTIVAL SELLS OUT
Continuing a theme of the 2004 festival season, the Reading Festival has sold out weeks before it opens its gates on 27 Aug. A limited number of tickets for the other part of the Carling Weekend - the Leeds Festival - are still on sale, but a spokesman for Reading/Leeds promoters Mean Fiddler told reporters: "These are selling fast and we anticipate that this will also soon be a total sell out."
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CHOICE FM LAUNCH REGGAE IN THE PARK
With all these sell out festivals, you can't blame promoters for launching some new ones. And in that vein, another all day music event was added to the London music calendar yesterday.
Choice FM have announced the launch of Reggae In The Park which will take place in East London's Victoria Park on 5 Sep. The one day festival will feature numerous major reggae artists, including Marcia Griffiths, Sizzla, Freddie McGregor, Barrington Levy, Vybes Kartel, Gregory Isaacs and The Mighty Diamonds - many more acts are still to be confirmed.
Also included in the proceedings will be a tribute to the late reggae producer Clement Seymour Dodd who died in May. A number of artists on the bill will perform one of his songs and he will be presented with a posthumous award for his outstanding contribution to reggae music.
More at http://www.reggaeinthepark.co.uk. Press info from Noble PR.
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JACKO DENIES QUADRUPLETS STORY
So Michael Jackson is about to become the father of quadruplets with a surrogate mother based in Florida who first met Jacko after she wrote to him to offer her support in his ongoing battle against child abuse allegations? Well, that's what US Weekly magazine and the Sun have reported, but the official word from the Jacko camp is: "we deny the validity of this report".
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LIBERTINE DOHERTY EXTENDS SOLO TOUR
Well, he might be out of the Libertines (for the time being at least), but Mr Pete Doherty won't let the small matter of kicking a crippling drug addiction stop him from getting on stage. To that end, Doherty yesterday announced he is extending his solo UK tour. Dates as follows:
26 Jul: Glasgow Stereo
27 Jul: Wolverhampton Little Civic
28 Jul: Sheffield Trippets
29 Jul: Southampton Joiners
31 Jul: Nottingham The Social
1 Aug: Brighton Freebutt
2 Aug: London Camden Monarch
4 Aug: Bristol Louisiana
5 Aug: Shrewsbury The Albert
6 Aug: London Camden Monarch
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IRON MAIDEN STARS JOIN STRAT FEST LINE UP
Iron Maiden stars Bruce Dickinson, Adrian Smith and Nicko McBrain are the latest names to be added to that star-studded event taking place at Wembley Arena on 24 Sep to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Fender Stratocaster electric guitar.
They join a line up that already includes David Gilmour (Pink Floyd), Joe Walsh (Eagles), Hank Marvin (The Shadows), Phil Manzanera (Roxy Music) and Mike Rutherford (Genesis). And rumour has it that Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi and Scorpions guitarist Matthias Jabs may soon be added to the bill.
The Miller sponsored event will be held in aid of Nordoff-Robbins. Press info from LD Publicity.
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HAR MAR SUPERSTAR ANNOUNCES UK TOUR
Har Mar Superstar has announced a series of UK dates to promote new album 'The Handler', which will be released in Sep. Dates as follows:
24 Jul: Middlesbrough Empire
29 Jul: Hull Welly
30 Jul: Brighton Big Beat Boutique
31 Jul: London Mean Fiddler (Frog Club)
5 Aug: Nottingham Stealth
6 Aug: Birmingham Academy
7 Aug: Edinburgh Liquid Rooms
12 Aug: London Popstarz
13 Aug: Bristol Ramshackle
14 Aug: Coventry Colosseum
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LONDON ASTORIA COULD FACE CLOSURE IF NEW RAIL NETWORK GOES AHEAD
One of central London's most popular mid-sized venues might have to be sacrificed in order to improve public transport in the capital. The UK government yesterday backed a £10 billion rail project which would see a new rail system built to link East and West London.
The plans include a new station at the junction between the city's Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road, and some insiders say the Astoria venue, which is based on that junction, would have to be demolished to make way for that station.
The 2000 capacity Astoria, part of the Mean Fiddler group, is an institution in London's live music scene hosting hundreds of clubs and gigs each year, and is the main home of the GAY franchise.
While a spokesman for the rail project was vague about the implications of the new station on the buildings surrounding the junction, Mean Fiddler were dismissive of the demolition claims, telling the BBC: "This is not going to affect the Astoria. We have been in talks with Crossrail."
The new rail service would take several years to get off the ground. Organisers of London's 2012 Olympic bid hope they can include the service in their plans for staging the games in the city, but some involved in the project say it is unlikely the network would be fully operational by then.
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ALBUM REVIEW: Charlotte Hatherley - Grey To Fade (Double Dragon)
To fill the time between Ash albums, rhythm guitarist Charlotte Hatherley finally releases her long awaited solo album. Solo ventures by musicians still in bands can often be dubious propositions. They can usually be divided into self-indulgent disasters, or moments of inspiration. I am pleased to say that Hatherley's album falls into the latter camp - and I should point out that Ash wouldn't exactly make my list of favourite bands, so there's no bias going on here. No, despite all my reservations, the ten tracks that make up 'Grey To Fade' make for a surprisingly pleasant listen. Sonically, this album reminds me of mid-90s Lush; all jangly guitars, sharp hooks, and cute, dreamy vocals. This is most evident on the download only single 'Kim Wilde'. This is no tribute to the 80s-singer-come-horticulturalist however, even if the tune does remind you of Ms Wilde's most famous hit, the title of which is even namedropped within the song. This could have been released in a single in it's own right; it has mainstream appeal and is a terrific introduction to Hatherley as a solo artist. The album more or less continues at this standard, the highlights including 'Rescue Plan', the impending single release 'Summer', and 'Down'. That said, there are minor criticisms. There's the odd ill-chosen track such as 'Stop' (a feedback drenched mess with barely audible lyrics). The running order could have been adjusted a little; it does seem that Hatherley's best songs are the opening ones, which gives you the feeling that the album peaks a little early. And some of the lyrics could do with some work. But this is a debut album from a musician who is not even the primary songwriter or performer in her band - and with that in mind it is quite an impressive debut. It's possible to foresee a real future for Hatherley as a solo artist, whether she remains in Ash or otherwise. KW
Release date: 16 Aug
Press contact: Ian Cheek [CP, RP] Double Dragon IH on 020 7739 6903 [NP, CR, RR, NR]
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WELLER ON HIS COVERS ALBUM
Paul Weller has been talking about his first studio album for V2, a collection of cover versions going under the name of 'Studio 150'.
Talking to Billboard, Weller said: "I'd been talking about recording a covers album for a very long time. Initially I had the idea to record a selection that resembled a compilation tape that you'd give to a friend of all your favourite songs. I was worried that there would be too many disparate and diverse sounds that just wouldn't hang together so instead I decided to cover songs that weren't particularly my favourites but ones I could reinterpret, play around with and make my own."
The Songs featured on the album include:
If I Could Only Be Sure by Nolan Porter
Wishing On A Star by Billie Rae Calvin
Don't Make Promises by Tim Hardin
The Bottle by Gil Scott-Heron
Black Is The Colour (traditional)
Close To You by The Carpenters
Early Morning Rain by Gordon Lightfoot
One Way Road by Bobby Kimmel
Hercules by Aaron Neville
Thinking Of You by Sister Sledge
All Along The Watchtower by Bob Dylan
Birds by Neil Young
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LIL ROMEO SUED BY SONGWRITER
And so into the pop courts we go once more, with the news that a songwriter in the US has sued Lil Romeo claiming he wrote six tracks on the young rapper's latest album 'Gametime' - one of which also appears on the soundtrack to the movie 'Max Keeble's Big Move' which featured a cameo appearance from Romeo. The songwriter, Sean Cunningham, claims he has never been credited or paid for his input on the tracks and he is now seeking damages from the rapper, his manager father Master P and his record label Universal. The case is likely to go to court next Mar.
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JAY KAY PLEADS GUILTY TO SPEEDING
More from the courts, and Jamiroquai's Jay Kay has pleaded guilty of speeding but has asked the court to be lenient because of the circumstances around his fast driving - which occurred as he overtook another car back in Feb.
In a written statement read out in court in Jay Kay's absence the singer said: "I was returning from my house in Gairloch to England for an important appointment. I'd set out early in the morning but had become stuck behind slow moving traffic on the single-carriageway road. I was not driving a fast sports car but a four-wheel-drive vehicle which meant I wanted to make the most of this overtaking opportunity. I drive very many miles each year and my driving license is extremely important to me. I appreciate the maximum penalty for this offence could lead to the loss of my license and this is a matter of grave concern to me."
Jay Kay will find out if his pleas have had any effect when he goes to court on 6 Sep for sentencing.
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LINDA RONSTADT BOOED OFF STAGE FOR SUPPORTING MOORE
Less than a week after Elton John told a magazine in the US that artists have been deprived of their freedom of speech because they fear the repercussions if they speak out against George 'it's un-American to criticise me' Bush, Ms Linda Ronstadt has provided the proof.
She was booed off stage and escorted off the premises at a Las Vegas venue after she had the audacity to praise film-maker Michael Moore for his anti- Bush film 'Fahrenheit 9/11'. The singer commented midway through her show at Las Vegas' Aladdin casino that Moore was a "great American patriot" and "someone who is spreading the truth". A number of her 4500 audience stormed out, tore down concert posters and tossed cocktails in the air. After the uproar Ronstadt was escorted off the premises and the venue's manager has said she will not be allowed back - he told reporters: "As long as I'm here, she's not going to play."
In an open statement to the owners of the Aladdin venue Michael Moore today said: "For you to throw Linda Ronstadt off the premises because she dared to say a few words in support of me and my film is simply stupid and un-American." He then said that if the venue welcomed Ronstadt back he would join her on stage, and then organise a free screening of his new film for everyone in Vegas.
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MORE BEATS AND SAMPLES IN NEW BECK MATERIAL
Word just in regarding the new Beck album, which is currently in production with an Oct release date planned. Reports suggest that the new material, which sees Beck team up again with the production talents of the Dust Brothers, will include more of those beats and samples that feature in his early work. More when we get it.
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HIVES ANNOUNCE UK TOUR
The Hives have announced a UK tour for Sep to promote new album 'Tyrannosaurus Hives', which was released on Monday. Dates as follows:
21 Sep: Bristol Academy
23 Sep: Birmingham Academy
24 Sep: Manchester Apollo
25 Sep: Sheffield Octagon
29 Sep: London Brixton Academy
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LIVE MORRISEY TRACK AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD
Having reached number 6 in this week's singles chart with 'First Of The Gang To Die', Morrissey has made a live recording of the single available to download. The track was recorded at his homecoming concert at the Manchester Evening News Arena back on 22 May. It can be downloaded for 99p at either http://www.morrisseymusic.com or http://www.youarethequarry.net.
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VIRGIN CONFIRM PLACEBO BEST OF
Virgin Records have confirmed they will release a Placebo best of compilation in Oct, featuring tracks from the band's four previous albums 'Placebo', 'Without You I'm Nothing', 'Black Market Music' and 'Sleeping With Ghosts'. There will be one new track on the album which will be released as a single on 4 Oct.
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JURASSIC 5 ADDED TO T FRINGE BILL
The mighty Jurassic 5 have just been added to the bill of T on the Fringe, the main music strand at the Edinburgh Festival. The top hip hop combo from LA will perform at the city's Corn Exchange on 1 Sep.
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RONAN KEATING TAKEN ILL
Ronan Keating is recovering in hospital in Dublin after being taken ill with a mystery bug that almost blinded the singer due to a swelling around his eyes. Keating was admitted to hospital just before he was due to play at a celebrity golf event in memory of his late mother Marie. His sister Laura told the Daily Mirror: "He is not very well at all and had no choice but to miss the golf day. He took very ill and it was quite worrying. They won't let him out of hospital until they are 100% happy with his condition."
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COLDPLAY MARTIN ON NOT DRYING HIS EYES
Despite those allegations of strings theft, it could prove to be a good week for Mr Mike Skinner. Following yesterday's Mercury Music Prize nomination, his album 'A Grand Don't Come For Free' is expected to slide back up to the top of the album chart this weekend, helped by both that nomination and the popularity of new single 'Dry Your Eyes'. That single, meanwhile, is favourite to top the singles chart on Sunday.
Talking of 'Dry Your Eyes', Coldplay's Chris Martin has been talking about his non-appearance on the track. Talking to local radio station Harborough FM he said: "Well it's an interesting story if you're into Coldplay and if you're not its really boring, but Mike Skinner, his new single is called 'Dry Your Eyes' and there was this version of it which I sang the chorus. But I said I didn't think it was as good as the version where he sang the chorus. Then he didn't think that was as good as the version where some other dude sang the chorus, so neither him nor me sing on the chorus. But it was cool to spend the day with him. He's an amazing guy."