| CMU Daily - on the inside Tuesday 26th September |
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In today's CMU Daily:
- UK Festival Awards nominations out
- British Library airs copyright concerns
- Lupe Fiasco gig cancelled
- Knowles Senior responds to MOBO reaction
- AEG launch new ticket auction service
- Documentary promises truth on Hot 97 shooting
- Briggs pleads guilty to Leeson attack
- Aerosmith's Tyler has hepatitis
- Danny Flores dies
- Aladar Pege dies
- Etta Baker dies
- Album Review: Richard Swift - The Novelist/Walking Without Effort
- Albarn project single next month
- Cocker to release solo album
- KT Tunstall album news
- Yorke's Eraser mixed up
- Snoop and Dre collaborate
- Sugababes singles album coming soon
- U2 and Green Day do Abbey Road
- Levellers stuff
- Sparks annoyed by BBC ban
- Shears on US Sisters response
- Downloader Fantastic Plastic takeover
- Nokia gets OK for Loudeye purchase
- HMV launch instore games mag
- OfCom say no to ITV kids show cuts
- ITV to premiere new Robbie
- Rockfeedbacktv goes to Channel 4
- Lloyd Webber defends Maria stuff again
- Minelli case thrown out of court
- Zutons man on coke and rehab
- Walsh and Cowell bitching again
- Carter withdraws marriage proposal
- UK Festival Awards nominations in full
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TOP BIT >>
With the new college year now upon us, we've expanded the CMU review team once more and recruited some brand new college correspondents, which means we should be able to review even more singles, albums and gigs in the coming year. We're already bombarded each week with hundreds of CDs for review but, of course, want to cover as many different kinds of music as possible, from the biggest artists to the newest talent, and from every genre, so if you're a label or PR type person it would be great if you could double check that we are on your lists.
You should send CDs for review to: CMU, UnLimited Media, Fl3 Grampian House, Meridian Gate, London, E14 9YT. It doesn't matter what name you put on it because they all get opened by Mary - who coordinates all the reviews. Basically we let our reviewers and correspondents know what CDs are available for review on a weekly basis, and they request the releases that most interest them. And we send them a few extras to review too - based on the genres they specialise in. We look forward to getting your new releases!
Meanwhile, to all our US readers out there, one of our college correspondents is now studying in the States, so we've appointed him our American Correspondent! If you are a US label interested in sending him your music, drop an email to [email protected] with US Label in the subject line, and we'll let you know his direct mailing address.
And finally in this here logistical Top Bit, a reminder that news releases should be emailed to [email protected] rather than the individual email addresses of any of the team (or the daily@ address) - that way they will be checked as the Daily is compiled each day.
And finally finally - we'll be recruiting some extra college correspondents in certain cities next week - watch this space for more information.
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MYSPACE OF THE DAY: WILEY
Well, you may know Wiley already, he is, after all, something of a pioneer when it comes to the grime. The genre, clearly. He's not a world class cleaner, or anything. Anyway, you probably already like him. You liked Roll Deep, didn't you? Which was him too. We reported just the other day that he's just signed to Big Dada, and his first album for them is expected next year. At present he's flogging his latest mix tape, and this is a flogging-heavy sort of a page, but the sample tracks give you an idea of his sound, if you're not conversant with it. If you're not a spring chicken/don't hang out a lot with 'the kids' in 'London', I wouldn't necessarily advise reading through all the comments. They're often written in the kind of language I'm going to stop understanding on my next birthday. Ah, the march of time. Take a look:
http://www.myspace.com/eskiboywiley
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UK FESTIVAL AWARDS NOMINATIONS OUT
Hey, the nominations are out for this year's UK Festival Awards. You can check all the shortlists at the bottom of today's Daily (and I hope you do, it took me ages to format them), then vote for your favourites at http://www.festivalawards.com/. You have until 16 Oct to vote, winners will be announced on 19 Oct. Hurrah. I'm off to vote for Depeche Mode for best headline act, and for Bestival in every category it is nominated in.
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BRITISH LIBRARY AIRS COPYRIGHT CONCERNS
Those British librarians (that is to say, people from the British Library) yesterday threw their support behind a radical overhaul of UK copyright law, with the institution's CEO, Lynne Brindley remarking that: "Unless there is a serious updating of copyright law to recognize the changing technological environment, the law becomes an ass".
In terms of the changes they support, the British Library sit somewhere between the content industries, who want stronger and clearer laws governing piracy, and certain consumer rights and 'open source' groups who want legislation that controls the ways content owners restrict usage.
Though one of the key issues raised in a new manifesto, launched by the Library at that there Labour Party Conference yesterday, is concerned more with the latter. They say that some content owners are currently using digital rights management which makes it technically impossible for people, and libraries in particular, to exercise existing rights given by current copyright law. These include rights to make personal copies of copyright content (printed content that is, not recordings), and rights that exist to enable preservation, or the adaptation of content for use by disabled consumers.
Brindley: "DRM is a technical device, but it's being used in an all-embracing sense. It can't be circumvented for disabled access or preservation, and the technology doesn't expire (as traditional copyright does). In effect, it's overriding exceptions to copyright law".
Of course the British Library is not concerned exclusively with music copyrights, and many of the issues they raise in the manifesto (and, indeed, raised during the All Parliamentary Internet Group's recent investigation into DRM issues) are not so relevant to the recorded domain. However, one specific concern expressed in the manifesto does relate to the library's Sound Archive.
The Sound Archive holds about 75% of all music released in the UK, plus a stack of other sound and video recordings including plays, poetry, speeches, interviews, and wildlife sounds. A key role of the modern Sound Archive is copying recordings acquired in essentially now defunct formats onto current technologies, however the Library is only at liberty to do so once a recording is out of copyright - currently fifty years after release. As previously reported, the record industry is keen to extend that copyright period - to 95 years - but the British Library says that if the period was extended, and if current restrictions of making archive copies continued, by the time many older recordings came out of copyright the original recordings will have been lost to decay.
The manifesto says: "Currently the law does not permit copying of sound and film items for preservation. Without the right to make copies, the UK is losing a large part of its recorded culture. Many original audio and film formats we hold are becoming increasingly more fragile and face irretrievable decay [if not preserved soon]".
Of course that doesn't mean the Library is necessarily opposing the record industry's bid to extend their copyrights - a change in the restrictions to how and when the Library can make copies of recordings would also overcome the problem, but Library bosses do urge politicians to consider "sound economic evidence and the needs of all members of our economy and society" before making any moves to make copyrights longer or more restrictive.
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LUPE FIASCO GIG CANCELLED
A Lupe Fiasco gig due to take place at London's Scala venue last night was cancelled at the request of London police who are still investigating a shooting that took place outside the club over the weekend. One Daniel Ross was killed during the shooting incident outside the venue on Saturday night, while Garage Fever's Old Skool Fever club was taking place. Police investigating the killing have appealed for witnesses to come forward.
Meanwhile promoters of the US rapper's London show confirmed police had refused permission for their gig to go ahead, telling reporters: "Due to an unrelated incident which took place on Saturday at The Scala, we regret to inform you that Lupe Fiasco's gig has been cancelled this evening". The gig will now take place on 9 Oct at the Carling Islington Academy.
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KNOWLES SENIOR RESPONDS TO MOBO REACTION
Beyonce's dad has hit back at the bad reaction his daughter received at last week's MOBO Awards. As previously reported, some audience members at the awards bash booed when it was announced Beyonce, who was not in attendance despite being in London, had won a third award. They were especially pissed off that Beyonce hadn't even recorded any kind of acceptance message.
But Beyonce's dad and manager, Matthew Knowles, says he reckons that the booing was more aimed at MOBO organisers, who, he says, should have handled the way they announced Beyonce's three awards differently, given that they knew she wouldn't be in attendance. Knowles also criticised the press for, he claims, raising expectations among fans that Beyonce would make an appearance, when, he says, her schedule had always been such that she wouldn't be able to make it.
Knowles Snr: "Beyonce was never scheduled to be at the MOBO Awards. Never! Her schedule simply would not allow it. Fans who paid their money to see Beyonce and other US artists that won multiple awards were frustrated with the MOBOs after Beyonce was announced three times in the evening in three categories she had won. That's just bad TV. The smart thing would have been to combine all three". Or not to give the ingrate any awards at all - that would have worked too.
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AEG LAUNCH NEW TICKET AUCTION SERVICE
Concert promoters AEG have announced a new scheme that, it says, will save fans from the pain of having to hand over extortionate amounts of money to ticket touts for tickets that should have cost a fraction of the price being charged. That said, they'll have to hand over an extortionate amount of money for tickets that should have cost a fraction of the price to the promoter instead - so I'm not sure the music fan will be all that better off, (unless, of course, the knowledge that the artist and their promoter, rather than an anonymous tout, will be getting the extra cash helps them sleep better at night - though given that the most highly priced tickets are often for millionaire artists promoted by billion dollar corporations I'm not sure it will).
Anyway, AEG hope to achieve all this via a new auction service on their ticketing website where fans the will be able to bid for the most premium seats at venues hosting flagship events. The service aims to compete with all those unofficial auctions of sought after tickets which take place on websites like eBay, ensuring that if and when fans are willing to pay higher prices for those tickets, the premium revenues secured go to the promoter of the event rather than a third party agent or ticket tout.
In a statement outlining the new service, the live music company says: "By introducing an auction system, AEG Live aim to price touts out of the market as there will be no room for additional mark-up - ticket prices will have already reached their maximum value as decided by the fans. This will make the process much more transparent with fans able to purchase the best seats without having to fund criminal activity and any extra revenues will be ploughed back into making the show better and helping pay artist costs".
AEG Live Senior VP, Rob Hallett, told CMU: "It's a win-win situation. By introducing this scheme we are able to take the whole trade out of the hands of unscrupulous touts and put it on a legitimate business footing that benefits both the public and the artists. Fans are assured that their transactions are 100% safe".
The new service will launch on AEG's existing UK website this week, I think, which you'll find at http://www.aeglive.co.uk
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DOCUMENTARY PROMISES TRUTH ON HOT 97 SHOOTING
Lil Kim's former manager Damion 'D Roc' Butler is planning a documentary about the infamous 2001 shootout that took place outside the studios of New York's hip hop radio station Hot 97 which promises to reveal "the truth" about the incident, which is good news for Lil Kim who has had considerable problems with "the truth" when it comes to this episode in her life.
As you'll remember, Lil Kim was jailed for perjury after admitting (eventually) that she misled a grand jury investigation into that shooting - between rival hip hop gangs - in order to protect Butler and another friend Suif 'Gutta' Jackson, both of whom subsequently admitted to being involved in the shootout.
Butler, still in jail for that involvement, has commissioned director April Maiya to make a film called 'Conspiracy: 10 Years Later' which will look at the growth of New York hip hop in the decade following the murder of the Notorious BIG in 1997. A key part of that film will be the 2001 shoot out, footage of which will be included - footage which should, Butler says, dispel a number of rumours that have circulated regarding the incident.
Confirming the project, Maiya has told reporters: "Damion feels the people with loyalty and honor were sentenced to jail and made out to be the villains. He told me we had to get the facts straight to the people."
The film should get a DVD release next March, to coincide with the tenth anniversary of Biggie's death.
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BRIGGS PLEADS GUILTY TO LEESON ATTACK
New Zealander Christian Briggs yesterday pleaded guilty to an attack on Billy 'Bell' Leeson, frontman of Les Incompetents. As previously reported, Leeson was left fighting for his life after being pushed to the ground by Briggs during an incident in North London back in June. Despite initial concerns, Leeson has since started to make a good recovery from the injuries he suffered. Briggs entered the guilty plea to GBH charges at Snaresbrook Crown Court yesterday, where prosecutor Lee Ingham noted that the defendant was of "previous good character". The case was adjourned until 23 Oct pending delivery of medical reports and a statement from Leeson.
As previously reported, despite Leeson's recovery Les Incompetents have announced their intention to split, a decision they say had been reached prior to the attack on their frontman.
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AEROSMITH'S TYLER HAS HEPATITIS
Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler has admitted that he has hepatitis C. The singer was diagnosed with the disease, which can only be transmitted through blood to blood contact, three years ago, but he says he had the disease long before that. Tyler told Access Hollywood: "I've been pretty quiet about this. The band took a break about three years ago, when my doctor said now is the time, and it's 11 months of chemotherapy, so I went on that, and it about killed me."
Hepatitis C is a condition that mostly affects drug users, although it can, of course, also be passed by blood transfusion, and can affect those working in environments where exposure to blood is likely (doctors, rugby players, etc). But it can also be passed by sharing things like razors and toothbrushes - so be careful, because it's pretty nasty, and the cures are horrid and not always successful. The disease in itself doesn't kill you, as such, but it leads to liver diseases that can.
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DANNY FLORES DIES
Danny Flores, writer and singer (of that one word lyric) of The Champs' song 'Tequila!', has died at the age of 77 at Huntingdon Beach Hospital in California. Flores' wife Sharee said of the Grammy-winning track: "I can honestly tell you he never got tired of playing that song".
The song, originally released in 1959, became popular again in the mid eighties after it was used in 1985 film 'Pee Wee's Big Adventure'. Mrs Flores explained: "After that, we got shows all over the US. All these younger people who hadn't heard it were suddenly in love with the song. Danny was just so proud of it."
Flores is survived by seven children from previous marriages, and fifteen grandchildren.
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ALADAR PEGE DIES
World renowned double bass player Aladar Pege has died at the age of 67. His family are quoted as saying that the Hungarian musician died in hospital on Saturday after "patiently enduring brief suffering," but they do not reveal what his illness was. A statement from the Hungarian ministry of education and culture said in a statement: "Hungary's cultural society is once again in mourning. Aladar Pege has left us."
Pege is widely credited with raising the profile and status of his instrument. He was born into a family of gypsy musicians, but did not start playing the bass until he was fifteen years old. In 1963 he formed his internationally acclaimed jazz ensemble, and by 1970 had won the title of Europe's Best Soloist at the Montreux Jazz Festival. During his career, he performed with the likes of Herbie Hancock, Charlie Mingus, Art Farmer, Albert Mangelsdorff and Dexter Gordon.
Labelled by critics the "Paganini of the bass," in later years, Pege began to focus on classical work, transcribing and performing music written for other instruments, because so few pieces are written for the double bass. He won top Hungarian artistic award, the Kossuth Prize, in 1982.
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ETTA BAKER DIES
Guitarist Etta Baker has died in North Carolina at the age of 93, whilst visiting a daughter who had suffered a stroke. No cause of death has been reported, but in the past she was forced to give up touring because of heart problems.
A practitioner of the Piedmont Blues school, Baker played standard six string as well as twelve string guitars. In the course of her career, she worked with the likes of Taj Mahal, and received several awards, amongst them the North Carolina Award and the National Endowment for the Arts' National Heritage Fellowship.
Daughter Darlene Davis, one of Baker's nine children, said: "She was a great mother and a tower of strength for the family. We always looked up to her."
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ALBUM REVIEW: Richard Swift - The Novelist/Walking Without Effort (Universal/Polydor/Secretly Canadian)
If I said Richard Swift's songs had a retro feel to them, you'd probably be thinking of the 60s or 70s, right? Well, Mr Swift goes back further than that - to pre-war years, in fact. The first album in this two CD compendium, 'The Novelist', is as lo-fi as you can get - recorded on a four-track, it's a nineteen minute analogue odyssey (think: dusty old 78s) full of the romance of a sepia-tinged past. The songs shine forth quite wonderfully though, harking back to the sounds of bluegrass, ragtime and Vaudeville. The melodies, meanwhile, suggest the sun-kissed harmonies of the Byrds and The Beach Boys. And it's all almost implausibly fantastic. 'Walking Without Effort', meanwhile, is a more straightforward singer songwriter affair, less overtly retro, but redolent of the stately pace and grandeur and fireside warmth conjured up by the likes of Bacharach and Nilsson, with slightly craggy vocals similar to that seen on Adem's albums. It isn't quite as exciting as 'The Novelist' (save for the chiming 'Beautifulheart', a mellifluous, soaring anthem of the sort, say, Aqualung occasionally manages). but to say it remains worthy of your attention is still an understatement. Richard Swift has already made a name for himself in the right circles in the US and some of the acclaim is rightfully seeping onto our shores too now. Rufus Wainwright has been bandied about as a not totally unfair comparison point, although the infinite talent of Ed Harcourt springs more readily to mind. Given that those two artists are essentially both geniuses in their own way, it starkly illustrates what a huge talent Swift promises and is already delivering. MS
Release date: 25 Sep
Press contact: Dog Day [CP, RP, NP] Polydor IH [CR, RR, NR] Bang On [online]
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ALBARN PROJECT SINGLE NEXT MONTH
Damon Albarn's new project, The Good, The Bad And The Queen, are to release a debut single on 30 Oct. Entitled 'Herculean'. The song will be available on CD and 7", albeit for a very shot time (it will be deleted on the day of release). Artwork for the single has been put together by former Clash man Paul Simonon, who is, of course, the new band's bassist.
As previously reported, the group will play their first gig at Camden's Roundhouse on 26 Oct. Tickets are sold out for that, by the way. In fact, they sold out in half an hour.
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COCKER TO RELEASE SOLO ALBUM
Well, it seems it's a hot day for 'people from nineties-heyday Britpop bands with new projects' news. Jarvis Cocker is all set to release his debut solo album, imaginatively entitled 'Jarvis' (I love him really) on 13 Nov. As far as I'm aware, it doesn't contain that sweary track that's on his MySpace.
Anyway, he's playing some live dates to support the release. One of them is in Paris. The reason I mention this is because I recently had a lovely time away in Paris and don't feel I've been labouring that point quite enough.
4 Oct: Dublin Point Theatre
5 Oct: Dublin Point Theatre
21 Oct: London Barbican Hall
12 Nov: Paris La Cigale
15 Nov: London KOKO
16 Nov: London Roundhouse
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KT TUNSTALL ALBUM NEWS
KT Tunstall's second album will be out next year, but in the meantime, she will release a special acoustic album on 2 Oct. 'Acoustic Extravaganza' is a collection of acoustic (as you might expect) versions of new tracks, b-sides and reworked songs from debut LP 'Eye To The Telescope'. The idea for the album came, apparently, from an acoustic evening Tunstall and her friends ran in Edinburgh a few years back, before she got all famous and everything.
KT says of those evenings: "I was finding it impossible to find gigs in Edinburgh as I didn't fit into what was going on with the music scene there. On New Year's Eve 2001 I went into the Gilded Ballroom Bar, which is a comedy club during the summer. Two girls had started running the bar and in a drunken stupor we arranged to start a music night. I put the Acoustic Extravaganza on twice a month, with one night per month being for singer-songwriters and the other being for bands. It was always free, and it quickly grew and turned into a buzzy little regular night. It's still going now, run from The Medina."
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YORKE'S ERASER MIXED UP
Thom Yorke's solo debut 'The Eraser' has been remixed into one seven and a half minute track. 'The Eraser Erased', contains all the songs from the album, squished together by someone called Skew.
See here: http://finefinemusic.com/2006/09/25/ thom-yorke-the-eraser-erased-by-skew/
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SNOOP AND DRE COLLABORATE
Snoop Dogg has collaborated with Dr Dre for the first time in five years on his new track, 'The Blue Carpet Treatment', which will appear on new album 'Imagine'. Guests set to appear on the LP include Stevie Wonder, The Game, Ice Cube and R. Kelly, with The Neptunes, Timbaland and Rick Rock all contributing their production skills alongside Dre. The album's out on 21 Nov.
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SUGABABES SINGLES ALBUM COMING SOON
Sugababes have announced that they will release their 'The Singles Collection' on 13 Nov. It will, of course, contain the now obligatory new tracks, one of which, 'Easy', will be released as a single on 6 Nov. The other new track is called 'Good To Be Gone'. What the hell, here's the full tracklisting for you. I know you're all dribbling in anticipation.
Freak Like Me
Round Round
Red Dress
In The Middle
Stronger
Shape
Overload
Good To Be Gone
Caught In A Moment
Ugly
Easy
Too Lost In You
Run For Cover
Hole In The Head
Push The Button
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U2 AND GREEN DAY DO ABBEY ROAD
U2 and Green Day have had a photo taken doing that old Beatles zebra crossing thing on Abbey Road. They did it when they were in the Abbey Road studios, recording their previously reported collaboration, Skids cover 'The Saints Are Coming.'
U2 photographer was brought in to (kind of )recreate the iconic image - the photograph sees Green Day and U2 walking over the crossing from opposite directions, and apparently shaking hands in the middle. Whether it will be used as a cover on that forthcoming cover version, I don't know. So don't ask me.
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LEVELLERS STUFF
Yay. Gotta love Levellers. Have I said that before? Don't care. You still gotta. The Levellers are giving away a free MP3 of live track 'Riverflow', to celebrate the release of their previously reported new live DVD. Hurrah! Go here: http://www.levellerslive.co.uk/freedownload.html
Later in the year, catch them live, because you can, in the following places:
28 Nov: Bristol Colston Hall
29 Nov: Nottingham Rock City
30 Nov: Sheffield Octagon
1 Dec: Glasgow ABC
2 Dec: Manchester Academy
3 Dec: Southampton Guildhall
5 Dec: Folkstone Leas Cliff Hall
6 Dec: Norwich UEA
7 Dec: Bradford St Georges Hall
8 Dec: Birmingham Academy
9 Dec: Stoke Victoria Hall
10 Dec: London Shepherds Bush Empire
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SPARKS ANNOYED BY BBC BAN
Sparks are mighty pissed off that the BBC have banned their new single 'Dick Around' because, erm, it's called 'Dick Around'. I say that 'the BBC' have banned it - we know that BBC London won't play it on daytime - it's not clear how widespread the ban is (obviously they sang the song on Jonathan Ross' show on Friday, so it's not that widespread).
We know about the BBC London ban because the duo were guests on their breakfast show yesterday, and presenter Jono Coleman was told by his bosses that he wasn't allowed to play the track during the interview. The Sparks boys initially refused to do the interview on hearing that ruling - but were persuaded by Coleman to talk about their new music anyway, though much of the interview was spent discussing why exactly BBC bosses objected to their latest single's name.
After the interview the band issued an angry statement regarding the BBC ruling (you could tell they were angry, the statement was in capital letters). Ron Mael told us: "The BBC has officially killed off our new single 'Dick Around', ostensibly through rather childish objections to the title; an innocent reference to the idle life. That a piece of music can be condemned purely by its title without the 'decision makers' even having the decency to open the CD is a travesty and an insult to both of us as creators of music and to the listeners of the BBC."
Brother Russell added: "The reaction from the public to this record has been nothing but positive so the BBC should stop trying to be morality police when it is so clearly misplaced."
Assuming the BBC ban of the track is widespread, I guess you'll just have to go to one of the following live dates if you want hear it (or you could buy the record, I suppose):
28 Sep: Bristol Colston Hall
1 Oct: Brighton Dome
3 Oct: Wolverhampton Civic Hall
4 Oct: Cambridge Corn Exchange
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SHEARS ON US SISTERS RESPONSE
Scissor Sisters frontman Jake Shears has been talking to Billboard about why, despite being the biggest act of the moment in the UK, they still struggle to sell records back home in the US. He reckons that the band suffer because they get so little media support in the States, and therefore the average American music fan either hasn't heard of them, or has misconceptions about what they're like.
Shears: "American music fans are just as musically open-minded as their British counterparts. But the powers that be in the US may not be as open-minded. Which, to a degree, will hold us back in the US. Tons of Americans would love our music, but they don't know we exist. People have lots of preconceived notions about us, but they get over them by hearing us or seeing us live. People just need to be exposed to this song - and our music in general (and) they'll get it. People may look at us and think, 'What a bunch of weirdos.' But give them time and they'll see that we're pretty special."
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DOWNLOADER FANTASTIC PLASTIC TAKEOVER
Our friends over at The Downloader are having another one of their 'takeover' weeks, where different labels take over for five days, offering exclusive downloads of their artists' music. This week it's the rather good Fantastic Plastic, who are making available free MP3s from Help She Can't Swim (today), The Immediate (tomorrow), Bearsuit (Thursday) and Chow Chow (Friday). Each track is available for one day only - so make sure you call in each day.
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NOKIA GETS OK FOR LOUDEYE PURCHASE
Nokia has received the regulatory approvals it needs to take over download backend company Loudeye. Having achieved clearances from US, German and Italian authorities, Loudeye stockholders are now expected to approve the acquisition at a meeting on 11 Oct.
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HMV LAUNCH INSTORE GAMES MAG
HMV has hired Future Plus, a division of Future Publishing (which you possibly could have guessed) to produce a new in-store games mag. The new magazine will launch at the end of the week, with 150,000 copies distributed through 230 stores. The mag will be published every two or three months.
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OFCOM SAY NO TO ITV KIDS SHOW CUTS
OfCom has said "oh no you don't" to ITV regarding plans to cut the number of hours of kids TV programmes aired on its main channel. ITV wanted to cut the number of hours of children's shows aired by ITV1 from eight to two, presumably using the other six hours to air extra editions of their new phone-in quiz show 'Give Us Your Cash, Suckers'. But OfCom have refused the required permission to make the cut - meaning ITV are going to have to air the much less profitable show 'Give Us Your Pocket Money, Kids' instead. Or something like that.
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ITV TO PREMIERE NEW ROBBIE
On the upside for ITV, the commercial network has secured the exclusive first screening rights to Robbie Williams' new video, for single 'Lovelight'. The video will be aired for the very first time at 11pm on 6 Oct on ITV1, with a repeat play on ITV2 later that night. And the great news for late night ITV viewers is that the screening of the video doesn't involve phoning a premium rate phone line or watching the family members of minor celebrities trying to get off with each other. I might just tune in.
Here's what ITV's Controller of Music and Events, Guy Freeman, told CMU: "Robbie was a big hit with our viewers earlier in the year as he's one of those rare performers who connects with an incredibly broad range of fans. As the new video has extremely high production values and is a great track, it only seems appropriate to offer viewers the chance to see it first on ITV."
Here's what EMI Records Director Of Media Rebecca Coates told CMU: "This is the first time that EMI Records/IE Management have had the chance to work with ITV on the exclusive broadcast of a stand alone video programme of any kind. The incredible new video for ' Lovelight ' by one of the UK's most popular artists, Robbie Williams is the perfect way to start things. ITV have given us a fantastic cross platform opportunity to deliver one of our key artists direct to his core audience and I hope that this is a programme strand that they can build on in the future."
The single, by the way, is out on 13 Nov.
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ROCKFEEDBACKTV GOES TO CHANNEL 4
The TV spin off of music website Rockfeedback.com is coming to Channel 4, which is good news for those of us that missed its MTV 2 airing (in my defence, I've been very busy). The six part series, hosted by Rockfeedback and Transgressive Records founder Toby L, features appearances from the likes of Hot Chip, Sonic Youth, !!!, The Zutons, Dirty Pretty Things, Thomas Truax, The Spinto Band, The Dears, The Futureheads, The Knife, The Pipettes, Gnarls Barkley, Foo Fighters, Broken Social Scene, Wolfmother, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly and The Automatic and will air every Saturday night on C4 from 7 Oct.
More info from [email protected] or http://www.rockfeedback.com /
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LLOYD WEBBER DEFENDS MARIA STUFF AGAIN
Andrew Lloyd Webber has been defending his Sound Of Music reality show project again, after allegations over the weekend that the TV search for the lead of the West End revival was fixed - allegations seemingly based on rumours that winner Connie Fisher was already recording a CD before the show's final vote was taken.
Responding to those allegations, Lloyd Webber told the BBC yesterday that he was considering libel action over the allegations, adding: "We had no idea who was going to win it. I don't see how you could fix it. I didn't know until three minutes before the end of the show."
Lloyd Webber also denied reports that Fisher's understudy had quit acrimoniously. As previously reported, an understudy was hired for the lead role of Maria in the new production of the Sound Of Music, and she was told to expect to perform in at least half of the performances of the revival, because of concerns as to how many shows a week the winner of the reality show would be capable of. The understudy, one Emma Williams, reportedly quit the production after Lloyd Webber said he was seriously considering Fisher's request to perform at every show - something that would leave Williams with very little to do.
In another interview with the BBC Lloyd Webber said: "Emma said that under the circumstances, she didn't feel she wanted to stay", but said her departure had been "perfectly amicable".
Despite the stresses surrounding the show, Lloyd Webber says he's planning an American version, possibly around his own musical Jesus Christ Superstar.
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MINELLI CASE THROWN OUT OF COURT
That previously reported $10 million civil assault lawsuit brought against Liza Minelli by estranged hubby David Gest has been thrown out of court. Gest, of course, claimed that the singer/actress had beaten him so badly during an alcoholic rage that he had to go to hospital.
State Supreme Court Justice Jane Solomon, however, granted Minnelli's motion to dismiss the lawsuit because of conflicting evidence regarding Gest's injuries, adding that the only issues to be addressed in court are those of Minelli's claims that Gest misappropriated her earnings, claims which Gest, of course, denies.
The pair's divorce case, a separate legal debacle altogether, is pending.
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ZUTONS MAN ON COKE AND REHAB
The Zutons' Dave McCabe has said he thinks it's a bit girly, or something, to go into rehab with a coke addiction. Which offends me, as I was thinking of going into rehab for my coke addiction. My Coca Cola addiction. Didn't see that coming, did you?
Anyway, according to The Star, Mr McCabe said all of this: "Drugs and bands go hand-in-hand. All those stories are true. But anyone who goes to rehab over a bit of coke is a bit of a knob. It was quite a shock to hear the guy from Keane was getting treatment. It was rather mystifying. Whenever we've seen them he's been the same so there were no signs. I'm afraid drugs are everywhere, though. Loads of lads from around where I'm from are doing them. Sometimes you do it and like it. It's re-creating the natural high you get when you're on stage. But it's getting to the point where someone's head will explode so everyone will have to stop taking them."
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WALSH AND COWELL BITCHING AGAIN
Louis Walsh has been having a pop at fellow X-Factor star Simon Cowell. Which comes as no surprise, because there's a series of X-Factor going on just now. Though the judges' no-doubt-constant moaning in the press yet to come is not, I'm sure, part of a wider marketing strategy for the show, and it's cynical for you even to think that.
Walsh apparently told The People "Simon is not as good as Simon thinks he is. Me and Sharon Osbourne know more about the music business. Simon Cowell is in the Simon Cowell business. He's too busy doing American Idol and running around the world to concentrate on the music."
He continued: "I know about groups - I had Boyzone and I had Westlife and Girls Aloud. I'm absolutely confident I can beat him. Look what happened when I had the groups before. G4 are on their third album now. But where is Steve Brookstein? Has anyone seen him? There's a reward for anyone who can find him."
Get her.
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CARTER WITHDRAWS MARRIAGE PROPOSAL
Pop teenster Aaron Carter has broken off his engagement to former Playboy Playmate Kari Ann Peniche just a week after popping the question. As previously reported, Carter proposed to Peniche, a former girlfriend of Aaron's brother Nick, onstage at an event in Las Vegas last week. She immediately accepted, but he's now had second thoughts.
Us Weekly quote the young Carter thus: "I got caught up in the moment and proposed. I then realized it was a hasty thing to do and I am not ready for marriage quite yet".
Quite why Carter would want to participate in such headline grabbing stunts at this time is unclear. In unrelated news, he and the rest of his family launch their reality show, House Of Carters, on the E channel on 2 Oct.
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UK FESTIVAL AWARDS NOMINATIONS IN FULL
Best Major Festival: Creamfields, Download, Carling Weekend: Leeds Festival, Carling Weekend: Reading Festival, Global Gathering, Nokia Isle of Wight Festival, T in the Park, V Festival: Chelmsford, V Festival: Staffordshire, Wireless Festival
Best Medium-To-Large Festival: Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, Bestival, Bulldog Bash, Get Loaded in the Park (London), Guilfest, Latitude, Lovebox Weekender, Escape Into The Park, The Big Chill, WOMAD
Best Small Festival: Beautiful Days, Bloodstock Open Air, Cambridge Folk Festival, Glade, Isle of Skye Festival, Jersey Live, Secret Garden Party, The Summer Sundae Weekender, Truck Fest, Wakestock
Playmusic New Festival Award: Bloom, Electric Garden, End Of The Road Festival,
Get Loaded Presents "Cardiff Calling"¸Hi:Fi, Hyde Park Calling, Latitude, Rhythm Festival, Sunrise Summer Solstice Celebration, SW4 (Cardiff)
Party People Award For Dance Music: Bestival, Creamfields, Escape Into The Park,
Glade, Global Gathering, Hi:Fi, Lovebox, SW4, The Slam Tent at T In The Park, The Big Chill
Grass Roots Festival Award: Beautiful Days, Cornbury Festival, End of the Road Festival, Green Man Festival, Larmer Tree, Rhythm Festival, Solfest, Sunrise Summer Solstice Festival, Wickerman Festival, Wychwood Festival
Family Festival Award: Beautiful Days, Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, Ben & Jerry's Sundae, Cambridge Folk Festival, Guilfest, Solfest, The Summer Sundae Weekender, The Big Session, Wychwood, WOMAD
Best One Day Festival: Creamfields, Escape Into The Park, Get Loaded Presents "Cardiff Calling", Get Loaded In The Park (London), Hi:Fi North, Monsters Of Rock, T4 On The Beach, Tin Pan Alley, SW4 (Cardiff), SW4 (London)
Fan-Friendly Festival Award: Ben & Jerry's Sundae, Cambridge Folk Festival, Carling Weekend: Reading and Leeds, Download, Escape Into The Park, Global Gathering, Isle Of Skye Festival, Latitude, Solfest, The Summer Sundae Weekender
Shelter Award For Social Responsibility: Belladrum Tartan Heart, Ben & Jerry's Sundae,
Cambridge Folk Festival, Latitude, Lovebox Weekender, Solfest, The Summer Sundae Weekender, Sunrise Summer Solstice Celebration, T In The Park, WOMAD
Portaloo Sunset Award for Best Toilets: Cambridge Folk Festival, Download, Global Gathering, Jersey Live, Larmer Tree Festival, Carling Weekend: Reading Festival, Solfest, Guilfest, WOMAD, Wychwood Festival
Headline Act: Coldplay (Isle of Wight), Daft Punk (Global Gathering), Depeche Mode (O2 Wireless), The Levellers (Beautiful Days), Metallica (Download), Muse (Carling Weekend: Reading and Leeds), Pearl Jam (Carling Weekend: Reading and Leeds), Prodigy (Creamfields, Isle of Wight), Radiohead (V Festival), Red Hot Chili Peppers (T in the Park)
Rock Act: Muse, Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, Pearl Jam, Razorlight, Kaiser Chiefs, Metallica, The Kooks, Radiohead, Foo Fighters
Best Dance Act: 2 Many DJs, Carl Cox, Daft Punk, DJ Shadow, Fatboy Slim, Goldfrapp, Groove Armada, Mylo, The Prodigy, Sasha
Pop Act: Belle & Sebastian, Girls Aloud, James Blunt, The Feeling, Kubb, Lily Allen, Orson, Sandi Thom, Scissor Sisters, Scritti Polliti
Urban Act: Corine Bailey Rae, Damian 'Jr Gong' Marley, Lady Sovereign, Jamie T, Kano, Killa Kela, Mark Ronson, Pharrell Williams, Plan B, The Streets
Breakthrough Act: The Automatic, Dirty Pretty Things, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, Guillemots, Klaxons, The Kooks, Lily Allen, Metric, Wolfmother, The Young Knives
Feel-Good Act: A-Ha, Beck, Gogol Bordello, Goldie Lookin' Chain, Nizlopi, Norman Jay, Primal Scream, The Cuban Brothers, The Flaming Lips, The Proclaimers
Innovation Award
Bestival - For the new 'Breast-ival' area where mothers could breastfeed and change nappies in peace.
Carling Cold Beer Amnesty - Declaring war on warm beer, fans were invited to swap their cans with ice cold Carling at Reading, Leeds and the Isle Of Wight Festival.
Download - Download TV, a new website developed by Live Nation, invites fans to upload and share video footage from the rock festival.
Get Loaded In The Park - All ticket buyers were given a free and exclusive track by headliners Babyshambles, plus access to a new website.
Hyde Park Calling - The Who's headline set was streamed on the internet and shown live in Hard Rock Cafes around the world, thanks to the restaurant chain.
Latitude - Mean Fiddler fused music, art, theatre, literature, cabaret and poetry to create an entirely new festival experience.
Pod Pads - Gave guests and VIPs an alternative to sleeping in tents, constructing cosy beach hut-style with beds and mattresses.
T In The Park - 500,000 live download cards were included inside packs of Tennent's Lager which made this the only UK festival this year to make live tracks available to fans for free, online.
V Festival - Morrissey fans at both sites were able to download a live version of his single immediately after he performed it.
Wakestock - The installation of a huge wakeboarding 'pool gap' allowed riders to show off their skills in front of crowds in the middle of the festival site.
Memorable Moment
Axl Rose - storming off a slippery stage at Download and demanding it be carpeted, after falling over.
The Levellers - closing Beautiful Days to cap the evening's Masked Ball Party.
Chris Martin - leading the Isle Of Wight Festival crowd through his version of 'The Crouch' song and dance.
Franz Ferdinand - inviting various band members on stage to help drum on 'The Outsiders' (Reading, Leeds and T In The Park)
Girls Aloud - covering Kaiser Chiefs' 'I Predict A Riot' at V Festival
Panic! At The Disco - continuing their Carling Weekend: Reading Festival set in defiance after singer Brendon Urie got knocked out by a bottle thrown from the crowd.
Procol Harum - performing the tear-jerk classic 'Whiter Shade Of Pale' at the Isle Of Wight Festival.
Radiohead - finishing their V Festival headline set with the long hibernated 'Creep'.
Roger Waters - performing 'Dark Side Of The Moon' in its entirety at Hyde Park Calling.
Scissor Sisters - performing at Bestival dressed as clowns, despite a 'clown ban' for the fancy dress party.