| CMU Daily - on the inside Thursday 28th September |
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In today's CMU Daily:
- US courts rule against StreamCast
- 5ive reform
- Two Seas prince keeps Jacko tapes
- American Idol suit launched over biography
- Itsy Bitsy death rather exaggerated
- Depeche Mode reissues, best of
- New Coxon single
- Blueskins re-release single
- MIA on new album
- Dangermouse to collaborate with Sparklehorse
- Popjustice tracklisting confirmed
- Single review: Trentemoller featuring Richard Davis - Always Something Better
- Yoursound returns to King Tut's
- Morrissey Morricone collaboration
- Fratellis sell out Barrowlands in about a second
- Plan B cancels tour
- Deftones announce London show
- Fields tour
- Lucky Soul news
- Dan Sartain album, live dates
- Chris Martin joins in with Jay-Z - and so does his other half
- Warner boss reportedly talking about EMI takeover again
- Warner pull videos from Yahoo!
- Live Nation chief expresses ticket price concerns
- PPL and PRS endorse National Music Week by not charging
- X Factor boy band axed from final 12
- Album review: Clark - Body Riddle
- Alex James and cheese
- Atomic Kitten announces engagement
- Kirsty disses Cameron's cool claims
- Jarvis Cocker doesn't like Razorlight
- Manson to launch Absinthe line
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TOP BIT: STREAMING SOLUTIONS>>
We've waffled at length before about the tricky issues surrounding the licensing of music for new and innovative online music services. You know, the challenges that face independent media people who struggle to get their new businesses off the ground because they can't persuade the record labels, publishers and their collecting societies to get together a licence that suits their needs (let alone their budget). And the problems faced by content owners and collection organisations used to dealing with broadcasters who all do essentially the same thing (and who can all be granted the same standard licence), who are suddenly faced with lots of different types of companies, all trying to do slightly but crucially different things. In a bid to get some consensus, from and within both sides of this domain - content owners and users - the Association Of Streaming Media Companies will today stage a copyright forum bringing together interested parties from all corners of the debate (at 4pm at the Last FM offices in London, more info at http://www.asmec.org). In a bid to get people thinking about the whole area ahead of that debate, we spoke to one of the speakers due to offer his insights at the forum, lawyer Gregor Pryor, who has an insight into concerns and challenges faced on all sides in the tricky but ultimately lucrative (for all parties) world of streaming media. You can read the interview here:
http://www.cmumusicnetwork.co.uk/interviews/
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MYSPACE OF THE DAY: JD73
Right then. You may remember the glowing review I gave to JD73s February 2006 single release 'Happy People', and, given that reading an example of my glowing-review-writing is a not-easily-forgotten experience, I expect you are all perfectly aware of the JD73 MySpace page, because I have no doubt that you'll have gone looking for it right after reading my very memorable review. Unless, like me, you suffer from short term memory loss (did I tell you about that in yesterday's daily? I can't remember...). Anyway, that single is now streaming on the page, and that's a good enough reason to go visit, for my money. However, and more importantly, there's a taster of his new single 'ElectroBoogie' (available now via download, physical release on 2 Oct). So, the uninitiated (recent subscribers, obviously, who didn't get a chance to read my single review), JD73 is Dan Goldman, who's done a lot of stuff - session/live keyboardist for Morcheeba, always producing/remixing stuff for and working with important people - and, under the JD73 moniker, makes what I'd call jazz-funk-electronica. That's probably an actual genre, with a better name, that I don't know. Either way - he good, go see.
http://www.myspace.com/jazzdoctor73
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US COURTS RULE AGAINST STREAMCAST
In what could be seen as another landmark ruling in the history of P2P file sharing, a US federal judge yesterday ruled against P2P firm StreamCast, one of only two file sharing firms to challenge copyright violation litigation issued against them by the Recording Industry Association Of America since the Supreme Court's MGM v Grokster ruling last year.
District Judge Stephen Wilson yesterday granted the entertainment companies' motion for a summary judgment (ie ruling without full trial) against StreamCast, the company behind the Morpheus P2P software, because, he said, there was more than enough evidence of "massive infringement" on StreamCast's network. Wilson didn't accept StreamCast's claims that they should not be liable for violations their software enabled because they did not deliberately instruct or encourage users to use their network to share copyright content - writing in his 60 page ruling "in the record before the court, evidence of StreamCast's unlawful intent is overwhelming" and "StreamCast's legal theory is plainly contrary to the Supreme Court's holding in Grokster".
The case is important because it demonstrates that US courts intend to interpret the MGM v Grokster ruling in relatively wide terms - not allowing P2Ps to distinguish themselves from Grokster because of the way they communicate with their users (crucial to the Grokster ruling was the fact that not only did they enable users to illegally share content, but they also encouraged users to do so). Wilson also stated that evidence of StreamCast's liabilities came from the fact that they made no efforts to introduce filters to stop the sharing of copyrighted material - ie, it wasn't enough for StreamCast to just not encourage illegal file sharing, but they needed to demonstrate they were proactively taking steps to discourage it.
The ruling is also symbolically important because Morpheus is one of the original P2P networks, that quickly followed the original Napster and which, because it was essentially built on the back of the original Napster software, was for many the P2P application of choice once Napster began to collapse under a barrage of litigation. In fact papers revealed in this case reveal StreamCast bosses specifically saw the collapse of the original Napster as an opportunity to grow their business, with a memo from the company's CEO, Michael Weiss, quoted in Wilson's ruling, reading: "When Napster pulls the plug on their free service (or if the court orders them to shut down prior to that), we will be able to capture the flood of their 32 million users that will be actively looking for an alternative".
But more important than all that is the impact the ruling might have on LimeWire who, as previously reported, issued their own countersuit against the RIAA this week. It's been a long time since Morpheus has been the P2P tool of choice among the masses, but LimeWire still enjoys considerable popularity. Their countersuit dwells not so much on whether or not they encourage their users to share copyrighted music illegally, and more on allegations that the major record companies are guilty of collusion and anti-competitive practices which stop the P2Ps from pursuing a legitimate model that compensates rights holders (ie "the labels won't licence us, so its impossible for us to be legal"). Crucially StreamCast made similar claims in their response to the RIAA's action against them, and Wilson said their argument was "unpersuasive", adding that copyright owners were within their rights to collectively refuse to licence their content - concluding "The right to exclude is inherent in the grant of a copyright". Nothing is certain, but that ruling won't help LimeWire, that's for sure.
StreamCast are yet to comment on the ruling, but RIAA CEO Mitch Bainwol welcomed it, obviously, saying: "No single court ruling solves piracy or can make up for several challenging years for the music community, but there's no doubt that that rules of the road for online music are better today than they were yesterday".
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5IVE REFORM
As expected, boy band 5ive are to reform, only this time there'll only be four of then - with former member Sean Conlon far to busy pursuing his, erm, successful solo career. But they will be keeping the same name because, as the band's Scott Robinson explained, "Five's a brand not a number". He's right you know, 'Five' is a brand. More precisely, a brand owned by Channel 5 Broadcasting Limited. Perhaps he meant "5ive's a brand not a number", though I seem to remember they actually only used the spelling 5ive right at the start of their career (which begs the question why we here at CMU still use it - though we are, of course, well known traditionalists).
Anyway, Scott Robinson, Ritchie Neville, J Brown and Richard "Abs" Breen yesterday told the world (because the whole world was listening) that they were working with the always bankable Guy Chambers on a new self-funded album. Brown added: "I just hope everybody is going to want to hear our stuff and see what we are doing now. Five years later it's going to be a little bit different - less arms in the air - but we are still a full-on pop band, and we are really looking forward to it."
Us too.
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TWO SEAS PRINCE KEEPS JACKO TAPES
More Jacko news, and gossipers reckon that Michael Jackson's previously reported sudden departure from Two Seas Records follows a falling out with recent close friend and funder, and Two Seas co-founder, Abdulla Hamad Al-Khalifa. Quite what the relationship is now between Jacko and the Bahraini Prince isn't actually all that clear, though Fox News' Roger Friedman reports that Al-Khalifa froze Jackson's bank account earlier this year after the singer spent somewhere between two and three million dollars in the year he spent in Bahrain, and also that the Prince has kept hold of the various recordings Jackson made during his stay, including the much talked about and never released Hurricane Katrina charity single 'I Have A Dream'. Friedman also says that Jacko hasn't, as was widely reported, hired producer Teddy Riley to work on his new album, and who are we to say otherwise?
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AMERICAN IDOL SUIT LAUNCHED OVER BIOGRAPHY
The father of 2004 American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino's has brought a $10m suit against Simon & Schuster, the New York publishing house, who have recently released a biography of the reality show victor, which, Joseph Barrino says, is libellous. Claiming that the book contains "false, exaggerated, sensational, intentional and malicious untruths", he also alleges it was ghost written by Barrino's grandmother Addie Collins.
Mr Barrino's lawyer, Kendall Minter, said of the biography, entitled 'Life Is Not a Fairy Tale': "The unfortunate publication of Fantasia's life story by Simon & Schuster seeks to capitalise on her American Idol success through disparaging certain members of her family. The lawsuit seeks to redress these wrongs and restore the integrity of the family members."
Fantasia's first album 'Free Yourself' has sold more than two million copies in the US, and received four Grammy nominations.
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ITSY BITSY DEATH RATHER EXAGGERATED
The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that the man behind that classic pop song, 'Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini', had died, aged 68. The man was called Paul Vance, who the pop song is indeed credited to, and apparently his wife credited him as having written the track when speaking after his death. But the reports came as something as a surprise to the other Paul Vance - the one who actually wrote the song - who is still alive, well and receiving royalty cheques from his 'Itsy Bitsy' track.
He told reporters yesterday: "Do you know what it's like to have grandchildren calling you and say, 'Grandpa, you're still alive?' This is not a game. I am who I am and I'm proud of who I am. But these phones don't stop with people calling thinking I'm dead."
Meanwhile the poor old widow of the other Paul Vance - Rose Leroux - says that her late husband had claimed to have written the pop song throughout the forty years they were together. He told her that he didn't receive any royalties from it because he had sold his rights to the song at an early age. Given that Leroux knew her husband had had a short music career in his early twenties she never questioned him. She told reporters this week that she was both surprised and "kind of devastated" by the other Vance's claims, adding: "It's such a long time ago. To have it come out now, I'm kind of devastated".
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DEPECHE MODE REISSUES, BEST OF
Depeche Mode are to re-release more classic albums next month with 'A Broken Frame', 'Some Great Reward' and 'Songs Of Faith And Devotion' all set for reissue, with the obligatory extras, on 2 Oct. Their 'best of' album is out on 13 Nov, tracklisting as follows:
Personal Jesus
Just Can't Get Enough
Everything Counts
Enjoy The Silence
Shake The Disease
See You
It's No Good
Strangelove
Suffer Well
Dream On
People Are People
Martyr
Walking In My Shoes
I Feel You
Precious
Master And Servant
New Life
Never Let Me Down Again
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NEW COXON SINGLE
Graham Coxon's next single is to be a double A side, out 23 Oct via download and on 7". The tracks, 'What Ya Gonna Do Now?' and 'Bloody Annoying', will feature Coxon's new band for the first time.
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BLUESKINS RE-RELEASE SINGLE
Talking of re-releases (well, we were two stories back), The Blueskins are to reissue their single 'Change My Mind' due to the public demand inspired by its appearance on a Lynx advert. It's out on 16 Oct.
The band, who play the Boogaloo Bar in Highgate on 17 Oct, are presently working on a new album, the follow up to their 2004 debut, 'Word Of Mouth'.
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MIA ON NEW ALBUM
MIA has been talking in her MySpace blog about a new album, the follow up to acclaimed debut 'Arular'. The grime star explains that she's been recording the self-produced, as yet untitled album in Trinidad and India, and says that the first track to be released as a single will be called 'Bird Flu'. No date was given for the release, but she does say: "This beat is going to kill everyone."
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DANGERMOUSE TO COLLABORATE WITH SPARKLEHORSE
Dangermouse said yesterday that he wouldn't let side projects get in the way of working on the new Gnarls Barkley album, which is good news, though he does have a lot of projects on the go, so I'm not so sure that's completely true. The DJ and producer has revealed another new project, this one a collaboration with Sparklehorse's Mark Linkous. Having produced Sparklehorse's new album (out this week I think), he says he will now collaborate with Linkous on another project. Specifics aren't clear, but apparently the project has the working title of Dangerhorse.
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POPJUSTICE TRACKLISTING CONFIRMED
The tracklisting for the compilation album spin off of pop website Popjustice has been announced, and it features plenty of pop favourites, one or two exclusives and is all mixed together by Xfm Scotland's Grant McSleazy. Wonderful. As the press release explains: "Popjustice: 100% Solid Pop Music' brings together today's most dynamic, genre-busting pop music, pitting credible bands like Sugababes and Girls Aloud against pure pop acts like Franz Ferdinand and The Killers in a continuous mix by renowned mash-up artist Grant McSleazy".
Here's the running order, it's out on 30 Oct on new Polydor imprint Fascination.
1. Rihanna - SOS (Rescue Me)
2. The Automatic - Monster (Culprit One Mix)
3. Sugababes - I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor
4. Girls Aloud - Love Machine (Demo) EXCLUSIVE
5. Annie - Me Plus One
6. Alesha - Lipstick
7. Ladytron - Destroy Everything You Touch
8. Franz Ferdinand - Do You Want To
9. Justice vs Simian - We Are Your Friends
10. Client - Lights Go Out EXCLUSIVE
11. The Similou - All This Love (The Drill Mix)
12. Pussycat Dolls - Hot Stuff (I Want You Back)
13. Stefy - Chelsea
14. Pet Shop Boys - It's A Sin (New Version) EXCLUSIVE
15. Rachel Stevens - Some Girls
16. Britney Spears - Do Somethin
17. Kelly Clarkson - Since U Been Gone (Jason Nevins Radio Edit)
18. Scissor Sisters - Mary (Junkie XL Radio Edit)
19. Nelly Furtado - Maneater
20 .The Killers - Mr Brightside (Thin White Duke Radio Edit)
21. Sophie Ellis Bextor - Dear Jimmy EXCLUSIVE
22. Girls Aloud - Biology (Radio Edit / Tony Lamezma Mix)
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SINGLE REVIEW: Trentemoller featuring Richard Davis - Always Something Better (Poker Flat Recordings)
Anders Trentemoller is one of the big names in the dance scene at the moment (or was last year, anyway, for those actually ahead of trends rather than behind them), with a string of fine releases under his belt which saw everyone (The Pet Shop Boys, The Knife, Royksopp, lots of people I haven't heard of) clamouring after him for a remix. This taster from his upcoming album should keep the interest up too, being as it is a rather fine example of post acid progressive techno (a genre I've just completely made up, incidentally). The original is a nice slice of dreamy downtempo glitchtronica with soulful mellow vocals from Richard Davis (in fact reminiscent of his work with Swayzak) and some subtle acid flourishes. It's pleasantly distracting, but the real treat here is the accompanying remix by, er, Trentemoller himself, which is an absolute piledriver of a tune (do people still refer to dance tracks as "banging" or whatnot? ) and is frankly done a disservice by my rubbish old stereo. This needs to be played very loudly indeed, preferably with equipment that will get the best out of the monstrous beats and throbbing bass. The tuneless Herbert remix, meanwhile, is completely pointless. Still, don't let that put you off what remains a great single, and one deserving of 'club anthem' status. MS
Release date: 2 Oct
Press contact: Darling [all]
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YOURSOUND RETURNS TO KING TUT'S
Scottish new music bash Your Sound returns to Glasgow's King Tut's Wah Wah Hut this weekend, and will be staged on the first Sunday afternoon of every month. The regular event aims to give new music talent the chance to network with and showcase their work (by getting it played by the Your Sound DJs) to other up and coming bands, plus an audience of industry and media types which in the past has included Jim Gellatly and Dominik Diamond from Xfm Scotland, Vic Galloway from Radio 1, John Dingwall and Rick Fulton from the Daily Record, Stuart Clark from Grace Records, David O'Hagan from BMG and artist manager Tam Coyle. Artists interested in getting involved should click on the Your Sound button at http:// www.kingtuts.co.uk, while industry or media types interested in attending should contact [email protected].
This Sunday's event being the first of 'term two', the fun will carry on into the evening when a number of the bands that were named 'artist of the month' during the first season of Your Sound will showcase their music live. On the bill are North Atlantic Oscillation, Invisibles, The Heebie Jeebies, Yellow Bentines, plus special guests. More info at http://www.myspace.com/yoursoundglasgow
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MORRISSEY MORRICONE COLLABORATION
Morrissey has said that he is to collaborate with the legend that is Ennio Morricone, on a piece that will be perfomed at Carnegie Hall in New York. It's not the first instance of a collaboration - Morricone provided string arrangements for 'Dear God Please Help Me', one of the tracks from the former Smiths man's 2006 album 'Ringleader Of The Tormentors'.
Speaking to fan website truetoyou, he said: "For the immediate future I am excited to be asked by Morricone (yes, Morricone) to sing and supply words for one of his musical pieces with a view to presenting this song at Carnegie Hall. Joy, joy, joy."
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FRATELLIS SELL OUT BARROWLANDS IN ABOUT A SECOND
Those lovely Fratellis have sold out Glasgow's Barrowlands faster than anyone, ever. It's almost not surprising, given that it's their home town and all that, and given that there's so much buzz about them in general. They were originally set to play the venue on 9 Nov, but added a second night after it became clear how popular a ticket it was going to be - both dates sold out in under seven minutes.
Promoter Dave McGeachan of DF Concerts said: "The tickets went in a few minutes even though the dates were low key. These are the biggest gigs the band have done and it took seven minutes to sell out. They are a hot band who are on fire just now."
Singer Jon says of being so buzzy: "We did everything going this year and we'll do that next year too. Once we do the festivals next year we'll start looking at doing a new album. I'll get a day off next year. I'm sure they'll send us to America but you have to go there for a month and I don't know if we can be bothered doing that. We'll go to Europe but ultimately you want to be big in your own back yard. Life in general is mad but we are getting used to it. We have been doing lots of in-stores and the kids have been crazy. It's good fun."
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PLAN B CANCELS TOUR
This is a bit gutting. Plan B has cancelled his upcoming tour. There's been no official explanation for the postponements, but all gigs have been pulled, and will be rescheduled for January next year. The rapper is expected to confirm details of new live dates in the next few days.
The cancelled dates are as follows:
29 Sep: Dublin, Spirit
30 Sep: Derry, Nerve Centre
4 Oct: Sheffield, Leadmill
5 Oct: Manchester, Academy 2
6 Oct: Liverpool, Academy
7 Oct: Glasgow, Arches
9 Oct: Leeds, Cockpit
10 Oct: Preston, 53 Degrees
11 Oct: Bristol, Anson Rooms
12 Oct: Cardiff, Solus
14 Oct: London, Shepherds Bush Empire
15 Oct: Birmingham, Academy 2
17 Oct: Southampton University
19 Oct: Norwich, TBC
20 Oct: Cambridge, Junction
21 Oct: Oxford Brookes
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DEFTONES ANNOUNCE LONDON SHOW
Deftones have announced that they will play a one-off show in London on 12 Oct at Electric Ballroom in Camden. Tickets go on sale on Friday.
The band release a new album, 'Saturday Night Wrist', which features guest appearances from System Of A Down's Serj Tankian and Giant Drag's Annie Hardy, on 30 Oct
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FIELDS TOUR
Fields are heading out on an October tour, ahead of the release of their new single 'If You Fail We All Fail', out in November. Dates are as follows:
08 Oct: Oxford Zodiac
09 Oct: Birmingham Custard Factory
10 Oct: Exeter Cavern
11 Oct: Cardiff CF10
12 Oct: Faversham Leeds
14 Oct: Aberdeen Tunnels
15 Oct: Glasgow Barfly
16 Oct: Newcastle Cluny
17 Oct: Manchester Night and Day
18 Oct: London 93 Feet East
19 Oct: Chatham Tap n' Tin
25 Oct: Nottingham Social
26 Oct: London Borderline
27 Oct: Bristol Academy 2
28 Oct: Brighton Pressure Point
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LUCKY SOUL NEWS
We love Lucky Soul. They're lucky (I hope, for their sakes). And Soulful (well, soulful in the traditional sense of the word - they're not James Brown or anything). What they do is sweet, melodic pop, and they're releasing some soon. Hurrah. There's an EP coming out on 27 Nov, a single on 29 Jan and their debut album is out on 26 Feb.
I have no names for any of those releases. But I do have live dates. Yes. Live dates.
28 Sep: BBC 6 Music / Club Fandango night at the Borderline
31 Oct: Club Hedonistic at Islington Academy
18 Nov: New Pop Revolution at Metro
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DAN SARTAIN ALBUM, LIVE DATES
Dan Sartain is to release his new LP via One Little Indian on 2 Oct, and will be touring in support of that release, as follows:
28 Sep: London Spitz
30 Sep: London Rough Trade Instore @ 2.00pm
11 Oct: Manchester Night & Day
12 Oct: Nottingham Social
13 Oct: Liverpool Korova
15 Oct: Newcastle Cluny
18 Oct: Glasgow Nice N Sleazy
20 Oct: Cambridge Portland Arms
21 Oct: Birmingham Cold Rice
22 Oct: London Barfly
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CHRIS MARTIN JOINS IN WITH JAY-Z - AND SO DOES HIS OTHER HALF
Imagine this, you go to a Jay-Z gig, you'll all fired up about seeing one of the biggest names in modern hip hop, who you possibly thought you'd never get to see again after he announced his 'retirement' two years ago, and then, in the middle of it all, Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow plod on stage and start warbling along to Jay-Z's music - downer. Yep, the Coldplay frontman and his wife made a guest appearance at Jay-Z's second London gig this week, which took place at the Royal Albert Hall (the first ever hip hop gig to take place there, don't you know?). Martin's appearance at the gig wasn't a huge surprise, given that he collaborated on Jay-Z's new album 'Kingdom Come', though few expected Paltrow to provide backing vocals to 'Song Cry', a track off Jay's 'Blueprint' album. Former rival Nas also joined Jay on stage for three songs, as he did at the hip hop mogul's Wembley gig at the weekend.
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WARNER BOSS REPORTEDLY TALKING ABOUT EMI TAKEOVER AGAIN
We've just given the CMU Major Labels Merger Team (all 12 of them) extended leave, and then this happens. Yep, according to the Times, that Edgar Bronfman Jnr fella is again considering a takeover bid for London based major record company EMI.
As previously reported, Bronfman's Warner Music made two takeover offers for EMI earlier this year, both in response to attempts by EMI to take over Warner. But both sides said they were putting their takeover ambitions on hold after the European courts ruled that the European Commission should not have allowed Sony and BMG to merge their recorded music operations back in 2004. Analysts felt that as European authorities were in the process of voiding the last major label merger, they wouldn't give the go ahead to a new one.
But the Times report that Bronfman seemed more optimistic about the possibility of getting regulator approval for an EMI Warner merger when he met with key investors in London last week. The paper quotes inside sources as saying the Warner chief met with several major EMI shareholders - including Fidelity and Aberdeen Asset Management - to discuss the benefits of a Warner led merger of the two major record companies.
While it is unclear how serious Bronfman is in continuing with his EMI takeover ambitions, nor what timescale such a move would take, EMI's share price rose 3.8% following reports of the investor meetings.
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WARNER PULL VIDEOS FROM YAHOO!
Elsewhere in Warner Music news, the Wall Street Journal reports the major has fallen out with Yahoo! Music and pulled its videos from the online service (in the US only, I think). Apparently the major thinks its pop promos weren't being promoted enough by Yahoo! - though insiders say there are probably wider issues as the major renegotiates its video licensing arrangement with the web company. The same insiders say Warner pulling its videos from Yahoo! has nothing to do with its recent announcement that it would be licensing its pop promos to YouTube.
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LIVE NATION CHIEF EXPRESSES TICKET PRICE CONCERNS
The Chief Executive of live music conglomerate Live Nation says he is concerned by the ever rising prices for gigs and concerts, suggesting that the live sector's best hopes for further growth will come by cutting ticket prices. However, he indicated that he faces opposition in ticket price cuts from Ticketmaster, who have exclusive rights to sell tickets for many Live Nation tours and events. Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino told the LA Times: "Seventy percent of people didn't go to a concert last year, and even the average concert fan only attends about two shows a year. We can grow this industry by lowering prices."
Rapino's comments come as Live Nation starts to renegotiate its relationship with Ticketmaster, with their current contract up for renewal in 2008. Rapino is known to want to win more control over ticket prices in his new deal with the ticket agency, and admits that he also wants better access to customer data generated by ticket sales so that he can develop more sophisticated viral marketing. He told the Times: "When a fan buys a ticket, we learn an enormous amount about them: What bands they like, where they live, how much they are willing to spend. Someday, a fan will be sitting in a bar and his cell phone will text message, 'Sonic Youth are playing tonight. Do you want to go?' He'll buy his ticket over the phone and walk to the concert."
Of course if Rapino wants to bring down the cost of gig tickets he could just take a cut in the share of revenues Live Nation gets, but some insiders reckon he has started publicly discussing this issue now, as Ticketmaster negotiations are about to get under way, in a bid to pressure the ticket agency into taking a cut in its share of the revenues too.
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PPL AND PRS ENDORSE NATIONAL MUSIC WEEK BY NOT CHARGING
PPL and PRS have said they won't be looking for schools involved in the previously reported National Music Week programme to pay for public performance licenses.
Because parts of the BPI organised education programme technically falls outside the music curriculum (where schools are exempt from paying performing rights royalties) those schools which do not currently hold PPL or PRS licences would technically have needed to get one in order to participate in all aspects of the NMW event. But PPL and PRS have confirmed they won't be requiring participating schools to do so, which is very nice of them, even though, given that a key part of NMW is about educating kids as to why they shouldn't violate music copyrights, what the collection body's are basically saying to the country's schools is "we won't charge you for helping us protect our own interests", which is sensible though hardly all that generous.
Anyway, welcoming that decision, BPI top bloke Peter Jamieson told reporters: "National Music Week is a major initiative that aims to create another landmark event alongside the BRITs and the Mercury Prize. Not only will it provide an ongoing platform for innovative and exciting music education, but it's a huge opportunity for the industry to profile the best in breaking British talent. We are delighted that both PPL and the PRS have rallied behind the cause."
PPL Chairman Fran Nevrkla added: "PPL are very pleased to support National Music Week and believe that it is a great opportunity to teach young people about the importance of music as part of the creative economy."
While PRS Chairman, Ellis Rich, said: ''Almost all schools in the UK already hold a PRS licence and all extra-curricular use of music during National Music Week will be covered by that licence. However, those without a licence will not be asked to get one for National Music Week. We want the week to be really special and hope that it will teach young people about the value of copyright, encourage them to create and perform and hopefully, earn from their creations in the future."
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X FACTOR BOY BAND AXED FROM FINAL 12
A band that made the final twelve in X Factor (wow, are they down to a final twelve already? that happened quickly) has been disqualified because they already had a management deal with Global Talent's Ashley Tabor.
Reports suggest that Tabor, who already manages former X Factor finalists G4, put together the band, Avenue, specifically to enter X Factor, warning them not to mention they had a management deal. The Global Talent man says neither he nor the band realised what they was doing was actually against the rules of the show (which is odd, given Tabor's existing relationship with the programme, and the fact he suggested their deal should remain secret, but whatever) and that they ended their management relationship as soon as they realised that that was the case.
Nevertheless, the show's judges and producers have decided to axe them anyway. Judge Louis Walsh told reporters: "It was a hard decision. The boys are talented but they broke the rules. They had to go". Fellow judge and show owner Simon Cowell added: "They misled us. It wouldn't have been fair to allow them to deprive another act of a slot in the finals".
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ALBUM REVIEW: Clark - Body Riddle (Warp)
This intriguing second album from Clark (aka Chris Clark) is a slightly more experimental and, dare I say unhinged, affair than the cerebral electronica of his previous two albums for Warp. Much of 'Body Riddle' is full of stop-start rhythms and dreamy oddball melodies that recall the free jazz aesthetic employed by Four Tet...or, more accurately, think Kieran Hebden having a bad and violent trip in a shed full of old machinery. The likes of 'Frau Wav' and 'Matthew Unburdened' feature Arctic Circle strings redolent of Efterklang or Mogwai; the scent of post-rock wafts heavily over proceedings. As does experimental (German) music from the 70s - much of the album sounds like a Krautrock LP played at 45rpm instead of 33rpm, whilst the frenetic 'Herzog' features pulsing prog rock synths that run off into the distance, chased by a load of dissonant noise. Dissonance is sadly a too common motif here. Take 'Vengeance Drools', which starts with some nice chunky beats and simple riffs (possibly the most 'conventional' sounding thing on the album) but ruins it by aborting the pleasantness suddenly early on in favour of random pissing about that sounds like an accident in a sandpaper factory. Hmmm. Defeat snatched from the jaws of victory is a phrase that springs to mind. It remains a brave piece of art, and it might be a tad harsh to criticise an album of this kind of inventiveness for being too full of ideas for its own good, but swamping the tunes in white noise and atonal melodies certainly makes it hard going in places. It's not unlistenable, but isn't exactly easy listening. Don't get it for anyone as a chill out album then- unless you've got a slightly warped sense of humour... MS
Release date: 2 Oct
Press contact: Warp IH [all]
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ALEX JAMES AND CHEESE
Blur bassist and Wigwam man Alex James has been talking nonsense again. Writing in a regular column in the Independent, he revealed he's planning to "produce his own cheese". James: "The more I think about cheese the more I like it and the more I want some, which is why I'm taking matters into my own hands and venturing into the world of independent cheese making. My heart always beats a little bit faster in the cheese aisle of a French supermarket. The Italians, too, eat more cheese than us, as do the Danes. Danish cheese is not as well known, but well worth exploring." Thanks for letting us know Alex.
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ATOMIC KITTEN ANNOUNCES ENGAGEMENT
Former Atomic Kitten Natasha Hamilton has announced that she will marry boyfriend Riad Erranji.
Hamilton, who was previously engaged to that person who is vaguely famous for no reason Fran Cosgrave, has two sons, -four year old Josh, by the aforementioned Cosgrave, and two year old Harry, by dancer Gavin Hatcher.
On the engagement, a spokesperson said: "He took her away for a romantic weekend and proposed over dinner."
Hamilton herself said recently of her businessman boyfriend: "He's a bit older so Atomic Kitten wouldn't have been his thing. At least he wasn't a groupie."
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KIRSTY DISSES CAMERON'S COOL CLAIMS
New Desert Island Discs presenter Kirsty Young says she doesn't believe Conservative leader David Cameron has cool taste in music, and says that she'd have challenged him on certain of his choices if she'd been in the presenter's chair when he guested, instead of then-incumbent Sue Lawley.
She says: "When David Cameron chose The Killers, I thought, 'I don't think so'," adding that the choice of 'Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West)' by Benny Hill, by comparison, "seemed about right". Which seems a bit unfair, really. Not because I love David Cameron, but because I can completely see him liking The Killers. They are, after all, very good, and very popular.
Young also had a bit to say about how chat shows are a bit rubbish these days: "In the early 70s, Parkinson did wonderful extended interviews. People came on the show because they thought it might be nice to talk to an interesting person. Sadly, the PR machine has modulated all that. When you see Tom Cruise being interviewed, you know it's part of a string of interviews. When he did Parky [in September 2004] you could see in his eyes that he would rather be almost anywhere else in the world."
She adds that she is prepared for the difficulties of interviewing politicians, citing her own experience, and saying: "I didn't get much change out of Alan Clark, but then I don't think he fancied me. Gordon Brown is going to say whatever he planned, irrespective of the question."
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JARVIS COCKER DOESN'T LIKE RAZORLIGHT
Jarvis Cocker has had a go at Razorlight, for being too 'big business' about their 'craft'. My words, not his, those. Cocker, is, as previously reported, releasing his debut solo album in November - but I'm sure this 'outburst' has nothing to do with that. Except, of course, that he was speaking in a new interview in NME, which probably happened because he's releasing his debut solo album in November. You following this, yes?
Anyway, he says: "I've always liked people who mess up. I don't like career people - it doesn't seem very appropriate when it comes to music which is about something emotional. Reading an interview with Razorlight is just like reading 'The Economist', saying 'Yeah, well we're going to be really big in America and we think this album's going to follow up the next one' - that's what the record company should be saying, not the people in the band."
He continued: "And even The Rapture, who I like, there was an article about them I read which just seemed to be about them being managed by the same people who manage U2. I just thought 'Why do I want to know that?' That's not what music's about."
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MANSON TO LAUNCH ABSINTHE LINE
Marilyn Manson apparently wants to launch a line of absinthe. The singer apparently told Rolling Stone that he wants the Manson brand to be ready to go by Christmas.
The only snag with the plan is that absinthe appears, unfortunately, to still be illegal in the United States because of main ingredient wormwood's druggy properties - although, what with the law being an ass and all, other herbs with the same amount of the narcotic chemical responsible for the green fairy's psychedelic effects are frequently pronounced safe and legal.
Perhaps he could launch it here. As, fact fans, it's never actually been banned in the UK.