| CMU Daily - on the inside Tuesday 6th February |
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In today's CMU Daily:
- Apple settle with Apple over the Apples
- Fopp buy 67 Music Zone stores
- The Distillers split
- Doherty picks up more charges
- Razorlight have onstage bust up
- Album Review: Franz & Shape - Acceleration
- Lee on evolving Brown biopic project
- Broken Social Scene score new movie
- The Perishers working on new album
- New Hot Hot Heat
- Chris Martin on working with Eno
- England rock sites celebrated in tourism campaign
- Lakeman wins singer of the year at Folk Awards
- Songwriting competition finalists announced
- Spiritualized acoustic tour
- Hafdis Huld postpones gigs
- Maps tour
- Prince wows crowds at Superbowl
- Album Review: The Triffids - In The Pines
- Concert Live to record Magic Numbers gig
- Go check the million pound jukebox
- EMI Publishing launch producer management division
- EMI enter ad-funded video deal with AOL Europe
- Classic Gold sign up Tarrant
- Single Review: Malcolm Middleton - A Brighter Beat
- Alanis splits from fiancé
- Mrs Eminem on Slim Shady's infidelities
- Pritchard on Winehouse rant
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TOP BIT: THE GREAT DIGITAL DEBATE>>
Much of the debate at the Music 2.0 conference in LA earlier this month seemed to centre on continuing and growing concerns that, while the legitimate download sector is booming, it is not booming enough to compensate for the ongoing decline in physical CD sales. And with some predicting a considerable increase in that decline in the coming years (one record label exec expressed concern that at some point CD sales would "drop off a cliff"), the general opinion is that it is going to take some time for download platforms like iTunes to start delivering the kind of monies needed to safeguard the future of the record industry if, in deed, they ever do. All in all, pessimism was very much back in the air, after that short period of optimism that seemed to follow the arrival of the first cheques from Apple, the on-demand music services and mobile operators. While the traditional bit of the record industry is in somewhat better health here in the UK than elsewhere, concerns still remain that physical CD sales will ultimately go into freefall at some point, and that the digital businesses currently in existence won't be sufficient to compensate. With that in mind, the first CMU Recommended MusicTank Think Tank of 2007, in London tonight, will look at the emerging download market and ask what can be done to ensure that maximum benefit comes from new digital opportunities, and quickly enough to ensure any dramatic decline in CD sales doesn't prove to be crippling for the wider music business. That more than likely requires a rethinking of business models. Maybe within the emerging digital market. Maybe within the traditional record labels. Or maybe within the wider industry. Music manager Gary McClarnan will provide the key note address tonight, and you can check out a CMU Think Tank interview with him on the CMU Music Network website later today. Meantime, check http://www.musictank.co.uk for details of the event itself.
http://www.cmumusicnetwork.co.uk/interviews/
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CLASSIFIEDS>>
PACHA MAGAZINE
Pacha magazine returns to the Miami Winter Music conference for a second year. Pacha will again distribute 25,000 free copies of the magazine in the build up and duration of the various dance music conferences taking place during March (WMC, Miami Music Week), targeting the most influential and savvy electronic music consumers in the World. Pacha will be the most visible publication in south Beach's hippest hotels, bars and shops. The magazine, produced by Graphite Media, also features an exclusive free CD from CR2 Records. The advertising deadline is Friday 9th February ...Advertising rates start from £396...call Gary at Programmedia now to discuss your requirements
Programmedia.co.uk : Advertising in the best independent music magazines including Pacha, Disorder, Fact, Fusion, Stool Pigeon, Base:ad, Blowback, Beat, Swell and many music festival programmes. Check http://www.programmedia.co.uk for latest.
Programmedia Landline: +44 (0)1494 866337
Email: [email protected]
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CMU RECOMMENDS>>
KILL ALL HIPPIES FEBRUARY
This month features live sets from five great new bands - Xerox Teens, Rat:Att:Agg, Das Wanderlust, Ox Eagle Lion Man and The More Assured plus, on the decks, will be KAH resident Gavin Nugent plus guests Teens Of Thailand. It'll be a storming night, running from 8.30pm through to 4am the next morning. And Carling will be £1.80 a pint all night! Tix are £6 if you buy or guest list in advance, info at http://www.leylinepromotions.com.
BASICS: Friday 9 Feb, Carling Islington Academy, London, 8.30pm - 4am, tix £6 in advance.
More recommends: http://www.thebeatsbar.co.uk/cmurecommends
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MYSPACE OF THE DAY: Das Wanderlust
These guys came to my attention courtesy of our friends at Leyline who have booked them for this Friday's Kill All Hippies (info on that in that CMU Recommends slot just up there), but I gave them extra special attention after receiving their rather amusing answers to our Same Six Question (which will appear on the Beats Bar website later this week). The bit on their MySpace where you pick a positioning statement says "dull amateur shouty punk", which I think is a review they received from webzine soundsxp.com. I mention this, firstly because I love people who revel in their bad reviews (so much more fun that getting upset or pissed off about them), but also because I should say the Das Wanderlust sound isn't going to be for everyone. It is shouty. And it is a bit punky. And it does have an amateur feel to it - but in a good way (ie lovingly home made and suitably under produced). It is not, however, dull. And I, for one, do like it. Go on, give them a couple of minutes and see what you think. Or, of course, check them out at Kill All Hippies on Friday.
http://www.myspace.com/daswanderlust
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APPLE SETTLE WITH APPLE OVER THE APPLES
The two Apple companies have reached a settlement in that long long running trademark dispute, and it's a settlement which many reckon could pave the way for the arrival of the Beatles catalogue on iTunes.
As previously reported, Apple Computers, now Apple Inc, has had various disputes with the Beatles' company, Apple Corps, over the years, with the music company accusing the computing firm of stealing their trademark (they having been around quite a bit longer). A truce was originally reached in 1981 with the US company agreeing to only use the name in the computing sector, and to not move into the music industry where London based Apple Corps operates.
However, further legal action followed whenever Apple Corps felt new music based functionality added to Apple's computers breached that agreement. Most recently Apple Corp unsuccessfully sued Apple Inc claiming that iTunes amounted to the computing firm launching itself in the music business. The High Court in London, however, did not agree.
Under the new agreement Apple Inc will take full control of the Apple name, but licence certain trademarks back to the Beatles' company for its continued use. The exact terms of the deal, and what Apple Corp gets from it financially, are unclear.
Confirming the agreement, Apple Inc boss Steve Jobs told reporters yesterday: "We love the Beatles and it has been painful being at odds with them over these trademarks. It feels great to resolve this in a positive manner, and in a way that should remove the potential of further disagreements in the future".
Apple Corps top man Neil Aspinall added: "It is great to put this dispute behind us and move on. The years ahead are going to be very exciting times for us. We wish Apple Inc every success and look forward to many years of peaceful co-operation with them".
Although the Beatles' music, which is still not available digitally from any legitimate sources, is not directly discussed in this deal, there have been rumours for some time that iTunes is close to securing the fab four's catalogue as part of a major marketing initiative, and many see the settlement of this long term trademark dispute as a stepping stone to a content licensing agreement between the two companies.
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FOPP BUY 67 MUSIC ZONE STORES
Well, a bit of good news from the world of music retail. Glasgow based Fopp yesterday announced it was buying 67 of the stores formerly owned by its rival Music Zone, making them, over night, the biggest independent music retailer in the UK.
As previously reported, Music Zone went into administration earlier this year, and formally closed down the whole of its 100+ chain on 25 Jan after a buyer for the company could not be found. Fopp will now take on 67 of Music Zone's stores, saving some 775 jobs that had been lost when Music Zone ceased trading. The deal sees Fopp triple the size of its UK wide empire, going from 35 stores to over 100.
Confirming the deal, Music Zone's administrator, Bill Dawson of Deloitte, told reporters: "We are pleased with the disposal to Fopp, and wish them every success in the future. This represents a much better outcome for creditors and other stakeholders than a piecemeal disposal".
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THE DISTILLERS SPLIT
More split ups, and punk rock band The Distillers have announced they have formally split, though Brody Dalle and guitarist Tony Bradley (the only remaining members of the band, following the departure of drummer Andy Granelli and of bassist Ryan Sinn, the latter of whom went off to form Angels & Airwaves with former Blink 192-er Tom DeLonge last year) have announced they will form a new band instead to be called Spinnerette. So, there you go.
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DOHERTY PICKS UP MORE CHARGES
I used to collect stamps but that Pete Doherty has inspired me. I am going to start a collection of drug and driving charges. Of course he's got quite a head start on me, but I won't have the tedious task of rehab to take me away from my collecting duties. Doherty, though, has just added another four to his collection. These charges relate to his arrest last year when he was found driving with no insurance and in a car with no MOT. He also failed to produce driving documents on request and failed to comply with driving licence conditions. And that's where you get the four charges from. He was formally charged yesterday having been initially arrested back in November. He will face the charges at Thames Magistrates' Court on 13 Feb, where his lawyers will presumably say that their client is trying really really hard not to be a law breaking junkie cunt, and judging from recent court hearings, judge Jane McIvor will believe them and let him off.
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RAZORLIGHT HAVE ONSTAGE BUST UP
Talking of cunts (which is a link I'm always surprised isn't used more on the news), Johnny Borrell had an onstage bust up with his Razorlight bandmate Carl Dalemo at a gig in France earlier this week. The two band mates reportedly started arguing half way through their gig in Lyon, before throwing a few punches. Borrell then stormed off stage bringing the gig to an impromptu end. The band's drummer apologised to the audience, explaining: "We get on each others nerves when we've been on the bus for a while". Which is understandable, they all get on my nerves constantly, and I've never been on a bus with any of them.
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ALBUM REVIEW: Franz & Shape - Acceleration (Relish)
Get that frilly blouse and skinny leather tie back out your wardrobe! From the label which a couple of years back bought us the fine pounding neon-lit 80s-influenced European electro house of Manhead, comes this album of, er, fine pounding neon-lit 80s-influenced European electro house, this time courtesy of Italian duo Franz & Shape. 'Acceleration' is full of throbbing high NRG basslines, crashing syn-drums, icy analogue keyboards and occasional moody vocals, which all marks it out as something worth listening to in my book. 'Tightrope' has a dark swirling Sheep On Drugs goth trance vibe, 'This Is The Way' is totally 1983...like Gary Numan gone electroclash, whilst 'Regrets And Fears' is redolent of Kraftwerk flirting with New Order across a dancefloor lit by strobes and dry ice. If you played this album to your mum, she'd say that all the songs sound the same. She'd be right, of course, but in this case it's a good thing. The best synth-pop album since...oh, well, whatever I was raving about last week, then. MS
Release date: Jan 29
Press contact: Outpost [all]
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LEE ON EVOLVING BROWN BIOPIC PROJECT
Film director Spike Lee has been talking to Rolling Stone about his in-development James Brown biopic which, needless to say, has taken a new direction since the Godfather Of Soul's death over Christmas. Lee told the magazine "Now that he's passed, it changes everything", adding that the project was being extended to tell Brown's whole life story, and that they were now relying on the singer's long term friend Reverend Al Sharpton for background information on Brown's life.
Lee also revealed that he plans to use original Brown recordings in the film, with whoever plays the singer lip-syncing: "Whoever we have is going to be lip-syncing. We're not trying to impersonate [Brown] - we want to give the essence of the man and how he shaped the time".
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BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE SCORE NEW MOVIE
Talking of films and music and stuff, those Broken Social Scene people have provided the music to a new film which premieres at the Berlin Film Festival later this week. The Canadian group's music appears on the Bruce McDonald directed film adaptation of the Maureen Medved book 'The Tracey Fragments'.
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THE PERISHERS WORKING ON NEW ALBUM
The Perishers (remember them?) are apparently busy working on a new album with producer Per Sunding, who has also produced for fellow Swedes The Cardigans. The band have been working on their follow up to 2005's 'Let There Be Morning' since last June, though there's still no word on an expected completion date.
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NEW HOT HOT HEAT
Hot Hot Heat, meanwhile, have completed their next album, and the NME reports the band are hoping for a May release. On the new long player, frontman Steve Bays told NME: "We worked with about 15 different co-producers, which was really fun. I co-produced about 90 per-cent of the album, and each song was co-produced by a different person. It's almost like a hip-hop record in that sense. There are a lot of keyboards, and some of it is like a combination of T-Rex and Led Zeppelin. It sounds more alive than anything we've done before".
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CHRIS MARTIN ON WORKING WITH ENO
And talking about talking about producers, Coldplay have been talking about working with Brian Eno who, as previously reported, is working with the band on their follow up to 'X&Y'. Speaking to the BBC at one of those sold-out Arcade Fire gigs in London last week (which were really rather good, we hear), Chris Martin spoke about why they had chosen to work with Eno: "Well, we kind of more feel that he picked us really. With someone like Brian, if you can persuade him to work with you, you're doing well. We're really at the very beginning of it, but it sounds very promising to me".
More quoted from that interview have been Martin's comments about the chances of his band playing Glastonbury again - during which he said he didn't think they'd be ready to appear at the flagship festival again "for a good 15 years".
Asked about the Arcade Fire gig, he concluded: "I think they have complete raw brilliance. It's very comforting when you're a great big rock band to see a band that you think is a lot better than yours. It gives you something to aim for, you know". That's right Chris, make some music more like Arcade Fire, then we'll like it.
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ENGLAND ROCK SITES CELEBRATED IN TOURISM CAMPAIGN
Almost 200 locations linked to the history of rock and pop in England are being celebrated in a new tourism campaign. I'm assuming the Ladbroke Grove flat where we conceived CMU back in early 1998 is included, though I haven't checked. But they've got locations of minor concern in there - like Liverpool's Cavern Club and the former homes of Jim Hendrix and Bob Marley - so I can't believe they'd have left CMU's birthplace out.
Not all of the 130 locations celebrated on the England Rocks map and website are former homes or venues though. There's a few depressing sites, like the site of Marc Bolan's fatal car crash, and the motorway service station where the car of former Manic Street Preacher Richey Edwards was found after he disappeared.
Buildings and sites that appear on legendary album covers, like Battersea Power Station and Chalk Farm Tube station in London, the Empress pub in Liverpool and Mapledurham Watermill in Reading, are also listed.
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LAKEMAN WINS SINGER OF THE YEAR AT FOLK AWARDS
Former Mercury nominee, singer and violinist Seth Lakeman has been named Singer Of The Year at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. He also picked up the gong for Best Album for his 2006 long player 'Freedom Fields'. Elsewhere in the proceedings Chris Thile was named Musician Of The Year, Karine Polwart won Best Original Song, Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick won Best Duo and Bellowhead took Best Group and Best Live Act. And if you've never heard of any of them, you really should check out the highlights show on Radio 2 tomorrow night at 7pm to see what you've been missing.
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SONGWRITING COMPETITION FINALISTS ANNOUNCED
The International Songwriting Competition has announced details of its finalists and semifinalists for 2007, selected out of almost 15,000 entries from no less than 88 countries. It's a long long list, so I won't endeavour to list it here. Rather, you go and check it out for yourself at
http://www.songwritingcompetition.com/winners.htm. Overall winners will be announced next month. In addition to the judged winners, the public can also listen to music from the finalists and vote for their favourites. Info on that is at http://www.songwritingcompetition.com/pvwelcome2006.htm
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SPIRITUALIZED ACOUSTIC TOUR
Spiritualized's Jason Pierce has announced details of an acoustic tour. He will tour with Spiritualized guitarist Doggen plus a string section and gospel group, and will play tracks from the catalogues of both Spiritualized and his previous band Spacemen 3. The dates are as follows:
23 Apr: Glasgow Academy
24 Apr: Leeds Variety Centre
25 Apr: Wolverhampton Wulfrum Hall
26 Apr: London Shepherds Bush Empire
28 Apr: Mine Head, Butlins, All Tomorrow's Parties
Word has it the much delayed new Spiritualized album should be released later this year, an album which Pierce says is "the work of the devil, with a little guidance from me".
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HAFDIS HULD POSTPONES GIGS
CMU favourite Hafdis Huld has had to cancel all her upcoming live shows because of a nasty lung infection. Hafdis told CMU: "I am so sorry that I had to cancel at the last minute. At the moment I sound like a mix of a little frog and a husky villain. I'll just have to experiment with the glitter and pyjama look for the next couple of weeks". Dates should will be rescheduled asap.
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MAPS TOUR
Maps, or James to his Mum, has just added a headline ICA date to his touring calendar, which will be his biggest gig to date. Other chances to catch Maps, who perform as a five piece band when they play live, as follows:
9 Feb: Cambridge Junction (with the Whip & Foals)
11 Feb: Manchester Night & Day (with Long-View)
12 Feb: Nottingham The Social (with The Early Years
15 Feb: Leeds Brudenell Social (with The Early Years)
16 Feb: Glasgow Nice & Sleazy (with The Early Years)
24 Feb: Cardiff Callaghans
26 Feb: Southampton Joiners
27 Feb: Bristol Thelka
2 Mar: London Hammersmith Palais (NME show Jamie T)
6 Mar: London Scala (with The Earlies)
23 Apr: London ICA
Press info from Coalition
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PRINCE WOWS CROWDS AT SUPERBOWL
HitsDailyDouble described Prince's Superbowl half time show this weekend as "one of the better halftime shows in memory", and this despite the rain and distinct lack of breast flashing. Then again, Prince is one of the few performers for whom the rain can be explained away as a creative effect, even if it wasn't purple. After singing a number of his own songs, plus bits from other people's too (including Tina Turner, Bob Dylan and even the Foo Fighters), 'Purple Rain' formed the finale to show, which, as you'll remember, boasts a huge TVaudience across the States. All waiting to be shocked and offended. Prince, we hear, simply entertained. Well done him. Though bad news for fans of scandal. And fans of breast flashing.
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ALBUM REVIEW: The Triffids - In the Pines (Domino)
If the Go-Betweens were the Australian Smiths then the Triffids were perhaps the Antipodean Echo And The Bunnymen. Both Aussie bands share a similar melodic folky pop sound, both had cult followings in the 1980's and have recently been rediscovered by new audiences, and sadly both have lost their leaders in recent years. The Triffids' singer songwriter David McComb died in 1999. 1986's 'In the Pines' , re-released this week, was recorded in a wool shearing shed in <<Perth>, <Western Australia>>. The isolated recording environment is reflected by the stripped down sound of the music, very different to the lush orchestral sound of 'Born Sandy Devotional' (re-released last year) and 'Calenture' (also re-released this month). Lyrically the album's preoccupations are mostly bleak: "In the pines, where the sun never shines...No place is darker". The songs are dominated by McComb's booming vocals. Among the many delights here are the title track with its' melancholy mandolins, the cover of a drinking song 'Once A Day', the dark and dramatic Nick Cave influenced 'Just Might Fade Away', the sweet and tuneful 'Blinder By The Hour' and 'Love and Affection', which has nods to the Velvet Underground. 'In the Pines' is solid proof that the Triffids deserve a great deal more acclaim and that McComb is up there with the best of songwriters, Australian or otherwise. JW
Release date: 5 Feb
Press contact: Domino IH [all]
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CONCERT LIVE TO RECORD MAGIC NUMBERS GIG
Concert Live, which I think is something of a UK version of Live Nation's Instant Live service (though not owned by Live Nation), ie they record gigs and make recordings available almost immediately, has announced it will be recording two upcoming sold out gigs from those Magic Numbers. The two London gigs take place on 9 and 10 Feb, and the Concert Live recordings will be available both at the venue on the night of concert, and via the company's website.
Concert Live's MD, James Perkins, told CMU: "This is all about creating a really special and exclusive album and making it available within minutes of the last note being played. Everything about it is unique to that particular gig, from the album cover to the music. People know that what they're getting is a true collector's item and something they will treasure".
Other artists who have been recorded by Concert Live in recent months include Funeral For A Friend, Paolo Nutini, The Raconteurs, The Fratellis and The Feeling.
More at http://www.concertlive.co.uk, press info from [email protected]
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GO CHECK THE MILLION POUND JUKEBOX
This is one of those things I don't completely understand but which I think is something we should be reporting on (and when I went there myself a track from CMU favourites Lucky Soul was playing, which made me warm to the whole venture immediately). I think it works like this. The Bandwagon people have got tracks from a load of unsigned and signed artists which are playing on this webby jukebox thingy. They are then selling ad space around the jukebox which will be divvied up between the participating artists. But I've just had some root canal treatment, so it's possible I completely misunderstood the whole thing. I suggest you go to http://www.millionpoundjukebox.com and check it out for yourself. If you're lucky you'll get to hear Lucky Soul, who are great. Press info is available from Quite Great.
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EMI PUBLISHING LAUNCH PRODUCER MANAGEMENT DIVISION
EMI Music Publishing has announced the launch of a new UK based Producer Management division. The move follows an expansion of the publisher's relationship with songwriter Salaam Remi last year in which EMI took on a producer management role. Producer manager Anna Carpenter will join the company to head up the new division.
EMI Music Publishing MD Guy Moot explains: "We are constantly looking for new ventures to diversify into which can run harmoniously alongside our core business. I've been approached to handle producers a number of times in the past and I've long felt that there were many synergies between a music publisher's creative department and producer management, so we made the first steps in with Salaam. This has been an organic development rather than a bolted on new business venture. We're now ready to make a big commitment to the business and I think we've got the person who is best qualified to evolve this into a fully fledged management division in Anna".
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EMI ENTER AD-FUNDED VIDEO DEAL WITH AOL EUROPE
Talking of companies called EMI, EMI Music yesterday announced it had entered into an ad funded music video streaming agreement with AOL Europe, which basically means they will be providing pop videos for AOL's music video on demand platforms in the UK, France and Germany, taking a cut of ad revenues as well as getting promotional space for its new releases.
Confirming the deal, EMI Music UK's Senior VP Of Commercial And Digital Media, Mike McMahon, told CMU: "EMI Music is delighted to reach an agreement with AOL Europe to provide video streams to its users. We believe that the agreement creates greater scope to promote and profile new artists as well as established acts to AOL users, while at the same time ensuring that EMI and its artists are fairly compensated for their work".
Chris Kennedy, CFO of EMI Music International, the new division coordinating EMI's non-US/UK operations, added: "The advertising-funded model is one that really appeals to a cross-section of music fans, and we're pleased to be able to link with AOL across Europe to offer consumers another way to engage with the music and videos of our artists".
For AOL Europe, CEO Dana Dunne said: "One of the cornerstones of AOL's new business strategy is to offer world-class, compelling online entertainment to all consumers on the web. Our agreement with EMI Music means that music fans throughout Germany, France and the UK will be able to enjoy more than 1,000 top EMI Music videos on AOL".
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CLASSIC GOLD SIGN UP TARRANT
That Chris Tarrant bloke is returning to commercial radio after signing an exclusive deal with the Classic Gold digital radio channel. He will front an new auction-style competition show for the station called Small Price 2 Pay, one of those reverse auction type things where the smallest unique bid wins. The new show will launch on 25 Feb, and Classic Gold owners UBC will be hoping a high profile signing like Tarrant will provide a boost both to their own digital stations, and to digital radio in general.
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SINGLE REVIEW: Malcolm Middleton - A Brighter Beat (Full Time Hobby)
The death of Arab Strap was a weeping tragedy for the Scottish music scene. For over a decade <Falkirk> duo Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton wove an unrivalled web of spiralling melody and sordid monosyllabic mumbling. Their influence can still be found lurking in today's starlets like My Latest Novel and Popup, but for Malky the ghosts of his past have been firmly laid to rest. New single 'A Brighter Beat' is a glorious introduction to his third solo LP, suggesting the harbinger of woe has finally found contentment. The jangling, full bodied, strumming sees Middleton at his most ebullient and, although his penchant for lyrical dourness remains intact, a glimmer of optimism lies in his determined plea for people to conquer agoraphobia by "moving our heads in time to a brighter beat". Having just left his own funeral, it seems Malcolm Middleton's gained a new lease of life. BHa
Release Date: 22 Jan
Press Contact: Ian Cheek [CP, RP] Full Time Hobby IH [NP, CR, RR, NR]
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ALANIS SPLITS FROM FIANCÉ
Alanis Morissette has announced that she has called off her engagement to actor Ryan Reynolds after nearly four years. Just so you know. Oh, look, here's what a spokesman for the couple said: "Ryan Reynolds and Alanis Morissette have mutually decided to end their engagement. They remain close friends and continue to have the utmost love and admiration for each other. They ask that their privacy be respected surrounding this personal matter".
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MRS EMINEM ON SLIM SHADY'S INFIDELITIES
Talking of splitting couples, Eminem's ex-wife x2 has told reporters she ended her brief second marriage to the rapper because he constantly cheated on her. She has told reporters that the marriage didn't work because "him being on the road and on tour ... was like big one and constant infidelity", adding that she knew about Slim Shady's infidelities by "word of mouth [and] walking in on him a few times ... on his [tour] bus".
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PRITCHARD ON WINEHOUSE RANT
That chief Kook bloke Luke Pritchard has been talking about a run in with Ms Amy Winehouse, who apparently started ranting at him after he tried to compliment her on her music. It all happened at a recording of Later With Jools Holland Pritchard: "All I said to her was that I enjoyed her latest album. And suddenly, out of the blue, she had a really massive go at me. At one point she told me to fucking pull my head out of my arse. It was really weird. Everyone was just standing around looking at her". To be fair to Amy, I wish Pritchard would pull his head out of his arse (metaphorically speaking, obviously). He continued by saying Winehouse had been nice to him at first but that "when I went up to her at the photoshoot she suddenly turned really cold. She's crackers. I fucking don't give a shit".