| CMU Daily - on the inside Thursday 10th April |
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In today's CMU Daily:
- Rosemond Junior sues, oh, loads of people over Yayo altercation
- Babyshambles will continue work on album despite Doherty's incarceration
- RSPCA investigate Mark E Smith
- The Roots drop song from album
- The Music reveal new album
- Alex Turner gets Bowie's approval
- Razorlight man goes solo
- Donna Summer tops US dance chart
- U2 album news
- Bunnyman to publish memoirs
- Oxfam receives massive vinyl donation
- Daltrey sells The Who's van for a fiver
- BBC music mag awards
- Timbaland named pop songwriter of the year
- Killers lead nominations at first NME USA awards
- Kanye West to headline Global Gathering
- Prince added to Coachella bill
- Latest Summer Sundae announcements
- Blissfields additions
- Kiss cancel Serbia gig
- Alanis Morissette dates
- Duran Duran tour
- US distributors say Wal-mart still number one
- Last.fm say full previews boost sales
- Mag publishers buy DigitalSpy
- Ofcom not happy with Live Earth swearing
- Sony Award nominations
- British Press Award winners
- Katona quits reality show
- Ringo Starr beheaded
- Kylie loves doctors
- Simpson and Wentz admit to engagement
- Sarkozy is Kravitz fan
- Madonna: not an exhibitionist
- NME USA awards - nominations in full
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TOP BIT
Hello everybody, and welcome to a simple and informative logistical Top Bit, a pleasant relief after all that lengthy ranting so far this week. Lots of people we meet on our travels ask what the best way to get in touch with CMU is, so I thought I'd run you all through it once again.
To try and get coverage for your artists or companies or nights or whatnot here in the Daily simply email news stories and press releases to [email protected]. Obviously we get hundreds more press releases each week than we have space to report on, but we do check the musicnews inbox daily and pick out the best.
Your press release has more chance of making it as a story if all the text is in the body of the email (ie not as an attachment) and if the release includes a quote from the artist/company it is about.
If you are an unsigned band or independent label, don't worry about crafting up a full press release. When anything vaguely newsworthy happens email the basic details, if possible a quote, and any relevant factual information (eg release date, tour dates) - we are just as likely to report on a short email than a full blown press release.
As a general tip - avoid including large graphics in the email or including large image/audio file attachments - large emails that take an age to download generally piss off journalists (not us, we're too nice, but most other journalists).
As for reviews, well, the best thing to do is to mail a review CD and press release to CMU, UnLimited Media, Floor 3 Unicorn House, 221-222 Shoreditch High Street, London, E1 6PJ. All CDs are entered into our reviews database which is distributed to our nationwide review team each Tuesday. They pick what they want to review and we send the CDs to them. It normally takes about ten days from receiving a CD to having a review published in the CMU Daily. We are stepping up our reviewing again in the next month, so now is definitely a good time to get your CDs in.
To see about featuring your band in the Same Six Question section on the CMU Music Network website, email details of your band and any upcoming releases or tours to [email protected] and, if we reckon we like them, we'll mail you the questions and schedule them into an SSQ slot.
Finally, what about the SNAP Of The Day and Club Tip slots? Well, to put bands forward for the former email your details to [email protected], and to put your nights forward for the latter email the info to [email protected].
And finally finally, if it's the CMU Social or any other CMU type thing you want to talk about (you want to sponsor us, you want to advertise with us, you want us to provide you with content, you want to tell us we're great, or ask why today's Daily is out so late) email [email protected]
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JOBS N STUFF
PRESS OFFICER, FORMULA ONE
Near Oxford - £Competitive
You could be jetting off around the world to be the public face of this giant in Formula One at Grands Prix! We are on the hunt for a Press Officer to join our communications team. You will have the responsibility to prioritise and manage all media enquiries and to co-ordinate major projects. You must be an experienced consumer PR practitioner, with some experience at a PR agency. You must be fluent in at least one European language or Japanese and be educated to degree level. To apply, send your CV and a covering letter stating your current salary and why you are the right person for this role to [email protected] quoting reference SS14
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SNAP OF THE DAY: TALLULAH RENDALL
A real independent spirit this one, in that she has set up her own label, Transducer Records, to avoid the supposed evils of a major record companies and their often too controlling interest in how they believe an artist should sound. She's doing pretty well with her solo venture too, having already coerced Marius de Vries (Bjork and Massive Attack) on board to produce her forthcoming album, 'Libellus', which will be a pretty special affair if the songs on her MySpace are any indication. Take 'Black Seagull', for example, an irresistible offering that touches on contemporary jazz, the stirring ballads of Edith Piaf and, towards the end of the song, an unexpected bombast of fuzzy, feedback-fuelled guitars that would have Kevin Shields standing proud. 'Wake Up' is a more sedate affair that, without meaning any disservice, could quite happily sit on one of those Radio 2 acoustic compilations that are mostly packed full of derivative nonsense, though Rendall would certainly be distinguishable from the more common singer-songwriter pap. Her MySpace, link below, has both songs streaming now.
http://www.myspace.com/Tallulahrendall
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ROSEMOND JUNIOR SUES, OH, LOADS OF PEOPLE OVER YAYO ALTERCATION
In what I suspect is an optimistic lawsuit, the teenage son of Czar Entertainment chief Jimmy Rosemond is suing 50 Cent, Universal Music and its Interscope, G-Unit and Shady Records imprints, and Fiddy's management company Violator Management, its CEO Chris Lighty and various Violator/G-Unit associates, including Tony Yayo, over that previously reported street attack by Yayo and his associate Lowell Fletcher against Rosemond Junior. The lawsuit says all those hip hop moguls and companies should be held liable for the injuries suffered by Rosemond Jr during the altercation, because, the suit alleges, they encourage artists - like Yayo - to pursue violent and criminal lifestyles.
As previously reported, Rosemond Jr, also called James, was assaulted after a run in with Yayo and Fletcher and two other men in Manhattan in March last year. It was alleged the four men set upon Rosemond Jr because he was wearing a t-shirt promoting his father's company, which, among many other things, manages The Game, the one time colleague of G-Uniter's like Yayo, who, since quitting the Unit, has had a very public feud with 50 Cent, Yayo et al. I've never been clear on whether it was thought Yayo and his associates knew the teenager was actually the son of the boss of the rival hip hop empire, or whether it was just the t-shirt that got them so angry.
Criminal proceedings followed in relation to the attack, during which, despite various charges being pursued against Yayo, it materialised Fletcher had been the one to physically attack Rosemond Jr. He pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child and was sentenced to 9 months in jail. Yayo, who claimed to have tried to pull Fletcher back during the attack, did plead guilty to harassment against the teen, a much lesser crime that came with a sentence of ten days community service.
The new civil proceedings in relation to the case, filed by James Rosemond and his mother Cynthia Reed, are rather ambitious, extending liability to pretty much everyone associated with Yayo's hip hop career, possibly because the person who was held criminally liable for the attack - Fletcher - is neither a high profile nor, presumably, especially rich defendant. The Rosemonds have been keen to hold 50 Cent liable in someway since the start, and when the story first broke last year reports suggested he had been there at the time of the assault - though it was quickly proven he wasn't even in New York at the time.
But, as we said, the civil case that has been filed with the court this week attempts to extend liability beyond those just involved in the actual altercation on these grounds that the defendants encourage the likes of Yayo to be thugs because it's good for business. The lawsuit says: "The members of G-Unit, including defendants Yayo and 50 Cent, encouraged, sanctioned, approved and condoned its members threatening violence, and or engaging in violent acts in furtherance of its business. [The attack on James Rosemond] was intended to promote and maintain Yayo and 50 Cent's 'gangsta' image as promoted, marketed and advertised [by the record labels]".
None of the defendants have, as yet, commented.
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BABYSHAMBLES WILL CONTINUE WORK ON ALBUM DESPITE DOHERTY'S INCARCERATION
Babyshambles drummer Adam Ficek has told NME that the band are ploughing on with plans for their new album, despite frontman Pete Doherty's new fourteen week commitment to being in jail. Ficek says the band already have demos of songs for the new album, and that they plan to meet with producer Stephen Street (producer of second album 'Shotter's Nation') to discuss him producing the new long player even in Doherty's absence.
The drummer told NME: "We stick together, stay positive and keep the music alive. Just before I went on holiday we reconvened and gave Peter a new CD full of songs to start demo-ing for the new album. Mik [Whitnall, guitar] had gone into the studio and put down guitar parts and ideas. I definitely think we'll have a new album out at the end of this year or early next year. The 'Shambles ship will stay on course. This [Doherty's jail time] is a real bad thing for a friend, but he's going to be fine".
Elsewhere in Doherty news, fans of the Babyshambler have launched a Facebook group calling for Pete to be let out of prison. They say the frontman needs "therapy not punishment", though if I remember rightly the courts have given him lots of the former as well as a bit of the latter. I'm not sure the courts take much notice of Facebook petitions, though we live in strange times, so who knows?
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RSPCA INVESTIGATE MARK E SMITH
There's a lesson in this story somewhere. If you're going to kill protected animals, don't tell a music magazine about it. No, hang on, don't kill protected animals. Yeah, that's probably it. The RSPCA are investigating The Fall frontman Mark E Smith after he admitted in an interview with Uncut to killing two red squirrels that were eating his garden fence.
A spokesperson for the RSPCA, Klare Kennett, told the Daily Mail: "The comments made by Mark E Smith are extremely irresponsible and he has basically admitted to committing an offence under the Wildlife And Countryside Act by killing two red squirrels. These animals are highly protected and anyone killing, harming or taking red squirrels from the wild is liable to prosecution and can face up to six months in prison and/or a fine of up to £20,000. If he is getting confused and talking about grey squirrels, then killing them without a good reason - eating food put out for them is not a good reason - could also be an offence under certain circumstances".
So, take note all squirrel killing pop stars out there. Meanwhile, The Fall will release their 28th studio album 'Imperial Wax Solvent' on 24 Apr.
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THE ROOTS DROP SONG FROM ALBUM
According to The Roots' Ahmir Questlove, the band have dropped a track from their new album because they just can't make it fit in. The song 'Birthday Girl', which featured a guest appearance from Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump, will no longer appear on their new album 'Rising Down', but will be released via iTunes as an exclusive download later this month.
Questlove explained that the track, originally set to open the album, was "sticking out like a sore thumb", so the group sought other ways to make it work, without success: "Then we were going to have a 'halftime' thing where it was gonna come in the middle of the record as a break from the political thing, but that didn't work, either," the drummer continued. "Then we tried to make it the last song on the record, and that wasn't working. Then we tried to make it the hidden track, and that wasn't effective. Basically the album was complete; it starts with 'Rising Down' and it ends with 'Rising Up,' so that makes more sense to me".
The LP is out in the UK on 28 Apr.
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THE MUSIC REVEAL NEW ALBUM
The Music have announced that their third album, entitled 'Strength In Numbers', is set for a 16 Jun release, preceded by a single of the same name on 9 Jun. It's been produced by Flood and Paul Hartnoll, and the tracklisting is as follows:
Strength In Numbers
The Spike
Drugs
Idle
The Left Side
Fire
Get Through It
Vision
The Last One
No Weapon Sharper Than Will
Cold Blooded
Inconceivable Odds
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ALEX TURNER GET'S BOWIE'S APPROVAL
David Bowie has expressed his delight at Arctic Monkey Alex Turner's other band The Last Shadow Puppets' cover of his song, 'In The Heat Of The Morning'. And if you don't believe, look, Bowie says this: "That's a delight! How lovely. A daymaker".
The track will appear as a b-side on The Last Shadow Puppets' debut single, 'The Age Of The Understatement', out on Monday.
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RAZORLIGHT MAN GOES SOLO
Razorlight drummer Andy Burrows has released the full details of that forthcoming debut solo album. 'The Colour Of My Dreams' with be released on 26 May and features Burrows singing poetry written by his friend Peter Dixon. Proceeds from the album will go to Winchester-based children's charity the Naomi House Jack's Place appeal.
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DONNA SUMMER TOPS US DANCE CHART
Donna Summer is back in the US charts this week, as her biggest hit for more than a decade topped the Billboard Dance Chart. 'I'm On Fire' is her nineteenth hit single, and makes her the first person ever to garner number one dance hits in the 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s. The track is taken from the singer's upcoming album 'Crayons', set to be released via SonyBMG in May.
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U2 ALBUM NEWS
U2 are apparently in the studio putting the finishing touches to their next album, the follow up to 2004 release 'How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb'. In an online post, the band confirmed that they are working on the yet to be titled LP in Dublin with producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, with a view to releasing it later this year.
Meanwhile, as previously reported, remastered deluxe versions of three of the band's earlier albums - 'Boy', 'October' and 'War' - are due out in July.
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BUNNYMAN TO PUBLISH MEMOIRS
Echo And The Bunnymen frontman Ian McCulloch is to publish his memoirs next year, after publisher Transworld purchased the rights to the book from Mayer Benham. In a statement, Transworld's editorial director Simon Taylor said: "The man is a one-off, an iconic figure whose passion for words, music and for his city is utterly infectious".
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OXFAM RECEIVES MASSIVE VINYL DONATION
An Oxfam charity shop in Tavistock, Devon are to hold a charity auction after being given up to 4,000 classical vinyl LPs, worth in excess of £25,000. Staff at the shop announced the donation, from an anonymous widow, yesterday - they reckon its the largest of its kind ever.
"It's amazing. I can't think of a classical genre that's missing", Terry Hyde, an Oxfam volunteer who values music for the shop, told The Guardian. "It's all there: all your big figures from the 18th and 19th century, your 20th century unlistenable nightmares by Stockhausen, avant garde, opera, unaccompanied violin - virtually every genre is covered. When I looked at the records they looked virtually unplayed. With 4,000 records, how often could they really be played? You'd have to listen to them non-stop for years to get through them".
Some of the records have gone on sale already, and are expected to reach prices ranging from £1.99 to £150. The records will be made available in the Tavistock shop before being put up for online auction. "It is important for people who donate to actually see their gifts in the shop", said manager Jackie Theobold. "It's a small shop, I don't think we'll fit the whole collection in one go. We'll do a Chopin week, a Mozart week, that sort of thing - we'll find a way around it".
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DALTREY SELLS THE WHO'S VAN FOR A FIVER
The Who's frontman Roger Daltrey is giving fans the chance to win a customized Who themed Volkswagon camper van in aid of his Teenage Cancer Trust. The competition costs £5 to enter, with proceeds being used to build specialist hospital wards for young cancer sufferers.
"This van is one of a kind," says Daltrey. "She's all restored, she's got The Who on the stereo - she's the works".
To enter, go to http://www.thewhomagicbus.com. All entrants will receive a free download of a previously unreleased version of The Who's 1968 hit 'Magic Bus'.
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BBC MUSIC MAG AWARDS
Busy week for awards this one. As the Classical Brits announced their nominations this week, the BBC Music Magazine announced the winners of their classical awards. And the winners were as follows...
Public voted awards:
Disc Of The Year & Instrumental Award: Mitsuko Uchida - Beethoven Piano Sonatas (Philips)
Orchestral Award: Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana - Shostakovich Piano Concertos (EMI)
Opera Award: Concert D'Astree - Handel, Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno (EMI/Virgin)
Chamber Award: Jerusalem Quartet - Shostakovich, Quartets 6, 8, 11 (HMC)
Choral Award: Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir - JS Bach, Cantatas Vol. 22 (Challenge)
Vocal Award: The English Concert - Handel, As Steals The Morn (HMU)
Jury awards:
Best Newcomer: David Fray - JS Bach, Partita 4 in D (EMI/Virgin)
Premiere Recording: Netherlands Chamber Choir - All Things Change (Winter & Winter)
Technical Excellence In Recording: Theatre of Voices - Stockhausen, Stimmung, Harmonia Mundi (Hybrid)
DVD (Documentary): Maxim Vengerov, Living The Dream (EMI)
DVD (Performance): Chorus & Orchestra of La Scala/Riccardo Muti - Poulenc, Dialogues des Carmélites (TDK)
Commenting on this year's awards, BBC Music Magazine editor Oliver Condy told CMU: "Since its launch in 2006, the BBC Music Magazine Awards has grown at an incredible rate. From the start, we intended the awards to help lift sales of classical recordings at a typically slow time of the year, but with more reader votes and online retail partners than ever before, we've been able to give a far bigger boost to the record industry than we ever anticipated. 2007 was a bumper year for truly outstanding recordings, and the landmark discs that make up this year's winners are essential additions to every classical collection".
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TIMBALAND NAMED SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
More awards, and Timbaland was named Songwriter Of The Year at the Pop Music Awards held by US publishing royalty collecting society ASCAP this week. He was given the prize in recognition of his contributions to nine ASCAP award winning songs, including Nelly Furtado's 'Say It Right', Justin Timberlake's 'What Goes Around ... Comes Around' and his own hits 'Give It To Me' and 'The Way I Are'.
The other big prizes of the night went to EMI Music Publishing, who were named Publisher Of The Year, and Fergie and Gwen Stefani, who tied for Song Of The Year for 'Big Girls Don't Cry' and 'The Sweet Escape' respectively.
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KILLERS LEAD NOMINATIONS AT FIRST NME USA AWARDS
More awards, and The Killers have got the most nominations in the very first NME USA Awards, which take place in LA on 23 Apr. Among their nominations are ones for Best Band, Best Live Band, Best Track and Album Of The Yea. Arctic Monkeys lead the way in terms of non-US talent, getting shortlisted for Best International Band, Best International Live Act, Best International Album, Best International Track and Best Video.
Doing his commenting on the nominations bit, NME editor Conor McNicholas, said this: "It's great to see The Killers nominated in so many categories. NME has supported them from the outset, and they've already picked up several awards in the UK; let's see if they can have the same success in their home country. With Arctic Monkeys also in the running to be big winners of the night, plus tough competition from Kings Of Leon, Foo Fighters and White Stripes, the inaugural NME Awards USA is shaping up to be an incredible night".
There's a full list of those there NME USA nominations at the bottom of today's Daily. And if you like your award news, boy are you in for a treat when we get to media news.
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KANYE WEST TO HEADLINE GLOBAL GATHERING
Kanye West has announced that he will headline this year's Global Gathering festival. It is rumoured that he will be bringing his 'Glow In The Dark' show to the festival, which could feature other artists such as Lupe Fiasco, Rhianna and Pharrell Williams.
Other acts confirmed for the festival include Moby and Mark Ronson. Global Gathering takes place at Long Marsten Airfield near Straford Upon Avon between 25-26 Jul. Early Bird tickets are now sold out but general admission and VIP passes are still available. Go to http://www.globalgathering.co.uk for more info.
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PRINCE ADDED TO COACHELLA BILL
Prince has been added to the bill for this year's Coachella Festival, which takes place later this month, of course. The singer joins Portishead and Kraftwerk as headliners on the Saturday night of the event, which, as previously reported, features appearances from the likes of The Verve, The Raconteurs, Goldfrapp, MIA, The Breeders and Roger Waters. It all takes place from 25-27 Apr in Indio, California.
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LATEST SUMMER SUNDAE ANNOUNCEMENTS
The organiser's of Leicester's Summer Sundae Festival have confirmed a number of new bookings for their event, amongst them Reverend And The Makers, Jose Gonzales, Joan As Police Woman, Camera Obscura and Dodgy. As you may already be aware, it all takes place from 8 - 10 at De Montford Hall And Gardens, thus making it entirely impossible for me to go.
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BLISSFIELDS ADDITIONS
More additions to festival line-ups now, as Blissfields have announced that Lethal Bizzle, Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man, The All New Adventures of Us and Robots in Disguise have joined the bill for the event, appearing alongside previously confirmed acts such as Roni Size and Reprazent, The Wonderstuff, and The Noisettes. Blissfields, winner of Best Small Festival Of The Year at last year's UK Festival Awards, takes place near Winchester from 4-6 Jul.
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KISS CANCEL SERBIA GIG
Kiss have cancelled a gig in Serbia, due to take place in the country's capital city on 15 May, apparently due to the political situation in the country, with the band seemingly uncomfortable about appearing so soon after February's elections and with tensions running high over Kosovo. The Lupa agency promised to refund fans' tickets and said in a statement: "The members of the band regret to inform you that the concert has to be cancelled, but the situation in Serbia does not leave them much choice. However, they hope they will perform in Serbia on some other occasion".
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ALANIS MORISSETTE DATES
Alanis Morissette has announced a couple of live dates to follow the release of her new album 'Flavors Of Entanglement', out 2 Jun. As part of a European tour, she'll play at Birmingham Academy on 18 Jun and at Brixton Academy on 19 Jun. Tickets are on sale now.
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DURAN DURAN TOUR
Duran Duran have announced that they're planning a thirty date European tour in support of their latest album, 'Red Carpet Massacre', which was released last year, of course. The band have confirmed four UK dates, tickets for which go on sale on Friday at 9am (although tickets have already been offered to fan club members, I think).
The four UK shows are:
3 Jul: London O2 Arena
5 Jul: Liverpool Echo Arena
6 Jul: Nottingham Arena
7 Jul: Birmingham NIA
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US DISTRIBUTORS SAY WAL-MART STILL NUMBER ONE
According to HitsDailyDouble, the big four US music distributors have said that as far as they are concerned Wal-Mart is still the country's number one music retailer. Their comments follow that NPD research that said that iTunes had grabbed the 'biggest in the US' title in music retail. But the distribution types say Wal-Mart's business is definitely worth more than Apple's business. Though it wasn't entirely clear to me on what basis NPD were declaring Apple the biggest in the first place.
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LAST.FM SAY FULL PREVIEWS BOOST SALES
Last.fm co-founder Martin Stiksel claims that offering full previews of songs rather than those thirty second clips will make people more prone to then buy the track. As previously reported, Last.fm recently launched a music preview service which enables users to listen to loads of songs in full, on demand, albeit a limited number of times. And Stiksel says that since launching that service the number of people clicking through to one of the site's retail partners has increased by 119%. He says: "In just over two months it's become clear that people will buy CDs and downloads if they get access to the kind of service we offer". So, there you go, sell more music by offering limited play full-length on-demand previews. If I remember rightly we've been saying that for years.
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MAG PUBLISHERS BUY DIGITALSPY
The rather good media and entertainment news and chat website DigitalSpy has been bought by magazine publisher Hachette Filipacchi UK, the company behind Red, Elle and Inside Soap magazines. The company's chairman, Kevin Hand, told the Guardian: "I am delighted to have acquired DigitalSpy.co.uk to further expand our growing digital division. Operating in the entertainment news area, Digital Spy is the perfect complement to our existing portfolio of brands".
DigitalSpy man Alan Jay added: "We are thrilled to be joining Hachette Filipacchi and see collaboration with brands as powerful as Elle or Sugar in the UK, as well as the international portfolio from the Lagardère group, as a huge opportunity for Digital Spy to maximise growth".
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OFCOM NOT HAPPY WITH LIVE EARTH SWEARING
The fucking BBC and their slack attitude to mother-fucking swearing in prime time. What a bunch of... Yeah, you get it. Media regulator OfCom have told off the Beeb for screening pop stars (and their comedic friends) swearing during the eco-campaigning Live Earth concert last year. I'm more concerned that all those selfless pop stars went to so much effort, and yet I hear there's still global warming. What more do the climate gods want? I mean Phil Collins sung "fuck", Johnny Borrell said "fuck", Madonna said "motherfucker" and Chris Rock said a load of stuff. And yet the globe keeps on warming up. I'm not sure what more can be done. But more could have been done, OfCom say, by the BBC to protect the children - those poor poor children - from such outrageous rock star language on prime time telly. As a result the network will be forced to broadcast an on air apology later in the year. Whether that will cool down the earth any I don't know.
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SONY AWARD NOMINATIONS
OK, lets do awards of the media kind shall we? The nominations are out for those there Sony Awards, the UK radio industry's biggest annual awards bash, which take place on 12 May at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London. And the nominations are:
Breakfast show award: 5 Live Breakfast - BBC Radio 5 Live, Bowie@Breakfast - Radio Clyde, Capital Breakfast with Johnny Vaughan - Capital 95.8, Jo & Twiggy Breakfast Show - Trent FM, The Chris Moyles Show - BBC Radio 1
Music programme award: Marc Riley's Brain Surgery - BBC 6 Music, Mellow Magic - Magic 105.4, The Dermot O'Leary Show - BBC Radio 2, The Johnnie Walker Show - BBC Radio 2, Zane Lowe - BBC Radio 1
Entertainment award: Capital Breakfast with Johnny Vaughan - Capital 95.8, Jo & Twiggy Breakfast Show - Trent FM, Scott Mills - BBC Radio 1, The Russell Brand Show - BBC Radio 2, Toolan in the Morning - Key 103
Music broadcaster of the year: Andi Durrant - The Galaxy Network, Fish on Friday - Planet Rock, Paul Gambaccini - Classic FM, BBC Radio 2 & Radio 4, Sean Rafferty - BBC Radio 3, Steve Lamacq - BBC 6 Music
Music radio personality of the year: Adam @ Breakfast - 97.4 Rock FM, Geoff Lloyd - Virgin Radio, Jamie Theakston - Heart 106.2, Jonathan Ross - BBC Radio 2, Zane Lowe - BBC Radio 1
Speech broadcaster of the year: Edi Stark - BBC Radio Scotland, James Naughtie - BBC Radio 4, John Humphrys - BBC Radio 4, Owen Bennett-Jones - BBC Radio World Service, Simon Mayo- BBC Radio 5 Live
Station of the year: Under 300,000: BBC Guernsey, BBC Radio Foyle, Silk FM
Station of the year: 300,000 - 1 million: BBC Radio Nottingham, GWR Bristol, TFM Radio
Station of the year: 1 million plus: Key 103 Manchester, Radio City 96.7, Real Radio Scotland
Digital station of the year: BBC Asian Network, Gaydar Radio, Planet Rock
UK station of the year: BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 5 Live
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BRITISH PRESS AWARD WINNERS
And on the print side, it was the British Press Awards this week, the once raucus awards bash for journalism types, which seems to be a lot more civilised affair these days. Well done one and all for winning these here gongs.
Newspaper Of The Year: Financial Times
Journalist Of The Year: Andrew Gilligan, London Evening Standard
International Journalist Of The Year: Emadeddin Baghi, Iran
Reporter Of The Year: Tom Newton Dunn, The Sun
Young Journalist Of The Year: Kate Mansey, Sunday Mirror
Feature Writer Of The Year: AA Gill, Sunday Times
Foreign Reporter Of The Year - Ghaith Abdul-Ahad, The Guardian
Political Journalist Of The Year: Philip Stephens, Financial Times
Showbusiness Reporter Of The Year: Sean Hamilton, Sunday Mirror
Critic Of The Year: Charles Spencer, Daily Telegraph
Business And Finance Journalist Of The Year: Gillian Tett, Financial Times
Interviewer Of The Year: Chrissy Iley, Freelance (Observer Magazine And Sunday Times Magazine)
Columnist Of The Year: Matthew Norman, The Independent
Cartoonist Of The Year: Matt Pritchett, Daily And Sunday Telegraph
Digital Journalist Of The Year: Sean Smith, The Guardian
Sports Journalist Of The Year: Martin Samuel, The Times
Photographer Of The Year: Jeremy Selwyn, Evening Standard
Sports Photographer Of The Year: Andy Hooper, Daily Mail
Scoop Of The Year: Tom Newton Dunn, The Sun, For "Friendly Fire Kills Matty Hull"
The Cudlipp Award: The Sun, Help For Heroes Campaign
Website Of The Year: Guardian.co.uk
Supplement Of The Year: Mail On Sunday You and Live
Campaign Of The Year: Help For Heroes, The Sun (Tom Newton Dunn)
Press Gazette Special Award: Paul Dacre, Daily Mail
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KATONA QUITS REALITY SHOW
According to reports, former Atomic Kitten Kerry Katona has quit her MTV reality show 'Crazy In Love' early. Filming was suspended on the series when Katona checked herself into the Priory for treatment for depression, and further compromised when the pregnant celebrity was admitted to hospital due to fears that she might have pre-eclampsia. As it turned out, she was just a bit anaemic. Anyway, now it's said that she'll only film three more episodes, meaning that what was originally a sixteen episode series will only be eleven episodes long. An 'insider' told The Sun: "Kerry has been stressed and we've had to stop filming quite a few times. Then she and Mark told us they won't do any more".
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RINGO STARR BEHEADED
A statue of Ringo Starr, created by Italian artist Franco Covill and installed at Parkways Transport Exchange in the former Beatle's home town of Liverpool as part if the city's European Capital of Culture celebrations, has had its head lopped off. Not sure why this brutal act of vandalism was perpetrated, but other reports seem to be hinting that it's some kind of act of revenge due to the fact that Starr recently said he doesn't miss anything about Liverpool. Yikes.
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KYLIE LOVES DOCTORS
Kylie Minogue has released a statement saying that she has "a great respect for the medical profession" just a day after she revealed in a US TV interview that her breast cancer was initially misdiagnosed by a doctor.
In the statement, the singer said that "countless people" had helped her while during her illness. "I am in the very best of hands now, but it is a fact that my initial diagnosis was that I was 'alright, and had nothing to worry about'", she continued. "A few weeks later this was clearly not the case. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment is the key for any woman diagnosed with breast cancer".
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SIMPSON AND WENTZ ADMIT TO ENGAGEMENT
Ashlee Simpson and Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz have admitted that they are in fact engaged to be married. Simpson has said this in a statement via People Magazine's website: "We know there has been a lot of speculation recently about Pete and I, and we wanted our fans to be the first to know, because you guys are the best. Yes, we are thrilled to share that we are happily engaged".
And in absolutely and completely unrelated news, Simpson's new album 'Bittersweet World' is out next week, 22 Apr. Which is also my mum's birthday. So don't forget.
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SARKOZY IS KRAVITZ FAN
According to Lenny Kravitz, he's got a big fan in French president Nicolas Sarkozy. The singer said in an interview with Le Parisien that he'd sent a CD to the president and received a nice letter thanking him and indicating that he'd had a good old listen. Although let's face it, an office junior could've written it, really, couldn't they? Although, you know, Sarkozy's probably down with the rock n roll thang, what with his glamorous pop-rock-related spouse Carla Bruni.
Ah well. Here's what Kravitz is quoted as saying: "He said he listened to my new disc, and really liked it. He even cited his favourite songs".
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MADONNA: NOT AN EXHIBITIONIST
Madonna has said that she's worried people only think of her as an exhibitionist who takes her clothes off and she insists that, in her younger days, she was quite the prude.
"I really was not getting up to much. I don't think I was as naughty as I could have been. I was quite straight. I was a geek when I was that age. I did not really do much that was interesting. I hope that's not the only thing that I'm identified with - taking off my clothes. I have done other things. There's a lot more to being Madonna than taking off your clothes".
Putting them back on again?
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NME USA AWARDS - NOMINATIONS IN FULL
Best Band: Kings of Leon, The Killers, My Chemical Romance, The White Stripes, Foo Fighters
Best Solo Artist: Cat Power, Ryan Adams, Albert Hammond, Jr, Andrew Bird, Beck
Best Live Band: My Chemical Romance, Kings of Leon, The Killers, Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters
Best Album: Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace, The Killers - Sawdust, Kings of Leon - Because of the Times, The Hold Steady - Girls And Boys Of America, The White Stripes - Icky Thump
Best New Band: Band of Horses, Black Kids, MGMT, Vampire Weekend, Paramore
Best New Solo Artist: Sam Sparro, Santogold, Mark Ronson, Cass McCombs, Seasick Ste
Best New Live Act: Band of Horses, Black Kids, Vampire Weekend, Santogold, MGMT
Best International Band: Arctic Monkeys, Arcade Fire, Muse, Radiohead, Oasis
Best International Solo Artist: Feist, MIA, Kate Nash, Jamie T, Amy Winehouse
Best International Live Act: Arctic Monkeys, Arcade Fire, The Cribs, Kaiser Chiefs, Muse
Best International Album: Arcade Fire - Neon Bible, Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare, Babyshambles - Shotter's Nation, Klaxons - Myths of the Near Future, Radiohead - In Rainbows
Best International Track: Arcade Fire - Intervention, Arctic Monkeys - Teddy Picker, Bloc Party - Flux, Kate Nash - Foundations, Klaxons - Golden Skans
Best New International Band: The Enemy, Foals, The Wombats, The Last Shadow, Puppets, Klaxons
Best New International Solo Artist: Duffy, Lily Allen, Lightspeed Champion, Kate Nash, Jack Penate
Best New International Live Act: CSS, Klaxons, The Wombats, Foals, Pigeon Detectives
Best Video: Arctic Monkeys - Fluorescent Adolescent, Foo Fighters - Long Road to Ruin, Justice - DANCE, The Killers - Tranquilize, Oasis - Lord Don't Slow Me Down
Best TV Show: Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, Lost, The Mighty Boosh, The Office: An American Workplace
Best Film: Control, Juno, No Country for Old Men, The Simpsons Movie, There Will Be Blood