| CMU Daily - on the inside 23 Oct 2002 |
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In today's CMU Daily:
• Banks back but still to be disciplined,
• Orange's college tour takes off for third year,
• Aguilera defends her Dirrty video,
• Review: The Venue - Mmhm!,
• Oh my god - Grease 3 in the offing,
• LBC poach Radio 5 boss as it prepares for revamp,
• Moby searches for fan video makers,
• Dion goes for a new day,
• Queen’s private gig for fan club members,
• Review: Hint - You Little Trooper / Explosion Museum,
• Audioslave start with a bang,
• Fischerspooner nervous of Kylie remix,
• FHM pull Aussie edition after offending Hilsborough victims,
• Music awards enhance live line ups
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James Todd Smith, Shawn Carter and Artis Ivey - what stage names do we know these three by?
Answer tomorrow
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BANKS BACK BUT STILL TO BE DISCIPLINED
Robin Banks, the DJ who's made getting sacked a key part of his career, nearly lost his job as drive time host on London's pop dance station Kiss 100 FM after some late night on air pursuits. Banks sneaked into the Kiss headquarters at 2.30am on Monday morning after a night out on the tiles. He took the stations pre-recorded overnight show off the air and broadcast an impromptu live show apparently full of "swearing and drunken ramblings". It was only when listeners called in to complain that anyone else at the station realised what was going on.
The EMAP owned station initially suspended Banks, but he will return to drive time today. However a spokesperson stressed internal disciplinary conversations were still going on. "He's a much loved member of the broadcasting team who did something he now regrets," she said.
Talking to the London Evening Standard about the incident Banks said: "They seem to be taking a dim view of the enterprise. It was great fun at the time and it was great fun when I woke up, but as the day went on I began to understand the serious situation I had landed myself in."
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ORANGE'S COLLEGE TOUR TAKES OFF FOR THIRD YEAR
The legendary Orange campus tour, which has been transforming students' unions for two years with its hi-tech consoles and installations, while showcasing leading names in dance music, returns again next month with thirty dates planned over the next six months. Darren Emerson, Tim Deluxe, Mutiny, Yousef, Jean Jacques Smoothie and the Scratch Perverts are among the DJs lined up to appear. The tour kicks off at Warwick University on 1 Nov with Darren Emerson, Gus Gus and Dynamo Productions.
The dates in full:
1 Nov: Warwick University, Coventry
2 Nov: Goldsmiths College, London
4 Nov: Cardiff University
6 Nov: Bangor University
8 Nov: Lampeter University
9 Nov: Aberystwyth University
13 Nov: Durham University
14 Nov: Brunel University, Uxbridge
15 Nov: Portsmouth University
16 Nov: Roehampton University
19 Nov: Sheffield University
21 Nov: Surrey Institute
22 Nov: Exeter University
23 Nov: Loughborough University
24 Jan: Anglia University, Cambridge
25 Jan: Manchester Met University
29 Jan: Royal Holloway University, Egham
31 Jan: Reading University
1 Feb: Staffordshire University, Stoke on Trent
3 Feb: Belfast University
5 Feb: Hertfordshire University, Hatfield
6 Feb: Salford University
7 Feb: Keele University
8 Feb: Central Lancs University, Preston
12 Feb: Bristol University
13 Feb: Buckinghamshire University, High Wycombe
15 Feb: Teesside University, Middlesbrough
21 Feb: Stirling, University
2 May: Surrey University, Guildford
3 May: Sunderland University
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AGUILERA DEFENDS HER DIRRTY VIDEO
Christina Aguilera has reacted to criticisms that her new video for single 'Dirrty' is too raunchy. Speaking to German magazine YAM she said: "I find my new video clip very sexy. It may have a couple of indecent scenes, but it is exactly how I wanted it to be. I'm not interested in moralists. I am happy, and the video is certainly not pornographic. I feel good in sexy outfits. I hate conservative people, and hey, I'm only 21 and in no circumstance want to dress like a square. I want to be different, rebellious, provocative. Madonna is my role model."
However she didn't comment on the criticisms made by Thai authorities over a billboard in the video alluding to Thailand's sex industries. Officials were so offended BMG in Thailand have decided not to release the video there.
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REVIEW: The Venue - Mmhm! (Bella Union)
After finally battling with the packaging to release its musical bounty, a blast of feverish cacophony blew out of the speakers. Given the current wave of Scandiphilia, these mop tops could find themselves a cult following with their sixties pop sensibilities. Menswear will be cursing their luck if they do - but then again, with splendid tunes like 'Too Many Ways' and the truly delicious 'Deep-Fried Sinfulness', The Venue deserve no less. As it goes, I'm rather glad I managed to get the CD out of the box as I might never have heard the poignant 'Sentimental Lounge Outtake'. Their eclectic quirkiness will keep them from any imminent chart assaults, but you can expect to hear them being whispered about by spectacled parka wearing music enthusiasts. Let's just hope their elderly looking drummer doesn't give out before they reach your local Camden public house. TO
Release date: 4 Nov
Press contact: Bella Union IH
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OH MY GOD - GREASE 3 IN THE OFFING
Olivia Newton-John has confirmed talks are underway for a Grease 3, but said the final script is yet to be completed. However she indicated she and John Travolta may reprise their roles in the modern day story following the teenage life of the daughter of a married Sandy and Danny. Apparently the idea of a third film (Grease II was released in 1982, but didn't feature the lead actors or characters from the first) was first discussed when the cast got together recently to launch the classic musical movie on DVD. Didi Conn, who played Frenchy in the original movie, has been working on a script for about 5 years. Newton-John denied rumours Kylie Minogue was being sounded out for the role of Sandy and Danny's daughter saying no casting would begin until the final script was signed off.
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LBC POACH RADIO 5 BOSS AS IT PREPARES FOR REVAMP
Chrysalis Radio have poached the deputy controller of BBC Radio 5 Live to run the relaunched London news station LBC, which the media group took over last month. Steve Kyte will be editorial director at the revamped station. His appointment is part of Chrysalis' attempts to regenerate the station which once played a central role in London life. It has already signed Capital news presenter Howard Hughes in a bid to win breakfast show listeners from the station. Kyte's appointment is be part of the station's bid to lure Radio 5 listeners who want a more local approach but who are disappointed with BBC London Live.
Launched in 1973 LBC was the UK's first commercial station and for years was a crucial medium in the capital. Increased competition coupled with bad management saw the station go in to decline and in 1994 it lost its licence. But another talk radio consortium headed by ITN (LBC's original owners) bought the name back for its AM service. Now new owners Chrysalis want to but the station back on FM and regain its position as a leading news source and discussion point for London.
LBC's new MD, Mark Flanagan, told the Media Guardian he wants to make LBC "the most talked about station in London" saying to lookout for other big-name signings soon.
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MOBY SEARCHES FOR FAN VIDEO MAKERS
Moby, who has won awards for past videos, is now inviting fans to bring tracks from new album '18' alive. Anyone interested in directing a video is invited to send in a 'treatment' for consideration. The writer of the winning proposal will win £5000 to make their video, which, if any good, might be used with the single release. Video treatments should be sent to [email protected] with 'VIDEO COMP' as the subject header. The email should also include a 50 word biog and the whole email must be not more than 2MB. Closing date for entries in 30 Nov.
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DION GOES FOR A NEW DAY
If you're in a band called 'A New Day' get the lawyer on the phone. Celine Dion has announced that her forthcoming Las Vegas show will be called 'A New Day...', an abbreviated version of her recent album title 'A New Day Has Come'. Of course the show was rumoured to be called 'Muse' prompting British indie band to threaten law suits if their name was used. Dion's people claim Muse was just one of several names up for consideration, but admit they dropped the title from their list after the band refused permission to use it. The Las Vegas show, which will run for a massive three years in the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, opens on 25 Mar next year.
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QUEEN'S PRIVATE GIG FOR FAN CLUB MEMBERS
Two hundred die hard Queen fans enjoyed a private gig in Hollywood last weekend with Brian May and Roger Taylor playing Queen classics - they were in town, of course, for the unveiling of their star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. A nine-member band supported the duo while Steve Vai (Frank Zappa, David Lee Roth) and Nuno Bettencourt (ex-Extreme), and drummer Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge) all guested.
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REVIEW: Hint - You Little Trooper / Explosion Museum (Ninja Tune/Hombre)
After the storming LP from Bristol's Aspects on Jamie Hombre's eponymous label, this little 12" comes as a slow burner. The a-side builds gradually through layers of piano and a live sounding hiphop break. With some popping electric bass, guitar harmonics and sweeping soothing strings this makes for a very pleasing little upbeat downtempo number. The flip is slightly more uptempo but carries a carefree feel with its punchier beats, Rhodes organ and sampled double bass. JG
Release date: 18 Nov
Press contact: Zzonked [all]
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AUDIOSLAVE START WITH A BANG
Tom Morello's new band Audioslave (the band made out of three RATM members and Soundgarden vocalist Chris Cornell) is already in the news after the recording of a video for their debut track 'Cochise' - the video is lit by showers of pyrotechnics. Such were the flashes and bangs involved in filming the vid locals thought a terrorist incident had hit the LA suburb.
"The local police and news station literally received thousands of calls from people who thought the city was under siege," Morello told reporters. "All the freeways were blocked because they thought there was an attack occurring. Like someone had decided to attack and the target was going to be the San Fernando Valley."
Morello was keen to stress Audioslave is not a one hit project: "There's almost another album's worth of stuff already done. The most difficult part of the process was narrowing down the tunes for the first record because the other songs are every bit as good. We ended up choosing the songs that made for the best flow of an album, but there are some pretty fat jams that are still in the can."
Word is that a second album would be released by Soundgarden's record label Universal / Interscope - the first album will be released by RATM's label Sony / Epic.
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FISCHERSPOONER NERVOUS OF KYLIE REMIX
Casey Spooner has told Radio 1 his musical partner Warren Fischer very nearly turned down the job of remixing Kylie's next single 'Come Into My World' because he was so nervous about doing it. But he was persuaded to go through with the project and the remix will feature on Kylie's next single when it's released on 11 Nov. "Mr Fischer, my partner, did the remix... we're big fans of 'super pop'. And since he'd never done a remix he was really concerned he was gonna do a bad job," Casey said. "I think it came off great - apparently Kylie likes it. I pitched a couple of ideas but it didn't fly... so it came off as basically like a different pop song completely. I'm really excited and I'm getting ready to pose with Kylie on Top Of The Pops..."
The remix will be one of few UK outings for Fscherspooner this Autumn. They postponed a planned UK tour, apparently due to commitments in the US.
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FHM PULL AUSSEY EDITION AFTER OFFENDING HILSBOROUGH VICTIMS
The Aussey edition of EMAP's mid-shelf mag FHM has been forced to pull its latest issue after it published images of the Hillsborough football stadium disaster with 'comedy captions'. The magazine will publish apologies in both the Aus and UK editions, even though the latter didn't publish the images. The magazine's publisher, will also make a donation to the fund that supports families of Hilsborough victims.
"FHM Australia has clearly acted without sensitivity and in a totally inappropriate manner," Geoff Campbell, publishing director of FHM Australia, which is published independently of the magazine's UK edition, told Media Guardian. "The right course of action is to withdraw this edition from sale, which we will be doing. We have been in contact with the Hillsborough family support group and the Hillsborough justice campaign to express our deep regret and our sincere apologies. We have informed them that a full apology will be published in the Australian edition due for circulation at the beginning of December. Although the offending article was not published in the UK, the apology will also appear in the UK edition, with similar timing."
But Philip Hammond, the secretary and vice-chairman of the Hillsborough family support group, is not impressed. "It's not good enough. Money doesn't make any difference. It should never have been done. It's a disaster the same as the twin towers or Bali." He added he would be recommending to the group's board that they call for a boycott of the magazine.
The offending FHM article compared crushed fans to shoppers battling to get into end of year sales and described victims of the crush, who were lying on the pitch, "lazy". EMAP have now instigated an editorial review across all of its 16 international editions to ensure a similar mistake does not occur in the future.
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MUSIC AWARDS ENHANCE LIVE LINE UPS
Ms Dynamite has been confirmed to perform at this year's poptastic Top of the Pops Awards. She joins a bill that already includes Moby, Kylie, Craig David, Will and Gareth. The Awards take place at the Manchester Evening News Arena on 29 Nov. More info at www.bbc.co.uk/totp.
Meanwhile MTV have confirmed Moby, Foo Fighters and Whitney Houston will all perform at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2002 when they take place at the Barcelona Palau Sant Jordi on 14 Nov. Robbie Williams, Christina Aguilera, Enrique Iglesias, Coldplay, Pink and Wyclef Jean have all been previously conformed as performers at the award ceremony which will this year be fronted by P Diddy.
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Answer to Tuesday's pop quiz:
Andre Young, O'Shea Jackson and Tracy Marrow - what stage names do we know these three by?
Dr Dre, Ice Cube and Ice T respectively.